Polypipe (PLP) has been operating at around 70 per cent below normal levels, supplying customers primarily from existing stock. Residual demand has been driven by urgent NHS and healthcare activity, ongoing infrastructure and commercial work and essential repair, maintenance and improvement projects.
Excluding lease liabilities, net debt had increased by over a fifth since the December year-end to £184m as at 31 March, attributed to seasonal working capital flows. An additional £50m revolving credit facility brings the total to £350m for the next 12 months.
Despite this additional liquidity, the group is looking to raise £120m from an equity placing to avoid breaching its quarterly covenants through to June 2021. Under a “prudent” scenario, the proceeds would reduce peak 2021 net debt from over 6 times cash profits (Ebitda) to 2.5 times – this is versus a covenant limit of 3 times.
