REG - Wetherspoon (JD) PLC - Preliminary Results
14 September 2018
J D WETHERSPOON PLC
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
(For the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018)
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Var%
Var%**
Before exceptional items
- Like-for-like sales
+5.0%
- Revenue £1,693.8m (2017: £1,660.8m)
+2.0%
+4.2%
- Profit before tax £107.2m (2017: £102.8m)
+4.3%
+6.2%
- Operating profit £132.3m (2017: £128.5m)
+2.9%
+4.8%
- Earnings per share (including shares held in trust)
- 79.2p (2017: 69.2p)
+14.5%
- Free cash flow per share 88.4p (2017: 97.0p)
-8.9%
- Full year dividend 12.0p (2017: 12.0p)
Maintained
After exceptional items*
- Profit before tax £89.0m (2017: £76.4m)
+16.5%
+18.6%
- Operating profit £132.3m (2017: £128.5m)
+2.9%
+4.8%
- Earnings per share (including shares held in trust)
- 63.2p (2017: 50.8p***)
+24.4%
* Exceptional items as disclosed in account note 4.
** Excluding week 53.
*** Exceptional deferred tax has been restated. See note 7 for further details
Commenting on the results, Tim Martin, the Chairman of
J D Wetherspoon plc, said:
"There will be a huge gain for business and consumers if the UK copies the free trade approach of countries like Singapore, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Israel, by slashing protectionist EU import taxes ('tariffs'), on leaving the EU in March next year.
"These invisible tariffs are charged on over 12,000 non-EU products, including rice, oranges, coffee, wine and children's clothes. The proceeds are collected by the UK taxman and sent to Brussels.
"Ending tariffs will reduce shop and pub prices, improve living standards, and will help non-EU suppliers, currently discouraged by tariffs, quotas and the extensive paraphernalia of EU protectionism.
"If parliament votes to end tariffs and rejects the 'Chequers Deal', consumers and business will benefit additionally by avoiding a cost of £39 billion, or £60 million per UK constituency, in respect of the EU 'divorce payment' - for which there is no legal obligation.
"Parliament can also regain control of UK fishing waters, where 60% of the catch is currently taken by EU boats.
"Unfortunately, some individuals, businesses and business organisations have mistakenly, or misleadingly, repeated the myth that food prices will rise without a 'deal' with the EU.
"In fact, the only way prices can rise post-Brexit is if parliament votes to impose tariffs. The EU will have no say in the matter, provided that the government does not sign away the UK's rights in a 'deal' in the meantime.
"An article on this subject, which has appeared in several pub trade publications, can be found in appendix 1 below.
"Like-for-like sales in the six weeks to 9 September increased by 5.5%. The company has had a reasonable start to the financial year, but taxes, labour and interest costs are expected to be higher than those of last year, so we estimate that like-for-like sales growth of about 4.0% will be required for the company to match last year's record profits."
Enquiries:
John Hutson Chief Executive Officer 01923 477777
Ben Whitley Finance Director 01923 477777
Eddie Gershon Company spokesman 07956 392234
Photographs are available at: www.newscast.co.uk
Notes to editors
1. J D Wetherspoon owns and operates pubs throughout the UK. The Company aims to provide customers with good-quality food and drink, served by well-trained and friendly staff, at reasonable prices. The pubs are individually designed and the Company aims to maintain them in excellent condition.
2. Visit our website jdwetherspoon.com
3. This announcement, which does not constitute the Company's annual report for the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018, has been prepared solely to provide additional information to the shareholders of J D Wetherspoon, in order to meet the requirements of the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. It should not be relied on by any other party, for other purposes. Forward-looking statements have been made by the directors in good faith using information available up until the date that they approved this statement. Forward-looking statements should be regarded with caution because of inherent uncertainties in economic trends and business risks.
4. The annual report and financial statements 2018 has been published on the Company's website on 14 September 2018.
5. The current financial year comprises 52 trading weeks to 28 July 2019.
6. The next trading update will be issued on 7 November 2018.
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
Financial performance
I am pleased to report a year of progress for the company, with record sales, profit and earnings per share before exceptional items. The company was founded in 1979 - and this is the 35th year since incorporation in 1983. The table below outlines some
key aspects of our performance during that period. Since our flotation in 1992, earnings per share before exceptional items have grown by an average of 15.4% per annum and free cash flow per share by an average of 15.5%.
Summary accounts for the years ended July 1984 to 2018
Financial year
Total sales
Profit/(loss)
Earnings
Free cash flow
Free cash flow
before tax and exceptional items
per share before exceptional items
per share
£000
£000
pence
£000
pence
1984
818
(7)
0
1985
1,890
185
0.2
1986
2,197
219
0.2
1987
3,357
382
0.3
1988
3,709
248
0.3
1989
5,584
789
0.6
915
0.4
1990
7,047
603
0.4
732
0.4
1991
13,192
1,098
0.8
1,236
0.6
1992
21,380
2,020
1.9
3,563
2.1
1993
30,800
4,171
3.3
5,079
3.9
1994
46,600
6,477
3.6
5,837
3.6
1995
68,536
9,713
4.9
13,495
7.4
1996
100,480
15,200
7.8
20,968
11.2
1997
139,444
17,566
8.7
28,027
14.4
1998
188,515
20,165
9.9
28,448
14.5
1999
269,699
26,214
12.9
40,088
20.3
2000
369,628
36,052
11.8
49,296
24.2
2001
483,968
44,317
14.2
61,197
29.1
2002
601,295
53,568
16.6
71,370
33.5
2003
730,913
56,139
17.0
83,097
38.8
2004
787,126
54,074
17.7
73,477
36.7
2005
809,861
47,177
16.9
68,774
37.1
2006
847,516
58,388
24.1
69,712
42.1
2007
888,473
62,024
28.1
52,379
35.6
2008
907,500
58,228
27.6
71,411
50.6
2009
955,119
66,155
32.6
99,494
71.7
2010
996,327
71,015
36.0
71,344
52.9
2011
1,072,014
66,781
34.1
78,818
57.7
2012
1,197,129
72,363
39.8
91,542
70.4
2013
1,280,929
76,943
44.8
65,349
51.8
2014
1,409,333
79,362
47.0
92,850
74.1
2015
1,513,923
77,798
47.0
109,778
89.8
2016
1,595,197
80,610
48.3
90,485
76.7
2017
1,660,750
102,830
69.2
107,936
97.0
2018
1,693,818
107,249
79.2
93,357
88.4
Notes
Adjustments to statutory numbers
1. Where appropriate, the earnings per share (EPS), as disclosed in the statutory accounts, have been recalculated to take account of share splits, the issue of new shares and capitalisation issues.
2. Free cash flow per share excludes dividends paid which were included in the free cash flow calculations in the annual report and accounts for the years 1995-2000.
3. The weighted average number of shares, EPS and free cash flow per share include those shares held in trust for employee share schemes.
4. Before 2005, the accounts were prepared under UKGAAP. All accounts from 2005 to date have been prepared under IFRS.
5. Apart from the items in notes 1 to 4, all numbers are as reported in each year's published accounts.
The comparisons below, unless stated, compare the 52-week period under review with the 53-week prior year.
Like-for-like sales, adjusted for 52 weeks, increased by 5.0% (2017: 4.0%). Total sales were £1,693.8m, an increase of 2.0% (2017: 4.1%). Like-for-like bar sales increased by 5.1% (2017: 3.1%), food sales by 5.1% (2017: 5.7%) and slot/fruit machine sales by 2.9% (2017: decreased by 1.2%). Hotel room sales increased by 2.3% (2017: 9.9%).
