Calida Group First half year 2017: Good performance despite tough markets Mittwoch, 26. Juli 2017 - 07:00

CALIDA GROUP once again outperformed the market during the period under review. Consolidated operating profit (EBIT) increased by 18.3 percent to CHF 5.8 million, while net income, helped by positive one-time effects from the tax situation and the valuation of foreign currency positions, went up by 70.8 percent to CHF 5.9 million. There was a slight year-on-year rise in the operating contribution margin to 23 percent.

Sales were influenced by contrasting factors. Sales of underwear, outdoor clothing and outdoor furniture in CALIDA GROUP’s target markets went down, mainly because of a further decline in retail footfall. The strength of the Swiss franc also continued to affect sales. On the other hand, rigorous implementation of the newly defined business strategy bore its first fruits.

A focus on developing the individual brands created the foundations for a robust and profitable sales performance. And the focus on online business, exemplified by the acquisition of Reich Online Services, proved to be the correct approach. Online is clearly the future, and the share of sales made through the Group’s own e-commerce channel virtually doubled in the first six months of the year, from 3.6 percent to 7.1 percent.

Overall, there was a slight fall in net sales compared with the same period of the previous year, with the figure falling 1.9 percent to CHF 175.6 million in the period under review. After adjusting for currency movements, the reduction was 0.5 percent, and after adjusting for acquisitions and restructuring, 0.8 percent.

There was a year-on-year rise in operating cash flow from CHF 7.7 million to CHF 12.8 million. The equity ratio stands at a very solid 60.0 percent.

CALIDA GROUP’s individual divisions put in varied performances. The CALIDA brand, which generates over 40 percent of sales in Switzerland, continued to be affected by the strong Swiss franc. At the MILLET MOUNTAIN GROUP, restructuring in Hong Kong and the United States led to a much better result; strategic measures also began to have an effect. LAFUMA MOBILIER suffered in the first half of the year from subdued order intake, but it is now recovering strongly. Luxury lingerie brand AUBADE posted substantial growth in sales and profits. Surf and lifestyle brand OXBOW contributes a pleasing performance.

In the second half of this year, CALIDA GROUP’s figures for sales and operating profit should remain stable at around the prior-year level. Significant investment in the further development of e-commerce and digitalization could influence CALIDA GROUP’s profitability in the short and medium term.

The 2017 half year report is available on the website at

http://www.calidagroup.com/investors/financial-reports.aspx?sc_lang=en

Sursee (Switzerland), 26 July 2017

Further information:

CALIDA Holding AG

Reiner Pichler, CEO

Tel.: +41 41 925 44 49

www.calidagroup.com