18 September 2024

 

Strix Group Plc

 

("Strix", the "Group" or the "Company")

 

Interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024

Financial Summary

Results from continuing operations1	CER3	CER3	AER3	AER3	HY23
	HY24	Change	HY24	Change
Adjusted measures	£m	%/bps	£m	%/bps	£m
Revenue	67.2	3.5%	66.1	1.8%	64.9
Gross profit	26.9	12.6%	26.4	10.5%	23.9
Gross profit %	40.0%	+320bps	39.9%	+310bps	36.8%
EBITDA	16.9	8.3%	16.7	7.1%	15.6
EBITDA %	25.1%	+110bps	25.3%	+130bps	24.0%
Operating profit	13.0	9.2%	12.8	7.6%	11.9
Profit before tax	8.0	15.9%	7.8	13.0%	6.9
Net debt2			68.8	(26.1)%	93.1
Net debt leverage			1.76x	(33.8)%	2.66x
Operating cash conversion			115.4%	+1,670bps	98.7%
Diluted earnings per share	2.9p	7.4%	2.9p	7.4%	2.7p
GAAP Measures
Revenue			63.9	(1.6)%	64.9
Operating profit			1.1	(89.0)%	10.0
(Loss)/profit before tax			(3.8)	(174.5)%	5.1
Diluted (loss)/earnings per share			(2.3)p	(227.8)%	1.8 p

1.        Adjusted results from continuing operations exclude adjusting items, see note 16 and results from discontinued operation, Halosource see note 15

2.        Net debt is as defined by our bank facility agreement and excludes the impact of IFRS 16 lease liabilities

3.        "CER" being Constant Exchange Rate, is calculated by translating the HY24 figures by the average HY23 exchange rate, and "AER" being Actual Exchange Rate.

Financial Highlights

 

·	Adjusted revenues increase by 3.5% to £67.2m at CER (AER: 1.8%) in HY24, led by a strong performance in Kettle Controls and a positive mix shift to higher margin sales in the regulated and less regulated markets
·	Adjusted gross margins at 40.0% are up 320bps at CER (AER: 39.9%, +310 bps) on HY23, maintaining FY23 levels despite seasonally lower trading
·	Strong adjusted PBT growth of 15.9% (at CER) to £8.0m (AER: 13.0%, £7.8m; HY23: £6.9m)
·	Successful completion of 5% equity placing originating from a reverse enquiry (the "Equity Placing"), generated gross proceeds of £8.7m
·	Strong cash management reduced net debt leverage to just under 2.0x, significantly ahead of year-end target, with a further reduction to 1.76x from the proceeds of the Equity Placing (FY23: 2.19x, Covenant: 2.75x)
·	Management have exercised prudence with the essential continuation of investment into the business, focused on areas such as  new product development and other growth supporting initiatives
·	Net debt decreased to £68.8m (FY23: £83.7m), with RCF facility headroom of £9.0m at HY24 and increasing to £10.5m by the reporting date (FY23: £nil)
·	One year extension of the Group's £80.0m RCF banking facilities was secured on 11 September 2024 extending maturity to 25 October 2026
·	As a result of the restructuring and rebasing of the business (noted below), a number of impairments and other adjusting items have been booked in the period (see note 16)

 

Operational Highlights

 

·	As stated at the time of the full year results in March 2024, the Group has commenced a rebasing of the core business to build strong foundations to support the Group's medium-term opportunities for profitable growth
·	The Group has implemented a number of restructuring initiatives including the: o  Planned disposal of Halopure expected to complete by the end of FY24 o  Further streamlining of the Consumer Goods division to drive ongoing profitable growth o  Partial relocation of manufacturing activity at the Ramsey factory to Strix's China facility improve shipping times, cost and environmental footprint
·	The integration of Billi into the wider Strix group has been successfully completed along with a strategic reorganisation to support the longer term growth ambitions of the division, including the launch of new products (although slightly delayed) and securing initial distribution agreements in Europe
·	The Group commenced its capital investment into our new next generation kettle controls at the end of Q2 and will continue to prioritise this throughout the second half of the year, with revenue streams expected to flow in the second half of 2025
·	Continued focus on IP protection with three successful actions taken in HY24 and more identified for the second half
·	Investment made in China factory to support appliance manufacturing for a major brand within the Consumer Goods division

 

Outlook

·	The rebasing of the business has made significant progress in the first half of the year which the Group expects to see continue to the year end. The Board is very pleased with the accelerated rate in which the leverage position has been reduced and the target of 1.5x is now expected to be achieved ahead of the end of FY25
·	Following relatively lower trading for parts of Q3, Strix expects to have further clarity on the sales trends in the Kettle Control Markets as it moves into its peak season, supported by further product launches to increase the Group's target addressable market
·	Billi's expanding sales strategy is on track, generating initial sales in Europe with the division now expected to report high single digit growth for FY24 following the slightly delayed roll out of new products to the market
·	Consumer Goods restructure has successfully positioned the division for profitable medium term growth
·	Currency headwinds and commodity prices continue to present obstacles, the Group are actioning various strategies to mitigate the effect of these where possible
·	The Group's return to a position of balance sheet strength, allows for the continued investment in its technology and innovation, future proofing the business
·	The Board is pleased to confirm that notwithstanding the macro uncertainties, including relatively lower trading for parts of Q3 in regulated Kettle Controls, the Group is on track to report results for FY24 in line with market expectations

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer of Strix Group Plc, commented: "Strix has made considerable progress on a number of fronts in the first half of the year, namely the continued rebasing of the business and the reduction of our debt position which I'm very pleased to report is ahead of our target. Operational improvements have been made across the Group, better positioning us for medium and long term growth opportunities including new product launches, rationalisation of the Consumer Goods division and the roll out of Billi in key markets.

