Group 1 - Wendel has signed a mandate with Natixis SA for share buybacks up to a maximum volume representing approximately 9% of its share capital, effective until December 18, 2026 [1][2] - The share buybacks will be conducted under the program authorized by the Shareholders' Meeting of May 15, 2025, and the liquidity agreement with Oddo BHF is suspended for the duration of the mandate [2] - The liquidity account currently holds 68,273 shares and €3,897,144.04 [2] Group 2 - Wendel is a leading listed investment firm in Europe, focusing on companies that are leaders in their respective fields, and has initiated a strategic shift into third-party asset management of private assets [3] - The company has made significant acquisitions, including a 51% stake in IK Partners in May 2024 and 72% of Monroe Capital in March 2025, with the acquisition of Committed Advisors announced in October 2025 [3] - As of December 31, 2025, Wendel Investment Managers manages €47 billion on behalf of third-party investors and approximately €5.5 billion in its Principal Investments activity [3]

Core Insights - Wendel has accelerated its business model transformation in 2025, making significant progress on its 2030 strategic roadmap, with a fully diluted NAV per share of €164.2 as of December 31, 2025 [2][5][13] Group 1: Financial Performance - Wendel's consolidated net sales increased by 6.1% to €7,567.9 million in 2025, with organic growth of 5.1% [54][65] - The net income for 2025 totaled €344.7 million, a decrease from the previous year due to non-recurring items [58][68] - Fully diluted NAV per share increased by €1.2 from September 30, 2025, reflecting a slight improvement in asset valuations [15][16] Group 2: Wendel Investment Managers (WIM) - WIM achieved strong organic growth, generating €159 million in pro forma Fee Related Earnings (FRE) for 2025, with a target of exceeding €200 million in 2026 [6][24][12] - The platform's assets under management reached €41.2 billion as of December 31, 2025, with a projected increase to €47 billion upon completion of the Committed Advisors acquisition [6][27][31] - WIM's management fees and other revenues totaled €349 million in 2025, a 177% increase compared to 2024 [6][24][23] Group 3: Principal Investments (WPI) - WPI reported robust activity with €1.3 billion in disposals in 2025 and an expected €1.65 billion from announced disposals in early 2026 [6][22][30] - The intrinsic value of WPI is targeted to increase by 12% to 16% annually through 2030 [12][9] - WPI's portfolio rotation strategy is supported by advisory mandates to enhance value creation [12][22] Group 4: Shareholder Returns - Wendel plans to return over €500 million to shareholders in 2026 through dividends and share buybacks, with an ordinary dividend of €5.1 per share proposed for 2025, an increase of 8.5% from 2024 [11][14][39] - A new share buyback program covering 9% of the capital, amounting to approximately €340 million, is expected to be launched [14][11] Group 5: Operational Highlights - Bureau Veritas reported a 3.6% increase in total revenue to €6,466.4 million in 2025, with organic growth of 6.5% [32][65] - Scalian experienced a decline in sales of 5.1% due to market conditions, while Globeducate saw a 10.5% increase in sales [47][49] - The Crisis Prevention Institute and ACAMS reported revenue increases of 1.8% and 9.2%, respectively, reflecting strategic investments and market recovery [41][44]

Core Viewpoint - Wendel supports MTN's acquisition offer for IHS Towers, which will provide Wendel with full liquidity on its 19% stake, amounting to approximately $535 million, reflecting a strategic shift in Wendel's investment focus [2][3][7]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - MTN Group's offer to acquire IHS Towers is priced at $8.5 per share, representing a 36% premium over the 52-week volume-weighted average price as of February 4, 2026 [3]. - The transaction is expected to close in 2026, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals [4]. - Wendel's stake sale will yield net proceeds of approximately $535 million, which is a 21% premium over Wendel's latest reported Net Asset Value as of September 30, 2025 [3]. Group 2: Company Background - IHS Towers, founded in 2001, is a leading independent owner and operator of shared communications infrastructure, with over 37,000 towers across seven emerging markets [5][6]. - Since Wendel's initial investment in 2012, IHS has expanded from approximately 1,000 towers in one country to over 37,000 towers, achieving $1.8 billion in revenue with EBITDA margins exceeding 55% [6]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - Wendel's CEO, Laurent Mignon, emphasized that the combination of MTN and IHS is a sensible industrial project, aligning with Wendel's strategy to focus on direct investments in controlled, unlisted companies in Europe and North America [7]. - The transaction aligns with Wendel's active portfolio rotation strategy, which aims to generate approximately €1.65 billion from recent sales, enhancing Wendel's flexibility for long-term value creation [8].

