NWG // 2021

14 % 42 %

N e w

W a v e

G r o u p

44 %

Net sales per operating segment

41 %

Corporate Sports & Leisure Gifts & Home Furnishings

Net sales per sales channel

Promo Retail

59 %

Dividend The Board of Directors has decided to propose to the AGM a dividend of SEK 4.25 per share equal to SEK 282.0 million .

2021

Although the pandemic continued into 2021 and several countries had strict restrictions , the Group delivered a record result . Net sales for the year amounted to SEK 6,718.6 million , which was an increase of 10 % ( 13 % excluding currency change ) compared with the previous year . Both sales channels increased compared to last year . The higher net sales , improved gross profit margin and good cost control resulted in an operating profit of SEK 1,005.9 ( 545.9 ) million and an operating margin of 15 %.

COVID-19 problems for many of our operations , such as sports events and activities that were canceled , elite sports without an audience and the lack of conferences and kickoffs . Demand for the Group ' s products and services remained lower at the beginning of the year than in the previous year . During the second quarter , the COVID-19 pandemic was still a cloud of concern , even though we saw a significantly stronger market than before . The return to facilities for events , sports , certain audiences , etc . contributed to this improvement . At this moment , the recovery took place mainly in the USA , the Nordic countries and in the retail sales channel . During the third quarter , society opened up more and more . The Group ' s net sales continued to develop positively compared with the previous year and we saw a continued recovery again mostly in the USA and the Nordic countries , however , Central and Southern Europe also delivered good growth . Just as we predicted in our interim reports , demand increased and we had a strong autumn in sight . The last quarter of the year yielded record levels in both earnings and net sales . The pandemic was still not over and several countries were given new restrictions . However , the Group had a continued positive development of both net sales and earnings during the last quarter of the year .

Corporate decreased its net sales by 4 %. The segment has been negatively affected by canceled events , conferences and other corporate activities , which has reduced the demand for promo products . This was mainly noticeable during the first half of the year and improved later in the year . The regions of Southern Europe and Other countries decreased due to lower trading activities , while other regions increased compared with the previous year . The promo sales channel decreased its net sales which is due to the lower trading business while the retail sales channel increased .

Net sales for Sports & Leisure increased by 29 %. Sales increased in all regions and in both sales channels .