Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Sa Sa's investor presentation for the year ended 31st March 2024. The group's turnover for the financial year increased by 24.8% to approximately HKD 4.4 billion. It is attributable to the group's success in capitalizing on the revival of tourism, with the agile responsiveness of our different business units, enhanced operational efficiency, industry-leading quality services, and an attractive product portfolio that catered to consumer preference. As a result, the group completed a profit turnaround despite the challenging business environment. Profit for the year grew to HKD 219 million. During the year, the group's net cash balance increased by 67.5% to HKD 458 million as at year-end, which, together with available loan facilities of approximately HKD 267 million, gives total available cash facilities of HKD 725 million, which is sufficient to meet operating needs.
Given the group has returned its operations to a solid footing in profitability, the board resolved to pay a final dividend for the year of HKD 0.05 per share, representing approximately 70% of the profit for the year. The group will seek to maintain a steady dividend policy going forward. In our core markets of Hong Kong and Macau, the group's turnover grew 31.4% to approximately HKD 3.4 billion. Specifically, offline sales increased 35.1% compared to the previous year.
Following the resumption of cross-boundary travel between Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China in January 2023, the return of tourists triggered revenge spending, which drove business growth and resulted in a high comparison base in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year. After the May 2023 Labor Day Golden Week, consumption gradually normalized. Double-digit growth was recorded in both the total number of transactions and the average transaction size during the year.
We saw a ramp-up in interconnectedness of Hong Kong, Macau, and the Greater Bay Area, especially in terms of consumption, with local Hong Kong residents traveling north to experience cultural life in the Greater Bay Area. This outbound trend is particularly prevalent during weekends and public holidays, and by the end of February 2024, this became more pronounced, with outbound numbers far exceeding the number of mainland Chinese visitors coming to Hong Kong and Macau, impacting the net foot traffic at our physical stores. Faced with changing lifestyle choices, we continue to focus on enhancing our service quality and appeal. We have accelerated the rollout of our latest store design and ensured, through training our professional beauty consultants, to create a premium shopping experience. We will continue to keep abreast of their consumption needs and respond to them attentively.
We will also expand our store network to expand the scope of our offline service, so long as rental is reasonable and the market demand is there. Considering the consumers' increasing attention to a healthy lifestyle, the group will further enrich its portfolio of inner beauty brands and expand the beauty devices category, in combination with Sa Sa's comprehensive range of skincare products to enable customers to make their lives beautiful without leaving home. During the financial year, we strengthened our Online-M erge-Offline integration and online business promotion. In particular, the model of Sa Sa's beauty consultants collaborating with KOLs and live streaming has gained popularity among consumers. Going forward, the group will continue to invest resources in developing the online business, training talent, and launching high-quality, trendy live streaming and online promotional content to enhance conversion to active membership and order placement.
In addition to the need for the industry to respond with agility and enhance their competitiveness to cope with the changing consumption patterns and inflationary pressures, government policies and support will also be crucial to the retail industry's sustainable growth. The Hong Kong government and retailers have strongly recommended a review of tourism-related policies, increasing the duty-free allowance for visitors, relaxing policies on visa-free entry and multiple-entry visa, and organizing more major events and exhibitions to attract visitors and stimulate consumption. We believe that the business environment is poised for improvement with a concerted effort by all stakeholders. In the Mainland China market, online sales continue to dominate the retail landscape and represent the group's primary growth engine. During the second half of the financial year, the group made tangible progress with online sales growth in Mainland China of 74.5%.
We believe the uptrend will continue in the next financial year. Online sales accounted for over 70% of our total sales in the region. Mainland China's economy has been recovering at a slower pace than expected. The consumers have become more cautious about their spending. They are opting for value-for-money products and are not so fixated on established, big-name brands. This shift in consumer behavior aligns well with Sa Sa's brand strategy of developing a portfolio of exclusive niche brands. Sa Sa has leveraged cross-border e-commerce platforms to provide customers with a more diverse selection of products and in-store experiences, in combination with the professional advice provided by the beauty consultants. Aside from in-store beauty consultants, the group maintains customer engagement through different online channels to increase brand loyalty. As China's economy gets back on track, the group believes that its business and exclusive products will benefit further.
