Marshall Motor Holdings PLC AGM Trading Statement (2154Z)

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RNS Number : 2154Z

Marshall Motor Holdings PLC

20 May 2021

20 May 2021

MARSHALL MOTOR HOLDINGS PLC

("MMH" or the "Group")

AGM Trading Statement

Marshall Motor Holdings Plc, one of the UK's leading automotive retail groups, issues the following trading statement covering the 4 month period ending 30 April 2021 (the "Period") ahead of its Annual General Meeting to be held at 10:00am today.

Key Highlights:

   --    Continued strong market outperformance in the Period. 

-- Commitment to repay all Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ("CJRS") grants received for 2021 (GBP2.6m)

   --    Commitment to repay all non-essential retail sector grants received in 2021 (GBP1.4m). 

-- Targeting 2021 underlying profit before tax of not less than 2019's result of GBP22.1m (a year unaffected by the pandemic), after repayment of CJRS and non-essential retail sector grants.

   --    Strong cash generation in the Period. 

Daksh Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, said:

"Trading during the first fourth months of the year was clearly impacted by the closure of our physical showrooms during the third national lockdown. Despite this, we continued to operate effectively on a 'click and collect' basis as a result of our investment and focus on our online retailing strategy. We are pleased to have continued to significantly outperform both the new retail and used car markets and to deliver a strong financial result for the Period.

Our trading performance, strong financial position and commitment to our corporate responsibilities has led to our decision to repay all CJRS and non-essential retail sector grants received in this financial year. Given the market tailwinds from which both the Group and the sector as whole has benefitted, we believe repayment to be the appropriate and responsible action to take. We remain extremely grateful for the support provided by the Government to the retail sector throughout the ongoing pandemic and we are very proud that we are able to repay this support.

There are a range of possible outcomes for this financial year given the potential ongoing impact of COVID-19 and well-documented global semi-conductor supply shortages. However, the business is currently targeting an underlying profit before tax for 2021 of not less than 2019's result of GBP22.1m, having fully repaid all CJRS and non-essential retail sector grants received in this financial year.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all our colleagues for their dedication and commitment in what has been a very challenging period."

Current Trading

As anticipated at the time of publication of our 2020 annual results on 9 March 2021, trading in the first four months of the financial year to 30 April 2021 (the "Period") was dominated by the impact of COVID-19 and the requirement to close our physical retail businesses from 5 January 2021 until 12 April 2021.

Despite the challenges presented by this significant interruption to normal business operations, the development and investment made in 2020 to ensure we could operate effectively on a 'click and collect' basis, in part, mitigated the impact of the closure of our physical showrooms to customers.

This investment and focus enabled the Group to continue to trade strongly during the Period, significantly outperforming both the new retail and used car markets, together with a strong aftersales performance. Margins benefited from positive consumer demand for remote vehicle sales and continued sector tailwinds including robust used vehicle values and favourable demand-to-supply conditions for both new and used vehicles.

 
 4 months to 30 April 2021 
  v 4 months to 30 April                                       Variance 
  2020                          SMMT registrations   MMH LFL    to SMMT   MMH Total 
                               -------------------  --------  --------- 
 New Retail Units                      8.4%           19.5%     11.1%       18.2% 
 New Fleet Units                      23.2%           21.8%     (1.3%)      20.4% 
 Total New Units                      16.2%           20.4%      4.1%       19.0% 
 Used Units                             -             42.0%       -         40.5% 
 Aftersales Revenue                     -             22.1%       -         19.0% 
 Total Revenue                          -             33.3%       -         32.3% 
-----------------------------  -------------------  --------  ---------  ---------- 
 
 Latest Used Car Market 
  Data 
  (3 months to 31 March 2021 
  v 3 months to 31 March                                       Variance 
  2020)                         SMMT registrations   MMH LFL    to SMMT   MMH Total 
-----------------------------  -------------------  --------  ---------  ---------- 
 Used Units                           (8.9%)         (1.7%)      7.2%      (2.8%) 
-----------------------------  -------------------  --------  ---------  ---------- 
 

Financial Position

The Group's financial position remains strong, improving further following positive trading and strong cash generation during the Period.

