Avolta AG

Earnings Release • Mar 12, 2025

News Details

Ad-hoc | 12 March 2025 06:30

Avolta delivers a strong set of 2024 financials with revenue growth of +8.9% CER, a 9.4% CORE EBITDA margin and CHF 425m Equity Free Cash Flow, +32% YoY

AD HOC ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TO ART. 53 LR

2024 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Strong Financial Performance 2024
  • Turnover reported CHF 13,725m, CORE CHF 13,473m
  • Revenue growth +8.9% CER 1 , organic growth +6.3%
  • CORE EBITDA increased +12.2% YoY to CHF 1,267m, margin 9.4%, +40 bps YoY
  • EFCF CHF 425m, very healthy conversion +4.9%
• Shareholder value creation in line with capital allocation policy
  • Leverage year-end 2.1x and 1.9x net of treasury share purchases
  • Cancellation of 6.1m shares (4% of issued share capital) in December 2024
  • Dividend CHF 1.00/share (+43% YoY) to be proposed at May 2025 AGM
  • Share Buyback 2025 of up to CHF 200m launched
• Medium-term targets confirmed, building on strong 2024 base
  • Strong start to 2025; 28 February YTD revenue growth +9.5% YoY, organic +6.0%

FY 2024 KEY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Consolidated reported turnover totalled CHF 13,725m with CORE turnover of CHF 13,473m representing growth of +8.9% CER, up +6.3% on an organic basis (+7.7% excluding Argentina). In Q4, CORE turnover grew +5.7% organic (+7.8% excluding Argentina). This momentum reflects continued strong business delivery on the base of passenger growth and demand across our main markets and channels.

CORE EBITDA up from CHF 1,130m in 2023 to CHF 1,267m with a CORE EBITDA margin of 9.4%, +40bps YoY. For Q4, a low season quarter, the EBITDA margin was 7.8%, +30bps YoY.

Equity Free Cash Flow (EFCF) 2024 reached CHF 425m, +32% YoY.

These KPI improvements reflect disciplined cost control and active portfolio management.

The group’s financial net debt stood at CHF 2,663m as at end of December 2024, representing a leverage ratio (net debt/CORE EBITDA) of 2.1x (vs. 2.6x 2023). The leverage ratio net of treasury share purchases to the amount of approx. CHF 200m in 2024 amounts to 1.9x.

Avolta successfully refinanced its EUR 800m bond due October 2024 and extended the Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) by 2 years, to 2029. The margin reduction on the RCF extension will result in interest savings of c. CHF 10m per annum.

FY 2024 KEY OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Avolta’s key strategic growth projects are progressing as planned. While we continue to strengthen the foundations of Avolta with a number of key initiatives, for 2024 we highlight:

Successful business development opportunities across all Avolta regions. The company entered Saudi Arabia at Riyadh’s King Kahlid International Airport, and most recently (2025), entered Tunisia through five of the country’s largest airports. Likewise in Latin America, we have continued to grow our cruise channel with four new NCL ships, and importantly, welcomed our first F&B concept in early 2025.

In North America, the recently announced JFK awards are testimony to the appeal of our ability to deliver value in duty-free, duty-paid, F&B and hybrid in the same location. The purchase of the Free Duty concessions complements Avolta’s long-standing partnership (2018) with the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) in Hong Kong. Avolta now has a presence in all MTR border store locations and a boosted footprint in Asia Pacific.

Avolta continues to innovate. Club Avolta, our global loyalty program with >10m members, is live across Avolta’s 5,100 outlets worldwide, accounting for more than 5% of Avolta’s annualized revenues in 2024. Our latest Avolta NEXT innovation hub provides a physical space dedicated to accelerating tech innovations focused on the business. In addition to these, and amongst many others, we have our award-winning new hybrid concepts, combining travel retail and F&B, our smart stores, and our internally-fenced AI tool, Avolta GPT; all working together to enrich our data lake, deepening our understanding and knowledge of our customers, enabling us to identify emerging trends and better market our business.

Xavier Rossinyol, CEO of Avolta: “Avolta remains committed to driving growth through innovative business development, commercial and digital transformation, capitalizing on our global platform. By focusing on delivering exceptional value to our customers, concession- and brand partners, we are revolutionizing the travel experience. Our strategic approach emphasizes cost discipline to achieve profitable and cash-generative growth, while simultaneously working towards deleveraging and enhancing shareholder value.

For two consecutive years we have exceeded our expectations with strong organic growth, driving the travel experience revolution. The recent launch of Club Avolta epitomizes our dedication, integrating travel retail and food & beverage into a seamless, data-driven loyalty program that enhances customer experience. Leveraging our new shop and restaurant concepts, using our framework of Flexible, Smart, Local, Cross-selling and Hybrid, we adapt dynamically, infusing local flavors, entertainment, and design trends into our travel hubs.

We are very pleased with our performance in 2024, and I thank each team member for their remarkable contributions. Looking ahead to 2025, despite global uncertainties and geopolitical challenges, our diversified presence in more than 70 countries gives us confidence in delivering on our medium-term targets and generating shareholder value. Our estimated reported revenue growth of +9.5% and +6.0% organic YoY as of 28 February 2025 further reinforces this confidence.

The company leads the global revolution of travel retail and food & beverage, redefining the overarching travel experience. On behalf of the management team, I extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who continues to support and believe in our vision."

OUTLOOK

Avolta confirms its organic growth target of 5%-7% p.a., and is committed to delivering +20-40bps of CORE EBITDA margin improvement and +100-150bps EFCF conversion p.a.. At current exchange rates, 2025 currency translation is expected to be broadly neutral.

