The Ridley Corporation Ltd (ASX: RIC) share price is soaring after the company released its earnings for the financial year 2021 (FY21).
Right now, the Ridley share price is $1.23, 7.89% higher than its previous close.
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Ridley share price jumps on 2 cent dividend
Here's how the stock feed producer performed through FY21:
- $927.7 million in revenue, 4.1% less than the prior corresponding period.
- Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) up 16.1% to $69.1 million
- After tax profit of $24.8 million, up from a $10.8 million loss in FY20
- Resumed paying dividends with a 2 cent final dividend
Over FY21, Ridley reported $79 million of gross profit, up 18% on those of FY20. It also saw its operating cash flow increase 107% to $82.4 million.
Ridley's bulk stockfeed segment reported EBITDA before significant items of $32.4 million, down 5% from FY20. However, FY20 saw the segment's income bolstered by 'drought feeding'.
The company's packaged feeds and ingredients segment has EBITDA before significant items of $46.5 million. That represents a 32% increase on the prior corresponding period.
Additionally, the company's inventory is back to pre-COVID-19 levels.
Ridley ended the period with $39.9 million of cash and $83.1 million of debt.
What happened in FY21?
It's been a quiet run in FY21 for Ridley and its share price. Although, it did sell some assets.
The company sold surplus land at Lara and Moolap for a pre-tax profit of $3.7 million.
In April, it also sold its wholly owned, non-operating, and Singapore-incorporated subsidiary Novacq International Pte Ltd for no profit or loss.
Ridley also announced it was to sell its Tasmanian extrusion facility in May. However, the sale was finalised after the financial year ended.
What's next for Ridley?
Here's what might drive the Ridley share price in FY22:
Ridley's FY21 included several sales that have occurred since the end of the financial year just been and will be added to its FY22 results.
First off, the company sold its Tasmania-based Westbury extrusion plant for $54.85 million earlier this month. A $7 million profit from the sale will be noted in Ridley's FY22 results.
Additionally, a $2.2 million contract for the sale of its former feedmill at Bendigo was signed on 27 July. Another sale contract, this time for its former feed mill at Mooroopna worth $1.65 million, was completed on 13 August.
The sales will generate a pre-tax gain on sale of around $2.6 million in FY22.
Ridley also outlined its growth plan in its FY21 results.
The company plans to undergo a $4 million plant commissioning in the first half of FY22. The plant will produce land animal protein concentrates.
Ridley will also launch Food for Dogs in speciality pet stores in April, and its Cobber range into rural grocery from the first half of FY22. Additionally, it plans to supply grocery house brands in FY22. It expects to launch a Novacq prawn feed, developed by CSIRO, in FY22.
The company will also increase its asset utilisation and expand its Narangba facility.
Finally, it plans to launch its Ridley Direct, which will see an ingredients sales desk selling to livestock producers who mix feed on farm.
Additionally, Ridley plans to spend $15 million over FY22 and FY23 on a series of small projects to extend its product offerings, de-bottleneck its capacity, and reduce costs.
