Detsky Mir Group Adjusted EBITDA Increased by 15.2% YoY in 2020

Moscow, Russia, 1 March 2021 – Detsky Mir Group (the “Group”, “Detsky Mir” or the “Company”, MOEX: DSKY), the largest children’s goods retailer in Russia and Kazakhstan, announces its audited financial results in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended 31 December 2020.

Q4 2020 Financial Highlights[1]

• Group consolidated revenue increased by 14.3% year-on-year to RUB 44.5 bn, compared to RUB 38.9 bn in Q4 2019.
• Online revenue[2] increased 2.2x year-on-year to RUB 12.7 bn.
  • The share of online sales in total revenue of Detsky Mir in Russia increased 1.9x year-on-year to 29.8%.
  • The share of in-store pick-up service amounted to 83.4%.
• Revenue in Kazakhstan increased by 21.0% year-on-year to RUB 1.4 bn.
• Like-for-like sales[3] at Detsky Mir stores in Russia and Kazakhstan grew by 5.9%. The number of tickets increased by 1.2%, while the average ticket grew 4.7%.
• Like-for-like sales at Detsky Mir stores in Russia grew by 5.7%. The number of tickets increased by 1.4%, while the average ticket grew by 4.3%.
• Detsky Mir opened 41 new branded stores[4] in Q4 2020, as well as 11 new Detmir Pickup stores and 7 new Zoozavr stores. The Group had 868 stores[5] as of 31 December 2020.
• Total selling space increased by 6.4% year-on-year to approximately 897,000 sq. m.
• The total number of Detsky Mir loyalty cards issued increased by 11.4% year-on-year to 26.8 m, while the number of active loyalty card holders[6] was 10.7 m. Transactions involving a loyalty card accounted for 84.2% of total sales.
• Gross profit increased by 4.5% year-on-year to RUB 13.8 bn. The gross margin decreased by 3.0 p.p. year-on-year to 31.1%.
• SG&A as a percentage of revenue[7] decreased by 2.7 p.p. year-on-year, driven by increased operational efficiency.
• Adjusted EBITDA[8] increased by 14.2% year-on-year to RUB 5.9 bn; the adjusted EBITDA margin remained nearly flat year-on-year to 13.4%. EBITDA[9] totaled RUB 5.6 bn (+18.7% year-on-year).
• Adjusted net profit[10] amounted to RUB 4.6 bn (+47.0% year-on-year). Net profit totaled RUB 4.3 bn (+57.7% year-on-year).
• The net debt[11] increased by 2.7% year-on-year to 18.0 bn. The net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio improved to 1.1x as of 31 December 2020 vs 1.2x as of 31 December 2019.

FY 2020 Financial Highlights

• Group audited consolidated revenue increased by 11.0% year-on-year to RUB 142.9 bn, compared to RUB 128.7 bn in 2019.
• Online revenue increased 2.4x year-on-year to RUB 34.8 bn.
  • The share of online sales in total net revenue of Detsky Mir in Russia increased 2.2x year-on-year to 25.2%.
  • The share of in-store pick-up service amounted to 82.2%.
• Revenue in Kazakhstan increased by 1.6% year-on-year to RUB 3.8 bn.
• Like-for-like sales at Detsky Mir stores in Russia and Kazakhstan grew 3.9%. The number of tickets decreased 1.5%, while the average ticket grew 5.5%.
• Like-for-like sales at Detsky Mir stores in Russia grew 4.0%. The number of tickets decreased 1.4%, while the average ticket grew 5.4%.
• Detsky Mir opened 71 new branded stores[12] in 2020, as well as 12 new Detmir Pickup stores and 10 new Zoozavr stores.
• Gross profit increased by 5.9% year-on-year to RUB 44.0 bn, with a gross margin of 30.8%.
• SG&A as a percentage of revenue decreased by 1.9 p.p. year-on-year, driven by increased operational efficiency.
• Adjusted EBITDA increased by 15.2% year-on-year to RUB 17.0 bn; the adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 0.5 p.p. to 11.9%. EBITDA totaled RUB 16.2 bn (+17.3% year-on-year).
• Adjusted net profit amounted to RUB 8.4 bn (+4.2% year-on-year). Net profit totaled RUB 7.8 bn (+6.3% year-on-year).

