Dixons Carphone Prelims

[idpickering]

Preliminary results for the 12 months to 28 April 2018*

• Group like-for-like revenue(3) up 4%, Statutory revenue up 3%, maintained market leading shares

• UK & Ireland like-for-like revenue up 2%

• Strong growth in International; Nordics like-for-like revenue up 9%, Greece like-for-like revenue up 11%

• Group headline PBT(1) of £382 million (2016/17: £500 million):

• International businesses's EBIT growth of £20m year on year, Nordics up £12m, Greece up £8m

• Gross margins: Challenges in UK mobile continued given market and current contractual constraints, UK electricals margin impacted in second half largely by category and channel mix

• Includes £25m credit from acceleration of trade balances reconciliation ahead of new system launch

• Includes a negative £87m year on year impact from revaluations and insurance contract terms

• Disposal of honeybee in the period (non-headline item)

• Group headline basic EPS(1) 26.2p (2016/17: 33.5p), statutory basic EPS 14.4p (2016/17: 25.6p)‌‌

• Total statutory profit before tax of £289 million (2016/17: £404 million) after non-headline(1) charges of £93 million (2016/17: £96 million)

• Free cash flows(6) of £172 million (2016/17: £178 million) and net debt(7) reduced by £22 million to £249 million

• Final dividend of 7.75p proposed, maintaining full year dividend at 11.25p (2016/17: 11.25p)

• 2018/19 Group headline PBT expected to be around £300m

And later;

Dividends

The Board declared an interim dividend of 3.5p per share, in line with last year. The interim dividend was paid on 26 January 2018.

We are proposing a final dividend of 7.75p per share, maintaining the total dividend for the year at 11.25p per share. The final dividend is subject to shareholder approval at the Company's forthcoming Annual General Meeting. The ex-dividend date is 23 August 2018, with a record date of 24 August 2018 and an intended final dividend payment date of 21 September 2018.

https://www.investegate.co.uk/dixons-ca ... 00040635S/

[daveh]

They've maintained the dividend, reduced debt (a little) increased revenue, but decreased profits and are predicting profits to be similar for next year (from a brief read through the results). I have a small holding bought as Dixons in 06 well down in price, but it is coming top of the HYPTUSS spread sheet as the number one pick (closely followed by M&S which was no. 1 for a while). I just can't bring myself to buy either as I'm not sure they are going to be able to maintain the dividend. Thoughts?

[idpickering]

They've maintained the dividend, reduced debt (a little) increased revenue, but decreased profits and are predicting profits to be similar for next year (from a brief read through the results). I have a small holding bought as Dixons in 06 well down in price, but it is coming top of the HYPTUSS spread sheet as the number one pick (closely followed by M&S which was no. 1 for a while). I just can't bring myself to buy either as I'm not sure they are going to be able to maintain the dividend. Thoughts?

Hi Daveh, I used to hold Dixons years ago, and Marks & Spencer too, but I lost faith in 'niche' type retail shares and sold out of both. My only holding in the retail sector now is Sainsbury's. My reasoning is that we all have to eat, and have to buy the food somewhere, and SBRY are the best potential HYP offering in the sector IMHO.

Ian.