Interim Results
Lo-Q PLC
21 May 2004
Lo-Q Plc
Interim Results
Chairman's Statement
I am pleased to report that the company had a turnover of £197,239 during the
six months to 31st March 2004. This period is the 'closed season' when most of
the parks are open for only very limited periods. The attached report shows a
good increase on the comparative amount for last year.
During the winter the company undertook some rationalisation in staff numbers.
The reductions were made in finance, installation and research and development
departments so that the company can now operate positively on a lower level of
income. The effects of this reduction in head count can be seen in the reduction
of the operating loss compared with last year.
We have therefore opened the 2004 park season more tightly focused but better
able to support the parks, both from our Atlanta office and remotely from Henley
as a result of software developments made in the autumn and winter. The research
and development team meets our current business needs.
The enhanced operating software, installed before the season started, is able to
handle larger volumes of message traffic more quickly while adding new
facilities. The Q-bot cases are now stronger and more water resistant, and the
system has been further upgraded to bring operating cost savings.
Prior to the start of the 2004 season, the Six Flags Corporation announced the
sale of its European Parks to a management buy-out, and the sale of the Ohio
based 'Worlds of Adventure' to the Cedar Fair park operator. The Ohio park was
our poorest performer so we do not expect its removal to have a significant
negative effect on our revenue this year.
The 2004 season has started with some positive signs of higher park attendance
levels in theme parks across the United States. Weather plays a large role in
determining customer numbers at this time of the year, making full season
forecasting difficult for the industry. We have been pleased to see an
encouraging demand for our Q-bots in the first few weekends of the season.
Staffs of both Lo-Q and Six Flags Corporation are working as a more closely
integrated team this season, and we expect this will enable us to better
capitalise on the busy summer trading level.
Supported by Six Flags, we are promoting our proximity marketing (location
specific advertising) facility to attraction franchisees as a means of
increasing their sales. The proximity marketing activity is absolutely new to
all involved, so we will evaluate the benefits of the advertising to guests,
franchisees, the Park and ourselves.
We continue to talk to a number of other organisations in the theme park
industry regarding installations and believe that the upturn in park attendances
will enhance our prospects.
Our theme park industry knowledge and experience enables us to establish
relationships with other companies. The first of these partnering arrangements
involves installing intelligent screen advertising in the Atlanta Park. This
exploits our fibre backbone asset to distribute and control the information and
advertising on TV screens spread about the park.
After the end of the period for which we are financially reporting, we arranged
a sale and lease back of the Georgia system and this has given the company
improved liquidity.
This season will see the one-millionth customer use a Q-bot, which will be a
major milestone and will allow us to talk about the system to potential users
backed by high volume experience.
Jeff McManus
20 May 2004
LO-Q PLC
Consolidated profit and loss account
Six months to 31 Six months to 31 Year to 30
March 2004 March 2003 September 2003
£ £ £
Turnover
Q-Bot income 171,137 51,531 1,023,715
Sale and leaseback 998,432 998,432
Operational Expenditure recovery 26,102 144,272 292,996
__________ __________ __________
Total Turnover 197,239 1,194,235 2,315,143
Cost of Sales 98,783 922,093 1,892,565
__________ __________ __________
Gross profit/(loss) 98,456 272,142 422,578
Administrative expenses 639,884 995,397 1,832,564
__________ __________ __________
Operating loss (541,428) (723,255) (1,409,986)
Interest receivable 200 1,215 1,488
Interest payable and similar charges (265) 0 (465)
__________ __________ __________
Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (541,493) (722,040) (1,408,963)
Taxation on loss on ordinary activities 0 (64,000) (97,881)
__________ __________ __________
Loss on ordinary activities after taxation (541,493) (658,040) (1,311,082)
Earnings (loss) per share (0.04) (0.05) (0.09)
Basic (and diluted)
All amounts relate to continuing activities
There are no recognised gains or losses other than those within the profit and loss account
LO-Q PLC
Consolidated balance sheet
Six months to 31 Six months to 31 Year to 30
March 2004 March 2003 September 2003
£ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 134,967 261,565 175,237
__________ __________ __________
Current Assets
Stocks 476,555 277,220 219,790
Debtors falling due within one year 15,698 583,775 366,305
Debtors falling after one year
- Prepayments & 88,044 589,980 210,875
accrued income
- Other debtors 18,188
- corporation tax 3,008 64,000
Cash at bank and in hand 23,880 171,804 287,033
__________ __________ __________
625,373 1,686,779 1,084,003
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year 173,713 179,338 131,120
__________ __________ __________
Net current assets/(liabilities) 451,660 1,507,441 952,883
__________ __________ __________
Total assets less current liabilities 586,627 1,769,006 1,128,120
Capital and Reserves
Called up share capital 143,478 143,478 143,478
Share premium account 4,971,617 4,971,617 4,971,617
Capital reserve 12,473 12,473 12,473
Profit and loss account (4,540,941) (3,358,562) (3,999,448)
__________ __________ __________
Equity shareholders' funds 586,627 1,769,006 1,128,120
LO-Q PLC
Consolidated cash flow statement
Six months to 31 Six months to 31 Year to 30
March 2004 March 2003 September 2003
£ £ £
Net cash outflow from operating activities 0 67,916 32,500
__________ __________ __________
Returns on investments and servicing of finance
Interest received 0 1,215 1,488
Interest paid 0 0 (465)
__________ __________ __________
Net cash inflow from returns on investments and 0 1,215 1,023
servicing of finance
__________ __________ __________
Taxation
Corporation tax received/(paid) 126,156 0 150,117
__________ __________ __________
Capital expenditure and financial investments (31,860) (57,387) (57,319)
__________ __________ __________
Cash outflow before use of liquid resources and 94,296 11,744 126,321
financing
Financing
Net cash inflow from shares issue 0 0 0
__________ __________ __________
Increase/(decrease) in cash 94,296 11,744 126,321
Copies of this statement will be available to members of the public, free of
charge, from the offices of the Company. New Close, Greenlands,
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 3AL.
LO-Q PLC
Independent Financial Review
________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
The company has instructed us to review the financial information, being the
consolidated profit and loss account, balance sheet and cash flow statement and
we have read the other information contained in the interim report and
considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements or material
inconsistencies with the financial information.
Directors' responsibilities
The interim report, including the financial information contained therein, is
the responsibility of, and has been approved by the directors. The Listing Rules
of the Financial Services Authority require that the accounting policies and
presentation applied to the interim figures should be consistent with those
applied in preparing the preceding annual accounts except where any changes, and
the reasons for them, are disclosed.
Review work performed
We conducted our review in accordance with the guidance contained in Bulletin
1999/4 issued by the Auditing Practices Board. A review consists principally of
making enquiries of group management and applying analytical procedures to the
financial information and underlying financial data and, based thereon,
assessing whether the accounting policies and presentation have been
consistently applied unless otherwise disclosed. A review excludes audit
procedures such as tests of controls and verification of assets, liabilities and
transactions. It is substantially less in scope than an audit performed in
accordance with Auditing Standards and therefore provides a lower level of
assurance than an audit. Accordingly we do not express an audit opinion on the
financial information.
Review Conclusion
On the basis of our review we are not aware of any material modifications that
should be made to the financial information as presented for the six months
ended 31 March 2004.
Menzies
Chartered Accountants
19 May 2004
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange