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Ashtead Group PLC Interim / Quarterly Report 2024
4709_10-q_2024-09-03_a70e5768-eae2-4df9-8bae-914549ad3b9c.html
Interim / Quarterly Report
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National Storage Mechanism | Additional information 
RNS Number : 6143C
Ashtead Group PLC
03 September 2024
3 September 2024
Unaudited results for the first quarter ended 31 July 2024
| First quarter | |||
| 2024 | 2023 | Growth 2 | |
| $m | $m | % | |
| Performance 1 | |||
| Revenue | 2,754 | 2,696 | 2% |
| Rental revenue | 2,541 | 2,376 | 7% |
| EBITDA | 1,288 | 1,229 | 5% |
| Operating profit | 688 | 703 | -2% |
| Adjusted 3 profit before taxation | 573 | 615 | -7% |
| Profit before taxation | 544 | 585 | -7% |
| Adjusted 3 earnings per share | 97.4¢ | 107.5¢ | -9% |
| Earnings per share | 92.4¢ | 102.3¢ | -10% |
Highlights
| ● | Group rental revenue up 7%2; revenue up 2%2 |
| ● | US rental revenue up 6%; revenue up 1% |
| ● | Operating profit of $688m (2023: $703m) |
| ● | Adjusted 3 profit before taxation of $573m (2023: $615m) |
| ● | Adjusted 3 earnings per share of 97.4¢ (2023: 107.5¢) |
| ● | 33 locations added in North America |
| ● | $855m of capital invested in the business (2023: $1,132m) |
| ● | $53m spent on two bolt-on acquisitions (2023: $361m) |
| ● | Net debt to EBITDA leverage2 of 1.7 times (2023: 1.6 times) |
| ● | We expect full year results in line with our previous expectations |
| 1 | Throughout this announcement we refer to a number of alternative performance measures which provide additional useful information. The directors have adopted these to provide additional information on the underlying trends, performance and position of the Group. The alternative performance measures are not defined by IFRS and therefore may not be directly comparable with other companies' alternative performance measures but are defined and reconciled in the Glossary of Terms on page 28. |
| 2 | Calculated at constant exchange rates applying current period exchange rates. |
| 3 | Adjusted results are stated before amortisation. |
Ashtead's chief executive, Brendan Horgan, commented:
"We launched our Sunbelt 4.0 strategic growth plan in April and the business is focused on executing against our five actionable components: Customer, Growth, Performance, Sustainability and Investment. I want to thank all our team members for the hard work and professionalism they exhibit every day as we deliver on this strategy and our commitment to provide exceptional service to our customers, safely.
The Group is performing well with rental revenue up 7% and revenue up 2% in the first quarter. In North America, the increasing proportion of mega projects and the strength of our Specialty businesses has more than offset the lower activity levels in local commercial construction markets. As expected, lower used equipment sales and a higher increase in depreciation and interest costs, resulted in adjusted profit before taxation of $573m (2023: $615m).
The investments in and expansion of the business over Sunbelt 3.0 and into Sunbelt 4.0 are enabling us to take advantage of the diverse opportunities that we see while maintaining a balance sheet that affords us considerable flexibility and optionality. In the quarter we invested $855 million in capital across existing locations and greenfields and $53m on two bolt-ons, adding a total of 33 new locations in North America.
We are in a position of strength, with the operational flexibility and financial capacity to capitalise on the structural growth opportunities we see for the business. We have started the year well and expect full-year results will be in line with our expectations. The Board looks to the future with confidence."
Contacts :
| Will Shaw | Director of Investor Relations | +44 (0)20 7726 9700 | |
| Sam Cartwright | H/Advisors Maitland | +44 (0)20 7379 5151 |
Brendan Horgan and Michael Pratt will hold a conference call for equity analysts to discuss the results and outlook at 10am on Tuesday, 3 September 2024. The call will be webcast live via the Company's website at www.ashtead-group.com and a replay will be available via the website shortly after the call concludes. A copy of this announcement and the slide presentation used for the call are available for download on the Company's website. The usual conference call for bondholders will begin at 3pm (10am EST).
Analysts and bondholders have already been invited to participate in the analyst and bondholder calls but any eligible person not having received details should contact the Company's PR advisers, H/Advisors Maitland (Audrey Da Costa) at +44 (0)20 7379 5151.
Forward-looking statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These have been made by the directors in good faith using information available up to the date on which they approved this report. The directors can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Due to the inherent uncertainties, including both business and economic risk factors underlying such forward-looking statements, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law or regulation, the directors undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Trading results
| Revenue | EBITDA | Profit 1 | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Canada in C$m | 248.4 | 213.0 | 107.4 | 93.2 | 46.5 | 40.2 | |
| UK in £m | 186.3 | 177.7 | 53.5 | 50.0 | 17.6 | 15.8 | |
| US | 2,335.0 | 2,311.4 | 1,149.6 | 1,104.7 | 669.4 | 691.9 | |
| Canada in $m | 181.4 | 159.7 | 78.5 | 69.9 | 33.9 | 30.1 | |
| UK in $m | 237.3 | 225.0 | 68.1 | 63.3 | 22.4 | 20.0 | |
| Group central costs | - | - | (8.5) | (8.7) | (8.7) | (8.9) | |
| 2,753.7 | 2,696.1 | 1,287.7 | 1,229.2 | 717.0 | 733.1 | ||
| Financing costs | (143.9) | (118.2) | |||||
| Adjusted profit before tax | 573.1 | 614.9 | |||||
| Amortisation | (28.7) | (30.3) | |||||
| Profit before taxation | 544.4 | 584.6 | |||||
| Taxation charge | (140.9) | (137.2) | |||||
| Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company | 403.5 | 447.4 | |||||
| Margins | |||||||
| US | 49.2% | 47.8% | 28.7% | 29.9% | |||
| Canada | 43.3% | 43.8% | 18.7% | 18.9% | |||
| UK | 28.7% | 28.1% | 9.5% | 8.9% | |||
| Group | 46.8% | 45.6% | 26.0% | 27.2% | |||
1 Segment result presented is adjusted operating profit.
Group revenue for the quarter increased 2% to $2,754m (2023: $2,696m). This revenue growth resulted in EBITDA increasing 5% to $1,288m (2023: $1,229m), but with lower used equipment sales and after higher depreciation and interest costs, adjusted operating profit decreased 2% to $717m (2023: $733m) and adjusted profit before tax was $573m (2023: $615m). The higher increase in the depreciation charge relative to revenue growth reflects lower utilisation of a larger fleet and the ongoing impact of life cycle fleet inflation, contributing to the decline in operating profit. In addition, increased financing costs due to higher average debt levels resulted in adjusted profit before tax being 7% lower than the comparative period.
In the US, rental only revenue of $1,727m (2023: $1,615m) was 7% higher than the prior year, driven by both volume and rate improvement, representing continued market outperformance and demonstrating the benefits of our strategy of growing our Specialty businesses and broadening our end markets. Organic growth (same-store and greenfields) was 5%, while bolt-ons since 1 May 2023 contributed 2% of rental only revenue growth. In the period, our General Tool business grew 3%, while our Specialty businesses grew 17%. Rental revenue increased 6% to $2,174m (2023: $2,048m). US total revenue, including new and used equipment, merchandise and consumable sales, increased 1% to $2,335m (2023: $2,311m). As expected, this reflects a lower level of used equipment sales than last year when we took advantage of improving fleet deliveries and strong second-hand markets to catch up on deferred disposals.
Canada's rental only revenue increased 21% to C$180m (2023: C$149m). Markets relating to the major part of the Canadian business are performing in a manner similar to the US with volume growth and rate improvement. In addition, following settlement of the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes, activity in the Specialty Film & TV business has recovered, although it has yet to reach pre-strike levels. Rental revenue increased 21% to C$222m (2023: C$183m), while total revenue was C$248m (2023: C$213m).
The UK business generated rental only revenue of £124m, up 3% on the prior year (2023: £120m). Rental only revenue growth has been driven by both rate and volume improvement. Rental revenue increased 6% to £160m (2023: £150m), while total revenue increased 5% to £186m (2023: £178m).
We invested in the infrastructure of the business during Sunbelt 3.0 to support the growth of the business now and into the future. Our intention is to leverage this infrastructure during Sunbelt 4.0 as we look to improve operating performance. This, combined with our focus on the cost base and lower erection and dismantling revenue, contributed to US rental revenue drop through to EBITDA of 69% for the quarter. This resulted in an EBITDA margin of 49.2% (2023: 47.8%). Following the impact of lower gains due to lower used equipment sales and higher depreciation on a larger fleet, segment profit decreased by 3% to $669m (2023: $692m) with a margin of 28.7% (2023: 29.9%).
Our Canadian business continues to develop and invest to expand its network and broaden its markets. This, combined with the recovery in the Film & TV business contributed to an EBITDA margin of 43.3% (2023: 43.8%) and a segment profit of C$46m (2023: C$40m) at a margin of 18.7% (2023: 18.9%).
