Greencross to open more instore clinics

Greencross says its strategy of locating more veterinary clinics inside pet care shops gives it a distinct advantage over Amazon.

Greencross admits it is not immune to Amazon but believes its shift towards putting veterinary clinics inside pet care stores will give it a strong competitive advantage.

The group's Australian retail outlets Petbarn and City Farmers make up 62 per cent of its annual revenue, while its vet clinics account for 26 per cent.

The other 12 per cent comes from clinics and pet care stores in New Zealand.

After unveiling a group net profit of $42 million and an 11.4 per cent lift in revenue to $817.5 million for 2016/17, chief executive Martin Nicholas reassured analysts on Tuesday that Greencross could withstand the arrival of online behemoth Amazon.

He said Amazon has taken just two per cent of the United States' pet market.

"They are a competitor but they are not the only competitor," Mr Nicholas said.

"Although no business is immune, Greencross is extremely well placed to thrive both today and tomorrow."

He said the group's retail business provides customers "unmatched" pet care advice and the ongoing roll out of in-store clinics gives pet lovers more reasons to shop there.

The group's click and collect service and increasing number of own brand pet foods and products also help, he added.

Mr Nicholas said in-store clinics used existing real estate and will generate superior margins to stand alone clinics as they mature.

"Our client spend is now higher at in-store clinics than it is at stand alone clinics," he said.

The group says 15 per cent of its 239 retail stores have vet clinics, with 60 per cent the target.

Greencross's Australian retail division had a 10 per cent lift in revenue in 2017 and crucial like-for-like sales, which strips out new store openings, grew 4.3 per cent.

Australian vet clinics revenue lifted 10 per cent - with a 4.8 per cent rise in like-for-like sales - and its New Zealand clinics and retail stores' sales rose 21 per cent, or 4.9 per cent on a like-for-like basis.

Mr Nicholas said it had been a pleasing year of growth given a backdrop of weak consumer spending that had hurt other retailers.

Looking ahead, group sales lifted 10 per cent in the first seven weeks of the 2018 financial year and like-for-like sales were up 4.9 per cent.

Shares in Greencross were down 39 cents, or 6.4 per cent, to $5.74 at 1350 AEST.

GREENCROSS FULL-YEAR RESULTS:

* Profit up 21.5 pct to $42m

* Revenue up 11.4 pct to $817.5m

* Final dividend unchanged at 9.5 cents a share, fully franked


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Source: AAP



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