South African fashion retailer Foschini has reported a 49% increase in its fully diluted headline earnings per share for the year ended March 2005 to 340,6 cents, from 228,2 cents a year earlier.
The company declared a final dividend of 102 cents, for a total dividend for the year of 164 cents, representing a 74,5% improvement on the 94 cents per share distributed in 2004.
The results slightly exceeded market expectations, as they fell within the guidelines announced in Foschini’s March 30 trading statement of a 45% to 50% rise in both earnings and headline earnings.
The I-Net Bridge consensus of six analysts called for a 47% rise in fully diluted headline earnings per share to 335 cents for the 12 months and a total dividend of 158,3 cents, compared with 94 cents in 2004.
The group, which is one of the country’s largest clothing, sportswear, homeware, jewellery and accessories retailers, includes the retail clothing chains Foschini, Markham, Exact!, Totalsports and Sport Scene; American Swiss and Sterns jewellers; and the @home homeware chain. Newer additions are Due South and FX Fashion Express.
Foschini reported a 19,7% increase in its turnover for the year, to R5,28-billion from R4,41-billion in 2004, while trading profit surged 47% to R1,2-billion from R814,6-million, as trading expense increases were contained.
Profit for the year totalled R778,1-million, representing 48,5% growth on the R516,9-million recorded the previous year, and headline earnings rose by 46,4% to R767,3-million from R523,4-million in the year-earlier period.
The group reduced its dividend cover to 2,2 times attributable earnings per share, from 2,5 times in 2004.
Turnover growth was achieved on the back of only a 3,4% rise in trading area, the company said. This, together with improved gross margins and good expense control, had resulted in the 51,6% increase in profit before tax, which exceeded the R1-billion mark for the first time.
The group’s operating margin improved to 22,7%, from 18,3% in 2004. The net gearing ratio remained at a very low level of 12,1%.
During the year, 68 new stores were opened across all divisions and 32 stores were closed. At the end of the year, the group was trading out of 1 233 stores, with a trading area of 334 662 square metres, an increase of only 3,4% for the year.
Looking ahead, Foschini said it plans to open more than 70 new stores across all chains in the new financial year. Turnover for the first eight weeks of the new year has remained strong across all divisions, and well ahead of budget.
Low inflation and the lower interest-rate environment, as well as the buoyant economy, continued to benefit consumer confidence, the company observed. In the absence of unforeseen circumstances, it “remains confident” about the year ahead and expects to be able to produce another year of good growth. — I-Net Bridge