Interim Results
Lo-Q PLC
24 August 2007
Lo-Q plc ('Lo-Q' or the 'Company')
Unaudited Interim Results for the six months ending 30 June 2007
Chairman's Statement
Although the year started quietly for our Company on the trading front, behind
the scenes we were busy installing three new parks. The R&D department were very
busy finishing off the code for the new VQ2020 system and procurement were busy
getting the components, including the newly designed 2020 Q-bot, so that the
systems installation team could complete their work for the opening at the
beginning of each park's season.
The Q-bot rental income generated in March and April was at a slow and variable
rate, at about the same level as last year, as we were affected by bad weather
during this period of weekend opening. However trading picked up in May and
June. As such, at the end of the half-year period to 30 June 2007, the results
of Company were ahead of the same period in the prior year. The inclusion of
the three new parks in our income figures makes the majority of the difference,
but the income from most of the other parks was generally higher than last year.
This resulted in a profit on ordinary activities of £14,328 for the six months
ended 30 June 2007.
We are in the process of selling and leasing back the systems that we have
installed and the income received to date appears as other operating income in
the accounts.
This year we are managing the Flash pass (Q-bot) sales facility in all of our
Six Flags parks which has generally helped sales, and, in the case of one park
has increased revenue so that it is over double that of last year.
We have thus had a major increase in responsibility of employing and managing
the large temporary/seasonal staff that is required to fulfil our sales, ride
hosting and supervisory duties. This has caused a large rise in the 'cost of
sales' figure in the accounts. I am pleased to report that Steve Drake and his
team in the US have performed these tasks exceptionally well.
The new VQ2020 system with its redesigned Q-bot has been introduced into the
three new parks, Dollywood (Tennessee), Six Flags Great America (near Chicago)
and La Ronde (Montreal), and are now working well with good levels of both guest
and customer satisfaction .
The system in Dollywood is producing sales at a level that is higher than the
customer's expectation though we believe that the level can be even higher. The
new theatre reservation kiosks are proving successful with the parks guests, and
the park management is very happy with the theatre reservation capacity
application, which we have specially written for them. We are considering other
useful areas of this system, outside theme parks.
The Company is engaged in discussions with a number of organisations that have
technology in neighbouring parallel activity areas and we are working towards
bringing these capabilities on stream more efficiently through joint activity in
the near future.
Baring any unforeseen difficulties to trade, e.g. weather, we expect that total
gross Q-bot rentals paid by the park's guests will be materially higher than
that recorded last year. As a consequence of this higher level of income, the
Company is taking the opportunity of carefully increasing its human resources to
largely eliminate the single level of dependency of many of the job functions.
It is also in the process of increasing its professional sales staff.
With the experience gained from operating Q-bots for over five years, and having
just introduced a new replacement Q-bot at the end of this period, we believe
that our product has proved its commercial viability and will now be
capitalising product research and development costs and writing them down over
the expected revenue earning life of that system. This approach is in line with
existing accounting policy and accordingly has been incorporated into these
half-year accounts.
I am also pleased to report that we have paid back the whole loan that enabled
us to pay the settlement to Palmtop at the end of last year.
The Company is now searching to build trading relationships with other park
chains so as to capitalise on its in-depth experience of queue line management.
