Literacy Capital PLC(BOOK)
GBX --+0.00%
Reward50Moderate
Risk68Medium-High
📊75%Data
Revenue growing 19% YoY
BOOK
+0.0 · +0.00%
GBX · LSE
Literacy Capital PLC | Financial Services
Profitless Growth
Market Cap:199.18M
ℹ️
Reward Rating
50
Moderate
Bottom 50% (model universe)
75% data coverage
ℹ️
Risk Rating
68
Medium-High
Risk Assessment
ℹ️

Educational tool only – Scores are based on historical data and financial metrics for informational purposes. This is not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser.

ℹ️ Educational tool only · More

Market Performance

Stock returned +10.0% over the past year, broadly in line with market conditions.

What is Literacy Capital PLC?

Literacy Capital plc is a venture capital and private equity firm specializing in early stage investments, direct private equity investments, buyout, growth capital, MBIs, M&A, mature, family owned, fund investments and co investments with private equity managers.

BOOK · Verdict

Moderate reward · elevated risk

BOOK's standout is volatility; balance sheet and valuation weigh on the picture.

Based on 88% data coverage

BOOK · Verdict

What’s working & what to watch

Strengths 1

  • Volatility75/100

    Above average

Watchouts 3

  • Balance sheet6/100

    Net debt/EBITDA 32.1×

  • Valuation21/100

    PEG ratio 0.00

  • Cash flow25/100

    -162% free-cash-flow margin

Model-based scoring. For information only — not financial advice.

What is Literacy Capital PLC?

Literacy Capital plc is a venture capital and private equity firm specializing in early stage investments, direct private equity investments, buyout, growth capital, MBIs, M&A, mature, family owned, fund investments and co investments with private equity managers. It also invest in private equity fund of fund investments. The company is listed on the LSE in UK, operating in the Financial Services sector, with a market capitalisation of 199.18M, and a P/E ratio of 331.0x.

Financial Highlights

Investment Breakdown

📈 Growth
Revenue and earnings growing steadily, indicating improving operating performance.
💰 Profitability
Profitability metrics are mixed — margins may be under pressure.
⚠️ Risk
Performance tied to macro conditions — sensitive to interest rate cycles.
💸 Valuation
Premium valuation reflects strong growth expectations already priced in.

OpenBook Logo Analysis

Reward: Moderate (50)

The scoring profile indicates limited reward potential at this time, with growth and momentum offering the most support. Risk indicators are elevated — volatility and macro sensitivity warrant consideration.

For informational purposes only. Not financial advice.

Company Information
SectorFinancial Services
Market Cap199.18M
P/E Ratio331
Dividend YieldN/A
52 Week High444.0315
52 Week Low316
Last AnnualDecember
IPO DateN/A
IncorporatedUK
Shares Outstanding60M
No. of Employees5
IndustryAsset Management
ExchangeLSE
Beta-0.039
CurrencyGBX

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Uses ISF.L (iShares FTSE 100 ETF)
Indicators

Performance Metrics

Historical returns

Annual Returns

Calendar year performance

Insufficient price history.
Fundamentals
Fundamentals Insights
Educational tool only. Not financial advice.

Business Snapshot

  • Revenue TrendAccelerating
  • Profitability TrendDeteriorating
  • Balance Sheet StrengthModerate
  • Cash GenerationWeak

Risk Flags

Structural indicators detected (5):
Growth
  • Revenue remains 93.0% below the prior peak from 2021.
Profitability
  • Free cash flow has been negative for 8 consecutive years.
  • Operating margin is 22765.7pp below its recent average.
Balance Sheet
  • Interest coverage is 0.00x (below 3.0x).
  • Net debt / EBITDA is above recent norm (32.07x latest).

What Changed This Year

Compared to 2024:
  • Revenue↑ 2006.7%
  • Operating Income↑ 117.5%
  • Net Income↑ 117.5%
  • EBITDA↑ 117.5%

Income Statement

CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A

Balance Sheet

CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A

Cash Flow

CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A

Key Ratios

Net Margin
12.46%
Net Income / Revenue
Operating Margin
12.46%
Operating Income / Revenue
ROE
0.25%
Net Income / Equity
Debt-to-Equity
0.08x
Net Debt / Equity
FCF Yield
-4.85%
FCF / Market Cap
Key Takeaway

Mixed ownership structure with varying levels of insider, institutional, and public participation.

55.5% Insider 3.4% Institutional 41.0% Float
59%
Total Owned
Insider
Institutional
Public Float
55.5%
Insider

Insider Ownership

Very Bullish

Insiders own 55.5%, which indicates very strong alignment between management and shareholders.

3.4%
Institutional

Institutional Ownership

Low

Institutions own 3.4%, which suggests relatively limited professional investor coverage.

