Interim Results

RNS Number : 6165R

Eagle Eye Solutions Group PLC

10 March 2016

Eagle Eye Solutions Group PLC

("Eagle Eye", the "Company" or the "Group")

Interim Results for the six months ended 31 December 2015

Strong revenue growth coupled with significant strategic wins

Eagle Eye, the SaaS technology company that validates and redeems digital promotions in real-time for the grocery, retail and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2015 (the "Period").

Financial highlights¹:

· Revenues grown by 30% to £3.0m (H1 2015: £2.3m)

· Transactional AIR platform revenues up 108% year-on-year to £1.6m

· Subscription and transactional revenues represent 84% of total revenues (H1 2015: 81%)

· Gross profit was £2.2m, an increase of 48% (H1 2015: £1.5m), representing a gross margin of 76% (H1 2015: 66%)

· Strong cash position at £2.7m (H1 2015 £1.4m), ahead of expectations

Operational and commercial highlights:

· Major contract win with Sainsbury's for the deployment of Eagle Eye AIR taking our UK market coverage² to more than 30%

· Total customer and brand count at 190 (H1 2015:110) including 56 FMCG brands (H1 2015: nil)

· Eagle Eye AIR platform now fully scaled with redemption volumes up 67% year-on-year to more than 13.9m (H1 2015: 8.3m)

· Investment in new product developments, including digital wallet capability, enable Eagle Eye to access the loyalty programme market, worth $100 billion³ worldwide

Post Period-end developments:

· Major international contract with Loblaws Inc. ("Loblaw"), Canada's largest retailer, to deploy the Eagle Eye AIR platform

· Nationwide rollout across all Asda stores complete

· Tim Mason appointed as Non-Executive Chairman

Tim Mason, Chairman of Eagle Eye, said:

"We have made excellent strategic progress with Tier 1 grocers, increasing our UK market coverage to over 30% with the addition of a second grocer in July 2015. Following the Period end we announced the signing of our first major international contract earlier than our expectations. The scalability of our technology has been demonstrated with the completion of a nationwide roll out with Asda that now opens up the FMCG brand opportunity - where 56 FMCG brands have been added to the platform so far.

This excellent momentum demonstrates the major benefits that Eagle Eye's technology is delivering to retailers by reducing their operating costs and eliminating mal-redemption. The market opportunity created by the advancement in mobile technology supports our core competency of digital promotions and rewards. Given this performance, the doubling of AIR revenues, and our better than expected cash position, the Board is excited both in the Group's full year outcome and its long-term growth prospects."

For further information, please contact:

Eagle Eye

Phill Blundell, Chief Executive Officer

Lucy Sharman-Munday, Chief Financial Officer Tel: 0844 824 3686

Investec

Dominic Emery/David Anderson, Corporate Finance

Matt Lewis, Corporate Broking Tel: 0207 597 4000

Hudson Sandler

Nick Lyon/Alex Brennan Tel: 0207 796 4133

Information on Eagle Eye

www.eagleeye.com

Eagle Eye is a leading SaaS technology company that securely validates and redeems digital promotions in real-time for the grocery, retail and hospitality industries.

The Company's digital marketing platform, Eagle Eye AIR, enables the secure, real-time, multi-channel issuance, management and redemption of digital promotions and rewards, replacing previously used paper-based methods. Our Eagle Eye platform creates a network effect between merchants, distributors and brands enabling stronger connections and value to all parties. Through our four products we enable brands and merchants to reduce cost, improve their customer offer and accelerate their innovation.

The UK promotions market is currently transitioning through substantial change as both retailers and consumers are moving away from paper and plastic to digital. In 2014 there were in excess of 730 million coupons redeemed in the UK⁴, and 16 billion digital coupons redeemed worldwide⁵.

The Eagle Eye AIR platform comprises four key products: Eagle Eye Promote - for the management of offers and promotions, Eagle Eye Gift - for gift cards and customer care, Eagle Eye Reward - for loyalty and reward schemes and Eagle Eye Engage - for digital messaging. These four products enable the Company's customers to deliver targeted promotions, gift vouchers and rewards to consumers in real time, in a simple and secure way, across multiple marketing communications channels including email, SMS messaging and loyalty apps. The promotions can be redeemed securely by the consumer through any enabled point of sale channel.

