FirstGroup Plc - 2023 AGM Statement

FirstGroup Plc - 2023 AGM Statement

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, July 21

FIRSTGROUP PLC

2023 AGM STATEMENT

FirstGroup plc ('FirstGroup' or 'the Group') will be holding its Annual General Meeting ('AGM') at 14:30 today.

Ahead of the AGM, the Group notes that its overall trading performance for the financial year-to-date has been in line with the expectations we outlined at our full year results on 8 June 2023.

As at 20 July 2023, £70.9m of the £75m on-market share buyback programme launched in December 2022 has been completed. As previously announced, upon completion of the £75m buyback programme, the Group will launch an additional on-market share buyback programme to purchase up to £115m of ordinary shares of 5p, subject to approval of the normal buyback authority at today's AGM.

The Group is scheduled to announce its interim results for the six months to the end of September 2023 on Thursday 23 November 2023.

Contacts at FirstGroup: Marianna Bowes, Head of Investor Relations Stuart Butchers, Head of Corporate Communications [e-mail] Tel: [phone]

Contacts at Brunswick PR: Andrew Porter / Simone Selzer Tel: [phone]

Contacts at Liberum Capital Limited: Nicholas How / John Fishley / William Hall Tel: [phone]

Contacts at RBC Europe Limited: James Agnew / Jack Wood Tel: [phone]

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference within this document may constitute 'forward-looking statements' with respect to the business, strategy and plans of the Group and our current goals, assumptions and expectations relating to our future financial condition, performance and results. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No statement in this document should be construed as a profit forecast for any period. Shareholders are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Except as required by the UK Listing Rules and applicable law, the Group does not undertake any obligation to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date of this document.

Notes

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 549300DEJZCPWA4HKM93. Classification as per DTR 6 Annex 1R: 3.1.

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP.L) is a leading private sector provider of public transport services. With £4.8 billion in revenue and around 30,000 employees, we transported more than 1.8m passengers a day in 2022/23. We create solutions that reduce complexity, making travel smoother and life easier. Our businesses are at the heart of our communities and the essential services we provide are critical to delivering wider economic, social and environmental goals. Each of our divisions is a leader in its field: First Bus is the second largest regional bus operator in the UK, serving two-thirds of the country's 15 largest conurbations with a fleet of more than 4,500 buses, and carrying more than a million passengers a day. First Rail is the UK's largest rail operator, with many years of experience running long-distance, commuter, regional and sleeper rail services. We operate a fleet of more than 3,500 locomotives and rail carriages through three management fee-based train operating companies (Avanti West Coast, GWR, SWR) and two open access routes (Hull Trains and Lumo). We are formally committed to operating a zero-emission First Bus fleet by 2035, and First Rail will help support the UK Government's goal to remove all diesel-only trains from service by 2040. In February 2023 FirstGroup was named as one of the world's cleanest 200 public companies for the fourth consecutive year by sustainable business media group Corporate Knights in partnership with US not-for-profit organisation, As You Sow. We provide easy and convenient mobility, improving quality of life by connecting people and communities. Visit our website at www.firstgroupplc.com and follow us @firstgroupplc on Twitter.

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