 

We continue to see profitable growth opportunities in all of our core markets and look forward to executing on our strategy in the second half of the year, further improving our competitive position, strengthening the balance sheet and delivering profit growth. Notwithstanding the macro uncertainties, including the relatively lower trading for parts of Q3 in regulated Kettle Controls, the Board expects to deliver full year results for the year in line with market expectations."

 

Analyst & Investor Presentation

 

Strix will be hosting a presentation for analysts later this morning, at 09:30am (BST). Analysts wishing to attend should email strix@gracechurchpr.com for details.

 

Strix will also be conducting an online Investor Presentation on Monday 23 September 2024 at 11am (BST), providing an update to investors following today's results and to answer questions submitted by viewers.

 

The webinar is open to all existing and potential shareholders, and registration is free. You can sign up to register here: https://www.equitydevelopment.co.uk/news-and-events/strixgroup-investorpresentation-23sept2024

 

The Group intends to release a further update to the market in November 2024 following attendance at the autumn trade fairs and feedback from our key partners and customers.

 

For further enquiries, please contact:

 

Strix Group Plc	+44 (0) 1624 829829
Mark Bartlett, CEO Clare Foster, CFO
Zeus (Nominated Advisor and Joint Broker)	+44 (0) 20 3829 5000
Nick Cowles / Jordan Warburton (Investment Banking) Dominic King (Corporate Broking)
Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Broker)	+44 (0) 20 7710 7600
Matthew Blawat / Francis North
Gracechurch Group (Financial PR and IR)	+44 (0) 204 582 3500
Heather Armstrong / Claire Norbury / Harry Chathli

 

The person responsible for arranging release of this Announcement on behalf of the Company is Mark Bartlett.

 

Information on Strix

 

Founded in 1982, Isle of Man based Strix is a global leader in the design, manufacture and supply of kettle safety controls and other components and devices involving water heating and temperature control, steam management and water filtration.

 

Strix has built up market leading capability and know-how, expanding into complementary products and technologies. The Group's brands include Aqua Optima, LAICA and Billi providing our customers with market leading water solutions on a global basis.

 

Strix is quoted on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM: KETL).

 

 

CEO's Report

 

Introduction

 

Strix continues to execute against its stated objectives, and I am pleased to report the progress the Group has made in the first six months of the year. As announced in March 2024, the rebasing and restructuring of the business has continued into HY24 to build strong foundations for medium-term growth opportunities as the market continues to recover. While the global economic backdrop remains volatile, Strix remains resilient as a result of the Group's revenue diversification strategy.

 

As stated on 25 July 2024 in the Company's Trading Update, Strix is seeing growth in its key Small Domestic Appliance ("SDA") markets which is encouraging. Progress has been made across all three of Strix's divisions in the period. The completion of the restructuring and rebasing of the business, and the return to a strong balance sheet will see the Group continue the pay down of its debt, aid in the renegotiation of its banking facilities and support further investment in Strix's technology and innovation, future proofing the Group for the long term.

 

Deleveraging

 

Reducing Strix's net debt leverage position remains a key priority for the Group, with a previously reported target to achieve less than 2.0x leverage by the end of FY24 and 1.5x leverage by the end of FY25. Over the course of HY24, the management team successfully implemented a number of self-help actions to conserve cash, via enhanced working capital management and a careful deceleration of capital expenditure. In addition, as announced on 12 June 2024, the Group raised £8.7m via an Equity Placing to further accelerate these efforts.

 

Pleasingly, at the end of HY24, the self-help initiatives resulted in net debt leverage dropping below 2.0x, with the funds secured in the Equity Placing bringing this position down further to 1.76x. As a result of this success, progress towards the Group's stated target of 1.5x leverage, has been effectively accelerated and we now expect to see this being achieved before the end of FY25.

 

Management have exercised prudence to balance the reduction of the leverage position with the essential continuation of investment into the business. This includes focusing spend on areas such as new product development and other growth supporting initiatives, to ensure the long-term growth prospects of the Group remain protected.

 

Restructuring

 

As part of the planned rebasing of the business, the Board has remained focused on maximising cash generation to support debt reduction. Resources have been selectively allocated to optimise commercial success, realigning efforts from commercially less sustainable projects to more attractive ones, to best support improved margins and the Group's medium term growth aspirations.

 

Over the course of HY24, Strix has undertaken a number of actions including streamlining of the Consumer Goods division through further rationalising of product lines and groups, and reducing headcount. This provides greater flexibility to selectively invest time and resources in projects with higher returns, allowing commercial focus to be redirected, so as to better support short and medium term high margin product launches across the Group.

 

The Group has also relocated parts of its manufacturing capabilities to its China facility from the Ramsey factory, namely the press production lines, while keeping the core technology of blades production, a key part of its heritage, on the Isle of Man. This allows for the transportation of raw materials and components to be more cost effective and efficient, as well as enhancing Strix's environmental footprint.

 

Following a comprehensive review of the Premium Filtration Systems (PFS) division, it was concluded that Strix would look to dispose of Halopure as it was not considered complementary to the Group's focus on smaller scale domestic filtration products. The growth prospects of Halopure in the medium term are limited, while also requiring additional investment. Disposal via sale is expected to complete in the second half of FY24 for a nominal value. This will allow the PFS division (now renamed Billi) to solely focus on capitalising on the significant growth opportunities presented by Billi, now that it has been fully integrated into the wider Strix Group offering.

 

As a result of the restructuring and rebasing of the business through the activities above, there have been a number of impairments and other adjusting items that have been booked in the period (see note 16).

 

The segmental reporting structure outlined in the Group's Interim Results now comprises:

1.     Kettle Controls

2.     Billi (previously PFS)

3.     Consumer goods

 

Market Overview

 

The global economic backdrop and geopolitical tensions remained volatile through the first half of the year, providing Strix with a mixed trading backdrop.

 

For the Kettle Controls division, the UK and Germany form the most important regulated markets. According to Deloitte, consumer confidence in the UK has risen by over ten percentage points in the first half of the year, returning to levels last seen before the latest wave of high inflation, and is expected to continue rising. Reports from JP Morgan suggest that it expects the UK economy to grow 0.4% between July and September 2024, up from a previous estimate of 0.3%.

