Wood Group faces significant share price drop amid financial review

The engineering firm Wood Group experiences a dramatic decline in share value due to an independent financial review.

Overview of Wood Group’s Financial Turmoil

Wood Group, a prominent engineering firm based in Aberdeen, has recently experienced a staggering decline in its share price, plummeting by more than 60%. This dramatic fall was triggered by the announcement of an urgent independent review of the company’s financial records. The review, commissioned by Wood, aims to scrutinize various aspects of its operations, including accounting practices and governance structures.

Impact of the Share Price Drop

The company’s market value took a significant hit, decreasing by £500 million as shares fell from a closing price of £1.24 to as low as 49.8p. This decline marks a turbulent period for Wood Group, which has been grappling with substantial project write-offs throughout the year. The independent review, conducted by Deloitte, will assess reported positions on contracts and determine if any prior year restatements are necessary due to exceptional contract write-offs.

Context of the Financial Review

This financial turmoil comes on the heels of a reported near-£750 million loss in Wood’s half-year report. The review is particularly focused on the company’s exit from lump sum turnkey projects and large-scale engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts. Despite these challenges, Wood Group’s outlook for 2024 remains cautiously optimistic, with expectations of high single-digit growth driven by a strong performance in the fourth quarter.

Recent Developments and Future Outlook

Wood Group’s share price has faced significant volatility, with this being the second major drop in just three months. The previous decline was precipitated by the withdrawal of Dubai-based buyer Dar Al-Handasah from a proposed acquisition, citing rising geopolitical risks and financial market uncertainty. In response to these challenges, CEO Ken Gilmartin emphasized the company’s commitment to a turnaround strategy, which includes a simplification program aimed at achieving annualized savings of approximately £42.6 million.

Performance Insights and Strategic Moves

Despite the setbacks, Gilmartin noted that there has been strong year-on-year growth in operations and margin expansion in consulting services. However, the projects division has underperformed, particularly in the chemicals sector, leading to delayed project awards. The company is actively taking measures to address these issues while maintaining its guidance for high single-digit growth in EBITDA for the full year.

Conclusion

As Wood Group navigates this challenging landscape, the outcomes of the independent review will be crucial in determining the company’s future trajectory. Stakeholders will be closely monitoring the developments as Wood aims to stabilize its operations and restore investor confidence.