TIDMHAT
RNS Number : 2054Z
H&T Group PLC
13 March 2017
Preliminary results
for the year ended 31 December 2016
H&T Group ("H&T" or the "Group") is pleased to announce
its preliminary results for the year ended
31 December 2016.
John Nichols, chief executive of H&T Group, said:
"The Group has delivered a strong financial result in 2016 with
a solid operational performance assisted by a higher gold price. We
are particularly pleased with the growth in our loan books and the
increasing significance of FX and Buyback.
"High street pawnbroking remains challenging and only those
companies that can adapt to the new consumer and regulatory
landscape will succeed. We believe that H&T has a robust
business model capable of delivering a range of products to our
customers in a responsible way. We have demonstrated our ability to
develop new revenue streams and are well placed to succeed as the
market continues to evolve."
Financial highlights (GBPm unless 2016 2015 Change %
stated)
Gross profit 54.8 47.5 15.4%
EBITDA 13.1 10.7 22.4%
Profit before tax 9.7 6.8 42.6%
Diluted EPS 20.88p 14.86p 40.5%
Proposed final dividend 5.3p 4.5p 17.8%
Key performance indicators 2016 2015 Change %
Gross pledge book GBP41.3m GBP39.0m 5.9%
Redemption of annual lending * 83.0% 83.4% (0.4%)
Retail sales GBP30.5m GBP29.5m (3.4%)
Retail gross margin 36.8% 35.0% 1.8%
Gold purchasing gross margin 26.2% 15.1% 11.1%
Number of stores 181 189 (4.2%)
* This is the actual percentage of lending in each year which
was redeemed or renewed, the 2016 figure is an estimate based on
recent trend and early performance.
Operational highlights:
-- Personal Loans grew with the net loan book increasing 123.8% from GBP4.2m to GBP9.4m
-- Gross pledge book increased 5.9% to GBP41.3m (2015: GBP39.0m)
-- Development of larger, lower cost Personal Loans and
implementation of a high-street brokerage opportunity
-- Buyback volume grew 41.7% from GBP6.0m to GBP8.5m as a result
of further systems improvements
-- FX gross profits increased 92.9% to GBP2.7m (2015: GBP1.4m)
Preliminary results
for the year ended 31 December 2016
Enquiries:
H&T Group plc
Tel: 020 8225 2797
John Nichols, Chief Executive
Steve Fenerty, Finance Director
Numis Securities (Broker and Nominated Adviser)
Tel: 020 7260 1000
Freddie Barnfield - Nominated Adviser
Mark Lander - Corporate Broking
Haggie Partners (Public Relations)
Tel: 020 7562 4444
Damian Beeley
Brian Norris
Chairman's Statement
The Group has made good progress in developing its products to
address the changing consumer and regulatory environment. The
business has strengthened over the last three years to deliver a
platform for growth.
The demand for small sum short-term loans remains strong. We
have increased the Pawnbroking loan book and the growth in Personal
Loans is a particular success. We now need to see evidence that
this is a profitable growth strategy.
In addition, the expansion in related services such as FX and
Buyback widens our appeal and provides an increasingly significant
source of profits. These alternative services also provide a
measure of flexibility as market changes take place.
During 2016, the currency volatility in connection with the US
election result and Brexit has assisted the gold price, which has
improved the margin on sales of scrap gold.
Financial Performance
The Group delivered profit after tax of GBP7.6m (2015: GBP5.4m)
and diluted earnings per share of 20.88 pence (2015: 14.86 pence).
Subject to shareholder approval, a final dividend of 5.3 pence per
ordinary share (2015: 4.5 pence) will be paid on 2 June 2017 to
those shareholders on the register at the close of business on 5
May 2017. This will bring the full year dividend to 9.2 pence per
ordinary share (2015: 8.0 pence).
The Group's financial position is strong with net debt of
GBP5.4m at 31 December 2016 (31 December 2015: GBP2.1m) and
headroom of GBP15m on its borrowing facilities.
Regulation
The consumer credit activities of the Group are regulated by the
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), from which the Group obtained
authorisation on 11 February 2016, with specific rules governing
high-cost short-term credit (HCSTC). The FCA implemented an
interest rate cap for HCSTC in 2015 and have committed to reviewing
the effectiveness of the cap in the first half of 2017.
We have designed our Personal Loans so that all are below the
current cap; in reality, the vast majority are significantly lower
than the cap. We therefore believe that this review will have a
limited impact on our business.
Strategy
We are developing a range of products and services that address
customers' need for short-term cash. We have expanded distribution
through online, mobile and broker channels. This increased
origination has also brought benefits to the store estate. The
investments in retail merchandising and inventory have also begun
to deliver value and we are further improving the presentation of
our business though brand development.
