Financial Performance - Group sales declined by 44.4% to HK$1,413 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to HK$2,542 million in 2019[4]. - The Group recorded a net loss of HK$175 million, a significant decrease from a net profit of HK$161 million in the same period of 2019[5]. - EBITDA decreased by 70% to HK$188 million, down from HK$618 million in the previous year[4]. - The gross margin for the Group was 54.6%, down from 59.3% in 2019[5]. - Operating loss was HK$182 million, a significant decline compared to an operating profit of HK$259 million in 2019[10]. - Loss attributable to shareholders was HK$175 million, compared to a profit of HK$161 million in the prior year, marking a 208.7% change[10]. - Total comprehensive loss for the period was HK$228 million, compared to a comprehensive income of HK$183 million in the previous year[58]. - The Company reported a loss after income taxes for the period of HK$175 million, contributing to a total comprehensive income of HK$(212) million[61]. Sales and Revenue - Online sales increased to HK$139 million, representing 9.8% of total sales, compared to 5.2% in 2019[5]. - Physical store sales dropped to HK$1,075 million, accounting for 76.1% of total sales, down from 82.7% in 2019[12]. - Total sales in Greater China for the six months ended June 30, 2020 were HK$754 million, down 39.7% from HK$1,251 million in 2019[26][32]. - Total sales in the rest of Asia Pacific were HK$419 million, down 48.1% from HK$807 million in 2019[34][35]. - Sales in Mainland China were HK$299 million, down from HK$529 million in 2019, reflecting a decline of approximately 43.4%[89]. - Sales in HKSAR and Macau totaled HK$309 million, a decrease from HK$561 million in 2019, representing a decline of about 44.8%[89]. - The Group's sales have gradually started to recover following the improvement of the situation in the areas where it operates, post-June 30, 2020[157]. Inventory and Cash Management - Inventory turnover days increased to 138 days, up from 92 days in the previous year[5]. - Cash and bank balances, net of bank loans, were HK$989 million as of June 30, 2020, compared to HK$994 million on December 31, 2019[5]. - Net cash inflow from operating activities was HK$231 million, a decline of 56.7% compared to HK$533 million in the previous year[64]. - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period were HK$1,101 million, down from HK$1,265 million at the end of June 2019[65]. - Trade receivables turnover days were 48 days, an increase of 6 days compared to the same period last year[50]. - Inventory at period end was HK$486 million, down 7.6% from HK$526 million in the previous year[10]. Operational Changes and Strategies - The Group plans to focus on rental reduction and technology-based improvements to enhance operational efficiency[18]. - The Group plans to close underperforming stores and allocate more resources to online and franchise businesses[51]. - The Group is expediting digitization of its business operations to prepare for a rebound[51]. - The Group's initiative to develop local online businesses has proven successful, with plans for continued deep localization[51]. - The Group is investing heavily in training for sales, customer service, management, and leadership development[51]. Market Conditions and Challenges - The COVID-19 outbreak and prolonged Sino-US disputes severely impacted consumer sentiment across the Greater China region[27][28]. - The Group anticipates a challenging operating environment in the second half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Sino-US relationship uncertainties[51]. - The Group is still assessing the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on its performance for the second half of 2020 and is currently unable to estimate the quantitative impacts[157]. Dividends and Shareholder Returns - The Board declared an interim dividend of 3.1 HK cents per share, down from 10.2 HK cents per share in 2019[5]. - The company aims to return surplus cash to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, aligning with its dividend policy[158]. - The board has considered the economic outlook and the group's financial position before declaring the interim dividend[158]. Employee and Management Information - The Group had approximately 6,600 employees as of June 30, 2020, down from 7,900 employees on December 31, 2019[51]. - The Group's management has taken voluntary pay cuts to show solidarity with stakeholders[51]. - The company has complied with all applicable code provisions under the Corporate Governance Code, except for specific deviations regarding the roles of the chairman and chief executive[182]. Future Outlook - The company anticipates a stable economic environment, which will support its growth strategy and operational goals for the upcoming year[193]. - Giordano plans to open 20 new retail locations across Asia by the end of the fiscal year, aiming to increase market penetration by 5%[193]. - The company is investing in new product lines, with a budget allocation of HKD 50 million for research and development in innovative apparel technologies[193].
佐丹奴国际(00709) - 2020 - 中期财报