 

According to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors ("RICS"), Britain's housing market in March 2024 saw the strongest levels of interest among buyers in more than two years, and a gauge of house prices also touched its highest level since 2022 as a recovery gathers more momentum. Figures from the RICS added to recent signs of stabilisation in the UK's housing market, driven by cooling inflation and falling mortgage costs after their rise hit demand in 2022 and 2023. We have seen further stability in the UK economy following the General Election and the IMF has noted that UK interest rates should fall to 3.5% by the end of 2025.

 

Reports from the European Union suggest that the German economy went through a recession in 2023 when real GDP declined by 0.2%. Despite continued headwinds, it recovered slightly at the start of 2024, with economic activity expected at 0.2% growth quarter on quarter in Q1 of 2024 which is encouraging.

 

Global trade has been under significant pressure since October 2023, when the Israel-Hamas war commenced. The disruption that this conflict has brought to transport routes in the Red Sea has meant higher freight costs and increased expenses for insuring commercial trade goods.

 

After three years of extreme volatility, commodities prices are set to broadly stabilise yet remain high in 2024, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. However, adverse weather conditions, escalating geopolitical tensions and increased shipping costs are among the risks to commodity price forecasts to watch. On the foreign exchange side, these trading results have been negatively impacted by fluctuations in the AUS dollar and Euro.

 

Kettle Controls

 

Kettle Controls contributed revenues of £30.5m at both CER and AER (HY23: £28.8m), up 5.9%, on the first half of 2023. The Group has continued to see growth and a stronger sales mix, with a focus on the higher margin regulated and less regulated markets. The regulated market, has seen underlying growth in the period in the USA, the Netherlands and the UK, with similar positive trends being seen in less regulated markets. Chinese market volumes have reduced against HY23, as Strix has pivoted away from some of the less profitable product lines, in line with its strategy. The successful launch of the new low cost control series is expected to facilitate the improvement of market share in this key strategic market for the future, with initial sales in Q3.

 

It is still too early to confirm whether the improvement in sales across the regulated and less regulated markets is due to stock refill or an underlying improvement in consumer demand. We are encouraged by the trends we have seen in the first six months of the year, although note that trading levels have been more volatile during Q3, in part due to factory shut downs at a number of Chinese OEMs. We will continue to monitor this closely and expect to have clearer visibility of true consumer demand across the whole market as we get further into the second half. This will also be supported by Strix's involvement at the Canton Fair, which provides important engagement opportunities with the Group's key customers and partners.

 

Following planned capital investments in the second half of FY24, the Group will be launching its next generation series of controls in FY25. Further supporting regulated market sales and protecting the long-term resilience of the division through product diversification.

 

Copper and silver make up a significant portion of Strix's consumption of raw materials. Strix sees these prices remaining high in the short term, adding pressure to gross margins. To mitigate these risks, the Group enters into forward commodity contracts or makes payments in advance where possible.

 

Billi

 

The integration of Billi into the Strix portfolio is progressing well. The division contributed £22.2m (HY23: £21.4m) to Group revenue at CER (AER: £21.4m), up 3.7%, with 76.6% of that revenue generated in the Australia market. According to KPMG, the Australian economy "staggered" into 2024, edging close to recession with just 0.1% growth over Q1 2024. Notwithstanding these macro challenges, Billi is performing well against its previously stated strategy of new product development and geographic expansion. Strix has secured initial distribution agreements in Europe and first sales to this key region were reported in HY24. Although subject to some short delays, the Group has successfully launched a number of new products in the period, including the Multi-Function Tap, compatible with the full range of Billi under-counter modules and the new Omni-One under-counter unit, with more in the pipeline.

 

The Group is in discussions with strategic partners and distributors to establish a comprehensive platform in Europe to provide the foundation for ongoing growth in this key region. Due to short delays in the roll out of new products, Strix now expects the division to grow slightly slower in FY24, to achieve high single digit growth on a constant currency basis vs FY23.

 

Consumer Goods

 

The Consumer Goods division reported a slight decrease in revenues, down by (1.4)%, to £14.5m at CER (AER: £14.2m; HY23: £14.7m). Strong progress has been made in HY24 in terms of restructuring the division for future profitable growth predominantly through the ongoing rationalisation and streamlining of product lines.

 

Progress in further expanding our OEM partnerships with new relationships as well as reinforcing connections with our existing partners has been successful in the period. This has resulted in the creation of new appliances and products being developed and manufactured by Strix to be launched in the second half of the year and continuing into 2025. By expanding our OEM and ODM partnership base, we expect new product development projects to continue as well as allowing us to access routes to new markets.

 

New distribution agreements have been secured for our LAICA brand, opening a sales channel for Italian manufactured filtration products in China. Progress has also been made in positioning LAICA as the European leader in products for consumers wanting to achieve "wellness at home". Product development has continued at pace and will see a number of products released to the market in the second half of FY24.

The Group was also delighted to celebrate LAICA's 50^th Anniversary in June of this year, representing an important milestone for such a key brand within the Group's portfolio.  

 

 

 

Barriers to Entry and IP

 

Strix evaluates the risks and threats from the competitive landscape on an ongoing basis. As a result, the innovative technology produced by Strix is constantly evolving, supported by a solution led R&D team. Strix protects its new products and solutions through a robust IP strategy and sustainable investment, and remains committed to consumer safety. We continue to prompt regulatory enforcement authorities to remove unsafe and poor quality products from our major markets. Strix has successfully taken such actions in the first half of FY24 with more identified for the second half of the year. The Group also continues to defend its intellectual property, initiating litigation in China against a control manufacturer it believes to be infringing on patents.

