Wrap Text
Trading and Earnings Update
Pick n Pay Stores Limited
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
Registration number: 1968/008034/06
Share Code: PIK ISIN code: ZAE000005443
(“Pick n Pay” or “the Group”)
Pick n Pay - Trading and Earnings Update
Shareholders are advised that Pick n Pay Stores Limited is in the process of finalising its financial
results for the 52 weeks ended 28 February 2021 (“FY21”), which are due to be published on 21 April
2021.
The financial year fell almost entirely within the National State of Disaster caused by Covid-19, and
the Group expresses its profound thanks to all staff and franchise partners for their dedication and
service throughout this unprecedented time.
The Group is very pleased with its performance in this most difficult year. Once the disruption of
Covid-19 is taken into account, the result will demonstrate a market-leading performance on core
sales, and underlying strength and momentum in its quality of earnings:
- Group turnover growth of 4.3% (3.1% like-for-like) was significantly impacted by the
prohibitions on the sale of alcohol and other products for significant parts of the trading year,
which resulted in an estimated R4 billion in lost sales. Despite this disruption, the Group
delivered market-leading sales growth of 10.0% in its core food and grocery offer in South
Africa
- Group earnings were affected by the margin impact of restrictions on the sale of alcohol and
other products, and by once-off compensation costs arising from voluntary and other
retrenchments under the Group’s Project Future programme. Once these once-off impacts
are taken into account, the comparable result demonstrates significant underlying positive
momentum in the Group’s performance.
The Group is driving modernisation and efficiency through Project Future, which remains on track to
deliver R1 billion savings over two years – enabling greater investment in lower prices and better
value for customers. The Group also continued to innovate through its Smart Shopper loyalty
programme, and through its online and value-added services offer, providing the most extensive
digital platform in the market.
Sales performance
The Group delivered turnover growth of 4.3% this year, accelerating from 2.6% in the first half of the
year to 6.0% in the second half.
Turnover Growth
1H FY21 2H FY21 FY21
26 weeks to 26 weeks to 52 weeks to
30 August 2020 28 February 2021 28 February 2021
% % %
Group 2.6 6.0 4.3
Like-for-like 1.0 5.0 3.1
South Africa 3.4 6.8 5.0
Like-for-like 1.7 5.9 3.8
South Africa
Core retail* 9.9 10.1 10.0
Core retail* - like-for-like 7.6 9.3 8.4
Liquor and tobacco -47.5 -17.3 -31.0
Clothing -4.2 6.7 1.3
South Africa
Selling price inflation 3.4 4.2 3.8
Like-for-like volume growth in
4.2 5.1 4.6
core retail categories
* Core retail sales include all food, grocery and general merchandise categories (including value-added categories impacted
by trading restrictions such as hot foods, deli and bakery products), but exclude liquor, tobacco and clothing.
Core retail sales
The Group delivered a market-leading sales performance in its core food and grocery offer in South
Africa, accelerating growth from 9.9% (7.6% like-for-like) in the first half of the year to 10.1% (9.3%
like-for-like) in the second half. The FY21 sales performance demonstrates strong like-for-like volume
growth, and is testament to sustained improvements in the Group’s customer offer.
Liquor, tobacco and clothing
The Group lost 209 liquor trading days over the financial year (126 days in the first half and 83 days in
the second), with reduced trading hours for all but three weeks of the financial year. The sale of
cigarettes and other tobacco products was prohibited between 27 March and 17 August. These
measures together had a profound impact on liquor and tobacco sales in South Africa, with negative
growth of 31.0% over the year.
Clothing sales were prohibited during Level 5 lockdown and subject to some continuing restrictions
under Level 4. Despite this, the Group’s clothing sales increased 1.3% year-on-year, with 6.7% growth
delivered in the second half of the year. The Group’s high-quality and affordable clothing proposition
continues to deliver market share growth in several key categories.