FY 2024 KEY FINANCIAL TABLES

ORGANIC GROWTH

		FY 2024 vs FY 2023		Q4 2024 vs Q4 2023
Like for Like 2		6.4%		5.3%
New concessions, net		-0.1%		0.4%
Organic Growth		6.3%		5.7%
Change in Scope		2.6%		0.0%
Growth (CER) 3		8.9%		5.7%
FX Impact		-1.5%		-0.9%
Reported Growth		7.5%		4.8%

IFRS AND CORE PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT

IFRS / CORE Profit and Loss statement		IFRS FY 2024		Adjustments
In CHFm			Acquisition related	Fuel sales	Leases		CORE FY 2024		CORE FY 2023
Net sales		13,493			-252			13,241		12,329
Advertising income		232						232		206
Turnover		13,725		0	-252	0		13,473		12,535
Cost of sales		-4,924			234			-4,690		-4,477
Gross profit		8,801		0	-18	0		8,783		8,058
% Margin		64.1%						65.2%		64.3%
Leases expenses (IFRS) / Concession expenses (CORE)		-1,951				-1,458		-3,409		-3,179
Personnel expenses		-2,749						-2,749		-2,539
Other expenses, net (IFRS) / Other expenses, net (CORE)		-1,318			18	-58		-1,358		-1,210
Operating profit before D&A / CORE EBITDA		2,783		0	0	-1,516		1,267		1,130
% Margin		20.3%						9.4%		9.0%
D&A / impairment intangibles		-306				0		-306		-277
Amortization & impairment of intangibles (CORE)/(IFRS)		-364		248		54		-62		-35
Depreciation & impairment right-of-use assets (IFRS)		-1,179				1,179		0		–
Operating profit / CORE EBIT		934		248	0	-283		899		818
% Margin		6.8%						6.7%		6.5%
Financial result		-587				400		-187		-202
Profit before Taxes/CORE Profit before Taxes		347		248	0	117		712		616
% Margin		2.5%						5.3%		4.9%
Income tax		-87		-74		-1		-162		-159
Net Profit/CORE Net Profit		260		174	0	116		550		457
Non-controlling interests		-157		-2		9		-164		-149
Net Profit/CORE Net Profit to equity holders of the parent		103		176	0	107		386		308
Basic Earnings/CORE Basic Earnings per share (in CHF)		0.70						2.62		2.26
Diluted Earnings/CORE Diluted Earnings per share (in CHF)		0.68						2.57		2.21

C ORE CASH FLOW STATEMENT

CORE Cash Flow 4		FY 2024			FY 2023
In CHFm
CORE EBITDA		1,267			1,130
Other non-cash items and changes in lease obligation		91			81
Changes in net working capital		-84			-44
Capital expenditures		-473			-433
Cash flow related to minorities and dividends from associates		-123			-101
Income taxes paid		-120			-129
Cash flow before financing		558			504
Interest, net and other financing items		-133			-181
Equity free cash flow		425			323
Dividend to Group shareholders		-104
Purchase of treasury shares		-202			-33
Other financing activities, net & Fx effect on net debt and other non-cash items		-86			-175
Decrease/ (Increase) in Financial net debt		33			115
Net Debt
– Beginning of the period		2,696			2,811
– End of the period		2,663			2,696

REGIONAL PERFORMANCE

CORE Turnover (CHFm)		Q4 2024		Q4 2023			Reported Growth		FX Impact
Europe, Middle East and Africa		1,659		1,518			9.3%		-0.7%
North America		1,055		1,025			2.9%		-1.2%
Latin America		413		455			-9.2%		-1.0%
Asia Pacific		154		138			11.6%		-1.1%
Avolta Group		3,301		3,151			4.8%		-0.9%
CORE Turnover (CHFm)		FY 2024		FY 2023			Reported Growth		FX Impact
Europe, Middle East and Africa		6,928		6,265			10.6%		-1.0%
North America		4,297		3,971			8.2%		-1.8%
Latin America		1,572		1,654			-5.0%		-1.9%
Asia Pacific		579		558			3.8%		-2.8%
Avolta Group		13,473		12,535			7.5%		-1.5%

IFRS/CORE TURNOVER RECONCILIATION 5

Q4 2024 (CHFm)		Turnover IFRS		Fuel Sales Adjustments		Turnover CORE
Europe, Middle East and Africa		1,713		54		1,659
North America		1,055				1,055
Latin America		413				413
Asia Pacific		154				154
Avolta Group		3,355				3,301
FY 2024 (CHFm)		Turnover IFRS		Fuel Sales Adjustments		Turnover CORE
Europe, Middle East and Africa		7,180		252		6,928
North America		4,297				4,297
Latin America		1,572				1,572
Asia Pacific		579				579
Avolta Group		13,725				13,473

1 C ER Constant Exchange Rate

2 Excluding Argentina, FY Like-for-Like +7.8% YoY

3 CER Constant Exchange Rate

4 IFRS reconciliation provided in Avolta’s FY 2024 financial report pages 268-269.

5 CORE Turnover throughout this news release is excluding net sales from motorway fuel business; income from fuel sales included in CORE other operating income.

For further information:

CONTACT

Rebecca McClellan	Cathy Jongens
Global Head Investor Relations	Director Corporate Communications
Phone : +44 7543 800 405	Phone : +31 6 28 19 88 28
rebecca.mcclellan@avolta.net	cathy.jongens@avolta.net