VICTREX

Victrex H1 revenue rose slightly to £147.1m but underlying profit before tax fell 18% to £19m due to pricing pressure, adverse mix and a weak Q1. The group booked £63m of exceptional items, mainly a £60.6m non-cash impairment of the Panjin, China plant, producing a reported pre-tax loss of £44m. CEO James Routh announced urgent cost actions including ~10% headcount reductions, a decentralized operating model and a refreshed strategy to be unveiled in September. The board now expects fiscal 2026 underlying profit before tax of £42m–£44m and sees gross margin slightly below last year’s 45.3%. » Plus sur finance.yahoo.com

Victrex has appointed Peter Kiernan (effective 1 March 2026) and Maria Antoniou (effective 1 September 2026) to the board. David Thomas, current non-executive director and chair of the audit committee, will step down on 1 July 2026; Kiernan will assume the role. Kiernan brings 30 years of investment banking and audit experience, while Antoniou has HR, governance and corporate culture experience from leadership roles in industrial companies. The board says the new appointments will support the company’s strategy and its programme to improve results. » Plus sur de.investing.com

James Routh, who will assume the role of CEO at Victrex on 1 January 2026, purchased a total of 4,520 ordinary shares in two transactions before taking office (3,026 shares at 663.5775 pence and 1,494 shares at 666.0734 pence). The disclosure of the share purchases was made voluntarily because Routh has not yet officially taken up his position as a director. Victrex is listed on the London Stock Exchange and specialises in high-performance polymer solutions for industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy and medical. » Plus sur de.investing.com