Tag: report

  • Victoria’s Secret parent to close stores as sales stagnate

    Victoria’s Secret parent to close stores as sales stagnate

    L Brands, the parent of Victoria’s Secret, saw its share price fall 8 per cent after releasing disappointing results and halving its dividend payout. The US-headquartered company is struggling to arrest declining revenue in its flagship lingerie network, where same-store sales fell 8 per cent in January, contributing to a 1 per cent drop in overall sales. Online sales, however, rose by 8 per cent.

    Overnight, subsequent to releasing its results, the company said it would close 53 stores in North America. Earlier this year it said it would reintroduce swimwear to its range after an absence of several years to increase foot traffic in stores.

    Net sales for the year to February 2 were US$13.237 billion compared to $12.632 billion for the 53 weeks ended February 3 last year. Adjusted to take account of the extra week, sales rose 3 per cent in the latest year.

    But after excluding significant one-off items, the company’s adjusted net income this year was $786.7 million compared to $919.5 million for the 53-week period last year.

    As a result of that decline, L Brands cut its quarterly dividend from 61 cents per share paid last year to just 30 cents.

    Analyst Randal Konik of Jefferies said L Brands’ banners “are not wanted anymore”.

    “Keep in mind that comps remain negative despite very high promos, which means true brand demand is even worse than reported as some consumers buy things when they are given away for free or marked down by more than 50-75 per cent,” he said.

  • Coty sales, profit best estimates despite supply chain woes

    Coty sales, profit best estimates despite supply chain woes

    Coty Inc announced  its second-quarter results for fiscal 2019, confirming it expects to make in a net profit for the period, despite overall sales taking a dive and supply chain issues. The New York-based cosmetic and luxury fragrance company said net revenues for the second quarter came in at $2,511.2 million, for a decrease of 4.8%, while like-for-like revenues grew 0.7%.

    The company said it was helped by higher sales in its luxury segment, with strong holiday demand for the Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Burberry brands.

    That said, the maker of luxury perfumes recorded a net loss of $960.6 million compared to $109.2 million in the prior-year.

    Adjusted net income was $181.9 million, a decline of 23%, “driven by the lower adjusted operating income and the $41.8 million positive foreign tax settlement in the prior year,” said Coty in press release.

    Excluding certain items, the company earned 24 cents per share, topping expectations of 22 cents, and sending its shares up 20%

    “I must stress that while we are confident that we can return Coty to a path of sustainable growth, we are also realistic that it will take time to achieve this outcome,” Coty’s recently appointed Chief Executive Officer Pierre Laubies, said in a statement.

    Revenues in Asia, Latin American, the Middle East and Africa (ALMEA) totalled $567.4 million, to make up 23% of total revenues. Coty said the region showed solid growth despite impacts from supply chain disruptions. Revenues decreased 5% as reported, but grew 4% LFL, fuelled by strong growth in Luxury and Professional Beauty.

    However, Coty’s consumer beauty Max Factor declined in China.

    North America revenues were unchanged at $742.2 million, or approximately 29% of total net revenues, while Europe remained Coty’s largest market, accounting for close to half of company revenues at $1,201.6 million, down just 1% on last year.

  • Avon 2018 sales dip, culls sales reps globally

    Avon 2018 sales dip, culls sales reps globally

    Avon reported its fiscal 2018 results earlier in the month, saying revenues declined as the beauty giant continued to cull it sales representatives across the globe. The London-headquartered company said total revenue decreased 2% for the twelve months, while like-for-like revenues decreased 3% in constant dollars. The number of Active Representatives declined 5% with decreases reported in all segments, said Avon, with Ending Representatives declining 8% with decreases reported in all segments.

    On a positive note, Avon’s average order increased 10%, while on a like-for-like basis, average orders increased 2%, primarily driven by increases in South Latin America, North Latin America and Asia Pacific, said Avon in a press release.

    Avon reinforced the positives of its “Open Up Avon” strategic plans, addressing falling levels of its representatives.

    “We are in the initial stages of our turn-around plan with fourth-quarter results showing sequential improvement in revenue trends in 4 of our top 5 markets, as well as some early signs of progress against our core strategies,” said Avon’s CEO, Jan Zijderveld.

