Suspension of market guidance and change in the dividend proposed to the General Meeting of 5 May 2020, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic

26/03/2020

Suspension of market guidance and change in the dividend proposed to the General Meeting of 5 May 2020, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic Update on the impacts of Covid-19

At the time of the publication of the full-year 2019 results on 27 February 2020, the impacts of the Covid-19 epidemic were mainly being felt at Lagard re Travel Retail, and specifically in the Asia-Pacific zone and international travel hubs. At that time, the Group issued a 2020 recurring EBIT growth target of between 4% and 6% at constant exchange rates, excluding the acquisition of IDF and the effect of the Covid-19 epidemic, estimating the adverse impact on recurring EBIT in the first quarter of 2020 (before the impact of action plans) to be in the region of 20 million.

The effects of the epidemic have since extended to Lagard re Travel Retail's other operations and, to a lesser extent, to the rest of the Group's activities, given both the rapid spread of the virus and the government lockdowns and closures that have been ordered in many of the countries in which the Group has operations.

As stated in its initial response, the Group is working tirelessly to protect employees, customers and partners, and is also continuing to implement significant measures to mitigate the financial impacts in the following four areas: adapting sales and prices where possible, reducing overheads, reviewing investments, and reducing working capital.

Suspension of market guidance

In view of the uncertainty over the duration and scale of the epidemic and the government lockdowns and closures, the Group is unable to assess its impacts precisely and reliably. Accordingly, it is suspending the market guidance announced on 27 February 2020, and will provide an update as and when it is able to.

Change in the proposed dividend

In this context, the Managing Partners, after obtaining the favourable opinion of the Supervisory Board, have decided to modify the proposed ordinary dividend to be submitted to shareholders at the General Meeting to be held on 5 May 2020, in order to (i) reduce the amount of the dividend to from 1.30 to 1 per share, and (ii) withdraw the stock dividend option.

Subject to the approval of the shareholders at the General Meeting, the ex-dividend date for the proposed ordinary dividend for 2019 of 1.00 per share will be 7 May 2020, with the payment date set for 11 May 2020.

The Group's strategy of refocusing around Lagard re Publishing and Lagard re Travel Retail, two divisions that are highly complementary in terms of growth and profitability, produced positive results in 2019 with sharp increases in revenue, recurring EBIT and free cash flow within the Group's target scope.

While rigorously managing the current situation and its impacts, the Group remains fully engaged on executing its strategic plan, in the interest of all stakeholders, as ever.

In overcoming this crisis, the Group will draw on its historical strengths of boldness, independence and creativity to adapt to a world that is constantly changing, sometimes brutally.

Press Contacts

Thierry Funck-Brentano Tel. +33 1 40 69 16 34 - tfb@lagardere.fr

Ramzi Khiroun Tel. +33 1 40 69 16 33 - rk@lagardere.fr

Investor Relations Contact

Emmanuel Rapin Tel. +33 1 40 69 17 45 - erapin@lagardere.fr

Created in 1992, Lagard re is an international group with operations in more than 40 countries worldwide. It employs over 30,000 people and generated revenue of 7,211 million in 2019.

In 2018, the Group launched its strategic refocusing around two priority divisions: Lagard re Publishing (Book and e-Publishing, Mobile and Board games) and Lagard re Travel Retail (Travel Essentials, Duty Free & Fashion, Foodservice).

The Group's operating assets also include Lagard re News and Lagard re Live Entertainment.

Lagard re shares are listed on Euronext Paris.

www.lagardere.com

To receive the latest Lagard re group press releases, sign up for the E-mail Alert.

LINK:	http://www.lagardere.com/index.php?coe_i_id=363&idpress=7817...
	See more stories from lagard

Suspension of market guidance and change in the dividend proposed to the General Meeting of 5 May 2020, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic

More from Lagardere

25/02/2021

22/02/2021

09/02/2021

08/02/2021

04/01/2021

17/12/2020

20/11/2020

14/11/2020

10/11/2020

06/11/2020

05/11/2020

05/11/2020

03/11/2020

31/10/2020

28/10/2020

17/10/2020

15/10/2020

31/08/2020

18/08/2020

08/08/2020

04/08/2020

04/08/2020

30/07/2020

23/06/2020

22/06/2020

05/06/2020

06/05/2020

02/05/2020

30/04/2020

29/04/2020

23/04/2020

08/04/2020

28/03/2020

26/03/2020

13/03/2020

27/02/2020

27/02/2020

09/01/2020

16/12/2019

16/12/2019

05/12/2019

07/11/2019

06/11/2019

25/10/2019

24/10/2019

10/10/2019

10/10/2019

26/09/2019

19/09/2019

18/09/2019