Interim Results

Impax Group PLC 27 June 2002 27 June 2002 Impax Group plc Interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2002 Impax Group plc, the specialised financial services business providing fund management, corporate finance and advisory services in the EIT sector today announces its interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2002 Highlights • Asset management division now manages/advises in excess of £70 million • Corporate finance advisory business repositioned and now seeing new mandates from major corporations • Performance of oil division confirms decision to exit the sector -now in negotiations regarding the Starks Field Commenting, Stuart Bickerstaff, non executive chairman, said: 'Although we have not yet achieved overall profitability, we have passed several important milestones and have established a strong foundation for the future success of the Company. I look forward to reporting further progress at the end of the financial year.' For further information please contact: Nigel Taunt, Finance Director 020 7434 1122 Impax Group plc Robert Luetchford 020 7490 3788 Marshall Securities Limited Chairman's Statement This interim report provides me with an opportunity to update you on our progress in repositioning the Company towards becoming a specialised financial services business providing fund management, corporate finance and consultancy services in the environmental infrastructure and technology ('EIT') sector. In summary, although we have not yet achieved overall profitability, we have passed several important milestones and have established a strong foundation for the future success of the Company. Notwithstanding the depressed state of equity markets worldwide, on 22 February 2002 we successfully completed a placing of £50m for Impax Environmental Markets plc ('IEM'), the new investment trust which is managed by Impax Asset Management Ltd ('IAM'). IAM now manages or advises in excess of £70m of funds invested in the EIT sector. With a sound and profitable base of recurring income and a higher profile in the institutional market, IAM is well positioned to extend its franchise. The repositioning of our corporate finance advisory business (Impax Capital Corporation Ltd ('ICC')) to capture the benefits of new legislation in the EIT sector is now largely complete and we have borne the associated restructuring costs during the period. In particular, ICC has won important new mandates from major corporations as a direct result of the recent adoption of the UK Renewables Obligation (which lays down a renewable energy framework until 2027) and the UK's Emission Trading scheme (which has created a market in permits to emit gases which contribute to global warming). The result for the half-year ended 31 March 2002 was a loss before tax of £903,000 (31 March 2001: £146,000 profit), which represents an aggregate of losses in all three divisions during the period. The analysis of results between the different businesses is shown in Note 2 to the Interim Accounts. Prior to the launch of IEM, we were bearing the costs of our asset management team without the benefit of the IEM management fees. ICC suffered from the generally weak demand for corporate finance advisory services, from delayed implementation of the UK Renewables Obligation and from slippage in the realisation of specific success fees. We previously stated our intention to sell our oil interests and I am pleased to report that we are in negotiations regarding the Starks Field. The performance of our oil business has been set back by several factors, confirming our decision to exit this sector. Output from the Starks Field has been lower than planned, in part due to dismal weather and flooding in Louisiana. Oil prices at Starks during the period have been relatively weak, falling from the US$23.95 per barrel average in the previous year to an average of US$15.70 per barrel in the six months ended 31 March 2002. In anticipation of improved performance for the Company and the realisation of value from our oil assets, we have put in place a credit facility of £1 million, which we utilised for the first time at the end of May. I look forward to reporting further progress at the end of the financial year. Stuart Bickerstaff Chairman 27 June 2002 Impax Group plc Consolidated Profit and Loss Account for the 6 months ended 31 March 2002 6 months ended 6 months ended Year ended 31 Mar 2002 31 Mar 2001 30 Sept 2001 Note 1 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover Note 2 636 418 1,468 Cost of sales (360) (309) (759) Gross profit 276 109 709 Amortisation of (142) - (71) goodwill Other administrative (1,050) (69) (1,033) expenses Exchange gain 1 85 - Operating Note 2 (915) 125 (395) profit/(loss) Net interest 12 21 29 receivable Profit/(loss) on ordinary (903) 146 (366) activities before taxation Taxation - (14) (1) Profit/(loss) (903) 132 (367) attributable to the Group Basic Note 4 (2.54)p 0.64p (1.46)p earnings/(loss) per share Diluted (2.37)p 0.64p (1.44)p earnings/(loss) per share All disclosures relate only to continuing operations Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses Profit/(loss) for (903) 132 (367) the period Currency translation 273 195 13 differences Total recognised (630) 327 (354) gains/(losses) Impax Group plc Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2002 31 Mar 2002 31 Mar 2001 30 Sept 2001 Note 1 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Intangible fixed 2,632 - 2,763 assets Tangible fixed 8,660 8,114 8,256 assets Investments 215 - 215 11,507 8,114 11,234 Current assets Debtors 333 232 360 Cash at bank and in 329 1,058 1,038 hand 662 1,290 1,398 Creditors - amounts falling due within one year (632) (325) (478) Net current assets 30 965 920 Total assets less current liabilities 11,537 9,079 12,154 Creditors - amounts falling due after more than one (701) (740) (678) year Total net assets 10,836 8,339 11,476 Capital and reserves Called up share 8,871 5,750 8,871 capital Share premium 687 1 697 Merger reserve 2,198 2,198 2,198 Exchange 511 430 238 equalisation reserve Profit and loss (1,431) (40) (528) account Equity shareholders' funds 10,836 8,339 11,476 Impax Group plc Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for the 6 months ended 31 March 2002 6 months ended 6 months ended Year ended 31 Mar 2002 31 Mar 2001 30 Sept 2001 Note (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) 1 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities (533) 67 (504) Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 15 26 49 Interest paid (3) (5) (20) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed (188) (500) (1,026) assets Capitalised acquisition - - (259) costs Cash acquired on acquisition - - 175 Tax paid - (14) - Net cash outflow before financing (709) (426) (1,585) Financing Ordinary share capital - 2,875 4,715 issued Share issue costs - (139) (316) Other loans - - (500) Repayment of loan - (1,451) (1,517) (Decrease)/increase in cash in the period (709) 859 797 Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net cash/(debt) (Decrease)/increase in cash (709) 859 797 in the period Cash inflow from increase - 2,191 2,017 in net debt Translation differences (23) (42) (4) Loan settled on acquisition - - (500) of subsidiary Movement in net debt in the (732) 3,008 2,310 period Net cash/(debt) at 360 (1,950) (1,950) beginning of period Net cash/(debt) at end of (372) 1,058 360 period Reconciliation of operating profit/(loss) to net cash flow from operating activities Operating profit/(loss) (915) 125 (395) Goodwill amortisation 142 - 71 charge Depreciation/depletion/other 86 58 170 amortisation charges Exchange gain (1) (85) - (Increase)/decrease in 27 (108) (85) debtors (Decrease)/increase in 128 77 (265) creditors Net cash flow from (533) 67 (504) operating activities Impax Group plc Notes to the Interim Accounts for the 6 months ended 31 March 2002 1. The financial information set out in this report does not constitute full accounts for the purposes of Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The interim accounts for the six months ended 31 March 2002 and 31 March 2001 are unaudited. The comparative figures for the financial year ended 30 September 2001 are not the Company's statutory accounts for the financial year but are abridged from those accounts which have been reported on by the Company's auditors, whose report was unqualified. The interim accounts have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the annual financial statements of the Group for the year ended 30 September 2001. The interim accounts were approved by the Directors on 27 June 2002. 2. 6 months ended 6 months ended Year ended 31 Mar 2002 31 Mar 2001 30 Sept 2001 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover Financial 359 - 585 services Oil 277 418 883 636 418 1,468 Operating profit/(loss) Financial (274) - (232) services Oil (153) 125 114 Central costs (488) - (277) (including amortisation of goodwill) (915) 125 (395) Net interest receivable 12 21 29 Profit/(loss) on ordinary activities before (903) 146 (366) taxation 3. Amounts denominated in US Dollars have been converted at the closing rate on 31 March 2002 of £1 to $1.43 (31 March 2001: $1.42; 30 September 2001: $1.48). The results of the US subsidiary undertaking have been translated on a monthly basis at the average rate ruling during each month. 4. The figures for diluted and basic (loss)/earnings per share are based on the loss attributable to the Group of £902,606 (31 March 2001: £131,558 profit; 30 September 2001: £366,444 loss) and on the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period of 35,485,764 (31 March 2001: 20,532,967; 30 September 2001: 25,074,065). The calculation of diluted (loss)/earnings per share is based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding adjusted by the dilutive share options. These adjustments give rise to an increase in the weighted average number of shares outstanding to 38,145,858 (31 March 2001: 20,532,967; 30 September 2001: 25,496,197). 5. No dividend is proposed. Copies of this interim statement will be sent to shareholders and are available free of charge from the Company's registered office, Broughton House, 6 - 8 Sackville Street, London W1S 3DG. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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