Notice of Results & Trading U

RNS Number : 8381M

4imprint Group PLC

05 February 2009

 



4imprint Group plc

Notice of results and trading update

It is expected that the preliminary results for the year ended 27 December 2008 

will be announced on 25 February 2009. Ahead of the results, 4imprint Group plc announces a trading update in respect of the year ended 27 December 2008. 

Group sales in Q4 at £47.6m were 12% ahead of the same period last year and sales for the year at £168.1m were 14% ahead of the comparable period. 

In the Divisions, sales in the Direct Marketing Division were affected by a sharp deterioration in the US market, which occurred from late November; and US dollar sales in the quarter were up by 7% and for the full year were up by 17%. In Sterling divisional sales for the quarter at £28.1m were 31% ahead of last year while sales for 2008 were £96.7m, 26% ahead of 2007. 

The End User Division achieved Q4 sales of £15.7m, 5% down on the strong Q4 of last year. Sales for the full year, at £54.7m were 8% ahead of last year. 

Trade Division sales including inter divisional sales were affected by a further weakening in the UK market which affected November and December sales. Q4 sales at £4.6m were 13% down on last year and sales for the full year at £19.8m were 17% down.

Trading conditions in the markets served by the Group in UK, Europe and North America remain uncertain and the Group continues to take appropriate action to mitigate the effect on profit of these conditions. 

For the year ended 27 December 2008, the Board expects operating profit before exceptional costs to be at least £9.0m. Exceptional costs are expected to be £3.6m and are largely attributable to finalising  the major reorganisation of the Trade Division. Group net debt at 27 December 2008 was £4.2m compared with £7.1m at the end of 2007.

 

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