ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA HOLDITALIA S.p.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2019
Letter of the Chairman of Board of Directors and CEO of the Group
Contrary to forecasts, 2019 saw a general slowdown in almost all the world’s economies.
In this global context, the luxury sector continues to face two specific obstacles: the first resulting from a fall in purchases, due to the downward trend in the numbers of Chinese tourists visiting Europe and the United States; the second, which has been underway for longer, is the shift in the consumer buying priorities.
Given its size and presence on foreign markets, our Group has decided to adopt international IFRS accounting principles for the purposes of this Financial Statement, in order to make it comparable with all luxury brands.
In spite of a generally uncertain global scenario, our Group, which operates in more than 80 countries, nonetheless recorded a growth in turnover in 2019 of 11.7% at current exchange rates, for a value of 1.321 million Euro. This result was made possible by the positive sales figures recorded in the last quarter in China and Europe. Whilst it continued in January, the trend was interrupted with the stoppage triggered by the measures to counteract the Covid19 pandemic.
The Adjusted EBITDA and the Profit for the year, respectively total 280 million Euro (21% of revenue) and 37.5 million Euro, accounting for 3% of turnover. The Net Financial indebtedness was positive to the tune of 12 million Euro.
Total equity accounted for 735 million Euro, equal to 56% of revenue. Combined with the liquidity available, they confirm the Group’s strength.
Export accounted for 89% of total sales. The most important market continues to be China, followed by the USA and Japan. In the course of 2019, the Hong Kong market recorded a fall as a result of the political upheaval experienced there.
Our Group has continued to invest, albeit to a lesser extent than in the past, by relocating and/or extending stores in key cities. At the same time, it has also closed stores that were no longer performing. By the end of 2019, Zegna’s mono-brand stores numbered 473, of which 264 are managed directly, while 209 are operated on a franchising/wholesale basis. The new openings/relocations were in New York, Dubai, Beijing, Istanbul and Sao Paulo.
2019 was the first year to see the full consolidation of Thom Browne, which was bought out in November 2018. The results proved higher than expected, with a double-digit growth in sales to confirm the validity of our investment and the strength of the brand.
The Group’s expansion also involved textiles, with the purchase of a majority shareholding in Dondi, leader in high-end jersey fabric which will continue to be managed by the Dondi family. With this purchase, the textile sector of our Group has further enlarged its range, thereby enabling to extend the product offer to a broader clientele.
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