Prospects
There is some easing of the competitive environment; the wider
economic uncertainty and fall in the value of sterling is
supporting the gold price and, as such, demand for our products is
strong. The Group is well positioned to take advantage of these
conditions with a diverse set of products, developing distribution
channels and consumer recognition.
On behalf of the Board and our shareholders, I would like to
thank everyone at H&T for their hard work and dedication over
the last year.
Peter D McNamara
Chairman
Chief Executive's Review
INTRODUCTION
The Group has delivered a good operational performance and
enjoyed the benefit of a rising gold price. These factors combined
increased profit before tax by 42.6% to GBP9.7m (2015:
GBP6.8m).
Our store estate of 181 stores comprises 126 H&T Pawnbrokers
stores, 24 Est1897 second-hand jewellery retail stores, and 31 of
our new H&T Money brand stores. During the year we have closed
eight underperforming stores and expect a small number to close in
2017.
The Group has delivered significant growth in gross profits from
the Personal Loans, FX and Buyback products which collectively
increased by 59.2% to GBP7.8m (2015: GBP4.9m). Despite store
closures, gross profits from Pawnbroking were flat and Retail was
8.7% up on 2015. The higher gold price has resulted in increased
profits of GBP6.0m (2015: GBP2.4m) from Gold Purchasing and
Pawnbroking Scrap activities.
The Group has improved the effectiveness of the online channel
delivering 133.3% growth in the online Personal Loans with 68.4% of
online applications coming through mobile devices. We intend to
develop this further during 2017 having established a range of
brokers who introduce applications to us.
THE MARKET
The number of high street outlets of our main competitors has
reduced by approximately 40% since December 2013, but by only 5%
since December 2015 as the industry adjusts to the new trading
environment. The favourable gold price in 2016 has helped most
operators, including H&T, and there have been no further
regulatory restrictions on high-cost short-term credit.
The demand for short-term small-sum loans remains strong and we
believe the Group has developed the right products and capabilities
to take advantage of market conditions.
OUR STRATEGY
The Group's strategy is to serve a customer base whose access to
mainstream credit is limited and for whom small-sum loans can help
to address short-term financial challenges. The Group will continue
to deliver this strategy by developing a range of lending products,
both secured and unsecured, offered in store and online.
The development of a suite of services including Retail, Buyback
and FX, improves returns and reduces the Group's exposure to gold
price volatility.
We continue to innovate and explore how to interact most
effectively with our customers through the development of
introducer channels, our online capability and our brand.
REGULATION
The Financial Conduct Authority
The regulation of Consumer Credit moved from the Office of Fair
Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April
2014. The Group obtained authorisation from the FCA on 11 February
2016 and we welcome the higher standards that this change will
bring to our sector.
High-cost short-term cost cap
On 1 January 2015, the FCA implemented its cap on the interest
rate and charges that apply to High-Cost Short-Term Credit (HCSTC).
The FCA has stated that it will review the price cap during the
first half of 2017.
We have designed our Personal Loans so that all are below the
current cap; in reality, the vast majority are significantly lower
than the cap. We therefore believe that this review will have a
limited impact on our product.
REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
The Group's total gross profits increased 15.4% to GBP54.8m
(2015: GBP47.5m) principally as a result of the increase in gold
price assisting Pawnbroking Scrap and Gold Purchasing and strong
growth in the Personal Loans and Other Services segments.
Pawnbroking
Gross profits from pawnbroking were stable at GBP28.4m (2015:
GBP28.4m) while the gross pledge book increased to GBP41.3m (2015:
GBP39.0m). The reduction in yield was the result of a changing
business mix to larger loans at a lower interest rate. This shift
was expected as the business explores the new "Concession" format
to access a new customer base. Notwithstanding the increase in gold
values, high street pawnbroking continues to be a challenging
market due to lasting competition and reduced gold in circulation.
The Group closed eight locations during the year resulting in the
loss of GBP0.1m in pledge book from two of those units through sale
to local operators. In addition, the Group acquired GBP0.1m in
pledge book from four competitor locations, relocating the
customers to our stores.
The Group continues to invest in expanding the expertise and
service in this critical segment through development of the
business in Bond Street (London) and more importantly the
recruitment of a small team of highly skilled individuals to
support the wider business through the Expert Eye system.
The Board believes that while there is still opportunity in
Pawnbroking for H&T the market is shrinking and in order to
maintain our position we must develop new channels for customer
acquisition particularly through brokers and online.
