Robinson plc                                                         

Half-year Report

Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2022

Robinson plc ("Robinson" or the "Group" stock code: RBN), the custom manufacturer of plastic and paperboard packaging based in Chesterfield, announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022.

Financial highlights

·    Revenue up 19.8% to £25.4m (2021: £21.2m)

·    Gross margin increased to 18.3% from 16.7% in H1 2021

·    Operating profit before exceptional items and amortisation of intangible assets increased to £1.5m (2021: £0.1m)

·    Profit before tax of £2.8m (2021: loss of £0.6m)

·    Exceptional items of £2.0m - including profit on sale of properties of £2.1m (2021: nil)

·    Interim dividend of 2.5p per share announced

·    Net debt of £12.2m (31/12/2021: £13.1m), after net capital expenditure excluding disposal of properties of £1.1m, deferred consideration for the Schela Plast acquisition of £2.3m and proceeds on sale of property of £3.5m

Operational highlights

·    The Danish business operated profitably in the first half as the local markets opened post-pandemic and the major new Unilever business performed to plan. Schela Plast products now include packaging produced from 100% locally recycled plastic waste

·    Sutton-in-Ashfield factory sold in April, relocation of production to existing premises in Kirkby-in-Ashfield will complete as planned during the fourth quarter of 2022

·    Sale of part of surplus property in Chesterfield completed in March

Alan Raleigh, Chairman, commented:

"We expect the substantial uncertainty and volatility experienced since the beginning of 2021 to continue throughout 2022. Sales volumes will be under further pressure in the second half due to: the effect of inflation, which averaged 11% in June, the cost-of-living crisis, the de-listing of some products by our customers and certain of our customers prioritising existing business over innovation projects during the pandemic. We are now starting to see more new business activity with our existing and potential customers, which provides opportunities for growth in 2023 and beyond.

Whilst resin prices have reduced over the summer from the peak seen during the initial phase of the Ukraine invasion, we have already experienced and expect to see further increases in energy and reduced availability of skilled labour.

We are taking actions to drive business performance and respond as necessary to events across our geographical locations.

Given the ongoing uncertainty, we expect profits in the 2022 financial year (excluding the uplift from the profits on disposal of properties) to be in line with market expectations and comfortably ahead of 2021. We remain committed in the medium-term to delivering above-market profitable growth and our target of 6-8% adjusted operating margin¹."

About Robinson:

Being a purpose-led business, Robinson specialises in custom packaging with technical and value-added solutions for food and consumer product hygiene, safety, protection, and convenience; going above and beyond to create a sustainable future for our people and our planet. Its main activity is in injection and blow moulded plastic packaging and rigid paperboard luxury packaging, operating within the food and beverage, homecare, personal care and beauty, and luxury gift sectors. Robinson provides products and services to major players in the fast-moving consumer goods market including McBride, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, SC Johnson and Unilever.

Headquartered in Chesterfield, UK, Robinson has 3 plants in the UK, 2 in Poland and acquired a plant in Denmark in 2021, Schela Plast. Schela Plast specialises in the design and manufacture of plastic blow moulded containers, serving a number of the major FMCG brands in Denmark and neighbouring countries.

Robinson was formerly a family business with its origins dating back to 1839, currently employing nearly 400 people. The Group also has a substantial property portfolio with development potential.

Chairman's Statement

Dear Shareholders

I am pleased to report that following a difficult year in 2021, the Group has returned to profitability in the first half of 2022. The prior year was heavily impacted by resin and other cost inflation and we have been largely successful in passing this through to sales prices in 2022.

Revenues were 19.8% higher in the first half of 2022, 5% higher excluding the Schela Plast business acquired in February 2021. After adjusting for price changes and foreign exchange, sales volumes in the underlying business, which have been affected by changes in consumer behaviour and reduced customer demand are 11% below the comparative period in 2021.

As a consequence of the cost inflation experienced in the last 18 months, we agreed substantial sales price increases with our customers in the first quarter of the year. However, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, we have seen further increases in global oil and energy costs flow through to polymer resin and other raw material prices, which in turn has impacted our costs.

