Edgars profit plunges by 90 percent

Clothing retailer, Edgars Stores’ profit plummeted by 90 percent in the six months to July from $1.1 million last year to $109 000, weighed down by retrenchment costs and low sales.

Revenue dipped by 23 percent to $23 million.

The group cut jobs and restructured its business model to lower operating costs.

“These initiatives have resulted in extra once off costs amounting to $ 0.9 million being incurred…Further retrenchment costs have been incurred in the second half of the year which period the exercise was completed at a total cost of $1.4 million,” said group chairman Themba Sibanda in a statement accompanying financial results.

Sales were 23 percent down to $22 million, with Edgars dropping 31 percent to $14.5 million. Jet sales marginally dropped 2.8 percent to $7.7 million on the back of credit accounts which now make up at 47 percent of the chain sales.

The manufacturing factory made a loss of $300 000 and the introduction of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, which restricts importation of fabric, affected its output.

The group reduced its borrowings by 34 percent to $15.4 million. During the half year period Edgars spent $1.3 million on capital expenditure. Total assets declined by nine percent to $50 million.- The Source

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