Operating profit, before exceptional items, increased by 2.9% to £132.3m (2017: £128.5m). The operating margin, before exceptional items, increased to 7.8% (2017: 7.7%).
Profit before tax and exceptional items increased by 4.3% to £107.2m (2017: £102.8m). Earnings per share (including shares held in trust by the employee share scheme), before exceptional items, were 79.2p (2017: 69.2p).
Net interest was covered 4.8 times by operating profit before interest, tax and exceptional items (2017: 4.6 times). Total capital investment was £110.1m in the period (2017: £208.1m). £35.9m was invested in new pubs and pub extensions (2017: £46.9m), £64.7m in existing pubs and IT (2017: £65.9m) and £9.5m in the acquisition of freehold reversions, where Wetherspoon was already a tenant (2017: £95.3m).
Exceptional items totalled £17.0m (2017: £20.4m), relating to pub disposals and closures. There was an £8.7m loss on disposal and an impairment charge of £9.6m for closed sites, underperforming pubs and onerous leases.
There were £1.3m of exceptional tax credits, owing to a reduction in the UK corporation tax rate, which creates tax credits for future years.
The total cash effect of exceptional items is a cash outflow of £0.6m.
Free cash flow, after capital payments of £68.9m for existing pubs (2017: £58.6m), £13.6m for share purchases for employees (2017: £10.4m) and payments of tax and interest, decreased by £14.6m to £93.4m (2017: £107.9 m). Free cash flow per share was 88.4p (2017: 97.0p).
Dividends and return of capital
The board proposes, subject to shareholders' approval, to pay an unchanged final dividend of 8.0p per share, on 29 November 2018, to shareholders on the register on 26 October 2018, giving an unchanged total dividend for the year of 12.0p per share. The dividend is covered 5.3 times (2017: 4.2 times).
In view of the level of capital expenditure and the potential for investments, the board has decided to maintain the dividend at its current level for the time being.
During the year, 3,497,500 shares (3.21% of the share capital) were purchased by the company for cancellation, at a cost of £36.2m, an average cost per share of 1,025p.
Over the last 12 years, my shareholding has increased from 21.2% to 31.9%, as a result of the company's share 'buybacks'. The company has in place a rule 9 'whitewash', under the UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, allowing further buybacks. At the Annual General Meeting this year, the company will seek approval for a renewal of the whitewash.
Financing
As at 29 July 2018, the company's total net debt, excluding derivatives, was £726.2m (2017: £696.3m), an increase of £29.9m.
Year-end net-debt-to-EBITDA was 3.39 times (2017: 3.39 times).
As at 29 July 2018, the company had £133.9m (2017: £163.9m) of unutilised banking facilities and cash or cash equivalents, with total facilities of £860.0m (2017: £860.0m).
Existing interest-rate swaps for £600m remain in place, and an additional £95m swap was added in the period.
Corporation tax
The current tax charge (ie the cash the company will pay to HMRC) for the period is £23.7m (2017: £24.6m), benefiting from a reduction in the rate of corporation tax and a small credit relating to previous periods. The 'accounting' tax charge, which appears in the income statement, is £23.6m (2017: £25.8m).
VAT equality
The government would generate more revenue and jobs if it were to create tax equality among supermarkets, pubs and restaurants. Supermarkets pay virtually no VAT in respect of food sales, whereas pubs pay 20%. This has enabled supermarkets to subsidise the price of alcoholic drinks, widening the price gap to the detriment of pubs and restaurants.
Pubs also pay around 20 pence a pint in business rates, whereas supermarkets pay only about 2 pence, creating further inequality.
Pubs have lost 50% of their beer sales to supermarkets in the last 35 or so years.
It makes no sense for supermarkets to be treated more leniently than pubs, since pubs generate far more jobs per pint or meal than supermarkets do, as well as far higher levels of tax. Pubs also make an important contribution to the social life of many communities and have better visibility and control of those who consume alcoholic drinks.
Tax equality is particularly important for residents of less affluent areas, since the tax differential is more important there - people can less afford to pay the difference in prices between the on and off trade.
As a result, there are often fewer pubs, coffee shops and restaurants, with less employment and increased high-street dereliction, in less affluent areas.
Tax equality would also be in line with the principle of fairness in applying taxes to different businesses.
Contribution to the economy
Wetherspoon is proud to pay its share of tax and, in this respect, is a major contributor to the economy. In the year under review, we paid total taxes of £728.8m, an increase of £34.2m, compared with the previous year, which equates to approximately 43% of our sales.
This means an average payment per pub of £825,000 per annum or £15,900 per week.
2018
2017
£m
£m
VAT
332.8
323.4
Alcohol duty
175.9
167.2
PAYE and NIC
109.2
96.2
Business rates
55.6
53.0
Corporation tax
26.1
20.7
Machine duty
10.5
10.5
Climate change levy
9.2
9.7
Carbon tax
3.0
3.4
Fuel duty
2.1
2.1
Landfill tax
1.7
2.5
Stamp duty
1.2
5.1
Sugar tax
0.8
-
Premise licence and TV licences
0.7
0.8
TOTAL TAX
728.8
694.6
Tax per pub (£000)
825.0
768.4
Tax as % of net sales
43.0%
41.8%
Pre-exceptional profit after tax
83.7
77.0
Profit after tax as % of sales
4.9%
4.6%
Corporate governance
The 2016 statement contained a detailed critique of corporate governance rules. There has been almost no disagreement from shareholders on the issues raised then.
Wetherspoon has a significant competitive edge in governance, since all of our directors, bar one, were in situ at the time of the last financial crisis.
In contrast, most PLCs are more vulnerable, since the average tenure of CEOs and non-executives is about five years, largely as a result of governance rules. This 'institutionalising' of inexperience seems wrong.
Most corporate governance bodies disapprove of my own role as chairman, since I am not regarded as 'independent', although shareholders have not followed their advice in the past. The 'Catch-22' is that most non-executives have little option but to comply with these 'rules', since boards are criticised for non-adherence.
Further progress
As always, the company has tried to improve as many areas of the business as possible, on a week-to-week basis, rather than aiming for 'big ideas' or grand strategies. Frequent calls on pubs by senior executives, the encouragement of criticism from pub staff and customers and the involvement of pub and area managers, among others, in weekly decisions, are the keys to success.
We now have 807 pubs rated on the Food Standards Agency's website - the average score is 4.97, with 97.3% of the pubs achieving a top rating of five stars and 2.4% receiving four stars. We believe this to be the highest average rating for any substantial pub company.
In the separate Scottish scheme, which records either a 'pass' or a 'fail', all of our 64 pubs have passed.
We paid £43m in respect of bonuses and free shares to employees in the year (a slight increase compared with the previous year), of which 97% was paid to staff below board level and 82% was paid to staff working in our pubs.
The company has been recognised as a Top Employer UK (2018) by The Top Employers Institute for the 15th consecutive year. The Institute said:
"J D Wetherspoon provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation and has demonstrated its leadership status in the HR environment, always striving to optimise its employment practices and to develop its employees."
The company substantially increased the rates of pay in the period for hourly paid staff, at a cost of about £20m. The company intends to invest a further £27m from November this year.