 

The relationships that Strix has cultivated with its brands, OEMs and retailers are unique, contributing to its market leading position. The Group's extensive market knowledge allows it to provide support across the value chain and throughout the product lifecycle, including product design and advice on specification and manufacturing solutions. These solution-led and customer focused services help to foster strong relationships, ensuring brand strength and positioning Strix as a trusted partner in the market.

 

Sustainability

 

Sustainability remains a priority for Strix across its divisions and we continue to make progress against our stated targets. Strix achieved its ambitious net zero Scope 1 and 2 targets in 2023 with a reduction in emissions of 95% over two years and investment to supply 10% of the Group's requirements from its own solar infrastructure. Scope 1 focus remains on how to further reduce emissions with investment in more efficient infrastructure such as boilers and the use of electric vehicles. Scope 2 is now concentrated on the Group's 100% use of green power or self-generated solar energy; hence the focus has shifted to absolute reduction in consumption of energy usage and intensity (both per piece and per £m).

 

The restructuring of the Group and the relocation of manufacturing capabilities from Ramsey to China has been positive for all Scopes, including Scope 3 through reduced transportation emissions.

 

In 2024 greater focus has been given to biodiversity and nature to ensure compliance with the forthcoming Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures initiative, aligning Strix with the Global Biodiversity Framework. Furthermore, additional resource will be given to progressing Strix's social agenda through structure and incentivisation, significantly increasing employee community engagement and events. Strix's consumer focused subsidiary, LAICA, is developing a stand-alone sustainability capability and reporting to assist relationships with local stakeholders including financially focused audiences.

 

ISO roll-out across the Group continues with Billi applying for both ISO14001 (Environmental) & ISO45001 (OHSAS) by the year end while work is underway to evaluate the adoption of ISO14064 (reporting & validation of GHG emissions).

 

Outlook

 

The rebasing of the business has made significant progress in the first half of the year and we expect to see this continue to the year end. The Board is very pleased with the accelerated rate in which the leverage position has been reduced and we now expect the target of 1.5x to be achieved before the end of FY25.

 

Following relatively lower trading for parts of Q3, Strix expects to have further clarity on the sales trends in the Kettle Controls markets as it moves into its peak season, supported by further product launches to increase the Group's target addressable market. Billi's expansion sales strategy is on track, generating initial sales in Europe with the division now expected to report single digit growth for FY24, following the slightly delayed roll out of new products to the market.

 

Currency headwinds and commodity prices continue to present obstacles, the Group is actioning various strategies to mitigate the effect of these where possible.

 

The Group's return to balance sheet strength and its resilient cash flows will allow for the continued pay down of debt as well as ongoing investment in its technology and innovation, thereby future proofing the business.

 

 

CFO's Review

 

Financial performance - continuing operations

	HY24 (CER)2				HY24 (AER)2				HY23 (AER)2
	Adjusted Revenue1 £m	Change	Adjusted GP%1	Change	Adjusted Revenue1 £m	Change	Adjusted GP%1	Change	Adjusted Revenue1 £m	Adjusted GP%1
Kettle Controls	30.5	5.9%	38.2%	100bps	30.5	5.9%	38.2%	100bps	28.8	37.2%
Billi (previously PFS)	22.2	3.7%	49.1%	280bps	21.4	0.0%	49.3%	300bps	21.4	46.3%
Consumer Goods	14.5	(1.4%)	29.6%	740bps	14.2	(3.4%)	29.5%	730bps	14.7	22.2%
Group	67.2	3.5%	40.0%	320bps	66.1	1.8%	39.9%	310bps	64.9	36.8%

 

1.        Adjusted results from continuing operations exclude adjusting items, see note 16 and results from discontinued operation, Halosource see note 15

2.        "CER" being Constant Exchange Rate, is calculated by translating the HY24 figures by the average HY23 exchange rate, and "AER" being Actual Exchange Rate.

Revenue

 

Group revenues reached £67.2m, representing a 3.5% increase (at CER) against the prior half year. At AER, growth was lower at 1.8%, reflecting foreign exchange headwinds in the form of a weaker AUD and EUR.

 

Kettle Controls has shown positive growth in the first six months, up 5.9% at CER to £30.5m (AER: 5.9% to £30.5m). China sales have experienced a marked decrease of (25.9)%, reflecting both a slowdown in this part of the kettles market and a degree of market share reduction as the Group continues to walk away from non-profitable business in this highly price sensitive sector. More than offsetting this, we have seen strong growth of 11% in the higher margin regulated/less regulated markets in HY24.

 

Billi (previously PFS) continues to report growth, up 3.7% at CER to £22.2m (AER: 0.0% to £21.4m). As expected, this is running below double digit growth in the first half year, following on from a strong start to HY23, and ahead of new product introductions and the push into Europe. Both of which are expected to drive higher growth levels in the second half of the year.

 

Our Consumer Goods division has seen a small decrease in the first six months, down (1.4)% at £14.5m at CER (AER: (3.4)% to £14.2m) as ongoing restructuring activities have continued (see note 16). Looking ahead, actions taken will see this part of the Group able to focus more effectively on its core higher margin growth areas.

 

Trading profit

 

The Group has performed well at a gross margin level, with a strong increase of 320bps to 40.0% (AER: 39.9%; HY23: 36.8%) and maintaining margins at FY23 levels, despite lower seasonal trading levels in the first half of the year. Reflecting the increases in both trading and margin, gross profit of £26.9m is 12.6% up at CER (AER: 10.5% up at £26.4m; HY23: £23.9m).

 

Regionally, our Consumer Goods division is showing the biggest improvement in gross margin with a 740bps increase on HY23 at CER (AER: 730bps). This is predominantly due to an improved sales mix, with a greater degree of higher margin sales to key OEMs and lower online trading, improved overhead recovery and the positive impact of sale price increases secured over the last 12 months.

