Interim Results
Brancote Holdings PLC
25 October 2001
Date 25 October 2001
Contacts Richard Prickett, Chairman
Bill Humphries, Managing Director
Brancote Holdings PLC 020 7493 1002
David Bick / Chris Steele
Holborn Public Relations 020 7929 5599
david.bick@holbornpr.co.uk
chris.steele@holbornpr.co.uk
BRANCOTE HOLDINGS PLC
INTERIM RESULTS
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
In my Chairman's statement at the end of last year I stated that Brancote
would be focusing all its resources on the Esquel Gold Project in Southern
Argentina which at that time had already grown in size and quality to become
one of the most significant epithermal gold deposits in the world. During
2001, we have made major advances in the development of the project with
encouraging results from the Phase IV drilling programme, the commissioning of
a pre-feasibility study and by reaching agreement to increase our interest in
the project to 74%. Progress during the year is summarised as follows:
* In August we announced the resource statement including Phase IV drilling
results, which confirmed a resource in excess of 4 million ounces of gold.
Included within that figure the measured and indicated resource had been
significantly increased in the drilling programme bringing the totals in
this category to 3,330,700 ounces of gold and 5,947,200 ounces of silver,
equal to 89% of the total resources defined to date. 75% of these
resources have a grade in excess of 10.9 g/t.
* Further exploration drilling and infill drilling on the project commenced
at the beginning of October, and as is our usual practice, a progress
report will be issued shortly.
* The pre-feasibility study which is being carried out by our consultant
engineers Pincock, Allen and Holt, is nearing completion with results being
collated and analysed at the date of this report. We anticipate being able
to announce the results of the pre-feasibility study within the next ten
days.
* We announced on 1st October that we increased our interest in the project
to 74% by having agreed terms with Kerry Packer's Consolidated Press group
to acquire their direct 14% interest in Minera El Desquite SA. We are very
pleased with the endorsement and support the Consolidated Press group and
Kerry Packer have given to the Esquel Gold Project and to Brancote by
agreeing to become the largest shareholder with a 19% stake.
During the early part of this month we placed a further one million New
Ordinary Shares through our brokers Seymour Pierce at £1.22 per share before
expenses, in order to continue the funding requirement for feasibility study
infill drilling on the project.
As part of our strategy to develop the Esquel Gold Project we are currently
looking to strengthen both our management team at Minera El Desquite SA and
the board of Brancote Holdings Plc by appointing additional non-executive
directors. We are pleased to announce that we have recently appointed Neil
Herbert as Chief Finance Officer for the group. Neil brings many years of
international finance experience to the group, most recently with the South
American miner Antofagasta Plc, and he is a most welcome addition to the team.
Our financial results are as anticipated and reflect the ongoing costs of
developing the project at Esquel. Shareholders will be kept informed on a
regular basis with progress reports as the project moves on its critical path
through feasibility towards project financing.
Richard O Prickett
Chairman
25 October 2001
BRANCOTE HOLDINGS PLC
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
Six months Six months Year
ended ended ended
31 July 31 July 31 January
2001 2000 2001
£ £ £
TURNOVER - 7,508 34,987
Cost of sales - (1,194) (8,305)
GROSS PROFIT - 6,314 26,682
Administrative expenses (526,188) (326,283) (913,712)
Amortisation of goodwill (61,944) (61,944) (123,888)
OPERATING LOSS (588,132) (381,913) (1,010,918)
Net loss on disposal of - - (135,312)
investments
Amounts written off - (340,461) -
investments
Strategic review costs (133,014) - (195,545)
LOSS ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE
INTEREST AND TAXATION (721,146) (722,374) (1,341,775)
Interest receivable 53,953 32,728 107,973
LOSS ON ORDINARY (667,193) (689,646) (1,233,802)
ACTIVITIES BEFORE
TAXATION
TAX ON LOSS ON ORDINARY - - -
ACTIVITIES
LOSS ON ORDINARY (667,193) (689,646) (1,233,802)
ACTIVITIES AFTER
TAXATION
Minority Interest 115,320 1,528 87,634
RETAINED LOSS FOR THE (551,873) (688,118) (1,146,168)
PERIOD
LOSS PER SHARE (0.85p) (1.11p) (1.86p)
UNAUDITED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES
Six months Six months Year
Ended ended ended
31 July 31 July 31 January
2001 2000 2001
£ £ £
Loss attributable to (551,873) (688,118) (1,146,168)
shareholders of Brancote
Holdings PLC
Unrealised exchange rate 251,291 234,550 388,248
movements
Unrealised gain on - 232,017 -
investment
TOTAL RECOGNISED LOSSES (300,582) (221,551) (757,920)
FOR THE
PERIOD
BRANCOTE HOLDINGS PLC
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
At At At
31 July 31 July 31 January
2001 2000 2001
£ £ £
FIXED ASSETS
Intangible fixed
assets
- deferred 12,707,406 4,815,979 7,300,916
exploration costs
- goodwill 2,291,923 2,415,810 2,353,866
14,999,329 7,231,789 9,654,782
Tangible fixed assets 124,305 60,723 63,086
15,123,634 7,292,512 9,717,868
CURRENT ASSETS
Investments - 730,333 -
Debtors: amounts 40,678 407,177 44,916
falling due in less
than one year
amounts falling 832,947 - 517,012
due after one year
873,625 1,137,510 561,928
Cash at bank and in 1,595,424 3,383,517 2,851,077
hand
2,469,049 4,521,027 3,413,005
CREDITORS: AMOUNTS (1,626,117) (187,952) (383,570)
FALLING DUE WITHIN
ONE YEAR
NET CURRENT ASSETS 842,932 4,333,075 3,029,435
TOTAL ASSETS LESS 15,966,566 11,625,587 12,747,303
CURRENT LIABILITIES
PROVISIONS FOR - - (101,810)
LIABILITIES AND
CHARGES
NET ASSETS 15,966,566 11,625,587 12,645,493
CAPITAL AND RESERVES
Called up share 3,255,775 3,144,250 3,144,250
capital
Share premium account 16,164,999 13,982,799 13,982,799
Special reserve 720,000 720,000 720,000
Profit and loss (8,928,345) (8,091,195) (8,627,764)
account
EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS' 11,212,429 9,755,854 9,219,285
FUNDS
MINORITY INTEREST 4,754,137 1,869,733 3,426,208
15,966,566 11,625,587 12,645,493
Notes:
This report is prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out
in the most recent set of annual financial statements.
The report was approved by the Board of Directors on 25 October 2001.
The comparative figures for the financial period ended 31 January 2001
are not the group's statutory accounts for the financial year. Those
accounts have been reported on by the group's auditors and delivered to
the registrar of companies. The report of the auditors was unqualified
and did not contain a statement under section 237(2) or (3) of the
Companies Act 1985.
- ENDS -