    “As we look over the course of 2018, we are seeing tangible signs of increased productivity by our Representatives, with sequential increases in Average Representative Sales, Net Price Per Unit and e-commerce.”

    Avon made several cost-reducing decisions in 2018, including the announced sale of its China manufacturing facility. The cosmetic giant more recently announced its intention to reduce the global workforce by an additional 10% in 2019, on top of its already completed 8% reduction in 2018.

    “We have begun to identify repeatable business models in training and recruiting, while reducing our cost structure and taking steps to simplify our business infrastructure,” added Zijderveld.

    Avon reported a diluted loss per share of $0.10. Like-for-like diluted earnings per share was $0.01, compared with $0.06 for 2017.

  • Esprit’s loss in line with forecast

    Esprit’s loss in line with forecast

    Fashion retailer Esprit shuttered 91 stores in the six months to December and recorded a loss of HK$1.773 billion (US$225.876 million). While the loss is massive, it is within the estimates Esprit provided at an investor presentation last November when it unveiled its rescue strategy for the embattled Hong Kong-listed brand. The 91 stores closed during the fiscal half year come on top of another 50 in the half year preceding it. More closures are to come as the company trims its network to meet falling consumer demand for its range and save on rent.

    Esprit’s revenue for the half year fell to $6.766 billion, down 14.4 per cent in local currency terms, due to fewer stores and “reduced customer traffic across the distribution channels due to the weakness in brand identity and product appeal,” the company said in a stock exchange filing.

    The company’s share price fell from $2.04 to $1.83 (US 23 cents) as the results were released, before recovering a little this morning despite the results being inline with the company’s forecasts last November.

    Esprit “has a clear strategy plan in place setting forth bold changes to build a powerful organisation and restructure the cost base and develop a new model for the future,” the company reiterated in its filing. That plan includes becoming a leaner and more efficient organisation, eliminating loss-making areas of the business, sharpening the Esprit brand identity and putting the customer at the centre of everything the group does, and

    improving the product offer and its relevance to consumers.

    “The execution of the strategy plan is progressing well and is on track. While the group is encouraged by the initial progress and [has] a committed team in place to see the execution through, it is important to appreciate that it will take time to see this translate into a positive business performance, as most initiatives are still at this stage a work-in-progress and it will require time to make the corresponding improvements in brand and product visible to our customers for attracting them back into Esprit stores.”

    Included in that process is the reduction of between 35 and 40 per cent of non-store employees, already completed in Asia and on track in Europe.

    Meanwhile, the company said that while revenues continued to decline in the first half, the rate of decline is slowing. In the three months to September, sales in local currencies fell by 16.2 per cent, while in the following three months, sales fell by 12.5 per cent.

    Asia Pacific – comprising mainly China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Macau, Thailand, India and the Philippines – accounted for just 10.4 per cent of the group’s total revenue, or $698 million. That was down 26.6 per cent, in part affected by the closure of the Australia and New Zealand Esprit businesses last year.

    Transition period

    Esprit says it expects the next two years to be a period of transition for the company and its brands

    “Revenue is expected to see further decline in the next two financial years due to closure of loss-making stores, before reverting to growth to be driven by impact from product and brand initiatives. Overall, the group expects revenue to increase at a compound annual growth rate of a mid-to-high single-digit percentage in local currency between FY19/20 and FY23/24.”

    It reiterated its earlier forecast of breaking even in two to three years time.

    A “low double-digit” decline in topline sales is expected in the second half of the current financial year.

  • Puma reports strong sales, profitability in 2018

    Puma reports strong sales, profitability in 2018

    Sportswear giant Puma reported strong annual results in 2018, as the German company witnessed double-digit growth across all geographic zones and product divisions. For the year ending December 31, 2018, the Herzogenaurach-based company said sales increase by 17.6% currency adjusted to €4,648 million (+12.4% reported) with double-digit growth in all regions.

    Asia-Pacific, despite being the smallest of Puma’s three regions after the Americas (+16.9%) and market leader EMEA (+11.4%), was the strongest in growth terms for 2018, up 28.8% to €1,235.5 million. APAC was mainly driven by high growth in China and Korea, while sales in Japan increased at a more moderate mid to high single-digit rate.

