Our latest Investing Matters Podcast episode with QuotedData's Edward Marten has just been released. Listen here.

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksLNTA.L Regulatory News (LNTA)

  • There is currently no data for LNTA

Watchlists are a member only feature

Login to your account

Alerts are a premium feature

Login to your account

4Q and FY 2017 sales and operating results

25 Jan 2018 07:00

RNS Number : 8933C
Lenta Ltd
25 January 2018
 

 

LENTA SALES AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017

 

St-Petersburg, Russia; 25 January, 2018 - Lenta Ltd, (LSE, MOEX: LNTA / "Lenta" or the "Company") one of the largest retail chains in Russia, is pleased to announce the Company's consolidated sales and operating results for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended 31 December 2017.

 

4Q 2017 Operating Highlights:

· Total sales grew 23.4% in 4Q 2017 to Rub 112.1bn (4Q 2016: Rub 90.8bn);

· Like-for-like ("LFL")1 sales growth of 5.2% vs. 4Q 2016;

· LFL traffic growth of 0.6% combined with a 4.6% increase in LFL ticket;

· 30 new hypermarkets and 33 new supermarkets opened during the fourth quarter of 2017;

· Total store count reached 328 stores as at 31 December 2017, comprising 231 hypermarkets and 97 supermarkets;

· Total selling space increased to 1,382,111 sq.m as at 31 December 2017 (+20.6% vs. 31 December 2016); and

· Number of active loyalty cardholders2 increased to 12.3m (+17% y-o-y) with approximately 95% of transactions in the fourth quarter made using the loyalty card.

 

12M 2017 Operating Highlights:

· Total sales grew 19.2% in 12M 2017 to Rub 365.2bn (12M 2016: Rub 306.4bn);

· LFL sales growth of 0.9% vs. 12M 2016;

· LFL traffic growth of (1.4%) combined with a 2.3% increase in LFL ticket;

· Lenta started expansion of its supermarket format in Siberia and Ural regions; and

· 40 new hypermarkets and 49 new supermarkets were opened during 12M 2017 with 236.0 th. sq.m of net selling space addition - in line with the Company's FY 2017 store opening guidance.

 

Material events in 4Q 2017 and after the reported period:

· Lenta signed an agreement with the Holiday Group to acquire 22 supermarkets in the Siberia region, of which 6 were opened in December;

· Lenta has joined EMD, Europe's leading purchasing alliance to benefit from membership of the world's largest FMCG purchasing network;

· The Company started sales of Pirkka branded products (private label produced by Kesko of Finland) in Lenta stores across some regions;

· 130 new MAN trucks with refrigerated semitrailers were purchased to improve supply chain performance; and

· Steven Hellman was appointed as a non-executive Director of Lenta Ltd. with effect from 1st December, 2017.

 

1 Lenta's stores are included in the LFL store base starting 12 months after the end of the month in which they are opened

2 Cardholders who made at least 2 purchases at Lenta during the 12 months to 31 December 2017 are considered active

 

Lenta's Chief Executive Officer, Jan Dunning commented:

 

"Lenta's sales growth accelerated to 23% in the fourth quarter of 2017, driven by an improvement in like-for-like sales growth to 5.2% combined with a 21% increase in selling space. Customers reacted positively to continuing improvements in our offering, range, marketing and communication and this led to substantial improvements in both like-for-like ticket and traffic growth. We were particularly pleased to achieve an increase in like-for-like traffic for the first time in the year. Although we continued to see some pressure from cannibalization and deflation in the quarter, these effects show some signs of abating.

 

The Company continues to expand rapidly and again met its new store opening guidance with 40 hypermarkets and 49 supermarkets opened during the year. We doubled our supermarket network during 2017, opening more stores than in the previous four years since this format was launched in 2013. We also made notable progress in Moscow with 11 new hypermarkets and 10 new supermarkets, leading to year-on-year increases of over 70% in fourth quarter sales and selling space in this region.

