Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has released its first-half earnings results today, reporting profit growth in each of its key regions. A winemaker, Treasury Wine Estates owns brands such as Wolf Blass, Penfolds, Yellowglen and Lindemans, to name just a few.
The group's first-half profit rose an impressive 42% to $60.2 million based on a reported currency basis, with net sales revenue also growing 22% to $1,079.4 million (or 11% on a constant currency basis). Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) were 77% higher at $132 million, while earnings per share rose 38% compared to the prior corresponding period to 8.8 cents per share.
Indeed, it was a strong performance all around for the group, with earnings growth coming from Australia and New Zealand, Asia, the Americas, as well as the Europe & LATAM segment.
Here's a quick rundown:
| Net Sales Revenue | Earnings before interest, tax, SGARA*, and material items (EBITS) | |
| ANZ | Up 5% to $318.1 million | Up 6% to $46.7 million |
| Asia | Up 126% to $157.3 million | Up 127% to $46.5 million |
| Americas | Up 22% to $450.8 million | Up 67% to $56.2 million |
| Europe & LATAM | Up 8% to $153.2 million | Up 118% to $17.2 million |
*Note: SGARA is an accounting standard, defined under AASB 141 Agriculture and stands for "Self-Generating and Regenerating Assets".
As can be seen from the table above, much of the growth came from Asia and the Americas (although European earnings rose more, it was coming off a much lower base than the Americas).
The Americas segment has long been problematic for Treasury Wine Estates, plagued by falling sales and operating losses including major impairments in past years. However, the company maintained highly-focused brand building campaigns whilst also narrowing its attention on stronger priority commercial brands, such as Beringer.
The company also declared an interim dividend of 8 cents per share, up 33% on the 6 cents per share paid to investors in the year-ago-period. Treasury Wine's share price has risen 1.7% so far today to $8.90, down from their recent high of $9.37.