The Southeast Asian market faced headwinds from inflationary pressures, weak local currencies against the U.S. dollar, and macroeconomic policy. Such factors weighed on the group's performance in the first half of the year. However, through steering our operations, the group managed to achieve a 6.1% increase in same-store sales in the second half of the year, which offset the decline in the first half of the year and resulted in a 2.5% increase in full-year same-store sales. Although the number of stores in Malaysia decreased by 13 compared to the pre-pandemic period, offline sales already recovered to 84.6% of the pre-pandemic levels, indicating a significant improvement in the store's operational efficiency. We staged a comeback in the Singaporean market in December 2023, opening our first store there.
During the financial year, online sales in Southeast Asia grew by 8.9% to HKD 78.4 million, accounting for 21.4% of our sales in the region. In the coming financial year, the group will continue to strengthen the collaboration of third-party platforms to drive revenue source. The group will also actively explore and develop other potential geographies in Southeast Asia. Now I would like to pass the floor to Danny, who will explain the financial and operational performance in detail. Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Kwok. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome and thank you for joining Sa Sa International Holdings Limited's results presentation for the year ended 31st of March 2024. I will be taking you through today's presentation, and there will be time for Q&A subsequently. Today's agenda will cover the group's financial performance and position, an overview of our treasury position, a review of our business units, and the future outlook. Starting with the group's financial performance, all amounts quoted from here on are in Hong Kong dollars. Following the reopening of boundaries between Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, the return of mainland tourists drove an increase in the group's turnover by 24.8% to HKD 4.4 billion, with offline sales in Hong Kong and Macau increasing by 35.1% to HKD 3.2 billion.
The group has made tangible progress in Mainland China, with online sales growing 74.5% in the second half of the financial year compared to 1% growth in the first half. Management of product categories and exclusive brands delivered an increase in gross profit and gross profit margin year-on-year of 27.3% and 0.8 percentage points to HKD 1.8 billion and 40.8% respectively. Offline retail gross margin increased 1.5 percentage points to 45.2%, while net profit margin improved from 1.7% - 5%. The group has observed changing consumer behavior with a greater willingness to try niche brands. This coincides well with Sa Sa's strategy to grow exclusive brands, which will lead to future margin expansion. Profit before tax for the year was HKD 267 million, a respectable turnaround compared to a loss before tax of HKD 14 million last year. The group exercised financial discipline, maintaining financial strength despite the challenging environment.
The group exercises rigor in assessing unit economics when contemplating investments, including new store openings or store renewals. In addition, zero-based budgeting principles are well embedded in our cost and expenses management. Profit for the year was HKD 219 million, while basic earnings per share amounted to HKD 0.07. Through managing our working capital and improving inventory turnover, cash inflow from operations after lease liabilities increased significantly to HKD 254 million, outpacing profit for the year. Given the group has returned operations to a solid footing and profitability, the board resolved to pay a final dividend for the year of HKD 0.05 per share, representing a payout ratio of 70% of the profit for the year. The group will seek to maintain a steady dividend policy going forward. Turning to the group's margin performance during the year.
Through a combination of focusing on local customers, margin expansion, and cost control measures, we saw a gradual improvement in performance in terms of top line and bottom line from the first half to the second half despite the challenging environment. The group grew turnover year-on-year by 38.3% to HKD 2.1 billion in the first half, and then a further 14% to HKD 2.2 billion in the second half. Our offline retail gross margin improved from 43.7% last financial year to 44.7% in the first half of the current year, and then to 45.8% in the second half. This helped the group grow net profit from HKD 102 million in the first half to HKD 117 million in the second half. Looking at profit for the year, adjusted for one-off adjustments.
The group's financial performance for the year significantly improved by HKD 273 million from an adjusted loss for the previous year of HKD 55 million to an adjusted profit for the current year of HKD 218 million. This was driven by our core markets of Hong Kong and Macau following the reopening of the boundary with mainland China. Despite the weak consumer sentiment in mainland China, the group's loss was significantly reduced by 76% from HKD 71 million last year to HKD 17 million in the current financial year. With the significant growth in online sales in the second half we shared earlier, our loss in the second half was reduced to HKD 5 million compared to the loss of HKD 12 million in the first half. This bodes well for the coming year. Our operations in Southeast Asia have been impacted by the cost of living challenges.
However, measures taken improved performance in the second half, with profit growing from HKD 1.2 million in the first half to HKD 3.8 million in the second half, giving profit of HKD 5 million for the year. Taking a closer look at the HKD 273 million profit turnaround, the major contributors were, firstly, an increase in gross profit dollars of HKD 385 million from an increase in sales and, more importantly, gross profit margin expansion. And secondly, savings of HKD 13 million from logistic operations, offset by an increase in store-related expenses of HKD 75 million, mainly from new store leases and turnover-related commission costs. Steered by the group's persistence in adopting zero-based budgeting practices, operating costs have been managed to reasonable levels. Turning to our sales performance in different regions.