 

We are very pleased with the first operating results of the 14 ex-NASH hypermarkets which were re-opened under the Lenta brand in November 2017. Sales at the 11 hypermarkets acquired from Kesko in 2016 also continued to ramp-up rapidly. Lenta's ability to succeed in diverse markets with both acquired stores and organic openings provides a very clear demonstration of the attractiveness of Lenta's customer proposition. In December, we completed the purchase of 22 supermarkets in Siberia from Holiday.

 

As a result of our expansion, Lenta's overall market position continued to improve - in addition to being the country's leading hypermarket operator, we are confident that Lenta also became Russia's #3 food retailer during 2017.

 

For 2018, the Lenta team will continue its efforts to drive sales by further strengthening our customer proposition. We also expect some improvement in the macroeconomic and consumer environment."

 

Lenta Store Developments

 

In the fourth quarter of 2017, Lenta opened 30 new hypermarkets and the total hypermarket count reached 231 stores across Russia. The Company entered five new cities during the quarter and is now present in 84 cities across the country.

 

During the reported period the Company also opened 33 new supermarkets, including Lenta's first supermarkets in the Ural region. With the launch of supermarkets in the Urals, Lenta's supermarket network is now present in five regions (comprising Moscow, St Petersburg, Central, Siberia and Ural regions), with a total of 97 stores. The supermarket format's share in the Company's total selling space rose to 6.1% as at the end of the year.

 

Lenta added 179,245 sq.m of net selling space in the reported quarter. Total selling space as at 31 December 2017 increased to 1,382,111 sq.m, up 20.6% year-on-year, with 18.0% growth in the hypermarket format and 82.6% growth in the supermarket format.

 

Quarterly

Year to Date

As at 31 Dec 4Q 2017

As at 31 Dec 4Q 2016

Net change

Change (%)

As at 31 Dec FY 2017

As at 31 Dec FY 2016

Net change

Change (%)

Total number of stores

328

240

88

36.7%

328

240

88

36.7%

Hypermarkets

231

191

40

20.9%

231

191

40

20.9%

Supermarkets

97

49

48

98.0%

97

49

48

98.0%

Number of net store openings3

63

43

20

46.5%

88

68

20

29.4%

Hypermarkets

30

36

-6

-16.7%

40

51

-11

-21.6%

Supermarkets

33

7

26

371.4%

48

17

31

182.4%

Total selling space4 (sq.m.)

1,382,111

1,146,148

235,963

20.6%

1,382,111

1,146,148

235,963

20.6%

Hypermarkets

1,297,583

1,099,863

197,720

18.0%

1,297,583

1,099,863

197,720

18.0%

Supermarkets

84,528

46,285

38,243

82.6%

84,528

46,285

38,243

82.6%

Total net selling space added3 (sq.m.)

179,245

182,778

-3,533

-1.9%

235,963

263,765

-27,802

-10.5%

Hypermarkets

152,933

176,912

-23,979

-13.6%

197,720

250,991

-53,271

-21.2%

Supermarkets

26,312

5,866

20,446

348.6%

38,243

12,774

25,469

199.4%

3 Within the reported period. In January 2017 the Company closed one leased supermarket in Electrostal (Moscow region) with selling space of 1,135 sq.m.

4 Selling space is shown after the adjustments made to the total reported selling space and store network described below

 

Adjustments to Reported Selling Space

 

During 2017, store reconstruction and refurbishment activities resulted in selling space increases in some operating stores and reductions in others. The net effect was a reduction of 372 sq.m in hypermarket selling space and an increase of 6 sq.m in supermarket selling space, giving an overall net reduction of 366 sq.m in total selling space (-0.03% of total selling space). Total selling space after these adjustments was 1,382,111 sq.m as of 31 December 2017.

 

All the above mentioned changes are reflected on the Company's website at http://www.lentainvestor.com/en/about/lentas-geography/our-hypermarkets and http://www.lentainvestor.com/en/about/lentas-geography/our-supermarkets

 

Lenta's Operating Performance

 

Selling space additions combined with positive LFL sales growth resulted in overall sales growth of 23.4% for the fourth quarter of 2017. Total sales amounted to Rub 112.1bn in the quarter, compared to Rub 90.8bn for the same period last year.