 

In Kettle Controls GP% has increased 100bps to 38.2% (HY23: 37.2%), largely reflecting the positive mix shift to the regulated/less regulated sector. Our Billi division continues to report the highest gross margin in the Group, with gross margin increasing by a further 280bps to 49.1% at CER (AER: 49.5%; HY23: 46.3%) as higher margin sales in the UK part of the business continue to grow.

 

Net overhead and distribution costs are running ahead of the prior half year at £13.9m at CER (AER: £13.6m; HY23: £12.0m) as a result of additional costs in Billi UK (annualisation of investments made in FY23), higher freight costs due to the issues in the Middle East, increased advertising and promotional spend to support online sales in the Consumer Goods division and the impact of inflation.

 

Despite the increase in overheads, operating profits at CER remain 9.2% up at £13.0m (AER: 7.6% up to £12.8m) HY23: £11.9m) as the positive impacts at the gross profit level more than offset the increased overhead and distribution costs.

 

The Group's adjusted EBITDA margin remains strong at 25.1% at CER (AER: 25.3%; HY23: 24.0%) reflecting the robust underlying profitability of the Group. 

 

Reflecting all of the commentary above and the impact of finance costs, we have seen a strong increase in adjusted profit before tax, up 15.9% to £8.0m at CER (AER: £7.8m; HY23: £6.9m).

 

Finance costs

 

Finance costs remain in line with the prior half year at £5.0m (HY23: £5.0m). We expect costs to be lower in the second half of the year due to the significant reduction in gross debt following on from the part repayment of the RCF facility of £9.0m in June, in addition to the ongoing amortising term loan repayments of £3.6m per quarter.

 

Lower net debt leverage, has also brought the Group into a lower interest rate ratchet for the remainder of the year, decreasing the interest margin on the Group's facilities by 50bps to 2.35%.

 

Adjusting items from continuing operations

 

As announced in our FY23 presentation and as part of the Group's subsequent updates to the market, the restructuring and rebasing of the business has continued in 2024 to allow us to build strong foundations to support the Group's medium-term growth opportunities.

 

A key part of this process has been the ongoing commercial review of product lines/groups (predominantly within the Consumer Goods division) with the intention of providing the business with the flexibility to selectively invest time and resources in those projects with higher returns. As a result of this process, the business has approved the cessation of a number of product lines/groups and associated capital development projects, which has resulted in the impairment of certain items on the balance sheet including capital development assets, stock and some licensing debtors.

 

As a result of these activities, in continuing operations the Group has reported non-recurring adjusting items of £10.9m for the first six months of the year (HY23: £1.8m) (see note 16).

 

The largest element of these costs relates to impairments in our Consumer Goods division of £5.8m, including tooling/intangibles, inventories and licensing agreements associated with product lines/groups where the Group does not intend to place further commercial focus or allocate resources. These decisions have been made based on the level of additional investment in both time and resources required to ensure specific product lines/groups can be successfully marketed, including the provision of suitable marketing and promotional strategies, versus the expected timing and profitability of that product line/group. Additional personnel costs of £0.6m, relating to the restructuring of the Consumer Goods division have also been incurred in the period.

 

Non-recurring adjusting items have been recognised in our Kettle Controls division of £1.2m. Certain Kettle Controls capital expenditure projects were deferred to allow the business to retain additional cash within the group and reduce net debt levels. This timing change has resulted in the £0.8m impairment of specific fixed term licensing debtors that related to this technology. Restructuring costs related to the announced part-closure of our Ramsey manufacturing site totalled £0.4m.

 

Central restructuring costs of £0.2m (HY23: £nil) relate to personnel changes.

 

The £3.1m of settlements relate predominantly to the Group being in the final stages of negotiating a commercial settlement with one of its key OEM customers. The Group expect this process to be completed in the coming weeks, leading to an estimated settlement amount of £2.2m. We have accrued for this amount within the 30 June 2024 balance sheet as an adjusting post balance sheet event for HY24. As this is a non-recurring and material amount, this has been presented as an adjusting item in the HY24 income statement. The other £0.9m largely relates to a final settlement agreement with all parties to the LAICA acquisition, regarding the transfer of a Taiwanese property.

 

Adjusting items from discontinued operations

 

Following a comprehensive review of the Group's business unit Halopure (previously part of our PFS division), it was concluded that the Group would look to dispose of this business. Disposal is expected to be via sale at a nominal value in the second half of the year. The net assets of the business have been reclassified as assets held for sale in the Group's balance sheet and have been impaired by £2.3m to £nil, reflecting the minimal expected fair value less costs to sell on disposal. This number will continue to be reviewed ahead of eventual sale, but is not expected to change significantly. In addition to this, we have also recognised £0.2m (HY23: £nil) of redundancy costs.

 

Cash flow

 

The Group has maintained consistently high operating cash generation, with a strong adjusted operating cash conversion ratio of 115.4% in the current period (HY23: 98.7%; FY23: 106.4%).

 

Ongoing improvements in working capital management have reduced net working capital by a further £2.8m in the first half year. Reflecting our success in this area, working capital as a % of sales has reduced significantly to 7.6% (FY23: 16.7%). A measured and careful deceleration of organic capital expenditure has further aided cash conservation, leading to reduced investment outflows of £3.9m (HY23: £6.5m).

 

Net proceeds from the reverse equity placing generated £8.4m of cash in the first half of the year, allowing the part repayment of the Group's RCF. As at 30 June 2024, the Group has access to £9.0m of unutilised RCF facilities (FY23: £nil), providing a much greater security and flexibility of funding.

 

Net debt and capital allocation

 

Prioritising cash generation and net debt reduction remains a top priority for the Group. As a result of that focus, and reflecting all the successes discussed above, the Group's net debt position (as defined in our banking facility agreement), decreased by £14.9m to £68.8m (FY23: £83.7m).

 

Net debt leverage reduced significantly in the period, to 1.76x (FY23: 2.19x), providing substantial headroom against a covenant of 2.75x. The Group continues to prioritise cash retention and net debt leverage reduction in the short term in line with its capital allocation framework. As a result of this process, a target of initially reducing net debt leverage to 1.5x has been put in place. After which, leverage appetite will remain at between 1.0x to 2.0x for the medium term.