Gross margins, at 18.3% (2021: 16.7%) are improved due to the reduced impact of resin lag but remain lower than our historical norm due to the overall weighting of material prices in the sales price, the structurally lower gross margin in Schela Plast and the operational gearing effect of reduced sales volume in the underlying business.

Operating costs are 9.1% lower than the first half of 2021 despite the impact of the Schela Plast acquisition. This reduction includes the effect of previously announced restructuring actions taken in the final quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022.

Operating profit before exceptional items and amortisation of intangible assets has increased by £1.4m versus the same period last year, to £1.5m. Including the profit on sale of two properties in the period, the Group made a profit before tax of £2.8m (2021: loss before tax £0.6m).

Schela Plast

After a challenging 2021 which included suppressed sales volumes due to Covid-19 related lockdowns, the core business in Schela Plast has stabilised in 2022. The strategic supply partnership with Unilever is at full run rate and had a substantial positive effect on sales in the first half. However, input costs, particularly those relating to energy and labour, continue to increase significantly.

Following successful participation in a consortium to create a circular economy for plastics in Denmark, Schela Plast is now producing HDPE packaging from 100% Danish household sorted plastic waste. We are excited about the opportunities for both existing business and future growth this will provide.

Deferred consideration of £2.3m was paid to the former owners of Schela Plast in June 2022.

Property

As previously announced, the Group has completed on the sale of two properties in the period. The first was a sale of surplus land and buildings in Chesterfield on 31 March 2022, for consideration of £975,000. The second an operational property in Sutton-in-Ashfield which completed on 27 April 2022, for consideration of £2,475,000. The proceeds have been used to reduce bank debt. The Group will continue to leaseback the operational property until the end of 2022 and during this period, production will be relocated to existing Robinson premises in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. As previously announced, it is expected that the relocation will require investment of approximately £600,000.

Subject to the necessary planning approvals, we would expect further sales of surplus property, in Chesterfield, to be achieved in the next 15 months. The intention of the Group remains, over time, to realise the maximum value from the disposal of surplus properties and to reinvest the proceeds in developing our packaging business.

Net debt and capital expenditure

Net debt has decreased to £12.2m (31/12/2021: £13.1m) following the payment of £2.3m deferred consideration on the Schela Plast acquisition and the receipt of £3.5m proceeds on sale of two properties in the period. With total credit facilities of £20.9m, the Group considers it has comfortable headroom for the foreseeable future. Net capital expenditure (excluding disposal of properties) in the first half was £1.1m (2021: £2.0m).

Dividend

Despite the short-term market challenges we face, the Board has confidence in the medium-term prospects for the business and therefore announces that it intends to pay an interim dividend of 2.5p per share to be paid on 14 October 2022 to shareholders on the register at 23 September 2022 (record date). The ordinary shares ex-dividend date is 22 September 2022.

The current intention of the Board is to pay a total dividend of 5.5p (2021: 5.5p) per share for the year ending 31 December 2022.

Outlook

We expect the substantial uncertainty and volatility experienced since the beginning of 2021 to continue throughout 2022. Sales volumes will be under further pressure in the second half due to: the effect of inflation, which averaged 11% in June, the cost-of-living crisis, the de-listing of some products by our customers and certain of our customers prioritising existing business over innovation projects during the pandemic. We are now starting to see more new business activity with our existing and potential customers, which provides opportunities for growth in 2023 and beyond.

Whilst resin prices have reduced over the summer from the peak seen during the initial phase of the Ukraine invasion, we have already experienced and expect to see further increases in energy and reduced availability of skilled labour.

We are taking actions to drive business performance and respond as necessary to events across our geographical locations.

Given the ongoing uncertainty, at this stage we expect profits in the 2022 financial year (excluding the uplift from the profits on disposal of properties) to be in line with market expectations and comfortably ahead of 2021. We remain committed in the medium-term to delivering above-market profitable growth and our target of 6-8% adjusted operating margin¹.

Alan Raleigh

Chairman

7 September 2022