Under government legislation, there are different minimum rates of pay for different age groups. The company pays in excess of the minimum rates for all age groups. The company currently pays a rate in excess of the minimum rate for over 25s to those aged 21 and over. As from 5 November 2018, this higher rate of pay will apply to all employees aged 18 and over.
In the field of charity, thanks to the generosity and work of our customers, pub and head-office teams, we continue to raise record amounts of money for CLIC Sargent, supporting young cancer patients and their families.
In the last year, we raised approximately £1.7m, bringing the total raised to over £16m - more than any other corporate partner has raised for this charity.
Property
The company opened six pubs during the year, with 18 sold or closed, resulting in a trading estate of 883 pubs at the financial year end.
The average development cost for a new pub (excluding the cost of freeholds) was £2.8m, compared with £2.3m a year ago. The full-year depreciation charge was £79.3m (2017: £73.9m). We currently intend to open about 5-10 pubs in the year ending July 2019.
Property litigation
As previously reported, Wetherspoon agreed on an out-of-court settlement with developer Anthony Lyons, formerly of property leisure agent Davis Coffer Lyons, in 2013 and received approximately £1.25m from Mr Lyons.
The payment relates to litigation in which Wetherspoon claimed that Mr Lyons had been an accessory to frauds committed by Wetherspoon's former retained agent Van de Berg and its directors Christian Braun, George Aldridge and Richard Harvey. Mr Lyons denied the claim - and the litigation was contested.
The claim related to properties in Portsmouth, Leytonstone and Newbury. The Portsmouth property was involved in the 2008/9 Van de Berg case itself.
In that case, Mr Justice Peter Smith found that Van de Berg, but not Mr Lyons (who was not a party to the case), fraudulently diverted the freehold from Wetherspoon to Moorstown Properties Limited, a company owned by Simon Conway. Moorstown leased the premises to Wetherspoon. Wetherspoon is still a leaseholder of this property - a pub called The Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
The properties in Leytonstone and Newbury (the other properties in the case against Mr Lyons) were not pleaded in the 2008/9 Van de Berg case. Leytonstone was leased to Wetherspoon and trades today as The Walnut Tree public house. Newbury was leased to Pelican plc and became Café Rouge.
As we have also reported, the company agreed to settle its final claim in this series of cases and accepted £400,000 from property investor Jason Harris, formerly of First London and now of First Urban Group. Wetherspoon alleged that Harris was an accessory to frauds committed by Van de Berg. Harris contested the claim and has not admitted liability.
Before the conclusion of the above cases, Wetherspoon also agreed on a settlement with Paul Ferrari of London estate agent
Ferrari Dewe & Co, in respect of properties referred to as the 'Ferrari Five' by Mr Justice Peter Smith.
Current trading and outlook
There will be a huge gain for business and consumers if the UK copies the free trade approach of countries like Singapore, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Israel, by slashing protectionist EU import taxes ('tariffs'), on leaving the EU in March next year.
These invisible tariffs are charged on over 12,000 non-EU products, including rice, oranges, coffee, wine and children's clothes. The proceeds are collected by the UK taxman and sent to Brussels.
Ending tariffs will reduce shop and pub prices, improve living standards, and will help non-EU suppliers, currently discouraged by tariffs, quotas and the extensive paraphernalia of EU protectionism.
If parliament votes to end tariffs and rejects the 'Chequers Deal', consumers and business will benefit additionally by avoiding a cost of £39 billion, or £60 million per UK constituency, in respect of the EU 'divorce payment' - for which there is no legal obligation.
Parliament can also regain control of UK fishing waters, where 60% of the catch is currently taken by EU boats.
Unfortunately, some individuals, businesses and business organisations have mistakenly, or misleadingly, repeated the myth that food prices will rise without a 'deal' with the EU.
In fact, the only way prices can rise post-Brexit is if parliament votes to impose tariffs. The EU will have no say in the matter, provided that the government does not sign away the UK's rights in a 'deal' in the meantime.
An article on this subject, which has appeared in several pub trade publications, can be found in appendix 1 below.
Like-for-like sales in the six weeks to 9 September increased by 5.5%. The company has had a reasonable start to the financial year, but taxes, labour and interest costs are expected to be higher than those of last year, so we estimate that like-for-like sales growth of about 4.0% will be required for the company to match last year's record profits.
Tim Martin
Chairman
Tim Martin, writing in Propel, a pub trade publication:
Appendix 1 - Propel Newsletter, 21 August 2018, Tim Martin - free trade deal will not hike food prices, 2018
Opinion special: Free trade deal will not hike food prices, argues Tim Martin
"Like Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator, the cyborg assassin, fictional scare stories about food price rises post-Brexit refuse to die. For example, the Sunday Times front-page headline on 12 August said: "No deal will hike food prices by 12%."
The article itself said "tariffs on imports from the EU could include cheese, up by 44%, beef up by 40%, and chicken, up 22%". It quoted the chairman of a 'leading supermarket' who "warned food products imported from the EU would be hit by an average tariff of 22%" and reported "senior executives from the big four supermarkets" had made these predictions in "briefings to the Treasury".
The 'big four' are Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrison's, so the reports of Treasury briefings, which haven't been denied, have clearly been authorised at the top level.
The briefings echo the misleading 2016 statement of Richard Baker, then chairman of Whitbread, who told the Evening Standard "failure to reach a trade deal would see tariffs… of 12% on clothes… and up to 27% on meat" and of David Tyler, then chairman of Sainsbury's, who told the Sunday Times in 2017 "if we don't get a deal and (instead) move to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, we could face an average tariff of 22% on foodstuffs we import from Europe". As Malcolm Walker, founder of food chain Iceland, said last week, these stories are rubbish.
In fact, the only way in which prices for EU imports can rise post-Brexit is if the UK government itself decides to impose taxes, also known as tariffs, on them - a sure way to lose an election. The EU has no say in the UK's import taxes after we leave.
Provided the government takes the sensible decision to opt for free trade, there would be no extra taxes/tariffs on EU imports. And by deciding not to impose taxes on the EU, there would be no taxes either on non-EU imports - WTO rules require all countries are treated in the same way, in the absence of a 'deal'.
The result of the free trade option would be a reduction in prices in shops and pubs, since the EU today charges these invisible taxes on wine, rice, coffee, oranges and more than 12,000 other non-EU products.
Lower prices boost living standards, but in this case they do so without affecting government income, since taxes on non-EU products today are collected by the UK and are paid to Brussels - price reductions in shops would cost the Treasury nothing.
In taking the free trade path, the UK would not be conducting a wild experiment. It would be following the successful approach of dynamic economies such as Singapore, Switzerland, Israel, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which have slashed import taxes.
Other important benefits of free trade, disparagingly called 'no deal' by Remain spin doctors, are we regain control of the UK's fishing waters, where 60% of fish are today landed by EU boats, and we avoid the payment of £39bn to Brussels, which government lawyers have said there is no legal obligation to pay.
So why are the supermarkets making false claims about price rises and why are they not fighting to reduce prices? Pro-Remain ideology and ignorance are probably the answer.
John Allan, chairman of Tesco, like Private Frazer of Dad's Army, is renowned for his gloomy views. He said before the referendum "Brexit would ruin small firms" and, more recently, leaving the EU "too quickly would be a mess". And Allan is now president of the CBI, the employers' organisation, which strongly advocated the UK's participation in the disastrous exchange rate mechanism, the euro and staying in the EU. And Martin Scicluna, current chairman of Sainsbury's, was previously chairman of Deloitte UK, which, along with fellow accountants PWC, implored the public to vote Remain. Indeed, Deloitte Digital, part of the same company, is today urging a second referendum.
