
Company announcement no. 47/2025
Copenhagen, 12 August 2025
ISS A/S – Interim Report for 1 January – 30 June 2025
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Free cash flow
Free cash flow in H1 2025 was DKK (542) million (H1
2024: DKK (1,095) million), an improvement of DKK
553 million compared with the same period last year
mainly due to a positive development in changes in
working capital and improved operating profit
before other items.
Cash flow from operating activities in H1 2025
amounted to DKK 135 million (H1 2024: DKK (333)
million), an improvement of DKK 468 million
compared with H1 2024 due to an increase in
operating profit before other items and a less
negative development in changes in working capital.
In line with normal seasonality, changes in working
capital in H1 2025 was an outflow of DKK 1,578
million (H1 2024: outflow of DKK 1,854 million).
However, as a result of improved collection of trade
receivables across the Group and lower growth than
previous periods, the outflow improved DKK 268
million compared with the same period last year.
Utilisation of factoring decreased to DKK 1.52 billion
(H1 2024: DKK 1.61 billion) driven by less invoices
eligible for factoring.
Cash flow from investing activities in H1 2025
amounted to DKK (515) million (H1 2024: DKK (1,669)
million). The decreased outflow of DKK 1,154 million
related to acquisitions and divestments in H1 2024
as well as fixed-term deposit investments for
placement of excess liquidity at 30 June 2024 until
bond repayment in December 2024.
Investments in intangible assets and property and
equipment, net, was DKK 309 million (H1 2024: DKK
289 million), which represented 0.7% of Group
revenue (H1 2024: 0.7%) and reflected continued
strict investment discipline.
Cash flow from financing activities in H1 2025 was an
inflow of DKK 1,176 million (H1 2024: DKK 2,066
million).
Proceeds from the Euro-Commercial Paper (ECP)
programme established in May 2025 amounted to
DKK 3,474 million.
Purchase of own shares was an outflow of DKK 1,254
million (H1 2024: DKK 378 million) and related to the
Group’s share buyback programme.
Capital structure
In line with ISS’s capital allocation policy, a key
objective is to maintain an investment grade rating
as it is important from both a financial and
commercial perspective. To adhere to the
investment grade rating, ISS targets a net debt to
pro-forma adjusted EBITDA (LTM) of 2.0x-2.5x. ISS
currently holds BBB / Stable outlook by S&P Global
and Baa3 / Positive outlook by Moody’s.
On 30 June 2025, net debt amounted to DKK 14.1
billion, an increase of DKK 2.8 billion compared with
31 December 2024. The increase was driven by
negative free cash flow in H1 2025, dividends paid to
shareholders and execution of the share buyback
programme. Despite EBITDA growth, the higher net
debt resulted in an increase in financial leverage to
2.5x at 30 June 2025 based on pro forma EBITDA
(LTM) compared with 2.0x at year-end 2024. The
increased leverage at half-year reflects normal
seasonality, although slightly improved from
leverage of 2.6x at 30 June 2024.
On 27 May 2025, ISS established a Euro-Commercial
Paper (ECP) programme to enhance financial
flexibility and diversify the Group’s funding structure,
enabling more efficient and timely access to short-
term financing. The programme allows for the
issuance of unsecured notes up to a maximum
principal amount of EUR 900 million. Notes under
the programme have maturities of up to 364 days,
typically shorter than six months. Each note carries
a fixed interest rate for its duration and may be
issued either at a discount or on an interest-bearing
basis, depending on market conditions. S&P Global
has assigned an A-2 short-term credit rating to the
ECP Programme. At 30 June 2025, the outstanding
amount under the ECP programme was DKK 3,474
million.
Subsequent to 30 June 2025, EUR 500 million of the
Group’s EMTNs reached maturity on 7 July 2025 and
were repaid in full through a combination of cash
and funding obtained in the newly established ECP
programme.
An additional EUR 500 million of EMTN bonds will
mature in June 2026. Over the next 12 months, the
Group will evaluate different financing options.
Except for this, and notes outstanding under the ECP
programme, ISS had no material short-term debt
maturities at 30 June 2025.