The Weft knit fabric specialist with manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka and India, achieved a 27 per cent growth in pre-tax profit for the three months ending 31st March 2018, an improvement of Rs 105.6 million over the corresponding quarter of the previous year despite higher raw material prices in global markets.
Teejay Lanka PLC Chairman Bill Lam said the momentum generated by the strong performance of the fourth quarter with investments in expansion during the year and a full order book are an indication of a promising first quarter of 2018-19 and a promising full year.
Group revenue for the quarter reviewed grew 13 per cent to Rs 6.6 billion and gross profit improved by 11 per cent to Rs 731.8 million, Teejay Lanka said in a filing with the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).
Operating profit at Rs 486.7 million for the three months reflected a healthy growth of 31 per cent.
Profit after tax for the quarter totalled Rs 508.4 million, an increase of 3 per cent principally due to a 93 per cent increase in income tax which resulted in a deferred tax asset of Rs 97.6 million as a one-off gain in the fourth quarter of 2016-17 reducing to Rs 6.7 million for the three months reviewed.
Mr Lam attributed the Group’s strong performance in the fourth quarter predominantly to capacity expansion, higher efficiencies, exciting innovations, the Group’s growing product portfolio, its success in reducing administration costs by 15 per cent through cost control initiatives and containing the growth in distribution cost to a marginal 4 per cent with the increase in line with sales growth.
“It has been a strong finish to the financial year considering the challenges we faced in preceding quarters,” Mr Lam said, commenting on the Group’s results.
“We are now well-positioned for 2018-19, especially with the completion of the expansion of our plant in India, which has doubled its capacity in anticipation of our foray into new markets.”
He disclosed that the Group closed the year with a cash balance of Rs 3.5 billion while increasing its inventory balances as a result of the expansion in capacity and a strong order book, and maintained an optimised working capital despite the expansion in India, which entailed an investment of US$ 15 million.
Elaborating on the accelerated growth of Teejay Lanka PLC in the latter half of 2017-18, Mr Lam pointed out that the Group had transformed a first half net profit of Rs 590 million to a net profit of Rs 1 billion in the second half to end with a net profit of Rs 1.6 billion for the full year.
Group revenue for the 12 months ended 31st March 2018 was up 12 per cent to Rs 24.7 billion while profit before tax for the period was Rs 1.8 billion.
Looking ahead, Mr Lam said the Group has positioned itself during the year to reap the benefits of GSP through its capacity expansion.
Teejay’s manufacturing facilities are currently at optimal operating capacity and strategies have been initiated to pursue new opportunities from leveraging the Group’s regional footing, providing flexible and better solutions and broadening its customer portfolio.
“The year ahead looks exciting with the transformations that have been carried out and we will continue to improve and sustain our performance while increasing value to our shareholders,” he added.
One of the region’s largest textile manufacturers, Teejay supplies fabric to some of the best international brands across the world.
Teejay Lanka PLC is a public quoted company with 39 per cent public ownership.
The company is backed by Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter, Brandix Lanka which has a 33 per cent stake and Pacific Textiles of Hong Kong which owns 28 per cent of the company.
Teejay has been listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) since 2011 and was included in the S&P Top 20 Index in Sri Lanka last year.
The Company has also been named among the Forbes ‘200 Best under a Billion in Asia’ and been recognised as the ‘International Textile Firm of the Year’ and the ‘International Dyer and Finisher’ by World Textile Institute, London.