 

Lenta continued implementing a series of initiatives launched earlier in 2017 to increase the distinctive attractiveness of Lenta's offering to customers. These initiatives included changes in assortment (including introduction of new private label product ranges), marketing, Lenta's loyalty program and customer communication.

 

The Company maintained focus on digital marketing activities to reach customers, with special offers tailored on an individual basis to enhance traffic and basket size. The number of active loyalty cardholders increased to 12.3m as at 31 December 2017 (+17% y-o-y) and the share of transactions made with the loyalty card was 95%, an increase of approximately 2p.p y-o-y.

 

Hypermarket sales growth accelerated significantly to 22.4% in the fourth quarter, up from 18.2% in 3Q 2017. A significant improvement in LFL sales growth to 5.4% from 0.5% in the previous quarter more than offset slightly slower selling space growth.

 

The supermarket format's total sales growth also substantially increased to 43.7% in 4Q 2017 from 30.9% in 3Q 2017, primarily driven by rapid selling space growth, while LFL sales growth reduced to 1.4%. The supermarket format's share of Lenta's total sales increased to 5.1% in the reported quarter.

 

Lenta also continues to grow rapidly in the Moscow region. The Company entered the Moscow market in 2013 and now has 24 hypermarkets and 43 supermarkets in the region, representing 12.2% of Lenta's total selling space. With 11 hypermarket and 10 supermarket openings during the year, net selling space in Moscow and the Moscow region increased 72% y-o-y. Total sales in Moscow grew 76.5% y-o-y during the quarter and the share of this region in the Company's total sales increased to 14.4%.

 

Quarterly

Year to Date

4Q2017

4Q2016

Net change

Change (%)

FY2017

FY2016

Net change

Change (%)

Sales (Rub, million)

112,090

90,846

21,244

23.4%

365,176

306,352

58,824

19.2%

Hypermarkets

106,326

86,835

19,491

22.4%

346,989

292,624

54,364

18.6%

Supermarkets

5,764

4,011

1,753

43.7%

18,188

13,728

4,460

32.5%

Average ticket (Rub)

1,220

1,221

-2

-0.1%

1,124

1,135

-11

-1.0%

Hypermarkets

1,302

1,283

20

1.5%

1,190

1,192

-3

-0.2%

Supermarkets

562

599

-38

-6.3%

548

563

-15

-2.7%

Customer traffic (million)

91.9

74.4

17.5

23.5%

324.9

269.8

55.0

20.4%

Hypermarkets

81.6

67.7

13.9

20.6%

291.7

245.4

46.2

18.8%

Supermarkets

10.3

6.7

3.6

53.3%

33.2

24.4

8.8

36.2%

 

The average hypermarket ticket in the fourth quarter increased 1.5% to a historically high level of Rub 1,302, while LFL average hypermarket ticket grew 4.5%. The difference reflects the large share of stores in the ramp-up phase which are not included in the LFL panel. The average ticket in the supermarket format in the fourth quarter decreased by 6.3% to Rub 562 compared to a 3.2% increase in the LFL average ticket - as for hypermarkets, the difference reflects the large share of younger stores which are not included in the LFL panel.

 

Total customer traffic increased by 23.5% in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with the same period of the previous year, comprising 20.6% growth in hypermarket traffic and a 53.3% increase in traffic at Lenta's supermarket format.

 

During the fourth quarter of 2017, 19 hypermarkets and one supermarket entered the LFL panel.

 

LFL sales growth of 5.2% in the fourth quarter consisted of LFL traffic growth of 0.6% and average LFL ticket increase of 4.6%. LFL food sales increased by 5.8% and LFL non-food sales growth returned to positive territory for the first time since 2016, with an increase of 1.4% y-o-y.

