Monterrey, Mexico, October 27, 2023 — Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (“FEMSA”) (NYSE: FMX; BMV: FEMSAUBD, FEMSAUB) announced today its operational and financial results for the third quarter of 2023.
- FEMSA: Total Consolidated Revenues grew 19.3% against 3Q22.
- FEMSA Retail: Proximity Americas total Revenues increased 20.8% against 3Q22.
- DIGITAL: Spin by OXXO had 6.4 million active users while Spin Premia had 17.7 million active loyalty users and an average tender of 28.3%.
- COCA-COLA FEMSA: Total volume and revenues grew 11.6% and 10.1%, respectively, against 3Q22.
José Antonio Fernandez Carbajal, FEMSA’s Chief Executive Officer, commented:
“The third quarter was very favorable for our business, with strong momentum across most of our operations. However, our positive results were tempered by the unfortunate passing of FEMSA’s former CEO, Daniel Rodriguez Cofré, in the month of August. We honor his legacy by continuing to execute on the strategy that he helped design and put in place.
Our quarterly results show a continuation, and in some cases an acceleration, of the positive trends that we have seen during the past several quarters, and again offer a glimpse of the significant organic growth potential we have before us. Notably, Proximity Americas increased revenues by more than 20 percent, driven by strong traffic trends at OXXO and reflecting an accelerated store expansion. In Europe, Valora continued to grow its top line, while Health revenues were again stable, reflecting a challenging comparison base in Chile as well as significant currency headwinds. For its part, Coca-Cola FEMSA delivered very strong results across its income statement, while Digital@FEMSA continued to add users at a rapid pace. Importantly, we are achieving solid growth today, while also investing significant capital in the future of our core business verticals, across markets but particularly in Mexico.
On the strategic front, during the third quarter we continued to make progress executing the FEMSA Forward gameplan, announcing the creation of a new distribution platform in the United States by bringing together Envoy Solutions and BradyIFS. The regulatory process has advanced according to schedule, and we expect this transaction to close soon.
As we approach the final stretch, we are well positioned to close the year on a high note, and already begin to look forward to an interesting and dynamic 2024.”
FEMSA CONSOLIDATED
Total revenues increased 19.3% in 3Q23 compared to 3Q22, driven by growth across our business units. On an organic basis, total revenues increased 11.9%.
Gross profit increased 22.1%. Gross margin expanded 90 basis points, reflecting the consolidation of Proximity Europe, as well as margin expansions at Proximity and Coca-Cola FEMSA. This was partially offset by a margin contraction at Health and Fuel.
Income from operations increased 12.6%. On an organic basis, income from operations increased 9.8%. Consolidated operating margin decreased 50 basis points to 8.5% of total revenues, reflecting margin expansion at Coca-Cola FEMSA, offset by margin contractions at Proximity Americas, Health, and Fuel, as well as the consolidation of Proximity Europe.
Our effective income tax rate was 31.8% in 3Q23 compared to 35.0% in 3Q22. Our income tax provision was Ps. 6,540 million in 3Q23.
Net consolidated income was Ps. 12,758 million, reflecting: i) higher income from operations; ii) a non-cash foreign exchange gain of Ps. 5,374, related to FEMSA’s U.S. dollar-denominated cash position as impacted by the depreciation of the Mexican peso; and iii) a decrease in net interest expenses during the quarter. This was offset by a decrease in net income from discontinued operations compared with 3Q22, which included the results of FEMSA’s participation in Heineken.
Net majority income was Ps. 2.72 per FEMSA Unit and US$1.56 per FEMSA ADS.
Capital expenditures amounted to Ps. 9,791 million, driven by ongoing investment activities across our business units.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- On Aug 29, 2023, FEMSA announced that it entered into definitive agreements with BradyIFS to create a new platform within the facility care, foodservice disposables, and packaging distribution industries in the United States. The combined platform will bring together Envoy Solutions LLC and BradyIFS in a highly complementary combination, positioned to serve and provide value to its customers and suppliers effectively and efficiently across the country. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.
Upon closing, FEMSA will receive approximately US$1.7 billion in cash and retain an ownership stake of approximately 37% in the combined entity, which is expected to have pro-forma revenues approaching US$5 billion.
For the purposes of this transaction, the Envoy Solutions valuation implies an unlevered double-digit annualized rate of return on the accumulated capital invested by FEMSA since entering this business in 2020.
Approximately 63% of the combined entity will be owned by existing BradyIFS equity holders led by Kelso & Company and its affiliate funds and including BradyIFS management; by funds managed by Warburg Pincus LLC; and by the current minority shareholders of Envoy Solutions.
- On Sep 22, 2023, FEMSA announced changes to its organizational structure that bring it into full alignment with the FEMSA Forward strategy and its three core business verticals: Retail, Coca-Cola FEMSA, and Digital. The Company also announced movements within its senior leadership team, involving internal and newly attracted talent. These changes will enable the organization to operate with maximum focus, positioning FEMSA to pursue and capture its considerable and compelling opportunities for long-term profitable growth.
The Retail business vertical will be led by Jose Antonio Fernández Garza-Lagüera. Jose Antonio is currently CEO of Digital@FEMSA, where he nurtured FEMSA’s digital ecosystem from its early days and has helped Spin become the prominent fintech and loyalty platform in Mexico. Before Digital, Jose Antonio held leadership roles at every one of FEMSA’s major business units for over a decade, including as Head of Strategic Planning at OXXO and FEMSA Comercio. Jose Antonio will be supported in his new role by a world-class operational team: Carlos Arenas (Proximity OXXO Mexico), Constantino Spas (Proximity Americas and Fuel), Michael Mueller (Proximity Europe), Jacobo Caller (Proximity Multiformat), and Daniel Belaúnde (FEMSA Health).
Juan Carlos Guillermety is joining the Company as CEO of Digital@FEMSA. Juan Carlos comes to FEMSA from Nubank, where he held various senior leadership positions since 2019, after a long tenure at Visa International. Juan Carlos will lead the rapidly growing talent pool that is shaping the future of FEMSA’s digital ecosystem.
There is no change at Coca-Cola FEMSA. Ian Craig will continue to lead this key business vertical as its CEO. Other operations outside of FEMSA’s core verticals, including those that are in the active process of being divested, will report to the Corporate Office led by Francisco Camacho. These changes to FEMSA’s organizational structure and senior leadership team were designed in conjunction with the FEMSA Forward strategy as announced in February of this year, consistent with FEMSA’s leadership succession and talent development process. The new appointments have been approved by FEMSA’s Board of Directors and will become effective on November 1st, 2023, with executives transitioning into their new roles and responsibilities in the coming months.
ABOUT FEMSA
FEMSA is a company that creates economic and social value through companies and institutions and strives to be the best employer and neighbor to the communities in which it operates. It participates in the retail industry through a Proximity Division operating OXXO, a small-format store chain, and other related retail formats, and Proximity Europe which includes Valora, our European retail unit which operates convenience and foodvenience formats. In the retail industry it also participates though a FEMSA Health, which includes drugstores and related activities and Digital@FEMSA, which includes Spin by OXXO and Spin Premia, among other digital financial services initiatives. In the beverage industry, it participates through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by volume. Across its business units, FEMSA has more than 350,000 employees in 18 countries. FEMSA is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance, the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and the Mexican Stock Exchange Sustainability Index: S&P/BMV Total México ESG, among other indexes that evaluate its sustainability performance.