The Company's current customer base comprises leading names in UK grocery, retail and hospitality including Asda, J Sainsbury, Greggs, JD Sports, Ladbrokes, Marks & Spencer, Mitchells & Butlers, Pizza Express, Tesco and Thomas Pink.

Notes:

1. Based on unaudited figures

2. Based on Kantar grocery market share

3. Source: AIMIA

4. Source: Valassis 2014

5. Source: Statista 2014

Chief Executive's Review

During the first half of FY 2016 the Group continued to trade well and delivered significant progress against its clear growth strategy to be the global leader in the fast-growing digital promotions and rewards market. We recorded revenue of £3.0m, an increase of 30% over the prior year, which was driven by strong growth from our core AIR business and demonstrates the real benefits that our leading digital marketing technology is delivering to both retailers and brands.

Overall revenue from the Eagle Eye AIR platform of £2.0m represented 68% of total revenue, up from 48% in H1 2015. Pleasingly this was driven by a strong 108% increase against the prior year in transactional revenues on the AIR platform to £1.6m. This excellent growth in our core business reflects the impact of our new Tier 1 grocer customer wins as well as increased transactional revenue from existing customers.

Redemption volumes on our AIR platform, another KPI of the business, increased by 67% year-on-year to more than 13.9 million vouchers, compared to 8.3 million in the same period last year.

However, revenue for the first half of FY 2016 was lower than management expectations, primarily as a result of a delay in certain contract implementations, the shortfall in messaging revenue and the phasing of new business wins. Nevertheless, the roll out into Asda stores and our earlier than expected major international contract award demonstrate we are on track for our revised expectations.

The national rollout of the AIR platform at Asda across over 600 stores in the UK, completed after the Period, clearly demonstrates the robustness and scalability of our technology platform. The Sainsbury's contract win, announced in July 2015, cemented our dominant market position in the UK with two of our major customers accounting for more than 30% of the grocery market. The post Period end international success with Loblaw, Canada's food and pharmacy leader and largest retailer nationally, further demonstrates the global opportunity for Eagle Eye and opens the major North American market to us. Together these major achievements demonstrate very strong progress for the Company against its strategic plans.

Customers

The Group has further increased the number of retailers and brands using the AIR platform to 190 live users as at the end of the Period (H1 2015: 110). We have made progress against our strategic objective of adding fast-moving-consumer-goods ('FMCG') brands to the network, where significant marketing spend lies. FMCG brands now account for 56 of users on the AIR platform (H1 2015: nil).

In February 2016, the Company signed a contract with Loblaw, our first overseas Tier 1 grocery customer, for deployment of the AIR platform. This signing of a multi-year deal with an international client of Loblaw's calibre and scale, with more than 2,500 stores, in a major new market is a significant milestone in the Company's growth and was achieved earlier than our expectations. We are delighted to have secured an entry into the major North American market where the potential for Eagle Eye is significant. In the US alone, the value of coupons distributed in 2014 totalled $533 billion¹ and $12 billion² worth of loyalty rewards are distributed each year.

Also in February 2016, the Company achieved another major milestone with Asda completing its nationwide rollout of the AIR platform. Going 'live' with a major Tier 1 grocer demonstrates the robust and scalable nature of our technology platform and is expected to significantly increase Eagle Eye's redemption volumes in the second half of the financial year.

Having three of the world's top grocery retailers signed up to Eagle Eye is a major endorsement of the benefits that the AIR platform delivers to our customers and will help to accelerate future growth. With this strong progress made, the opportunity for campaigns with FMCG brands is a major strategic focus. In the first half of the financial year, the Company delivered several brand marketing campaigns through the network, including for Nicotinell and Molson Coors. This was possible due to new relationships with leading marketing agencies, Starcom, Carat and Havas.

During the Period, Eagle Eye won a number of new retail, leisure and hospitality clients across all of its core products. These included The Restaurant Group for Eagle Eye Promote and William Hill for Eagle Eye Gift. We also developed new mobile applications and a new multi threshold reward feature within stamp cards as part of the Eagle Eye Reward product for Mitchells and Butlers.

Although our SMS messaging business had a tough first half, the securing of a substantial contract with Swinton Insurance means that we expect to recover the shortfall in the second half of the financial year. This is further supported by new long term agreements with Ladbrokes and DST.

