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Brave Bison lifts System1 offer to £48 million in fourth bid

The latest takeover attempt was trailed in the Sunday press

The image features wooden blocks arranged on a desk, prominently displaying the letters 'M & A' at the center, symbolizing mergers and acquisitions. Flanking the central blocks are icons representing companies and teamwork, underscoring the collaborative nature of business takeovers.

Brave Bison Group, the AIM-listed digital media and marketing company, has raised its takeover offer for System1 Group for a fourth time.

The new terms comprise 135p in cash per share plus a share alternative, taking the total value to 360p.

That figure is based on Brave Bison's 20-day volume-weighted average share price of 94p on 10 July.

The offer values System1, a research and marketing data firm, at £47.5 million.

That equates to 11.3 times consensus expectations for adjusted operating profit of £4.2 million in the 2027 financial year.

It also represents an 82% premium to System1's undisturbed share price of 198p on 27 February, before Brave Bison's initial strategic investment.

The increase follows a five-month trading update from System1 on 10 September.

In it, the company reconfirmed revenue growth of 5% year on year for the 2027 financial year, alongside adjusted profit before tax of £4.2 million.

Brave Bison noted that figure sits well below the £5.2 million System1 delivered in its 2025 financial year, even though revenues are expected to return to broadly comparable levels.

It added that consensus adjusted profit after tax of £2.9 million is 34% below the £4.4 million reported that year.

Brave Bison already owns 27.85% of System1 and has secured letters of intent covering a further 10.95%.

Those include commitments from former chief executive Stefan Barden and family members, taking its combined position to 38.9% ahead of the acceptance deadline.

The bid is the third increase since Brave Bison's initial approach on 8 June, following earlier terms of 297p and 327p.

It remains conditional on acceptances representing more than 50% of System1's voting rights.

An increased offer document will be published and posted to System1 shareholders shortly.