O'Neill tenure in doubt amid sales drought

BILLABONG last night moved to quash rumours that its board would soon dump the chief executive, Derek O'Neill, amid growing concern among major investors over the surfwear company's performance.

By InvestSMART · 9 Feb 2012

By InvestSMART ·
9 Feb 2012

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BILLABONG last night moved to quash rumours that its board would soon dump the chief executive, Derek O'Neill, amid growing concern among major investors over the surfwear company's performance.

Sources close to the company said last night they expected Mr O'Neill, who has been with the iconic Australian surfwear company for more than 20 years, to be removed as CEO in the face of declining sales and rising debt.

Billabong's chairman, Ted Kunkel, said last night: "I categorically deny the suggestion."

A soaring Australian dollar and slumping retail sales in the key markets of Europe and the US have compounded Billabong's woes.

These factors have severely affected the company's share price, and in particular the wealth of founder and major shareholder Gordon Merchant. Mr Merchant started Billabong at the kitchen table of his Gold Coast home 40 years ago.

The company's shares, which reached a high of $13.17 a share in 2008, closed yesterday at $1.845. Mr Merchant, who owns more than 13 per cent of Billabong, has been forced to watch his fortune slump from more than $900 million in 2007 to less than $300 million.

In the past six months, his shares have fallen in value by more than $135 million.

Sources said Mr Merchant had been a long-term supporter of Mr ONeill, who was appointed CEO in 2003 after a decade in senior roles with the company, but now believes that recent troubles call for change at the top.

There has also been speculation since Christmas that Mr Merchant would move to regain day-to-day control of the company.

Since 2008, Billabong has increased the number of company-owned outlets from 380 to 639, in 60 countries. According to sources close to the board, it was Mr O'Neill who decided to move from a mere supplier of surfwear and fashion goods to a vertically integrated company with its own massive network of stores.

That strategy had the approval of the board and of Mr Merchant, who remains a director of the company.

An earnings downgrade just before Christmas resulted in the share price collapsing from $4 to $2.02, wiping more than $400 million from the company's value.

Billabong pointed to a rapidly deteriorating sales performance across all its markets as a reason for the downgrade.

Billabong is now one of the most shorted stocks on the Australian Securities Exchange. The company has not responded to published reports of rumours that it may breach its debt covenant.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

Is Billabong CEO Derek O'Neill likely to be removed amid the sales slump?

The article reports strong market rumours and sources who expected Derek O'Neill to be removed, but Billabong's chairman Ted Kunkel has categorically denied those suggestions. There is no confirmed change of leadership announced in the piece.

What caused the recent Billabong share price drop and market value wipeout?

According to the article, a combination of rapidly deteriorating sales across markets, a soaring Australian dollar, slumping retail sales in Europe and the US, and an earnings downgrade just before Christmas drove the share price down — the downgrade alone saw the stock fall from about $4 to $2.02 and wiped more than $400 million from the company's value.

How has founder Gordon Merchant been affected by Billabong's share decline?

The article says Gordon Merchant, who owns more than 13% of Billabong, has seen his personal fortune fall sharply — from more than $900 million in 2007 to less than $300 million — and his shareholding lost more than $135 million in value over the past six months.

Why did Billabong expand to more company-owned stores and become vertically integrated?

Sources in the article say the decision — led by Derek O'Neill and approved by the board and Gordon Merchant — was to shift Billabong from being mainly a supplier to a vertically integrated company with its own retail network; since 2008 the number of company-owned outlets rose from 380 to 639 across 60 countries.

Has Billabong responded to rumours it might breach its debt covenants?

The article notes the company has not responded to published reports about rumours it may breach its debt covenant, leaving the concern unconfirmed in the piece.

Is Billabong a heavily shorted stock on the ASX?

Yes — the article states Billabong is now one of the most shorted stocks on the Australian Securities Exchange, reflecting negative market sentiment at the time.

What role did the earnings downgrade play in Billabong's troubles?

The earnings downgrade just before Christmas is cited in the article as a key trigger for the recent share-price collapse — it pushed the stock from about $4 down to $2.02 and resulted in a significant loss of company market value.

What should everyday investors watch in the Billabong situation?

Based on the article, everyday investors should monitor updates on sales performance and earnings guidance, any official statements about leadership or strategic changes, disclosures about debt covenants, and short-interest trends — these were the main factors affecting Billabong in the report.