Technology & innovation

During the Period, the Company met several significant technological milestones. We now have a scaled, proven digital marketing platform that is capable of supporting the promotional and reward strategies of both retailers and brands across multiple channels.

Our redemption run rate now exceeds 3.7m per month (Dec 2014: 1.3m) and the 24/7 platform is fully meeting the service level requirements of our Tier 1 grocery clients. We are now working in partnership with the majority of the major EPOS providers across the retail and hospitality sectors.

We continue to add new features to the product portfolio, focussed on meeting the needs of our retail and, increasingly, FMCG brand clients. Notable innovations in the period include new client management tools such as Issuance Portals, which enable rapid set up of brand micro sites that can issue digital promotions, and responsive Transaction Portals, which enable clients to optimise gift card sales. We have also made significant enhancements to our digital wallet capability, enabling clients to bring together all our services under a single customer view.

Financial results

During the Period, the Group delivered a revenue increase of 30% to £3.0m (H1 2015: £2.3m). AIR platform revenue of £2.0m was 68% of total revenue (H1 2015: 48%) and AIR transactional revenues of £1.6m grew 108% against the prior year driven by Tier 1 grocery customer activity as well as growth from existing customers.

Revenue generated from subscription fees and transactions over the network grew to represent approximately 84% of total revenue for the first half of FY 2016, up from 81% in H1 2015. Total redemption volumes on the AIR platform increased by 67% year on year to more than 13.9m vouchers (H1 2015: 8.3m). This significant growth has been driven towards the end of the period by Asda going live in the majority of UK stores. The significance of this roll out is evidenced by the monthly closing run rate growth of over 180% (Dec 2015: 3.7m, Dec 2014: 1.3m).

Messaging revenue of £0.9m fell by 19% due to a decrease in messaging volumes as a result of changes to the way messages are delivered for our key client. As previously announced in February 2016, revenue for the first half of the financial year was lower than management expectations, primarily as a result of a delay in certain contract implementations, the shortfall in messaging revenue and the phasing of new business wins.

Gross profit grew 48% to £2.2m (H1 2015: £1.5m) and the gross margin was 76% (H1 2015: 66%). Gross margin improved as a result of the change in the Company's revenue mix, with a higher proportion represented by AIR platform revenue that has a higher margin than messaging revenue.

Operating costs of £4.6m (H1 2015: £3.1m) increased as a result of the investment in headcount in product and sales, together with incremental costs linked to revenue growth. The number of employees at the end of the Period was 72 (H1 2015: 49).

Group-adjusted EBITDA loss for the Period was £1.3m (H1 2015: Loss £0.8m). To provide a better guide to the underlying business performance, Adjusted EBITDA excludes share-based payment charges along with depreciation, amortisation, interest and tax from the measure of profit.

The cash position at the end of the Period of £2.7m (H1 2015: £1.4m) was significantly ahead of management's expectations due to a higher than expected R&D tax credit and strong management of working capital.

Board

After the Period end, Tim Mason joined the Board as Non-Executive Chairman. Tim has more than 30 years' experience within the grocery and retail industries, with a strong background in strategic marketing and customer loyalty. His experience will be invaluable as Eagle Eye builds on its foundations to accelerate progress in the UK market and embarks on the new phase of growth via international expansion.

Current Trading

Post Period end, the Group has continued to trade well. In February 2016, the Company supported the national rollout of the AIR platform at Asda across over 600 stores which has boosted the transaction volume run-rate to over 3.7m transactions per month, up from 1.3m at the end of the comparable period in the prior year. Significantly, this rollout increases the opportunity for campaigns with FMCG brands. Also in February 2016, the Company announced a major contract win with Loblaw, our first overseas Tier 1 grocery customer, for deployment of the AIR platform. As well as being Eagle Eye's third Tier 1 customer and a significant step into the North American market, this contract is revenue generating from signature. At the end of the Period, the Company won a new messaging client, Swinton Insurance. This solution was implemented in January 2016 and generates recurring revenue from delivery.

Outlook

The growth and momentum achieved by Eagle Eye demonstrates the major structural shift of the promotions and rewards market towards digital issuance and redemption. We believe that, as the retail market transitions to digital solutions, the major brand owners will follow. This will open up significant new revenues for our platform.

Our market leading capability has been further underlined by winning our first major international client, well ahead of expectations. This now gives Eagle Eye a new platform for growth in the most significant market for promotions and loyalty.