 

The Group has continued to work proactively with its banking partners to enhance flexibility and security of funds within the existing agreement. Step one of that process was the March 2024 normalisation of the Group's net debt leverage covenant to 2.75x for the duration of the remaining facility (previously: 2.25x). This has been followed up by the approval of a one year extension on 11 September 2024, for the full £80m of RCF facility, providing the Group with funding security out to 25 October 2026.

 

Looking ahead, the Group intends to initiate a full competitive refinancing process in FY25 to provide appropriate cost effective and flexible funding to support the Group's medium term investment driven growth aspirations.

 

 

Condensed INTERIM consolidated statement of comprehensive income

for the period ended 30 June 2024 (unaudited)

			Period ended 30 June 2024	Period ended 30 June 2023
				Restated*
Income statement		Note	£000s	£000s
Revenue - before adjusting items			66,096	64,948
Revenue - adjusting items		16	(2,200)	-
Revenue			63,896	64,948
Cost of sales - before adjusting items			(39,702)	(41,006)
Cost of sales - adjusting items		16	(1,062)	(66)
Cost of sales			(40,764)	(41,072)
Gross profit			23,132	23,876
Distribution costs			(5,489)	(4,860)
Administrative expenses - before adjusting items			(8,334)	(7,283)
Administrative expenses - adjusting items		16	(8,415)	(1,829)
Administrative expenses			(16,749)	(9,112)
Share of losses from joint ventures			-	(25)
Other operating income			194	135
Operating profit			1,088	10,014
Finance costs		4	(5,009)	(5,029)
Finance income			91	67
(Loss)/profit before taxation			(3,830)	5,052
Income tax expense			(1,200)	(1,109)
(Loss)/profit from continuing operations			(5,030)	3,943
Loss from discontinued operations - before adjusting items		15	(245)	(116)
Loss from discontinued operations - adjusting items		15/16	(2,494)	-
Loss from discontinued operations		15	(2,739)	(116)
(Loss)/profit for the period			(7,769)	3,827
Other comprehensive income
(Loss)/profit for the period			(7,769)	3,827
Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations			(1,035)	(794)
Exchange differences on translation of discontinued operation			(42)	(177)
Total comprehensive (expense)/income			(8,846)	2,856
(Loss)/profit for the period attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company			(7,796)	3,856
Non-controlling interests			27	(29)
			(7,769)	3,827
Total comprehensive (expense)/income for the period attributable to:
Equity holders of the Company			(8,858)	2,900
Non-controlling interests			12	(44)
			(8,846)	2,856
Total comprehensive (expense)/income for the period attributable to Equity holders of the Company arises from:
Continuing operations			(6,077)	3,193
Discontinued operations		15	(2,781)	(293)
			(8,858)	2,900

* Prior period numbers have been restated as a result of discontinued operations, see note 15

Condensed INTERIM consolidated statement of comprehensive income

for the period ended 30 June 2024 (unaudited) (continued)

			Period ended 30 June 2024	Period ended 30 June 2023
		Note		Restated*
(Loss)/earnings per share (pence) from continuing operations
Basic		5	(2.3)	1.8
Diluted		5	(2.3)	1.8
(Loss)/earnings per share (pence)
Basic		5	(3.5)	1.8
Diluted		5	(3.5)	1.7

 

* Prior period numbers have been restated as a result of discontinued operations, see note 15

 

 

Condensed INTERIM consolidated balance sheet

as at 30 June 2024 (unaudited)

 

	Note	As at 30 June 2024	(audited) As at 31 December 2023
ASSETS		£000s	£000s
Non-current assets
Intangible assets	6	68,409	73,409
Property, plant and equipment	7	44,231	46,215
Deferred tax asset		922	957
Investments in joint ventures		1	1
Net investments in finance leases		-	11
Total non-current assets		113,563	120,593
Current assets
Inventories	8	27,593	25,440
Trade and other receivables	9	20,816	27,713
Current income tax receivable		354	220
Cash and cash equivalents		19,960	20,114
		68,723	73,487
Assets classified held for sale	15	399	-
Total current assets		69,122	73,487
Total assets		182,685	194,080
EQUITY AND LIABILITIES
Equity
Share capital and share premium		32,002	23,642
Share based payment reserve		126	572
Retained earnings		9,879	18,167
Non-controlling interests		665	653
Total equity		42,672	43,034
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables		31,365	27,165
Borrowings	10	16,326	16,062
Future lease liabilities		1,217	1,218
Current income tax liabilities		2,113	2,074
Liabilities associated with assets held for sale	15	826	-
Total current liabilities		51,847	46,519
Non-current liabilities
Future lease liabilities		3,081	3,592
Deferred tax liability		10,145	10,304
Borrowings	10	74,169	89,743
Post-employment benefits		771	888
Total non-current liabilities		88,166	104,527
Total liabilities		140,013	151,046
Total equity and liabilities		182,685	194,080

 

Condensed INTERIM consolidated statement of changes in equity

as at 30 June 2024 (unaudited)

 

