Interim Results
16 September 2005
BUCKLAND GROUP PLC
('Buckland' or the 'Company')
Interim Report
Chairman's Statement
I present the interim results for Buckland for the six months ended 30 June
2005. These show a profit before tax from continuing operations and
acquisitions of £ 23,344 on sales of £ 1,671,785. After losses from
discontinued operations of £ 228,050 on sales of £ 320,695 and after charging
an exceptional item of £ 90,000 relating to closure costs, the consolidated
pre-tax loss for the period was £ 294,706 on total sales of £1,992,480 (2004
Interim: loss of £ 277,800 on sales of £ 1,411,365). Earnings per share from
continuing operations were 0.01 p; after discontinued operations and the
exceptional charge, the loss per share was 0.09 p. (2004: 0.15p loss per
share). No interim dividend is proposed.
Review of Derlite, DK Gas Components & Euro Asia Connectors
As already advised to shareholders, Euro Asia Connectors Co Ltd (`EAC') ceased
all manufacturing on 22 July this year. EAC incurred trading losses of £
228,050 in the six months to the end of June and a further amount of £ 90,000
has been provided as an exceptional item to cover trading losses in July and
the estimated net costs to complete the closure of the business after allowing
for redundancies, sale of assets, etc. .
Derlite's production has not been affected by the closure of EAC and the
process of rationalising our operations in Bangkok to allow us to release
surplus factory space previously utilised by EAC will be completed within the
next month. Derlite's prospects remain favourable with good demand from its
long standing customer base in the cooker market being steadily augmented by
new sales to the domestic gas boiler market in Western Europe and to the cooker
market in the USA and Mexico.
The trading results of DK Gas Components, consolidated since its acquisition on
18th February, have been in line with our expectations, with demand from its
traditional customer base in the UK cooker market remaining good. Various
projects are in hand jointly with Derlite which are expected to generate
significant sales growth over the coming year whilst short term we have been
able to achieve some improvement in DK Gas' operating margins by trimming the
cost structure. Much more significant gains in this area should clearly flow as
we relocate its manufacturing operations from the UK to Bangkok; the first
phase in this process has already commenced.
Balance sheet
Following the acquisition of DK Gas and the related placing of new shares to
finance it, shareholders' funds at the end of June this year stood at £
825,096. With the drain on cash from EAC having been eliminated, the group's
liquidity is expected to improve steadily over time although the short term
position remains tight. In the circumstances, the Board considers that it would
be appropriate to propose a capital reorganisation so that the nominal value of
the ordinary shares is reduced from 0.5p to 0.01p. This would permit the issue
of further new shares, if this were thought to be appropriate and in the best
interests of shareholders. A circular setting out in more detail this proposed
capital reorganisation is being posted to shareholders with this interim report
and will be available free of charge for a period of one month from 19
September 2005 at the Company's registered office: 3 Draycott Place, London SW3
2SE
Outlook
With the loss making EAC business eliminated from the Group, Buckland is now in
the much stronger position of having two profitable subsidiaries with most
encouraging prospects. Although the second half of the year will bear some one
off costs associated with the transfer of UK production to Bangkok, this is a
process that will ultimately greatly enhance the performance of the Group. The
anticipated labour and overhead savings arising from the transfer will start to
impact profits in the first half of 2006 and provide the Board with confidence
in the future of the Group.