As a result, the Board expects that the growth from the first half of 2016, coupled with the successes post Period end, puts the Company on track to deliver against revised expectations.

Notes:

1. NCH Marketing

2. Colloquy

Consolidated unaudited interim income statement for the six months ended 31 December 2015

		Unaudited	Unaudited	Audited
		6 months to	6 months to	Year to
		31 December	31 December	30 June
		2015	2014	2015
	Note	£000	£000	£000
Continuing operations
Revenue	3	2,950	2,273	4,854
Cost of sales		(713)	(766)	(1,385)

Gross profit		2,237	1,507	3,469
Adjusted operating expenses⁽¹⁾		(3,502)	(2,270)	(4,990)
Loss before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and share based payment charge		(1,265)	(763)	(1,521)

Shared based payment charge		(300)	(147)	(593)
Depreciation and Amortisation		(788)	(728)	(1,441)

Operating loss		(2,353)	(1,638)	(3,555)
Finance expense		-	(1)	-

Loss before taxation		(2,353)	(1,639)	(3,555)
Taxation		449	210	203

Loss and total comprehensive loss attributable to owners of the parent for the financial period		(1,904)	(1,429)	(3,352)
⁽¹⁾ Adjusted operating expenses excludes share based payment charge, depreciation and amortisation
Loss per share

From continuing operations
Basic and diluted	4	(8.59)p	(7.10)p	(16.17)p

Consolidated unaudited interim statement of financial position as at 31 December 2015

	Unaudited	Unaudited	Audited
	31 December	31 December	30 June
	2015	2014	2015
	£000	£000	£000
Non-current assets
Intangible assets	4,989	5,420	5,206
Property, plant and equipment	271	57	53

	5,260	5,477	5,259
Current assets
Trade and other receivables	2,084	1,546	1,417
Cash and cash equivalents	2,726	1,354	4,292

	4,810	2,900	5,709

Total assets	10,070	8,377	10,968

Current liabilities Trade and other payables	(2,584)	(1,732)	(1,839)
Non-current liabilities Deferred tax liability	(244)	(125)	(290)

Total liabilities	(2,828)	(1,857)	(2,129)

Net assets	7,242	6,520	8,839

Equity attributable to owners of the parent
Share capital	222	201	221
Share premium	10,991	7,209	10,985
Merger reserve	3,278	3,278	3,278
Share option reserve	897	161	608
Retained losses	(8,146)	(4,329)	(6,253)

Total equity	7,242	6,520	8,839

Consolidated unaudited interim statement of changes in equity for the six months ended 31 December 2015

	Share capital	Share premium	Merger reserve	Share option reserve	Retained losses	Total
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Balance at 1 July 2014	201	7,209	3,278	197	(3,083)	7,802

Loss for the period	-	-	-	-	(1,429)	(1,429)
Transactions with owners
Fair value of options lapsed in the period	-	-	-	(183)	183	-
IFRS 2 share based payment charge	-	-	-	147	-	147
	-	-	-	(36)	183	147

Balance at 31 December 2014	201	7,209	3,278	161	(4,329)	6,520
Loss for the period	-	-	-	-	(1,923)	(1,923)
Transactions with owners
Issue of share capital	20	4,006	-	-	-	4,026
Issue costs	-	(230)	-	-	-	(230)
Fair value of share options lapsed	-	-	-	1	(1)	-
IFRS 2 share based payment charge	-	-	-	446	-	446
	20	3,776	-	447	(1)	4,242
Balance at 30 June 2015	221	10,985	3,278	608	(6,253)	8,839

Loss for the period	-	-	-	-	(1,904)	(1,904)
Transactions with owners
Fair value of options exercised in the period	-	-	-	(11)	11	-
Exercise of Share options	1	6	-	-	-	7
IFRS 2 share based payment charge	-	-	-	300	-	300
	1	6	-	289	11	307

Balance at 31 December 2015	222	10,991	3,278	897	(8,146)	7,242

Consolidated unaudited interim statement of cash flows for the six months ended 31 December 2015

