KUALA LUMPUR: Innature Bhd, which posted a net profit of RM722,000 in the third quarter ended Sept 30 (3Q21), expects an improving fourth quarter performance and a profitable FY21.

       “With the reopening of the economy in Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia as well as year-end festivities around the corner, we expect an improving 4Q21 performance quarter-on-quarter and a profitable FY2021,” group managing director Datin Mina Cheah-Foong said in a statement.

       “While stores are seeing some brisk activity, we will continue to invest in our remote selling channels and build our brands to be omnipresent. InNature’s objective moving forward, is of achieving a balanced contribution between all revenue streams,” she said.

       The retailer and distributor of The Body Shop and Natura products achieved revenue of RM22.3mil in 3Q21 against RM41.7mil last year.

       “We all thought that 2020 was the worst but our group endured the hardest Covid-19 lockdown since March 2020 in 3Q2021, where most of our stores in Malaysia and Vietnam were physically shuttered for the large part of the reporting quarter. Our Cambodia market was also subjected to the resurgence in cases there,” Cheah-Foong said.

       She said overall, group revenue fell 46.5% year-on-year in 3Q21, with Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia recording lesser sales by 45.5%, 55.3% and 12.6% respectively in 3Q21.

       “We are thankful to still be recording a small profit for this very challenging quarter!”

       In the first nine months to Sept 30, InNature posted a net profit of RM7.26mil on revenue of RM88.22mil.

       The group exited three underperforming locations in Malaysia during the reporting quarter, bringing the total store count to 119 as at Sept 30.