Page 10 - NZPM Annual Report 2020
P. 10

Our strategy to broaden our customer and revenue
                     base, invest in capability and use technology to improve

                      efficiency and lower costs will assist the co-operative to

                                       be competitive into the future.





                 This year, elected directors John DeBernardo and Mark   are currently being finalised and will be designed to
                 Whitehead retire by rotation and being eligible have   maximise shareholder participation while providing
                 offered themselves for re-election.         low-risk and cost-effective options for shareholder
                                                             engagement. We anticipate being able to get together
                 REBATE DIVIDEND                             in larger groups in the future and have scheduled our
                                                             2021 Annual Meeting to be in Rotorua.
                 Our rebate dividend policy is to provide a long-term
                 target distribution of 80% of net profit after tax and   The 2020 Plumbing World Overseas Shareholder
                 before lease accounting adjustments and a short-term   Convention to Beijing was deferred for one year due to
                 target distribution range of 65% – 95% and other such   the travel restrictions associated with COVID-19.
                 financial factors as the board determines.
                                                             LOOKING FORWARD
                 In July 2020, NZPM declared an interim gross rebate
                 dividend of 4.0% of ‘A Grade’ Cash to be paid as one   NZPM is well positioned to respond to the challenges
                 lump sum, in cash, in September 2020.  The declaration   that will arise from the economic downturn that is
                 of an interim dividend allows the co-operative to pay an   expected to impact our industry during the current
                 appropriate rebate dividend to shareholders in a timely   financial year.  While we cannot predict market
                 basis, while preserving our liquidity position to manage   demand, the consistent message from economic
                 our way through what we expect to be an uncertain   commentators is that future demand will be lower than
                 period.  The company will consider the payment of a   current levels.
                 final dividend later in the financial year.
                                                             Our strategy to broaden our customer and revenue
                 NZPM believes that the co-operative continues to   base, invest in capability and use technology to
                 provide a compelling value proposition to our members   improve efficiency and lower costs will assist the
                 through a combination of rebate dividends, our Go   co-operative to be competitive into the future.  This
                 for Gold exclusives rebate programme, MaxPoints and   strategy will be maintained with the expectation
                 NZPM Extra benefits.                        that we can at least hold our relative market share
                                                             through any economic downturn with the appropriate
                 SHAREHOLDERS                                adjustment to our cost base and business reinvestment
                                                             to ensure that the business remains sustainable.
                 The co-operative continues to attract a very good
                 number of new shareholder members.  During the year,   On behalf of the board and the executive team, I
                 65 new members joined the co-operative to increase   would again like to thank our shareholders, customers,
                 our total ordinary shareholding to 895 members.   suppliers and staff for their ongoing commitment to,
                 Ordinary shareholder redemptions were static with   and support of, the NZPM Group co-operative.
                 a significant portion continuing to be from business
                 retirees.
                 COVID-19 has resulted in a number of changes to
                 our normal in-person interaction with shareholders.
                 The Shareholder Roadshows have been scheduled
                 for mid-July using a digital-only platform, while the
                 Annual Meeting will be held in smaller audio-visual
                 linked gatherings concurrently in Auckland, Wellington   John Debernardo, Chair
                 and Christchurch.  These novel presentation styles   On behalf of the Board and Leadership Team.





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                                             NZPM GROUP LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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