Interim results
Financial highlights
· Underlying profit before tax up 32.9% to £18.6m (H1 2016: £14.0m)
· Record results from retail segment: PBT growth of 38.2%
· Interim dividend of 2.15p per share (2016 interim dividend: 1.80p)
· Adjusted net debt (excluding leasing loans) at 30 June 2017: £35.1m. Adjusted net debt/EBITDA: 0.7x
· Significant balance sheet capacity underpinned by £112.5m of freehold/long leasehold property.
· Net assets at 30 June 2017 of £2.04 per share (30 June 2016: £1.78 per share)
Operational highlights
· Good like-for-like3 revenue growth of 6.7%
· New car retail unit sales up 32.7% (like-for-like down 0.4%, outperforming UK new car retail market which was down 4.8%)
· Used car unit sales up 39.7% (like-for-like up 5.8%)
· Aftersales revenues up 43.1% (like-for-like up 2.3%) driven by a strong service performance
· Ridgeway acquisition delivering to plan and making a material profit before tax contribution of £5.4m (H1 2016: £1.0m)
· Continued good levels of profitability in the leasing segment with further fleet growth and a number of new customer account wins.
· Focus and control of operating expenses at 9.7% of revenue (H1 2016: 10.1%)
· Further investment in the Group's property portfolio with £12.3m retail capital expenditure during the Period.