Interim Results
BISICHI MINING PLC
27 September 1999
BISICH MINING PLC
Interim Results for the period ending 30 June 1999
Highlights
Turnover £1,610,000 1998: £1,590,000
Pre-tax(loss)/profit (£176,000) 1998: £307,000
Loss)/profit for the
financial period (£119,000) 1998: £245,000
Mining losses arising from major geological fault at Black Wattle Colliery
New mineable reserves acquired by Black Wattle Colliery
Sale of 37.5% of Black Wattle Colliery to local industrialist
UK retail property investment portfolio performing strongly
Commenting on the results, Michael Heller, chairman of
Bisichi Mining PLC said:
'The action that we have taken to reverse the setback at
Black Wattle, and the continuing strength of our
underlying UK investments, gives me the confidence to
predict a return to profitability and growth in 2000.'
For further information, please call:
Michael Heller, Robert Corry or Andrew Heller
Bisichi Mining PLC 0171 415 5000
CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW
Financial results
Turnover for the 6 months ending 30th June, at
£1,610,000 was ahead of the comparable period in 1998
although the mix was different. Income from our UK
investments rose from £315,000 to £497,000 but income
from our direct mining activities in South Africa fell
from £1,275,000 to £1,113,000. Operating profits
reflected this with an increase in UK profit to £180,000
(1998: £113,000) but a loss of £194,000 (1998: £104,000
profit) in South Africa. Taken together with a write down
of £80,000 on our direct mining investment and net
interest payable, Bisichi Mining has made a pre-tax loss
in the period of £176,000. The loss for the financial
period after taxation and minority interest was £119,000
(1998: £245,000 profit). The reasons for this temporary
reversal in our profit record, and the action we have
taken to correct the situation, are detailed below.
Direct Mining
As shareholders know, it is the Group's strategy to use
the surplus cash flow generated from our investments in
UK retail property to finance the development and
management of direct mining assets.
Our principal mining investment is in Black Wattle
Colliery (Pty) Limited, a coal mine located 120 miles
from Johannesburg in the Middleburg region. In our Annual
Report & Accounts for 1998, we drew shareholders
attention to the fact that we had encountered a major
geological problem at the mine in the shape of a 'mud
wash' that had not shown up in previous borehole results.
It has become apparent during the first half of this year
that this 'mud wash' is located diagonally across the
entire mine and it has completely blocked the line of
advance. We have made several attempts to tunnel through
the 'mud wash' but this has proved to be commercially
unviable.
As a direct result of these problems, each of the mining
sections encountered poor production and our overall
yield was 15% lower than we were achieving in the past.
Taken together with inflation driven costs and no
increase in world coal prices this has resulted in the
loss at Black Wattle Colliery.
Shareholders should be aware that, in the light of these
events, your Board gave serious consideration to every
available option. One of these options was to acquire
adjacent reserves. I am now pleased to be able to inform
shareholders that we have signed a mining agreement with
the owner of an adjacent property with such mineable
reserves. These reserves consist of up to 1.5 million
tons of good quality coal for which we will be paying as
the coal is mined. This agreement will enable Black
Wattle Colliery to return to profitability in the near
future. We are already locating one of our sections in
the new reserve and we anticipate that this will see a
return to full production before the end of this
financial year.
In a further development, I can also inform shareholders
that we have sold 37.5% of Black Wattle Colliery to Mr
Sipho Dube, a leading black South African industrialist.
Mr Dube will be joining the Board of Black Wattle
Colliery. Mr Dube's involvement in Black Wattle greatly
strengthens our position.
In addition to our direct mining activities, our wholly
owned share dealing subsidiary, Mineral Products Ltd,
has continued to manage an equity portfolio with a
weighting in mineral and natural resources stocks. The
market value at 30 June 1999 was £672,000. This portfolio
complements our position in the mining and natural
resources sector, and provides us with an easily
accessible cash reserve. Bisichi Mining has additional
mining investments in Western Australia, the United
States and Europe.
UK investments
Our retail property investment portfolio, which is fully
let with an increasing rent roll, will be professionally
valued at 31 December 1999 and, in line with the UK
property market, we expect this valuation to show further
growth.
The future
The action that we have taken to reverse the setback at
Black Wattle, and the continuing strength of our
underlying UK investments, gives me the confidence to
predict a return to profitability and growth in 2000.
