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Investing.com -- Premier Foods (LON:PFD) on Thursday reported trading profit of £187.8 million for the financial year ending FY25, narrowly beating analysts’ expectations of £185.2 million.
The British food manufacturer posted a sixth consecutive year of growth, with trading profit up 6% year-over-year.
Branded revenue rose 3.1% in the fourth quarter, led by an 8% increase in Sweet Treats. Grocery revenue grew 2% despite challenging comparisons.
Over the course of the year, Jefferies upgraded its trading profit estimate for Premier Foods by 4%.
The company’s performance exceeded its stated medium-term growth algorithm of 5%, supported by gains in market share.
In the U.K., Premier Foods reported a rise of 80 basis points in volume share and 21 basis points in value share.
New product categories saw growth of 46%, while international revenue rose 23%. Recent acquisitions, including The Spice Tailor and Fuel10K, also reported double-digit growth.
Premier Foods reduced its net debt by £92 million during the year, bringing it down to £144 million.
The company attributed this to strong cash generation. It also continued to invest in capital projects, which contributed to an improvement in trading profit margins.
Jefferies has raised its FY26 trading profit estimate by approximately £3 million to £195 million, citing momentum carried into the new financial year.
However, new guidance on interest costs has tempered changes to consensus pre-tax profit estimates.
Premier Foods expects P&L interest to rise to between £23 million and £25 million, compared to £18.5 million in FY25, with refinancing of October 2026 notes cited as a factor.
Premier Foods has also merged its pension schemes into a single legal entity, a move the company says brings it closer to resolving its pension obligations by the end of 2026.
The removal of a dividend matching mechanism linked to pension funding led to a 62% increase in the annual dividend, now set at 2.8 pence per share.
Jefferies analysts maintain a positive outlook on the stock, noting consistent operational delivery and financial performance.