12 April 2010
XP Power Limited
("XP Power" or "the Group")
Interim Management Statement
XP Power, one of the world's leading developers and manufactuers of critical
power control components to the electronics industry, is today issuing an
Interim Management Statement for the quarter ended 31 March 2010.
Trading
Trading in the first quarter has been robust, as the recovery in our markets
noted at the time of the full year results in February has gathered pace. Group
revenues, in the three months to 31 March 2010, grew by 10% over the same
period in 2009. In constant currency the growth rate was 17%.
The stronger bookings noted in the fourth quarter of 2009 have continued in the
first quarter of 2010, driven in part by good underlying growth in new customer
programs incorporating new XP products entering production phase. The Group
also benefited from continued re-stocking and a change in its customers'
purchasing behaviour which is reverting back to established pre-crisis
patterns. We see this growing shift from month to month ordering back to six to
twelve month order schedules as a good indicator of market conditions which are
normalising.
Production volumes at our Kunshan factory continued to increase through the
quarter. We were also pleased to pass an audit from a second major
international healthcare customer following a successful factory assessment in
March 2010.
Financial Position
Net debt was £19.0 million at 31 March 2010 compared to £18.7 million at the
year end. Using the exchange rates prevailing at the year end, net debt at 31
March 2010 would have been £17.5 million.
Dividend
The Board has decided to change the Group's dividend payment schedule from a
half yearly to a quarterly basis, to increase the attractiveness of the Group's
shares to certain investors and smooth cash flows. The first quarterly payment
of 6 pence per share will be made on 6 July 2010 to shareholders on the
register at 11 June 2010. This first quarterly payment will represent a 20% pro
rata increase on the six month interim dividend of 10 pence per share paid in
October 2009.
A second quarterly dividend will be paid in October 2010, a third in January
2011 and a final dividend in April 2011.
Outlook
With recovery in its main markets continuing, XP has entered the second quarter
of 2010 in good shape. The rate of growth in revenue should accelerate in the
second quarter as further customer programmes enter production and as
conditions continue to normalise across our core Healthcare, Industrial and
Technology market segments. Actions taken in the second half of last year to
increase production capacity and component stock position us well to satisfy
our growing customer demand for power converters as we move through the year.
XP will issue a trading update for the six months to 30 June 2010 on 5 July
2010.
- Ends -
Enquiries:
XP Power
Larry Tracey, Executive Chairman +44 (0)7785 387142
James Peters, Deputy Chairman +44 (0)7785 353066
Duncan Penny, Chief Executive +65 8322 9520
Citigate Dewe Rogerson +44 (0)20 7638 9571
Kevin Smith/Ged Brumby
Note to editors
XP designs and manufactures power controllers, the essential hardware component
in every piece of electrical equipment that converts the power from the
electricity grid into the right form for the equipment to function.
XP typically designs in power control solutions into the end products of major
blue chip OEMs, with a focus on the industrial (circa 50% of sales), healthcare
(circa 30% sales) and technology (circa 20% of sales) sectors. Once designed
into a program, XP has a revenue annuity over the life cycle of the customer's
product which is typically 5 to 7 years depending on the industry sector.
XP has invested in research and development and its own manufacturing facility
in China, to develop a range of tailored products based on its own intellectual
property that provide its customers with significantly improved functionality
and efficiency.
Headquartered in Singapore and listed on the Main Market of the London Stock
Exchange since 2000, XP serves a global blue chip customer base from 27
locations in Europe, North America and Asia.
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