Pawnbroking summary:
2016 2015 Change
GBP'000 GBP'000 %
--------------- --------- --------- --------
Year-end net
pledge book 40,806 38,293 6.6%
Average net
pledge book 39,155 37,404 4.7%
Revenue 28,384 28,437 -0.2%
Risk-adjusted
margin(1) 72.5% 76.0%
Notes to table
1- Revenue as a percentage of the average loan book
Retail
Retail sales grew by 3.4% to GBP30.5m (2015: GBP29.5m) and gross
profits 8.7% to GBP11.2m (2015: GBP10.3m).
The Group had two focus areas for the year: improve margins and
improve inventory management. Progress has been made on both of
these objectives, particularly in H2 2016. During 2016 the store
inventory increased by GBP5.0m as we completed the implementation
of the planograms across the store estate.
We are encouraged by the performance in H2 2016 relative to H2
2015 where we have seen an increase in inventory, gross profits and
margins. The Group acknowledges the pressure on consumer spending
post-Brexit and the challenges presented by the expected increase
in inflation. We believe that the value presented by our
second-hand offering positions us well among other retailers of
luxury goods, while shifting behaviours (as customers seek the best
deal) could provide opportunities for H&T.
Personal Loans
Revenue from Personal Loans increased 45.8% to GBP3.5m (2015:
GBP2.4m) with the year-end net loan book up 123.8% to GBP9.4m
(2015: GBP4.2m).
The Group believes that Personal Loans is an important
opportunity, allowing us to expand our customer base in store,
online and through broker channels. Over the past three years we
have developed our understanding, systems and infrastructure to
deliver what we believe are the most suitable products for our
customer base, efficiently delivered using the strengths of our
store network and staff. The increase in the monthly average loan
book of 80.6% has resulted in an increase in revenues of 45.8%.
This is in line with management expectations, both for credit
quality and performance.
During 2016, we have also increased the online loan book by
133.3% to GBP0.7m (2015: GBP0.3m), implemented a store-based broker
product through Cash Converters stores, and launched our larger
loan at lower interest rates. We continue to develop our platforms
to serve a changing market; in Q4 2015 53.3% of our loan
applications originated from a mobile device. This increased to
68.4% in Q4 2016.
Operationally we have relocated our call centre operations to a
new purpose-built location and implemented new dialler and customer
relationship management systems. The developments to date have been
successful and provide a strong foundation for our expansion into
this exciting market.
The FCA has announced its review into the high-cost short-term
credit (HCSTC) cost cap in 2017. Approximately 80% of the loans
issued fell under the definition of HCSTC in 2016; none of our
loans were at the interest cap. The H&T personal loan is
significantly cheaper than loans offered by our competitors to this
market and, while the outcome of the review is unknown, we do not
anticipate that it will have a significant impact on our
product.
Personal Loans summary:
2016 2015 Change
GBP'000 GBP'000 %
Year-end net loan
book 9,356 4,152 125.3%
Average monthly
net loan book 6,348 3,514 80.6%
Interest before
impairment 5,849 3,710 57.7%
Impairment (2,349) (1,322) 77.7%
Revenue 3,499 2,389 46.5%
Interest yield(1) 92.1% 105.6%
Impairment % of
interest 40.2% 35.6%
Risk-adjusted
margin(2) 55.1% 68.0%
Notes to table
1 - Interest before impairment as a percentage of average loan
book
2 - Revenue as a percentage of average loan book
Pawnbroking Scrap
Gross profits from Pawnbroking Scrap increased to GBP2.1m (2015:
GBP0.1m) principally due to the increase in the sterling gold price
since the EU referendum result.
The average gold price during 2016 was GBP926 per troy ounce
(2015: GBP759), a 22.1% increase. The gold price directly impacts
the revenue received on the sales of scrapped gold.
Gold Purchasing
Gross profits from Gold Purchasing increased 69.6% to GBP3.9m
(2015: GBP2.3m) principally as a result of the increase in gold
price and the different trends in the gold price through the year
versus 2015.
H&T purchase gold to achieve a particular margin and it
takes around two months to process items directly to scrap. If the
gold price increases during this processing period then our margins
are enhanced, if it reduces then our margins are compressed.
During 2015, the gold price fell by 7% from January to December,
whereas during the same period in 2016 it increased by 29%.
Accordingly, our margins were significantly enhanced in 2016 vs
2015.
We estimate that overall volumes of fine gold purchased fell by
3.2% from 2015 to 2016.
Other Services
The continued improvements both in FX and Buyback increased
gross profits from the Other Services segment by 43.6% to GBP5.6m
(2015: GBP3.9m).
