Paris-Based Gaming Giant La Française des Jeux (FDJ) Announces Exciting Dividend Boost
🎲 The Buzz in Paris: The renowned gaming and lottery company, La Française des Jeux (FDJ), is making waves with a proposed per-share dividend of €1.78. This comes after a phenomenal 38% surge in net profit, totaling an impressive €425.1 million in 2023.
💰 Earnings Explosion:
- Gross Gaming Revenue: Up by 3% to a massive €6.71 billion.
- Public Levies: FDJ contributed a whopping €4.24 billion.
- Net Gaming Revenue (NGR): Rose 4% to €2.48 billion.
- Other Revenues: Additional €140.0 million, boosting total revenue by 6.5% to €2.62 billion.
🎱 Lottery Love:
- Revenue Growth: Increased by 1% to €1.94 billion.
- Excluding Euromillions and Amigo: An impressive 5% rise.
- Online Lottery NGR: Jumped over 10%, and 17% excluding Euromillions.
🌐 Euromillions & Amigo Insights:
- Euromillions: High conversion rate but impacted by fewer high jackpot draws.
- Amigo: Post-relaunch stakes down by about 25% due to regulatory changes.
🎮 Sports Betting and Online Gaming:
- Revenue Rise: 11% increase to €518 million.
- ZEturf Acquisition: A strategic move to enhance online horse race betting.
📈 Digital Dominance:
- Online NGR Growth: A stellar 19% year-on-year increase.
- Online Contribution: Nearly 13% of total company revenue.
💼 Leadership Remarks:
- Stéphane Pallez, FDJ Chairwoman & CEO: Praised the company’s growth and highlighted major strategic milestones, including acquisitions of Premier Lotteries Ireland and ZEturf.
- Kindred Acquisition: Aims to create a European powerhouse.
🔍 Full Year 2023 Results Comparison (€):
| Year | Gross Gaming Revenue | Public Levies | Other Revenue from Sports Betting | Net Gaming Revenue | Revenue from Other Activities | Total Revenue | Recurring Operating Income | Operating Profit | Net Profit | Basic EPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6,710.4m | (4,237.1m) | 8.2m | 2,481.4m | 140.0m | 2,621.4m | 531.8m | 521.1m | 425.1m | 2.23 |
| 2022 | 6,525.6m | (4,147.4m) | 10.2m | 2,388.4m | 72.7m | 2,461.1m | 459.2m | 448.8m | 307.9m | 1.61 |
📊 Financial Fluctuations:
- Cost of Sales: Up by 5% to €1.39 billion.
- Retailer Remuneration & Acquisitions: Major contributors to cost.
- Marketing & Communications: Slightly reduced expenses.
- Administrative Costs: Increased, including funds for underage gambling prevention.
💹 EBITDA Growth:
- Recurring EBITDA: Rose 11% to €656.8 million.
- EBITDA Margin: Improved to 25.1%.
💸 Dividend Delight:
- Dividend Proposal: €1.78 per share, up 30%.
- Shareholders’ Meeting: Scheduled for 25 April.
🌟 FDJ’s Social & Economic Impact:
- Contribution to French GDP: A substantial €6.6 billion.
- Job Creation: Over 56,000 jobs in France, including 21,800 in retail networks.
🔮 Future Forecast:
- Revenue Target: 5% growth in lottery, sports betting, and iGaming.
- EBITDA Margin Goal: Around 24.5%.
🏦 Financial Stability:
- Cash Reserves: €538.6 million as of 31 December.
📈 Stock Market Response:
- Shares Uplift: FDJ shares rose 1.40% to €39.18 in Paris.
🔗 Official Websites:
