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Lumber Depot Generates Profits Of $48M On Revenues Of $400M For July 2022 First Quarter .

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Jeffrey Hall Chairman Lumber Depot Limited, Has Released The Following Report On Operations For Quarter Ended July 31, 2022 (The “First Quarter”).

Our annualized return on equity continues to be strong and exceeds 35%. The business is highly cash generative and earned cash from operations of over $70 million in the First Quarter and despite its capital investment programme, has no long‐term debt.

During the First Quarter, our customer base reacted to uncertain economic conditions, including high interest rates and a spike in commodity prices for certain key hardware items. This led to some softening in sales (down 4% relative to the prior year) and some compression in gross margins (20% in the First Quarter, relative to 24% in the first quarter of the prior year). As a result of these factors, First Quarter net profit was down $23 million relative to the prior year.

Lumber Depot operates a full‐service hardware store in Papine that serves the needs of large and small‐ scale building contractors, as well as homeowners doing construction projects, renovations and repairs.

The Lumber Depot business has been in operation for over 20 years and during this time has established a market leading position in the communities we directly serve and a strong reputation for excellent service and good value across the wider corporate area.

Despite the challenges generally associated with the COVID 19 pandemic, higher interest rates, supply chain disruptions, high commodity prices and a spike in logistics costs, Lumber Depot has continued to trade positively and to deliver strong results.

Our strategy is to consistently offer competitive prices on our products and to maintain our service standards and inventory availability while prioritizing the safety of our customers and staff. We have been generally successful with this and in turn this has improved our standing with key customers.

We consider our location in Papine to be an important part of our success. The facility in Papine is now owned by the company. Papine is a vibrant and fast‐growing university community that also serves as a main access point to the St. Andrew hills. Our location is immediately outside the most trafficked part of the community, is purpose built and well established. The plan is to further develop the facility in Papine through continuous investments in our physical space, operating systems, plant and equipment and our service team.

Over the year ahead, we will continue to judiciously manage our cash and inventory levels with a view to paying dividends and improving shareholder returns while allowing the business to seize opportunities for investment and growth that we expect to arise in Jamaica when economic normalcy returns.

More Information CLICK HERE

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Businessuite Markets

Higher Operating Costs And Margin Pressures Impacted Main Event’s Overall Q1 Profitability.

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Entering 2025 with a strategic focus on expanding revenue streams, strengthening client relationships, and maintaining financial discipline, the Company achieved revenue growth.
However, higher operating costs and margin pressures impacted overall profitability.

The Company reported revenues of $585.03M, representing a 3% or $17.28M increase over the $567.75M recorded in Q1 2024. This growth was primarily driven by a significant increase in revenue contribution from a previously underperforming segment, reflecting the success of targeted expansion efforts. While revenue remains below prior peak levels, the Company continues to recalibrate and drive demand through expanded service offerings and strengthened client engagements.

Gross profit for the quarter stood at $301.67M, reflecting a 4% decline from $315.82M in Q1 2024. This decline resulted from higher direct costs associated with event execution, infrastructure upgrades, additional non-recurring costs incurred during the period, and increased labour costs related to service delivery. Consequently, the gross margin contracted to 51.56% from 55.63% in the prior year. The Company remains focused on managing costs effectively to support long-term profitability.

Operating expenses increased to $218.72M, up 7.5% from $206.35M in Q1 2024. This rise was attributed to planned administrative enhancements, a significant one-off expenditure for the Company’s 20th Anniversary celebration, higher personnel costs, increased security and fuel expenses, and a 51% increase in amortisation expenses to $11.36M due to renegotiated lease agreements and the addition of a new lease.

Operating profit stood at $87.48M, a 24% decline from $115.28M in Q1 2024. Increased finance costs, stemming from renegotiated lease agreements and new lease additions, also impacted results.
Net profit for the quarter amounted to $73.67M, a 27% decrease from $100.25M in Q1 2024, influenced by lower gross margins, increased operational costs, and higher impairment charges. As a result, earnings per share (EPS) fell from $0.33 in Q1 2024 to $0.25 in Q1 2025.

Total assets grew by 6.4%, reaching $1,306.01M, up from $1,227.37M in Q1 2024. This increase was primarily driven by a 53% rise in receivables, reflecting expanded customer engagements, with several balances stemming from events executed near the period’s end. Short-term deposits increased to $250.24M from $236.50M, while cash and bank balances declined by 30% to $131.74M from $188.91M due to timing differences in collections and reinvestments.

Shareholders’ equity strengthened to $956.17M, reflecting a 5% increase over $912.66M in Q1 2024. This growth was primarily supported by retained earnings, demonstrating the Company’s ability to generate and reinvest profits efficiently.

Payables increased by 47%, rising to $229.58M from $156.38M in Q1 2024, mainly due to the timing of event executions towards the end of the quarter, resulting in higher accrued expenses related to supplier payments.

While the macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, the Company remains optimistic about the upcoming quarters. The focus will be on enhancing operational efficiencies to manage cost structures effectively and strengthening revenue streams through deeper market penetration and strategic partnerships. Additionally, the Company intends to use owned-events as a driver of revenue growth.
Our continued success is a testament to the dedication, creativity, and resilience of our exceptional team. Their ability to adapt and innovate in a dynamic industry ensures that we consistently exceed expectations and deliver outstanding experiences. Their dedication was especially evident during the holiday period, where they worked tirelessly to execute high-quality events, ensuring continued excellence in service delivery. We also recognise and appreciate the unwavering guidance of our Board; whose strategic leadership continues to drive our company’s growth and long-term vision.

Solomon Sharpe Chief Executive Officer

For More Information on Main Event Entertainment Group Limited (MEEG) Unaudited Results, Q1 – Three Months Ended January 31, 2025 (Revised) Click Here

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