Total sales in our core market, Hong Kong and Macau, grew at 31.4% to HKD 3.4 billion for the financial year, accounting for 78.1% of total group sales. Within this, offline sales grew at a high double digit in the first three quarters against a COVID-affected low comparable. Growth declined in the fourth quarter by a single digit against a high base in the previous year that benefited from revenge spending following the initial reopening of boundaries with Mainland China. In Mainland China, the dominant sales channel is online, and its sales mix increased to 71%. The group made tangible progress this financial year, with online sales growing 74.5% in the second half of the financial year compared to 1% growth in the first half. This was the main driver for total sales growth of 9.7% for the financial year in this market.
Mainland China remains a core part of our strategic thinking, and we will look to explore further channels to increase our presence while balancing investment needs. Southeast Asia was significantly impacted by a cost of living crisis, with total sales declining 4% in the first half of the financial year. Through a series of measures, returns had grown 1% in the second half, resulting in a marginal decline of 1.7% for the full year. Within this, online sales grew 9% for the financial year, while offline was flat in original currency. Looking at our store portfolio, the store count stood at 183 as at the year end, as we continue to shift and upgrade our portfolio. In Hong Kong, we opened five stores in total, two of which in the core tourist area, Tsim Sha Tsui.
One further lease has been signed in Wan Chai, post year-end, which will open in the second quarter of F2025. Two stores near the Shenzhen border were closed. Given the weak consumer sentiment and recovery in mainland China, the optimal strategy is to retain our strength and retain only those stores having positive contribution. Our store portfolio now stands at 32 stores. However, our medium and long-term objectives for mainland China remain unchanged. At the end of the third quarter, we opened one store in Singapore following re-entry into that market. Post year-end, the group opened a further four stores, taking our total to five stores in Singapore. Our footprint as at the year end comprised 73 stores in Hong Kong, nine in Macau, 68 in Malaysia, one in Singapore, and 32 in mainland China.
Our objective is to pay reasonable rent for a network of well-located stores that complement our overall OMO strategy and generate positive contribution. We will continue to seek to improve our store locations and manage rental cost expense as a percentage of sales. Moving on to our financial position. Following the return of tourism in our core markets and growth in both Southeast Asia and mainland China, we have needed to increase inventory to service demand. Following added focus on our category management, we have gradually increased our stock holding of our top-selling SKUs while actively reducing stock holding of less popular items. The net impact has been to reduce inventory turnover by 16 days to 100 days, despite total inventory holding increasing by 5% to HKD 705 million. Absolute accounts payable was HKD 307 million, while creditor days has decreased by 14 days to a healthy 43 days.
Diving into our treasury position, net cash inflow from operations after deducting lease liabilities for the year was HKD 254 million, significantly more than the profit for the year of HKD 219 million. As at the year end, our net cash on hand increased significantly by HKD 185 million to HKD 458 million. The cash balance on hand, combined with the forecast cash inflow over the next six months, will be more than comfortable to service the proposed dividend payment of circa HKD 155 million. Unutilized banking facilities as at the year end amounted to HKD 267 million, giving total accessible funds of HKD 725 million, which is fully adequate for our needs. Given this, we canceled the revolving loan facility of HKD 200 million from the controlling shareholders of the group. This also demonstrated their confidence that management has returned the group back to self-sustainable and normal operating conditions.
Moving to the business review and firstly taking a look at travel data into and out of Hong Kong and Macau for context. Local Hong Kong residents tripping north into Southern China has become a trend, especially during long holidays. The chart on the left shows how departure numbers have increased steeply from 1.7 million in January 2023 when boundaries first opened to 9.3 million in March 2024. On the other hand, the increase in Mainland Chinese tourist arrivals into Hong Kong and Macau has been relatively flat after the initial jump in the first three months ended 31st of March 2023 post-reopening. In particular, you can see that the numbers actually reduced in March 2024 after Chinese New Year.
Travel for local residents to Southern China compared to the challenge for Mainland Chinese to obtain a visa to travel to Hong Kong and Macau has led to reduced traffic in our physical stores and impacted offline sales. Hong Kong and Macau business review. Total online and offline sales in Hong Kong and Macau was HKD 3.4 billion, of which 5.9% was online. Following the reopening of boundaries with Mainland China, we saw the return of tourism, which was the main sales driver for the year. Tourist sales mix has now reached 48.4% for the financial year.