But the big supermarkets are playing a dangerous game, since the public implicitly expects companies to do their best for customers, by lowering prices when opportunities arise.
By participating in inaccurate scare stories, supermarkets appear keener on maintaining close ties to the EU, an obsession of the elite, rather than on low prices. "Pay more at the big four" is the subliminal message.
This approach is bad news for shareholders and customers of the big four, but is great for Aldi, Lidl, Iceland, Amazon and other 'disruptors', since they see the benefits of free trade as opportunities, not threats.
Once again, elite Remainers fail to understand the public is collectively far more intelligent than they are, which is why democracy works, after all."
Tim Martin is founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon.
INCOME STATEMENT for the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
J D Wetherspoon plc, company number: 1709784
Notes
52 weeks
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
Before
Exceptional
After
Before
Exceptional
After
exceptional
items
exceptional
exceptional
items
exceptional
items
(note 4)
items
items
(note 4)
items
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Revenue
1
1,693,818
-
1,693,818
1,660,750
-
1,660,750
Operating costs
(1,561,527)
-
(1,561,527)
(1,532,242)
-
(1,532,242)
Operating profit
2
132,291
-
132,291
128,508
-
128,508
Property gains/(losses)
3
2,900
(18,251)
(15,351)
2,807
(26,868)
(24,061)
Finance income
6
48
-
48
72
402
474
Finance costs
6
(27,990)
-
(27,990)
(28,557)
-
(28,557)
Profit before tax
107,249
(18,251)
88,998
102,830
(26,466)
76,364
Income tax expense
7
(23,567)
1,278
(22,289)
(25,846)
6,063[3]
(19,783)[3]
Profit for the period
83,682
(16,973)
66,709
76,984
(20,403)[3]
56,581[3]
Earnings per share (p)
- Basic[1]
8
81.1
(16.5)
64.6
70.8
(18.8)[3]
52.0[3]
- Diluted[2]
8
79.2
(16.0)
63.2
69.2
(18.4)[3]
50.8[3]
Operating profit per share (p)
- Diluted[2]
8
125.3
-
125.3
115.5
-
115.5
STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME for the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
Notes
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
£000
£000
Items which may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:
Interest-rate swaps: gain taken to other comprehensive income
14,787
24,581
Tax on items taken directly to other comprehensive income
7
(2,513)
(4,814)
Currency translation differences
(320)
2,104
Net gain recognised directly in other comprehensive income
11,954
21,871
Profit for the period
66,709
56,581[3]
Total comprehensive income for the period
78,663
78,452[3]
[1] Calculated excluding shares held in trust.
[2] Calculated using issued share capital which includes shares held in trust.
[3] Prior year figures have been restated to take into account adjustment of the exceptional deferred tax. Please refer to note 7 for further details.
CASH FLOW STATEMENT for the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
J D Wetherspoon plc, company number: 1709784
Notes
Free cash
Free cash
Flow[1]
Flow[1]
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
£000
£000
£000
£000
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations
9
228,300
228,300
224,403
224,403
Interest received
36
36
57
57
Net exceptional finance income
-
402
Interest paid
(25,824)
(25,824)
(26,834)
(26,834)
Corporation tax paid
(26,113)
(26,113)
(20,683)
(20,683)
Net cash inflow from operating activities
176,399
176,399
177,345
176,943
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
(63,753)
(63,753)
(45,056)
(45,056)
Purchase of intangible assets
(5,166)
(5,166)
(13,502)
(13,502)
Investment in new pubs and pub extensions
(46,386)
(40,285)
Freehold reversions
(16,278)
(88,603)
Proceeds of sale of property, plant and equipment
4,742
19,620
Net cash outflow from investing activities
(126,841)
(68,919)
(167,826)
(58,558)
Cash flows from financing activities
Equity dividends paid
11
(12,655)
(13,352)
Purchase of own shares for cancellation
(51,647)
(28,445)
Purchase of own shares for share-based payments
(13,605)
(13,605)
(10,449)
(10,449)
Advances under bank loans
10
41,314
47,236
Loan issue costs
10
(518)
(518)
-
-
Net cash outflow from financing activities
(37,111)
(14,123)
(5,010)
(10,449)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
10
12,447
4,509
Opening cash and cash equivalents
50,644
46,135
Closing cash and cash equivalents
63,091
50,644
Free cash flow
8
93,357
107,936
Free cash flow per ordinary share
8
88.4p
97.0p
[1]Free cash flow is a measure not required by accounting standards; a definition is provided in our accounting policies
BALANCE SHEET as at 29 July 2018
J D Wetherspoon plc, company number: 1709784
Notes
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
24 July 2016
Restated[1]
Restated[1]
£000
£000
£000
Assets
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment
13
1,306,073
1,282,633
1,188,512
Intangible assets
12
24,779
29,691
27,051
Investment property
14
7,494
7,550
7,605
Other non-current assets
15
7,925
8,272
9,725
Derivative financial instruments
14,976
11,380
-
Deferred tax assets
7
4,099
6,612
11,426
Total non-current assets
1,365,346
1,346,138
1,244,319
Assets held for sale
1,455
1,524
950
Current assets
Inventories
23,300
21,575
19,168
Receivables
23,122
21,029
27,616
Cash and cash equivalents
63,091
50,644
46,135
Total current assets
109,513
93,248
92,919
Total assets
1,476,314
1,440,910
1,338,188
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Borrowings
(8,864)
(17,461)
(112)
Derivative financial instruments
(160)
-
(79)
Trade and other payables
(290,602)
(313,525)
(266,523)
Current income tax liabilities
(8,950)
(12,159)
(8,247)
Provisions
(8,052)
(5,175)
(4,463)
Total current liabilities
(316,628)
(348,320)
(279,424)
Non-current liabilities
Borrowings
(780,420)
(729,487)
(696,783)
Derivative financial instruments
(38,925)
(50,276)
(63,398)
Deferred tax liabilities
7
(38,980)
(40,122)
(45,354)
Provisions
(2,453)
(1,890)
(3,387)
Other liabilities
(12,346)
(12,383)
(13,307)
Total non-current liabilities
(873,124)
(834,158)
(822,229)
Net assets
286,562
258,432
236,535
Equity
Share capital
2,110
2,180
2,273
Share premium account
143,294
143,294
143,294
Capital redemption reserve
2,321
2,251
2,158
Hedging reserve
(20,010)
(32,284)
(52,051)
Currency translation reserve
4,767
4,899
2,340
Retained earnings
154,080
138,092
138,521
Total equity
286,562
258,432
236,535
The financial statements, approved by the board of directors and authorised for issue on 13 September 2018, are signed on its behalf by:
John Hutson Ben Whitley
Director Director
[1]Deferred tax and retained earnings have been restated, see note 7 for further details.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
J D Wetherspoon plc, company number: 1709784
Notes
Share
Share
Capital
Hedging
Currency
Retained
Total
capital
premium
redemption
reserve
translation
earnings
account
reserve
reserve
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Reported at 24 July 2016
2,273
143,294
2,158
(52,051)
2,340
109,434
207,448
Restatement of previous periods
7
29,087
29,087
Restated at 24 July 2016
2,273
143,294
2,158
(52,051)
2,340
138,521
236,535
Total comprehensive income
19,767
2,559
56,126
78,452
Profit for the period
56,581
56,581
Interest-rate swaps: cash flow hedges
24,581
24,581
Tax taken directly to comprehensive income
7
(4,814)
(4,814)
Currency translation differences
2,559
(455)
2,104
Purchase of own shares for cancellation
(93)
93
(43,887)
(43,887)
Share-based payment charges
10,711
10,711
Tax on share-based payments
7
422
422
Purchase of own shares for share-based payments
(10,449)
(10,449)
Dividends
11
(13,352)
(13,352)
At 30 July 2017
2,180
143,294
2,251
(32,284)
4,899
138,092
258,432
Total comprehensive income
12,274
(132)
66,521
78,663
Profit for the period
66,709
66,709
Interest-rate swaps: cash flow hedges
14,787
14,787
Tax taken directly to comprehensive income
7
(2,513)
(2,513)
Currency translation differences
(132)
(188)
(320)
Purchase of own shares for cancellation
(70)
70
(36,205)
(36,205)
Share-based payment charges
11,405
11,405
Tax on share-based payments
7
527
527
Purchase of own shares for share-based payments
(13,605)
(13,605)
Dividends
11
(12,655)
(12,655)
At 29 July 2018
2,110
143,294
2,321
(20,010)
4,767
154,080
286,562
The balance classified as share capital represents proceeds arising on issue of the company's equity share capital,comprising 2p ordinary shares and the cancellation of shares repurchased by the company.