Earnings performance
Group earnings across the financial year was impacted by three major factors:
1. Government trading restrictions associated with Covid-19
Covid-19 trading restrictions disproportionately affected higher-margin categories: liquor, clothing,
general merchandise, along with hot foods, deli and bakery products. Although this had a negative
impact on total gross profit margin, the Group expects this to have been offset through improvements
in its commercial and supply chain operations.
Sales were also impacted by reduced trading hours, limits on the number of customers in stores to
uphold physical distancing requirements, and by some temporary store closures following the
identification of positive Covid-19 cases among staff.
2. R200 million additional costs as a result of the Covid-19 crisis
Operating expenses will reflect R200 million costs directly related to the Group’s Covid-19 operational
response: R150 million in the first half of the year, and an additional R50 million in the second half.
Additional safety and hygiene measures cost R130 million; a R50 million appreciation bonus was paid
to front-line staff in the first half of the year; and security and communication costs added a further
R20 million.
3. R200 million once-off compensation costs
Voluntary severance programme
R100 million was paid in once-off compensation to colleagues who volunteered for the voluntary
severance programme (VSP) in Pick n Pay in the first half of the financial year. This cost has been fully
recouped through savings in employee costs in the second half of the year and will deliver greater
efficiency in subsequent years.
S189 severance programme
R100 million was paid in once-off compensation to employees retrenched as a result of a modernisation
and restructuring of Pick n Pay regional and support office structures. The full cost of this programme
was borne in the second half of the financial year and will deliver cost savings in subsequent years.
Comparable headline earnings presented below exclude hyper-inflationary adjustments related to the
Group’s associate in Zimbabwe. In addition, comparable headline earnings excluding once-off
compensation costs removes the impact of the Group’s severance programmes. The Group has not
added back the costs associated with its Covid-19 operational response, as some of those costs are
expected to recur (albeit at lower rates) under the Group’s strengthened health, safety and security
protocols.
The Group expects its FY21 earnings to fall within the following ranges:
52 weeks to 52 weeks to 52 weeks to
28 February 28 February 1 March
2021 2021 2020
Current period Current period Prior period
Expected range Expected range
% growth cents per share cents per share*
Reported earnings metrics,
including hyperinflation net monetary
adjustments in Zimbabwe:
Headline earnings per share (HEPS) -15% to -25% 218.93 to 248.12 291.90
Diluted HEPS -15% to -25% 217.79 to 246.82 290.38
Earnings per share (EPS) -15% to -25% 188.18 to 213.27 250.90
Diluted EPS -15% to -25% 187.20 to 212.16 249.60
Comparable earnings metrics,
excluding hyperinflation net monetary
adjustments in Zimbabwe:
Comparable HEPS -10% to -20% 226.26 to 254.54 282.82
Comparable HEPS, excluding once-off
compensation costs** 0% to -10% 254.54 to 282.82 282.82
* Restated for the change in guidance contained in SAICA Circular 1/2019: Headline Earnings, relating to IFRS 16: Leases.
Please refer to the Group’s interim result announcement published on 20 October 2020 for further information.
** R200 million once-off compensation costs (R144 million net of tax) related to staff severance programmes undertaken
during the year
Shareholders are advised that the Group plans to release its financial results for the 52 weeks ended
28 February 2021 on SENS before the market opens on Wednesday, 21 April 2021. A live online results
presentation will follow at 9:30am.
All interested stakeholders are invited to watch the live webcast which can be accessed using the
following link: https://www.corpcam.com/PicknPay21042021
The slides accompanying the live result presentation will be available on the Pick n Pay Investor
Relations website at www.picknpayinvestor.co.za shortly before the commencement of the
presentation on 21 April 2021. A playback of the webcast will be made available on our website
approximately 2 hours after the presentation.
The financial information on which this trading and earnings update is based has not been reviewed
by or reported on by the Group’s external auditors.
By order of the Board
Cape Town
8 April 2021 Sponsor: Investec Bank Limited
Date: 08-04-2021 02:00:00
Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited ('JSE').
The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of
the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct,
indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on,
information disseminated through SENS.
Sharenet Sites 
