Interim Results

Leeds Group PLC 10 May 2006 Issued on behalf of Leeds Group plc Date: Wednesday, 10 May 2006 Embargoed: 7.30am Leeds Group plc Interim Results for the six months ended 31st March 2006 STATEMENT BY THE GROUP CHAIRMAN, VIN MURRIA Group Results I am pleased to report that the Group's profit before tax and exceptional items for the six months ended 31 March 2006 was £514,000, an improvement of 65% over the corresponding period last year. It should be noted that these results contain only one month of trading for our former subsidiary Leeds Leasing prior to its sale on 31 October 2005. Profit before tax and exceptional items in the continuing operations was significantly higher than the comparative period last year, up from £63,000 to £493,000, and compares favourably with the £338,000 reported for the 2005 financial year as a whole. Cost reductions and the interest earned on the proceeds of the sale of Leeds Leasing led to a reduction of £86,000 in Central costs; however the principal cause of the improvement in profitability can be attributed to Hemmers-Itex, our German operation, where following a strong recovery in the second half of our last financial year, further progress has been achieved to record a pre-tax profit of £511,000 in the first half of this year (2005: £167,000). This reflects both improved trading conditions generally, and also the success of Hemmers' strategy to directly target manufacturers of ready-made items in addition to our traditional customer base of fabric retailers. The sale of Leeds Leasing gave rise to an exceptional loss, inclusive of disposal costs, of £837,000. The Group's tax charge increased in line with the profitability of Hemmers-Itex, and the overall loss after tax amounted to £561,000 (2005: profit £240,000). In the six months ended 31 March 2006, the Group purchased through its buy-back programme 800,000 ordinary shares at a cost of £161,000, bringing the total number of shares held in treasury to 1,250,000 or 3.4% of the total shares in issue. Strategy & Outlook We remain confident about the prospects of our continuing operations, where the order book continues to run at record levels. Following a movement in net debt in the period of £19.7 million, most of which related to the sale of Leeds Leasing, the Group's balance sheet is strong with net funds exceeding £3.3 million, equivalent to 9.2 pence per share. The Board continues to explore opportunities to re-invest these funds wisely; in the meantime we will continue our policy of buying in Group shares to be held in treasury when this is considered to be in the best interests of shareholders. Dividend Although at this stage in the Group's development there is no interim dividend being paid, the Directors will give further consideration to dividend policy later this year taking into account the results for the year as a whole and the possible acquisition opportunities that by then may have been identified. Enquiries: Vin Murria / Ewen Wigley Fiona Tooley Leeds Group plc Citigate Dewe Rogerson Ltd Tel: 020 7831 5088 / 020 7256 3956 Tel: 0121 455 8370 Mobile: 07785 703523 -2- Leeds Group plc Interim Results Consolidated Profit and Loss Account Unaudited - six months to 31 March 2006 Unaudited - six months to 31 March 2005 Continuing Discontinued Total Continuing Discontinued Total operations operations £000 operations operations £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Turnover 8,755 255 9,010 6,548 1,506 8,054 Cost of sales (6,569) (24) (6,593) (4,886) (135) (5,021) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gross profit 2,186 231 2,417 1,662 1,371 3,033 Distribution costs (468) - (468) (402) - (402) Administrative expenses (1,253) (125) (1,378) (1,188) (671) (1,859) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Operating profit 465 106 571 72 700 772 Exceptional loss on sale of a business operation (837) - (837) - - - ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Loss)/profit before interest (372) 106 (266) 72 700 772 ----------------------- ----------------------- Net interest payable (57) (460) -------- ------- (Loss)/profit on ordinary activities before taxation (323) 312 Taxation on (loss)/profit on ordinary activities (238) (72) -------- ------- (Loss)/profit for the period (561) 240 -------- ------- Basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per share before exceptional items 0.7p 0.7p exceptional items (2.3)p - -------- ------- after exceptional items (1.6)p 0.7p -------- ------- Consolidated statement of total recognised gains and losses (Loss)/profit for the period (561) 240 Foreign currency translation differences 124 26 -------- ------- Total recognised gains and losses for the period (437) 266 -------- ------- -3- Leeds