The capital redemption reserve increased owing to the purchase of a number of shares in the year.
Shares acquired in relation to the employee Share Incentive Plan and the Deferred Bonus Scheme are held in trust, until such time as the awards vest. At 29 July 2018, the number of shares held in trust was 2,367,991 (2017: 2,458,000), with a nominal value of £47,360 (2017: £49,160) and a market value of £28,865,810 (2017: £25,071,600); these are included in retained earnings.
During the year, 3,497,500 shares were repurchased by the company for cancellation, representing approximately 3.21% of the issued share capital, at a cost of £36.2m, including stamp duty, representing an average cost per share of 1,025p. At the previous year end, 30 July 2017, the company had a liability for share purchases of £15.5m, which was settled during the current year, ended 29 July 2018.
Hedging gain/loss arises from fair value movements in the company's financial derivative instruments, in line with the accounting policy disclosed in section 2.
The currency translation reserve contains the accumulated currency gains and losses on the long-term financing and balance sheet translation of the overseas branch. The currency translation difference reported in retained earnings is the restatement of the opening reserves in the overseas branch at the current year end currency exchange rate.
As at 29 July 2018, the company had distributable reserves of £138.8m.
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. Revenue
Revenue disclosed in the income statement is analysed as follows:
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Sales of food, beverages, hotel rooms and machine income
1,693,818
1,660,750
2. Operating profit - analysis of costs by nature
This is stated after charging/(crediting):
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Concession rental payments
25,075
24,784
Minimum operating lease payments
42,754
44,828
Repairs and maintenance
71,261
66,219
Net rent receivable
(1,407)
(1,422)
Share-based payments (note 5)
11,405
10,711
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment (note 13)
70,918
66,483
Amortisation of intangible assets (note 12)
7,984
6,931
Depreciation of investment properties (note 14)
56
55
Amortisation of other non-current assets (note 15)
347
400
Auditors' remuneration
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Fees payable for the audit of the financial statements
167
197
Fees payable for other services:
- Assurance services
27
32
- Audit related services
38
-
Total auditors' fees
232
229
Analysis of continuing operations
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Revenue
1,693,818
1,660,750
Cost of sales
(1,505,781)
(1,470,273)
Gross profit
188,037
190,477
Administration costs
(55,746)
(61,969)
Operating profit after exceptional items
132,291
128,508
Included within cost of sales is £602.4m (2017: £597.8m), related to cost of inventory recognised as expense.
3. Property gains and losses
52 weeks
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
Before
Exceptional
After
Before
Exceptional
After
exceptional
items
exceptional
exceptional
items
exceptional
items
(note 4)
items
items
(note 4)
items
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Disposal of fixed assets
(1,865)
5,076
3,211
(615)
15,099
14,484
Additional costs of disposal
117
3,625
3,742
25
3,262
3,287
Impairment of property, plant and equipment
-
3,588
3,588
-
7,607
7,607
Impairment of other assets
-
-
-
-
180
180
Onerous lease provision
-
5,962
5,962
-
720
720
Other property gains
(1,152)
-
(1,152)
(2,217)
-
(2,217)
Total property (gains)/losses
(2,900)
18,251
15,351
(2,807)
26,868
24,061
4. Exceptional items
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Exceptional property losses
Disposal programme
Loss on disposal of pubs
8,701
18,361
Impairment property plant and equipment
-
5,943
Impairment of other non-current assets
-
141
Onerous lease reversal
(173)
(1,319)
Onerous lease provision
4,693
1,659
13,221
24,785
Other property losses
Impairment of property, plant and equipment
3,588
1,664
Impairment of other non-current assets
-
39
Onerous lease reversal
-
(696)
Onerous lease provision
1,442
1,076
5,030
2,083
Total exceptional property losses
18,251
26,868
Other exceptional items
Net exceptional finance income
-
(402)
-
(402)
Total pre-tax exceptional items
18,251
26,466
Exceptional tax
Exceptional tax items - deferred tax (note 7)
-
(4,155)
Tax effect on exceptional items
(1,278)
(1,386)
Restatement temporary differences
-
(2,474)
Restatement impact of change in UK tax rate
-
1,952
Total exceptional tax
(1,278)
(6,063)
Total exceptional items
16,973
20,403
Disposal programme
The company has offered several of its sites for sale. At the year end, 19 (2017: 45) sites had been sold, including sites which were closed in the previous year, one (2017: five) was classified as held for sale and an additional six (2017: three) sites have been closed as part of the disposal programme.
In the table above, the costs classified as loss on disposal are the losses on sold sites and associated costs to sale.
Onerous lease provision relates to sites which have been closed and made available for sale. A provision has been raised to cover the rental costs for the estimated period required to dispose of these sites.
4. Exceptional items (continued)
Other property losses
Property impairment relates to the situation in which, owing to poor trading performance, pubs are unlikely to generate sufficient cash in the future to justify their current book value. In the year, an exceptional charge of £3,588,000 (2017: £1,703,000) was incurred in respect of the impairment of assets as required under IAS 36. This comprises an impairment charge of £6,898,000 (2017: £2,530,000), offset by impairment reversals of £3,310,000 (2017: £827,000).
The onerous lease provision relates to pubs for which future trading profits, or income from subleases, are not expected to cover the rent. The provision takes several factors into account, including the expected future profitability of the pub and also the amount estimated as payable on surrender of the lease, where this is a likely outcome. In the year, £1,442,000 (2017: £380,000) was charged net in respect of onerous leases outside of the disposal programme.
All exceptional items listed above generated a net cash outflow of £629,000 (2017: inflow of £12,214,000).
5. Employee benefits expenses
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Wages and salaries
501,229
475,420
Social Security costs
34,455
31,211
Other pension costs
4,510
3,696
Share-based payments
11,405
10,711
551,599
521,038
Directors' emoluments
2018
2017
£000
£000
Aggregate emoluments
1,894
2,128
Aggregate amount receivable under long-term incentive schemes
1,297
1,387
Company contributions to money purchase pension scheme
154
155
3,345
3,670
The totals below relate to the monthly average number of employees during the year, not the total number of employees at the end of the year (including directors on a service contract).