 

Quarterly

Year to Date

LFL sales growth

4Q 2017

LFL average ticket growth

4Q 2017

LFL traffic growth

4Q 2017

LFL sales growth

FY 2017

LFL average ticket growth

FY 2017

LFL traffic growth

FY 2017

Lenta total (%)

5.2%

4.6%

0.6%

0.9%

2.3%

-1.4%

Hypermarkets

5.4%

4.5%

0.9%

0.8%

2.2%

-1.4%

Supermarkets

1.4%

3.2%

-1.7%

1.9%

3.1%

-1.1%

 

Lenta continued gaining customers ahead of sales - the number of unique customers outpaced sales growth in both new and LFL hypermarkets and supermarkets. LFL traffic in the reported quarter improved due to an increase in the frequency of customer visits, and returned to positive territory despite continuing cannibalization effects of new stores. Supermarkets demonstrated some deterioration of LFL traffic growth compared to the preceding quarter, which was largely attributable to seasonal effects.

 

The average LFL ticket improved versus the previous quarter. This was achieved despite continuing shelf price deflation. Deflationary effects in the fourth quarter were much the same as in the third quarter on average, but underlying trends have been improving since reaching a low-point in October. The effects of deflation were more than compensated by trading up (which continued for the sixth quarter in a row) and a further increase in the number of articles per basket which became the key driver of LFL basket improvement in the fourth quarter.

 

LFL sales growth of 5.2% in 4Q 2017 was therefore due to a combination of factors - an increase in the number of customers, trading up effects and significantly stronger volumes, partly offset by cannibalisation from new Lenta stores and on-shelf price deflation.

 

Update on Operating Performance of Hypermarkets previously operated under the NASH brand

 

During November, the Company reopened all 14 leased hypermarkets previously operated under the NASH brand (seven in Moscow and another seven stores in Obninsk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Perm, Ryazan, Yaroslavl and Rostov-on-Don). The stores had been closed for refurbishment for approximately three months prior to reopening under the Lenta brand. The stores demonstrated rapid sales ramp-ups during the remainder of the year (approx. six weeks of operation in November and December), delivering 0.9% (approx. Rub 3.2bn) contribution to Lenta's 2017 total sales growth. The speed of ramp-up reflects the attractiveness of the Lenta customer offer and the high potential for further growth even in a very competitive environment.

 

Guidance

 

Guidance on hypermarket and supermarket openings as well as capex for 2018 will be published after the FY 2017 financial results announcement scheduled for mid-March 2018.

 

About Lenta

Lenta is the largest hypermarket chain in Russia, and the country's third largest retail chain. The Company was founded in 1993 in St. Petersburg. Lenta operates 231 hypermarkets in 84 cities across Russia and 97 supermarkets in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and the Central region with a total of approximately 1,382,111 sq.m of selling space. The average Lenta hypermarket store has selling space of approximately 5,600 sq.m. The average Lenta supermarket store has selling space of approximately 900 sq.m. The Company operates seven owned distribution centres.

The Company's price-led hypermarket formats are differentiated in terms of their promotion and pricing strategies as well as their local product assortment. The Company employed approximately 40,383 people as of 30 June 20175.

The Company's management team combines a mix of local knowledge and international expertise coupled with extensive operational experience in Russia. Lenta's largest shareholders include TPG Capital and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, both of which are committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance. Lenta is listed on the London Stock Exchange and on the Moscow Exchange and trades under the ticker: 'LNTA'.

A brief video summary on Lenta's business and its Big Data initiative can be seen here.

 

5 FTE (full-time equivalent). Average FTE for 1H 2017 was 40,197 employees

 

For further information please visit http://www.lentainvestor.com or contact:

 

 

Lenta

Mariya Filippova

PR and GR manager

Tel: +7 812 380-61-31 ext.: 1892

E-mail: maria.filippova@lenta.com

 

 

Russian Media:

NW Advisors

Anton Karpov & Victoria Afonina

Тel:+7 495 795 06 23

E-mail: lenta@nwadvisors.com

 

International Media:

FTI Consulting

Leonid Fink & Jenny Payne

Тel: +44 7497 783 705

E-mail: Leonid.Fink@fticonsulting.com

Forward looking statements:

 

This announcement includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not only relate to historical or current events. Forward-looking statements often use words such as "anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "expected", "plan", "goal", "believe", or other words of similar meaning.

