2002 Preliminary Results

ADVFN.COM PLC 18 December 2002 Embargoed for release until 7.30 a.m.18th December 2002 ADVFN.COM PLC ('ADVFN' or 'the Company') Preliminary Results for the Year Ended 30 June 2002 ADVFN, the UK's leading on-line resource of financial information for private investors, today announces preliminary results for the year ended 30 June 2002. Highlights: • Revenues up by 106% to £1.64 million (2001 £796,000) • EBITDA losses reduced by 73% (£973,000) to £355,000 (2001 £1,328,000) • Positive cashflow and operational profitability achieved during second half of the year • Live streaming services successfully introduced • US share prices launched Clement Chambers, ADVFN's Managing Director commented: 'It has been a very positive year with strong growth bolstered by acquisitions. With an excellent start to the new year we foresee another period of consistent growth as we continue to roll out new products and expand into new territories.' For further information, please contact: ADVFN Clement Chambers, Managing Director 020 7070 0948 Michael Hodges, Chairman 020 7070 0946 Chairman's Statement We are very pleased with this set of results. They show that turnover for the full year has more than doubled from the previous year to £1.6 million (2001 - £796,000). This has been achieved against a background of devastation in the financial markets. ADVFN continues to bring new products to market and increase its income. It is our aim and goal to provide the private investor with the ultimate platform for managing his investments and we believe that we will continue to progress our business in line with the rate of past growth. While there remains plenty of scope for expansion in the UK, the first fruits of US traffic are being felt at ADVFN. While 2002 has seen harsh conditions in world stock markets, ADVFN is now running at record levels. We have increased our market share of the UK private investor market and are well positioned to take a serious portion of the lucrative US market. With this in mind I think we can look forward to the future with increasing optimism. Michael J Hodges Chairman 17 December 2002 Managing Director's Review Operating Review Turnover for the six months to the end of June was £919,000 up from £489,000 for the final 6 month of the previous year. In addition to the 106% rise in sales for the full year, this 88% income growth for comparable periods underscores the consistency of our growth. Our EBITDA has improved from a loss of £1,328,000 to only £355,000 as can be seen from the table below. Our overall net loss has gone up as we have adopted a very conservative and prudent policy on conducting our impairment review including the writing off of significant research and development expenditure. EBITDA - Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation 2002 2001 and exceptional items £'000 £'000 Loss before tax - per financial statements (2,479) (1,593) Amortisation 309 69 Exceptional item - impairment 1,359 - Depreciation 453 284 Net interest 3 (88) EBITDA (355) (1,328) The launch of US prices has seen ADVFN increase its revenue per head, expand its potential market dramatically and add further value to its proposition to advertisers. This has reflected in strong growth in sales of both subscription and advertising that bode well for the coming year. The second half of 2002 has seen a new focus on our business processes and our costs have been held at bay so that revenue from growth is pushed down to the bottom line. We are a lean and some might say mean operation. Managing Director's Review Current Trading The ADVFN brand continues to strengthen and we will continue to add new features to the site to extend our offering and increase our reach and revenue. ADVFN remains the leading destination for UK private investors on the web. We expect to start appearing on the 'radar' of private investors in the US during 2003 and we will slowly but surely chip away at this market. While US traffic is fast approaching 10% of ADVFN usage, the prospect of making even a small impact in a market that is between 5 to 10 times bigger, is very appealing. However we will approach this in our typical low risk way. ADVFN's business model remains robust with both subscription and advertising revenue rising together. ADVFN is an excellent medium for advertisers as shown by consistent levels of rebooking, while ADVFN's subscription platform has been expanded so in addition to an increase in ADVFN products it can retail third party services such as the recently introduced Quantigma packages. Prospects 2003 will be another exciting year. The first half sees us operating at record levels of sales and growing quickly. Our targets are simple: Continue to grow our income, control costs and continually improve our products. Our progress to this point has been hard won and we are making no allowances for any improvements in the market, however we believe we can continue to make strong progress in 2003 and beyond. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of ADVFN, as our ongoing progress is simply a reflection of the quality of their work. Clement Chambers Managing Director 17 December 2002 Consolidated Profit and Loss Account for the year ended 30 June 2002 2002 2002 2001 Notes £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover 1,640 796 Cost of sales (57) (10) Gross profit 1,583 786 Administrative expenses Exceptional item - impairment loss (1,359) - Other administrative expenses (2,700) (2,467) Total administrative expenses (4,059) (2,467) Operating loss Continuing operations (2,238) Acquisitions (238) (2,476) (1,681) Net interest (3) 88 Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (2,479) (1,593) Tax on loss on ordinary activities - 2 Loss on ordinary activities after taxation (2,479) (1,591) Loss per ordinary share 4 (0.83p) (0.64p) All operations are continuing. There were no recognised gains or losses other than the loss for the financial year except for