41.0%
Public

Public Float

Moderate

Public float is 41.0%, which points to a fairly balanced ownership structure.

Reward Rating Breakdown

Our Reward Rating provides a model-based reward profile for BOOK using 5 weighted factors. Each factor is scored 0-100 and combined using the weights shown below.

Overall Reward Rating
50
Moderate REWARD
Data Coverage: 75%

📈 Growth

Weight: 40%
61/100

Growth measures the company's ability to expand its business over time through revenue, earnings, and cash flow generation.

Historical (60%)
Revenue CAGR (3yr)
339.4%
Very Good
Net Income CAGR (3yr)
-77.2%
Very Bad
FCF CAGR (3yr)
Neutral
Forward Estimates (40%)
Rev Est Growth (NTM)
Neutral
EPS Est Growth (NTM)
Neutral
Analyst Target Upside
Neutral
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK scored 61/100 for growth, blending a 3-year historical track record (60%) with analyst forward estimates (40%). Historical revenue CAGR of 339.4% is above model thresholds. Net income contracted at -77.2%, suggesting cost or margin pressure. No analyst forward estimates available — score based on historical data only. Overall, growth metrics are moderately positive. Forecasts and analyst targets are estimates and may be inaccurate.

🚀 Momentum

Weight: 25%
50/100

Momentum is assessed relative to the FTSE 100 benchmark where available. This provides context for recent price movement across different market conditions.

12M vs Benchmark 30%
Absolute return
No Benchmark
6M vs Benchmark 25%
Absolute return
No Benchmark
3M Return 20%
Neutral
Consistency 15%
3m vs 1Y/4 normalised
No Data
Volume Trend 10%
30d vs 90d avg volume
Neutral
🤖Model Commentary

Insufficient price history to assess momentum. Score defaulted to neutral (50).

💰 Profitability

Weight: 20%
50/100

Profitability examines both the current margin level and margin expansion trends. High and expanding margins indicate pricing power and operational efficiency.

Gross Margin 25%
54.8%
Sector avg 45%
Above Average
Net Margin 20%
12.5%
Sector avg 10%
Above Average
FCF Conversion 20%
-1301%
FCF / Net Income
Very Bad
EBIT Growth (3yr) 15%
Neutral
ROE (TTM) 10%
0.3%
Bad
ROA (TTM) 10%
0.9%
Bad
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK scores 50/100 for profitability, assessed sector-relative on margins and via absolute thresholds for capital efficiency. Gross margin of 54.8% is 22% above the sector average of 45% — indicating margins are materially above peers. Net margin of 12.5% sits 25% above the sector norm of 10%. FCF conversion of -1301% is low — reported earnings may overstate true cash generation. Overall, profitability appears moderate and may require improvement for stronger resilience. Profitability trends can change and should be reviewed alongside balance-sheet risk.

💎 Valuation

Weight: 15%
21/100

Valuation is scored sector-relative — each metric is compared against the typical multiple for this industry, so a high P/E in Healthcare is judged differently to a high P/E in Energy. PEG and Price/FCF use absolute thresholds.

PEG Ratio 25%
0.00
No Data
EV/EBITDA 25%
0.0x
Sector avg 12x
Higher Relative Value
Fwd P/E 20%⚠️
0.0x
Sector avg 18x
Material Premium vs Peers
Price/FCF 20%
No Sector Data
EV/Sales 10%
68.6x
Sector avg 2x
Material Premium vs Peers
Net Debt/EBITDA Adj
32.1x
Very High
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK received a valuation score of 21/100 using sector-relative scoring. Its Forward P/E of 0.0x is 100% below the sector average of 18x. ⚠️ Earnings quality is flagged — accruals are elevated (ratio 1.75), suggesting reported earnings may overstate cash generation. EV/EBITDA of 0.0x sits 100% below the sector norm of 12x. Leverage is stretched at 32.1x Net Debt/EBITDA — this has applied a penalty to the valuation score. Overall, valuation multiples are higher than selected sector references. Valuation metrics are not forecasts of future returns.

⚠️

Educational Tool Only

The reward rating and analysis shown above are based on historical financial data and quantitative metrics, provided for informational and educational purposes only. This is not financial advice and should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.

Risk Rating Breakdown

Our Risk Rating provides a model-based risk profile for BOOK using 4 weighted factors. Each factor is scored 0-100 (higher = riskier), then combined using the weights shown below.

Overall Risk Rating
68
Medium-High RISK
Data Coverage: 100%

⚖️ Financial Solvency

Weight: 35%
94/100

Financial Solvency measures the company's ability to service and repay its debt obligations. Five sub-metrics are weighted to produce the composite score.

