Italtile Limited has released a comprehensive sales update and voluntary trading statement, revealing the hurdles it navigated during the year ending June 30, 2023. The company’s performance sheds light on the daunting economic environment characterized by rising living costs, interest rates, and unemployment levels.
A Turbulent Trading Environment
The fiscal year 2023 proved to be a testing period for Italtile as the South African economy grappled with an array of challenges. The steady ascent of basic living costs and interest rates further strained homeowners already grappling with low wage inflation and heightened unemployment. Additionally, the depreciation of the national currency and inflation-driven increases in input costs escalated product and building expenses, thereby curtailing affordability for consumers engaged in new construction and renovation projects.
Compounding these woes were the negative reverberations of sociopolitical instability and country-specific risks, which cast a shadow over consumer and investment sentiment. This combination of unfavorable conditions led to a significant decline in foot traffic and transaction volumes across the industry.
Intensified Competition and Global Dynamics
The industry’s competitive landscape witnessed a seismic shift during this period. Italtile faced escalated competition from both local and offshore operators who were rapidly expanding their offerings and market presence. The global reopening of economies, coupled with subdued international demand, exacerbated the competitiveness of imported products, further pressuring local manufacturers.
Performance and Challenges
Despite these formidable challenges, Italtile strived to navigate the economic storm by focusing on optimizing investments in technology and personnel. The company made noteworthy strides in updating its manufacturing capabilities and enhancing the in-store customer experience.
However, these efforts couldn’t completely stave off the impact of economic headwinds. Italtile’s retail brands, including Italtile Retail, CTM, TopT, and U-Light, reported a decline in net sales, despite a 6.7% price inflation. The like-for-like retail store turnover dipped by 0.3% when compared to the previous corresponding period.
The company’s integrated supply chain, encompassing manufacturing entities Ceramic Industries and Ezee Tile, managed to achieve a combined sales value growth of 4.1%, although sales volumes took a hit. Import businesses within the integrated supply chain, namely Cedar Point, International Tap Distributors (ITD), and the Distribution Centre, reported a sales decline of 4.0% compared to the preceding period.
Anticipated Earnings Decline and Future Prospects
In the face of these challenges, Italtile released a voluntary trading statement, disclosing its expected earnings per share (EPS) and headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the review period. The projected ranges indicate a decline in EPS and HEPS, with the figures expected to range between 127.7 and 135.3 cents. This translates to a decrease of 16.0% to 11.0% when compared to the previous year. This slight variance can be attributed to profits of R5.4 million derived from the disposal of property, plant, and equipment during the review period.
Italtile plans to unveil its complete results for the review period on the Stock Exchange News Service (SENS) around August 28, 2023. These results are yet to be reviewed by the company’s external auditors.