As a result, whilst the closure of its physical showrooms for the majority of the Period required the Group to furlough a significant number of colleagues, in particular during January and February, the Board has committed to repay all CJRS and non-essential retail sector grants received in this financial year. The expected repayments are approximately GBP4.0m.

Strategic Growth

The Group has a longstanding track record of being one of the sector's leading consolidators and its strong balance sheet means it remains well positioned to take advantage of further growth opportunities as they arise. The Group continues to review a pipeline of potential acquisition opportunities to deliver accretive shareholder value growth. However, the Group will only pursue acquisitive growth where it makes strategic and financial sense for its shareholders and in conjunction with its brand partners.

Colleagues

In April, the Group was proud to have once again been ranked in the UK's Best Workplaces(TM) league tables by the Great Place to Work Institute for the seventh year in succession. The Group has achieved Great Place to Work status for 11 years in a row and was the highest ranking retailer across all sectors and company size categories. The Board remains extremely grateful for our colleagues' dedication and commitment in what has been a very challenging period.

Interim Results and Dividends

The Group will announce its interim results for the six months ending 30 June 2021 on 10 August 2021.

The Board understands the importance of dividends to shareholders and it intends to resume the payment of dividends as soon as possible. It will consider the position next at the time of the release of its interim results in August 2021.

Outlook

The Board has been encouraged by the Group's performance during the Period, despite the significant impact of the prolonged period of closure of our physical retail businesses. We are particularly pleased to once again report the Group's continued and significant outperformance of the wider new retail and used car markets during the Period.

The Board is, however, mindful of possible further impacts of COVID-19 over the coming months as well as potentially significant supply challenges for bot and used vehicles as a result of well-documented global semi-conductor supply shortages.

Given these uncertainties, there are a range of possible outcomes for financial year ending 31 December 2021. However, the business is currently targeting an underlying profit before tax for 2021 of not less than 2019's result of GBP22.1m (a year unaffected by the pandemic), having fully repaid all CJRS and non-essential retail sector grants received in this financial year.

S 

For further information and enquiries please contact:

 
 Marshall Motor Holdings plc             c/o Hudson Sandler 
 Daksh Gupta, Chief Executive Officer    Tel: [phone] 
                                          4133 
 Richard Blumberger, Chief Financial 
  Officer 
 Investec Bank plc (Financial Adviser,   Tel: [phone] 
  NOMAD & Broker)                         5970 
 Christopher Baird 
 David Flin 
 David Anderson 
 Hudson Sandler                          Tel: [phone] 
                                          4133 
 Nick Lyon 
  Bertie Berger 
 Nick Moore 
 

Notes to Editors

About Marshall Motor Holdings plc ( www.mmhplc.com )

The Group's principal activities are the sale and repair of new and used vehicles. The Group's businesses have a total of 113 franchises covering 22 brands, across 28 counties in England. In addition, the Group operates six trade parts specialists, two used car centres, six standalone body shops and one pre delivery inspection centre.

In April 2021 the Group was recognised by the Great Place to Work Institute, being ranked the 12(th) best place to work in the UK (super large company category). This was the eleventh year in succession that the Group has achieved Great Place to Work status.

This announcement contains unaudited information based on management accounts and forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as assumptions about future events. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as anticipate, target, expect, estimate, intend, plan, goal, believe, will, may, should, would, could, is confident, or other words of similar meaning. Undue reliance should not be placed on any such statements because they speak only as at the date of this document and, by their very nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause actual results, and the Group's plans and objectives, to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. There are a number of factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from

those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. The Group undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement contained within this announcement, regardless of whether those statements are affected as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save as required by law and regulations.

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May 20, 2021 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)