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Chief exeCutive offiCer’S report continued...<br />

businesses serve as a natural hedge against<br />

currency weakness and capital is repatriated<br />

from time to time when the exchange rate is<br />

favourable.<br />

Vehicle sales<br />

In southern Africa, the group retailed<br />

53 241 new and 47 925 used vehicles,<br />

respectively 35% and 19% down on last year.<br />

Notably, the vehicle sales market in South<br />

Africa for the year to 30 June 2009 recorded a<br />

30% decrease. This can only be described as<br />

severe circumstances for businesses where<br />

some 80% of overheads are fixed. The decline<br />

in the total vehicle market as well as the<br />

closure of 40 new and used car dealerships<br />

contributed to the drop in our vehicle sales. It<br />

is noteworthy however that the mix of new and<br />

used vehicles is nearly at a ratio of 1:1, which<br />

is viewed as healthy. The group also sold<br />

10 002 new vehicles to outside dealers as a<br />

distributor, a 40% decrease from last year.<br />

The Australian, Swedish and United Kingdom<br />

operations sold 10 727 new and 4 460 used<br />

vehicles, respectively 85% and 93% of last<br />

year’s sales.<br />

Financial results<br />

The group returned a profit attributable<br />

to <strong>Imperial</strong> shareholders of R1 518 million<br />

compared to a loss of R870 million in the<br />

prior year. The loss in the prior year included<br />

losses on the disposal and closure of the<br />

aviation and commercial vehicle assembly<br />

and distribution businesses, and in the current<br />

year, the gain on the disposal of Tourvest is<br />

included. Continuing operations recorded<br />

a 13% increase in headline earnings to<br />

R1 294 million or 698 cents per share.<br />

Net debt (excluding preference shares) was<br />

R5,1 billion compared to R8,5 billion a year<br />

ago, a decline of 39%. This reflects the<br />

strong focus placed on cash and liquidity<br />

management during the year.<br />

In the current economic climate, net capital<br />

expenditure was 33% lower at R1 755 million,<br />

primarily because of lower expansion capital<br />

expenditure. Replacement capital expenditure<br />

was maintained at prior-year levels.<br />

A final ordinary dividend of 120 cents per<br />

share was declared, bringing the total ordinary<br />

dividend for the year to 200 cents per share.<br />

Future strategic focus<br />

Through the recent restructuring of the group,<br />

we have succeeded in strengthening the<br />

balance sheet and management can now<br />

focus on expansion into our chosen focus<br />

areas. These areas are logistics, tourism and<br />

selected aspects of financial services that are<br />

aligned to our current business.<br />

Internationally, our expansion will be<br />

aligned to <strong>Imperial</strong> Logistics International,<br />

and opportunities in Europe in the current<br />

depressed regional economies are beginning<br />

to emerge. Our southern African logistics<br />

division will continue its organic and<br />

acquisitive growth and we will also pursue<br />

acquisitions that are adjacent to our current<br />

operations and skills base where we have a<br />

competitive advantage.<br />

In line with our stated goal of enhancing<br />

capital efficiencies and entering adjacent<br />

industries, the southern African logistics<br />

business created a fourth division housing its<br />

integrated services. Volition, recently acquired,<br />

has been transferred to this unit, and the<br />

objective is to complement and enhance<br />

the existing service offerings of <strong>Imperial</strong><br />

Logistics with professional services leveraging<br />

people, processes and information technology<br />

assets.<br />

We believe tourism in southern Africa has<br />

significant potential and will investigate related<br />

opportunities carefully with the intention of<br />

expanding the business in a manner that<br />

amplifies our current strong base in inbound<br />

tour operations and coach touring. We have<br />

appointed Moeketsi Mosola, the former CEO<br />

of SA Tourism, to build and carry out this<br />

initiative.<br />

The strategy to limit the group’s relative<br />

exposure to the motor retailing industry<br />

continues. Far-reaching steps have been<br />

taken to right-size our motor operations in<br />

line with our expectations for motor vehicle<br />

demand and our requirements for return on<br />

capital.<br />

Expansion of the group during<br />

the year<br />

In line with our refined focus, corporate activity<br />

was again concentrated in our logistics<br />

division during the year.<br />

The southern African logistics operations<br />

acquired majority stakes in Tip Trans Holdings,<br />

Express Hauliers, Logistical Transportation<br />

Services, Rustgold, Volition Consulting Services<br />

and the minority shareholding in Liebentrans.<br />

<strong>Imperial</strong> Logistics International acquired<br />

Hansmann, a logistics provider to the motor<br />

industry in Wolfsburg, Germany, and Garex,<br />

which provides similar services in Poland.<br />

The car rental and tourism division acquired<br />

the businesses of U-Drive, AA Autobay and<br />

Gage Car Hire Brokers.<br />

The dealership division acquired Key Delta,<br />

a franchise for Opel, Isuzu and Chevrolet, as<br />

well as the minority shareholders in Beekman<br />

Canopies and Jurgens Caravans.<br />

We established a joint venture with McCarthy<br />

Motor Holdings to import and distribute<br />

Chinese manufactured vehicles.<br />

Skills development, health and<br />

social investments<br />

The group’s training centre in Germiston,<br />

Gauteng for petrol and diesel mechanics was<br />

completed at a cost of R24 million and opened<br />

during the year. The centre is aligned to the<br />

MERSETA (the industry sector and education<br />

training authority), and has capacity to train<br />

640 apprentices per year, in conjunction with<br />

existing group facilities. Quality standards in<br />

the group’s dealerships will be maintained<br />

through this training initiative which also<br />

contributes to addressing the national skills<br />

shortage in this area.<br />

14<br />

<strong>Imperial</strong> holdings limited Annual Report 2009

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