Looking ahead, Bower said fee earner levels are now “broadly appropriate” for current market conditions, and that 2026 will focus on driving further fee earner productivity by maximizing the sales funnel and ensuring teams highlight the company’s broader talent solutions to clients.On productivity, Bower said the company continued to see year-on-year improvement. In specialist recruitment, perm placements per perm fee earner rose 2% to 0.84, supported by double-digit growth in the U.K. and Southern Europe. ...

Merger Highlights - The proposed merger aims to create a larger multi-sector holding company, targeting inclusion in the Russell 2000 index[11] - The combined company, NewCo, projects $40 million in Adjusted EBITDA by 2030, a significant increase from the pro forma $6.4 million in 2024[11] - NewCo anticipates at least $2 million in annualized cost savings within 12 months, potentially generating approximately $0.57 in incremental pro-forma EPS[11] - NewCo expects to better utilize Hudson's Net Operating Losses (NOLs), with a potential value of $14.45 per pro-forma share[11] Strategic Rationale - The merger diversifies revenues for both Hudson and Star, creating pro-forma annualized revenues of $210 million, compared to $140.1 million and $53.4 million respectively in FY 2024[19] - The combined entity anticipates approximately $2 million in annualized savings from corporate overhead and public company costs[19] - Hudson has $240 million in usable US Federal NOLs, which NewCo can better utilize to shield more US taxable income[19] - The combined cash position of the companies was $23.3 million as of December 31, 2024, with Hudson holding $17.7 million and Star holding $5.6 million[19] Transaction Details - Hudson will acquire all outstanding common shares of Star, issuing 0.23 common shares of HSON for each common share of STRR[25] - Upon completion of the merger, Hudson shareholders will own approximately 79% stake in NewCo, and Star shareholders will own approximately 21%[25]