    In product terms, Puma highlighted the success of new sneaker styles Thunder, RS-0 and RS-X in 2018, as part of the company’s debut into the “chunky shoe” category.

    Puma also spent 2018 re-entering the basketball category after 20 years, and signed supermodel Adriana Lima as its women’s training ambassador.

    Net earnings increased by 38 % from €135.8 million to €187.4 million, and earnings per share lifted from €9.09 to €12.54.

    “We are very happy with how our business developed in 2018. Sales rose organically by 17.6% to €4,648 million and the operating result (Ebit) improved by 37.9% % to €337 million, which shows our strong momentum,” said Bjørn Gulden, Chief executive officer of Puma.

    “The double-digit growth in all regions is a proof that the we have strengthened the Puma brand globally and the double-digit growth in all product divisions shows that we have enhanced our product portfolio,” added Gulden.

    In 2019, Puma said it expects currency adjusted sales to grow around 10% and operating results to increase to a range between €395 million and €415 million.

    “We still have a lot to improve, but we feel we are moving our brand and company in a good direction,” said Gulden.

  • Tokyo stocks close lower after Indian air strike reports

    Tokyo stocks close lower after Indian air strike reports

    Tokyo stocks closed lower on Tuesday following media reports saying Indian warplanes crossed into Pakistani airspace over the ceasefire line in Kashmir and dropped payloads. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which opened higher, lost 0.37%, or 78.84 points, to end at 21,449.39 while the broader Topix index was down 0.23%, or 3.67 points, to 1,617.20.

  • Retail report says holiday sales were disappointing

    Retail report says holiday sales were disappointing

    Shoppers did not spend as much as expected this past holiday season. Holiday sales were up just 2.9 percent in 2018, the National Retail Federation said, on the heels of the Commerce Department announcing retail sales for December fell 1.2 percent, the largest decline since September of 2009. NRF, the retail industry’s trade organization, had been calling for 2018 holiday sales, those from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, to rise between 4.3 and 4.8 percent.

    “It appears that worries over the trade war and turmoil in the stock markets impacted consumer behavior more than we expected,” NRF President and CEO Matt Shay said in a statement. “There’s also a question of whether the government shutdown and resulting delay in collecting data might have made the results less reliable.”

    NRF said online and other nonstore sales were up 11.5 percent this past holiday season, while the group had been calling for growth of between 11 and 15 percent.

    It said sales, both in stores and online, were down 1.5 percent in November year over year, and in December were up just 0.9 percent. It added that October sales were up 5.7 percent year over year, but spending during that month isn’t included in NRF’s holiday sales tally.

    NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz said the sales results were “truly a surprise” and “in contradiction to the consumer spending trends” NRF had been monitoring.

    The fresh retail sales data from the Commerce Department has, meanwhile, raised new concerns about a recession. But economists also say the biggest drop in nine years clashes with other data and may be suspect.

    NRF is still calling for retail sales, excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, to climb between 3.8 and 4.4 percent this year, amounting to as much as $3.84 trillion.

  • Allianz Malaysia earnings up 15.3% to RM100m in fourth quarter

    Allianz Malaysia earnings up 15.3% to RM100m in fourth quarter

    Allianz Malaysia Bhd’s earnings increased by 15.3% in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2018 (Q4) to RM100.04 million, from RM86.78 million in the previous corresponding quarter mainly due to higher underwriting profit from motor business arising from lower claims and management expenses. For the quarter under review, the general insurance segment recorded a profit before tax of RM78 million, an increase of 15.7% as compared to the preceding year quarter.

    Meanwhile, the life insurance segment recorded a profit before tax of RM50.3 million, a decrease of 15.5% due mainly to higher group claims.

    Allianz reported a 7.63% increase in revenue to RM1.3 billion in Q4 from RM1.21 billion, driven by higher gross earned premiums and investment income.

    For the full year, its net profit grew 30.9% to RM377.02 million from RM287.96 million a year ago, while revenue was up 7.9% to RM5.18 billion from RM4.8 billion previously.

