Goodwin PLC (LSE:GDWN) shares rocketed 31% higher after the engineer declared a special dividend and said it expects trading profits to roughly double in the current year to April 2026.
The maker of products for defence, aerospace, energy, automotive and industrial markets said it expects trading profit before tax to be in excess of £71 million, compared to £35.5 million in the prior year.
Such expected growth is based on a strong trading performance across all divisions, it said in a trading update on Monday, highlighting an order book of £365 million, along with visibility on further defence and nuclear work not yet included.
In light of the performance, the board has declared a special interim dividend of 532p per share, in addition to the 140p dividend already paid this month and a further 140p declared for payment in April 2026.
The special dividend will be paid on or around 21 November 2025 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 7 November 2025.
The company said it is approaching a zero net debt position and continues to maintain low gearing, with surplus funds exceeding those required for efficient operations.
Adam Deeth's appointment as finance director was also announced, having served as group chief accountant since 2023, while Anthony Thomas was made a director, having been group general counsel since 2021.
The shares rose 4,885p in early trading to 20,305p.