	Unaudited	Unaudited	Audited
	6 months to	6 months to	Year to
	31 December	31 December	30 June
	2015	2014	2015
	£000	£000	£000
Cash flows from operating activities
Loss before taxation	(2,353)	(1,639)	(3,555)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation	34	23	42
Amortisation	754	705	1,399
Share based payment charge	300	147	593
Finance expense	-	1	-
Increase in trade and other receivables	(668)	(193)	(63)
Increase in trade and other payables	746	312	418
Income tax received	403	204	362
Net cash flows from operating activities	(784)	(440)	(804)

Cash flows from investing activities
Payments to acquire property, plant and equipment	(252)	(2)	(17)
Payments to acquire intangible assets	(537)	(478)	(958)
Interest paid	-	(1)	-
Net cash flows from investing activities	(789)	(481)	(975)

Cash flows from financing activities
Net proceeds from issue of equity	7	-	3,796
Net cash flows from financing activities	7	-	3,796

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents in the period	(1,566)	(921)	2,017
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,292	2,275	2,275
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,726	1,354	4,292

Notes to the consolidated unaudited interim financial statements

1. Basis of preparation

The Group's half-yearly financial information, which is unaudited, consolidates the results of Eagle Eye Solutions Group plc and its subsidiary undertakings up to 31 December 2015. The Group's accounting reference date is 30 June. Eagle Eye Solutions Group plc's shares are listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM).

The Company is a public limited liability company incorporated and domiciled in England & Wales. The consolidated financial information is presented in Pounds Sterling (£) which is also the functional currency of the parent.

Eagle Eye Solutions Group plc and its subsidiary undertakings have not applied IAS 34, Interim Financial Reporting, which is not mandatory for UK AIM listed Groups, in the preparation of this half-yearly financial report.

The accounting policies used in the preparation of the financial information for the six months ended 31 December 2015 are in accordance with the recognition and measurement criteria of International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') as adopted by the European Union and are consistent with those which will be adopted in the annual financial statements for the year ending 30 June 2016.

While the financial information included has been prepared in accordance with the recognition and measurement criteria of IFRS, as adopted by the European Union, these financial statements do not contain sufficient information to comply with IFRS.

The comparative financial information for the year ended 30 June 2015 has been extracted from the annual financial statements of Eagle Eye Solutions Group plc. These interim results for the period ended 31 December 2015, which are not audited, do not comprise statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. The financial information does not therefore include all of the information and disclosures required in the annual financial statements.

Full audited accounts of the Group in respect of the year ended 30 June 2015, which received an unqualified audit opinion and did not contain a statement under section 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006, have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.

2. Going concern basis

As part of their going concern review the Directors have followed the guidelines published by the Financial Reporting Council entitled "Guidance on Risk Management and Internal Control and Related Financial and Business Reporting''. The Directors have prepared detailed financial forecasts and cash flows looking beyond 12 months from the date of this half-yearly financial information. In developing these forecasts, the Directors have made assumptions based upon their view of the current and future economic conditions that will prevail over the forecast period.

On the basis of the above projections, the Directors are confident that the Group has sufficient working capital to honour all of its obligations to creditors as and when they fall due. In reaching this conclusion, the Directors have considered the forecast cash headroom, the resources available to the Group and the potential impact of changes in forecast growth and other assumptions, including the potential to avoid or defer certain costs and to reduce discretionary spend as mitigating actions in the event of such changes. Accordingly, the Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing this half-yearly financial information.

3. Segmental analysis

The Group is organised into one principal operating division for management purposes. Revenue is analysed as follows:

	Unaudited	Unaudited	Audited
	6 months to	6 months to	Year to
	31 December	31 December	30 June
	2015	2014	2015
	£000	£000	£000
Development and set up fees	484	429	992
Subscription fees	865	264	643
Transaction fees	1,601	1,580	3,219
	2,950	2,273	4,854

4. Loss per share

The calculation of basic and diluted loss per share is based on the result attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period. The weighted average number of shares for the purpose of calculating the basic and diluted measures is the same. This is because the outstanding share options would have the effect of reducing the loss per ordinary share and would therefore not be dilutive under the terms of International Accounting Standard 33.

	Unaudited 2015 Loss per share pence	Unaudited 2015 Loss £000	Unaudited 2015 Weighted average number of ordinary shares	Unaudited 2014 Loss per share pence	Unaudited 2014 Loss £000	Unaudited 2014 Weighted average number of ordinary shares

Basic and diluted loss per share	(8.59)	(1,904)	22,152,267	(7.10)	(1,429)	20,131,152