Interim Results
BARR (A.G.) PLC
28 September 1999
A G BARR p.l.c.
Interim Results
For the 6 months ended 31 July 1999
A G Barr p.l.c, the Scottish based manufacturer of soft
drinks including the popular Irn-Bru, Tizer and Orangina
brands, announces its interim results today.
Key Points
* Underlying profit showed a 9% improvement despite
continued intense competition.
* Turnover increased to £58.3m (1998: £56.5m)
* Interim dividend of 7.35p (1998: 7.00p)
* UK sales of Barr brands were up by 3.5%
* KLP Soft Drinks, our Moscow based franchise bottler,
has continued to build distribution and sales of A G Barr
brands.
Commenting on the results, Robin Barr, the Executive
Chairman, said:
'Although the increase in turnover has been relatively
modest, our brand share of the British carbonates market
did in fact improve during the first half year reflecting
good performances from both Irn-Bru and Tizer. We thus
have a firm platform on which to continue to develop our
business during the remainder of this financial year and
beyond.'
For further information, contact:
A G Barr:
Robin Barr, Chairman OR 0141 554 1899
Iain Greenock, Financial Director
Buchanan Communications:
Tim Thompson/Nicola Cronk 0171 466 5000
CHAIRMANS STATEMENT
Profit on ordinary activities before taxation for the 6
months to 31 July, 1999 was £8,229,000 compared with
£8,154,000 for the same period last year. Although this
would appear to indicate that the level of profit has
advanced only slightly, shareholders should take into
account two abnormal factors.
* The profit for the half year in 1998 included a net
surplus of £380,000 relating to property transactions
which incorporated the sale of two properties.
* As a result of the recent improvement in cash flow
surpluses and the current low level of interest rates,
early settlement of our term loan was negotiated with our
bankers at a cost of £233,000 which has been charged in
arriving at the profit on ordinary activities before
interest in this half years accounts. This settlement
is calculated to provide a net benefit to the company
over the remainder of the original loan period.
The underlying level of profit has therefore seen a
satisfactory improvement of 9% during a period when
competition remained intense. Margins were modestly
assisted by the net reduction in sugar prices arising
from the strength of Sterling against the Euro during the
half year and, in addition, the prices of PET bottles
remained at historically low levels throughout the six
months.
Turnover for the 6 months to the end of July 1999 was
£58.3m, an increase of 3% over the comparable period last
year. UK sales of Barr brands were up by 3=% whereas
sales of Retailers Own Labels showed a slight decline.
Export sales were up by over 50% largely reflecting sales
of concentrate to our new franchise bottler in Russia.
Our sales in the UK had been disappointing up to the end
of June but better weather, year-on-year, in July has
enabled us to report a marginal cumulative increase.
Your Directors have declared an interim dividend of 7.35p
per share payable on 29 October, 1999 in respect of the
year to 29 January, 2000. This represents an increase of
5% compared with the rate of interim dividend paid last
year.
I am pleased to report that our Moscow based franchise
bottler, KLP Soft Drinks, has continued to build
distribution and sales of our brands, and particularly
Irn-Bru, despite the many problems which have stemmed
from the financial crisis in Russia last year. We look
forward to assisting the continuing development of this
business as it progresses through its second year of
trading.
In December 1997 Pernod Ricard announced that they had
agreed to sell their Orangina business to The Coca-Cola
Company, yet even now we are still not certain whether
the deal will be completed. Following the final
rejection in April 1999 by the French competition
authorities of the original proposals, a revised
agreement was reached by the two parties in May. This is
currently being examined by the appropriate French
Ministry and we expect to learn their decision by the end
of this year. Our own franchise for the brand Orangina
in Great Britain is re-negotiable at the end of December
2002 and could potentially be affected by a change of the
brand owner.
Although total turnover during the six weeks subsequent
to 31 July has only been level with that achieved in the
comparable period last year, the sales of Barr brands
have been up by 2% with Retailers Own Labels showing a
decline. Margins remain broadly similar to those
achieved in the first half of the year although we have
faced some increase in the prices of PET bottles during
the summer period.
The summer weather in 1999 was much better than last year
in the South of the UK, but the improvement was less
pronounced in Scotland which still remains
proportionately our most important trading area.
Although the increases in turnover reported above have
been relatively modest, our brand share of the British
carbonates market did in fact improve during the first
half year reflecting good performances from both Irn-Bru
and Tizer. We thus have a firm platform on which to
continue to develop our business during the remainder of
this financial year and beyond.
W. R. G. Barr
Chairman
28 September 1999
A.G. Barr p.l.c.
And its Subsidiary Companies Consolidated Profit and Loss Account
For the six months ended 31 July,1999
The following are the unaudited results for the six months
ended 31 July, 1999
6 months 6 months Year
ended ended ended
31.07.99 01.08.98 30.01.99
£000 £000 £000
Turnover 58,311 56,548 106,892
================================
Profit on ordinary
activities before interest 8,334 8,302 12,303
Interest 105 148 312
---------------------------------
Profit on ordinary
activities before taxation 8,229 8,154 11,991
Taxation 2,310 2,466 3,415
---------------------------------
Profit on ordinary
activities after taxation 5,919 5,688 8,576
---------------------------------
Earnings per share on issued
share capital 30.44p 29.28p 44.15p
---------------------------------
Basic earnings per share 31.61p 30.23p 45.55p
---------------------------------
Fully diluted earnings per
share 30.63p 29.10p 43.88p
---------------------------------
Dividend per share 7.35p 7.00p 18.25p
---------------------------------
Dividend (£000) 1,429 1,360 3,545
---------------------------------
Record date: 8 October, 1999
Ex-div date: 4 October, 1999
Payment date of
dividend: 29 October, 1999
Notes:
1. The figures for the six months have not been audited
but have been prepared under the same accounting policies
as applied for the accounts for the year ended 31 January
1999.
2. The results shown above for the year ended 31 January 1999
are an abridged version of the Companys full accounts,
which carried an unqualified audit report.
3. Copies of this interim report will be posted to
shareholders.
Further copies can be obtained from the Companys registered
office at 1306 Gallowgate, Glasgow, Scotland, G31 4DS.