MASS Consultants (Silicon Valley Group) sold to AIM-listed Cohort plc

In a deal advised by Initium Corporate Finance, AIM-listed Cohort plc acquired MASS Consultants Ltd (Silicon Valley Group Ltd).

Established in 1983, at the time of the sale in 2006, MASS Consultants was a UK-based defence systems house, specialising in systems engineering, software development, and electronic engineering services and solutions (including design and manufacture). MASS delivered innovative solutions across three principal areas: managed IT services; electronic warfare; and secure communications to key clients, including the UK MOD, BAE Systems, and MBDA.

“We were told the business was worth £3.6 million. I disagreed. Thanks to your efforts, we sold the business for a significantly higher figure” – Hilde Bartlett, MASS Consultants

Founded in 2006, with the aim of building a publicly quoted group of companies applying advanced technology in defence, security, and related markets, Cohort (LSE: CHRT) is headquartered in Reading, Berkshire. At the time Cohort floated on AIM in March 2006, it had a single operating company, Systems Consultants Services Ltd. The acquisition of MASS Consultants in August 2006 was Cohort’s first step to meeting its stated goals. As at November 2024, Cohort is the parent company of six businesses. In FY 2024, it had a revenue of £202.5m and adjusted operating profit of £21.1m.

Speaking about the sale, Hilde Bartlett, one of the shareholders of MASS Consultants said: “When my partner consulted our accountant, we were told the business was worth £3.6 million. I disagreed. Thanks to your efforts, we sold the business for a significantly higher figure.”

This transaction demonstrates Initium’s expertise in identifying and aligning vendors with strategic acquirers, driving value for its clients.