Buyback has been a particular success as part of the "We buy
anything" proposition as the value purchased increased to GBP8.5m
(2015: GBP6.0m). We continue to develop the product through systems
development supporting the identification, testing and valuation of
items to reduce transaction time and accuracy in store.
This development will be supported through further enhancements
in 2017 together with closer integration of online and in-store
systems to support the "clicks to bricks" customer acquisition
process.
FX continues to grow with sales of currency increasing 86.3%
from 2015 as a result of increased customer awareness and the
introduction of a wider range of currencies. The volatility in
exchange rates as a result of the EU referendum also assisted the
105.0% growth in the value of currency purchased.
PROSPECTS
The Group is evolving into a provider of alternative credit
services to serve an increasing customer base. The development in
2016 has been very encouraging and provides a platform for growth
into 2017. Current trading is in line with management's
expectations for 2017.
I would also like to add my great thanks to those of the
chairman, in recognising all of our people whose skills, commitment
and enthusiasm continue to drive our success, and who give us
confidence in the future.
John G Nichols
Chief Executive
Finance Director's Review
FINANCIAL RESULTS
For the year ended 31 December 2016 gross profit increased 15.4%
from GBP47.5m to GBP54.8m driven by the higher gold price improving
revenues from Pawnbroking Scrap and Gold Purchasing together with
the growth in the Personal Loans and Other Services segments.
Total direct and administrative expenses increased by 11.8% from
GBP39.9m to GBP44.6m, principally as a result of investment in
staff to support business volumes and new initiatives. The Board
considers the continued investment in people and systems to be
vital in repositioning the business to take advantage of the market
conditions.
Finance costs were largely in line with 2015 at GBP0.5m (2015:
GBP0.7m).
Profit before tax increased by GBP2.9m to GBP9.7m, up 42.6% from
GBP6.8m in 2015.
CASH FLOW
The Group generated positive cash flow from operating activities
of GBP1.3m (2015: GBP11.2m). Working capital movements led to an
outflow of GBP9.8m (2015: GBP2.2m inflow), which was principally a
result of the GBP8.1m growth in the Pawnbroking and Personal Loans
loan books.
BALANCE SHEET
As at 31 December 2016, the Group had net assets of GBP98.8m
(2015: GBP94.1m) with year-end net debt of GBP5.4m (2015: GBP2.1m)
delivering an increase in gearing to 5.5% (2015: 2.2%).
On 12 February 2016, the Group refinanced the existing facility
with Lloyds Bank plc allowing for maximum borrowings of GBP30.0m,
subject to covenants, at a margin of between 1.75% and 2.75% above
LIBOR. At year end GBP15.0m was drawn on the facility and the Group
was well within the covenants with a net debt to EBITDA ratio of
0.40x and interest to EBITDA ratio of 38.71x (see note 7 for the
definition of EBITDA). The new facility has a termination date of
30 April 2020.
The combination of low gearing and a secure long term credit
facility provides the Group with the ability to make selective
investments in the future while maintaining appropriate
headroom.
Investments and disposals
During the year, the Group completed the acquisition of four
pawnbroking loan books for a total consideration of GBP0.1m and
disposed of two for a total consideration of GBP0.1m.
Impairment
The Group performs an annual review of the expected earnings of
each acquired store and considers whether the associated goodwill
and other property, plant and equipment are impaired. There was no
impairment charge during 2016 (2015: GBPnil/none).
Share Price and EPS
At 31 December 2016, the share price was 259.75p (2015: 197.0p)
and market capitalisation was GBP95.5m (2015: GBP72.6m). Basic
earnings per share were 20.94p (2015: 14.88p), diluted earnings per
share were 20.88p (2015: 14.86p).
