Briscoe Group (BGP) / FY22

Briscoe's record NPAT of $87.9m masks a 9.4% drop in operating cash flow

A 200bps gross margin gain drove 20% earnings growth, but a 30.7% inventory build cut cash conversion even as the balance sheet strengthened.

Release date
16 March 2022
Published
21 April 2026

What changed

Revenue grew 6.1% to NZ$744.4m, but earnings outpaced sales materially: gross margin expanded 200bps to 45.76%, lifting PBT 20.7% to NZ$122.4m and NPAT 20.1% to NZ$87.9m. The two reportable segments both grew — Homeware remained the scale driver at 61.9% of sales, while Sporting goods (38.1% of sales) showed the sharper margin improvement, with segment result margin stepping up to roughly 20.3% from 11.5%.

The cash picture moved the other way. Operating cash flow fell 9.4% to NZ$96.5m despite higher NPAT, primarily reflecting a 30.7% inventory build to NZ$119.5m (inventory days rose to ~58.6 from ~47.6). Capex stepped down to NZ$18.2m from NZ$25.5m, cushioning pre-lease free cash flow at NZ$78.3m (versus NZ$81.0m). Cash on hand edged up to NZ$102.5m, total equity grew 15.5% to NZ$299.3m, and total liabilities were essentially flat. A final dividend of 15.5 cps was declared (the full-period dividend total is not stated in the extracted data).

What matters

  • Gross margin expansion is the earnings story. Sales growth of 6.1% does not explain 20.7% PBT growth on its own; the 200bps margin lift — helped by online mix rising to 21.5% of group sales (+21.0% online growth) — did the heavy lifting. Whether this margin level is a sustainable new baseline or a cycle-high on favourable discounting discipline is the central question.
  • Cash conversion deteriorated. OCF/NPAT dropped from ~146% to ~110% as NZ$28m of incremental inventory absorbed working capital. Pre-lease FCF-to-NPAT fell from 110.7% to 89.1%. This is a material, directly flagged deterioration, albeit from a very strong prior base.
  • Balance sheet is strengthening. Equity up 15.5%, cash up modestly, no disclosed gross borrowings in the extract, and ROE improving to 29.4% from 28.3%. Dividend coverage against pre-lease FCF sits at roughly 44%, leaving meaningful headroom.

Expectations

No forward targets or guidance were disclosed in the extracted materials, so the result cannot be benchmarked against management's own shape. The HY22 context shows the first half delivered 48.1% of full-year revenue but 54.0% of NPAT, implying a second half that was softer on the bottom line (implied H2 NPAT of NZ$40.4m versus HY22 NZ$47.5m). That skew is consistent with either margin normalisation in H2 or COVID-era disruption affecting the H2 comparable — the release does not clarify which. The filing supports a read of record full-year earnings but does not support any claim about FY23 trajectory.

Quality of result

The earnings quality is mixed. The effective tax rate was broadly stable (28.2% vs 27.8%), PBT and NPAT growth rates were within 0.6pp of each other, and no non-recurring items or non-GAAP adjustments were disclosed — so the profit line is statutory and clean. However, two items temper durability:

  • The 200bps gross margin step-up is the dominant driver of earnings growth and is not decomposed in the extract between pricing, mix, and input cost effects.
  • The NZ$28.0m inventory build is the direct cause of weaker cash conversion; whether it reflects deliberate positioning, supply-chain timing, or softer sell-through in H2 is unclear from the release. The implied H2 NPAT step-down versus HY22 is consistent with the latter possibility and should be watched.

FCF was partly flattered by capex falling NZ$7.4m year-on-year (capex intensity down to 2.4% of revenue from 3.6%), which is not a repeatable lever.

Unresolved

  • What drove the 200bps gross margin expansion, and how much is structural versus promotional discipline in a constrained-supply environment?
  • Why did inventory rise 30.7% against 6.1% revenue growth — pre-positioning, freight timing, or slower sell-through?
  • What is the full-period dividend (the 15.5 cps figure is the final component only, per the extract)?
  • What explains the H2 NPAT softening relative to H1, given full-year revenue still grew?
  • What is the gross borrowings position? The extract does not disclose it, so true net cash/net debt cannot be confirmed.

This briefing cannot assess valuation, since no share price was provided alongside the disclosed NZ$1.3334 NTA per share.

Key metrics

← Swipe to view more
Metric FY22 FY21 Change
Revenue $744.5m $701.8m +6.1% ↑
Net profit after tax $87.9m $73.2m +20.1% ↑
Net cash inflow from operating activities $96.5m $106.6m -9.4% ↓
Final dividend per share 15.5c
Operating profit $136.5m $115.9m +17.8% ↑
Profit before tax $122.4m $101.4m +20.7% ↑
Total assets $688.5m $649.0m +6.1% ↑

Reference: annolyse.ai/briefings/bgp-fy22

Segment breakdown

← Swipe to view more
Segment Current revenue Prior revenue Current result Mix shift
Homeware $460.9m $439.2m $73.8m -0.7pp
Sporting goods $283.6m $262.6m $57.7m +0.7pp

Reference: annolyse.ai/briefings/bgp-fy22

Analytical metrics

← Swipe to view more
Metric FY22 FY21 Context
PBT growth +20.7%
Effective tax rate 28.2% 27.8%
FCF pre-lease $78.3m $81.0m −$2.7m
FCF / NPAT 89.1% 110.7% complementary conversion metric
Capex % revenue 2.4% 3.6%
Capex −$18.2m $25.5m −$43.7m
Debtor days 0.2 0.2 +0.0 days
Inventory days 58.6 47.6 +11.0 days
Trade debtors $0.4m $0.4m −$0.0m
Payout ratio vs NPAT 39.2%
Payout ratio vs FCF pre-lease 44.0% covered
ROE (annualised) 29.4% 28.3% Strengthening
HY22 share of FY22 revenue 48.1% Other half was 51.9%
HY22 share of FY22 NPAT 54.0% Other half was 46.0%
Profit from continuing operations $87.9m

Reference: annolyse.ai/briefings/bgp-fy22


This analysis was generated using Annolyse, an AI-powered tool that analyses NZX/ASX company announcements. The analysis is based on available company filings and standard Annolyse calculations. This is general information only and does not constitute financial advice. The analysis may contain errors. Always read the original company filings and consult a licensed financial adviser before making investment decisions.

Metric context

Trajectory before this result

A compact view of the company's recent revenue and margin path, derived from the same metrics history that powers the company page.

BGP revenue trajectory

Revenue context before the current result.

BGP EBITDA margin

Earnings margin across covered periods.

Appendix

Reference material

Company materials considered in this briefing.

Current period

BGP FY Jan 2022 Financial Statements and Independent Auditor's Report

FY22 / financial report

BGP FY Jan 2022 Results Announcement

FY22 / results announcement

BGP FY Jan 2022 Results Commentary

FY22 / results release

Prior comparable period

BGP - Annual Report 31 January 2021

FY21 / financial report

Interim context

BGP Half Year Results 1 August 2021 Addendum

HY22 / financial report

BGP Half Year Results Announcement 1 August 2021

HY22 / results announcement

BGP Half Year Results Announcement 1 August 2021

HY22 / results release

Email updates

Want briefings like this for the next reporting season?

Get the next Annolyse briefing by email when it is published.