Romania-based Sphera Franchise Group, which runs under franchise the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants in Romania and Italy, wants to contract a credit facility of up to EUR 70 million through a bilateral, syndicated or club loan. The shareholders mandated the company's management to negotiate the terms of the loan.

The company’s shares have declined over the past 12 months from RON 31 to around RON 18, while its capitalization hit RON 683 million (EUR 143 million) as of April 30. The shareholders approved on April 25 the distribution of a gross dividend of RON 0.3524 per share from last year's net profit, the equivalent of 2% dividend yield.

Sphera Group has budgeted for 2019 revenues of RON 993 million (EUR 210 million), up 29% compared to the previous year, and a net profit of about RON 49 million (EUR 10.3 million), double compared to last year. The company also planned an investment budget of approximately EUR 19.8 million.

Over the past nine years, Sphera Franchise Group has developed its restaurant network from 61 to 138 units and plans to open 24 restaurants in 2019 (8 KFC restaurants and 10 KFC restaurants in Romania plus one Pizza Hut restaurant and 5 Taco Bell restaurants in Italy).

editor@romania-insider.com

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