MICHAEL HELLER
Chairman
BISICHI MINING PLC
Consolidated profit and loss account
six months ended 30th June 1999
6 months 6 months Year
ended ended ended
30th June 30th June 31st
December
1999 1998 1998
Note £'000 £'000 £'000
Turnover 1 1,610 1,590 3,053
Operating costs 1 (1,624) (1,373) (2,839)
Operating (loss)/profit 1 (14) 217 214
Exceptional items 2 (80) 164 166
Income from interests in
joint venture 5 9 15
Interest receivable 10 13 24
Interest payable (97) (96) (210)
(Loss)/Profit on ordinary activities
before taxation (176) 307 209
Taxation 3 (19) (30) (44)
(Loss)/Profit after taxation (195) 277 165
Minority interest 76 (32) 6
(Loss)/Profit for the financial
period (119) 245 171
Earnings per share 4 (1.14)p 2.35p 1.64p
Dividends per share - - 1.00p
Cost of net dividend - - 105
The turnover and operating profit for the period derive from
continuing operations and are made up as follows:
Turnover
Mining 1,113 1,275 2,403
Rent receivable 314 286 571
Share dealing 179 24 74
Other 4 5 5
1,610 1,590 3,053
Operating (Loss)/Profit
Mining (194) 104 (69)
Property 104 92 233
Share Dealing 72 16 49
Other 4 5 1
(14) 217 214
Consolidated balance sheet
30th 30th 31st
June June December
1999 1998 1998
Note £'000 £'000 £'000
Fixed assets
Intangible assets 428 548 412
Properties and other
tangible assets 5 7,874 7,196 7,267
Investments 558 606 608
8,860 8,350 8,287
Current assets
Stocks 82 78 86
Debtors 374 410 238
Investments (Market
value £672,000) 6 461 356 389
Bank balances 74 148 85
991 992 798
Creditors - falling due
within one year (2,332) (1,418) (1,503)
Net current liabilities (1,341) (426) (705)
Total assets less current
liabilities 7,519 7,924 7,582
Creditors - falling due
after one year (1,248) (1,346) (1,267)
Provisions for liabilities
and charges (19) (15) (19)
Minority interests (65) (200) -
Net assets 6,187 6,363 6,296
Financed by:
Equity shareholders' funds 6,187 6,363 6,296
Statement of total recognised gains and losses
six months ended 30th June 1999
6 months 6 months Year
ended ended ended
30th 30th 31st
June June December
1999 1998 1998
£'000 £'000 £'000
The company (76) 154 167
Subsidiaries and joint venture (43) 91 4
(Loss)/profit for the
period (119) 245 171
Revaluation of investment
properties -company - - 106
Exchange adjustments 10 (105) (99)
Total gains and losses recognised
in the period (109) 140 178
Group cash flow statement
six months ended 30th June 1999
6 months 6 months Year
ended ended ended
30th 30th 31st
June June December
1999 1998 1998
£'000 £'000 £'000
Net cash inflow from operating activities
Operating (loss)/profit (14) 217 214
Depreciation charges and
goodwill amortised 127 112 237
Profit on sale of current
asset investments (74) (14) (47)
Decrease in current assets 86 150 145
125 465 549
Returns on investments and
servicing of finance (87) (82) (186)
Taxation 22 (3) (24)
Capital expenditure and financial
investment (611) (193) (316)
Equity dividends paid - - (94)
Cash (outflow)/inflow before financing (551) 187 (71)
Financing 409 (16) (12)
(142) 171 (83)
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt
(Decrease)/increase in cash in the
period (142) 171 (83)
Net cash flow changes in debt (409) 16 (12)
Movements in net debt the period (551) 187 (71)
Net debt at 1 January 1999 (1,953) (1,882) (1,882)
Net debt at 30 June 1999 (2,504) (1,695) (1,953)
Analysis of net debt
Bank balances 74 148 85
Bank overdrafts (755) (440) (625)
Debt due within one year (575) (57) (146)
Debt due after one year (1,248) (1,346) (1,267)
(2,504) (1,695) (1,953)
Notes to the interim results
six months ended 30th June 1999
6 months 6 months Year
ended ended ended
30th 30th 31st
June June December
1999 1998 1998
£'000 £'000 £'000
1. Geographical analysis
Gross income
United Kingdom 497 315 650
Southern Africa 1,113 1,275 2,403
1,610 1,590 3,053
Operating profit
United Kingdom 180 113 283
Southern Africa (194) 104 (69)
(14) 217 214
2. Exceptional items
Arising in respect of
fixed asset investments
-write down (80) - -
-gains from disposals - 164 166
(80) 164 166
3. Taxation
Company and subsidiaries (18) (28) (41)
Joint venture (1) (2) (3)
(19) (30) (44)
4. Earnings per share
Earnings per share have been calculated on the issued share
capital of 10,451,506 shares throughout the period under review.
5. Properties are included at valuation at 31st December 1998.
6. Investments held as current assets
Listed Investments Portfolio
at lower of cost or net
realisable value 461 356 389
Listed Investment Portfolio at
market value 672 627 560
Unrealised surplus of market
value over cost 211 271 171
7. The above financial information does not constitute statutory accounts
within the meaning of section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The
figures for the year ended 31 December 1998 are based upon the latest
statutory accounts which have been delivered to the Registrar of
Companies: the report of the auditors on those accounts was
unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 237 (2) or
(3) of the Companies Act 1985. The six month figures are unaudited.
8.Posting to shareholders
The interim statement will be posted to shareholders
shortly. Copies are available from the Company Secretary
at the Registered Office,telephone number 0171 415 5000 and will also
be available on the company's Web Site at www.bisichi.co.uk.
Registered office:8-10 New Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1AF
Company registration number:12155(England)