Punch Taverns PLC Full Year Trading Update (0573N)
September 03 2013 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMPUB
RNS Number : 0573N
Punch Taverns PLC
03 September 2013
PUNCH TAVERNS PLC
Year End Trading Statement for the 52 weeks to 17 August
2013
FULL YEAR PROFITS IN LINE WITH MANAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS;
FOURTH QUARTER CORE NET INCOME IN GROWTH
n Average net income per pub +1.5% (52 weeks)
n Improving like-for-like trends in net income; core estate net
income up 0.4% in the fourth quarter (-2.4% 52 weeks to 17 August
2013)
n 96% of the core estate let on substantive agreements, up from
94% at August 2012
n 476 core investments completed in the year at an average spend
of GBP102k per pub
n Punch Buying Club membership increased to c.90% of the core
estate (August 2012: 72%)
n 433 pubs sold for GBP149 million, ahead of book value, at a
multiple of 18 times EBITDA
n 116 pubs transferred from the non-core division to the core
division from the start of the new financial year
Fourth quarter trading for the 12 weeks to 17 August 2013 was
strong, with like-for-like net income in the core estate up 0.4%.
This is the third consecutive quarter of improving like-for-like
trends and has helped return average net income per pub to growth
for the full year across our entire estate.
Significant improvements have been made in the areas of letting,
investment, sales and marketing and Partner support, and this is
reflected in our recent financial performance.
Progress on delivering our key strategic initiatives
We ended the year with 96% of our core estate pubs let on
substantive agreements, ahead of our target of having between 93%
and 95% let. The launch of the new Partner recruitment website
during the year has helped deliver the increased rate of letting
with the result that we remained within or above the 93% to 95%
target range throughout the year.
In line with our plan to invest in around two thirds of the core
estate of c.2,900 pubs over the next five years, we completed
investments in 476 core pubs in the year at an average spend of
GBP102k per pub. This investment is transforming the customer offer
in these pubs and we are achieving our target returns for these
investments.
The new Punch Foundation Tenancy agreement (formerly referred to
as "Franchise Tenancy") was launched in the year. Whilst still in
the early stages of roll-out, with 48 pubs operating on the new
agreement, we have seen a significant increase in sales in these
pubs. This new agreement has now been rolled out nationally and a
significant proportion of the lettings within the new financial
year are expected to be operated on this new agreement.
From the start of the new financial year we have launched a
dedicated New Business Development team. This specialist team has
been put in place to support all new Partners with their initial
investment, the launch of their pub and throughout their first six
months of trading. We are confident that the addition of this
support to new Partners with a focus on the retail offer to
consumers will help drive sales, improve Partner profitability and
reduce the level of Partner failures.
Having launched the Punch Buying Club just over three years ago,
approximately 90% of our core pubs are now members of the club.
Through the Buying Club we have been able to offer a range of
industry leading exclusive offers to our Partners which included
completion of the roll-out of free Wifi across our estate during
the year. We will continue to build on the success of the Buying
Club over the next year as we introduce a wider range of products
and services for the benefit of our Partners.
Maximising value from non-core assets
During the year we sold 433 pubs (including 60 pubs from the
core division), together with other assets for proceeds of GBP149
million, ahead of book value and at a multiple of 18 times EBITDA.
Following the improvement in the performance of a number of pubs in
the non-core division, 116 pubs have been transferred to the core
division with effect from the start of the new financial year.
Following this transfer, there were 2,990 pubs in the core
division, and 1,106 pubs in the non-core division as at 18 August
2013.
Capital structure review
Punch has continued an extensive process of engagement with a
broad range of stakeholders across the capital structure to
consider further amendments to the previously announced
restructuring proposals. Whilst the process of engagement has taken
longer than previously anticipated, the Board considers that a
consensual restructuring can be launched in the second half of 2013
and will provide an update on the implementation of the
restructuring in due course.
Outlook
Overall profit performance for the financial year which ended on
17 August 2013 was in line with management expectations and
previous guidance and we will report underlying EBITDA of between
GBP210 million and GBP220 million.
Expectations of future net income growth for the core estate
remain unchanged from those previously announced, with management
expecting the core estate to return to like-for-like net income
growth of up to 1% in the new financial year and between 1% and 2%
net income growth in the 2015 financial year, before returning to a
long-term net income growth rate of c.2% in the 2016 financial
year.
Stephen Billingham, Executive Chairman of Punch Taverns plc,
commented:
"We have made excellent progress in implementing operational
changes that we expect will deliver further improvements in the
underlying performance of the business. Our profit performance for
the year has been in line with management expectations. We are
encouraged by our first quarter of net income growth since
demerger, and we reiterate our previous expectations of net income
growth in the core estate for the years ahead."
- Ends -
ENQUIRIES;
Punch Taverns plc Tel: 01283 501 948
Stephen Billingham, Executive Chairman
Steve Dando, Finance Director
Brunswick Group LLP Tel: 0207 404 5959
Jonathan Glass
Mike Smith
Forward-looking statements
This announcement may contain certain statements about
the future outlook for Punch. Although we believe our
expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any
statements about future outlook may be influenced by factors
that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially
different.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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