Contacts:
Jeff McManus, Chairman: 01491 577 201
Romil Patel, Blue Oar Securities Plc: 0207 448 4400
LO-Q PLC
Consolidated Interim Income Statement
Six months to 30 Six months to 30
Jun 2007 Jun 2006
£ £
Revenue
Income derived from Q-Bot Rental 753,380 653,900
Sale & Leaseback income 395,393
Cost of Sales 670,980 162,024
__________ __________
Gross profit 477,793 491,875
Administrative expenses 445,361 554,375
__________ __________
Operating Profit / (loss) 32,432 (62,500)
Interest receivable 995 1,772
Interest payable and similar charges (19,100) (172)
__________ __________
Profit / (Loss) on ordinary activities before taxation 14,328 (60,900)
Taxation on loss on ordinary activities 0 (22,299)
__________ __________
Profit / (Loss) on ordinary activities after taxation 14,328 (38,601)
__________ __________
Earnings (loss) per share (pence)
Basic EPS 0.10 (0.26)
Diluted EPS 0.09 (0.25)
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 30 Six months to 30
Jun 2007 Jun 2006
ASSETS £ £
Non-Current Assets
Property, Plant and Equipment 176,840 16,298
__________ __________
Current Assets
Inventories 200,798 258,681
Trade and other receivables
- Trade receivables 220,418 465,534
- Corporation tax 53,557 32,477
Cash and cash equivalents 237,314 105,140
__________ __________
712,087 861,832
__________ __________
Total Assets 888,927 878,131
EQUITY
Issued capital and reserves
Called up share capital 147,658 147,658
Share premium account 4,982,067 4,982,067
Other reserves 20,578
Profit and loss account (4,617,172) (4,374,929)
__________ __________
Total Equity 533,131 767,269
__________ __________
Current Liabilities
Trade Accounts Payable 256,229 29,282
Tax Payable 0 18,951
Provisions & Other Liabilities 99,567 62,629
__________ __________
Total Current Liabilities 355,796 110,862
__________ __________
Total Liabilities & Equity 888,927 878,131
__________ __________
LO-Q PLC
Consolidated cash flow statement
Six months to 30 Six months to 30 Jun
Jun 2007 2006
£ £
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Total Operating Profit / (loss) 32,432 (62,500)
Non-Cash Adjustments
Depreciation 15,458 9,168
Unrealised gains on foreign currency exchange 5,402 4,935
Non-Cash Adjustments 20,860 14,103
Cash Flows Before Changes in working Capital 53,292 (48,397)
Increase in Working Capital
Increase in inventories (5,572) (50,557)
Increase in trade and other receivables (108,461) (419,333)
Decrease in trade and other payables (150,531) (20,706)
Increase/(Decrease) in tax payable 11 (2,363)
Increase in Working Capital (264,553) (492,959)
Cash Flows From Operating Activities (211,261) (541,356)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Payments to acquire property, plant and equipment (177,288) (7,163)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Gross proceeds from issue of equity share capital - 14,630
Interest Received 995 1,772
Interest Paid (19,100) (172)
Net Cash Flows From Financing Activities (195,393) 9,067
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents (406,654) (532,289)
Cash and Cash equivalents as at 1 January 2007 643,968 637,429
Cash and Cash Equivalents As At 30 June 2007 237,314 105,140
LO-Q PLC
Consolidated Statement Of Changes In Equity
Issued Share Other Retained Total
capital premium reserves earnings equity
£ £ £ £ £
Balance at 1 January 2007 147,658 4,982,067 20,578 (4,636,901) 513,402
Total expense for the year recognised - - - 5,401 5,401
directly in equity - foreign exchange
Profit for the year - - - 14,328 14,328
Balance at 30 June 2007 147,658 4,982,067 20,578 (4,617,172) 533,131
Balance at 1 January 2006 143,478 4,971,617 18,285 (4,324,776) 808,604
Total expense for the year recognised - - - (10,552) (10,552)
directly in equity - foreign exchange
Loss for the year - - - (38,601) (38,601)
Total recognised expense for the year 143,478 4,971,617 18,285 (4,373,929) 759,451
Issue of share capital 4,180 10,450 - - 14,630
Recognition of share-based payments - - 2,293 - 2,293
Balance at 30 June 2006 147,658 4,982,067 20,578 (4,373,929) 776,374
Notes to the Interim Statements
1. These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and show the effects of changes from
Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) previously adopted in the
Accounts.
The interim statement for the six months are unaudited and do not
constitute statutory accounts for the purpose of the Companies Acts. The
accounts for the year ended 31st December 2006 have been filed with the
Registrar of Companies and the auditors' report on those accounts was not
qualified.
2. Due to corporation tax losses available no tax charge has been provided.
3. Earnings per share have been calculated on the profits for the period after
taxation and 14,765,837 shares in issue. The diluted earnings per share
calculation is based on 15,740,599.
5. The directors have not declared an interim dividend. No dividend is shown
in the income statement.
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