2018
2017
Number
Number
Full-time equivalents
Managerial/administration
4,335
3,880
Hourly paid staff
19,727
18,900
24,062
22,780
2018
2017
Number
Number
Total employees
Managerial/administration
4,424
4,309
Hourly paid staff
33,960
32,241
38,384
36,550
5. Employee benefits expenses (continued)
The shares awarded as part of the above schemes are based on the cash value of the bonuses at the date of the awards. These awards vest over three years - with their cost spread equally over their three-year life. The share-based payment charge above represents the annual cost of bonuses awarded over the past three years. All awards are settled in equity.
The company operates two share-based compensation plans. In both schemes, the fair values of the shares granted are determined by reference to the share price at the date of the award. The shares vest at a £Nil exercise price - and there are no market-based conditions to the shares which affect their ability to vest.
Share-based payments
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
Shares awarded during the year (shares)
1,366,435
1,550,377
Average price of shares awarded (pence)
1,268
936
Market value of shares vested during the year (£000)
14,199
9,696
Total liability of the share based payments schemes (£000)
15,668
14,540
6. Finance income and costs
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Finance costs
Interest payable on bank loans and overdrafts
18,899
17,273
Amortisation of bank loan issue costs (note 10)
1,540
2,817
Interest payable on swaps
7,544
8,450
Interest payable on other loans
7
17
Total finance costs
27,990
28,557
Bank interest receivable
(48)
(72)
Total finance income
(48)
(72)
Net finance costs before exceptionals
27,942
28,485
Exceptional bank interest receivable
-
(402)
Net finance costs after exceptionals
27,942
28,083
The finance costs in the income statement were covered 4.8 times (2017: 4.6 times) by earnings before interest and tax, before exceptional items.
7. Income tax expense
(a) Tax on profit on ordinary activities
The standard rate of corporation tax in the UK is 19.00%. The company's profits for the accounting period are taxed at an effective rate of 19.00% (2017: 19.67%).
52 weeks
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
Before
Exceptional
After
Before
Exceptional
After
exceptional
items
exceptional
exceptional
items
exceptional
items
(note 4)
items
items
(note 4)
items
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Taken through income statement
Current tax:
Current tax charge
24,466
(325)
24,141
24,837
161
24,998
Previous period adjustment
(765)
-
(765)
(246)
-
(246)
Total current tax
23,701
(325)
23,376
24,591
161
24,752
Deferred tax:
Temporary differences
(70)
(953)
(1,023)
1,103
(1,547)
(444)
Previous period adjustment
(64)
-
(64)
152
-
152
Impact of change in UK tax rate
-
-
-
-
(4,155)
(4,155)
Restatement of temporary differences
-
-
-
-
(2,474)
(2,474)
Restatement of impact of change in UK tax rate
-
-
-
-
1,952
1,952
Total deferred tax
(134)
(953)
(1,087)
1,255
(6,224)
(4,969)
Tax charge/(credit)
23,567
(1,278)
22,289
25,846
(6,063)
19,783
52 weeks
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
Before
Exceptional
After
Before
Exceptional
After
exceptional
items
exceptional
exceptional
items
exceptional
items
(note 4)
items
items
(note 4)
items
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Taken through equity
Tax on share-based payments
Current tax
(472)
-
(472)
(159)
-
(159)
Deferred tax
(55)
-
(55)
(263)
-
(263)
Tax credit
(527)
-
(527)
(422)
-
(422)
52 weeks
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
29 July 2018
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
30 July 2017
Before
Exceptional
After
Before
Exceptional
After
exceptional
items
exceptional
exceptional
items
exceptional
items
(note 4)
items
items
(note 4)
items
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Taken through comprehensive income
Deferred tax charge on swaps
2,513
-
2,513
4,835
-
4,835
Impact of change in UK tax rate
-
-
-
(21)
-
(21)
Tax charge
2,513
-
2,513
4,814
-
4,814
7. Income tax expense (continued)
(b) Reconciliation of the total tax charge
The taxation charge for the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018 is based on the pre-exceptional profit before tax of £107.2m and the estimated effective tax rate before exceptional items for the 52 weeks ended 29 July 2018 of 22.0% (2017: 25.1%). This comprises a pre-exceptional current tax rate of 22.1% (2017: 23.9%) and a pre-exceptional deferred tax credit of 0.1% (2017: 1.2% charge).
The UK standard weighted average tax rate for the period is 19.00% (2017: 19.67%). The current tax rate is higher than the UK standard weighted average tax rate owing mainly to depreciation which is not eligible for tax relief.
52 weeks
52 weeks
53 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
ended
ended
29 Jul 2018
29 Jul 2018
30 Jul 2017
30 Jul 2017
Before
After
Before
After
exceptional
exceptional
exceptional
exceptional
items
items
items
items
£000
£000
£000
£000
Profit before tax
107,249
88,998
102,830
76,364
Profit multiplied by the UK standard rate of
20,377
16,910
20,227
15,021
corporation tax of 19.00% (2017: 19.67%)
Abortive acquisition costs and disposals
103
103
228
228
Other disallowables
117
2,315
1,004
2,520
Other allowable deductions
(106)
(106)
(83)
(83)
Capital gains - effects of reliefs
53
(471)
252
102
Non-qualifying depreciation
3,645
4,068
4,302
6,737
Restatement of the non-qualifying depreciation
-
-
-
(2,474)
Deduction for shares and SIPs
(61)
31
(156)
(137)
Remeasurement of other balance sheet items
(272)
(272)
(188)
(188)
Unrecognised losses in overseas companies
540
540
354
354
Adjustment in respect of change in tax rate
-
-
-
(4,155)
Restatement in respect of change in tax rate
-
-
-
1,952
Previous period adjustment - current tax
(765)
(765)
(246)
(246)
Previous period adjustment - deferred tax
(64)
(64)
152
152
Total tax expense reported in the income statement
23,567
22,289
25,846
19,783
(c) Deferred tax
The deferred tax in the balance sheet is as follows:
The Finance Act 2017 included legislation to reduce the main rate of corporation tax to 17% for the financial year beginning 1 April 2020.
These changes have been substantively enacted at the balance sheet date and are consequently included in these financial statements.
Deferred tax liabilities
Accelerated tax
Other
Total
depreciation
temporary
differences
£000
£000
£000
At 30 July 2017 (restated)
40,684
3,601
44,285
Previous period movement posted to the income statement
-
11
11
Movement during period posted to the income statement
(506)
(25)
(531)
At 29 July 2018
40,178
3,587
43,765
Deferred tax assets
Share
Capital
Interest-rate
Total
based
losses
swaps
payments
carried
forward
£000
£000
£000
£000
At 30 July 2017
1,457
2,706
6,612
10,775
Previous period movement posted to the income statement
-
75
-
75
Movement during period posted to the income statement
(69)
561
-
492
Movement during period posted to comprehensive income
-
-
(2,513)
(2,513)
Movement during period posted to equity
55
-
-
55
At 29 July 2018
1,443
3,342
4,099
8,884
7. Income tax expense (continued)
Deferred tax assets and liabilities have been offset as follows:
2018
2017
£000
£000
Deferred tax liabilities
43,765
44,285
Offset against deferred tax assets
(4,785)
(4,163)
Deferred tax liabilities
38,980
40,122
Deferred tax assets
8,884
10,775
Offset against deferred tax liabilities
(4,785)
(4,163)
Deferred tax asset
4,099
6,612
As at 29 July 2018, there are potential deferred tax assets of £1.3m (2017: £0.9m); these are not being recognised, owing to insufficient certainty of recovery. This comprises a deferred tax asset of £1.3m, relating to losses (2017: £1.0m), less a deferred tax liability of £Nil, relating to accelerated capital allowances (2017: £0.1m).
Restatement of deferred tax
As part of the company's review of the year end balance of assets subject to tax relief, the calculation of the value of the deferred tax liabilities has been reduced by £29.1m. Retained earnings have been increased by £29.1m. The adjustment is required to correct the value of assets subject to tax and thus the amount of tax relief to be deferred to future periods.
The comparative tax charge for the year ended 30 July 2017 has been adjusted as follows: £2m reduction to the restatement credit due to the change in corporation tax to 17% and £2.5m reduction to the deferred tax charge for the period.
Accelerated tax depreciation - restatement
Reported
Restatement
Total
£000
£000
£000
At 24 July 2016
73,957
(29,087)
44,870
Previous period movement posted to the income statement
515
-
515
Movement during period posted to the income statement
(48)
(2,474)
(2,522)
Impact of tax rate change posted to the income statement
(4,131)
1,952
(2,179)
At 30 July 2017
70,293
(29,609)
40,684
8. Earnings and free cash flow per share
(a) Weighted average number of shares
Earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of shares in issue of 105,605,135 (2017: 111,293,971), including those held in trust in respect of employee share schemes. Earnings per share, calculated on this basis, are usually referred to as 'diluted', since all of the shares in issue are included.
Accounting standards refer to 'basic earnings' per share - these exclude those shares held in trust in respect of employee share schemes.
Weighted average number of shares
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
Shares in issue (used for diluted EPS)
105,605,135
111,293,971
Shares held in trust
(2,402,603)
(2,500,717)
Shares in issue less shares held in trust (used for basic EPS)
103,202,532
108,793,254
The weighted average number of shares held in trust for employee share schemes has been adjusted to exclude those shares which have vested, yet remain in trust.
(b) Earnings per share
52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
Profit
Basic EPS
Diluted EPS
£000
pence
pence
Earnings (profit after tax)
66,709
64.6
63.2
Exclude effect of exceptional items after tax
16,973
16.5
16.0
Earnings before exceptional items
83,682
81.1
79.2
Exclude effect of property gains
(2,900)
(2.8)
(2.7)
Underlying earnings before exceptional items
80,782
78.3
76.5
53 weeks ended 30 July 2017
Profit
Basic EPS
Diluted EPS
£000
pence
pence
Earnings (profit after tax)
56,581
52.0
50.8
Exclude effect of exceptional items after tax
20,403
18.8
18.4
Earnings before exceptional items
76,984
70.8
69.2
Exclude effect of property gains
(2,807)
(2.6)
(2.6)
Underlying earnings before exceptional items
74,177
68.2
66.6
The diluted earnings per share before exceptional items have increased by 14.5% (2017: 43.3%).
Prior year figures have been restated to take into account adjustment of the exceptional deferred tax. Please refer to note 7 for further details.
(c) Free cash flow per share
The calculation of free cash flow per share is based on the net cash generated by business activities and available for investment in new pub developments and extensions to current pubs, after funding interest, corporation tax, all other reinvestment in pubs open at the start of the period and the purchase of own shares under the employee Share Incentive Plan ('free cash flow'). It is calculated before taking account of proceeds from property disposals, inflows and outflows of financing from outside sources and dividend payments and is based on the weighted average number of shares in issue, including those held in trust in respect of the employee share schemes.
Free cash
Basic free
Diluted free
flow
cash flow
cash flow
per share
per share
£000
pence
pence
52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
93,357
90.5
88.4
53 weeks ended 30 July 2017
107,936
99.2
97.0
8. Earnings and free cash flow per share (continued)
(d) Owners' earnings per share
Owners' earnings measure the earnings attributable to shareholders from current activities adjusted for significant non-cash items and one-off items. Owners' earnings are calculated as profit before tax, exceptional items, depreciation and amortisation and property gains and losses less reinvestment in current properties and cash tax. Cash tax is defined as the current year's current tax charge.
52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
Owners'
Basic
Diluted
Earnings
Owners' EPS
Owners' EPS
£000
pence
pence
Profit before tax and exceptional items (income statement)
107,249
103.9
101.6
Exclude depreciation and amortisation (note 2)
79,305
76.8
75.1
Less cash reinvestment in current properties
(64,665)
(62.7)
(61.2)
Exclude property gains and losses (note 3)
(2,900)
(2.8)
(2.7)
Less cash tax (note 7)
(24,466)
(23.6)
(23.3)
Owners' earnings
94,523
91.6
89.5
53 weeks ended 30 July 2017
Owners'
Basic
Diluted
Earnings
Owners' EPS
Owners' EPS
£000
pence
pence
Profit before tax and exceptional items (income statement)
102,830
94.5
92.4
Exclude depreciation and amortisation (note 2)
73,869
67.9
66.4
Less cash reinvestment in current properties (cash flow statement)
(65,912)
(60.6)
(59.2)
Exclude property gains and losses (note 3)
(2,807)
(2.6)
(2.6)
Less cash tax (note 7)
(24,837)
(22.8)
(22.3)
Owners' earnings
83,143
76.4
74.7
The diluted owners' earnings per share increased by 19.8% (2017: decreased by 6.9%). The increase is calculated using figures to two decimal places.
Analysis of additions by type
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
Reinvestment in existing pubs
64,665
65,912
Investment in new pubs and pub extensions
35,863
46,894
Freehold reversions
9,555
95,326
110,083
208,132
Analysis of additions by category
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
Property, plant and equipment (note 13)
107,011
198,556
Intangible assets (note 12)
3,072
9,576
110,083
208,132
(e) Operating profit per share
Operating
Basic operating
Diluted operating
profit
profit per share
profit per share
£000
pence
pence
52 weeks ended 29 July 2018
132,291
128.2
125.3
53 weeks ended 30 July 2017
128,508
118.1
115.5
9. Cash generated from operations
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Profit for the period
66,709
56,581
Adjusted for:
Tax (note 7)
22,289
19,783
Share-based charges (note 2)
11,405
10,711
Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment (note 3)
3,211
14,484
Net impairment charge (note 3)
3,588
7,787
Interest receivable (note 6)
(48)
(72)
Amortisation of bank loan issue costs (note 6)
1,540
2,817
Interest payable (note 6)
26,450
25,740
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment (note 13)
70,918
66,483
Amortisation of intangible assets (note 12)
7,984
6,931
Depreciation on investment properties (note 14)
56
55
Amortisation of other non-current assets (note 15)
347
400
Net onerous lease provision
5,962
720
Aborted properties costs
541
1,157
Net exceptional finance income
-
(402)
220,952
213,175
Change in inventories
(1,725)
(2,407)
Change in receivables
(1,225)
4,980
Change in payables
10,298
8,655
Cash flow from operating activities
228,300
224,403
10. Analysis of change in net debt
30 July
Cash
Non-cash
29 July
2017
flows
movement
2018
£000
£000
£000
£000
Borrowings
Cash in hand
50,644
12,447
-
63,091
Bank loans - due before one year
(17,347)
8,543
-
(8,804)
Other loans
(114)
144
(90)
(60)
Current net borrowings
33,183
21,134
(90)
54,227
Bank loans - due after one year
(729,397)
(49,483)
(1,540)
(780,420)
Other loans
(90)
-
90
-
Non-current net borrowings
(729,487)
(49,483)
(1,450)
(780,420)
Net debt
(696,304)
(28,349)
(1,540)
(726,193)
Derivatives
Interest-rate swaps asset - due after one year
11,380
-
3,596
14,976
Interest-rate swaps liability - due before one year
-
-
(160)
(160)
Interest-rate swaps liability - due after one year
(50,276)
-
11,351
(38,925)
Total derivatives
(38,896)
-
14,787
(24,109)
Net debt after derivatives
(735,200)
(28,349)
13,247
(750,302)
Non-cash movements
The non-cash movement in bank loans due after one year relates to the amortisation of bank loan issue costs.
