Going concern
In spite of certain restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Blue Label has continued to deliver essential services, including electricity, airtime, data and other digital services, as well as providing financial transactional services. The lockdown regulations and the downturn in economic activity have not negatively impacted airtime, data and electricity sales volumes. The Group’s digital expertise has enabled uninterrupted access of all its products and services through banks, formal retailers, independent retailers, petroleum forecourts and spaza shops across South Africa. Cash flow generated by the core businesses within the Group has consequently not been negatively impacted.
The products and services that Blue Label provides fulfil essential needs of the consumer, even more so during the lockdown period due to home confinement. In essence, such demand would only decline if consumer cash resources dwindle as a result of a decline in their income. In a situation of this nature, Blue Label’s products and services would remain a priority in consumer spend and retain a level of resilience in comparison to other consumer goods and services.
The Group’s retail business, starter pack distribution, gaming vouchers and ticketing were negatively impacted during the initial lockdown period. Starter pack distribution and gaming voucher trading volumes are now back to pre-COVID-19 levels.
The lockdown, however, had a significant negative impact on the retail operations of WiConnect and, given the uncertainty of the duration of the pandemic and the resultant losses attributable thereto impacting its financial feasibility, a decision was made prior to year-end to cease the operations of the WiConnect retail stores. This resulted in a negative impact of R318 million on the Group’s basic earnings for the year ended 31 May 2020. The actual cash outflow required for the closure of the stores, which is included in the R318 million expense, will, however, be confined to approximately R30 million, in that the balance of such negative earnings represents all trading losses which have been expended, impairments to property, plant and equipment and goodwill.
Challenging economic conditions, an unfavourable trading environment, margin compression as a result of reduced incentives from the mobile networks and an increase in product costs, exacerbated by COVID-19, necessitated an impairment of goodwill in Blue Label Connect of R157 million, a partial goodwill impairment in Glocell Distribution of R57 million and a fair value downward adjustment of the Glocell loan, net of taxation, of R47 million.
In considering credit risk, management included considerations related to COVID-19 when calculating ECLs. The considerations resulted in increased probability of default percentages in the current year when compared to the prior year and ultimately in an increase of the average ECL/impairment ratio on total trade receivables from 2.46% in the prior year to 3.68% in the current year. The Group did not experience any significant defaults or requests from material clients for easing of payment terms or payment holidays.
The Group’s forecasts and projections, taking account of reasonably possible changes in trading performance, show that the Group has sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations and will be able to operate within its current funding levels without breaching any of its current covenants into the foreseeable future.
The Directors are of the opinion that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Group therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.