Patrick Rogers
Chairman
16 September 2005
Interim Report
Consolidated profit and loss account for the six month period ended 30 June
2005
Unaudited Six Unaudited Six Twelve month
month period month period period ended
ended 30 June ended 30 June 31 December
2005 2004 2004
£ £ £
Turnover
Continuing 559,903
Operations
Acquisitions 1,111,882
Discontinued 320,695
Operations
1,992,480 1,411,365 2,957,083
Cost of sales (1,400,104) (1,183,268) (2,458,683)
Gross profit 592,376 228,097 498,400
Administrative (860,485) (467,234) (1,029,754)
expenses
Other operating 88,458 (24,739) 70,418
(expense)/income
Operating profit/
(loss)
Continuing 20,795
Operations
Acquisitions 26,612
Discontinued (228,050)
operations
(179,651) (263,876) (460,936)
Exceptional item (90,000)
Interest 2 8 97
receivable
Interest payable (24,065) (13,932) (27,537)
and similar
charges
(Loss) on ordinary (294,706) (277,800) (488,376)
activities before
taxation
Tax on ordinary - - -
activities
Retained (loss) (294,706) (277,800) (488,376)
transferred (from)
reserves
(Loss) per (0.09)p (0.15)p (0.26)p
ordinary share:
Basic and Diluted
Consolidated balance sheet at 30 June 2005
At 30 June 2005 At 31 December 2004
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Intangible assets 1,236,425 318,313
Tangible assets 371,772 173,382
1,608,197 491,695
Current assets
Stocks 541,740 423,088
Debtors 1,762,719 331,243
Cash at bank and in hand 16,619 37,298
2,321,078 791,629
Creditors: amounts falling (3,095,449) (1,206,754)
due
within one year
Net current (liabilities)/ (774,371) (415,125)
assets
Total assets less current 833,826 76,570
liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling (8,730) (26,768)
due
after more than one year
825,096 49,802
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital 3,487,752 2,417,752
Share premium account 735,775 735,775
Profit and loss account (3,398,431) (3,103,725)
Equity shareholders' funds 825,096 49,802
Consolidated cash flow statement for the six month period ended 30 June 2005
Unaudited Year ended
Six month 31 December
period 2004
ended 30
June 2005
£ £
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating (665,775) 47,226
activities (see below)
Returns on investments and servicing of (24,064) (27,440)
finance
Taxation (945,539) (2,066)
Purchased Goodwill & Acquisition Costs
Capital expenditure (180,265) (62,927)
Cash outflow before management of liquid (1,815,643) (45,207)
resources and financing
Share issue 1,070,000 8,166
Debt 712,707
(Decrease) in cash (32,936) (37,041)
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in
net funds
(Decrease) in cash in the period (32,936) (37,041)
Cash inflow from increase in debt (712,707) (8,166)
Change in net debt resulting from cash flows (745,643) (45,207)
Exchange movement 10,533 (6,653)
Movement in net debt in the period (735,110) (51,860)
Opening net debt (289,102) (237,242)
Closing net debt (1,024,212) (289,102)
Reconciliation of operating (loss)/profit to
net
cash outflow from operating activities
Operating (loss) (270,643) (460,936)
Depreciation 65,538 191,095
Amortisation of goodwill 27,428 17,875
(Profit)/Loss on sale of fixed assets (83,662) (560)
Decrease/(Increase) in stocks (118,652) 48,558
Decrease/(Increase) in debtors (1,431,476) 250,627
Increase in creditors 1,145,692 30,782
Other non cash operating adjustment - (30,215)
Net cash (outflow) from operating activities (665,775) (47,226)
Notes to the Interim Results:
1
The consolidated profit and loss account incorporates the unaudited results of
Buckland Group Plc and all its subsidiary undertakings up to 30 June 2005, and
has been prepared on a basis consistent with the accounting policies set out in
the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2004. Earnings/
(loss) per share for the six months to 30 June 2005 have been calculated based
on the weighted average number of shares in issue for the period of
346,845,706.
2
This Interim Report was approved by the board of directors on 16 September
2005.
This interim financial information does not comprise statutory accounts as
defined in Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985.
The financial information for the period ended 31 December 2004 is an extract
from the latest company accounts. Those accounts received an unqualified
auditors report and have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.
The financial information for the period ended 30 June 2005 has not been
subject to review by the auditors.
For further information please contact,
Patrick Rogers,
Chairman
Tel. 07711 420 702
Ben Simons
Hansard Communications
Tel. 020 7245 1100