REG - ASOS PLC - Trading Statement <Origin Href="QuoteRef">ASOS.L</Origin>

AsosAnnouncement

29/10/2014 12:02

RNS Number : 7421R
ASOS PLC
16 September 2014
16 September 2014
ASOS plc ("the Company")
Global Online Fashion Destination
Trading Statement for the three months ended 31 August 2014

Three months to 31 August
Year to 31 August
'000s
2014
2013
Increase
CCY^
increase 
2014
2013
Increase
CCY^
increase
UK retail sales
98,321
74,101
33%
33%
372,241
276,027
35%
35%
 US retail sales
20,797
20,872
0%
10%
92,311
77,678
19%
25%
 EU retail sales
64,049
53,036
21%
29%
256,385
177,708
44%
45%
 ROW retail sales
56,854
59,922
(5%)
3%
234,358
222,394
5%
15%
Total International retail sales
141,700
133,830
6%
14%
583,054
477,780
22%
28%
Total retail sales
240,021
207,931
15%
21%
955,295
753,807
27%
30%









Total group revenues*
245,663
212,466
16%
22%
975,470
769,396
27%
30%
*Includes retail sales, delivery receipts and third party revenues.
^On constant exchange rate basis
Three months to 31 August 2014 highlights 
 Retail sales +15% (UK +33%, International +6%)
 International retail sales 59% of total (64% last year)
 Retail gross margin down c.640 bps on prior year
 8.8 million active customers1 at 31 August 2014 (+25% year on year)
Year to 31 August 2014 highlights
 Retail sales +27% (UK +35%, International +22%)
 International retail sales 61% of total (63% last year)
 Retail gross margin down c.230 bps on prior year
 Strong balance sheet and cash position
Nick Robertson, CEO, commented:
"Our UK performance remained strong over the final quarter, with sales increasing 33%. Our International business grew 6% or 14% in constant currency. However, due to the fire at our Barnsley distribution centre, we lost sales during the quarter of between 25m and 30m with a retail gross margin impact of c.200 basis points. After adjusting forinsurance proceeds, we expect profit before tax for the year to be in line with market expectations.
Engagement with our customers remains positive with a 25% growth in active customers and increases in order frequency, conversion rate and average basket value. Sales for the year as a whole increased by 27%.
In the new financial year we'll make significant investments in our international pricing and proposition, as well as in our logistical infrastructure and technology platform. As a result, we expect profit before tax for the year to 31 August 2015 to be at a similar level to 2013/14.
We remain focussed on the long term opportunity for ASOS, with 2.5bn of sales as our next staging post".
Analyst/Investor conference call:
ASOS will be hosting a conference call for analysts and investors at 8:30am (UK Time) today. Please call Antonia Pollock at Instinctif Partners for dial-in details on 0207 457 2857 or email antonia.pollock@instinctif.com.
A recording of this conference call will be available on the ASOS Plc investor centre website later today: http://www.asosplc.com/investors.aspx
Photography:
Latest photography will be available at: http://www.asosplc.com/media/image-library.aspx
For further information: 
ASOS plc 
Tel: 020 7756 1000
Nick Robertson, Chief Executive 

Nick Beighton, Finance Director
Greg Feehely, Head of Investor Relations





Instinctif Partners
Tel: 020 7457 2020
Matthew Smallwood / Justine Warren / Antonia Pollock
 


JPMorgan Cazenove
Tel: 020 7742 4000
Luke Bordewich / Gina Gibson  



Numis Securities
Tel:020 7260 1000
Alex Ham 

Background note
ASOS is a global fashion destination for 20-somethings. We sell cutting-edge 'fast fashion' and offer a wide variety of fashion-related content, making ASOS.com the hub of a thriving fashion community. We sell over 90,000 branded and own-brand products through localised mobile and web experiences, delivering from our fulfilment centres in the UK, US, Europe and China to almost every country in the world.
We tailor the mix of own-label, global and local brands sold through each of our nine local language websites: UK, US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Russia and China.
ASOS's websites attract 71.2 million visits per month (August 2013: 68.5 million) and as at 31 August 2014 had 8.8 million active customers1 (31 August 2013: 7.1 million), of which 3.4 million were located in the UK and 5.4 million were located in our international territories (31 August 2013: 2.8 million in the UK and 4.3 million internationally).
1 Defined as having shopped in the last 12 months
www.asos.com
www.asos.es
www.us.asos.com
www.asos.com/ru
www.asos.de
www.asos.cn
www.asos.fr
m.asos.com
www.asos.com/au
marketplace.asos.com
www.asos.it
fashionfinder.asos.com


Appendix 1
Retail sales by quarter for the year ending 31 August 2014
'000s
Q11
YOY%
Q22
YOY%
Q3
YOY%
Q4
YOY%
2013/14 
YOY%
UK retail sales
133,667
37%
48,373
21%
91,880
43%
98,321
33%
372,241
35%
 US retail sales
32,253
28%
14,496
41%
24,765
17%
20,797
0%
92,311
19%
 EU retail sales
87,295
69%
40,331
57%
64,710
37%
64,049
21%
256,385
44%
 ROW retail sales
82,450
19%
33,454
3%
61,600
1%
56,854
(5%)
234,358
5%
International retail sales
201,998
38%
88,281
29%
151,075
17%
141,700
6%
583,054
22%
Total retail sales 
335,665
38%
136,654
26%
242,955
25%
240,021
15%
955,295
27%
Retail sales by quarter for the year ending 31 August 2013
'000s
Q11
YOY%
Q22
YOY%
Q3
YOY%
Q4
YOY%
2012/13 
YOY%
UK retail sales
97,713
28%
39,866
23%
64,347
39%
74,101
49%
276,027
34%
 US retail sales
25,280
56%
10,271
48%
21,255
59%
20,872
59%
77,678
57%
 EU retail sales
51,780
29%
25,677
53%
47,215
56%
53,036
73%
177,708
51%
 ROW retail sales
69,083
39%
32,593
34%
60,796
38%
59,922
26%
222,394
35%
International retail sales
146,143
38%
68,541
43%
129,266
48%
133,830
47%
477,780
44%
Total retail sales 
243,856
34%
108,407
35%
193,613
45%
207,931
47%
753,807
40%
Retail sales by quarter for the year ending 31 August 2012
'000s
Q11
YOY%
Q22
YOY%
Q3
YOY%
Q4
YOY%
2011/12 
YOY%
UK retail sales
76,581
11%
32,386
4%
46,437
8%
49,854
15%
205,258
10%
 US retail sales
16,209
154%
6,928
66%
13,351
78%
13,097
65%
49,585
91%
 EU retail sales
40,118
37%
16,728
29%
30,224
27%
30,678
22%
117,748
29%
 ROW retail sales
49,654
196%
24,317
106%
43,912
71%
47,413
53%
165,296
94%
International retail sales
105,981
102%
47,973
66%
87,487
54%
91,188
42%
332,629
64%
Total retail sales 
182,562
50%
80,359
34%
133,924
34%
141,042
31%
537,887
38%
1Four months to 31 December
2 Two months to 28 February 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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