Lucas Bols expects revenue and profit decline

Lucas Bols’ revenue for 2015/16 is expected to be 4-6% down and operating profit 8-9% down for the year ending 31 March 2016, said the liqueurs company.

The Dutch group said it “experienced one-off stock reductions in Australia and South East Asia” in November and the same trend in the second half-year in the US as well, due to the merger between its two main distributors.

A statement read: “Although these developments impact the company’s results on the short term, the underlying in-market performance in these markets remains healthy and in-line with expectations.

“The significant steps Lucas Bols is taking to optimise its route to market and to improve the longer term performance of the brands have a short term pressuring effect on top line revenue.”