This led to a 64.9% increase in offline sales in Hong Kong and Macau during the first half of the financial year, while the growth rate in the second half reduced to 14% due to a high comparable in the previous financial year that benefited from revenge spending when the boundaries with mainland China first opened. Same store sales growth exhibited a similar trend. The net impact was a 35.1% increase in absolute sales in Hong Kong and Macau for the year, and same store sales growth of 33.6%. Average ticket size has improved by 15.7% to just under HKD 300. Taking a look at lease rentals in Hong Kong and Macau, which is one of our core expense items in this market.
You can see from the chart that over the past year, we have added a net of three stores, while total monthly lease rentals for our portfolio of 82 stores stood at approximately HKD 31 million a month. On a positive note, rental ratio has now been managed down to 11.7%, returning to below 12% and close to a 10-year low. Mainland China. Total online and offline sales in mainland China was HKD 581 million, with the online portion increasing significantly from 57.5% mix last year to 71.4% mix this year.
Our offline store network reduced by five stores to 32, while offline sales in mainland China decreased by 22.9% in local currency terms. Within this, the average ticket size improved by 6.1% to HKD 433 . In the online channels, we significantly ramped up our growth in the second half, growing 74.5% compared to 1% in the first half.
The growth rate for the year averaged out at 36.3%, and we are confident in continuing the trend into F2025. Southeast Asia. Total online and offline sales in Southeast Asia was HKD 366 million, of which 21.4% was online. Our offline operations in Southeast Asia is through a portfolio of 69 retail stores in Malaysia and Singapore. The same store sales declined 1.4% in the first half amid cost of living challenges. We managed to generate same store sales growth of 6.1% in the second half. This made up the shortfall in the first half, giving full-year same store sales growth of 2.5%. Offline average ticket size has remained relatively stable at HKD 225. We have now recovered to 84.6% of pre-pandemic sales despite operating 13 fewer stores. Our online sales in Southeast Asia is predominantly through Shopee and Lazada, growing 8.9% to HKD 78 million.
Post year-end, we have also launched on Zalora in Singapore as well. Now a sales update for the first quarter of the new financial year from 1 April to 16 June 2024. The group's performance during this period can be summarized by extremely tough operating conditions in our core market of Hong Kong and Macau, partially offset by continued strong growth in our online sales in mainland China and growth in Southeast Asia. The group's total sales decreased year-on-year by 9.5% to HKD 812.5 million for the period, while online sales mix doubled from 11%- 22% driven by mainland China.
In Hong Kong and Macau, our recovery has been interrupted by continued northbound travel to Southern China during weekends, a long Easter holiday that stretched over nine days, and a three-day Tuen Ng Festival holiday, when local residents either took a short trip to neighboring South Korea and Japan or long-haul trips to Europe and afar. Government statistics disclosed that retail sales value plummeted 14.7% during April 2024. More significant was a decline in tourist arrivals, mainly from Mainland China. Ordinarily, inbound travel would be able to more than cover the gap created by northbound travel due to the high average ticket size, but the differential in traveling numbers of almost 4x is too much to cover. Our sales in Hong Kong and Macau during the post-Easter period declined 21.8% to HKD 579 million, and now accounting for 71.3% of group revenue.
While northbound travel numbers appear to have settled down and have become part of the norm, inbound travel numbers are highly dependent on policy stance and visa approvals. Future growth in this market is dependent on a continued increase in tourist arrivals from Mainland China, and this is dependent upon government policy changes in both terms of tax-free spending per visit and multiple entry visas. Mainland China sales grew impressively by 83.9% to HKD 152 million, continuing on our performance from the second half of last financial year. While offline channels continue to be challenging, strong growth in the online channels is driving total sales growth. The key element supporting this growth is our reputation for quality and genuine products and supply chain capabilities. We are exploring further sales channels in this market to supplement our offline presence.
For the latter end period, total sales in Southeast Asia grew 9% to $80 million. Momentum in Malaysia in the second half of last financial year continued into the current financial year despite continued cost of living challenges. Furthermore, we increased our store network in Singapore to five stores by May 2024, which is also supplementing our growth. By June 2024, our sales growth in Southeast Asia reached 25%. With that, I conclude this presentation. Thank you.