In the UK, the focus remains on delivering operational efficiency and long-term, sustainable returns in the business. While we continue to improve rental rates, this remains an area of focus. The UK generated an EBITDA margin of 28.7% (2023: 28.1%) and a segment profit of £18m (2023: £16m) at a margin of 9.5%
(2023: 8.9%).
Overall, Group adjusted operating profit decreased to $717m (2023: $733m), down 2% at constant exchange rates. After increased financing costs of $144m (2023: $118m), reflecting higher average debt levels, Group adjusted profit before tax was $573m (2023: $615m). After a tax charge of 26% (2023: 24%) of the adjusted pre-tax profit, adjusted earnings per share were 97.4ȼ (2023: 107.5ȼ).
Statutory profit before tax was $544m (2023: $585m). This is after amortisation of $29m (2023: $30m). Included within the total tax charge is a tax credit of $7m (2023: $8m) which relates to the amortisation of intangibles. As a result, basic earnings per share were 92.4¢ (2023: 102.3¢).
Capital expenditure and acquisitions
Capital expenditure for the quarter was $855m gross and $722m net of disposal proceeds (2023: $1,132m gross and $899m net). As a result, the Group's rental fleet at 31 July 2024 at cost was $18bn and our average fleet age is 46 months (2023: 48 months) on an original cost basis.
We invested $53m (2023: $361m) in two bolt-on acquisitions during the period, as we continue to both expand our footprint and diversify our end markets. Further details are provided in Note 15.
Return on Investment
The Group return on investment was 16% (2023: 19%). In the US, return on investment (excluding goodwill and intangible assets) for the 12 months to 31 July 2024 was 22% (2023: 27%), while in Canada it was 11% (2023: 17%). The reduction in US and Canada return on investment reflects principally the impact of lower utilisation of a larger fleet. In the UK, return on investment (excluding goodwill and intangible assets) was 7% (2023: 7%). Return on investment excludes the impact of IFRS 16.
Cash flow and net debt
The Group generated free cash flow of $161m (2023: outflow of $139m) during the quarter, which is after capital expenditure payments of $933m (2023: $1,164m).
Net debt at 31 July 2024 was $10,761m (2023: $9,679m). Excluding the effect of IFRS 16, net debt at 31 July 2024 was $8,033m (2023: $7,200m), while the ratio of net debt to EBITDA was 1.7 times (2023: 1.6 times) on a constant currency basis. The Group's target range for net debt to EBITDA is 1.0 to 2.0 times, excluding the impact of IFRS 16 (1.4 to 2.4 times post IFRS 16). Including the effect of IFRS 16, the ratio of net debt to EBITDA was 2.2 times (2023: 2.1 times) on a constant currency basis.
At 31 July 2024, availability under the senior secured debt facility was $2,757m with an additional $7,100m of suppressed availability - substantially above the $450m level at which the Group's entire debt package is covenant free.
The Group's debt facilities are committed for an average of six years at a weighted average cost of 5%.
Capital allocation
The Group remains disciplined in its approach to allocation of capital with the overriding objective being to enhance shareholder value.
Our capital allocation framework remains unchanged and prioritises:
· organic fleet growth;
- same-stores;
- greenfields;
· bolt-on acquisitions; and
· a progressive dividend with consideration to both profitability and cash generation that is sustainable through the cycle.
Additionally, we consider further returns to shareholders. In this regard, we assess continuously our medium-term plans which take account of investment in the business, growth prospects, cash generation, net debt and leverage. Therefore, the amount allocated to buybacks is simply driven by that which is available after organic growth, bolt-on M&A and dividends, whilst allowing us to operate within our 1.0 to 2.0 times target range for net debt to EBITDA pre IFRS 16.
Current trading and outlook
We are in a position of strength, with the operational flexibility and financial capacity to capitalise on the structural growth opportunities we see for the business. We have started the year well and expect full-year results will be in line with our expectations. The Board looks to the future with confidence.
| Guidance | |||
| Rental revenue1 | |||
| - US | 4 to 7% | ||
| - Canada | 15 to 19% | ||
| - UK | 3 to 6% | ||
| - Group | 5 to 8% | ||
| Capital expenditure (gross)2 | $3.0 - 3.3bn | ||
| Free cash flow2 | c. $1.2bn |
1 Represents change in year-over-year rental revenue at constant exchange rates
2 Stated at C$1=$0.75 and £1=$1.27
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED 31 JULY 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||
| Before | Before | ||||||
| amortisation | Amortisation | Total | amortisation | Amortisation | Total | ||
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | ||
| Unaudited | |||||||
| Revenue | |||||||
| Rental revenue | 2,540.5 | - | 2,540.5 | 2,375.9 | - | 2,375.9 | |
| Sale of new equipment, | |||||||
| merchandise and consumables | 91.6 | - | 91.6 | 96.4 | - | 96.4 | |
| Sale of used rental equipment | 121.6 | - | 121.6 | 223.8 | - | 223.8 | |
| 2,753.7 | - | 2,753.7 | 2,696.1 | - | 2,696.1 | ||
| Operating costs | |||||||
| Staff costs | (633.3) | - | (633.3) | (618.2) | - | (618.2) | |
| Other operating costs | (731.8) | - | (731.8) | (690.2) | - | (690.2) | |
| Used rental equipment sold | (100.9) | - | (100.9) | (158.5) | - | (158.5) | |
| (1,466.0) | - | (1,466.0) | (1,466.9) | - | (1,466.9) | ||
| EBITDA * | 1,287.7 | - | 1,287.7 | 1,229.2 | - | 1,229.2 | |
| Depreciation | (570.7) | - | (570.7) | (496.1) | - | (496.1) | |
| Amortisation of intangibles | - | (28.7) | (28.7) | - | (30.3) | (30.3) | |
| Operating profit | 717.0 | (28.7) | 688.3 | 733.1 | (30.3) | 702.8 | |
| Interest income | - | - | - | 0.5 | - | 0.5 | |
| Interest expense | (143.9) | - | (143.9) | (118.7) | - | (118.7) | |
| Profit on ordinary activities | |||||||
| before taxation | 573.1 | (28.7) | 544.4 | 614.9 | (30.3) | 584.6 | |
| Taxation | (148.1) | 7.2 | (140.9) | (144.8) | 7.6 | (137.2) | |
| Profit attributable to equity | |||||||
| holders of the Company | 425.0 | (21.5) | 403.5 | 470.1 | (22.7) | 447.4 | |
| Basic earnings per share | 97.4 ¢ | (5.0¢) | 92.4 ¢ | 107.5 ¢ | (5.2¢) | 102.3 ¢ | |
| Diluted earnings per share | 96.9 ¢ | (5.0¢) | 91.9 ¢ | 106.8 ¢ | (5.1¢) | 101.7 ¢ | |
* EBITDA is presented here as an alternative performance measure as it is commonly used by investors and lenders.
