RUMOURS RIFE OF SECTOR CONSOLIDATION.AM VERYVERYVERYVERY LONG!!!!!!!!!!

Half Yearly Report

Financial highlights
· Revenue increased to £1.24 billion (2012: £1.03 billion) - up 20.3%
· *Adjusted profit before tax increased to £28.8 million (2012: £24.1 million) - up 19.5%
· Profit before tax increased to £28.0 million (2012: £23.3 million) - up 20.2%
· Earnings per share increased to 5.52p (2012: 4.55p) - up 21.3%
· Strong cash flow from operations of £42.4 million (2012: £32.6 million)
· Net debt reduced to £39.1 million (31 December 2012: £48.2 million)
· Gearing reduced to 18% (31 December 2012: 22%)
· Increase in interim dividend of 10% to 0.88p per share (2012: 0.80p)

Operational highlights
· Record performance from the motor division
· Growth in new retail car volumes ahead of the market with increased margins
· Further strong growth in used car volumes and margins
· Revenue maintained in aftersales
· Good recovery in our market leading independent aftermarket parts division

Time to look at some car sales type companies I think for this year, anyone traded this one over the last year at all?

No Stan, also have a look at (CAMB)

Thanks, what a great chart on CAMB.

They have a history of buying outfits and making them perform well. Perhaps more to come. :-))

Annual Results
RNS
RNS Number : 4725R
Lookers PLC
09 March 2016

















9 March 2016

LOOKERS plc



Annual Results for the year ended 31 December 2015

RECORD RESULTS AND STRONGLY POSITIONED FOR FURTHER GROWTH



Lookers plc, ("Lookers", "the company" or "the group"), one of the leading UK motor retail and aftersales service groups, announces its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2015.



Seventh successive year of profit growth:

· Revenue increased 20% to £3.65 billion (2014: £3.04 billion)

· *Operating profit increased 12% to £85.9 million (2014: £76.6 million)

· *Adjusted profit before tax increased 11% to £72.1 million (2014: £65.0 million)

· Profit before tax increased by 6% to £62.8 million (2014: £59.2 million)

· Earnings per share up 7.1% at 12.88p (2014: 12.03p)

· *Adjusted earnings per share up 12.7% at 15.24p (2014: 13.52p)

· Proposed final dividend of 2.05p per share - total dividend per share up 10% at 3.12p (2014: 2.84p)

· Banking facilities renewed and extended, providing committed and secured funding until 2020

· Major acquisition of Benfield Motor Group



(*Adjusted operating profit is operating profit before amortisation and impairment of intangibles, exceptional items and share based payments. Adjusted profit is profit before amortisation and impairment of intangible assets, debt issue costs, pension costs, exceptional items and share based payments)



Resilient and expansive business model:

· Record performance from the motor and parts divisions

- *Adjusted profit before tax up 11% to £72.1 million (2014: £65.0 million). Further growth in new and used car volumes and margins Revenue and margin improved in aftersales

· Good progress from our market leading independent aftermarket parts division

- Profit before tax up 3.1% to £12.6 million (2014:12.2 million)

· Good contribution from acquisitions and successful integration of the Benfield business

· Investment in our website delivers further increases in enquiries





Andy Bruce, Chief Executive of Lookers, said:



"We have delivered another strong trading performance in 2015, our seventh consecutive year of increased profits, which provides further evidence that our business model is both resilient and expansive through the cycle. Our motor division and our parts divisions also produced excellent results, showing the diversity and strength of our operations.



Our strategy is to: have the right brands, the right locations and excellent execution. By implementing this, we are ideally placed to take advantage of growth prospects across all areas of the business as well as consolidation opportunities in the sector, not least because businesses of scale will be the winners in our sector. This gives us confidence that we will deliver another improved performance in 2016."

9 Mar Numis 220.00 Buy
9 Mar Peel Hunt 225.00 Buy

Quarter One Trading Update

RNS


RNS Number : 4021Y

Lookers PLC

17 May 2016






17 May 2016



QUARTER ONE TRADING UPDATE



Lookers plc, ("Lookers", "the company" or "the group"), one of the leading UK motor retail and aftersales service groups, issues its trading update for the quarter ended 31 March 2016, which shows a strong performance in the period and continued improvements in all areas of the business.



The company produced a positive trading performance in the quarter to 31 March 2016, ahead of the prior year, with a strong result during the important month of March.



Our motor division delivered another good performance in the three months to 31 March, with total gross profit from new cars increasing by 23%, or 5% on a like for like basis. Margins for both new retail and fleet cars were maintained at a similar level to the prior year.



Gross profit from used cars increased during the period and margins also improved, resulting in an increase in gross profit of 23% compared to the prior year or 7% on a like for like basis. Our used car volumes continue to increase in part due to higher volumes of leads generated by the group's website, which have increased further compared to last year. The website has recently been significantly upgraded and will benefit from further major developments later this year.



Our aftersales business increased gross profit by 25%, or 7% on a like for like basis and gross margins also increased in the period. The increase in volumes and margins continues to benefit from initiatives made in recent years to develop the aftersales business including further increases in the penetration of the sale of service plans. We also continue to invest in new technology and systems to provide enhanced levels of customer experience to further strengthen the aftersales business.



Our independent parts division made good progress in the period with increases in both turnover and gross profit compared to the prior year. This was against a background of an improving but competitive market and margins were maintained at a similar level to the prior year.



Cash flow continued to be strong during the period and was significantly higher at both the operational and net cash flow levels compared to budget. In our recent annual report, we referred to the sale of our Battersea VW dealership and are now pleased to report that we received the sale proceeds of £18.1 million on 4 April which have been used to reduce group borrowings. Following the renewal of our bank facilities in September last year, we have a high level of unutilised bank facilities which provide the group with significant additional funding capacity.



Outlook

The group has made a good start to the year with positive results for the first quarter from both the motor and parts divisions. The balance sheet continues to be strengthened by strong operational cash flow and we have substantial headroom in our bank facilities. This provides financial security as well as funding capacity to help develop the business through further strategic acquisitions in both the motor and parts divisions.



The financial performance of the group in the three month period builds on what was already a strong comparative in the previous year. We therefore believe that the results for the year ending 31 December 2016 should be in line with current market expectations, which will represent a significant increase over our 2015 performance.



Update on the appointment of external auditor

Our recent annual report referred to a tender process for the appointment of an external auditor. This process, which includes the current auditor, Deloitte LLP, will not have finished by the date of the AGM on 26th May 2016. Consequently, shareholders are asked to consider, and if thought fit, approve the re-appointment of Deloitte LLP as auditor. The Board will then appoint or re-appoint the auditor based on the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee upon completion of the tender process. The firm which is appointed as auditor will remain in office until the next AGM in 2017.

StockMarketWire.com
Lookers has acquired Knights North West Limited for £27.2m in cash.

The acquisition introduces BMW and MINI to the company's portfolio of prestige brands for the first time, and further expands its motor division in the West Midlands. The acquisition is being funded from the company's existing bank facilities.

Knights Group is an experienced retailer of BMW and MINI models across the West Midlands, with six dealerships in Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe. With a particular focus on service and customer commitment, Knights Group complements Lookers' strategy of improving the motor retail environment. The acquisition brings the total number of Lookers dealerships to 166.