	Share capital and share premium	Share-based payment reserve	Retained earnings	Total equity attributable to owners	Non-controlling interests	Total equity
	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s	£000s
Balance at 1 January 2023	23,861	202	12,479	36,542	707	37,249
Profit/(loss) for the period	-	-	3,856	3,856	(29)	3,827
Other comprehensive expense	-	-	(956)	(956)	(15)	(971)
Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the period	-	-	2,900	2,900	(44)	2,856
Transfers between reserves	-	(47)	10	(37)	-	(37)
Transaction costs	(219)	-	-	(219)	-	(219)
Share-based payment transactions	-	86	-	86	-	86
Total transactions with owners recognised directly in equity	(219)	39	10	(170)	-	(170)
Other transactions recognised directly in equity	-	31	(64)	(33)	-	(33)
Balance at 30 June 2023	23,642	272	15,325	39,239	663	39,902
Balance at 1 January 2024	23,642	572	18,167	42,381	653	43,034
(Loss)/profit for the period	-	-	(7,796)	(7,796)	27	(7,769)
Other comprehensive expense	-	-	(1,062)	(1,062)	(15)	(1,077)
Total comprehensive (expense)/income for the period	-	-	(8,858)	(8,858)	12	(8,846)
Transfers between reserves	2	(572)	570	-	-	-
Issue of shares	8,748	-	-	8,748	-	8,748
Transaction costs	(390)	-	-	(390)	-	(390)
Share-based payment transactions	-	129	-	129	-	129
Total transactions with owners recognised directly in equity	8,360	(443)	570	8,487	-	8,487
Other transactions recognised directly in equity	-	(3)	-	(3)	-	(3)
Balance at 30 June 2024	32,002	126	9,879	42,007	665	42,672

 

 

 

 

Condensed INTERIM consolidated cash flow statement

for the PERIOD ended 30 June 2024 (unaudited)

 

		Period ended	Period ended
		30 June 2024	30 June 2023
	Note	£000s	£000s
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations	13(a)	17,940	14,443
Tax paid		(1,365)	(1,327)
Net cash generated from operating activities		16,575	13,116
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment		(1,522)	(3,338)
Capitalised development costs	6	(2,068)	(2,747)
Earnout payments regarding the acquisition of LAICA		-	(7,499)
Consideration refunded regarding the acquisition of Billi		-	1,046
Purchase of other intangibles	6	(321)	(463)
Finance income		91	65
Net cash used in investing activities		(3,820)	(12,936)
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayments of non-current borrowings	13(b)	(15,550)	(3,661)
Finance costs paid		(4,645)	(4,358)
Principal elements of lease payments		(849)	(489)
Net proceeds from issue of new shares		8,418	-
Net cash used in financing activities		(12,626)	(8,508)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		129	(8,328)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period		20,114	30,443
Effects of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents		(281)	(684)
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period		19,962	21,431

 

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period include £2k (HY23: £145k) relating to discontinued operations and included in assets held for sale.

 

 

Notes to the condensed INTERIM cONSOLIDATED financial statements

for the PERIOD ended 30 June 2024 (unaudited)

 

1. Basis of preparation

These condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 "Interim Financial Reporting". They do not include all the information required for a complete set of financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union. However, explanatory notes are included to explain events and transactions that are significant to an understanding of the changes in the Group's financial position and its financial performance compared with the comparative periods ended 31 December 2023 and 30 June 2023. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the last annual consolidated financial statements as at 31 December 2023.

 

The Group's annual financial statements are prepared in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards ("IFRS") and International Financial Reporting Standards Interpretation Committee ("IFRS IC") interpretations as adopted by the European Union. The interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the Group's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023, which is available at www.strixplc.com. The comparative figures for the financial year ended 31 December 2023 have been extracted from the full Annual Report and Accounts for that financial year.  Those accounts have been reported on by the Company's auditor.  The Independent Auditor's report was unqualified. These condensed consolidated interim financial statements are unaudited.

 

At the date of approval of the interim financial statements, there are no new standards and interpretations which are relevant to the Group which were in issue but not yet effective.

 

Non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations

 

Non-current assets (or disposal groups) are classified as assets held for sale when their carrying amount is to be recovered principally through a sale transaction and a sale is considered highly probable. They are measured at the lower of carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell, with the exception of assets which are scoped out

of the measurement requirements of IFRS 5 'Non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations', for example financial assets, which continue to be measured in accordance with IFRS 9 'Financial instruments'.

 

Where the carrying amount of a non-current asset or disposal group held for sale exceeds its fair value less costs to sell, a loss is recognised. This is allocated firstly against any goodwill attributable to the disposal group, and then to other non-current assets in the disposal group that are in scope of IFRS 5's measurement requirements. Any excess loss remaining is recognised against the remaining assets of the disposal group as a whole.

 

A component of the Group that is held for sale or disposed of is presented as a discontinued operation either when it is a subsidiary acquired exclusively with a view to resale; or it represents, or is part of a coordinated plan to dispose of, a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations. The net results of discontinued operations are presented separately in the Group income statement (and the comparatives restated).

 

 

Going concern

These interim financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis. The Directors have made enquiries to assess the appropriateness of continuing to adopt the going concern basis.

 

In making this assessment they have considered:

 

·	The current and historic trading and profitability performance of the Group;
·	Income statement and cash flow forecasts for the period to 31 December 2025, including current and forecast debt covenant headroom; and
·	The current financial position of the Group, including (i) cash and cash equivalents balances of £20.0m (FY23: £20.1m) and (ii) undrawn and accessible RCF facilities of £9.0m (FY23: £nil)

 

Based on these considerations, the Directors have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The key entities in the Group have traded profitably, excluding non-cash adjusted items, for an extended period of time. As a result, the Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the interim financial statements and consider there are no material uncertainties about the Group's ability to continue as a going concern.

 

Seasonality of operations

The Group's revenue and profit after tax is subject to a degree of seasonality due to the occurrence of the Chinese New Year public holiday during the first half of the year and the seasonality of small domestic appliance markets. In the financial year ended 31 December 2023, 45% (FY22: 42%) of the Group's revenue and 24% (FY22: 37%) of the Group's profit after tax accumulated in the first half of the year.

2. Critical accounting judgements and estimates

In the application of the Group's accounting policies, the Directors are required to make judgements (other than those involving estimations) that have a significant impact on the amounts recognised and to make estimates and assumptions about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

In preparing these condensed consolidated interim financial statements, the significant judgements made by management in applying the Group's accounting policies and the key sources of estimation uncertainty include those disclosed in the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023.

