Ashtead Group plc Annual Report & Accounts 2014 THIS IS WHAT WE DO Annual Report & Accounts 2014 WATNEY ISMA Sunbelt Who we ArE Ashtead is an international equipment rental company with national networks in the US and the UK. We rent a full range of construction and industrial equipment across a wide variety of applications to a diverse customer base. Our objective is to deliver sustainable value and above average performance across the economic cycle, thereby extending our industry- leading position and delivering superior total returns for shareholders. Ashtead Group plc Annual Report & Accounts 2014 1 OUR FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Contents This is Ashtead 2 Strategic report Strategic Strategic report £1,635m £409m Chairman’s statement 4 Highlights of the year 5 Revenue Underlying operating profit Our business model 6 Strategic review The strategy behind what we do 10 1,635 409 Our markets 10 Our strategic priorities 14 Key performance indicators 18 1,362 290 Principal risks and uncertainties 20 1,135 Financial review 22 Responsible business report 28 181 949 837 99 69 Directors’ report Directors 38 Corporate governance report 40 10 11 12 13 14 10 11 12 13 14 Audit Committee report 43 Nomination Committee report 45 Remuneration report 46 £362m £357m Other statutory disclosures 59 Statement of directors’ Underlying profit Profit before taxation responsibilities 61 before taxation 362 357 245 214 Our financial statements 2014 Independent auditor’s report 63 Consolidated income statement 65 131 135 Consolidated statement of comprehensive income 65 Consolidated balance sheet 66 5 31 5 2 Consolidated statement of changes in equity 67 10 11 12 13 14 10 11 12 13 14 Consolidated cash flow statement 68 1 Group rental revenue up 24% Notes to the consolidated Record Group pre-tax profit of £362m, up 50% at constant exchange rates financial statements 69 Group EBITDA margin improves to 42% (2013: 38%) £741m of capital invested in the business (2013: £580m) Group RoI of 19% (2013: 16%) Additional information Net debt to EBITDA leverage1 of 1.8 times (2013: 1.9 times) Ten year history 95 Additional information 96 Proposed final dividend of 9.25p making 11.5p for the year (2013: 7.5p) 1 At constant exchange rates. Underlying profit and earnings per share are stated before exceptional items, amortisation of intangibles and fair value remeasurements. The definition of exceptional items is set out in note 2 to the financial statements. Prior year figures have been restated for the adoption of the revised IAS 19 ‘Employee Benefits’. Forward looking statements This report contains forward looking statements. These have been made by the directors in good faith using information available up to the date on which they approved this report. The directors can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Due to the inherent uncertainties, including both business and economic risk factors underlying such forward looking statements, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward looking statements. Except as required by law or regulation, the directors undertake no obligation to update any forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 2 Ashtead Group plc Annual Report & Accounts 2014 THIS IS ASHTEAD A T A glancE Ashtead is one of the largest equipment rental companies in the world and operates as Sunbelt in the US and as A-Plant in the UK. US: SUNBELT UK: A-PLANT The second largest equipment The second largest equipment rental company in the US with rental company in the UK with 425 stores in 39 states 131 stores throughout England, Scotland and Wales 395 30 131 £268m Full service stores Sunbelt at Lowes stores Stores Revenue 7,600 $2,189m 2,400 £25m Employees Revenue Employees Profits 26% $631m 9% Return on investment* Profits Return on investment* * Excluding goodwill and intangible assets. * Excluding goodwill and intangible assets. Ashtead Group plc Annual Report & Accounts 2014 3 Strategic report Strategic A-Plant UK Sunbelt U S Fleet composition Market share 15% 12% 6% 4% 37% 4% 2% 9% 1% 1% US US 4% c.52% 16% c.18% 19% Aerial work platforms United Rentals Forklifts Sunbelt Earth moving Hertz Equipment Rental Co. (HERC) Pump and power Home Depot Scaffold BlueLine Rentals Other Aggreko Top 7–10 Top 11–100 Others 12% 10% 30% 9% 11% 7% UK UK 5% 59% 3% 19% 4% 5% 3% 4% 3% 16% Aerial work platforms Speedy Forklifts A-Plant Earth moving HSS Accommodation VP Pump and power Lavendon Acrow Hewden Traffic GAP Other Others 4 Ashtead Group plc Annual Report & Accounts 2014 STRATEGIC REPORT CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT I am very pleased to report another excellent year for Ashtead with our third set of record annual results and entry into the FTSE 100 for the first time. It is enormously satisfying that our optimism last year has proved to be justified. Meanwhile