Card Factory (CARD)

Sector:

Retailers

Index:

FTSE Small Cap

92.40p
   
  • Change Today:
      0.40p
  • 52 Week High: 113.40
  • 52 Week Low: 85.40
  • Currency: UK Pounds
  • Shares Issued: 345.59m
  • Volume: 1,025,268
  • Market Cap: £319.32m

Card Factory on track after resilient first half

By Abigail Townsend

Date: Sunday 24 Oct 2021

LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Card Factory said on Tuesday it was "cautiously optimistic" for the second half, despite the uncertainty about the speed of the recovery, after interim numbers met expectations.
The card and gift retailer reported revenues of £116.9m in the six months to 31 July, a 16.3% improvement on the same period a year previously and in line with board expectations. Underlying sales declined 3.7%.

Stores were closed for more than ten weeks during the first half in the UK and Ireland because of lockdown measures.

The pre-tax loss narrowed to £6.5m from £22.2m, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation improved to £23.6m from £7.8m in 2020. Net debt excluding lease liabilities nudged lower, to £96.5m from £107.7m as at 31 January 2021.

The group said store footfall levels remained below pre-pandemic levels, but were "out-performing" high street averages.

Following a review of the business by new chief executive Darcy Willson-Rymer, the group is aiming to expand beyond its core card shop portfolio by increasing party and gift offerings, boosting online sales and expanding domestically and internationally.

Willson-Rymer said: "Although there remains some uncertainty about the speed of the post-pandemic market recovery in the short-term, I firmly believe in the resilience of the card and gifting markets.

"We look forward to successfully executing our strategy to transition Card Factory into a market-leading omni-channel retailer of cards and gifts, delivering sustainable revenue and profit growth, and driving value for all our stakeholders."

Looking ahead, Card Factory said that since the period end, trading had been better-than-expected. While transaction volumes remained 21.9% below pre-pandemic levels, the average basket value was higher.

Like-for-like sales in the seven weeks to 19 September were down 3.6% and 6.3% on the same periods in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The retailer noted: "Notwithstanding short-term uncertainty around the speed of the market recovery, the well-publicised disruption that is being seen in the supply chain, shortage of staff heading into Christmas, increasing freight costs, increased energy costs and adverse product mix, we remain cautiously positive about the second half of the 2022 full-year."

As at 1030 BST, shares in the firm were off 4% at 57.6p.

Adam Tomlinson, analyst at Liberum, said: "With the interims in line with expectations, we do not expect any material changes to consensus forecasts.

"We continue to set our forecasts prudently, looking for roughly break-even pre-tax profits in the 2022 full year, improving to £28.3m in 2023. The reaffirmation of the long-term strategic targets is a positive, highlight management's confidence in the recovery and growth opportunities ahead.

"The shares remain cheap...although with no update on the fundraise at this stage the overhang from the group's elevated debt level is likely to continue to weight on the share."

Liberum has a 'buy' rating on the stock.

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Card Factory Market Data

Currency UK Pounds
Share Price 92.40p
Change Today 0.40p
% Change 0.43 %
52 Week High 113.40
52 Week Low 85.40
Volume 1,025,268
Shares Issued 345.59m
Market Cap £319.32m

Card Factory Star Ratings

Compare performance with the sector and the market.
more star ratings
Key: vs Market vs Sector
Value
1.98% below the market average1.98% below the market average1.98% below the market average1.98% below the market average1.98% below the market average
21.05% above the sector average21.05% above the sector average21.05% above the sector average21.05% above the sector average21.05% above the sector average
Price Trend
48.34% above the market average48.34% above the market average48.34% above the market average48.34% above the market average48.34% above the market average
46.34% above the sector average46.34% above the sector average46.34% above the sector average46.34% above the sector average46.34% above the sector average
Income Not Available
Growth
90.22% above the market average90.22% above the market average90.22% above the market average90.22% above the market average90.22% above the market average
100.00% above the sector average100.00% above the sector average100.00% above the sector average100.00% above the sector average100.00% above the sector average

What The Brokers Say

Strong Buy 2
Buy 0
Neutral 2
Sell 0
Strong Sell 0
Total 4
buy
Broker recommendations should not be taken as investment advice, and are provided by the authorised brokers listed on this page.

Card Factory Dividends

  Latest Previous
  Special Interim
Ex-Div 07-Nov-19 07-Nov-19
Paid 19-Dec-19 19-Dec-19
Amount 5.00p 2.90p

Trades for 28-Mar-2024

Time Volume / Share Price
16:35 96,740 @ 92.40p
16:35 91 @ 92.40p
16:35 571 @ 92.40p
16:35 517 @ 92.40p
16:35 5,904 @ 92.40p

Card Factory Key Personnel

CEO Darcy Willson Rymer
CFO Matthias Seeger

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