All revenue and profit is generated from continuing operations.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED 31 JULY 2024
| Unaudited | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company for the period | 403.5 | 447.4 |
| Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: | ||
| Foreign currency translation differences | 13.8 | 40.3 |
| Movement on equity instruments held at fair value | (25.5) | - |
| (11.7) | 40.3 | |
| Total other comprehensive (loss)/income for the period | (11.7) | 40.3 |
| Total comprehensive income for the period | 391.8 | 487.7 |
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AT 31 JULY 2024
| Unaudited 31 July |
Audited 30 April |
||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| $m | $m | $m | |
| Current assets | |||
| Inventories | 178.1 | 188.9 | 162.0 |
| Trade and other receivables | 2,015.5 | 1,904.7 | 1,850.2 |
| Current tax asset | 5.9 | 7.9 | 13.0 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 17.0 | 25.0 | 20.8 |
| 2,216.5 | 2,126.5 | 2,046.0 | |
| Non-current assets | |||
| Property, plant and equipment | |||
| - rental equipment | 11,667.1 | 10,295.9 | 11,450.8 |
| - other assets | 1,854.4 | 1,476.2 | 1,797.7 |
| 13,521.5 | 11,772.1 | 13,248.5 | |
| Right-of-use assets | 2,498.0 | 2,302.5 | 2,425.6 |
| Goodwill | 3,245.2 | 3,052.0 | 3,211.5 |
| Other intangible assets | 457.2 | 534.8 | 485.9 |
| Other non-current assets | 173.2 | 163.1 | 189.3 |
| Current tax asset | 45.7 | 45.7 | 44.5 |
| Net defined benefit pension plan asset | - | 19.0 | - |
| 19,940.8 | 17,889.2 | 19,605.3 | |
| Total assets | 22,157.3 | 20,015.7 | 21,651.3 |
| Current liabilities | |||
| Trade and other payables | 1,442.3 | 1,544.5 | 1,482.9 |
| Current tax liability | 118.0 | 90.1 | 10.1 |
| Lease liabilities | 284.0 | 245.9 | 273.8 |
| Provisions | 43.6 | 40.5 | 42.5 |
| 1,887.9 | 1,921.0 | 1,809.3 | |
| Non-current liabilities | |||
| Lease liabilities | 2,486.0 | 2,264.2 | 2,406.8 |
| Long-term borrowings | 8,008.0 | 7,194.0 | 7,995.1 |
| Provisions | 76.9 | 70.3 | 75.4 |
| Deferred tax liabilities | 2,241.5 | 2,049.9 | 2,224.2 |
| Other non-current liabilities | 61.6 | 55.9 | 55.5 |
| Net defined benefit pension plan liability | 0.4 | - | 0.4 |
| 12,874.4 | 11,634.3 | 12,757.4 | |
| Total liabilities | 14,762.3 | 13,555.3 | 14,566.7 |
| Equity | |||
| Share capital | 81.8 | 81.8 | 81.8 |
| Share premium account | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Capital redemption reserve | 20.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 |
| Own shares held by the Company | (818.7) | (762.5) | (818.7) |
| Own shares held by the ESOT | (35.0) | (43.5) | (43.5) |
| Cumulative foreign exchange translation differences | (249.7) | (205.6) | (263.5) |
| Retained reserves | 8,390.1 | 7,363.7 | 8,102.0 |
| Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company | 7,395.0 | 6,460.4 | 7,084.6 |
| Total liabilities and equity | 22,157.3 | 20,015.7 | 21,651.3 |
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED 31 JULY 2024
| Own | Cumulative | |||||||||
| Own | shares | foreign | ||||||||
| Share | Capital | shares | held | exchange | ||||||
| Share | premium | redemption | held by the | by | translation | Retained | ||||
| capital | account | reserve | Company | the ESOT | differences | reserves | Total | |||
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |||
| Unaudited | ||||||||||
| At 1 May 2023 | 81.8 | 6.5 | 20.0 | (740.9) | (38.8) | (245.9) | 6,925.3 | 6,008.0 | ||
| Profit for the period | - | - | - | - | - | - | 447.4 | 447.4 | ||
| Other comprehensive income: | ||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation | ||||||||||
| differences | - | - | - | - | - | 40.3 | - | 40.3 | ||
| Total comprehensive income | ||||||||||
| for the period | - | - | - | - | - | 40.3 | 447.4 | 487.7 | ||
| Own shares purchased | ||||||||||
| by the ESOT | - | - | - | - | (29.8) | - | - | (29.8) | ||
| Own shares purchased by | ||||||||||
| the Company | - | - | - | (21.6) | - | - | - | (21.6) | ||
| Share-based payments | - | - | - | - | 25.1 | - | (12.8) | 12.3 | ||
| Tax on share-based payments | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3.8 | 3.8 | ||
| At 31 July 2023 | 81.8 | 6.5 | 20.0 | (762.5) | (43.5) | (205.6) | 7,363.7 | 6,460.4 | ||
| Profit for the period | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,151.0 | 1,151.0 | ||
| Other comprehensive income: | ||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation | ||||||||||
| differences | - | - | - | - | - | (57.9) | - | (57.9) | ||
| Loss on cash flow hedge | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | 0.2 | ||
| Remeasurement of the defined | ||||||||||
| benefit pension plan | - | - | - | - | - | - | (22.6) | (22.6) | ||
| Tax on defined benefit | ||||||||||
| pension scheme | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.6 | 5.6 | ||
| Total comprehensive income | ||||||||||
| for the period | - | - | - | - | - | (57.9) | 1,134.2 | 1,076.3 | ||
| Dividends paid | - | - | - | - | - | - | (436.6) | (436.6) | ||
| Own shares purchased | ||||||||||
| by the ESOT | - | - | - | - | (0.1) | - | - | (0.1) | ||
| Own shares purchased by | ||||||||||
| the Company | - | - | - | (56.2) | - | - | - | (56.2) | ||
| Share-based payments | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | 35.1 | 35.2 | ||
| Tax on share-based payments | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.6 | 5.6 | ||
| At 30 April 2024 | 81.8 | 6.5 | 20.0 | (818.7) | (43.5) | (263.5) | 8,102.0 | 7,084.6 | ||
| Profit for the period | - | - | - | - | - | - | 403.5 | 403.5 | ||
| Other comprehensive income: | ||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation | ||||||||||
| differences | - | - | - | - | - | 13.8 | - | 13.8 | ||
| Movement on equity instruments held at fair value | - | - | - | - | - | - | (25.5) | (25.5) | ||
| Total comprehensive income | ||||||||||
| for the period | - | - | - | - | - | 13.8 | 378.0 | 391.8 | ||
| Own shares purchased | ||||||||||
| by the ESOT | - | - | - | - | (84.6) | - | - | (84.6) | ||
| Share-based payments | - | - | - | - | 93.1 | - | (86.6) | 6.5 | ||
| Tax on share-based payments | - | - | - | - | - | - | (3.3) | (3.3) | ||
| At 31 July 2024 | 81.8 | 6.5 | 20.0 | (818.7) | (35.0) | (249.7) | 8,390.1 | 7,395.0 | ||
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED 31 JULY 2024
| Unaudited | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Cash flows from operating activities | ||
| Cash generated from operations before | ||
| changes in rental equipment | 1,110.1 | 981.7 |
| Payments for rental property, plant and equipment | (794.8) | (1,031.1) |
| Proceeds from disposal of rental property, | ||
| plant and equipment | 93.2 | 148.0 |
| Cash generated from operations | 408.5 | 98.6 |
| Financing costs paid | (114.0) | (106.9) |
| Tax paid | (6.6) | (6.1) |
| Net cash generated from/(used in) operating activities | 287.9 | (14.4) |
| Cash flows from investing activities | ||
| Acquisition of businesses | (58.8) | (316.0) |
| Payments for non-rental property, plant and equipment | (138.1) | (133.1) |
| Proceeds from disposal of non-rental | ||
| property, plant and equipment | 11.3 | 8.6 |
| Net cash used in investing activities | (185.6) | (440.5) |
| Cash flows from financing activities | ||
| Drawdown of loans | 238.6 | 1,328.9 |
| Redemption of loans | (237.2) | (798.1) |
| Repayment of principal under lease liabilities | (35.2) | (29.8) |
| Purchase of own shares by the ESOT | (72.5) | (29.8) |
| Purchase of own shares by the Company | - | (21.7) |
| Net cash (used in)/generated from financing activities | (106.3) | 449.5 |
| Decrease in cash and cash equivalents | (4.0) | (5.4) |
| Opening cash and cash equivalents | 20.8 | 29.9 |
| Effect of exchange rate differences | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Closing cash and cash equivalents | 17.0 | 25.0 |
| Reconciliation of net cash flows to net debt | ||
| Decrease in cash and | ||
| cash equivalents in the period | 4.0 | 5.4 |
| (Decrease)/increase in debt through cash flow | (33.8) | 501.0 |
| Change in net debt from cash flows | (29.8) | 506.4 |
| Exchange differences | 10.7 | 36.9 |
| Debt acquired | 18.6 | 77.9 |
| Deferred costs of debt raising | 2.4 | (0.5) |
| New lease liabilities | 104.2 | 98.9 |
| Increase in net debt in the period | 106.1 | 719.6 |
| Net debt at 1 May | 10,654.9 | 8,959.5 |
| Net debt at 31 July | 10,761.0 | 9,679.1 |
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. General information
Ashtead Group plc ('the Company') is a company incorporated and domiciled in England and Wales and listed on the London Stock Exchange. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements as at, and for the three months ended 31 July 2024, comprise the Company and its subsidiaries ('the Group') and are presented in US dollars.
The condensed consolidated interim fina ncial statements for the three months ended 31 July 2024 were approved by the directors on 2 September 2024.
The condensed consolidated interim financial statements do not constitute statutory accounts as defined in Section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. The statutory accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024 were approved by the directors on 17 June 2024 and have been mailed to shareholders and filed with the Registrar of Companies. The auditor's report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matter by way of emphasis and did not contain a statement under Section 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006.
Details of principal risks and uncertainties are given in the Review of Balance Sheet and Cash Flow accompanying these condensed consolidated interim financial statements.
2. Basis of preparation
The condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three months ended 31 July 2024 have been prepared in accordance with relevant UK-adopted International Accounting Standards ('IFRS'), including the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority and the accounting policies set out in the Group's Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024.
