Full Year Trading Update

11 January 2023

 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"), and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of MAR.

 

Warpaint London PLC

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

 

Full Year Trading Update

 

Strong trading continued in Q4 2022 - Full Year 2022 results expected to be ahead of expectations

 

 

Warpaint London plc (AIM: W7L), the specialist supplier of colour cosmetics and owner of the W7 and Technic brands is pleased to announce a trading update for the year ended 31 December 2022.

 

The Company announced in its interim results on 21 September 2022 that sales for the year ending 31 December 2022 were expected to be at least £61 million (2021: £50.0 million).  Following particularly strong trading in Q4 2022, the Company is pleased to report sales for the full year have exceeded previous expectations and are expected to be approximately £64 million.

 

In addition, in its full year results, the Group expects to report adjusted EBITDA* of approximately £11.8 million (2021: £7.6 million) and adjusted profit before tax** of appro ximately £10 million (2021: £6.9 million), both of which are ahead of current market expectations and the board's previous guidance for adjusted profit before tax**, as outlined in the interim results on 21 September 2022, of in excess of £9 million.

 

The Company continues to have a strong balance sheet with cash balances as at 31 December 2022 totalling £5.8 million (31 December 2021: £4.1 million) and no debt.

 

The Group expects to release its results for the year ended 31 December 2022 in April 2023.

 

Commenting, Sam Bazini Chief Executive, said: "I am delighted with the performance of the Group in 2022 and I am pleased to report that we ended 2022 ahead of expectations, both for sales and profits.  We enjoyed a strong trading performance in Q4 2022 across the Group, with sales growth in the US and online being particular highlights.  We were also able to improve our margins year-on-year.

 

"We expect to see a continuing strong performance in 2023 and I look forward to updating further at the time of the release of the Group's results in April."

 

Note: All figures used in this announcement relating to the financial year ended 31 December 2022 remain subject to audit.

 

* Adjusted for foreign exchange movements, share based payments and exceptional items.

** Adjusted for exceptional items, amortisation of intangible assets, and share based payments.

Adjusted numbers are close to the underlying cash flow performance of the business which is regularly monitored and measured by management.

 

Enquiries:

 

Warpaint London Sam Bazini - Chief Executive Officer Eoin Macleod - Managing Director Neil Rodol - Chief Financial Officer	c/o IFC
Shore Capital (Nominated Adviser & Broker) Patrick Castle, Daniel Bush - Corporate Advisory Fiona Conroy - Corporate Broking	020 7408 4090
IFC Advisory (Financial PR & IR) Tim Metcalfe, Graham Herring, Florence Chandler	020 3934 6630

 

Warpaint London plc

 

Warpaint sells branded cosmetics under the lead brand names of W7 and Technic. W7 is sold in the UK primarily to retailers and internationally to local distributors or retail chains. The Technic brand is sold in the UK and continental Europe with a significant focus on the gifting market, principally for high street retailers and supermarkets.  In addition, Warpaint supplies own brand white label cosmetics produced for several major high street retailers.  The Group also sells cosmetics using its other brand names of Man'stuff, Body Collection, Very Vegan, and Chit Chat.