 

Alternative performance measures (APMs) - Adjusting items

 

Management and the Board consider the quantitative and qualitative factors in classifying items as adjusting items and exercise judgement in determining the adjustments to apply to IFRS measures. This assessment covers the nature of the item, cause of occurrence, frequency, predictability of occurrence of the item or related event, and the scale of the impact of that item on reported performance.

 

For the six months to 30 June 2024, the presentation as discontinued operations and the fair value of assets being held for sale in relation to discontinued operations is a new key judgement area, due to the planned disposal of Halosource (see note 15). We have assessed fair value less costs to sell to be minimal, due to the nominal expected sales price and therefore have impaired all related non-current assets to £nil, excluding lease ROU assets. We consider Halosource to be a separate major line of business, as this represents a discrete business line for the Group, that operates outside of our normal markets in the industrial farming space, with exclusive manufacturing facilities located in Shanghai and a separate workforce. Halosource was the first acquisition that the Group made and we recognise that the underlying trading results of this business are therefore of specific and greater interest to stakeholders, notwithstanding its relatively low level of trading in the period.

 

2. Critical accounting judgements and estimates (continued)

Alternative performance measures (APMs) - Adjusting items (continued)

 

The ongoing restructuring and rebasing activities undertaken in HY24, have also led to additional new judgements and estimates being made with regards to the impact of the de-prioritisation of specific product lines & groups, predominantly within the Group's Consumer Goods division. A key area of focus being the estimation of the fair value of underlying assets, and their related impairment in the 30 June 2024 balance sheet (see note 16). Creditors relating to settlement claims have also been recognised in the 30 June 2024 balance sheet where we consider that the business has a constructive obligation to pay monies over to third parties at the balance sheet date, to the extent that amounts are considered to be reasonably certain.

 

3. SEGMENTAL REPORTING

 

Management has determined the operating segments based on the operating reports reviewed by the Board of Directors that are used to assess both performance and strategic decisions. Management has identified that the Board of Directors is the chief operating decision maker in accordance with the requirements of IFRS 8 'Operating segments'.

 

The Group's activities consist of the design, manufacture and sale of thermostatic controls, cordless interfaces, and other products such as water dispensers, jugs and filters, water heating and temperature control, steam management, water filtration and small household appliances for personal health and wellness, primarily to Original Equipment Manufacturers ("OEMs"), commercial and residential customers based in China, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

 

The Board of Directors has identified 3 reportable segments from a product perspective, namely: Kettle Controls, Billi (previously classified as Premium Filtration Systems), and Consumer Goods (made up of water products and appliances).

 

The Board of Directors primarily uses a measure of gross profit to assess the performance of the operating segments, broken down into revenue and cost of sales for each respective segment which is reported to them on a monthly basis. Information about segment revenue, cost of sales and gross profit is disclosed below.

 

 

	Reported Results
	Period ended 30 June 2024
	(£000s)
	Kettle Controls	Billi	Consumer Goods	Total
Revenue	28,322	21,364	14,210	63,896
Cost of sales	(19,078)	(10,823)	(10,863)	(40,764)
Gross profit	9,244	10,541	3,347	23,132
	Period ended 30 June 2023
	(£000s)
	Kettle Controls	Billi	Consumer Goods	Total
Revenue	28,819	21,468	14,661	64,948
Cost of sales	(18,127)	(11,515)	(11,430)	(41,072)
Gross profit	10,692	9,953	3,231	23,876

 

 

 

3. SEGMENTAL REPORTING (continued)

 

	Adjusted Results
	Period ended 30 June 2024
	(£000s)
	Kettle Controls	Billi	Consumer Goods	Total
Revenue	30,522	21,364	14,210	66,096
Cost of sales	(18,855)	(10,823)	(10,024)	(39,702)
Gross profit	11,667	10,541	4,186	26,394
	Period ended 30 June 2023
	(£000s)
	Kettle Controls	Billi	Consumer Goods	Total
Revenue	28,819	21,468	14,661	64,948
Cost of sales	(18,084)	(11,518)	(11,404)	(41,006)
Gross profit	10,735	9,950	3,257	23,942

 

Results from discontinued operations are not included in these numbers and were previously reported under Billi.

Below is the geographical analysis of adjusted revenue from external customers.

	Period ended 30 June 2024	Period ended 30 June 2023
Australia	14,199	14,490
China	28,455	27,119
Italy	6,177	6,777
UK	8,141	7,477
Others	9,124	9,085
Total	66,096	64,948

 

Assets and liabilities

No analysis of the assets and liabilities of each operating segment is provided to the Board of Directors as part of monthly management reporting. Therefore, no analysis of segmented assets or liabilities is disclosed in this note.

 

 

3. SEGMENTAL REPORTING (continued)

Non-current assets (i) attributed to country of domicile and (ii) attributable to all other foreign countries

In accordance with IFRS 8, the following table discloses the non-current assets located in both the Company's country of domicile (the Isle of Man) and foreign countries, primarily China, Italy Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom where the Group's main principle operating subsidiaries are domiciled.

 

	30 June 2024	31 December 2023
	£000s	£000s
Country of domicile
Intangible assets	11,391	13,084
Property, plant and equipment	2,350	2,599
Total country of domicile	13,741	15,683
Foreign countries
Intangible assets	57,018	60,325
Property, plant and equipment	41,881	43,616
Total foreign countries	98,899	103,941
Total	112,640	119,624

 

Major customers

In the first half of 2024, no customer individually accounted for at least 10% of total revenues (HY23: one customer). The revenues relating to this customer in 6 months ended 30 June 2023 were £6.9m.

 

4. finance costs

	Period ended 30 June 2024	Period ended 30 June 2023
	£000s	£000s
Letter of credit charges	80	89
Lease liability interest	90	75
Borrowing costs	4,839	4,865
Total finance costs	5,009	5,029

 

Further information about the Group's borrowings is provided in note 10.

Results from discontinued operations are not included in these numbers.