Profitability Growth (EBIT & NPAT)
First half EBIT of $101.5 million, up 1.0% versus the prior corresponding period; Net profit after tax (NPAT) of $60.1 million, up 2.2% year-over-year.
Strong Free Cash Flow
Generated $70.6 million in free cash flow in H1, an improvement of $40.6 million versus prior year (prior H1 ~$30.0 million), enabling internal funding of the reset.
Debt Reduction and Strong Balance Sheet Metrics
Total debt reduced by $196.1 million (June to December); net debt reduced by $114.2 million; net leverage down from 2.57x to 2.21x; weighted average debt tenor ~4.5 years; interest coverage ~19.8x.
Dividend Increase
Interim dividend raised to $0.25 per share, a 16.3% increase versus the prior FY '25 final dividend; dividend is unfranked and not underwritten; dividend reinvestment plan remains available.
Franchisee Profitability Improvement
Group average franchisee store EBITDA rose 4.5% to $103,000 on a rolling 12-month basis (highest in three years); ANZ franchisee profitability was reported as more than 10% higher in January year-on-year.
Material Cost Savings Delivered and Targeted
Approximately $55 million of cost savings actioned to date; target of $60–70 million annualized savings with $20–30 million flowing in FY'26; Phase 2 targeting an incremental $15–25 million annually.
Capital Expenditure Discipline
Net CapEx investing reduced by $30 million versus prior corresponding period (digital spend down $14 million; operational/back-of-house spend down $3.5 million; new store/acquisition spend down $4.6 million).
Leadership and Governance Strengthening
Announced an experienced new leadership team including incoming Group CEO Andrew Gregory (ex-McDonald's EVP) and other senior hires; new director appointment and tighter investment committee governance to prioritize returns.
Promotion & CRM Strategy Progress
Shifted from broad discounting to targeted, economics-led promotions; Voucher dependency reduced by more than half in early practice; 'Smart Offers' now require store-level economic thresholds and favor carryout over delivery where appropriate.
Operational Actions to Unlock Capital
Refranchising in Malaysia progressed (7–8 stores moved in H1) to release capital while maintaining group profitability; plan to continue refranchising where it improves returns.
Guidance & Outlook
Management reiterated full-year outlook consistent with AGM guidance and indicated intent to beat prior consensus NPAT as of the AGM (management stated they are looking to beat consensus).