the exchange differences (see note 5). Balance Sheets at 30 June 2002 Group Group Company Company 2002 2001 2002 2001 Notes £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed Assets Intangible assets 1,257 266 - - Tangible assets 1,113 2,159 519 1,810 Investments - - 116 355 2,370 2,425 635 2,165 Current Assets Debtors 450 522 2,036 846 Cash at bank and in hand 261 462 253 374 711 984 2,289 1,220 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (670) (730) (734) (661) Net current assets 41 254 1,555 559 Total assets less current liabilities 2,411 2,679 2,190 2,724 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year - (6) - (6) Net assets 2,411 2,673 2,190 2,718 Capital and Reserves Called up share capital 3,271 2,505 3,271 2,505 Share premium account 3,790 2,336 3,790 2,336 Profit and loss account (4,650) (2,168) (4,871) (2,123) Shareholders' funds - equity 5 2,411 2,673 2190 2,718 The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 17 December 2002 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 30 June 2002 2002 2001 Notes £'000 £'000 Net cash outflow from operating activities 6 (334) (1,459) Returns on investment and servicing of finance Interest received 1 89 Interest paid (4) (1) (3) 88 Corporation tax paid - (7) Capital expenditure Payments to acquire tangible and intangible fixed assets (2,076) (1,420) Net cash outflow before financing (2,413) (2,798) Financing Issue of ordinary share capital 2,304 - Share issue costs (84) - Proceeds from sale and leaseback - 17 Capital element of finance leases and hire purchase contracts repaid (8) (3) Net cash inflow from financing 2,212 14 Decrease in cash 7 (201) (2,784) Notes for the year ended 30 June 2002 1. General The financial information herein does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information has been extracted from the group's 2002 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors reported on 17 December 2002. Their opinion is unqualified and does not include any statement under section 237 of the Companies Act 1985. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies of the group have remained unchanged from the previous annual report, except for the accounting policy on deferred tax which has been amended following the adoption of FRS 19 (Deferred Tax). The adoption of FRS 19 has had no effect this year. Copies of the annual report are being posted to shareholders and copies will be available from the company's registered office at 642a Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London, E10 6AP. 2. Basis of preparing the financial statements The company meets its day to day working capital requirements through a positive cash balance and has a bank overdraft facility of £60,000 which has been agreed since the year end. It is repayable on demand and renewable in September 2003 when the directors believe it will be renewed. Additionally, the company has a committed facility whereby it is able to issue shares in the market up to a maximum of £5 million in the period up to 31 January 2005. The facility is linked to the volume of shares traded in a given period and the directors will use this facility if required. The nature of the company's business is such that there can be considerable unpredictable variation in the timing of cash inflows. On the basis of the cash flow projections they have prepared for the period ending 31 December 2003 and the facilities outlined above, the directors consider that the company will continue to operate within the currently available facility including those from future fundraising. However, the margin of facilities over requirements is not large and there can be no certainty that an issue of equity shares would be successful. Inherently there can be no certainty in relation to these matters. On this basis, the directors consider it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that would result from the inability to raise the required funding. 3. Post balance sheet events On 17 September 2002, the company issued 16 million ordinary 1p shares at 1.25p per share for a total consideration of £200,000 satisfied by 200,000 redeemable ordinary 5p shares at £1 each in the New Opportunities Trust plc. 4. Loss per ordinary share 2002 2001 Number of Loss Number of Loss Loss shares per share Loss shares per share £'000 '000 p £'000 '000 p Loss for the year (2,479) (1,591) Weighted average number of shares 297,522 250,504 Loss per share (0.83p) (0.64p) The options are anti-dilutive so there is no diluted loss per share. Notes for the year ended 30 June 2002 5. Reconciliation of movements in shareholders' funds 2002 2001 £'000 £'000 Loss for the financial year (2,479) (1,591) Exchange differences (3) - Net receipts from issues of shares 2,220 - Net decrease in shareholders' funds (262) (1,591) Shareholders' funds at 1 July 2,673 4,264 Shareholders' funds at 30 June 2,411 2,673 6. Reconciliation of operating loss to net cash outflow from operating activities 2002 2001 £'000 £'000 Operating loss (2,476) (1,681) Loss on disposal of assets 10 - Exchange differences (3) - Exceptional item - impairment loss 1,359 - Amortisation 309 69 Depreciation 453 284 Decrease/(increase) in debtors 72 (369) (Decrease)/increase in creditors (58) 238 Net cash outflow from operating activities (334) (1,459) 7. Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds 2002 2001 £'000 £'000 Decrease in cash for the year (201) (2,784) Proceeds from sale and leaseback - (17) Cash outflow from capital repayments of hire purchase agreements 8 3 Movement in net cash in the year (193) (2,798) Net funds at 1 July 448 3,246 Net funds at 30 June 255 448 8. Analysis of movements in net funds At 1 July 2001 Cash Flow At 30 June 2002 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash in hand and at bank 462 (201) 261 Finance leases (14) 8 (6) 448 (193) 255 END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange NNKGZZM

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