In preparing the financial statements, the exchange rates used in respect of the pound sterling (£) and Canadian dollar (C$) are:
| Pound sterling | Canadian dollar | |||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |
| Average for the three months ended 31 July | 1.27 | 1.27 | 0.73 | 0.75 |
| At 30 April | 1.25 | 1.26 | 0.73 | 0.74 |
| At 31 July | 1.28 | 1.29 | 0.72 | 0.76 |
The directors have adopted various alternative performance measures to provide additional useful information on the underlying trends, performance and position of the Group. The alternative performance measures are not defined by IFRS and therefore may not be directly comparable with other companies' alternative performance measures but are defined within the Glossary of Terms on page 28.
The condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis. The Group's internal budgets and forecasts of future performance, available financing facilities and facility headroom (see Note 12), provide a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future and consequently the going concern basis continues to be appropriate in preparing the financial statements.
3. Segmental analysis
| Three months to 31 July 2024 (unaudited) | ||||||||
| Corporate | ||||||||
| US | Canada | UK | items | Group | ||||
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | ||||
| Revenue | ||||||||
| Rental revenue | 2,174.4 | 162.1 | 204.0 | - | 2,540.5 | |||
| Sale of new equipment, merchandise | ||||||||
| and consumables | 60.6 | 9.5 | 21.5 | - | 91.6 | |||
| Sale of used rental equipment | 100.0 | 9.8 | 11.8 | - | 121.6 | |||
| 2,335.0 | 181.4 | 237.3 | - | 2,753.7 | ||||
| Segment profit | 669.4 | 33.9 | 22.4 | (8.7) | 717.0 | |||
| Amortisation | (28.7) | |||||||
| Net financing costs | (143.9) | |||||||
| Profit before taxation | 544.4 | |||||||
| Taxation | (140.9) | |||||||
| Profit attributable to equity shareholders | 403.5 | |||||||
| Three months to 31 July 2023 (unaudited) | ||||||||
| Corporate | ||||||||
| US | Canada | UK | items | Group | ||||
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | ||||
| Revenue | ||||||||
| Rental revenue | 2,048.2 | 137.3 | 190.4 | - | 2,375.9 | |||
| Sale of new equipment, merchandise | ||||||||
| and consumables | 62.9 | 13.5 | 20.0 | - | 96.4 | |||
| Sale of used rental equipment | 200.3 | 8.9 | 14.6 | - | 223.8 | |||
| 2,311.4 | 159.7 | 225.0 | - | 2,696.1 | ||||
| Segment profit | 691.9 | 30.1 | 20.0 | (8.9) | 733.1 | |||
| Amortisation | (30.3) | |||||||
| Net financing costs | (118.2) | |||||||
| Profit before taxation | 584.6 | |||||||
| Taxation | (137.2) | |||||||
| Profit attributable to equity shareholders | 447.4 | |||||||
| Corporate | |||||
| US | Canada | UK | items | Group | |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| At 31 July 2024 (unaudited) | |||||
| Segment assets | 18,550.5 | 1,944.2 | 1,588.1 | 5.9 | 22,088.7 |
| Cash | 17.0 | ||||
| Taxation assets | 51.6 | ||||
| Total assets | 22,157.3 | ||||
| At 30 April 2024 (audited) | |||||
| Segment assets | 18,148.4 | 1,901.0 | 1,517.1 | 6.5 | 21,573.0 |
| Cash | 20.8 | ||||
| Taxation assets | 57.5 | ||||
| Total assets | 21,651.3 |
4. Operating costs and other income
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Before amortisation |
Amortisation | Total | Before amortisation |
Amortisation | Total | |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| Three months to 31 July (unaudited) | ||||||
| Staff costs: | ||||||
| Salaries | 578.4 | - | 578.4 | 565.1 | - | 565.1 |
| Social security costs | 43.0 | - | 43.0 | 41.3 | - | 41.3 |
| Other pension costs | 11.9 | - | 11.9 | 11.8 | - | 11.8 |
| 633.3 | - | 633.3 | 618.2 | - | 618.2 | |
| Other operating costs: | ||||||
| Vehicle costs | 180.5 | - | 180.5 | 162.0 | - | 162.0 |
| Spares, consumables & external repairs | 137.3 | - | 137.3 | 141.5 | - | 141.5 |
| Facility costs | 27.5 | - | 27.5 | 28.6 | - | 28.6 |
| Other external charges | 386.5 | - | 386.5 | 358.1 | - | 358.1 |
| 731.8 | - | 731.8 | 690.2 | - | 690.2 | |
| Used rental equipment sold | 100.9 | - | 100.9 | 158.5 | - | 158.5 |
| Depreciation and amortisation: | ||||||
| Depreciation of tangible assets | 518.4 | - | 518.4 | 448.1 | - | 448.1 |
| Depreciation of right-of-use assets | 52.3 | - | 52.3 | 48.0 | - | 48.0 |
| Amortisation of intangibles | - | 28.7 | 28.7 | - | 30.3 | 30.3 |
| 570.7 | 28.7 | 599.4 | 496.1 | 30.3 | 526.4 | |
| 2,036.7 | 28.7 | 2,065.4 | 1,963.0 | 30.3 | 1,993.3 |
5. Amortisation
Amortisation relates to the write-off of intangible assets over their estimated useful economic life. The Group believes this item should be disclosed separately within the consolidated income statement to assist in the understanding of the financial performance of the Group. Adjusted profit and earnings per share are stated before amortisation of intangibles.
| Unaudited | ||
| Three months to | ||
| 31 July | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Amortisation of intangibles | 28.7 | 30.3 |
| Taxation | (7.2) | (7.6) |
| 21.5 | 22.7 |
6. Net financing costs
| Unaudited | ||
| Three months to | ||
| 31 July | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Interest income: | ||
| Net income on the defined benefit pension plan asset | - | 0.2 |
| Other interest | - | 0.3 |
| - | 0.5 | |
| Interest expense: | ||
| Bank interest payable | 34.8 | 39.3 |
| Interest payable on senior notes | 69.9 | 47.0 |
| Interest payable on lease liabilities | 35.5 | 29.9 |
| Non-cash unwind of discount on liabilities | 1.3 | 0.5 |
| Amortisation of deferred debt raising costs | 2.4 | 2.0 |
| 143.9 | 118.7 |
7. Taxation
The tax charge for the period has been determined by applying the expected effective tax rates in each jurisdiction for the year as a whole, based on the tax rates in force as at 31 July 2024 of 25% in the US (2023: 25%), 26% in Canada (2023: 26%) and 25% in the UK (2023: 25%). This results in a blended effective rate for the Group as a whole of 26% (2023: 23%) for the period.
The tax charge of $148m (2023: $145m) on the adjusted profit before taxation of $573m (2023: $615m) can be explained as follows:
| Unaudited | ||
| Three months to | ||
| 31 July | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Current tax | ||
| - current tax on income for the period | 130.0 | 96.1 |
| - adjustments to prior year | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| 131.2 | 96.2 | |
| Deferred tax | ||
| - origination and reversal of temporary differences | 16.9 | 62.1 |
| - adjustments to prior year | - | (13.5) |
| 16.9 | 48.6 | |
| Tax on adjusted profit | 148.1 | 144.8 |
| Comprising: | ||
| - US | 140.2 | 138.8 |
| - Canada | 5.3 | 4.0 |
| - UK | 2.6 | 2.0 |
| 148.1 | 144.8 |
In addition, the tax credit of $7m (2023: $8m) on amortisation of $29m (2023: $30m) consists of a current tax credit of $3m (2023: $3m) relating to the US, $0.1m (2023: $0.1m) relating to Canada and $nil (2023: $nil) relating to the UK and a deferred tax credit of $2m (2023: $2m) relating to the US, $1m (2023: $2m) relating to Canada and $0.5m (2023: $0.5m) relating to the UK.
