Hygiene helps Creightons perform in a tough Covid year

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Jul 21, 2021

Personal care and beauty products producer Creightons certainly performed well over a tough fiscal year ended 31 March. And for that it had to thank, in part, rising demand for its hygiene products over that 12-month period dominated by Covid 19.

Revenue leapt 28.9% to £61.6 million, "due to the successful transitioning of brands with higher price point products and wider retail distribution", it said.

In its revenues breakdown, positives were seen in its own-brand sales (excluding hygiene products), up 16%, while a “significant” increase in sales of hygiene-related products delivered £14.6 million worth of additional sales. 

But there were negatives too. This included a 6% fall in retailer own-label products, hit by store/salon shutdowns across the year. This also had an impact in sales to contract customers, resulting in a 7.6% dip in related sales. Meanwhile, total overseas sales also inched down 3.9% to £6.9 million. 

But those core positives certainly lifted earnings and margins. Operating profit jumped 43.7% to £5.4 million while the operating profit margin widened to 8.8% from 7.9% a year ago. Post-tax profit also rose to £4.3 million from £3.2 million last time.

Chairman William McIlroy said: "The group has continued its recent trend of delivering year on year organic sales growth supplemented by the sales of hygiene products, delivering continued improvements in operating profit. The cash generated by the group's growth puts it in an excellent position to take advantage of any new opportunities that may arise”.

And those “opportunities” saw MD Bernard Johnson add: “[We ] are open to the acquisition of new brands with a digital presence”.