17.05.2018
zooplus AG DE0005111702
DGAP-News: zooplus AG: Continuation of growth path in the first quarter of 2018
DGAP-News: zooplus AG / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement/Quarter
Results
zooplus AG: Continuation of growth path in the first quarter of 2018
17.05.2018 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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zooplus AG: Continuation of growth path in the first quarter of 2018
* Sales increase 26% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2018 to EUR 323
m
(3M 2017: EUR 257 m)
* Sales of private label food and cat litter grow 37% over the same
quarter
in previous year
* Earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR -5.5 m affected by stronger focus on
investment and gross margin effects (3M 2017: EUR 3.4 m)
* Positive operating cash flow of EUR 10.0 m
* Sales and earnings outlook confirmed for full-year 2018
Munich, May 17, 2018 - zooplus AG (WKN 511170, ISIN DE0005111702, ticker
symbol ZO1), Europe's leading online retailer of pet supplies, consistently
maintained its growth path in the first three months of the 2018 financial
year. With sales of EUR 323 m (3M 2017: EUR 257 m), the company achieved
year-on-year growth of 26% (currency-adjusted: also 26%). Private label
business showed an above average sales growth of 37% compared to the same
quarter in previous year. Growth was supported by the continued high level
of loyalty of existing customers and the accelerated year-on-year growth in
registered new customers. The sales retention rate adjusted for currency
effects reached 94% in the first quarter of 2018, while the number of
registered new customers achieved year-on-year growth of 28%. Growth was
again broadly spread internationally with double-digit growth rates recorded
in all 30 regional markets. The higher investment in the expansion of our
market leadership in the online retailing of pet supplies continues to pay
off.
Earnings before taxes (EBT) in the first three months of 2018 reached EUR
-5.5 m (3M 2017: EUR 3.4 m). Increased investment since the second half of
2017 to expand the company's leadership in a persistently, very competitive
market coupled with temporary effects from the annual negotiations not yet
fully concluded with the industry, which mainly affected the gross margin,
were the key factors influencing earnings in the first quarter of 2018.
Cash flows from operating activities developed positively and reached a
level of EUR 10.0 m in the first quarter of 2018. As a result, the high
level of growth could be fully financed with the operating cash flow given
the further improvement in working capital.
Dr. Cornelius Patt, CEO of zooplus AG, explains: "Driving sales growth to
expand our market position as Europe's leading online pet supply retailer
continues to be the priority in our strategic alignment. We successfully
accelerated our growth further in the first quarter of 2018, thereby
exceeding our target set for our full-year sales growth in the first three
months of the year. Earnings before taxes, in contrast, were slightly below
our expectations in the first quarter. Our broad investment focus resulted
in a higher cost ratio while, at the same time, some supplier discussions
were not yet finalized by the end of the first quarter. In addition, the
market environment on the sales side still remained highly competitive. Both
of these factors led to a declining gross margin in the first quarter of
2018. As a result, we expect the gross margin to improve in the coming
quarters.
We will continue to develop our overall offer in the months ahead,
especially in the logistics area. As a result of the excellent development
of our activities in the United Kingdom, we are currently trebling the area
of our local fulfillment center. This will improve our delivery quality in
the British market and secure our future position as this market becomes
more autonomous. We will also expand our continental European network of
fulfillment centers by adding locations in Italy and Spain in the course of
2018.
We are confident that we are taking the right actions to expand our market
leadership and increase the company's long-term value and we confirm our
2018 full-year forecast for both sales and earnings."
The zooplus AG Management Board is forecasting sales growth of 21% to 23%
for the full year of 2018 and an EBT margin based on sales ranging from
+0.5% to -0.5%.
The complete report for the first three months of 2018 is available on the
company's website at http://investors.zooplus.com.
Company profile:
zooplus AG was founded in 1999 and today is Europe's leading online retailer
of pet supplies measured by sales. zooplus already occupies the No. 2 market
position in the combined market for online and brick-and-mortar retailers of
pet supplies. In the 2017 financial year, sales totaled EUR 1,111 m, roughly
75% of which was generated internationally. The company's business model has
been launched successfully in 30 European countries. zooplus sells products
for all major pet breeds. The product range includes pet food (dry and wet
food and food supplements) and accessories such as scratching posts, dog
baskets, and toys in all price categories. In addition to a selection of
over 8,000 products, zooplus customers benefit from a variety of interactive
content and community offerings. The pet supplies market is an important
market segment in the European retail landscape. Sales of pet food and
accessories within the European Union amount to around EUR 26 bn. Based on
the continued vigorous growth anticipated in the European e-commerce market,
zooplus expects its dynamic performance to continue.
Online at: www.zooplus.de
Investor relations/media contact:
cometis AG, Georg Grießmann
Unter den Eichen 7, 65195 Wiesbaden
Phone: +49 (0)611-205855-61, Fax: +49 (0)611-205855-66
Email: [email protected], Website: www.cometis.de
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17.05.2018 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
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Language: English
Company: zooplus AG
Sonnenstraße 15
80331 München
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)89 95 006 - 100
Fax: +49 (0)89 95 006 - 500
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.zooplus.de
ISIN: DE0005111702
WKN: 511170
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover,
Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
End of News DGAP News Service
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686887 17.05.2018
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