Q4 AND FULL YEAR 2013 TRADING UPDATE

RNS Number : 5510X

Michael Page International PLC

14 January 2014

 



14 January 2014

Q4 AND FULL YEAR 2013 TRADING UPDATE

Q4 GROSS PROFIT ANALYSIS

		Reported			Constant
Year-on-year gross profit	% of Group Q4	Q4 2013	Q4 2012	%	%
EMEA	42%	£52.0m	£51.4m	+1.1%	-1.4%
UK	25%	£31.8m	£30.2m	+5.1%	+5.1%
Asia Pacific	19%	£24.2m	£27.9m	-13.1%	-5.7%
Americas	14%	£17.0m	£17.0m	+0.2%	+6.7%
Total	100%	£125.0m	£126.5m	-1.2%	+0.3%
Permanent	75%	£93.6m	£96.4m	-2.9%	-1.1%
Temporary	25%	£31.4m	£30.1m	+4.3%	+4.5%

FULL YEAR GROSS PROFIT ANALYSIS

		Reported			Constant
Year-on-year gross profit	% of FY 2013	FY 2013	FY 2012	%	%
EMEA	40%	£207.7m	£218.4m	-4.9%	-8.2%
UK	24%	£124.1m	£121.4m	+2.2%	+2.2%
Asia Pacific	21%	£105.8m	£114.9m	-7.9%	-4.7%
Americas	15%	£76.3m	£72.2m	+5.6%	+8.8%
Total	100%	£513.9m	£526.9m	-2.5%	-2.7%

Commenting, Steve Ingham, Chief Executive Officer said:

"We are pleased with the strong results from the UK, the US and Japan; the improving performances in our large businesses in France and Germany; as well as many countries that achieved records in gross profit. The 0.3% increase in the Group's results at constant currency for the fourth quarter reflects improved performances from over half of our 34 countries and challenging conditions in the others. Gross profit was £125.0m in the fourth quarter, which, with the impact of currency movements, was down 1.2% year-on-year in reported rates.

"EMEA saw its first quarterly year-on-year growth in reported currencies since Q1 2012. The UK, with a steadily improving job count, has now seen two consecutive quarters of 5% year-on-year growth. However, the fourth quarter also saw a continuation of the challenging trading conditions in Australia, which, with the effect of continued adverse foreign exchange movements, impacted the overall performance of the Asia Pacific region. In the Americas, we grew quarterly gross profit year-on-year by 6.7%*. Our business in the US performed particularly well, growing at 35%*. However, while conditions in Brazil worsened, our other Latin American businesses of Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico continued to grow strongly.

"We have been consistent with our key strategic objectives of continued investment in our high potential markets of China, South East Asia, Germany, Latin America and the US. In China we had a record year in gross profit, notwithstanding growth rates slightly slowing in Q4, and we grew our headcount by over 20% to approaching 450 in 10 offices. In the US we opened our ninth office, Los Angeles, and grew gross profit in Q4 by 35% in US Dollars. Another strategic objective in 2013 was to initiate a strong focus on the consistency and efficiency of our operational support teams. This has had a positive impact on our performance and cost base, the full benefit of which will be felt in 2014. As a result, since the start of the year, operational support headcount has been reduced by 155 (-10.5%) and with fee earner headcount up by 186 (+5.1%), total headcount has increased by 31 (+0.6%).

"For the full year 2013, we reiterate our statement of October that we expect operating profit pre exceptional to be around £68m."

Enquiries:

PageGroup	01932 264144
Steve Ingham, Chief Executive Officer
Kelvin Stagg, Acting Chief Financial Officer
FTI Consulting	020 7269 7186
Richard Mountain / Susanne Yule

The Company will host a conference call and presentation for analysts and investors at 8.30am today. The live presentation can be viewed by following the link:

http://www.axisto-live.com/investis/clients/pagegroup/presentations/52ca92c12d7de3a422020830/q4-trading-update

Please use the following dial-in numbers to join the conference:

United Kingdom	0800 368 0649
United Kingdom (Local)	020 3059 8125
All other locations	+ 44 20 3059 8125

Please quote "Michael Page" or "PageGroup" to gain access to the call.

A presentation and recording to accompany the call will be posted on the Company's website during the course of the morning of 14 January 2014 at:

http://www.pagegroup.co.uk/investors/reports-and-presentations/presentations-and-webcasts/2014.aspx

The Group will issue its Full Year Results for 2013 on 5 March 2014.