Stephen A Fenerty
Finance Director
Group statement of comprehensive income
For the year ended 31 December 2016
2016 2015
Continuing operations Note GBP'000 GBP'000
Revenue 2 94,223 89,244
Cost of sales (39,453) (41,782)
Gross profit 2 54,770 47,462
Other direct expenses (32,247) (31,968)
Administrative expenses (12,325) (7,976)
Operating profit 10,198 7,518
Investment revenues 1 1
Finance costs 3 (479) (679)
Profit before taxation 9,720 6,840
Tax charge on profit 4 (2,138) (1,462)
Profit for the financial year and total
comprehensive income 7,582 5,378
Earnings per share 2016 2015
Pence Pence
Basic 5 20.94 14.88
Diluted 5 20.88 14.86
Group statement of changes in equity
For the year ended 31 December 2016
Employee
Benefit
Trust
Share premium shares Retained
Share capital account reserve earnings Total
GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000
At 1 January 2015 1,843 25,409 (35) 63,646 90,863
Profit for the financial
year - - - 5,378 5,378
Total income for the financial
year - - - 5,378 5,378
Share option movement - - - 104 104
Dividends paid - - - (2,285) (2,285)
At 31 December 2015 1,843 25,409 (35) 66,843 94,060
At 1 January 2016 1,843 25,409 (35) 66,843 94,060
Profit for the financial
year - - - 7,582 7,582
Total income for the financial
year - - - 7,582 7,582
Issue of share capital 9 345 - - 354
Share option movement - - - (40) (40)
Dividends paid - - - (3,109) (3,109)
At 31 December 2016 1,852 25,754 (35) 71,276 98,847
Group balance sheet
As at 31 December 2016
31 December 31 December
2016 2015
GBP'000 GBP'000
Non-current assets
Goodwill 17,676 17,707
Other intangible assets 527 752
Property, plant and equipment 6,874 8,137
Deferred tax assets 682 542
25,759 27,139
Current assets
Inventories 29,792 24,802
Trade and other receivables 59,058 50,893
Other current assets 848 646
Cash and cash equivalents 9,608 10,923
99,306 87,264
Total assets 125,065 114,403
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables (8,887) (5,482)
Current tax liabilities (1,119) (645)
(10,006) (6,127)
Net current assets 89,300 81,137
Non-current liabilities
Borrowings (14,715) (12,911)
Provisions (1,497) (1,305)
(16,212) (14,216)
Total liabilities (26,218) (20,343)
Net assets 98,847 94,060
Equity
Share capital 1,852 1,843
Share premium account 25,754 25,409
Employee Benefit Trust shares
reserve (35) (35)
Retained earnings 71,276 66,843
Total equity attributable
to equity holders 98,847 94,060
Group cash flow statement
For the year ended 31 December 2016
2016 2015
Note GBP'000 GBP'000
Net cash generated from operating activities 6 1,315 11,209
Investing activities
Interest received 1 1
Proceeds on disposal of property, plant
and equipment 66 -
Proceeds on disposal of trade and assets
of businesses 82 -
Purchases of property, plant and equipment (1,918) (1,207)
Acquisition of trade and assets of
businesses (106) (120)
Net cash used in investing activities (1,875) (1,326)
Financing activities
Dividends paid (3,109) (2,285)
Increase/(Decrease) in borrowings 2,000 (3,000)
Decrease in Bank overdraft - (1,925)
Issue of shares 354 -
Net cash used in financing activities (755) (7,210)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents (1,315) 2,673
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning
of the year 10,923 8,250
Cash and cash equivalents at end of
the year 9,608 10,923
Notes to the preliminary announcement
For the year ended 31 December 2016
1. Finance information and basis of preparation
The financial information has been abridged from the audited
financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2016.
The financial information set out above does not constitute the
company's statutory accounts for the years ended 31 December 2016
or 2015, but is derived from those accounts. Statutory accounts for
2015 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and those
for 2016 will be filed with the Registrar in due course. The
auditors have reported on those accounts: their reports were
unqualified, did not draw attention to any matters by way of
emphasis and did not contain statements under s498 (2) or (3)
Companies Act 2006 or equivalent preceding legislation. Accounting
policies have been consistently applied throughout 2015 and
2016.
Whilst the financial information included in this preliminary
announcement has been prepared in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards (as adopted for use in the EU)
('IFRS'), this announcement does not itself contain sufficient
information to comply with IFRS. The Group will be publishing full
financial statements that comply with IFRS in April 2017.
Revenue recognition
Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration
received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for goods
and services and interest income provided in the normal course of
business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales-related taxes.
Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the
economic benefits will flow to the Group and the revenue can be
reliably measured. The following specific recognition criteria must
also be met before revenue is recognised:
Pawnbroking, or Pawn Service Charge (PSC), comprises interest on
pledge book loans, plus auction profit and loss, less any auction
commissions payable and less surplus payable to the customer.
Interest receivable on loans is recognised as interest accrues by
reference to the principal outstanding and the effective interest
rate applicable, which is the rate that discounts the estimated
future cash receipts through the expected life of the financial
asset to that asset's net carrying amount;
Retail comprises revenue from retail jewellery sales, with
inventory sourced from unredeemed pawn loans, newly purchased
inventory and inventory refurbished from the Group's gold
purchasing operation. All revenue is recognised at the point of
sale;
Pawnbroking Scrap and Gold Purchasing comprises proceeds from
gold scrap sales and is recognised on full receipt of sale
proceeds;
Personal Loans comprises income from the Group's unsecured
lending activities. Interest receivable on unsecured loans is
recognised in revenue on an accruals basis less provision for loans
not expected to be repaid. Personal Loans are subject to bad debt
risk which is reflected in the interest rate applied; and
Other Services comprise revenues from third party cheque
cashing, foreign exchange income, Buyback, prepaid card and other
income. The commission receivable on cheque cashing is recognised
at the time of the transaction. Buyback revenue is recognised at
the point of sale of the item back to the customer. Foreign
exchange income represents the commission when selling or buying
foreign currencies and is recognised at the point of sale. Any
other revenues are recognised on an accruals basis.