    The general insurance industry reported a marginal growth of 1.5% in gross written premium for the year ended Dec 31, 2018.

    Allianz said the group anticipates similar trend in the medium-term given the economic uncertainty and subdued consumer sentiments.

    However, it said the general insurance segment will continue to offer innovative products and services in anticipation of a fully liberalised insurance market while further expanding its multi-distribution model to maintain market leadership.

    For the life insurance segment, Allianz will continue to leverage on the strength of its multi-distribution channels and increase productivity across distribution channels to generate growth.

    The group will also continue to focus on optimising the performance of its insurance businesses and expect to maintain satisfactory results in 2019, it added.

  • Higher fuel prices dent AirAsia X’s Q4 performance

    Higher fuel prices dent AirAsia X’s Q4 performance

    AirAsia X Bhd suffered a net loss of RM99.27 million in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2018 compared with a net profit of RM84.42 million a year ago due to higher fuel prices. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the airline reported an increase in average fuel price to US$89 per barrel during the quarter from US$69 per barrel a year ago, which resulted in a lower net operating profit of RM27.4 million from RM120 million a year ago.

    In addition, the group provided an impairment on amount due from joint venture amounting to RM24 million during the quarter under review.

    During the quarter, the group reported a 1% improvement in cost per available seat kilometre (CASK) to 12.27 sen while CASK ex-fuel improved by 16% from 8.22 sen to 6.94 sen a year ago, due to enhanced cost management.

    Revenue for the quarter fell 5.93% to RM1.15 billion from RM1.22 billion a year ago.

    For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2018 (FY18), the group also swung into the red registering a net loss of RM312.7 million compared with a net profit of RM98.89 million a year ago while revenue fell marginally to RM4.54 billion from RM4.56 million a year ago.

    AirAsia X said its current forward booking trend and average fares for the first quarter of 2019 are within expectation and prospects are anticipated to remain encouraging.

    The airline will be adding up to five aircraft through operating leases this year via AirAsia X Thailand while AirAsia X Malaysia will remain with 24 aircraft.

    AirAsia X Malaysia will focus on maximising aircraft utilisation of its current fleet and leverage on the group’s strategy in new route launches as well as increasing frequencies of core routes.

     

  • Korean Air plans to make 16 trillion won in sales by 2023

    Korean Air plans to make 16 trillion won in sales by 2023

    Korean Air unveiled its mid-term business strategy Tuesday, saying it aims to record 16.2 trillion won ($14.4 billion) in sales by 2023. The goal comes as the airline’s March shareholders’ meeting draws near. Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho’s term at the country’s largest airline ends this year and shareholders will vote on his re-election. To achieve the sales target, it needs to grow by an average 5.1 percent every year. Last year, the airline inked 12.7 trillion won in sales.

    Its operating profit target for 2023 is 1.7 trillion won, about 2.5 times more than last year’s 692.4 billion won.

    The company said it will work to raise the profitability of its business to reach a 10.6 percent profit to sales ratio. Last year, the ratio stood at 5.5 percent. Along with improved profits, the company plans to lower its debt ratio to below 400 percent from last year’s 699 percent.

    To expand sales, Korea’s largest full-service carrier plans to expand routes connecting America and Asia through a joint venture inked with U.S. airline Delta Air Lines last year. The partnership enables the two companies to share revenue, costs, flights and sales networks with antitrust immunity on their trans-Pacific operations.

    The airline also plans to open up new flight routes headed to Europe and Southeast Asia, both growing as popular travel destinations.

    As for its cargo business, the airline plans to bolster its business with emerging markets like Vietnam, India and Central and South America.

    In the aerospace business, the company said it will develop new technologies to build parts for passenger aircraft and start mass producing unmanned aerial vehicles to secure future growth engines.

    This year, Korean Air proposed a target of 13.2 trillion won in revenue and 1 trillion won in operating profits.

  • Warm weather blamed for worsening Bossini International loss

    Warm weather blamed for worsening Bossini International loss

    An unseasonably warm winter and weak consumer sentiment in core markets has been blamed for a more than doubling of losses for Bossini International in the six months to December. The casual-fashion retailer reported a 10 per cent decline in group revenue to HK$875 million (US$111.5 million) and a 5 per cent drop in same-store sales for the period. Gross profit fell 11 per cent and the loss attributable to shareholders ballooned from $12 million in the same period a year earlier to $26 million (US$3.3 million).