Q4 2020 Key Events

• In December 2020, Detsky Mir paid out the entire net profit for 9M 2020 as an interim dividend, to a total of RUB 3.8 bn, or RUB 5.08 per ordinary share, bringing the total dividend payout in 2020 to RUB 7.8 bn, or RUB 10.58 per ordinary share, up 11.1% year-on-year.
• In December 2020, Gulf Investments Limited (Altus Capital) acquired a 25.0% stake in Detsky Mir.
• In December 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors resolved to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on 12 March 2021, and following the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee proposed that the Extraordinary General Meeting considered the following candidates to the new Board of Directors.
• Furthermore, Detsky Mir opened its second flagship hypermarket in December 2020. Located in Moscow’s MEGA Teply Stan mall, the new store is designed as a shopping and entertainment space for both children and parents.
• In December 2020, Detsky Mir signed an agreement with the developer PNK Group for the construction of a third federal distribution center outside Yekaterinburg. The site measures 63,200 sq. m and is slated for commissioning in Q1 2022.
• In December 2020, Detsky Mir appointed Nikolay Ermakov as its new Chief Technical Officer and member of the Company’s Management Board. Mr. Ermakov brings more than 16 years of experience in information technology, digital transformation and product development (X5 Retail Group, Gett and Rambler & Co).
• In November 2020, Detsky Mir took the top spot among Russian retailers on Russia’s 50 Best Employers 2020 List released by Forbes.
• In October 2020, the Company signed a preliminary agreement to open an 8,000 sq. m regional distribution center in Kazan, based on Russian Post’s fulfillment center and scheduled for commissioning in Q2 2021.
• In October 2020, Detsky Mir announced the full-scale launch of its own marketplace, which offers suppliers a new personal account functionality with all the necessary features, and has grown the total online assortment 2.5х to 250,000 SKUs.
• In October 2020, the Company launched a super-express delivery service from Detsky Mir stores. Customers in 280 cities across Russia can now receive their orders within two hours of placing them on the website, and a good number of deliveries in Moscow are fulfilled by own courier service.
• In October 2020, the Company continued to enhance the UX of the detmir.ru online store by launching a new personal account, optimizing the shopping cart and adding Apple Pay and Google Pay to the mobile application, with results of A/B testing showing that revenue per user increased by 15%.
• Detsky Mir was included in the annual Corporate Philanthropy Leaders ranking under the Good Practice category.

Events after the Reporting Period

• In February 2021, Detsky Mir’s Board of Directors approved a final list of candidates to the new Board of Directors, set to be voted upon at the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on 12 March 2021. Information on the candidates is available on the Company’s website at ir.detmir.ru.
• In January 2021, Detsky Mir continued to expand its network of partner pickup points: we partnered with the largest tech retailer Svyaznoy (3,000 points of sale in 1,200 cities across Russia) and with the TelePort network of automated parcel lockers located in the lobbies of residential buildings and in convenience stores (about 10 new lockers are added to TelePort’s network every week).
• Thanks to a strong Cyber Monday campaign, held from 25 to 29 January 2021, the Company’s online sales increased 2.3x year-on-year and continued to show one of the highest growth rates in the Russian e-commerce segment. On 25 January, Cyber Monday itself, online sales hit a peak at 40.1% of Detsky Mir’s total sales in Russia, with the share of orders made via the Company’s mobile app during the campaign reaching 73.5%.

Maria Davydova, PJSC Detsky Mir Chief Executive Officer, said:

“In 2020, Detsky Mir clearly consolidated its leadership of the children’s goods markets in Russia and Kazakhstan, and continued aggressively growing its business in the Belarusian market. At the same time, we delivered a strong set of financial results and launched new strategic initiatives.

“Online sales are becoming more popular with each passing year, a trend that was intensified in the reporting year due to the pandemic. Our omnichannel approach allowed us to cope with the increased demand and consolidate our position as one of the largest and fastest-growing e-commerce players in the Children’s category.

“Detsky Mir’s double-digit revenue growth over the reporting period was driven by a string of landmark achievements, including a 140% increase in online sales, the online channel making up 30% of total sales in Q4, the full-scale launch of our own marketplace, and the launch of our two-hour super-express delivery service from Detsky Mir stores. Keeping up the pace, in the first two months of 2021 we showed a growth rate in total revenue similar to that seen in Q4 2020.

“Our team’s strong focus on driving continuous improvements in operational efficiency and cost optimizations has enabled us to deliver an impressive operating profit growth rate and set a new record in operating margins in 2020. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 15.2% year-on-year to RUB 17.0 bn, and adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.9%, up 0.5 p.p. year-on-year.

“Detsky Mir’s financial position remains consistently strong, thanks to strict discipline and the Company’s ability to generate substantial operating cash flow. We successfully reduced our net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio to 1.1x as of year-end 2020, while continuing to fully deliver on our investment and dividend programs.

“Detsky Mir is a unique growth story in the Russian equity market, combining double-digit business growth and high dividends. Despite the COVID-19 induced turbulence, restrictions and economic difficulties, we continued to pay dividends equal to the Company’s total net profit according to Russian Accounting Standards. As a result, total dividend payments increased by 11.1% year-on-year to RUB 7.8 bn, pushing total shareholder return for the year to greater than 45%, an outstanding figure.

