MySale Group PLC Pre-close Trading Update (4383P)

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RNS Number : 4383P

MySale Group PLC

08 February 2019

8 February 2019

Pre-close Trading Update

MySale Group plc (AIM: MYSL) ("the group"), the leading international online retailer, today provides a trading update for the six months to 31 December 2018.

As announced on 10 December 2018 the group experienced challenging trading in the first half and anticipates an underlying EBITDA loss in the first half. This is due primarily to the market disruption caused by changes to Australian GST regulation, together with product mix and inventory issues. Revenue has also been impacted by the planned reduction in the group's offline activities during FY19.

As previously outlined, actions have been taken to accelerate the group's cost saving programme, via increased technology platform efficiencies and rationalised operations. An improved product mix and increased local sourcing have also been put in place to improve gross profit margins.

Annualised cost savings in excess of A$10 million are anticipated which, in combination with improved margins, will result in a significantly improved performance in the second half. The group anticipates delivering a small underlying EBITDA profit for the full year.

Trading summary for the six months to 31 December 2018:

   --      Group revenue decreased 17% to A$126 million (H1 FY18: A$152 million) 
   --      Online revenue decreased 13% to A$120  million  (H1 FY18: A$138 million) 
   --      Gross profit decreased 35% to A$29.5 million (H1 FY18: A$45.6 million) 
   --      Gross margin reduced to 23.4% (H1 FY18 30.2%) 
   --      Underlying EBITDA loss of approximately A$5.0 million (H1 FY18: A$5.5 million profit) 
   --      Active customer numbers reduced 7% to 0.9 million 
   --      Customer AOV and order frequency, remained stable. 

The group's cash balances grew ahead of expectations in the period due to working capital management being better than anticipated. The group ended the first half of the year with net cash of A$2.7 million (H1 FY18: A$8.3 million). This was an improvement of A$8.9 million from the A$6.2 million net debt as at 30 June 2018.

The Board is confident the group's action plans will deliver improved performance in the second half of the financial year and that the full year outcome will be in line with market expectations. A further trading update shall be provided with the release of the FY19 Interim Results in mid-March 2019.

Carl Jackson Chief Executive Officer commented;

"Whilst performance during the first half of the year has been disappointing, we have taken immediate action to address the issues.

"Our previous plans to streamline and automate the business have been accelerated and these actions are already delivering results. The changes to product strategy are materially underway and will be completed in the second half.

"Whilst we have experienced a short-term dip in revenue and profitability, we anticipate the actions initiated will deliver a positive underlying EBITDA in the second half and for the full year.

"The group has a strong balance sheet and the anticipated improvements in working capital are being achieved and cash balances increased. We believe the reconfigured business will be stronger, more efficient and continue to provide a compelling consumer offer and deliver unique solutions to our brand partners."

Enquiries:

 
 MySale Group plc 
 Carl Jackson, Chief Executive Officer          [phone] 
 Graeme Burns, Investor Relations               [phone] 
 
 Zeus Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser 
  & Joint Broker)                               [phone] 
 Nick Cowles/Andrew Jones, Corporate Finance 
  Benjamin Robertson, Corporate Broking 
 
 N+1 Singer (Joint Broker)                      [phone] 
 Mark Taylor 
 
 MHP Communications (Financial PR Adviser)      [phone] 
 Simon Hockridge 
  Giles Robinson 
  Peter Lambie 
 
 
 

About MySale Group

MySale is a leading international online retailer with established retail websites in Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia and the United Kingdom. Founded in 2007, the Group provides customers with access to outstanding brands and products at discounted prices whilst simultaneously providing brand partners unique international inventory and sales solutions.

The Group provides a flexible marketplace solution in ANZ, SE Asia and the UK for domestic and international brands The Group offers a number of solutions for brands including 1P, 3P (strategic partners, managed and self-managed). The core product categories are womenswear, menswear, footwear, sports, health & beauty, homewares, technology and personalised gifts

Customers' shopping experiences are enhanced by the Group's deployment of leading edge technology to ensure personalised and localised product offerings. The customer experience has been at the heart of the Group's technology development since the earliest days and now mobile commerce is the Group's main sales channel. Proprietary technology innovations deployed include the Ourpay 'buy-now, pay-later' solution which has proved popular with over 130,000 customers using the solution.

The Group's online sales are supported by a robust and flexible network of in-house supply chain infrastructure and technology that enables MySale to offer products from around the world for sale and delivery to customers in each territory.

As a result of these exceptional capabilities in inventory management and international sales MySale has built an enviable portfolio of over 2,500 brand partners from whom products are sourced.

The Group operates websites under a number of different brands all of which operate on a uniform technology platform and a single international logistics infrastructure.

The Group operates 24 websites in eight countries; OzSale and BuyInvite in Australia; NzSale in New Zealand; SingSale in Singapore; MySale in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, and Cocosa in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand; whilst the Group's retail websites are Deals Direct, OO.com and Top Buy in Australia and Identity Direct in Australia and New Zealand.

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February 08, 2019 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)