PRESS RELEASE: BIGBEN: RETURN TO GROWTH FOR Q3 2021/22 (+4,5%)

Bigben                                                Press release

           Lesquin, 24 January 2022 – 18:00

RETURN TO GROWTH FOR Q3 2021/22 (+4,5%)

CONFIRMATION OF 2021/22 & 2022/23 TARGETS

(1)   ^{Non audited data}

Highlights:

• As expected, the 3rd quarter of FY 2021/22 returned to growth after a first half impacted by a high comparison basis. Driven by the sound performance of both business units, Group sales rose by 4.5% over the period to 91.3 M€.
  
  
• As a result, cumulative sales for the first nine months of FY 2021/22 reached 215.4 M€, representing a limited year-on-year decline of 3.4%, after an 8.5% fall in the first half.
  
  
• At the end of the 4th quarter, the Bigben Group should achieve the targets announced at the time of the publication of the half-year results for 2021/22.
  
  

Q3 2021/22 sales up 4.5% to 91.3 M€

NACON GAMING

In Q3 2021/22, Nacon returned to growth after two quarters which had been impacted by a very high comparison basis due to the lockdown periods favourable to the business. Sales growth over the period was driven by the strong performance of the games catalogue⁽²⁾ and gaming accessories.

• Games: This activity posted sales of 14.3 M€, up 3.4% over the quarter. This increase was driven by the release of Cricket 22®, which got off to a commercial start in line with expectations. The back catalogue⁽³⁾ held up well with sales of 5.5 M€.
  
  
• Accessories: This activity also grew by 7.4% to 34.9 M€ over the period. The 3rd quarter of FY 2021/22 saw the release of the new Revolution X Pro Controller. This good performance could have been amplified without the worldwide shortage of consoles (PlayStation®4 and new generation consoles).
  
  

BIGBEN AUDIOVIDEO/TELCO

The business unit posted sales of 40.1 M€, up 3.5% compared to Q3 2020/21.

• Mobile Accessories sales rose by 11.7% over the period to 29.0 M€. This momentum was driven by the Force Power®, Bigben®, Force Case® and Just Green® ranges, bolstered by the success of the new iPhone 13 and premium smartphones that are gradually being delivered without chargers. The expansion to other distribution channels also contributed to this growth.
• Audio/Video recorded quarterly sales of 10.9 M€ compared with 12.6 M€ in Q3 2020/21, impacted by the refocusing of sales on higher value-added products.

In this context, the business unit is successfully pursuing its actions for margin recovery thanks to an improved product mix.

Confirmation of FY 2021/22 targets 

For FY 2021/22, Bigben confirms its targets with sales ranging from 270 M€ to 300 M€ and a current operating profit around 24 M€.

NACON GAMING

• In Q4 2021/22, Nacon Gaming will continue to benefit from the success of Cricket 22^® and the launch of Rugby22^®. However, Games sales are expected to be significantly down, given a weak publishing activity over the period with the postponement of Vampire: The Masquerade^®- Swansong release to FY 2022/23.
  
  
• After the success of the Revolution X Pro Controller for Xbox^® launched in October 2021, Accessories will enjoy ongoing sales in Q4 of headsets (PlayStation^®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One^®, Xbox^® Series X|S) and controllers for PlayStation^®4 and Xbox^® Series X|S.
  
  

BIGBEN AUDIOVIDEO/TELCO

The business unit will benefit from several growth drivers including:

o the first synergies with Metronic (European leader in image processing, in the field of connected audio-video),
o the gradual development of 5G, which will encourage the renewal of the mobile phone fleet
o the launch of numerous smartphones without chargers.

Confirmation of FY 2022/23 targets

For 2022/23, the Group anticipates a strong sales growth in its two core businesses, with revenues ranging from 400 M€ to 450 M€ and a current operating margin⁽⁴⁾ exceeding 14%.

This growth will come in particular from a buoyant publishing activity of Nacon Gaming (release of more than 15 games over the year including the highly anticipated Vampire: The Masquerade^®- Swansong and 4 other major games (Steelrising^TM, The Lord of the Rings™: Gollum™, Session™ and Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown^TM) and from a Bigben AudioVideo/Telco business unit boosted by the positive trends of the 5G smartphone market and by the full-year consolidation of Metronic.

Suspension of the liquidity contract in the context of the exceptional distribution in kind of Nacon shares

In the context of the exceptional distribution in kind of Nacon shares by Bigben Interactive, the precise specifications of which were the subject of a detailed press release dated 16 December 2021, available on the Company's website, the liquidity contract concluded between the Company and ODDO BHF SCA is suspended as of 24 January 2022 (inclusive) until 3 February 2022 (inclusive).

The liquidity contract will resume on 4 February 2022, the payment date for the exceptional distribution.

⁽²⁾ Catalogue: games released during the current financial year
⁽³⁾ Back catalogue: games released in previous financial years

⁽⁴⁾ COI Rate = Current Operating Result as a percentage of sales = Current Operating Margin

Next Publication :

Q4 2021/22 Sales: 25 April 2022, Press release after close of the Paris stock exchange

Attachment

• CP_BBI_CA_T3 2021 2022_Diffusion ENG