Daily Brief Australia: Cash Converters Intl, Iron Ore, Verbrec and more

In today’s briefing:

Cash Converters International – Delivering strongly on transition
[IO Technicals Weekly 2025/09] Iron Ore Prices Decline Amid Trade Tariffs and Weakening Demand
Verbrec Ltd – Discipline a saviour in macro headwind

Cash Converters International – Delivering strongly on transition

Cash Converters International (ASX:CCV) is a consumer finance company operating as a service provider, owner and franchisor of second-hand goods and financial services stores in Australia and internationally.
CCV has released a strong H1 25 result, delivering operating EBITDA growth of 12% over the previous corresponding period (pcp) to $36.5m (directly in-line with the RaaS forecast of $36.5m but with some changes in mix) and operating NPAT growth of 24% to $12.2m (a strong 8.9% beat over the RaaS forecast of $11.1m driven largely by reduced interest expense on lower-than-forecast debt balance and mix change).
The result clearly illustrates the impact of the changed strategy of the business with the loan book transitioning away from legacy products and into medium-sized loans and the new line-of-credit (LoC) product.

Iron ore futures fell 6% last week, closing at USD 102.00/ton on Feb 28, below key support levels, with bearish momentum confirmed by technical indicators.
Global trade tariffs pressured sentiment, as U.S., Vietnam, and South Korea imposed levies on Chinese steel, impacting an estimated USD 7 billion market and dampening demand.
China’s Two Sessions could drive volatility, with historical patterns showing pre-meeting gains followed by post-policy declines, potentially influencing iron ore price recovery.

Verbrec Limited (ASX:VBC) provides engineering, asset management, infrastructure services and training to the energy, mining, infrastructure and defence industries in Australia, New Zealand, PNG and the Pacific Islands.
The company has released its H1 FY25 results delivering a profitable outcome for the third consecutive period, albeit below RaaS forecasts predominantly due to macro headwinds resulting in lower-than-forecast revenue on the back of project delays.
Management cited that client feedback suggests “inflationary pressures, uncertainty prior to election results (both international and domestic) and shortage of qualified engineering resources caused deferrals of several notable prospective project opportunities that were expected to commence in H1 FY2025”.

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