    Operating profit in the key Hong Kong and Macau market, where Bossini has 39 stores, improved, despite a 5 per cent decline in same-store sales.

    In Singapore, sales plummeted 23 per cent due to store closures. Same-store sales there fell by 6 per cent, in Taiwan by 7 per cent and in Mainland China by 3 per cent. Group-wide same-store sales fell by 5 per cent, worse than the 2 per cent of the December 2017 half.

    As at the end of last year, Bossini International had a total net retail floor area for directly managed stores of 362,000sqft, about 4000sqft less than a year earlier, across 295 stores, (11 more than a year earlier). It opened 114 franchised stores in markets outside Hong Kong and Macau, taking the total franchised network to 768.

    Hong Kong challenge

    Bossini chairman Man Kuen Bess Tsin said the significant decline in retail sales growth in Hong Kong since July and the negative impact of the devaluation of the Renminbi had impacted on the company’s sales in its home market, which accounts for 66 per cent of group revenue.

    “The Hong Kong retail market presented a cautious optimism if not a mixed picture. Strong inbound tourism, especially from Mainland China, was recorded in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, the consumption per capita started to drop in the third quarter, despite the annually increasing numbers of tourist arrivals in Hong Kong.”

    The group’s total net retail floor area in Hong Kong and Macau reduced from 125,800sqft to 121,600sqft, a decrease of 3 per cent, while sales per square foot slipped 5 per cent to $7200 (from $7600). Operating profit in Hong Kong and Macau was $17 million, up from $12 million for an operating margin of 3 per cent (compared with 2 per cent a year earlier).

    Mainland China revenue decreased 2 per cent.

    Bossini Singapore posted an operating loss of 5 million, 20 per cent more than the comparable period and the operating margin was negative 9 per cent.

    Cautious outlook

    Tsin said Bossini International management is “cautiously optimistic” about the year ahead.

    “However, in face of the complex and volatile global economy and geopolitics, the outlook is full of uncertainties. As an open economy, Hong Kong is particularly vulnerable to the impact of the global situation. At the same time, the local economy and consumption structure are also gradually changing.

    Challenges and opportunities coexist. The group is fundamentally strong with a healthy financial position, which is capable of facing the potential challenges.”

    Tsin said the export franchising business is a main focus of the group.

    “We will further expand and optimise the distribution network, leveraging the economy of scale in market reach and profitability.”

    The company will focus on introducing more new products and designs, with a focus on functionality at the core of its product strategy. Alongside the young adult segment, the company will develop more childrenswear lines to broaden its customer base and it will strengthen supply chain management to improve operational efficiencies.

  • Rising active customer count gives Vipshop good impact

    Rising active customer count gives Vipshop good impact

    Chinese online discounter VIPShop is reaping the benefits of a 13 per cent increase in active customers last quarter to 32.4 million – well ahead of the 5 per cent full-year improvement. Its annual results released overnight showed net revenue soared 15.9 per cent last year to RMB84.5 billion (US$12.3 billion) and net income attributable to shareholders rose 9.2 per cent to RMB2.1 billion ($309.6 million). VIPShop says its Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) for the full year rose 21 per cent to RMB131.0 billion.

    “We are pleased to have finished the fourth quarter of 2018 with solid operational results,” said chairman and CEO Eric Shen.

    “Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our core capabilities, aiming to bring highly desirable selections of products to our valued customers on a daily basis, which will drive our long-term growth and profitability.”

    CFO Donghao Yang said the fourth quarter saw “a healthy sequential recovery” of VIPShop’s bottom-line, which was mostly attributable to a focus on the highly profitable apparel category.

    “During this quarter, we began to shift some low-margin categories from our first-party business into the marketplace platform, reducing their drag on our bottom-line while still delivering a solid GMV growth of 15 per cent year over year. We remain focused on stabilising our margins, aiming to drive enhanced shareholder return in the long run.”