8. Earnings per share
Basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended 31 July 2024 have been calculated based on the profit for the relevant period and the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during that period (excluding shares held by the Company and the ESOT over which dividends have been waived). Diluted earnings per share is computed using the result for the relevant period and the diluted number of shares (ignoring any potential issue of ordinary shares which would be anti-dilutive). These are calculated as follows:
| Unaudited Three months to 31 July |
|||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
| Profit for the financial period ($m) | 403.5 | 447.4 | |
| Weighted average number of shares (m) | - basic | 436.5 | 437.4 |
| - diluted | 438.9 | 440.1 | |
| Basic earnings per share | 92.4 ¢ | 102.3 ¢ | |
| Diluted earnings per share | 91.9 ¢ | 101.7 ¢ |
Adjusted earnings per share (defined in any period as the earnings before exceptional items and amortisation for that period divided by the weighted average number of shares in issue in that period) may be reconciled to the basic earnings per share as follows:
| Unaudited Three months to 31 July |
||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Basic earnings per share | 92.4¢ | 102.3¢ |
| Amortisation of intangibles | 6.6¢ | 6.9¢ |
| Tax on amortisation | (1.6¢) | (1.7¢) |
| Adjusted earnings per share | 97.4 ¢ | 107.5 ¢ |
9. Property, plant and equipment
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| Rental | Rental | |||
| equipment | Total | equipment | Total | |
| Net book value | $m | $m | $m | $m |
| At 1 May | 11,450.8 | 13,248.5 | 9,649.1 | 11,041.1 |
| Exchange differences | 16.5 | 18.8 | 37.4 | 43.9 |
| Reclassifications | - | - | 0.2 | - |
| Additions | 717.5 | 855.5 | 998.7 | 1,132.3 |
| Acquisitions | 20.1 | 22.2 | 150.1 | 162.3 |
| Disposals | (95.9) | (105.1) | (154.0) | (159.4) |
| Depreciation | (441.9) | (518.4) | (385.6) | (448.1) |
| At 31 July | 11,667.1 | 13,521.5 | 10,295.9 | 11,772.1 |
10. Right-of-use assets
| 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Property | Other | Property | Other | |||
| Net book value | leases | leases | Total | leases | leases | Total |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| At 1 May | 2,390.5 | 35.1 | 2,425.6 | 2,184.8 | 21.2 | 2,206.0 |
| Exchange differences | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 10.6 | 0.4 | 11.0 |
| Additions | 76.7 | 2.5 | 79.2 | 75.2 | 6.5 | 81.7 |
| Acquisitions | 18.6 | - | 18.6 | 34.8 | - | 34.8 |
| Remeasurement | 26.9 | - | 26.9 | 26.3 | - | 26.3 |
| Disposals | (1.5) | (0.3) | (1.8) | (9.1) | (0.2) | (9.3) |
| Depreciation | (50.3) | (2.0) | (52.3) | (46.6) | (1.4) | (48.0) |
| At 31 July | 2,461.8 | 36.2 | 2,498.0 | 2,276.0 | 26.5 | 2,302.5 |
11. Lease liabilities
| 31 July | 30 April | |
| 2024 | 2024 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Current | 284.0 | 273.8 |
| Non-current | 2,486.0 | 2,406.8 |
| 2,770.0 | 2,680.6 |
12. Borrowings
| 31 July | 30 April | |
| 2024 | 2024 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Non-current | ||
| First priority senior secured bank debt | 1,859.1 | 1,848.0 |
| 1.500% senior notes, due August 2026 | 548.0 | 547.8 |
| 4.375% senior notes, due August 2027 | 596.9 | 596.6 |
| 4.000% senior notes, due May 2028 | 596.2 | 596.0 |
| 4.250% senior notes, due November 2029 | 595.5 | 595.3 |
| 2.450% senior notes, due August 2031 | 744.7 | 744.6 |
| 5.500% senior notes, due August 2032 | 739.1 | 738.8 |
| 5.550% senior notes, due May 2033 | 743.6 | 743.4 |
| 5.950% senior notes, due October 2033 | 744.2 | 744.1 |
| 5.800% senior notes, due April 2034 | 840.7 | 840.5 |
| 8,008.0 | 7,995.1 |
The senior secured bank debt is secured by way of fixed and floating charges over substantially all the Group's property, plant and equipment, inventory and trade receivables and is committed until August 2026. The senior notes are guaranteed by Ashtead Group plc and all its principal subsidiary undertakings.
Our debt facilities are committed for the long term, with an average maturity of six years and a weighted average interest cost (including non-cash amortisation of deferred debt raising costs) of 5%.
There is one financial performance covenant under the first priority senior credit facility. That is the fixed charge ratio (comprising EBITDA before exceptional items less net capital expenditure paid in cash over the sum of scheduled debt repayments plus cash interest, cash tax payments and dividends paid in the last twelve months) which, must be equal to, or greater than, 1.0. This covenant does not apply when availability exceeds $450m. At 31 July 2024 , availability under the senior secured bank facility was $2,757m ($2,771m at 30 April 2024), with an additional $7,100m of suppressed availability, meaning that the covenant did not apply at 31 July 2024 and is unlikely to apply in forthcoming quarters.
Fair value of financial instruments
Financial assets and liabilities are measured in accordance with the fair value hierarchy and assessed as Level 1, 2 or 3 based on the following criteria:
- Level 1: fair value measurement based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
- Level 2: fair value measurements derived from inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices); and
- Level 3: fair value measurements derived from valuation techniques that include inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data.
Fair value of derivative financial instruments
At 31 July 2024, the Group had no derivative financial instruments. The embedded prepayment options included within the senior notes are either closely related to the host debt contract or immaterial and hence, are not accounted for separately. These loan notes are carried at amortised cost.
Fair value of non-derivative financial assets and liabilities
The table below provides a comparison, by category of the carrying amounts and the fair values of the Group's non-derivative financial assets and liabilities.
| At 31 July 2024 | At 30 April 2024 | ||||
| Book value |
Fair value |
Book value |
Fair value |
||
| $m | $m | $m | $m | ||
| Long-term borrowings | |||||
| - first priority senior secured bank debt | Level 1 | 1,859.1 | 1,859.1 | 1,848.0 | 1,848.0 |
| - 1.500% senior notes | Level 1 | 550.0 | 509.9 | 550.0 | 498.1 |
| - 4.375% senior notes | Level 1 | 600.0 | 585.1 | 600.0 | 571.5 |
| - 4.000% senior notes | Level 1 | 600.0 | 574.2 | 600.0 | 559.9 |
| - 4.250% senior notes | Level 1 | 600.0 | 571.8 | 600.0 | 549.9 |
| - 2.450% senior notes | Level 1 | 750.0 | 623.5 | 750.0 | 596.5 |
| - 5.500% senior notes | Level 1 | 750.0 | 749.1 | 750.0 | 719.9 |
| - 5.550% senior notes | Level 1 | 750.0 | 749.5 | 750.0 | 719.2 |
| - 5.950% senior notes | Level 1 | 750.0 | 770.2 | 750.0 | 739.7 |
| - 5.800% senior notes | Level 1 | 850.0 | 864.7 | 850.0 | 828.3 |
| Total long-term borrowings | 8,059.1 | 7,857.1 | 8,048.0 | 7,631.0 | |
| Discount on issue of debt | (13.6) | - | (14.0) | - | |
| Deferred costs of raising finance | (37.5) | - | (38.9) | - | |
| 8,008.0 | 7,857.1 | 7,995.1 | 7,631.0 | ||
| Other financial instruments1 | |||||
| Contingent consideration | Level 3 | 26.2 | 26.2 | 31.4 | 31.4 |
| Financial asset investments | Level 3 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 57.0 | 57.0 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | Level 1 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 20.8 | 20.8 |
1 The Group's trade and other receivables and trade and other payables, excluding contingent consideration, are not shown in the table above. The carrying amounts of these financial assets and liabilities approximate their fair values.
Contingent consideration is a Level 3 financial liability. Future anticipated payments to vendors in respect of contingent consideration are initially recorded at fair value which is the present value of the expected cash outflows of the obligations. The obligations are dependent upon the future financial performance of the businesses acquired. The fair value is estimated based on internal financial projections prepared in relation to the acquisition with the contingent consideration discounted to present value using a discount rate in line with the Group's cost of debt. The movement since 30 April 2024 can be attributed to $5.7m of payments in the period (see Note 14), offset by $0.3m of exchange differences and $0.2m of discount unwind.
Financial asset investments are measured at fair value and are Level 3 financial assets. These assets are measured at fair value through other comprehensive income. Their fair values are estimated based on the latest transaction price and any subsequent investment-specific adjustments. During the period, one of the Group's investments failed to secure additional funding and commenced Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings in August 2024. As a result, the Group has estimated the fair value of its investment as $nil and consequently recognised a movement in the fair value of the equity investment of $25m through other comprehensive income.
13. Share capital
| Ordinary shares of 10p each: | ||||
| 31 July | 30 April | 31 July | 30 April | |
| 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | |
| Number | Number | $m | $m | |
| Issued and fully paid | 451,354,833 | 451,354,833 | 81.8 | 81.8 |
At 31 July 2024, 14.1 m (April 2024: 14.1 m) shares were held by the Company ($ 819 m; April 2024: $819m) and a further 0.5 m (April 2024: 0.9m) shares were held by the Company's Employee Share Ownership Trust ($ 35 m; April 2024: $43m).