The movement in interest-rate swaps relates to the change in the 'mark to market' valuations for the year.
11. Dividends paid and proposed
52 weeks
53 weeks
ended
ended
29 July
30 July
2018
2017
£000
£000
Declared and paid during the year:
Dividends on ordinary shares:
- final for 2015/16: 8.0p (2014/15: 8.0p)
-
8,933
- interim for 2016/17: 4.0p (2015/16: 4.0p)
-
4,419
- final for 2016/17: 8.0p (2015/16: 8.0p)
8,437
-
- interim for 2017/18: 4.0p (2016/17: 4.0p)
4,218
-
12,655
13,352
Proposed for approval by shareholders at the AGM:
- final for 2017/18: 8.0p (2016/17: 8.0p)
8,428
8,488
Dividend cover (times)
5.3
4.2
Dividend cover is calculated as profit after tax and exceptional items over dividend paid.
12. Intangible assets
£000
Cost:
At 24 July 2016
56,591
Additions
9,576
Disposals
(493)
At 30 July 2017
65,674
Additions
3,072
Disposals
(3)
At 29 July 2018
68,743
Accumulated amortisation:
At 24 July 2016
(29,540)
Provided during the period
(6,931)
Impairment loss
1
Reclassification
487
At 30 July 2017
(35,983)
Provided during the period
(7,984)
Disposals
3
At 29 July 2018
(43,964)
Net book amount at 29 July 2018
24,779
Net book amount at 30 July 2017
29,691
Net book amount at 24 July 2016
27,051
The majority of intangible assets relates to computer software and software development. Examples include the development costs of our SAP accounting system, our 'Wisdom' property-maintenance system and the 'Wetherspoon app'.
Included in the intangible assets is £1,799,000 of software in the course of development (2017: £1,474,000).
13. Property, plant and equipment
Freehold and
Short-
Equipment,
Assets
Total
long-leasehold
leasehold
fixtures
under
property
property
and fittings
construction
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Cost:
At 24 July 2016
935,742
413,661
541,125
60,545
1,951,073
Additions
112,737
5,766
45,473
34,580
198,556
Transfers
20,928
3,270
3,834
(28,032)
-
Exchange differences
869
162
317
741
2,089
Transfer to held for sale
(3,489)
(3,493)
(2,682)
-
(9,664)
Disposals
(32,162)
(25,446)
(26,266)
-
(83,874)
Reclassification
32,311
(32,311)
-
-
-
At 30 July 2017
1,066,936
361,609
561,801
67,834
2,058,180
Additions
28,048
6,834
56,650
15,479
107,011
Transfers
20,675
1,491
6,914
(29,080)
-
Exchange differences
(87)
(16)
(31)
(31)
(165)
Transfer to held for sale
(1,509)
-
(347)
-
(1,856)
Disposals
(9,302)
(7,644)
(7,187)
-
(24,133)
Reclassification
6,114
(6,114)
-
-
-
At 29 July 2018
1,110,875
356,160
617,800
54,202
2,139,037
Accumulated depreciation and impairment:
At 24 July 2016
(181,040)
(207,144)
(374,377)
-
(762,561)
Provided during the period
(15,802)
(13,023)
(37,658)
-
(66,483)
Exchange differences
(36)
(23)
(186)
-
(245)
Impairment loss
(2,862)
(3,473)
(1,272)
-
(7,607)
Transfer to held for sale
1,926
3,552
2,657
-
8,135
Disposals
12,621
20,137
20,456
-
53,214
Reclassification
(20,181)
20,181
-
-
-
At 30 July 2017
(205,374)
(179,793)
(390,380)
-
(775,547)
Provided during the period
(16,428)
(12,966)
(41,524)
-
(70,918)
Exchange differences
(36)
(14)
(109)
-
(159)
Impairment loss
(953)
(1,516)
(1,119)
-
(3,588)
Transfer to held for sale
129
-
272
-
401
Disposals
3,075
7,264
6,508
-
16,847
Reclassification
(2,450)
2,450
-
-
-
At 29 July 2018
(222,037)
(184,575)
(426,352)
-
(832,964)
Net book amount at 29 July 2018
888,838
171,585
191,448
54,202
1,306,073
Net book amount at 30 July 2017
861,562
181,816
171,421
67,834
1,282,633
Net book amount at 24 July 2016
754,702
206,517
166,748
60,545
1,188,512
Impairment of property, plant and equipment
In assessing whether a pub has been impaired, the book value of the pub is compared with its anticipated future cash flows and fair value. Assumptions are used about sales, costs and profit, using a pre-tax discount rate for future years of 7% (2017: 8%).
If the value, based on the higher of future anticipated cash flows and fair value, is lower than the book value, the difference is written off as property impairment.
As a result of this exercise, a net impairment loss of £3,588,000 (2017: £7,607,000) was charged to property losses in the income statement, as described in note 4.
Management believes that a reasonable change in any of the key assumptions, for example the discount rate applied to each pub, could cause the carrying value of the pub to exceed its recoverable amount, but that the change would be immaterial.
14. Investment property
The company owns two (2017: two) freehold properties with existing tenants and these assets have been classified
as investment properties.
£000
Cost:
At 24 July 2016
7,751
At 30 July 2017
7,751
At 29 July 2018
7,751
Accumulated depreciation:
At 24 July 2016
(146)
Provided during the period
(55)
At 30 July 2017
(201)
Provided during the period
(56)
At 29 July 2018
(257)
Net book amount at 29 July 2018
7,494
Net book amount at 30 July 2017
7,550
Net book amount at 24 July 2016
7,605
Rental income received in the period from investment properties was £314,000 (2017: £356,000).
Operating costs, excluding depreciation, incurred in relation to these properties amounted to £23,000 (2017: £4,000).
15. Other non-current assets
Lease
premiums
£000
Cost:
At 24 July 2016
16,230
Transfer to held for sale
(257)
Disposals
(3,246)
At 30 July 2017
12,727
At 29 July 2018
12,727
Accumulated depreciation:
At 24 July 2016
(6,505)
Provided during the period
(400)
Transfer to held for sale
(180)
Disposals
262
Reclassification
2,368
At 30 July 2017
(4,455)
Provided during the period
(347)
At 29 July 2018
(4,802)
Net book amount at 29 July 2018
7,925
Net book amount at 30 July 2017
8,272
Net book amount at 24 July 2016
9,725
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.ENDFR EANNDFAKPEFF
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