    During the fourth quarter of last year, VIPShop added about 86,000sqm of warehousing space, taking its capacity to 3 million sqm.

    For the first quarter of the new year, the company expects net revenue to grow by up to 5 per cent, to between RMB19.9 billion and RMB20.9 billion.

  • CU convenience stores parent records sales leap

    CU convenience stores parent records sales leap

    The operator of South Korea’s CU convenience stores, BGF Retail, has achieved KRW189.5 billion (US$168.9 million) in operating profit last year, a leap of more than 600 per cent over last year. The company said on Tuesday its sales had risen by 515.3 per cent to KRW5.77 trillion ($5.14 billion). The results confirmed market predictions of a major upswing for the firm following demerging into separate holding and operating entities in November 2017.

    However, despite the improved trading figures, net profit dropped 98.1 per cent to KRW47.2 billion ($42.06 million). A statement by the firm explained that profits from some business activities made after the demerger had been attributed to the previous year’s statements.

  • Air France-KLM more than doubles profits in 2018 despite strikes

    Air France-KLM more than doubles profits in 2018 despite strikes

    Air France-KLM, which was badly hit last year by strikes and management upheaval, reported on Wednesday that its annual net profits rose by 150% to 409 million euros (US$463 million). “The strong performance of our front-line teams and continued cost control helped partly offset the impact of strikes at Air France in the first half of the year, as well as significant fuel headwinds,“ Benjamin Smith, the company’s new chief executive, said in a statement.

    The Canadian businessman took over in September following Jean-Marc Janaillac’s sudden exit in a bitter dispute over salaries in the group’s French wing.

    Fifteen days of strike cost the company 335 million euros, Air France said.

    On Tuesday, Air France pilots voted by 85% in favour of a new pay deal, concluding a series of long employee-management negotiations.

    Revenue growth last year was up in all business segments, with operating earnings coming in at of 1.3 billion euros, the Franco-Dutch airline group reported.

    The group said it had carried more than 100 million passengers last year, making it the leading European airline for long-haul traffic.

    Transavia, a low-coast subsidiary, carried 15.8 million passengers last year, an increase of 7.1% on 2017.

    Full year 2018 capacity increased by 2.1%, mainly driven by the South American, North Atlantic and Asian networks, with respective growth of 8.6%, 3.0% and 2.1%, Air France-KLM said.

    In 2019, the group will concentrate on “operational efficiency”, financial director Frederic Gagey said.

    “We can make a lot more money compared to last year,“ he said, adding that Air France-KLM would also be looking to renewing its fleet to replace some of its more fuel-guzzling planes.

  • CIMB Niaga posts 16.9% net profit growth in 2018

    CIMB Niaga posts 16.9% net profit growth in 2018

    CIMB Group Holdings Bhd’s 92.5%-owned T Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk reported an audited consolidated net profit of 3.5 trillion rupiah (RM1 billion) for the financial year ended Dec 1, 2018 a 16.9% growth compared with a year ago. The bank said the improved net profit came on the back of a 13.8% increase in on-interest income to 3.8 trillion rupiah and a 63 basis-point improvement in credit charges from 2.26% to 1.63% as provisions declined 25.7%.

    CIMB Niaga’s loan loss coverage remains comfortable at 105.86%.

    “We aim to maintain a targeted growth trajectory while keeping asset quality as a priority,” said CIMB Niaga president director Tigor M. Siahan.

    Total loans grew by 1.8% to 188.5 trillion rupiah mainly from growth in mortgages of 11.2% to 30 trillion rupiah, small- and medium enterprise loans of 8.5% to 29.6 trillion rupiah and credit card of 5.5% to 8.6 trillion rupiah.

    With total assets of 266.8 trillion rupiah as at Dec 31, 2018, CIMB Niaga maintained its position as Indonesia’s second largest private owned bank by assets.

    Its capital adequacy ratio stood at 19.66% as at end-December 2018, representing a 106 basis-point increase from the previous year.

    “Going forward, we will continue to focus on expanding our consumer and SME businesses, building our CASA (current account savings account) franchise and strengthening our Sharia business proposition and Sharia-compliant product offerings,” Tigor added.