14. Notes to the cash flow statement
a) Cash flow from operating activities
| Three months to 31 July | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Operating profit | 688.3 | 702.8 |
| Depreciation | 570.7 | 496.1 |
| Amortisation | 28.7 | 30.3 |
| EBITDA | 1,287.7 | 1,229.2 |
| Profit on disposal of rental equipment | (20.7) | (65.3) |
| Profit on disposal of other property, plant and equipment | (2.7) | (3.3) |
| Increase in inventories | (17.4) | (4.0) |
| Increase in trade and other receivables | (145.9) | (164.6) |
| Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables | 2.0 | (22.8) |
| Exchange differences | 0.6 | 0.2 |
| Other non-cash movement | 6.5 | 12.3 |
| Cash generated from operations before | ||
| changes in rental equipment | 1,110.1 | 981.7 |
b) Analysis of net debt
Net debt consists of total borrowings and lease liabilities less cash and cash equivalents. Borrowings exclude accrued interest. Non-US dollar denominated balances are translated to US dollars at rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date.
| Non-cash movements | |||||||
| 1 May | Cash | Exchange | Debt | New lease | Other | 31 July | |
| 2024 | flow | movement | acquired | liabilities | movements | 2024 | |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| Long-term borrowings | 7,995.1 | 1.4 | 9.1 | - | - | 2.4 | 8,008.0 |
| Lease liabilities | 2,680.6 | (35.2) | 1.8 | 18.6 | 104.2 | - | 2,770.0 |
| Total liabilities from | |||||||
| financing activities | 10,675.7 | (33.8) | 10.9 | 18.6 | 104.2 | 2.4 | 10,778.0 |
| Cash and cash | |||||||
| equivalents | (20.8) | 4.0 | (0.2) | - | - | - | (17.0) |
| Net debt | 10,654.9 | (29.8) | 10.7 | 18.6 | 104.2 | 2.4 | 10,761.0 |
| Non-cash movements | |||||||
| 1 May | Cash | Exchange | Debt | New lease | Other | 31 July | |
| 2023 | flow | movement | acquired | liabilities | movements | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| Long-term borrowings | 6,595.1 | 530.8 | 25.5 | 43.1 | - | (0.5) | 7,194.0 |
| Lease liabilities | 2,394.3 | (29.8) | 11.9 | 34.8 | 98.9 | - | 2,510.1 |
| Total liabilities from | |||||||
| financing activities | 8,989.4 | 501.0 | 37.4 | 77.9 | 98.9 | (0.5) | 9,704.1 |
| Cash and cash | |||||||
| equivalents | (29.9) | 5.4 | (0.5) | - | - | - | (25.0) |
| Net debt | 8,959.5 | 506.4 | 36.9 | 77.9 | 98.9 | (0.5) | 9,679.1 |
Details of the Group's cash and debt are given in Notes 11 and 12 and the Review of Balance Sheet and Cash Flow accompanying these condensed consolidated interim financial statements.
c) Acquisitions
| Three months to 31 July | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Cash consideration paid: | ||
| - acquisitions in the period | 53.1 | 315.1 |
| - contingent consideration | 5.7 | 0.9 |
| 58.8 | 316.0 |
During the period, two businesses were acquired with cash paid of $ 53 m (2023: $315m), after taking account of net cash acquired of $ nil (2023: $3m). Further details are provided in Note 15.
Contingent consideration of $ 6 m (2023: $1m) was paid relating to prior year acquisitions.
15. Acquisitions
The Group undertakes bolt-on acquisitions to complement its organic growth strategy. During the period, the following acquisitions were completed:
i) On 21 May 2024, Sunbelt US acquired the business and assets of RentalMax, LLC ('RentalMax'). RentalMax is a general tool business operating in Illinois.
ii) On 25 June 2024, Sunbelt Canada acquired the business and assets of Wave Equipment Ltd. ('Wave'). Wave is a general tool business operating in Ontario.
The following table sets out the fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities acquired by the Group. The fair values have been determined provisionally at the balance sheet date.
| Fair value | |
| to the Group | |
| $m | |
| Net assets acquired | |
| Trade and other receivables | 1.9 |
| Property, plant and equipment | |
| - rental equipment | 20.1 |
| - other assets | 2.1 |
| Right-of-use assets | 18.6 |
| Deferred tax | 0.1 |
| Creditors | (2.2) |
| Lease liabilities | (18.6) |
| 22.0 | |
| Consideration: | |
| - cash paid and due to be paid (net of cash acquired) | 52.7 |
| Goodwill | 30.7 |
The goodwill arising can be attributed to the key management personnel and workforce of the acquired businesses, the benefits through advancing our clusters and leveraging cross-selling opportunities, and to the synergies and other benefits the Group expects to derive from the acquisitions. The synergies and other benefits include elimination of duplicate costs, improving utilisation of the acquired rental fleet, using the Group's financial strength to invest in the acquired business and drive improved returns through a semi-fixed cost base and the application of the Group's proprietary software to optimise revenue opportunities. $ 30 m of the goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes.
The gross value and the fair value of trade receivables at acquisition was $ 2 m.
Due to the operational integration of acquired businesses post-acquisition, in particular due to the merger of some stores, the movement of rental equipment between stores and investment in the rental fleet, it is not practical to report the revenue and profit of the acquired businesses post-acquisition. The revenue and operating profit of these acquisitions from 1 May 2024 to their date of acquisition was not material.
16. Contingent liabilities
Following its state aid investigation, in April 2019 the European Commission announced its decision that the Group Financing Exemption in the UK controlled foreign company ('CFC') legislation constitutes state aid in some circumstances. In common with the UK Government and other UK-based international companies, the Group does not agree with the decision and has therefore lodged a formal appeal with the General Court of the European Union. In common with other UK taxpayers, the Group's appeal has been stayed while the appeals put forward by the UK Government and ITV plc proceed.
On 8 June 2022 the General Court of the European Union dismissed the appeals put forward by the UK Government and ITV plc. However, there remains a high degree of uncertainty in the final outcome given the UK Government and ITV plc have both appealed against the decision to the EU Court of Justice. The EU Court of Justice held a hearing on the case in January 2024 and the Advocate-General's opinion was published in April 2024, proposing that the EU Court of Justice set aside the judgement of the General Court and annul the decision made by the European Commission that the Group Financing Exemption in the UK CFC legislation constituted state aid. The Group will continue to monitor proceedings closely.
Despite the UK Government appealing the European Commission's decision, His Majesty's Revenue & Customs ('HMRC') was required to make an assessment of the tax liability which would arise if the decision is not successfully appealed and collect that amount from taxpayers. HMRC issued a charging notice stating that the tax liability it believes to be due on this basis is £36m, including interest payable. The Group has appealed the charging notice and has settled the amount assessed on it, including interest, in line with HMRC requirements. On successful appeal in whole or in part, all or part of the amount paid in accordance with the charging notice would be returned to the Group. If either the decision reached by the General Court of the European Union or the charging notice issued by HMRC are not ultimately appealed successfully, we have estimated the Group's maximum potential liability to be £36m as at 31 July 2024 ($46m at July 2024 exchange rates), including any interest payable. Based on the current status of proceedings, we have concluded that no provision is required in relation to this matter.
The £36m ($ 46 m at July 2024 exchange rates) paid has been recognised separately as a non-current asset on the balance sheet.
REVIEW OF BALANCE SHEET AND CASH FLOW
Balance sheet
Property, plant and equipment
Capital expenditure in the quarter totalled $855m (2023: $1,132m) with $717m invested in the rental fleet (2023: $999m). Expenditure on rental equipment was 84% of total capital expenditure with the balance relating to the delivery vehicle fleet, property improvements and IT equipment. Capital expenditure by division was:
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| Replacement | Growth | Total | Total | |
| Canada in C$m | 35.6 | 52.5 | 88.1 | 72.4 |
| UK in £m | 21.5 | 27.5 | 49.0 | 64.6 |
| US | 283.2 | 307.6 | 590.8 | 862.6 |
| Canada in $m | 26.0 | 38.3 | 64.3 | 54.3 |
| UK in $m | 27.4 | 35.0 | 62.4 | 81.8 |
| Total rental equipment | 336.6 | 380.9 | 717.5 | 998.7 |
| Delivery vehicles, property improvements & IT equipment | 138.0 | 133.6 | ||
| Total additions | 855.5 | 1,132.3 |
In the US, $308m of rental equipment capital expenditure was spent on growth while $283m was invested in replacement of existing fleet. The growth proportion is estimated based on the assumption that replacement capital expenditure in any period is equal to the original cost of equipment sold. In a period of inflation, this understates replacement capital expenditure and overstates growth capital expenditure. Life cycle inflation is c. 20%.
The average age of the Group's serialised rental equipment, which constitutes the substantial majority of our fleet, at 31 July 2024 was 46 months (2023: 48 months) on an original cost basis. The US fleet had an average age of 45 months (2023: 47 months), the Canadian fleet had an average age of 51 months (2023: 54 months) and the UK fleet had an average age of 50 months (2023: 51 months).
| Rental fleet at original cost | LTM rental revenue |
LTM dollar utilisation |
|||||
| 31 July 2024 | 30 April 2024 | LTM average | |||||
| Canada in C$m | 1,813 | 1,751 | 1,699 | 804 | 47% | ||
| UK in £m | 1,156 | 1,130 | 1,134 | 600 | 53% | ||
| US | 15,397 | 15,057 | 14,846 | 8,447 | 57% | ||
| Canada in $m | 1,313 | 1,274 | 1,250 | 592 | 47% | ||
| UK in $m | 1,485 | 1,414 | 1,428 | 756 | 53% | ||
| 18,195 | 17,745 | 17,524 | 9,795 | ||||
Dollar utilisation was 57% in the US (2023: 60%), 47% for Canada (2023: 53%) and 53% for the UK (2023: 52%). The decrease in US dollar utilisation is due to principally lower physical utilisation while Canadian dollar utilisation reflects both lower physical utilisation and the remaining drag from the Film & TV business.
