Sanford expects to see its net profit to fall sharply for the September year. Photo / Supplied
Sanford expects to see its net profit to fall sharply for the September year. Photo / Supplied
Fishing company Sanford said it expects its net profit to fall by 46 per cent in the year to September 30 due to the impact of Covid-19, but that its balance sheet remained strong.
The company expects its net profit to come in at $22.4 million, down from $41.7m, in the previous financial year, in part driven by a lower-than-expected Patagonian toothfish catch.
Total revenue was forecast to fall by 14 per cent to $468.8m.
The company's earnings reflect the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on Sanford's sales channels, primarily to food service, as already disclosed to the market early in September.
"This result is a continuation of the sales revenue trend which we advised the market of in September," it said.
However, the fourth-quarter profitability was further impacted by poorer-than-expected wildcatch performance in September, driven by a lower-than-expected Patagonian toothfish catch and a lower "fair value" of salmon stock with expected future sales pricing under pressure.
"The result this year is disappointing, and our markets continue to be challenging and difficult to predict because of the evolving Covid-19 situation," the company said.