Trading Statement

RNS Number : 3260P

ITE Group PLC

01 October 2013

 



1 October 2013

ITE Group plc

("ITE" or the "Group")

Pre-close trading update for the year ending 30 September 2013

ITE Group plc, the international exhibitions group specialising in emerging and developing markets, has today issued the following update for the year ending 30 September 2013, prior to entering its close period and ahead of its preliminary results announcement on 3 December 2013.

Revenues for the fourth quarter reflect positive trading conditions in most of our overseas markets. Revenue for the full year is expected to be circa £191m (2012: £172m) in line with market expectations.

Fourth Quarter Trading

The Group ran 28 events in the fourth quarter producing revenue of circa £26m (2012: £27m). On a like-for-like basis revenues are 4% higher than last year.

The principal trading highlights in the fourth quarter were:

·    MODA, the Group's market leading UK fashion event based at the NEC in Birmingham was 17,100sqm, which was a 9% reduction on the same event last year and reflected the ongoing difficult trading conditions in the European fashion market.

·    World Food Moscow, the Group's leading food exhibition recorded its largest ever event with a 2% increase in space sales to 24,900sqm.

Business Development

On 26 August 2013, the Group entered into an agreement with RAMO JSC to become the anchor tenant at a new 28,000 sqm venue in Krasnodar (south-west Russia), which is due to be completed by January 2016. The Group's business in Krasnodar is currently restricted by the size of the venue, and it is anticipated that this new facility will allow ITE's largest events to grow and the business to expand into new industry sectors.

Financial position

The Group continues to generate strong cash flow and had net cash of circa £23.0m as at 25 September 2013 (2012: £12.0m).

Outlook

Bookings for the financial year ending 30 September 2014 are progressing in line with management expectations and reflect continued good trading conditions in most of our markets. As at 26 September 2013, the Group had booked £75m of revenue for the 2014 financial year, representing circa 39% of current market expectations for the year.

The Group continues to generate good organic growth from its portfolio of events, and retains a strong balance sheet which supports its plans to invest in and further develop its business.

-ends-

Enquiries

Russell Taylor, CEO	020 7596 5000
Neil Jones, CFO
ITE Group plc
Charles Palmer	020 7831 3113
Emma Appleton
FTI Consulting

This Pre-close Statement is prepared for and addressed only to the Group's shareholders as a whole and to no other person. The Group, its directors, employees, agents or advisers do not accept or assume responsibility to any other person to whom this Interim Management Statement is shown or into whose hands it may come and any such responsibility or liability is expressly disclaimed. Statements contained in this Interim Management Statement are based on the knowledge and information available to the Group's Directors at the date it was prepared and therefore the facts stated and views expressed may change after that date.  By their nature, the statements concerning the risks and uncertainties facing the Group in this Interim Management Statement involve uncertainty since future events and circumstances can cause results and developments to differ materially from those anticipated. To the extent that this Interim Management Statement contains any statement dealing with any time after the date of its preparation such statement is merely predictive and speculative as it relates to events and circumstances which are yet to occur.  The Group undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

 

END

 

 

TSTLMMFTMBMJBPJ