Interim results
Financial Highlights
· Revenue increased 8.8% to £63.9m (H1 FY16: £58.7m)
· Gross Profit increased 5.6% to £18.2m (H1 FY16: £17.2m)
· Adjusted gross margin improved by 1.1% to 28.4% (H1 FY16: 27.3%) through significant currency hedging pre and post EU referendum and negotiated parent reel pricing
· Adjusted EBITDA increased 1.5% to £7.1m (H1 FY16: £7.0m)
· Net debt reduced by £3.2m from £23.1m at flotation to £19.9m at 31 October 2016
· We have significantly increased our foreign currency facilities and have continued with our existing hedging strategy
· Maiden interim dividend announced of 2p per ordinary share
Operational Highlights
· Successful IPO in June 2016 raising £63.5m
· Our market share of discount sector has increased to circa 50%
· Significant contract wins previously announced with Booker, Poundstretcher and Lidl
· Early indications that Lidl contract likely to deliver more than £10m in annual revenue
· New 168,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility at Leyland, Lancashire progressing on target with production starting end of January 2017
· Senior team strengthened in Manufacturing, Supply Chain, HR, Procurement and Engineering. Successful and complete transition of key operations from the Hussain Family to the new Operational Board
· Operational initiatives underway including; price inflation recovery, manufacturing optimisation and supply chain optimisation