Trade receivables
Receivable days at 31 July 2024 were 49 days (2023: 48 days). The bad debt charge for the last twelve months ended 31 July 2024 as a percentage of total turnover was 0.8% (2023: 0.5%). Trade receivables at 31 July 2024 of $1,659m (2023: $1,586m) are stated net of allowances for bad debts and credit notes of $151m (2023: $118m), with the provision representing 8% (2023: 7%) of gross receivables.
Trade and other payables
Group payable days were 47 days at 31 July 2024 (2023: 46 days) with capital expenditure related payables totalling $438m (2023: $576m). Payment periods for purchases other than rental equipment vary between seven and 60 days and for rental equipment between 30 and 120 days.
Cash flow and net debt
| Three months to 31 July |
LTM to 31 July |
Year to 30 April |
||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | |
| $m | $m | $m | $m | |
| EBITDA | 1,287.7 | 1,229.2 | 4,951.1 | 4,892.6 |
| Cash inflow from operations before | ||||
| changes in rental equipment | 1,110.1 | 981.7 | 4,669.4 | 4,541.0 |
| Cash conversion ratio* | 86.2% | 79.9% | 94.3% | 92.8% |
| Replacement rental capital expenditure | (574.6) | (584.3) | (2,111.3) | (2,121.0) |
| Payments for non-rental capital expenditure | (138.1) | (133.1) | (690.6) | (685.6) |
| Rental equipment disposal proceeds | 93.2 | 148.0 | 776.9 | 831.7 |
| Other property, plant and equipment disposal proceeds | 11.3 | 8.6 | 50.2 | 47.5 |
| Tax paid | (6.6) | (6.1) | (246.3) | (245.8) |
| Financing costs | (114.0) | (106.9) | (520.2) | (513.1) |
| Cash inflow before growth capex | 381.3 | 307.9 | 1,928.1 | 1,854.7 |
| Growth rental capital expenditure | (220.2) | (446.8) | (1,411.6) | (1,638.2) |
| Free cash flow | 161.1 | (138.9) | 516.5 | 216.5 |
| Business acquisitions | (58.8) | (316.0) | (618.4) | (875.6) |
| Business disposals | - | - | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Financial asset investments | - | - | (15.0) | (15.0) |
| Total cash generated/(absorbed) | 102.3 | (454.9) | (115.0) | (672.2) |
| Dividends | - | - | (436.1) | (436.1) |
| Purchase of own shares by the ESOT | (72.5) | (29.8) | (72.6) | (29.9) |
| Purchase of own shares by the Company | - | (21.7) | (56.7) | (78.4) |
| Decrease/(increase) in net debt due to cash flow | 29.8 | (506.4) | (680.4) | (1,216.6) |
* Cash inflow from operations before changes in rental equipment as a percentage of EBITDA.
Cash inflow from operations before the net investment in the rental fleet was $1,110m (2023: $982m). The conversion ratio for the period was 86% (2023: 80%).
Total payments for capital expenditure (rental equipment and other PPE) during the first quarter were $933m (2023: $1,164m). Disposal proceeds received totalled $105m (2023: $157m), giving net payments for capital expenditure of $828m in the period (2023: $1,007m). Financing costs paid totalled $114m (2023: $107m) while tax payments were $7m (2023: $6m). Financing costs paid typically differ from the charge in the income statement due to the timing of interest payments in the period and non-cash interest charges.
Accordingly, the period saw a free cash inflow of $161m (2023: outflow of $139m) and, after acquisition related expenditure of $59m (2023: $316m), a cash inflow of $102m (2023: outflow of $455m), before returns to shareholders.
Net debt
| 31 July | 30 April | ||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| $m | $m | $m | |
| First priority senior secured bank debt | 1,859.1 | 1,892.4 | 1,848.0 |
| 1.500% senior notes, due 2026 | 548.0 | 547.0 | 547.8 |
| 4.375% senior notes, due 2027 | 596.9 | 595.9 | 596.6 |
| 4.000% senior notes, due 2028 | 596.2 | 595.3 | 596.0 |
| 4.250% senior notes, due 2029 | 595.5 | 594.8 | 595.3 |
| 2.450% senior notes, due 2031 | 744.7 | 744.0 | 744.6 |
| 5.500% senior notes, due 2032 | 739.1 | 738.1 | 738.8 |
| 5.550% senior notes, due 2033 | 743.6 | 743.0 | 743.4 |
| 5.950% senior notes, due 2033 | 744.2 | 743.5 | 744.1 |
| 5.800% senior notes, due 2034 | 840.7 | - | 840.5 |
| Total external borrowings | 8,008.0 | 7,194.0 | 7,995.1 |
| Lease liabilities | 2,770.0 | 2,510.1 | 2,680.6 |
| Total gross debt | 10,778.0 | 9,704.1 | 10,675.7 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | (17.0) | (25.0) | (20.8) |
| Total net debt | 10,761.0 | 9,679.1 | 10,654.9 |
Net debt at 31 July 2024 was $10,761m with the increase since 30 April 2024 reflecting additional lease commitments as we continue our greenfield and bolt-on expansion. The Group's EBITDA for the twelve months ended 31 July 2024 was $4,951m. Excluding the impact of IFRS 16, the ratio of net debt to EBITDA was 1.7 times (2023: 1.6 times) on a constant currency and a reported basis as at 31 July 2024. Including the impact of IFRS 16, the ratio of net debt to EBITDA was 2.2 times (2023: 2.1 times) as at 31 July 2024.
Principal risks and uncertainties
Risks and uncertainties in achieving the Group's objectives for the remainder of the financial year, together with assumptions, estimates, judgements and critical accounting policies used in preparing financial information remain broadly unchanged from those detailed in the 2024 Annual Report and Accounts on pages 36 to 41.
The principal risks and uncertainties facing the Group are:
| ● | economic conditions - in the longer term, there is a link between levels of economic activity and demand for our services. The most significant end market which affects our business is construction. The construction industry is cyclical and typically lags the general economic cycle by between 12 and 24 months. The economic uncertainties resulting from the impact of pandemics is considered as part of this risk. |
| ● | competition - the already competitive market could become even more competitive and we could suffer increased competition from large national competitors or smaller regional or local companies resulting in reduced market share and lower revenue. This could negatively affect rental rates and physical utilisation. Continuing industry consolidation could also have a similar effect. |
| ● | cyber security - a cyber-attack or serious uncured failure in our systems could result in us being unable to deliver service to our customers and / or the loss of data. In particular, we are heavily dependent on technology for the smooth running of our business given the large number of both units of equipment we rent and our customers. As a result, we could suffer reputational loss, revenue loss and financial penalties. This is the most significant factor in our business continuity planning. |
| ● | health and safety - a failure to comply with laws and regulations governing health and safety and ensure the highest standards of health and safety across the Group could result in accidents which may result in injury to or fatality of an individual, claims against the Group and/or damage to our reputation. |
| ● | people and culture - retaining and attracting good people is key to delivering superior performance and customer service and maintaining and enhancing our culture. Excessive staff turnover is likely to impact on our ability to maintain the appropriate quality of service to our customers and would ultimately impact our financial performance adversely. At a leadership level, succession planning is required to ensure the Group can continue to inspire the right culture, leadership and behaviours and meet its strategic objectives. Furthermore, it is important that our remuneration policies reflect the Group's North American focus and enable us to retain and enhance our strong leadership team. |
| ● | environmental - as part of Sunbelt 4.0, the Group has made a long-term commitment to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 carbon intensity by 50% by 2034, compared to a baseline of 2024, on a journey to Net Zero by 2050. Failure to achieve these goals could adversely impact the Group and its stakeholders. In terms of the Group's assessment of the broader environmental impacts of our activities, we also consider the upstream and downstream impacts of our operations and note that a significant part of our Scope 3 emissions arises from our rental fleet, which today is reliant on diesel engines. Over time, 'greener' alternatives will become available as technology advances. If we do not remain at the forefront of technological advances, and invest in the latest equipment, our rental fleet could become obsolete. In addition, we need to comply with the numerous laws governing environmental protection matters. These laws regulate such issues as wastewater, storm water, solid and hazardous wastes and materials, and air quality. Breaches potentially create hazards to our employees, damage to our reputation and expose the Group to, amongst other things, the cost of investigating and remediating contamination and also fines and penalties for non-compliance. |
| ● | laws and regulations - breaches of laws or regulations governing the Group's activities could result in criminal prosecution, substantial claims and loss of reputation. |
Further details, including actions taken to mitigate these risks, are provided within the 2024 Annual Report & Accounts.
