PHANTOM SHARES: The Finance Ghost: Dis-Chem motors ahead, Standard Bank reaps rate hike rewards

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The market just loves defensive retailers. Dis-Chem and Clicks both trade on huge multiples, yet there are signs that the companies are on different growth paths.

Anecdotally, service levels have dropped at Clicks, with multiple complaints online about the lengths of queues at the dispensary. The company is trying to cut costs and I can see why in the latest numbers .

The troubles at Clicks are visible in UPD, the wholesale business. Distribution costs increased by a substantial 8.4%, bearing the brunt of higher fuel and other costs. Revenue grew by a tepid 0.6%, so margins went firmly in the wrong direction.On the same day, Dis-Chem released a trading statement for the latest year, reflecting an increase in headline earnings per share of between 24.5% and 29.5%.

As utilisation rates fell during the pandemic , EBITDA collapsed. On the way back up, modest revenue growth can still drive improvements in EBITDA. In primary care , revenue increased by between 5.2% and 5.7%, and EBITDA shot up by between 30% and 32%. This is a perfect example of operating leverage.

As supply chain pressures continue and inflation picks up, corporate balance sheets will need to grow to keep supporting operations. Even if the debt:equity mix is maintained rather than increased, that’s great for banks.

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