Share sales by two investors have trimmed the stake committed to backing FirstCash's £-cash offer for Ramsdens, though the deal's shareholder support base remains largely intact.

The pawnbroker's board recommended the takeover offer, meanwhile, a separate trading statement that included upgraded guidance.

Shore Capital calls the 609p total implied consideration "highly compelling" and recommends shareholders accept the recommended cash offer.

US pawnbroking giant FirstCash Holdings is acquiring Ramsdens Holdings via a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement, extending the group's UK footprint less than a year after buying rival H&T.

AJ Bell's Russ Mould credits a soaring gold price and stronger jewellery and pawnbroking performance for Ramsdens lifting guidance to £30m–£33m pre-tax and declaring a special dividend.

The pawnbroker said it now expects FY26 profit before tax of £30m–£33m, after first-half profit before tax rose by 173%.

The company says it now expects FY26 profit before tax of at least £28.5m and potentially up to £31.5m, with H1 performance set to exceed FY25 full-year profit, driven by a sustained high gold price and broad-based trading strength.