ANIMALCARE GROUP PLC
(the "Company" or the
"Group")
Trading Update and Notice of 2023 Full
Year Results
25 January
2024. Animalcare Group plc (AIM: ANCR), the
international animal health business, provides the following
unaudited trading update for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Preliminary unaudited results are expected to be published on 9
April 2024.
Trading
overview
Animalcare is pleased to report growth in
revenue and underlying EBITDA* in line with market expectations
along with a further strengthening of the financial
platform.
The Group returned to revenue growth in 2023
with sales increasing across all product segments and direct
operations. Overall, full year revenues are expected to be
approximately £74.4 million (2022: £71.6 million), an increase of
c. 4.0% at AER (c. 2.0% at CER). Headline revenues benefited from
strong growth in the Companion Animals oral health range, notably
Plaqtiv+, demand for Danilon in Equine and continuing momentum of
the Identicare pet microchipping and consumer-focused services
business. Additionally, Daxocox recorded double-digit growth across
Animalcare's direct sales territories.
The Group anticipates that underlying EBITDA
will be in line with market expectations and at least in line with
2022 (2022: £13.1 million), reflecting a combination of strong
gross margins and targeted SG&A investment, primarily on our
people.
Continued strong cash generation, approximately
in line with the rate delivered in 2022, further reinforced the
balance sheet. The Group ended the financial year in a net cash
position, pre IFRS16 leases, of £1.7 million, (31 December 2022:
£2.4 million debt). This very strong financial platform enables the
pursuit of inorganic and organic opportunities that support the
Group's long-term growth strategy.
Jenny Winter,
Chief Executive Officer commented: "I am delighted to deliver
such a positive performance update for the full year which
underlines our growing capability as well as the attractive
fundamentals of the markets in which we operate. Our financial
platform - stronger than ever - equips us with the firepower and
flexibility to grow our business over the long term
through investment in our people, our pipeline
and external business development opportunities.
That remains a
key priority."
*
The Group presents a number of non-GAAP Alternative Performance
Measures (APMs) which exclude non-underlying items. EBITDA is
defined as underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation
and amortisation.
About
Animalcare
Animalcare Group plc is a UK
AIM-listed international veterinary sales and marketing
organisation. Animalcare operates in seven countries and exports to
approximately 40 countries in Europe and worldwide. The Group is
focused on bringing new and innovative products to market through
its own development pipeline, partnerships and via
acquisition.
For more information about Animalcare, please
visit www.animalcaregroup.com or
contact:
Animalcare Group plc
Jenny Winter, Chief Executive
Officer
Chris Brewster, Chief Financial
Officer
Media/investor relations
|
+44 (0)1904 487 687
communications@animalcaregroup.com
|
Stifel Nicolaus
Europe Limited
(Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)
Ben Maddison
Nick Adams
Nicholas Harland
|
+44 (0)20 7710 7600
|
Panmure
Gordon
(Joint Broker)
Corporate
Finance
Freddy Crossley/Emma Earl
Corporate
Broking
Rupert Dearden
|
+44 (0)20 7886 2500
|