SIG plc (LON:SHI), a leading European supplier of specialist building products with strong positions in its core markets of insulation and interiors, roofing and exteriors, and air handling, today announced its results for the six months ended 30 June 2018.
Highlights
· Transformational plans well underway
· Further progress on strengthening balance sheet and portfolio refocus
· Operating costs under control and working capital beginning to fall
· Senior leadership in place, management capability and data improving
· Underlying revenue +1.0% and LFL1 sales +0.4% (H1 2017: +2.9%), reflecting challenges in UK market
· Underlying PBT (excluding one-off property profits) of £26.6m (H1 2017: £28.6m)
· Net debt down 18.8% to £176.1m, with continued progress towards leverage targets
· Interim dividend of 1.25p per share in line with 2-3x cover policy (2017: 1.25p)
· Increased visibility over delivery of significant profit improvement during H2
|
Underlying operations1 |
H1 2018 |
H1 2017 Restated |
Change |
|
Revenue |
£1,360.7m |
£1,347.1m |
1.0% |
|
LFL2 sales |
0.4% |
2.9% |
(250)bps |
|
Underlying3 operating profit |
£34.8m |
£42.3m |
(17.7)% |
|
Underlying3 profit before tax |
£26.9m |
£34.4m |
(21.8)% |
|
Underlying3 profit before tax excl. property profits |
£26.6m |
£28.6m |
(7.0)% |
|
Return on sales (excl. property profits) |
2.5% |
2.7% |
(20)bps |
|
Return on capital employed (post-tax) |
9.2% |
7.8% |
140bps |
|
Net debt |
£176.1m |
£217.0m |
18.8% |
|
Headline financial leverage (net debt/EBITDA) |
1.8x |
2.3x |
0.5x |
|
Statutory results |
H1 2018 |
H1 2017 Restated |
|
Revenue |
£1,381.7m |
£1,439.2m |
|
Operating profit/(loss) |
£28.2m |
£(6.8)m |
|
Profit/(loss) before tax |
£19.9m |
£(15.8)m |
|
Basic earnings/(loss) per share |
2.5p |
(3.5)p |
|
Dividend per share |
1.25p |
1.25p |
Commenting, Meinie Oldersma, SIG Chief Executive Officer, said:
“Ten months into our transformation of SIG, progress is well underway and we are starting to see evidence of delivery.
Leverage has reduced, return on capital employed has increased and the refocus of our portfolio of businesses through exit or divestment is largely complete. Gross margins are improving in key businesses, operating costs are under control and working capital is beginning to fall. Our senior leadership team is in place, our management capability is improving and better data is beginning to make a difference to the quality of our decision-making.
The first half did not provide the trading backdrop we wanted, with significant challenges in the UK market as a result of the poor weather in the early months of the year and continuing macro uncertainty. This has impacted both our UK revenues and operating profit in the year to date, which are behind where we had hoped they would be at the start of the year. In contrast, the trading environment across Mainland Europe and Ireland has been positive, which is reflected in the improved first half results from our non-UK businesses.
Given the continuing challenging trading conditions in the UK, we have accelerated certain transformational workstreams and we now have increased visibility over delivery of significant profit improvement during the second half of 2018 and beyond. As a result, we remain optimistic of delivering a full year result in line with our expectations absent any further deterioration in trading conditions, notably in the UK. Whilst there remains considerable work to be done, we remain confident in our ability to deliver our transformational plans.”
