AO Results Presentation Gets Its Message Across

AO has certainly carved out a significant slice of the market with its appliances online offer. And their performance is neatly captured in this 2019 AO results presentation. Firstly it's a team presentation and that, of course, is subject to all the usual requirements of a team presentation. Today we focused on the presentation of Mark Higgins the AO World Chief Financial Officer, who was neatly introduced to his audience by Geoff Cooper, Non-Executive Chairman.

First, let's pay some dues to the AO results presentation design that's entirely consistent with the AO website branding and advertising. That's always good to see without much compromise.

However, most of Mark's slides are busy. Probably too busy. Slide 6, for example, features five highlights and even two sub-points.

Busy Slides Feature On AO Results Presentation 

The revenue growth slide does disappoint however. Not least because it features three bar charts on one slide with text that certainly appears too small to read. Equally small are the three bullet points. We suspect we know the thinking behind showing the three graphs on one slide. It's easy for an audience to see the comparison, not least across the years 2017, 2018 and 2019. But the middle graph shows € Euro values and the other two graphs show £ Sterling.

Mr Higgins enjoys a good turn of phrase and is clearly on top of his brief. And, as a shareholder, that has to be good news.

…converting that on the website by delivering a great retail experience to customers.

A Pacy Performance In This Performance

At times we thought that his delivery was too fast. Was that why we heard so many ums and ers in his AO results presentation? We know that people trend towards ums and ers when they are not sure of their material. This can't be the case with Mark Higgins, so we suspect that the hesitation is a habit. A way perhaps, of filling the gap left by a pause.

Does he have a favourite phrase? Yes, it's "going forward."

We will be making this disclosure going forwards

and,

So, we've announced this morning the decision to close the Netherlands and to understand the impact of that going forward.

and,

going forward from April

Of course he's not alone with this use of jargon. This Ford Taurus presentation featured it as do many politicians such as this Ed Davey speech.

All in, this was of course a highly commendable results presentation from AO.

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