“Our team will maintain its strong focus on increasing the Company’s market capitalization and dividends. With this said, PJSC Detsky Mir’s net profit for Q4 2020 under Russian Accounting Standards is expected to have reached around RUB 4.5 bn (+10% year-on-year). We will recommend to the Board of Directors and our Shareholders that the full net profit be distributed as a final dividend for the year.

“Looking ahead to 2021, we will continue to drive the digital transformation of our business, the development of our logistics and distribution networks, as well as the expansion of the product assortment on our marketplace. Our ambition is to double total sales and increase the share of online sales to 45% in 2024.”

View the full press release

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Conference Call Information

Detsky Mir’s management will host a conference call today at 17:00 (Moscow time) / 14:00 (London time) / 9:00 (New York time) to discuss the Company’s FY 2020 audited IFRS Financial Results.

The dial-in numbers for the conference call are:

Russia

+7 495 283 98 58

UK

+44 203 984 98 44

USA

+1 718 866 46 14

PIN

288 543#

Online presentation 

Web dial-in and Presentation

For additional information:

Detsky Mir Group (MOEX: DSKY) is a multi-format digital retailer and the leader in the children’s goods sector in Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as a significant player in Belarus. The Group comprises the Detsky Mir and the Detmir Pickup retail chains, the detmir.ru online store and marketplace, as well as the Zoozavr pet supplies retail chain. The Company operates a retail chain of 834 Detsky Mir stores located in 331 cities in Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, 16 Detmir Pickup stores, as well as 21 Zoozavr stores as of 1 March 2021. The total selling space was approximately 899,000 square meters.

Detsky Mir’s shareholder structure: Gulf Investments Limited (Altus Capital) – 25%; Free-float[13] – 75%.

Websites: detmir.ru, ir.detmir.ru

Disclaimer:

Some of the information in these materials may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Detsky Mir. You can identify forward looking statements by terms such as “expect”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “will”, “could,” “may” or “might” the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Detsky Mir wishes to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Detsky Mir does not intend to update these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Many factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in projections or forward-looking statements of Detsky Mir, including, among others, general economic conditions, the competitive environment, risks associated with operating in the Russian Federation, rapid technological and market change in the industries Detsky Mir operates in, impact of COVID-19 pandemic on macroeconomic situation on the markets of presence and financial results of Detsky Mir and its subsidiaries, as well as many other risks specifically related to Detsky Mir and its operations.

([1]) The Company’s consolidated financial measures for 2019–2020 and related interim periods are based on proforma financial information prepared as if IFRS 16 “Leases” had not been adopted, and thus do not represent IFRS measures.

([2]) This channel includes online orders at www.detmir.ru, including in-store pick-up in Russia.

([3]) Hereinafter like-for-like RUB sales growth, like-for-like number of tickets growth and like-for-like average ticket growth are based on stores in operation for at least 12 full calendar months. A store is included in the calculation of the monthly like-for-like if the difference between the worked periods in comparable months does not exceed three business days.

([4]) In Q4 2020, Detsky Mir closed one store.

([5]) Including 16 Detmir Pickup stores as well as 20 Zoozavr stores.

([6]) Cardholders who made at least one purchase at Detsky Mir during the last 12 months to 31 December 2020 are considered active.

([7]) Hereinafter, selling, general and administrative expenses is calculated as selling, general and administrative expenses adjusted for depreciation and amortization expenses, additional share-based compensation expense and cash bonuses under the LTI program.

([8]) Hereinafter, adjusted EBITDA is calculated as profit for the period before income tax expense, foreign exchange (loss)/gain, gain on acquisition of controlling interest in associate, finance expense, finance income, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for share-based compensation expense and cash bonuses under the LTI program. See Attachment A.

([9]) Hereinafter, see Attachment A for definitions and reconciliation of EBITDA to IFRS financial measures.

([10]) Hereinafter, adjusted net profit is calculated as profit for the period adjusted for the share-based compensation expense and cash bonuses under the LTI program. See Attachment A.

([11]) Hereinafter, net debt is calculated as total borrowings (defined as long term loans and borrowings and short-term loans and borrowings and current portion of long-term loans and borrowings) less cash and cash equivalents. Lease liabilities are not included in the calculation of net debt.

([12]) In 2020, Detsky Mir closed five stores. In Q3 2020, in order to improve profitability on the back of the accelerated opening of the compact-format Detmir Pickup stores, the Group decided to close ELC and ABC branded stores, the share of which in the total revenue of the Group comprised less than 0.3% in 2020.

([13]) Including quasi-treasury shares and shares held by management and directors (0.7% of total shares).