COVID-19 Lockdowns Impact Australian Trade

Article From：SGB Media

 

 

Kathmandu Holdings Ltd. (NZX/ASX: KMD) (Group) provided the following trading update today following the recent announcement of additional COVID-19 restrictions in New South Wales, Australia.

 

Many of the Group’s retail stores have suffered renewed disruption from the recent COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in Australia, with 40 stores currently closed in New South Wales for a minimum of two weeks and 26 additional stores closed in Western Australia for a minimum of four days from today. This follows the two-week lockdown in Victoria, which impacted 62 stores in early June. As a result, under the currently announced restrictions, total sales for FY21 are expected to be below original expectations at approximately $930 million, and underlying EBITDA is estimated at c.$120 million.

 

The impact of the New South Wales and recent Victorian lockdowns and associated movement restrictions is estimated to be c.$13 million on EBITDA. Uncertainty remains due to the evolving COVID-19 situation in Australia, and this expectation is subject to change.

 

Kathmandu brand had a positive start to winter, with trading broadly in line with pre-COVID-19 levels before Australian lockdowns began to impact the key winter trading period.

 

Rip Curl has continued to trade strongly in key regions of North America and Europe where, despite COVID-19-related disruptions, direct-to-consumer sales remain well above pre-COVID-19 levels. Wholesale orders received for FY22 continue to show double-digit growth over FY19.

 

Oboz has seen record sales performance in the second half of FY21, with wholesale orders for FY22 significantly above both FY19 and FY20.

 

Commenting on trading, Group CEO Michael Daly said, “COVID-19 continues to be a disrupting factor, in particular for Australasia during the key trading period for Kathmandu. Excluding these impacts, Kathmandu had a solid start to the winter season, and Rip Curl sales momentum continues. Trading conditions in the Northern Hemisphere for both Rip Curl and Oboz are particularly strong across our online, retail and wholesale channels, as our Group benefits from a diversified mix of channel and geographies.”