Accelerated sales growth with strong profit delivery and cash generation

Highlights

• Accelerating Group sales growth of 29% (6% vs 2019) with continued momentum:
  • Apparel & Footwear: 33% sales growth (5% vs 2019); demand recovery and positive end market sentiment across US, Europe and Asia
  • Performance Materials: 19% organic sales growth (8% vs 2019)
• Strong thread market share gains in A&F (up 2% to 23%) and customer share wins in PM, as customers prioritise reliability and flexibility of supply, sustainable products, quality, speed, and innovation
• EcoVerde revenues up 159% to $96 million; significantly enhanced sustainability ambitions announced
• Continued innovation focus; 21 new products contributing $37 million incremental revenue
• Adjusted operating profit $193 million (reported $179 million); inflationary pressures absorbed by successful pricing actions and self-help productivity programmes
• A&F adjusted operating margins 15%¹; PM adjusted operating margins 7%¹, or 14%¹ excluding the US
• Adjusted EPS of 6.8c per share (reported 6.1c per share), vs 2.4c per share in 2020
• Strong cash generation; net debt (excl. lease liabilities) of $147 million and strong adjusted free cash flow of $113 million; 0.7x leverage³; building resilience and creating a strong platform for growth
• Final dividend of 1.50 cents per share proposed, +15% vs 2020 final dividend given the strong 2021 performance and a sign of the Board’s confidence into 2022

Strategy and Outlook

• The Group has commenced a number of strategic projects to improve margins by optimising the portfolio and footprint, improving the overall cost base efficiency, and mitigating structural labour availability issues in the US. The resulting benefits are anticipated to deliver incremental adjusted operating profit of $50 million by 2024. Total cash exceptional costs expected to be around $35 million
• The Group expects continued growth in 2022, and FY 2022 performance is anticipated to be modestly ahead of our previous expectations

Commenting on the results Rajiv Sharma, Group Chief Executive, said:

‘2021 was a strong year for Coats with sales and cash exceeding 2019 levels and operating profit close to 2019 levels. Sales growth accelerated through the year, notably in the final quarter driven by demand recovery and good market share gains in threads. This was due to flexing our global supply chain, proactive inventory management, strong supplier relationships, strong local leadership and teamwork. Our ability to meet customer requirements for reliability, sustainability, innovation and quality was a point of major differentiation. I would like to thank all teams in Coats for their tireless work, remarkable resilience and fortitude.

‘I am particularly pleased with the further strong growth of our EcoVerde range of recycled threads and our continued progress towards our 2024 target.

‘We continue to evaluate acquisitions in line with our strategy and investment criteria and will remain disciplined in our assessment of these as they arise.

‘The last two years have created opportunities to further improve customer service and margins. We have commenced a number of strategic projects that improve operational effectiveness and flexibility in key geographies while improving overall cost base efficiency. This will result in margin improvement over two years. Our focus is to accelerate profitable sales growth, and transform the company to be even more successful in a post-pandemic world.’

1. Adjusted measures are non-statutory measures (Alternative Performance Measures). These are reconciled to the nearest corresponding statutory measure in note 12. Constant Exchange Rate (CER) are 2020 and 2019 results restated at 2021 exchange rates. Organic vs 2020 on a CER basis includes like-for-like contributions from Pharr HP (post acquisition date of February 2020). Organic vs 2019 on a CER basis includes like-for-like contributions from ThreadSol (post acquisition date of February 2019) and excludes contribution from Pharr HP (acquired in February 2020). Revenue figures are an IFRS measure; however CER and Organic growth rates constitute Alternative Performance Measures.
2. Reported refers to values contained in the IFRS column of the primary financial statements in either the current or comparative period.
3. Leverage calculated on a frozen GAAP basis, and therefore excludes the impact of IFRS 16 on both adjusted EBITDA and net debt.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the Market Abuse Regulation. The person responsible for this announcement is Jackie Callaway, Chief Financial Officer.

Conference Call

Coats Management will present its full year results in a webcast at 0930 GMT today (Thursday 3 March 2022).

Sustainability Focus Session

Coats Management will host a Sustainability Focus Session for analysts and investors at 1400 GMT on Monday 21 March 2022. For more details, or to register, please contact victoria.huxster@coats.com.

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