The Group recognises interest income arising on secured and
unsecured lending within trading revenue rather than investment
revenue on the basis that this represents most accurately the
business activities of the Group.
The Group recognises revenue and bad debt expenses (both
impairments and movements on allowance accounts) on pawnbroking,
personal loans and other financial services on a portfolio
approach. The Group considers that the bad debts arising on the
loans and receivables balances are a function of the revenue earned
due to the nature of the activities, and accordingly records the
net amount of interest or commissions due and bad debt expenses
within revenue.
Inventories provisioning
Where necessary provision is made for obsolete, slow moving and
damaged inventory or inventory shrinkage. The provision for
obsolete, slow moving and damaged inventory represents the
difference between the cost of the inventory and its market value.
The inventory shrinkage provision is based on an estimate of the
inventory missing at the reporting date using historical shrinkage
experience.
Impairment of goodwill and other intangibles
Determining whether goodwill is impaired requires an estimation
of the value in use of the cash-generating units to which goodwill
has been allocated. The value in use calculation requires the Group
to estimate the future cash flows expected to arise from the
cash-generating unit and a suitable discount rate in order to
calculate present value. The review is conducted annually, in the
final quarter of the year. The impairment review is conducted at
the level of each cash generating unit, which for acquisitions
represents the specific store or stores acquired.
There was no impairment loss recorded in the current year (2015:
GBPnil). The principal assumptions applied by management in
arriving at the value in use of each cash generating unit are as
follows:
1. The Group prepares cash flow forecasts over a five year
period for each cash generating unit. The year one cash flows are
derived from the most recent financial budget and a forecast growth
rate applied for years 2 to 5. A constant gold price of GBP950 per
troy ounce is assumed. A perpetuity is then calculated for periods
thereafter.
2. The Group has discounted the cash flows at a pre-tax, risk adjusted rate of 9%.
While the impairment review has been conducted based on the best
available estimates at the impairment review date, the Group notes
that actual events may vary from management expectation.
2. Operating segments
Business segments
For reporting purposes, the Group is currently organised into
six segments - Pawnbroking, Gold purchasing, Retail, Pawnbroking
Scrap, Personal Loans and Other services.
The principal activities by segment are as follows:
Pawnbroking:
Pawnbroking is a loan secured against a collateral (the pledge).
In the case of the Group, over 99% of the collateral against which
amounts are lent comprises precious metals (predominantly gold),
diamonds and watches. The pawnbroking contract is a six-month
credit agreement bearing a monthly interest rate of between 1.99%
and 10.00%. The contract is governed by the terms of the Consumer
Credit Act 2008 (previously the Consumer Credit Act 2002). If the
customer does not redeem the goods by repaying the secured loan
before the end of the contract, the Group is required to dispose of
the goods either through public auctions if the value of the pledge
is over GBP75 (disposal proceeds being reported in this segment)
or, if the value of the pledge is GBP75 or under, through public
auctions or the Retail or Pawnbroking Scrap activities of the
Group.
Gold Purchasing:
Jewellery is bought direct from customers through all of the
Group's stores. The transaction is simple with the store agreeing a
price with the customer and purchasing the goods for cash on the
spot. Gold Purchasing revenues comprise proceeds from scrap sales
on goods sourced from the Group's purchasing operations.
Retail:
The Group's retail proposition is primarily gold and jewellery
and the majority of the retail sales are forfeited items from the
pawnbroking pledge book or refurbished items from the Group's gold
purchasing operations. The retail offering is complemented with a
small amount of new or second-hand jewellery purchased from third
parties by the Group.
Pawnbroking Scrap:
Pawnbroking Scrap comprises all other proceeds from gold scrap
sales other than those reported within Gold Purchasing. The items
are either damaged beyond repair, are slow moving or surplus to the
Group's requirements, and are smelted and sold at the current gold
spot price less a small commission.
Personal Loans:
Personal Loans comprises income from the Group's unsecured
lending activities. Interest receivable on unsecured loans is
recognised in revenue on an accruals basis less provision for loans
not expected to be repaid. Personal Loans are subject to bad debt
risk which is reflected in the interest rate applied.
