Strong delivery in food; retail trading and margin recovering
Financial Headlines Actual currency change Constant currencychange
Group revenueGBP13,884m In line +1%
Adjusted operating profitGBP1,011m 1% +2%
Adjusted profit before taxGBP908m 1%
Adjusted earnings per share 80.1p 1%
Dividends per share Interim 6.2p
Final 20.5p
Special 13.8p
Gross investmentGBP721m
Net cash before lease liabilitiesGBP1,901m
Net debt including lease liabilitiesGBP1,380m
Statutory operating profitGBP808m
In line Statutory profit before taxGBP725m +6%
Basic earnings per share 60.5p +5%
Statutory operating profit of
Strong delivery in food
Combined revenue up 5%1 and adjusted operating profit up 10% to GBP760m1
Sugar: very strong performance, adjusted operating profit up 75%1
Grocery: brand investment and strong international growth
Progress in Agriculture and Ingredients
Retail trading and margin recovering
Like-for-like3 sales down 12% on pre-pandemic levels
Strong profit margin recovery, with second half margin of 10.6%4
Wide-reaching new sustainability strategy launched
Plans to accelerate selling space expansion in major growth markets
Dividend
Total dividend of 34.3p per share declared and proposed: special dividend 13.8p and final dividend 20.5p
Total dividends for the year 40.5p per share
'Our financial performance this year more than ever demonstrates the resilience of the group. This comes from the strength of our brands, the diversity of our products and markets, our geographic spread, conservative financing and an organisation design that permits fast and flexible decision-taking.
We provided safe, nutritious food under the most extraordinary conditions again this year, proving the value and resilience of our supply chains. Our food businesses delivered an adjusted operating profit increase of 10%, driven by high demand and improved productivity.
Given the strength of our balance sheet and our confidence in the future we are setting out today a new capital cash allocation policy that provides the Group with the capital it needs both for investment and financial stability while allowing for enhanced returns to shareholders when appropriate. We are announcing a special dividend for shareholders today as a result.
We have the people and the cash resources to seize the opportunities ahead and we look to the future with confidence.'
1 At constant currency
2 Excluding the repayment of job retention scheme monies
3 Like-for-like sales metric expressed over two years enables measurement of the performance of our retail stores compared to our experience in 2019, which was before any of the economic effects of COVID-19
4 Excluding 53rd week and the repayment of job retention scheme monies
The Group has defined, and outlined the purpose of, its Alternative performance measures in note 13. These measures are used within the Financial Headlines and in this Annual Results Announcement. The 53rd week applies to
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There will be an analyst and investor presentation at
Notes to Editors
Our aim is to achieve strong, sustainable leadership positions in markets that offer potential for long-term profitable growth. We look to achieve this through a combination of growth of existing businesses, acquisition of complementary new businesses and achievement of high levels of operating efficiency.
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