Core Viewpoint - Wendel has agreed to sell its stake in Stahl, a leader in specialty coatings for flexible materials, to Henkel for an enterprise value of €2.1 billion, resulting in estimated net proceeds of €1.2 billion for Wendel, reflecting an annualized IRR of over 15% since 2006 [2][3]. Company Overview - Stahl is recognized as the global leader in specialty coatings for flexible materials, benefiting from favorable market trends, particularly in premium consumer segments, and strong exposure to high-growth regions like Asia [5]. - Under Wendel's ownership from 2006 to 2024, Stahl's global sales increased from €316 million to €930 million, nearly tripling, supported by both organic growth and strategic acquisitions [6]. - Stahl's adjusted operating income grew fourfold from €44 million to €181 million, with the adjusted operating margin expanding by 550 basis points to 19.5% in 2024 [7]. Transaction Details - The transaction values Stahl at a multiple of 6.6 times Wendel's total investment since 2006, including €427 million of past proceeds due to Stahl's strong cash generation [3]. - The sale involves Wendel (68.5% of the capital), BASF (16.1%), Clariant (14.6%), and other minority shareholders, and is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions [4]. Strategic Transformation - Stahl has completed a multi-year strategic transformation, evolving into a pure-play specialty coatings formulator by divesting its wet-end leather chemicals activities, which now operate under a standalone company named Muno [9]. - The company has established itself as an ESG frontrunner, achieving four consecutive Ecovadis Platinum ratings since 2021 and aligning its product portfolio with customer sustainability expectations [8]. Future Outlook - The transaction aligns with Wendel's capital allocation strategy and is expected to enhance long-term value creation through private asset investments, allowing for a share buyback program post-2025 earnings release [12]. - Stahl's leadership position in specialty coatings is anticipated to strengthen under Henkel, leveraging Henkel's innovation capabilities to enhance customer value [10].

Core Viewpoint - Wendel is engaged in non-exclusive discussions with Henkel regarding a potential transaction involving Stahl, but there is no certainty that these discussions will lead to a transaction [2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Wendel is one of Europe's leading listed investment firms, focusing on Principal Investments in companies that are leaders in their respective fields, including Stahl [4]. - In 2023, Wendel initiated a strategic shift towards third-party asset management of private assets, complementing its historical principal investment activities [4]. - As of September 30, 2025, Wendel Investment Managers manages approximately 46 billion euros on behalf of third-party investors, alongside about 5.3 billion euros invested in its Principal Investments activity [4]. Group 2: Recent Developments - Wendel completed the acquisition of a 51% stake in IK Partners in May 2024, marking a significant step in its strategic expansion into third-party private asset management [4]. - In March 2025, Wendel completed the acquisition of 72% of Monroe Capital and announced the acquisition of Committed Advisors in October 2025 [4]. Group 3: Financial Calendar - Wendel's financial calendar includes the publication of Full-Year 2025 Results on February 25, 2026, and Q1 2026 Trading update on April 22, 2026 [3].

Core Insights - Wendel Investment Managers (WIM) has successfully raised over €11 billion in European Private Equity and US Private Credit markets, showcasing the platform's strong attractiveness [1][8] - Following the acquisition of Committed Advisors, WIM will manage more than €46 billion in assets across private equity, private debt, and secondary markets, with an expected annual FRE exceeding €200 million in 2026 [2][13] - Monroe Capital raised $6.1 billion for its Private Credit Fund V, indicating strong investor confidence in its strategy [3][4] Fundraising Performance - Monroe Capital's fundraising success highlights its ability to attract a diversified international investor base, with a focus on lower middle-market direct lending [5][8] - IK Partners closed its IK X Fund at its hard cap of €3.3 billion, marking the largest fund raised by the firm to date, with significant interest from institutional investors across EMEA, Asia, and the Americas [6][8] - IK Small Cap IV Fund also reached its hard cap of €2.0 billion in less than six months, reflecting continued investor confidence, with 80% of the capital raised from existing investors [7][8] Strategic Developments - Wendel's strategic shift into third-party asset management of private assets is underscored by its acquisitions of IK Partners and Monroe Capital, enhancing its capabilities in managing private equity and private debt [13][14] - The firm aims for an average organic FRE annual growth target of 15% through 2030, supported by a strong track record and a diversified institutional investor base [2][8]

