18 Nov 2024
Naspers Trading Statement
Naspers Limited
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Reg. No 1925/001431/06)
JSE Share Code: NPN ISIN: ZAE 000325783
(“Naspers”)
Naspers Trading Statement
Shareholders are advised that the Naspers group (“the Group”) is finalising its condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the period ended 30 September 2024.
The group has demonstrated its continued commitment to deliver profitable growth, with consolidated Ecommerce profitability in the first half of FY25, significantly exceeding that of the prior twelve months. We expect to continue this growth path by accelerating our pace of execution and innovation, investing with an AI-first mindset and leveraging the potential of the Group’s technology ecosystem.
Core headline earnings per share and headline earnings per share for continuing operations for the period are expected to increase between 87.2%-93.8% and 103.2%-109.6% respectively, driven by accelerated growth and improved profitability of our consolidated Ecommerce businesses and equity-accounted investments, in particular Tencent.
Earnings per share is expected to increase during the period primarily from the Group’s improved overall profitability coupled with lower impairment charges in continuing operations this period compared to the previous period. This improved performance was partially offset by a lower gain from the sale of our Tencent shareholding compared to the previous period, given that fewer shares were sold in the current period.
The gains relating to the sell down of Tencent and impairment charges impacting earnings per share are excluded from headline and core headline earnings per share. The board considers core headline earnings an appropriate indicator of the operating performance of the Group, as it adjusts for non-operational items.
The Group has illustrated below the anticipated changes in earnings, headline earnings and core headline earnings per share for continuing operations for the period ended 30 September 2024 as compared to 30 September 2023 continuing and total operations:
| Continuing operations | 30 September 2023 US cents | 30 September 2024 expected increase US cents | Expected increase % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings per share(1) | 812 | 284-337 | 35.0%-41.5% |
| Headline earnings per share(1) | 311 | 321-341 | 103.2%-109.6% |
| Core headline earnings* per share(1) | 454 | 396-426 | 87.2%-93.8% |
| Total operations | 30 September 2023 US cents | 30 September 2024 expected increase US cents | Expected increase % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings per share(1) | 761 | 335-388 | 44.0%-51.0% |
| Headline earnings per share(1) | 281 | 351-371 | 125.0%-132.0% |
| Core headline earnings* per share(1) | 427 | 423-453 | 99.0%-106.0% |
More details will be published with the condensed consolidated interim financial statements on Monday, 02 December 2024.
Financial information on which this trading statement is based has not been subject to an independent audit or review by the Group’s auditors.
* Core headline earnings, a non-IFRS performance measure, represent headline earnings for the period, excluding certain non-operating items. Specifically, headline earnings are adjusted for the following items to derive core headline earnings: (i) equity-settled share-based payment expenses on transactions where there is no cash cost to us. These include those relating to share-based incentive awards settled by issuing treasury shares, as well as certain share-based payment expenses that are deemed to arise on shareholder transactions; (ii) subsequent fair-value remeasurement of cash-settled share-based incentive expenses; (iii) cash-settled share-based compensation expenses deemed to arise from shareholder transactions by virtue of employment; (iv) deferred taxation income recognised on the first-time recognition of deferred tax assets as this generally relates to multiple prior periods and distorts current period performance; (v) fair-value adjustments on financial and unrealised currency translation differences, as these items obscure our underlying operating performance; (vi) one-off gains and losses (including acquisition-related costs) resulting from acquisitions and disposals of businesses as these items relate to changes in our composition and are not reflective of our underlying operating performance and (vii) the amortisation of intangible assets recognised in business combinations and acquisitions. These adjustments are made to the earnings of businesses controlled by us, as well as our share of earnings of associates and joint ventures, to the extent that the information is available.
Core headline earnings per share constitute pro-forma financial information in terms of the JSE Limited Listings Requirements. The pro forma financial information is the responsibility of the Group's directors.
(1) Per share information is based on the net number of A and N ordinary shares in issue during the respective periods.
18 November 2024
40 Heerengracht, Cape Town 8001 PO Box 2271 Cape Town 8000 South Africa
Sponsor:
Investec Bank Limited
About Naspers
Established in 1915, Naspers has transformed itself to become a global consumer internet company and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Through Prosus, the group operates and invests globally in markets with long-term growth potential, building leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities. Prosus has its primary listing on Euronext Amsterdam, and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Naspers is the majority owner of Prosus.
In South Africa, Naspers is one of the foremost investors in the technology sector and is committed to building its internet and ecommerce companies. These include Takealot, Mr D Food, Superbalist, Autotrader, Property24 and PayU, in addition to Media24, South Africa’s leading print and digital media business.
Naspers has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NPN.SJ) and a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange (NPN.AJ) in South Africa and a level 1 American Depository Receipt (ADR) programme which trades on an over-the-counter basis in the US.
For more information, please visit www.naspers.com.
Naspers Labs
In 2019, Naspers Labs, a youth development programme designed to transform and launch South Africa’s unemployed youth into economic activity, was launched. Naspers Labs focuses on digital skills and training, enabling young people to pursue tech careers.
Disclaimer
The Repurchase Programme is being conducted in accordance with Articles 5(1) and 5(3) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse (“Market Abuse Regulation”) and Articles 2 to 4 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 supplementing the Market Abuse Regulation with regard to regulatory technical standards for the conditions applicable to buy-back programmes and stabilisation measures (the “Delegated Regulation”). This document is issued in connection with the disclosure and reporting obligation set out in Article 2(1) of the Delegated Regulation.
This document contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation.
This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer for securities in any jurisdiction.
The information contained in this announcement may contain forward-looking statements, estimates and projections. Forward-looking statements involve all matters that are not historical and may be identified by the words “anticipate”, ”believe”, ”estimate”, ”expect”, ”intend”, ”may”, ”should”, ”will”, ”would” and similar expressions or their negatives, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These statements reflect Prosus’s intentions, beliefs or current expectations, involve elements of subjective judgement and analysis and are based upon the best judgement of Prosus as of the date of this announcement, but could prove to be wrong. These statements are subject to change without notice and are based on a number of assumptions and entail known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Therefore, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.
Any forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this announcement and neither Prosus nor any other person gives any undertaking, or is under any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements for events or circumstances that occur subsequent to the date of this announcement or to update or keep current any of the information contained herein, any changes in assumptions or changes in factors affecting these statements and this announcement is not a representation by Prosus or any other person that they will do so, except to the extent required by law.