(Reuters) -The currency division of banknote printer De La Rue will beat expectations of double-digit core earnings growth in the 2026 fiscal year, the company said on Wednesday, supported by stronger orders as demand returns.
UK-based De La Rue aims to deliver the bulk of its recent orders and contracts in the year to March 2026. Its currency unit had an order book of 347 million pounds ($445.48 million) at the end of January, it said in a trading update.
It also said it was on track to deliver adjusted operating profit in the mid- to high-20 million pounds range for the year ending March 29, 2025, and complete the sale of its authentication business in the first half of this year.
The company is in discussions regarding a potential sale of the group, as well as exploring options for the currency business. It launched a formal sale process last month amid takeover interest.
De La Rue shares rose 2.5% to 124.5 pence in early trading.
Last year, De La Rue noted signs of returning demand for banknotes from central banks, which had stockpiled cash during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company’s currency unit designs and prints banknotes, develops security features such as colour-shifting inks to prevent counterfeiting, and provides polymer substrate for more durable and eco-friendly banknotes.
($1 = 0.7789 pounds)
(Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Rachna Uppal)