Other Services:
This segment comprises:
-- Third Party Cheque Encashment which is the provision of cash
in exchange for a cheque payable to our customer for a commission
fee based on the face value of the cheque.
-- Buyback which is a service where items are purchased from
customers, typically high-end electronics, and may be bought back
up to 31 days later for a fee.
-- The Foreign Exchange currency service where the Group earns a
commission when selling or buying foreign currencies.
-- Western Union commission earned on the Group's money transfer service.
-- The Prepaid debit card product where the Group earns a
commission when selling the card or when the customer is topping up
their card.
Cheque Cashing is subject to bad debt risk which is reflected in
the commissions and fees applied.
Further details on each activity are included in the Chief
Executive's Review.
Segment information about these businesses is presented
below:
For the
Gold Pawnbroking Personal Other year
2016 Pawnbroking Purchasing Retail Scrap Loans Services ended 2016
Revenue GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000
External sales 28,384 15,021 30,549 11,136 3,499 5,634 94,223
Total revenue 28,384 15,021 30,549 11,136 3,499 5,634 94,223
Segment result
- gross profit 28,384 3,941 11,228 2,084 3,499 5,634 54,770
Other direct expenses (32,247)
Administrative expenses (12,325)
Operating profit 10,198
Investment revenues 1
Finance costs (479)
Profit before taxation 9,720
Tax charge on profit (2,138)
Profit for the financial year and
total comprehensive income 7,582
For the
Gold Pawnbroking Personal Other year
2015 Pawnbroking Purchasing Retail Scrap Loans Services ended 2015
Revenue GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000
External
sales 28,437 15,260 29,543 9,718 2,389 3,897 89,244
Total revenue 28,437 15,260 29,543 9,718 2,389 3,897 89,244
Segment
result
- gross
profit 28,437 2,297 10,326 116 2,389 3,897 47,462
Other direct expenses (31,968)
Administrative expenses (7,976)
Operating profit 7,518
Investment revenues 1
Finance costs (679)
Profit before taxation 6,840
Tax charge on profit (1,462)
Profit for the financial year and
total comprehensive income 5,378
Gross profit is stated after charging bad debt expenses and the
direct costs of inventory items sold or scrapped in the period.
Other operating expenses of the stores are included in other direct
expenses. The Group is unable to meaningfully allocate the other
direct expenses of operating the stores between segments as the
activities are conducted from the same stores, utilising the same
assets and staff. The Group is also unable to meaningfully allocate
Group administrative expenses, or financing costs or income between
the segments. Accordingly, the Group is unable to meaningfully
disclose an allocation of items included in the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income below gross profit, which
represents the reported segment results. The Group does not apply
any inter-segment charges when items are transferred between the
Pawnbroking activity and the Retail or Pawnbroking Scrap
activities.
Unallocated For the
Pawn-broking Gold Pawn-broking Personal Other assets/ year
2016 Purchasing Retail Scrap Loans Services (liabilities) ended
GBP'000 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016
2016 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000
Other information
Capital
additions
(*) 1,768
Depreciation
and
amortisation
(*) 2,940
Balance sheet
Assets
Segment
assets 47,301 1,005 29,066 570 9,375 - 87,317
Unallocated
corporate
assets 33,040 33,040
Consolidated
total
assets 125,065
Liabilities
Segment
liabilities - - (649) - - (260) (909)
Unallocated
corporate
liabilities (25,309) (25,309)
Consolidated
total
liabilities (26,218)
Unallocated For the
Pawn-broking Gold Pawn-broking Personal Other assets/ year
2015 Purchasing Retail Scrap Loans Services (liabilities) ended
GBP'000 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015
2015 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000 GBP'000
Other information
Capital
additions
(*) 1,173 1,173
Depreciation
and
amortisation
(*) 3,218 3,218
Balance sheet
Assets
Segment
assets 44,548 406 24,811 231 4,152 - 74,148
Unallocated
corporate
assets 35,864 35,864
Consolidated
total
assets 114,403
Liabilities
Segment
liabilities - - (634) - - (215) (849)
Unallocated
corporate
liabilities (19,494) (19,494)
Consolidated
total
liabilities (20,343)
(*) The Group cannot meaningfully allocate this information by
segment due to the fact that all the
segments operate from the same stores and the assets in use are
common to all segments.
Geographical segments
The Group's revenue from external customers by geographical
location are detailed below:
2016 2015
GBP'000 GBP'000
United Kingdom 93,487 88,808
Other 736 436
94,223 89,244
The Group's non-current assets are located entirely in the
United Kingdom. Accordingly, no further geographical segments
analysis is presented.