Interest Coverage (25%)
0.0x
Highest Risk Band
Net Debt / EBITDA (20%)
32.1x
Very High
Current Ratio (20%)
0.70x
Highest Risk Band
Debt Trend 3yr (15%)
+60%
Rapidly Deteriorating
FCF / Debt Coverage (20%)
-41%
Highest Distress Risk
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK has a financial solvency risk score of 94/100. This indicates elevated leverage risk in this model. Interest coverage is 0.0x—earnings barely cover debt service. Net debt is 32.1x EBITDA, well above the 3x warning threshold. A current ratio of 0.70x means current liabilities exceed current assets, a near-term liquidity concern. Heavily leveraged companies can face refinancing pressure and increased sensitivity to rate changes or earnings weakness.

💼 Operational Quality

Weight: 30%
75/100

Operational Quality measures bottom-line efficiency, cash generation, capital productivity, and margin consistency — four equally weighted signals of business model resilience.

Net Margin (25%)
12.5%
Moderate Risk Band
FCF Margin (25%)
-162.1%
Higher Distress Risk
Cash ROA (25%)
-3.0%
Poor
Margin Stability (25%)
±38473.3pp
Highly Variable
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK scores 75/100 for operational quality, indicating high operational risk. The company shows a high net margin of 12.5%. Key concerns: negative FCF (-162.1% FCF margin) — the business is cash burning; weak capital efficiency with -3.0% Cash ROA; significant margin instability of ±38473.3pp over 3 years — the primary risk driver here. These weaknesses make the business vulnerable to cost shocks or revenue shortfalls. Monitor profitability trends closely.

📉 Volatility

Weight: 25%
25/100

Volatility measures price instability, worst-case drawdowns, and sensitivity to broader market moves.

Annualised Volatility (35%)
Max Drawdown (35%)
Beta (30%)
-0.04
Counter-Cyclical
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK has a volatility risk score of 25/100. This shows lower volatility with relatively stable prices in the measured period. Beta of -0.04 indicates defensive characteristics — it moves less than the market. Lower volatility may be more compatible with conservative risk budgets, depending on portfolio context.

📊 Size Factor

Weight: 10%
65/100

Size factor captures existential risk. Smaller companies have higher failure rates, less diversification, and greater vulnerability to shocks.

Market Cap
£0.2B
Neutral
Size Category
Micro Cap
Neutral
🤖Model Commentary

BOOK has a market cap of £0.2B (Micro Cap), resulting in a size risk score of 65/100. As a smaller company, it faces elevated business and funding risk. Small and micro-caps have higher failure rates, less diversified revenue, and greater vulnerability to competitive threats or economic shocks. They often lack scale advantages and may struggle to access capital markets during stress. Smaller companies can experience higher dispersion of outcomes, including business failure or sustained capital impairment. Diversification is important when investing at this size.

ℹ️

Educational Tool Only

The risk rating and analysis shown above are based on historical financial data and quantitative metrics, provided for informational and educational purposes only. This is not financial advice and should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.

Analyst Forecasts

Forward-looking analyst estimates for BOOK. Forecasts are estimates, not guarantees.

Revenue+19.2% growth
Consensus next-period revenue growth
EPS+18.5% growth
EPS revisions stable over the past 30 days
Forecast ToneBalanced
Balanced consensus profile with +19.2% revenue growth and +18.5% EPS growth.
forecast ranges show tight ranges, 30-day EPS revisions are flat.
Consensus
+19.2% revenue growth
Confidence
Limited visibility
tight ranges
Watch Item
Execution needs to hold
Strong growth expectations leave less room for disappointment if execution slows.

Share Price Forecast

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Model Commentary
Analyst targets and forecasts can change quickly after new company or market information.

Yearly Revenue and 2-Year Forecast

Reported revenue for the last 5 years, followed by low, consensus, and high analyst revenue estimates for the next two years. Consensus revenue implies +19.2% YoY growth tight ranges on revenue estimates

Model Commentary
Revenue is projected to move from 6.0M last year to — in 2025E. That implies -100.0% into 2025E on the top line. The 2025E range of — to — suggests tight ranges on revenue expectations. Revenue misses can lead to EPS estimate revisions and changes in valuation assumptions. Forecast ranges reflect uncertainty and should be read alongside risk metrics.

2-Year EPS Estimates

Low, consensus, and high analyst EPS estimates for the next two fiscal years. Consensus EPS implies +18.5% YoY growth tight ranges on EPS estimates

Model Commentary
Analysts are currently looking for 0.00p in 2025E. The outer-year range runs from 0.00p to 0.00p, which counts as tight ranges. Consensus currently models +18.5% EPS growth over the next period. EPS estimates are subject to revision and do not guarantee future results.