Remy Cointreau Confirms Guidance As Revenue Rises
April 24 2012 - 1:52AM
Dow Jones News
French spirits company Remy Cointreau SA (RCO.FR) Tuesday said
it expects to meet its profit forecasts for the fiscal year from
April 2011 to March 2012, as it posted a 13% increase in full-year
revenue, boosted by robust growth in Asia.
Remy Cointreau confirmed that it expects a substantial increase
in net profit in 2012 and a double-digit increase in operating
profit.
Full-year revenue climbed to EUR1.03 billion from EUR908 million
a year earlier, as cognac sales--which account for over 50% of
annual revenue--continued to grow strongly. The figure met
analysts' expectations, which had called for EUR1.03 billion in
revenue, according to FactSet.
The company, whose brands include Remy Martin cognac and Mount
Gay rum, said sales in the fiscal fourth quarter fell 8.3%, as
sales related to the Chinese New Year were registered mainly in the
third quarter.
The company said it will keep on investing in markets with
strong growth potential.
In fiscal 2011, Remy Cointreau's net profit fell 18% from a year
earlier to EUR70.5 million, dragged down by a write-down on the
value of its Greek brand Metaxa. Analysts expect the company to
record a net profit of EUR122 million in fiscal 2012, according to
FactSet.
The beverage company's sales figures echo upbeat comments made
last week by French luxury giant LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
SA (MC.FR), which said its cognac sales had made "an excellent
start to the year," posting volume growth of 9% in the first
quarter of 2012.
French peer Pernod Ricard SA (RI.FR) will release its
third-quarter sales update Thursday before the market open.
Like that of its rivals, Remy Cointreau's growth has been driven
by emerging markets, where demand for premium drinks is being
fueled by rising incomes. The company has also said repeatedly that
it could spend up to EUR1 billion on new premium spirit brands,
possibly an upmarket whisky that is popular in China.
Over the past six months, Remy Cointreau shares have risen
nearly 35%, considerably outpacing France's CAC-40, which has
fallen close to 2%. Investors have favored the stock in recent
months due to its strong exposure to the cognac industry, which
benefits from limited high-end products and rising demand in
Asia.
Remy Cointreau shares closed Monday at EUR78.44.
-By Nadya Masidlover, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 4017 1740;
nadya.masidlover@dowjones.com
(Inti Landauro contributed the article.)