3. Finance costs
2016 2015
GBP'000 GBP'000
Interest on bank loans 348 524
Other interest 1 2
Amortisation of debt issue
costs 130 153
Total interest expense 479 679
4. Tax charge on profit
(a) Tax on profit on ordinary activities
2016 2015
Current tax GBP'000 GBP'000
United Kingdom corporation tax charge at 20% (2015:
20.3%)
based on the profit for the year 2,143 1,549
Adjustments in respect of prior years 191 (72)
Total current tax 2,334 1,477
Deferred tax
Timing differences, origination and reversal (278) 21
Adjustments in respect of prior years 12 (36)
Effects of change in tax rate 70 -
Total deferred tax (196) (15)
Tax charge on profit 2,138 1,462
(b) Factors affecting the tax charge for the year
The tax assessed for the year is higher than that resulting from
applying a blended standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of
20% (2015: 20.3%). The differences are explained below:
2016 2015
GBP'000 GBP'000
Profit before taxation 9,720 6,840
Tax charge on profit at standard rate 1,944 1,389
Effects of:
Disallowed expenses and non-taxable income (29) (49)
Non-qualifying depreciation - 117
Effect of change in tax rate 70 -
Movement in short-term timing differences (50) 113
Adjustments to tax charge in respect of previous
periods 203 (108)
Tax charge on profit 2,138 1,462
In addition to the amount charged to the income statement and in
accordance with IAS 12, the excess of current and deferred tax over
and above the relative related cumulative remuneration expense
under IFRS 2 has been recognised directly in equity. This amounted
to a charge to equity in the current period of GBP56,000 (2015:
GBPnil).
5. Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the profit
for the year attributable to equity shareholders by the weighted
average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year.
For diluted earnings per share, the weighted average number of
ordinary shares in issue is adjusted to assume conversion of all
dilutive potential ordinary shares. With respect to the Group these
represent share options and conditional shares granted to employees
where the exercise price is less than the average market price of
the Company's ordinary shares during the year.
Reconciliations of the earnings per ordinary share and weighted
average number of shares used in the calculations are set out
below:
Year ended 31 December Year ended 31 December
2016 2015
Earnings Weighted Per-share Earnings Weighted Per-share
GBP'000 average amount GBP'000 average amount
number pence number pence
of shares of shares
Earnings per share: basic 7,582 36,212,688 20.94 5,379 36,154,799 14.88
Effect of dilutive securities
Options and conditional
shares - 101,947 (0.06) - 34,805 (0.02)
Earnings per share: diluted 7,582 36,314,635 20.88 5,379 36,189,604 14.86
6. Notes to the Cash Flow Statement
2016 2015
GBP'000 GBP'000
Profit for the financial year 7,582 5,378
Adjustments for:
Investment revenues (1) (1)
Finance costs 479 679
Movement in provisions 192 (216)
Tax expense - Group statement of comprehensive
income 2,138 1,462
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 2,686 2,897
Amortisation of intangible assets 254 321
Share-based payment expense 16 104
Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment 265 75
Operating cash flows before movements in working
capital 13,611 10,699
(Increase)/Decrease in inventories (4,991) 4,469
Increase in other current assets (202) (417)
Increase in receivables (8,154) (1,367)
Increase/(Decrease) in payables 3,585 (507)
Cash generated from operations 3,849 12,877
Income taxes paid (1,860) (1,160)
Debt restructuring costs (325) -
Interest paid (349) (508)
Net cash generated from operating activities 1,315 11,209
Cash and cash equivalents (which are presented as a single class
of assets on the face of the balance sheet) comprise cash at bank
and other short-term highly liquid investments with a maturity of
three months or less.
7. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation ("EBITDA")
EBITDA
EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxation,
depreciation and amortisation. It is calculated by adding back
depreciation and amortisation to the operating profit as
follows:
2016 2015
GBP'000 GBP'000
Operating profit 10,198 7,518
Depreciation and amortisation 2,940 3,218
EBITDA 13,138 10,736
The Board consider EBITDA to be a key performance measure as the
Group borrowing facility includes a number of loan covenants based
on it.
8. Events after the balance sheet date
In January 2017, malware was discovered on the H&T corporate
network. The actions taken to remediate resulted in some disruption
to store operations for approximately four weeks, particularly new
Personal Loan business. The Group has engaged specialists to review
and improve its cyber security framework to mitigate the
ever-present risk of cyber-crime. The impact of the incident is
immaterial to the Group's financial position and there is no
evidence to suggest any loss of sensitive data or financial
data.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
FR BRGDXUSBBGRG
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 13, 2017 03:00 ET (07:00 GMT)
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