Capita to acquire Vertex Mortgage Services Limited

30 June 2015

Capita to acquire Vertex Mortgage Services Limited

Capita plc (‘Capita’) has today announced that it is acquiring Vertex Mortgage Services Limited (‘Vertex MS’) for £35 million on a cash free, debt free basis, subject to approval by the Financial Conduct Authority.

The acquisition of Vertex MS further strengthens Capita’s growing position within the third party mortgage administration market. Building on its commercial mortgage servicing activities, last year Capita added retail mortgage administration to its capabilities following the purchase of Crown Mortgage Services Limited.

Capita already has a strong working relationship with Vertex MS that specialises in providing mortgage processing and administration software solutions to major retailers and high street banks.

Vertex MS employs 340 people and had an annual turnover in the financial year ending 31 March 2015 of £22.9 million with pro forma EBITA of £1.3 million. The company is forecasting pro forma EBITA of £2.7 million on turnover of £33.1 million in its current financial year to 31 March 2016. Due to synergies and growth expectations, we would expect the acquisition to achieve our target return on investment of 15 per cent in 2017.

The mortgages market is facing significant regulatory and business challenges. Currently just five per cent of the mortgage servicing market is outsourced[1]. Capita has identified huge potential in the UK BPO mortgage market, which is estimated to grow to £400 million in 2018[2].

Capita plc Chief Executive Andy Parker said: “As part of our strategy to support the financial services industry, Capita’s ambition is to become the mortgage processing partner of choice for existing mortgage providers and challenger banks.

“The acquisition of Vertex MS is another key step towards achieving this goal. This is a market facing continuous regulatory change and changing customer behaviours, and with Capita’s breadth of services and expertise we are well placed to help organisations with these challenges. This market therefore offers significant growth potential for Capita.”

Capita brings extra support and skills to grow Vertex MS’s market-leading software, maintaining its position at the forefront of the market. The insight-driven software ensures the right information is presented at the right time, in the right way, to help make mortgage applications as simple as possible, enhancing the customer experience.

Andy Parker added: “Coupling Vertex MS’s specialist software with Capita’s experience in business process and customer service transformation will position us uniquely in the market. The acquisition will allow us to deliver real value for mortgage providers, respond to the needs of existing providers and new entrants, and enhance our ability to service large-scale clients.”

The acquisition includes subsidiary companies: Vertex Financial Services Limited and MS Canada Limited, providers of mortgage software in the UK and Canada; and Jessop Fund Managers Limited, providers of unit trust and pension administration services in the UK.

[1] Deloitte 2015 Financial Services M&A selected opportunities report

[2] Source: Nelson Hall

-Ends-

For further information:

Capita plc
Tel: [phone]
Andy Parker, Chief Executive Officer
Shona Nichols, Corporate Communications Director

Media enquiries only:

Capita press office
Bobby Mayamey
Tel: [phone] or 020 7654 2399 (out of hours)
Email: [e-mail]

Twitter:  @CapitaPress

Note to editors

Capita plc is the UK’s leading provider of customer and business process management (BPM) and integrated professional support service solutions. With 68,000 people at over 400 sites, including 80 business centres across the UK, Europe, India and South Africa, the Group uses its expertise, infrastructure and scale benefits to transform its clients’ services, driving down costs and adding value. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L), and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 with 2014 revenue of £4.4bn. Further information on Capita plc can be found at: http://www.capita.co.uk/

About Vertex Mortgage Services Limited

Vertex Mortgage Services Limited is part of the Vertex Group Limited which includes Vertex Financial Services Ltd, MS Canada Ltd and Jessop Fund Managers Ltd. Vertex Mortgage Services Limited a provider of mortgage origination and servicing solutions in the UK and Canada as well as unit trust and pension administration services in the UK.