Group Trading Update

Michael Page International plc ("PageGroup") delivered fourth quarter gross profit of £125.0m, down 1.2% (+0.3%*) on the £126.5m in Q4 2012. Headcount increased by 59 (+1.2%) in the quarter to 5,130 at the end of December 2013, as we continued to invest selectively in our high potential markets and where we felt market conditions had improved. Since the start of the year, headcount increased by 31 (+0.6%), with operational support headcount being reduced by 155     (-10.5%) and fee earner headcount increasing by 186 (+5.1%).

*Denotes where overseas results denominated in foreign currencies have been translated at constant rates of exchange for constant currency illustrative purposes.

Perm/Temp mix

Group gross profit from permanent recruitment in the fourth quarter was £93.6m, down 2.9%          (-1.1%*) on the £96.4m in Q4 2012. Group gross profit from temporary recruitment in the fourth quarter was £31.4m, up 4.3% (+4.5%*) on the £30.1m in Q4 2012.

The perm/temp gross profit ratio in the fourth quarter was 75:25.

Discipline analysis

		Reported			Constant
Year-on-year gross profit	% of Group Q4	Q4 2013	Q4 2012	%	%
Finance & Accounting	42%	£52.2m	£53.1m	-1.8%	-0.5%
Legal, Technology, HR, Secretarial, Healthcare	20%	£25.6m	£26.5m	-3.5%	-1.3%
Engineering, Property & Construction, Procurement & Supply Chain	19%	£24.0m	£24.1m	-0.3%	+0.7%
Marketing, Sales & Retail	19%	£23.2m	£22.8m	+2.0%	+3.4%
Total	100%	£125.0m	£126.5m	-1.2%	+0.3%

Geographical analysis

Q4 GROSS PROFIT ANALYSIS

EMEA Gross Profit (42% of Group in Q4 2013)			Growth rates
			Reported	Constant
Q4 2013 vs. Q4 2012	£52.0m	£51.4m	+1.1%	-1.4%
2013 vs. 2012	£207.7m	£218.4m	-4.9%	-8.2%
Headcount at 31 December 2013: 1,886 (30 September 2013: 1,850) Gross profit at constant currency: ·   France (15% of the Group) -2% on Q4 2012 (-7% in Q3 against Q3 2012) ·   Germany (6% of the Group) -1% on Q4 2012 (-16% in Q3 against Q3 2012)

In our largest region, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), representing 42% of Group gross profit, market conditions remained challenging, but we reported year-on-year quarterly growth in reported currency for the first time since Q1 2012. In our larger businesses of France and Germany growth rates improved considerably, helped in part by prior year comparatives. In France, we operate under all three PageGroup brands. The largest is Page Personnel, which in itself would be a market leader in the professional recruitment market, with over 250 consultants. Year-on-year gross profit growth in Page Personnel France was 9% in quarter 4. Several countries had record quarters and several other countries posted impressive year-on-year growth, notably UAE, Spain and Turkey. There was an increase in headcount in the quarter of 36 (+1.9%), which reflects improving optimism for the region.

UK Gross Profit (25% of Group in Q4 2013)			Growth rates
Q4 2013 vs. Q4 2012	£31.8m	£30.2m	+5.1%
2013 vs. 2012	£124.1m	£121.4m	+2.2%
Headcount at 31 December 2013: 1,319 (30 September 2013: 1,303)

In the UK, our diversification and the depth of management experience continued to underpin our improved performance. We have had two consecutive quarters of year-on-year growth at 5%, with impressive growth rates in our smaller, newer disciplines, as well as strong growth in our more established businesses of Finance, Marketing, Sales and Supply Chain. Page Personnel, roughly one fifth of the UK business and focussed on professional roles with salaries of less than £40,000, grew 19%. Our Public Sector business, which now makes up 13% of the UK, grew at 14%. Headcount was up by 16 in Q4 and has increased by 82 since the start of the year, up 6.6%.

