18 January 2024
Marshalls plc
(‘Marshalls’ or ‘Group’)
Full year trading update and notice of results
The Group’s performance in the period since the trading update on 18 October 2023 has been as anticipated and the Board expects adjusted profit before tax for the full year to be in-line with its expectations.
Trading performance
Group revenue for the year ended 31 December 2023 was £671 million (2021: £719 million), which represents a year-on-year reduction of seven per cent including the benefit of an additional four months of trading from Marley. On a like-for-like basis, Group revenue contracted by 13 per cent. This performance reflects lower demand from house builders and continued subdued activity in private housing RMI.
Marshalls Landscape Products’ revenue was £321 million (2022: £394 million), which represents a reduction of 18 per cent. On a like-for-like basis, after adjusting for the disposal of Marshalls NV in April 2023, revenues contracted by 16 per cent. Marshalls Building Products’ revenue was £170 million (2022: £193 million), a reduction of 12 per cent. Marley Roofing Products’ revenue was £180 million (May to December 2022: £132 million), which represents a reduction of nine per cent on a like-for-like basis.
Management actions
During the year, management took decisive actions to improve agility and right-size the business through reducing capacity and costs. This included the closure or mothballing of factories, a reduction in shifts and capacity in other facilities, and a reorganisation of commercial and support functions. These actions are expected to deliver net annualised savings of around £11 million, which is £2 million higher than previous estimates. In addition, management reviewed and reprioritised capital expenditure plans, executed a programme of surplus land disposals that generated around £7 million, and focused on efficient working capital and cash management to reduce the Group’s net debt.
Importantly, management balanced the need to reduce capacity and the cost base in the short-term while retaining the flexibility to increase production when demand recovers. The Group has significant latent capacity across all its businesses to satisfy materially higher demand than current levels.
Balance sheet and liquidity
The Group’s balance sheet remains robust, with good progress made to reduce leverage, and the Group ended the year with pre-IFRS16 net debt of £173 million (December 2022: £191 million, September 2023: £190 million). The strong cash generation during the year facilitated a £30 million reduction of the Group’s term loan to £180 million in early January 2024, ensuring efficient management of borrowings and finance costs. The Group’s revolving credit facility of £160 million was undrawn at the year-end, which, together with the reduced term loan, provides the Group with significant liquidity to fund its strategic and operational plans going forward.
Outlook
Execution of the Group’s strategy is underpinned by our strong market positions, established brands and focused investment plans to drive ongoing operational improvement. Notwithstanding the anticipated short-term challenges, the Board remains confident that the long-term market growth drivers and a focus on executing key strategic initiatives, will underpin a material improvement in profitability when markets recover. The Board is encouraged recently by the more positive inflation trends and the consequent impact on interest rate expectations, which should support progressive improvements in the Group’s end markets during 2024.
Notice of results
The Group will announce its results for the year ended 31 December 2023 on 18 March 2024, at which time it will provide further guidance on the year ahead.
Enquiries:
| Martyn CoffeyMatt PullenJustin Lockwood | Chief ExecutiveChief Executive DesignateChief Financial Officer | Marshalls plc | +44 (0)1422 314777 |
| Tim Rowntree | MHP Communications | +44 (0)20 3128 8540 | |
| Charlie Barker | +44 (0)20 3128 8147 |