The Swiss clothing retailer Calida Group closed the 2021 financial year with strong sales growth and a new record profit. CEO Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart was correspondingly satisfied: “The 2021 business result will go down as the greatest success in our company’s history to date. Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, all brands were able to end the year with a double-digit increase in sales and a business result well above the results before the pandemic,” he said on Friday when the annual financial statements were published.
All brands achieve double-digit sales growth
Consolidated sales from continued operations – i.e. excluding the share of the outdoor division Millet Mountain Group, the sale of which is to be completed in the second quarter – reached a level of 298.4 million Swiss francs (295.3 million euros) last year. It exceeded the 2020 level by 19.9 percent. Adjusted for exchange rate changes, revenues increased by 19.2 percent. The online business developed at an above-average pace, increasing by 26.7 percent to 80.2 million Swiss francs. Its share of the company’s total sales thus rose to 27 percent.
All segments of the group of companies contributed to the strong growth: the Calida lingerie brand increased its sales by 13.0 percent (currency-adjusted +12.8 percent) to 152.7 million Swiss francs, the Aubade label achieved an increase of 30.1 percent (currency-adjusted +28.8 percent) to 72.2 million Swiss francs. The furniture brand Lafuma Mobilier achieved sales of 58.8 million Swiss francs, exceeding the previous year’s level by 28.1 percent (currency-adjusted +27.0 percent).
Consolidated profit from continued operations increases by almost 57 percent
The group also made significant progress in terms of earnings: the operating profit (EBIT) from continued operations adjusted for special effects increased by 43.2 percent to 24.3 million Swiss francs compared to 2020, the net result from continued operations grew by 56.7 percent to 15 .2 million Swiss francs (15.0 million euros). Reported net income attributable to shareholders, which also takes into account contributions from activities already sold or available for sale, was CHF 20.3 million, following a loss of CHF 1.43 million in the previous year.
In recent months, the group has pushed ahead with the growth strategy it presented in November. Among other things, this envisages concentrating on the core business with underwear, which was supplemented in February with the takeover of the Cologne brand Erlich Textil. The acquisition also strengthens the group’s “pioneering role in the growth areas of sustainability and e-commerce,” the company said.
In addition, the group completed the long-planned separation from its outdoor division Millet Mountain Group, whose sale to Jean-Pierre Millet and the investment company Inspiring Sport Capital was announced a few weeks ago.
The company is “confident about the future” and confirms its sales forecast
The Calida Group now sees itself well positioned for the coming months: Based on the visible signs of a new normality and the omnichannel business model, which has been extremely robust and successful over the past two extraordinary years, the group is confident about the future future,” the company announced.
The sales target announced in November for the current financial year remained unchanged: For 2022, the group continues to expect organic sales growth of four to six percent.