Asia Pacific Gross Profit (19% of Group in Q4 2013)			Growth rates
			Reported	Constant
Q4 2013 vs. Q4 2012	£24.2m	£27.9m	-13.1%	-5.7%
2013 vs. 2012	£105.8m	£114.9m	-7.9%	-4.7%
Headcount at 31 December 2013: 1,111 (30 September 2013: 1,126) Gross profit at constant currency: ·   Asia (12% of the Group) +4% on Q4 2012 (+8% in Q3 against Q3 2012) ·   Australia and New Zealand (7% of the Group) -18% on Q4 2012 (-20% in Q3 against Q3 2012)

In our Asia Pacific region, representing 19% of Group gross profit, market conditions in Australia remained challenging, which, with the effect ofcontinued adverse foreign exchange movements, impacted the overall performance of the Asia Pacific region, whilst 2013 has been a record year for our business in Asia. Trading conditions in China softened in the quarter, but in the year achieved a record result. Our businesses in Malaysia and Japan both delivered record quarters. Headcount across the region fell slightly in the quarter, but remained 75 up on last year (+7.2%) and is up over 20% in China for the year.

Americas Gross Profit (14% of Group in Q4 2013)			Growth rates
			Reported	Constant
Q4 2013 vs. Q4 2012	£17.0m	£17.0m	+0.2%	+6.7%
2013 vs. 2012	£76.3m	£72.2m	+5.6%	+8.8%
Headcount at 31 December 2013: 814 (30 September 2013: 792) Gross profit at constant currency: ·   Latin America (8% of the Group) -5% on Q4 2012 (+12% in Q3 against Q3 2012) ·   North America (6% of the Group) +30% on Q4 2012 (+25% in Q3 against Q3 2012)

In the Americas, representing 14% of Group gross profit, we grew gross profit year-on-year by 6.7%*. In North America, our business in the US performed particularly well, growing at 35%*. In Latin America, conditions in Brazil, representing roughly 60% of the region, worsened, with year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter down 17% in constant currency, against growth of 6% in the third quarter. Elsewhere in Latin America, our businesses in Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Colombia all grew strongly, together up 20%*. Headcount across the region increased during the quarter by 22, (+2.8%), with Latin America down 3 and North America up 25.

Intangible assets

We continue to operate our new software in Boston in the US. Work on modifications to the system is developing in line with expectations and the roll-out plan. The 2013 charge for this intangible asset was £5.4m, reflecting the eight months of amortisation in 2013.

French profit share

In October 2013, Page Personnel France (PPF) received notice from the Competent Authorities of the UK and France of their decision regarding a transfer pricing case that had arisen as a result of a tax audit in March 2008. The decision, which was unexpected, increased the profit generated by PPF, which, as per the mandatory profit share or "participation aux résultats de l'entreprise" that is particular to France, drove a requirement to pay increased employee profit share, both to employees of PPF and also to the temporary workers placed by that company. As a result, the Group will take in 2013 an exceptional operating profit charge of £2.7m relating to prior periods, and £0.6m that is included within operating profits from trading activities. A proportion of these charges were determined by the tax ruling, with the remainder for other years based on assumptions.

Shares

No share repurchases were made during the fourth quarter. During the quarter, 0.2m options were exercised and satisfied through newly issued shares. At 31 December 2013 there were approximately 320.8m shares in issue, of which 10.7m were held by the Employee Benefit Trust upon which dividends and voting rights are waived. Accordingly, 310.1m shares receive dividends and hold voting rights.

Financial Position

Save for the effects of trading in the third and fourth quarters and the payment of the 2013 interim dividend of £10.1m on 4 October 2013, there have been no other significant changes in the financial position of the Group since the publication of the results for the half year ended 30 June 2013.

Net cash at 31 December 2013 was in the region of £80m (30 September 2013: £72.0m).

The Group will issue its Full Year Results on 5 March 2014.

Cautionary statement

This Full Year and Q4 2013 Trading Update is unaudited and has been prepared solely to provide additional information to shareholders to assess the Group's strategies and the potential for those strategies to succeed. The Trading Update should not be relied on by any other party or for any other purpose. This Trading Update contains certain forward-looking statements. These statements are made by the Directors in good faith based on the information available to them up to the time of their approval of this Trading Update and such statements should be treated with caution due to the inherent uncertainties, including both economic and business risk factors, underlying any such forward-looking information.

This Trading Update has been prepared for the Group as a whole and therefore gives greater emphasis to those matters that are significant to PageGroup and its subsidiary undertakings when viewed as a whole.

 

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