Our business is subject to significant fluctuations in performance from quarter to quarter as a result of seasonal effects. Commercial construction activity tends to increase in the summer and during extended periods of mild weather and to decrease in the winter and during extended periods of inclement weather. Furthermore, due to the incidence of public holidays in the US, Canada and the UK, there are more billing days in the first half of our financial year than the second half leading to our revenue normally being higher in the first half. On a quarterly basis, the second quarter is typically our strongest quarter, followed by the first and then the third and fourth quarters.
In addition, the current trading and outlook section of the interim statement provides commentary on market and economic conditions for the remainder of the year.
OPERATING STATISTICS
| Number of rental stores | Staff numbers | |||||
| 31 July | 30 April | 31 July | 30 April | |||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| US | 1,215 | 1,128 | 1,186 | 18,878 | 19,583 | 19,245 |
| Canada | 138 | 125 | 135 | 2,355 | 2,089 | 2,306 |
| UK | 190 | 190 | 190 | 4,442 | 4,288 | 4,384 |
| Corporate office | - | - | - | 27 | 22 | 23 |
| Group | 1,543 | 1,443 | 1,511 | 25,702 | 25,982 | 25,958 |
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
The glossary of terms below sets out definitions of terms used throughout this announcement. Included are a number of alternative performance measures ('APMs') which the directors have adopted in order to provide additional useful information on the underlying trends, performance and position of the Group. The directors use these measures, which are common across the industry, for planning and reporting purposes. These measures are also used in discussions with the investment analyst community and credit rating agencies. The APMs are not defined by IFRS and therefore may not be directly comparable with other companies' APMs and should not be considered superior to or a substitute for IFRS measures.
Term
Closest equivalent statutory measure
Definition and purpose
Drop through
None
Calculated as the change in rental revenue which converts into EBITDA (excluding gains from sale of new equipment, merchandise and consumables and used equipment).
| 2024 | 2023 | Change | |
| $m | $m | ||
| US | |||
| Rental revenue | 2,174 | 2,048 | 126 |
| EBITDA | 1,150 | 1,105 | |
| Gains | (42) | (84) | |
| EBITDA excluding gains | 1,108 | 1,021 | 87 |
| Drop through | 69% |
This measure is utilised by the Group to demonstrate the change in profitability generated by the Group as a result of the change in rental revenue in the period.
Free cash flow
Net cash generated from operating activities
Net cash generated from operating activities less non-rental net property, plant and equipment expenditure. Non-rental net property, plant and equipment expenditure comprises payments for non-rental capital expenditure less disposal proceeds received in relation to non-rental asset disposals.
| 2024 $m |
2023 $m |
||
| Net cash generated from operating activities | 288 | (14) | |
| Payments for non-rental property, plant and equipment | (138) | (133) | |
| Proceeds from disposal of non-rental property, plant and equipment |
11 | 8 | |
| Free cash flow | 161 | (139) |
This measure shows the cash retained by the Group prior to discretionary expenditure on acquisitions and returns to shareholders.
Growth at constant exchange rates
None
Calculated by applying the current period exchange rate to the comparative period result. The relevant foreign currency exchange rates are provided within Note 2, Basis of preparation, to the financial statements. This measure is used as a means of eliminating the effects of foreign exchange rate movements on the period-on-period changes in reported results.
| 2024 | 2023 | % | |
| $m | $m | ||
| Rental revenue | |||
| As reported | 2,541 | 2,376 | 7% |
| Retranslation effect | - | (2) | |
| At constant currency | 2,541 | 2,374 | 7% |
| Adjusted profit before tax | |||
| As reported | 573 | 615 | -7% |
| Retranslation effect | - | (1) | |
| At constant currency | 573 | 614 | -7% |
Leverage
None
Leverage calculated at constant exchange rates uses the period end exchange rate for the relevant period and is determined as net debt divided by last 12-month ('LTM') EBITDA.
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
| Excluding IFRS 16 | Including IFRS 16 | Excluding IFRS 16 | Including IFRS 16 | |
| Net debt ($m) | ||||
| As reported and at constant currency |
8,033 | 10,761 | 7,200 | 9,679 |
| EBITDA ($m) | ||||
| As reported | 4,687 | 4,951 | 4,382 | 4,602 |
| Retranslation effect | - | - | 16 | 17 |
| At constant currency | 4,687 | 4,951 | 4,398 | 4,619 |
| Leverage | ||||
| As reported | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.1 |
| At constant currency | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.1 |
This measure is used to provide an indication of the strength of the Group's balance sheet and is widely used by investors and credit rating agencies. It also forms part of the remuneration targets of the Group and has been identified as one of the Group's key performance indicators.
Return on Investment ('RoI')
None
LTM adjusted operating profit divided by the LTM average of the sum of net tangible and intangible fixed assets, plus net working capital but excluding net debt and tax.
RoI is calculated excluding the impact of IFRS 16.
RoI is used by management to help inform capital allocation decisions within the business and has been identified as one of the Group's key performance indicators. It also forms part of the remuneration targets of the Group.
A reconciliation of Group RoI is provided below:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| $m | $m | |
| Adjusted operating profit | 2,759 | 2,751 |
| IFRS 16 impact | (63) | (44) |
| Adjusted operating profit (excluding IFRS 16) | 2,696 | 2,707 |
| Average net assets | 17,310 | 14,247 |
| Return on investment | 16% | 19% |
RoI for the businesses is calculated in the same way, but excludes goodwill and intangible assets:
| US $m |
Canada C$m | UK £m |
|
| Adjusted operating profit | 2,611 | 144 | 60 |
| IFRS 16 impact | (53) | (11) | (2) |
| Adjusted operating profit (excluding IFRS 16) | 2,558 | 133 | 58 |
| Average net assets, excluding goodwill and intangibles | 11,735 | 1,242 | 809 |
| Return on investment | 22% | 11% | 7% |
Other terms used within this announcement include:
| ● | Adjusted: adjusted results are results stated before exceptional items and the amortisation of acquired intangibles. A reconciliation is shown on the income statement. |
| ● | Availability: represents the headroom on a given date under the terms of our $4.5bn asset-backed senior bank facility, taking account of current borrowings. |
| ● | Capital expenditure: represents additions to rental equipment and other property, plant and equipment (excluding assets acquired through a business combination). |
| ● | Cash conversion ratio: represents cash flow from operations before changes in rental equipment as a percentage of EBITDA. Details are provided within the Review of Balance Sheet and Cash Flow section. |
| ● | Dollar utilisation: dollar utilisation is trailing 12-month rental revenue divided by average fleet size at original (or 'first') cost measured over a 12-month period. Dollar utilisation has been identified as one of the Group's key performance indicators. Details are shown within the Review of Balance Sheet and Cash Flow section. |
| ● | EBITDA and EBITDA margin: EBITDA is earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. A reconciliation of EBITDA to profit before tax is shown on the income statement. EBITDA margin is calculated as EBITDA divided by revenue. Progression in EBITDA margin is an important indicator of the Group's performance and this has been identified as one of the Group's key performance indicators. |
| ● | Exceptional items: those items of income or expense which the directors believe should be disclosed separately by virtue of their significant size or nature and limited predictive value to enable a better understanding of the Group's financial performance. Excluding these items provides readers with helpful additional information on the performance of the business across periods and against peer companies. It is also consistent with how business performance is reported to the Board and the remuneration targets set by the Company. |
| ● | Fleet age: original cost weighted age of serialised rental assets. Serialised rental assets constitute the substantial majority of our fleet. |
| ● | Fleet on rent: quantity measured at original cost of our rental fleet on rent. Fleet on rent has been identified as one of the Group's key performance indicators. |
| ● | Net debt: net debt is total borrowings (bank, bonds) and lease liabilities less cash balances, as reported. This measure is used to provide an indication of the Group's overall level of indebtedness and is widely used by investors and credit rating agencies. An analysis of net debt is provided in Note 14. |
| ● | Operating profit and operating profit margin: Operating profit is earnings before interest and tax. A reconciliation of operating profit to profit before tax is shown on the income statement. Operating profit margin is calculated as operating profit divided by revenue. Progression in operating profit margin is an important indicator of the Group's performance. |
| ● | Organic: organic measures comprise all locations, excluding locations arising from a bolt-on acquisition completed after the start of the comparative financial period. |
| ● | Rental only revenue: rental revenue excluding loss damage waiver, environmental fees, erection and dismantling revenue and revenue from rental equipment delivery and collection. |
| ● | Same-store: same-stores are those locations which were open at the start of the comparative financial period. |
| ● | Segment profit: operating profit before amortisation and exceptional items by segment. |
| ● | Suppressed availability: represents the amount on a given date that the asset base exceeds the facility size under the terms of our $4.5bn asset-backed senior bank facility. |
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