Core Insights - Wendel is undergoing a significant transformation into a global investment firm focused on private assets, aiming to generate over €7 billion in cash flow by 2030 and return at least €1.6 billion to shareholders [1][11][10] Group 1: Strategic Transformation - Wendel has evolved from a traditional investment holding company to a global investment firm with a focus on controlled private assets, maintaining its long-term investor DNA [1][10] - The company has established a unique private asset investment ecosystem in North America and Europe, supported by two complementary value creation engines: Wendel Investment Managers (WIM) and Wendel Principal Investments (WPI) [3][10] Group 2: Financial Projections - By 2030, Wendel expects to generate cash flows exceeding €7 billion, with over €1.6 billion allocated for shareholder returns through dividends and share buybacks [5][11] - WIM is projected to manage more than €46 billion in assets and generate annual Fee Related Earnings (FRE) exceeding €200 million by 2026, with an average organic FRE annual growth target of 15% through 2030 [3][18] Group 3: Shareholder Returns - Wendel plans to cancel 3.8% of its treasury shares and initiate a share buyback program representing 9% of its share capital in 2026, with the share cancellation expected to occur soon [1][12] - The return to shareholders will include annual dividends based on 2.5% of WPI's Net Asset Value and around 90% of dividends distributed by WIM, with a cumulative total of approximately €1.3 billion expected by the end of 2030 [12][11] Group 4: Investment Strategy - WPI aims for an average annual increase in intrinsic value of 12% to 16%, with plans to invest over €1.7 billion in principal investments and more than €2.5 billion in the WIM platform by 2030 [6][12] - The company will continue to assess selective external growth opportunities to enhance its platform and expertise [3][12]

Core Insights - Disc Medicine, Inc. presented positive initial data from the RALLY-MF Phase 2 trial of DISC-0974 for treating anemia in myelofibrosis (MF) at the ASH Annual Meeting, showing significant reductions in hepcidin and increases in iron levels, leading to clinically meaningful improvements in anemia across various patient types [1][2]. Group 1: Trial Results - The ongoing Phase 2 trial enrolled 47 adult patients with MF and anemia, with 34 patients included in the responder analysis [2]. - DISC-0974 treatment resulted in over 75% reduction in hepcidin and significant increases in serum iron [6]. - 63% of non-transfusion dependent (nTD) patients achieved a hemoglobin increase of ≥1 g/dL for ≥12 weeks, while 50% had an increase of ≥1.5 g/dL for ≥12 weeks [6]. - 71% of low transfusion burden patients achieved transfusion independence over a 16-week period [6]. - 67% of high transfusion burden patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in transfusion requirement [6]. - 50% of patients receiving concomitant JAK inhibitor therapy achieved a major hematologic response [6]. Group 2: Treatment Administration and Tolerability - DISC-0974 was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 50 mg every 4 weeks for up to 6 treatments [2]. - The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with diarrhea and urinary tract infections being the only related adverse events reported in two or more subjects [6]. Group 3: Future Plans and Developments - The company plans to advance the DISC-0974 program to address the unmet need for anemia treatment in MF, as there are currently no approved therapies for this condition [2]. - Additional data from the trial is expected to be shared in the second half of 2026 [6].

Core Viewpoint - Wendel has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a controlling stake in Committed Advisors, with the founding partners reinvesting their net proceeds into Committed Advisors funds as part of the transaction [1]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The agreement to acquire Committed Advisors was signed on November 24, 2025, and the transaction is expected to be completed in Q1 2026, pending regulatory approvals [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Wendel SE is one of the leading publicly traded investment companies in Europe, investing in sector-leading companies such as ACAMS, Bureau Veritas, and IHS Towers. As of September 30, 2025, the group manages €40 billion for third-party investors and approximately €5.3 billion for its own account [3]. - In 2023, Wendel announced plans to develop a private asset management platform in addition to its proprietary investment activities, having completed acquisitions of 51% of IK Partners in May 2024 and 72% of Monroe Capital in March 2025 [3].

Core Insights - Wendel is entering exclusive negotiations to acquire a controlling stake in Committed Advisors, a private investment firm focused on mid-market secondary transactions, with a commitment to support its future development [1][2] Group 1: Transaction Details - Wendel plans to acquire 56% of Committed Advisors' shares, with an initial payment of €258 million and potential earnouts of up to €128 million based on performance targets [3][4] - Wendel will allocate up to €500 million for anchor commitments in Committed Advisors' successor funds and new strategies, with a focus on secondary mid-market transactions [4] - The remaining 44% of Committed Advisors' shares will be acquired through subsequent transactions scheduled between 2029 and 2035, with valuations linked to growth in Fee Related Earnings (FRE) [5] Group 2: Financial Projections - Committed Advisors is expected to generate approximately €70 million in management fees and €45 million in pre-tax Fee Related Earnings in 2026 [1] - Following the transaction, Wendel Investment Managers' total Assets Under Management (AuM) would exceed €46 billion, with pro forma Fee Related Earnings of €200 million in 2026 [2] Group 3: Company Background - Committed Advisors, founded in 2010, manages €6 billion in private assets and has completed over 220 transactions, focusing on mid-market secondary transactions ranging from €20 million to €200 million [1][8] - The firm has a strong track record, delivering a gross Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 19% across its funds [4][8] Group 4: Strategic Alignment - The partnership will allow Committed Advisors to operate autonomously while benefiting from Wendel's resources, enhancing its growth in a secondary market that has more than doubled since 2021 [2][7] - Both companies emphasize a shared long-term vision and values, with Committed Advisors' management retaining a 44% equity interest post-closing and committing to reinvest initial proceeds into successor funds [4][7]