 

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances, a number of which are beyond Lenta's control. As a result, actual future results may differ materially from the plans, goals and expectations set out in these forward-looking statements.

 

Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Lenta speak only as at the date of this announcement. Save as required by any applicable laws or regulations, Lenta undertakes no obligation publicly to release the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements in this document that may occur due to any change in its expectations or to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document.

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
TSTUVVNRWUAAURR
Date   Source Headline
25th Apr 202310:00 amEQSLenta Discontinues Disclosure via Primary Information Provider
31st Mar 20234:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces its Intention to Cancel the Listing of Global Depositary Receipts on the London Stock Exchange
31st Mar 202312:30 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
29th Mar 20238:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 11.1% AND 6.1% EBITDA MARGIN IN FY 2022
28th Mar 20232:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
20th Mar 20232:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
9th Mar 20233:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
6th Mar 20232:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
2nd Mar 202311:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
20th Feb 20239:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
7th Feb 20238:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Pilots New Hypermarket Format
7th Feb 20237:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Pilots New Hypermarket Format
30th Jan 20238:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 11.1% AND ONLINE SALES GROWTH OF 108.9% IN FY 2022
30th Jan 20237:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 11.1% AND ONLINE SALES GROWTH OF 108.9% IN FY 2022
27th Jan 20238:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces Management Changes
27th Jan 20237:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces Management Changes
22nd Dec 20225:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
22nd Dec 20224:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
30th Nov 20224:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
30th Nov 20223:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
25th Nov 20228:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta opens a hypermarket in Tomsk
25th Nov 20227:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta opens a hypermarket in Tomsk
22nd Nov 20225:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
22nd Nov 20224:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
14th Nov 20228:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Expands its Own Fleet to Include KAMAZ Compass Trucks
14th Nov 20227:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Expands its Own Fleet to Include KAMAZ Compass Trucks
24th Oct 20228:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 15.7% AND ONLINE SALES GROWTH OF 137.2% IN 9M 2022
24th Oct 20228:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 15.7% AND ONLINE SALES GROWTH OF 137.2% IN 9M 2022
18th Oct 202210:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
18th Oct 202210:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
12th Oct 20225:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
12th Oct 20225:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
4th Oct 202210:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
4th Oct 202210:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
28th Sep 20225:39 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
28th Sep 20225:39 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
18th Aug 20223:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta IPJSC Informs about Submission of a Notification for Automatic Conversion of GDRs
18th Aug 20223:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta IPJSC Informs about Submission of a Notification for Automatic Conversion of GDRs
12th Aug 202210:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces Results of EGM
12th Aug 202210:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces Results of EGM
5th Aug 20223:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Information for Holders of Global Depositary Receipts of IPJSC Lenta
5th Aug 20223:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Information for Holders of Global Depositary Receipts of IPJSC Lenta
25th Jul 20225:30 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
25th Jul 20225:30 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
25th Jul 20228:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 20.3% AND ONLINE SALES GROWTH OF 159.0% IN H1 2022
25th Jul 20228:00 amEQSLenta IPJSC: LENTA REPORTS TOTAL SALES GROWTH OF 20.3% AND ONLINE SALES GROWTH OF 159.0% IN H1 2022
22nd Jul 20224:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta IPJSC Announces the State Registration of the Report on the Results of the Securities Placement
22nd Jul 20224:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta IPJSC Announces the State Registration of the Report on the Results of the Securities Placement
8th Jul 20225:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting
8th Jul 20225:00 pmEQSLenta IPJSC: Lenta Announces the Holding of the Board of Directors Meeting

Due to London Stock Exchange licensing terms, we stipulate that you must be a private investor. We apologise for the inconvenience.

To access our Live RNS you must confirm you are a private investor by using the button below.

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.

Quickpicks are a member only feature

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.