Interim Results
Embargoed until 7.00 am
8thNovember 2004
Eurolink Managed Services PLC ("the Group)
Interim Results for the six months ended
30th September 2004
Chairman's Statement
Introduction and results
I am pleased to report the results for the six months ended 30 September 2004.
Turnover for the period was £4.23 million (2003: £3.83 million) resulting in a
profit before tax of £227,000 (2003: loss of £165,000). Earnings per share for
the period are 1.41p (2003: loss per share of 1.13p). Your Board is proposing
the payment of a maiden interim dividend of 0.5 pence per share, payable on
13th December 2004, to those shareholders on the register at the close of
business on 19th November 2004. The shares will be declared "ex dividend" on
17th November 2004.
Business review
As indicated in my last statement, issued in May 2004, the long term contracts,
which were negotiated during the last financial year, have enabled the Group to
optimise staffing levels and reduce overheads. This has resulted in increased
margins and profits for the half year. Growth in business with existing clients
has remained strong in both new technology and legacy areas, which has allowed
us to focus on new sales initiatives, from which the company is already
beginning to benefit.
oUTLOOK
Your Directors are confident that the Group is well positioned to take
advantage of improving market conditions, without the need to increase
infrastructure costs. Arrangements have been made to ensure that an adequate
cost-effective supply of skilled resources is available to meet the demands of
our existing and future clients. Increased investment in sales activities is
beginning to have a positive effect, with a number of promising opportunities
currently under discussion. Retained client business is set to maintain or
increase levels over the next 6 months. Therefore, subject to unforeseen
circumstances, your Directors are confident that the second half of the year
should produce a further satisfactory outcome.
George Kynoch
Chairman
8th November 2004
Group profit and loss account for the six months ended 30th September 2004
Unaudited six months Audited
to 30th September twelve
months to
31st March
2004 2003 2004
£'000 £'000 £'000
Turnover 4,227 3,827 7,365
Cost of sales (3,210) (3,013) (5,833)
Gross Profit 1,017 814 1,532
Operating expenses
Administrative before exceptional (778) (891) (1,625)
Exceptional (note 2) - (69) (69)
(778) (960) (1,694)
Operating profit/(loss) 239 (146) (162)
Net interest payable (12) (19) (34)
Profit/(loss) on ordinary activities before 227 (165) (196)
taxation
Taxation on profit from ordinary activities (80) 47 54
(note 3)
Profit/(loss) for the financial period 147 (118) (142)
Dividends proposed 52 - -
Retained profit/(loss) 95 (118) (142)
Earnings/(loss) per share (note 4)
Basic 1.41p (1.13)p (1.36)p
Diluted 1.40p (1.13)p (1.36)p
All disclosures relate only to continuing operations.
There are no recognised gains or losses other than the profit for the period.
Group balance sheet at 30th September 2004
Unaudited Audited
30th September 31st March
2004 2003 2004
£'000 £'000 £'000
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 187 233 208
Current assets
Debtors 1,685 1,851 1,717
Cash at bank and in hand 209 3 -
1,894 1,854 1,717
Creditors: amounts falling due within one (1,094) (1,170) (1,032)
year
Net current assets 800 684 685
Total assets less current liabilities 987 917 893
Provisions for liabilities and charges
Deferred tax (18) (19) (19)
969 898 874
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital 208 208 208
Share premium account 103 103 103
Profit and loss account 658 587 563
Equity shareholders' funds 969 898 874
Group cash flow statement for the six months ended 30th September 2004
Unaudited six months Audited
to 30th September twelve months
to
31st March
2004 2003 2004
£'000 £'000 £'000
Net cash inflow from operating activities 417 418 283
Returns on investments and servicing of
finance
Interest paid (12) (19) (34)
Net capital expenditure and financial (5) (24) (29)
investment
Taxation
UK corporation tax - (63) (65)
Net cash inflow before financing 400 312 155
Financing
Capital element of finance leases and hire - (12) (13)
purchase contracts
Amount advanced against trade debtors - 9 -
Net cash (outflow) from financing - (3) (13)
Increase in cash in the period 400 309 142
Reconciliation of operating profit to net
cash flow from operating activities
Operating profit/(loss) 239 (146) (162)
Depreciation charges 26 32 62
Loss on sale of tangible fixed assets - 15 15
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (11) 553 695
Increase/(decrease) in creditors 163 (36) (327)
Net cash inflow from operating activities 417 418 283
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement
in net funds/(debt)
Opening net (debt) (191) (575) (346)
Increase in cash in period 400 309 142
Cash outflow from changes in debt - 3 13
Closing net funds/(debt) 209 (263) (191)
Analysis of funds/(debt)
At 1st Cash flow At 30th
April September
2004 £'000 2004
£'000 £'000
Cash at bank and in hand - 209 209
Overdrafts (191) 191 -
Total (191) 400 209
Notes to the interim results
1. Basis of Preparation
The financial information for the six month period ended 30th September 2004 is
unaudited and does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of the
Companies Act 1985. The financial information contained in this statement has
been prepared using accounting policies consistent with those set out in the
Group's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 March 2004 and should be read
in conjunction therewith.
The financial information for the year ended 31 March 2004 has been extracted
from the statutory accounts of Eurolink Managed Services Plc which contained an
unqualified audit report and which did not contain a statement under section
237(2) or 237(3) of the Companies Act 1985 and which have been filed with the
Registrar of Companies.
2. Exceptional expenses
The exceptional expenses in the prior periods consisted of legal fees and
severance costs relating to the group re-organisation.
3. Tax
Unaudited six months Audited
to 30th September twelve months
to
31st March
2004 2003 2004
£'000 £'000 £'000
United Kingdom Corporation Tax
On ordinary activities (81) 20 47
On exceptional costs - 20 -
Deferred tax movement 1 7 7
(80) 47 54
The tax (charge)/credit provided at the half year is based on the estimated
effective tax rate for the Group applicable to the year ending 31 March 2005 as
applied to the pre-tax profits for the period.
4. Earnings per share
The calculation of basic earnings/(loss) per share of 1.41p (30 September 2003
(loss) 1.13p, 31 March 2004 (loss) 1.36p) is based on the profit/(loss) on
ordinary activities after taxation of £147,000 (30 September 2003: loss £
118,000), 31 March 2004: loss £142,000) and on the weighted average number of
shares in issue during the period throughout the previous year of 10,400,000.
The full diluted earnings/(loss) per share amounting to 1.40p (30 September
2003 (loss) 1.13p, 31 March 2004 (loss) 1.36p) has been calculated on the basis
of adding 106,353 (30 September 2003 nil, 31 March 2004 nil) to the weighted
average number of shares to take account of the dilutive effect of outstanding
share options to give 10,506,353 (30 September 2003 10,400,000, 31 March 2004
10,400,000) shares in issue assuming that options where the exercised price is
lower than fair value are exercised.
5. Copies of report
Copies of this report will be posted to shareholders and are available on
request from the Company Secretary, Queen Square House, 15 Queen Square,
Brighton, BN1 3FD.
Enquiries:
Eurolink Managed Services Plc
David Wood/Paul Jewell Tel: 01273 200100
John East & Partners Limited
Jeffrey Coburn/Simon Clements Tel: 020 7628 2200