Corporate News

“Record results in line with expectations; increased capacity leading to strong cash generation”

Anexo Group plc (AIM: ANX), the specialist integrated credit hire and legal services provider, announces its final results for the year ended 31 December 2019 (the ‘period’ or ‘FY 2019’).

Financial Highlights

• Revenue increased by 39% to £78.5 million (2018: £56.5 million)
• Operating profit reported at £24.6 million (2018: £15.4 million), an increase of 60%
• Adjusted¹ operating profit before exceptional items in line with market expectations, rising by 47% to £25.2 million (2018: £17.2 million)
• Adjusted¹ operating profit margin increased to 32.2% (2018: 30.4%)
• Profit before tax of £22.4 million (2018: £14.3 million), an increase of 57%
• Adjusted¹ profit before tax and exceptional items increased to £23.1 million, (2018: £16.1 million), an increase of 43%
• Adjusted² basic EPS at 17.0 pence (2018: 12.0 pence)
• Proposed final dividend of 0.5p per share giving a total dividend for the year of 1.5 pence per share (2018: 1.5 pence per share)
• Net assets reported at £91.7 million (2018: £75.8 million) representing an increase of 21%
• Significant reduction in net cash outflows from operating activities which reached £0.8 million in 2019 (2018: net cash outflow: £7.9 million)
• Net debt balance at 31 December 2019 was £27.7 million (31 December 2018: £17.3 million)

Note: The basis of preparation of the consolidated financial statements for the current and previous year is set out in the Financial Review.

1. Adjusted operating profit and profit before tax: excludes the costs of Admission to AIM in 2018 and share‑based payment charges in 2018 and 2019. A reconciliation to reported (IFRS) results is included in the Financial Review.
2. Adjusted EPS: adjusted PBT less tax at statutory rate divided by the number of shares on a pro forma basis, i.e. assuming that the number of shares in issue immediately post-IPO were in issue through the entire comparative period.

Financial and Operational KPIs

• During 2019 the Group has seen significant improvements in a number of key performance measures (detailed below).  These have resulted in a significant reduction in the level of cash absorbed by the Group in the second half versus the first half of the year.  Despite this reduction in cash consumption, the number of claims instigated during the period increased from 3,392 in H1 2019 to 3,567 in H2 2019.  The Group’s investment in the number of senior fee earners also increased, rising from 89 at the end of 2018 to 109 at the end of H1 2019 and reaching 127 at the end of 2019.
• Most notably the number of cases settled increased during 2019 as the Group’s investment in legal staff started to bear fruit.  Cases settled rose from 2,066 in H1 2019 to 2,872 in H2 2019 (an increase of 39.0%). The Group anticipates further growth in 2020 as the case portfolio of the new recruits matures.
  

Commenting on the Final Results, Alan Sellers, Executive Chairman of Anexo Group plc, said:

“I am pleased to report another year of financial and operational progress across Anexo as our focus on driving cash generation yields positive results.  In 2019 we successfully grew our high quality legal team, allowing us to increase the number of cases settled and improve the working capital position of the Group.

“Our core business continues to be focused on the ever-increasing opportunities identified in the UK credit hire market, but the Board is also optimistic about the future outcome of our specialist advocacy team’s work on behalf of claimants in the VW emissions case, particularly with the support of the additional funding provided by the Group’s Placing in May 2020.

“We started the year well with high levels of cash collection continuing, and the Board is pleased to confirm that in the first four months of the year our credit hire operation was net cash positive.  This is a key milestone for the Group. Looking forward, we are also conscious of the future uncertainty shaped by the current COVID-19 pandemic. Both our business divisions have remained fully operational throughout the past few months and the Group has demonstrated considerable resilience. Nevertheless, we continue to believe it is too early to provide forward looking financial guidance at this time.

“The Board remains confident of the Group’s capacity for organic growth and, given the resilience of our business and our strong financial position, believes Anexo is well positioned to weather the current storm and deliver near-term profitable growth to our shareholders. The Board is delighted to propose a dividend of 0.5p.”

Analyst Briefing

A conference call for analysts will be held at 10.30am today, 29 June 2020.  A copy of the Final Results presentation is available at the Group's website: https://www.anexo-group.com/  

An audio webcast of the conference call with analysts will be available after 12pm today:

https://webcasting.buchanan.uk.com/broadcast/5ee2345d5e278421d06982b7

For further enquiries:

Notes to Editors:

Anexo is a specialist integrated credit hire and legal services provider.  The Group has created a unique business model by combining a direct capture Credit Hire business with a wholly owned Legal Services firm.  The integrated business targets the impecunious not at fault motorist, referring to those who do not have the financial means or access to a replacement vehicle.

Through its dedicated Credit Hire sales team and network of 1,100 plus active introducers around the UK, Anexo provides customers with an end-to-end service including the provision of Credit Hire vehicles, assistance with repair and recovery, and claims management services.  The Group’s Legal Services division, Bond Turner, provides the legal support to maximise the recovery of costs through settlement or court action as well as the processing of any associated personal injury claim.

The Group was admitted to trading on AIM in June 2018 with the ticker ANX.  For additional information please visit: www.anexo-group.com