Optima Health PLC (AIM:OPT) said it is well-positioned for growth in the next financial year and beyond, after delivering what it described as a strong operational and financial performance in the 12 months to 31 March.
The group, which provides technology-led health and wellbeing services to employers, pointed to momentum across its strategy, including a major government contract win, expansion into the Republic of Ireland and progress in licensing its proprietary digital triage tool.
Adjusted revenue for the year came in at £105 million, down 5% on the previous period. The company said the decline reflected the previously announced loss of a large and reduced scope of another.
Its financial performance was further hampered by substantial additional costs from the impact of employers’ national insurance increases and Real Living Wage inflation.
This meant adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) slipped 2% to £17.6 million, broadly in line with revenue.
Despite these headwinds, Optima secured £27.2 million in new business, up from £7.3 million a year earlier.
It also began mobilisation of a £210 million contract to deliver medical assessment services for the UK Armed Forces, with service revenues expected to come through in around 18 months’ time.
Net debt excluding lease liabilities dropped to £2.2 million, down from £34.0 million, reflecting a strengthened balance sheet following the demerger from Marlowe and listing on London’s AIM market.
The company completed three acquisitions during the year – BHSF Occupational Health, Care first, and Ireland-based Cognate Health – all of which are expected to enhance earnings in their first full year. The Cognate deal marks Optima’s first expansion outside the UK.
Optima also licensed its in-house Digital Assessment Routing Tool (DART) to five NHS trusts under the Get It Right First Time (GIRFT) initiative.
The technology is designed to help employees access the right clinical service and plays a key role in the group’s plans to expand into adjacent healthcare markets.
CEO Jonathan Thomas said growth will be driven by continued organic expansion, supplemented by acquisitions.
He added: “We remain well-positioned to deliver growth [this year]. Alongside continued organic expansion, we will continue our disciplined approach to M&A, with recent acquisitions all enhancing our capabilities, footprint, and customer base.
“As we look ahead, we are confident in the strength of our people and our platform which, alongside an excellent market opportunity, will enable us to further consolidate our leadership position as we pursue our ambition to lead the transformation of business-to-business workplace healthcare.”