RESULTS look good, drop sp ?16 May 2017 11:49
RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2017
Tue 16 May 2017 07:00
RNS Number : 1983F
DCC PLC
16 May 2017
16 May 2017
DCC Reports a Year of Strong Growth and Development
DCC, the leading international sales, marketing and business support services group, today announced its results for the year ended 31 March 2017.
Highlights
2017
2016
% change
DCC Energy volumes (litres)
14.649bn
13.021bn
+12.5%
Revenue - continuing1 (excl. DCC Energy)
£3.196bn
£2.932bn
+9.0%
Operating profit2 - continuing1
£345.0m
£285.3m
+20.9%
Total operating profit2
£363.6m
£300.5m
+21.0%
Adjusted earnings per share2 - continuing1
286.6p
242.8p
+18.1%
Total adjusted earnings per share2
303.7p
257.1p
+18.1%
Dividend per share
111.80p
97.22p
+15.0%
Free cash flow 3
£415.5m
£291.1m
+42.7%
Return on capital employed - continuing1
20.3%
21.9%
· All divisions of DCC recorded strong profit growth, with Group operating profit on a continuing basis increasing by 20.9% (12.8% on a constant currency basis) to £345.0 million.
· Adjusted earnings per share on a continuing basis up 18.1% (10.3% on a constant currency basis) to 286.6 pence.
· Proposed 16.3% increase in the final dividend, which, together with the interim dividend increase of 12.5%, will see the total dividend for the year increase by 15.0%, the 23rd consecutive year of dividend growth since DCC listed in 1994.
· Excellent cash flow performance, with free cash flow conversion of 114% and a return on total capital employed of 20.3%.
· Very active period of corporate development, with over £550 million committed to acquisitions, including the agreed acquisition of Esso's retail network in Norway, the agreed acquisition of Shell's LPG business in Hong Kong & Macau, DCC's first material step beyond Europe, and further acquisition activity across DCC Energy, DCC Healthcare and DCC Technology.
· The agreed disposal of DCC's environmental division for an enterprise value of £219 million brings increased strategic focus to the Group.
· The Group expects that the year ending 31 March 2018 will be another year of profit growth and development.
1 Excluding DCC Environmental, the agreed disposal of which was announced on 5 April 2017
2 Excluding net exceptionals and amortisation of intangible assets
3 After net capital expenditure and before net exceptionals, interest and tax payments
Commenting on the results, Tommy Breen, Chief Executive, said:
"I am very pleased to report that the year ended 31 March 2017 has been a strong year of growth and development for DCC. The results reflect the continued successful execution of our strategy in significantly growing our operating profits, converting those profits into cash and re-deploying capital into our Energy, Healthcare and Techno