FILA-Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini SpA (STU:3S0) (H1 2024) Earnings Call Highlights: Strong ...

In This Article:

  • Revenue: Group level net decline of 3.5% for H1, improved to negative 0.4% in Q2.

  • EBITDA: Grew by 5.6% in H1, with a strong acceleration to 11.5% in Q2.

  • EBITDA Margin: Increased from 19.1% last year to 21.3% this year.

  • Adjusted Net Profit: Increased from EUR19.8 million last year to EUR30.5 million this year, about a 50% increase.

  • Net Debt: Down by almost EUR100 million compared to a year ago.

  • Free Cash Flow to Equity: Improved, absorbing almost EUR8 million less cash than in 2023.

  • North America Sales: Declined by 21.1% in Q1, improved to negative 3.0% in Q2.

  • Europe Sales Growth: Improved from 0.4% in Q1 to 2.2% in Q2.

  • Financial Expenses: Declined considerably due to lower debt and improved margin ratchets.

  • Leverage Ratio: Reduced to 2.7 times.

Release Date: August 06, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • FILA-Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini SpA (STU:3S0) reported strong cash flow generation, prioritizing this since acquiring Pacon in 2019.

  • The company's Indian asset, DOMS, continues to perform spectacularly, with its share value tripling since its IPO.

  • EBITDA margin improved significantly, growing from 19.1% last year to 21.3% this year.

  • Net debt decreased by almost EUR100 million compared to a year ago, largely due to the cash-in from the IPO of DOMS.

  • The company confirmed its guidance for 2024, expecting single-digit growth for EBITDA and free cash flow generation between EUR40 million and EUR50 million.

Negative Points

  • The first quarter was negatively impacted by the introduction of SAP EWM in North America, causing delivery delays.

  • Central and South America faced challenges due to the devaluation of the Argentinian peso.

  • Despite improvements, the second quarter still experienced slight negative impacts from delivery delays at Dixon warehouses.

  • The company's revenue in North America showed a contraction of 10.3% in sales for the first half of 2024.

  • The devaluation of the Turkish lira negatively impacted the company's financial results.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you comment on the current trading trends in the third quarter, particularly in North America? A: Massimo Candela, CEO, stated that the second semester is driven by back-to-school sales, and it's too early to predict sell-out trends. However, they are confident in their full-year guidance.

Q: What is the outlook for Central and Latin America in the second half of the year? A: Candela noted that they focus on generating sales with good margins rather than boosting sales artificially. The second quarter trends are considered normal and expected to continue.