we maintained our debt I am enormously grateful to all our leverage below two times EBITDA and are employees for their hard work and committed to maintaining this over the long commitment, and to our experienced and term. Our recent performance has been exceptional management and leadership supported by the structural change in the US teams. They all make Ashtead a very special market and our ability to respond accordingly. business, which I am pleased to report the Chris cole We now believe that improving general Board experienced first-hand in February Chairman market conditions will further reinforce 2014 through their attendance at the Sunbelt our progress supporting both our growth management meeting with 700 key people. and performance ambitions. We continue our progressive dividend policy, 2013 saw the introduction of a new reporting while considering underlying profit and cash framework and we are pleased to report we generation and sustainability throughout the Both Sunbelt and A-Plant enjoyed strong are compliant with the new regulations. I am economic cycle. In view of our excellent performance with full-year Group revenue also confident that we continue to maintain performance, the Board is recommending at £1,635m compared to £1,362m last year. and develop a balanced and diverse Board a final dividend of 9.25p per share making Our underlying pre-tax profit was £362m, up that promotes good governance. We say 11.5p for the year compared to 7.5p in 2013. 50% at constant exchange rates from £245m goodbye and thank you to Hugh Etheridge Assuming the final dividend is approved at last year, due to a combination of the strong who retires as our senior independent the Annual General Meeting, it will be paid revenue growth and ongoing operational director and chairman of the Audit Committee on 5 September 2014 to shareholders on the efficiency. Our Group EBITDA margin on 30 June and who has supported us so register on 15 August 2014. improved further to 42% compared with well over the last 10 years. I am pleased We remain confident of further growth as our 38% last year. to welcome Wayne Edmunds, the former markets continue to improve and we build on chief executive of Invensys plc, as a new Sunbelt rental revenue grew 23% to $1,973m, the momentum, reputation and experience non-executive director and our new Audit driven by a 17% increase in fleet on rent and a that we have established. Continuance of our Committee chairman. Ian Sutcliffe, who 4% improvement in yield. With the acquisition well-articulated strategy and remaining alert joined us in 2010, will be our new senior of Eve Trakway, A-Plant delivered rental to opportunities will, I believe, ensure ongoing independent director. revenue of £244m, up 33% on the prior year, creation of shareholder value. reflecting 21% more fleet on rent and a 9% The theme of this year’s report is ‘What we improvement in yield. do’. What we do is solve problems for our Our strategy, detailed on page 10, continues customers who are central to all of our to be focused largely on organic growth, planning. This customer service ethos is supplemented by greenfield openings supported by all aspects of the business, and a range of carefully selected bolt-on but most of all by the people on the ground acquisitions. We invested £741m in capital who make things happen. Across the pages Chris Cole expenditure, primarily to support our growth, of our new Strategic Report we feature some CHAIRMAN and £103m on 12 acquisitions over the year of those people who embody what we do, 16 June 2014 and added 39 new locations in the US. providing exemplary customer service. Ashtead Group plc Annual Report & Accounts 2014 5 HIgHLIgHTS report Strategic OF THE YEAR MAY JULY AUGUST A-Plant further developed its specialty Sunbelt took delivery of and absorbed We took advantage of good debt markets services by acquiring Eve Trakway (‘Eve’). $334m of rental equipment into the fleet and increased the size of our senior credit Eve is the UK’s leading temporary access in the first quarter of the year. This was facility to $2bn. The facility’s maturity provider and provides temporary put to work immediately as demonstrated was extended to August 2018 and the roadways, walkways, pitch coverings and by our strong utilisation for the quarter pricing grid reduced. Depending on pedestrian and vehicle bridges, together at 73% (2013: 70%). This drove Sunbelt’s our leverage, the pricing grid ranges with crowd control barrier systems, fleet on rent growth of 17% in the from LIBOR plus 175bp to LIBOR plus traffic management, security and lighting first quarter. 225bp. This ensures our debt package solutions. The acquisition enables us to remains well structured and flexible, supply even more of a complete package enabling us to take advantage of to the events industry, providing prevailing market conditions.