Group plc Interim Results Consolidated Profit and Loss Account Unaudited - six months to 31 March 2006 Audited - year to 30 September 2005 Continuing Discontinued Total Continuing Discontinued Total operations operations £000 operations operations £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Turnover 8,755 255 9,010 14,113 3,075 17,188 Cost of sales (6,569) (24) (6,593) (10,483) (287) (10,770) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Gross profit 2,186 231 2,417 3,630 2,788 6,418 Distribution costs (468) - (468) (937) - (937) Administrative expenses (1,253) (125) (1,378) (2,327) (1,402) (3,729) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating profit 465 106 571 366 1,386 1,752 Exceptional (loss)/profit on sale of a business operation (837) - (837) 135 - 135 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (Loss)/profit before interest (372) 106 (266) 501 1,386 1,887 ------------------------ ------------------------ Net interest payable (57) (952) -------- ------- (Loss)/profit on ordinary activities before taxation (323) 935 Taxation on (loss)/profit on ordinary activities (238) (236) -------- ------- (Loss)/profit for the period (561) 699 -------- ------- Basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per share before exceptional items 0.7p 1.5p exceptional items (2.3)p 0.4p -------- ------- after exceptional items (1.6)p 1.9p -------- ------- Consolidated statement of total recognised gains and losses (Loss)/profit for the period (561) 699 Foreign currency translation differences 124 (25) -------- ------- Total recognised gains and losses for the period (437) 674 ======== ======= -4- Leeds Group plc Interim Results Consolidated Balance Sheet Unaudited Unaudited Audited As at As at As at 31st March 31st March 30th September 2006 2005 2005 £000 £000 £000 Fixed assets Intangible assets 825 909 853 Tangible assets 303 451 449 ---------- ---------- ----------- 1,128 1,360 1,302 Current assets Stock 4,297 3,616 4,170 ---------- ---------- ----------- Debtors 3,646 3,963 5,062 Deferred taxation 52 875 875 Finance lease debtors - 19,110 20,606 ---------- ---------- ----------- Total debtors 3,698 23,948 26,543 Cash at bank and in hand 4,878 812 756 ---------- ---------- ----------- 12,873 28,376 31,469 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (2,955) (11,851) (13,676) ---------- ---------- ----------- Net current assets 9,918 16,525 17,793 Of which: ---------- ---------- ----------- due within one year 9,866 4,510 4,708 due after more than one year 52 12,015 13,085 ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Total assets less current liabilities 11,046 17,885 19,095 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year - (6,588) (7,451) ---------- ---------- ----------- Net assets 11,046 11,297 11,644 ========== ========== =========== Share capital and reserves Called up equity share capital 4,392 4,392 4,392 Profit and loss account 6,654 6,905 7,252 ---------- ---------- ----------- Equity shareholders' funds 11,046 11,297 11,644 ========== ========== =========== Reconciliation of movements in equity shareholders' funds (Loss)/profit for the period (561) 240 699 Purchase of own shares (161) - (61) Foreign currency translation differences 124 26 (25) ---------- ---------- ----------- Net transfer (from)/to equity shareholders' funds (598) 266 613 Equity shareholders' funds at beginning of the period 11,644 11,031 11,031 ---------- ---------- ----------- Equity shareholders' funds at end of the period 11,046 11,297 11,644 ========== ========== =========== -5- Leeds Group plc Interim Results Consolidated Cash Flow Statement Unaudited Unaudited Audited Six months to Six months to Twelve months to 31st March 2006 31st March 2005 30th September 2005 £000 £000 £000 Cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 818 1,005 (626) Returns on investments and servicing of finance (57) (460) (952) Taxation (361) (263) (266) Capital expenditure and financial investment (23) (11) (129) Acquisitions and disposals 4,847 - 135 ---------- ---------- ----------- Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing 5,224 271 (1,838) Financing (939) (437) 1,279 ---------- ---------- ----------- Increase/(decrease) in cash in the period 4,285 (166) (559) ========== ========== =========== Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt Increase/(decr ease) in cash in the period 4,285 (166) (559) Net decrease/(increase) in loans 778 437 (1,340) ---------- ---------- ----------- Change in net debt resulting from cash flows 5,063 271 (1,899) Net debt disposed of with subsidiary 14,726 - - Foreign currency translation differences (56) (12) 11 ---------- ---------- ----------- Movement in net debt in the period 19,733 259 (1,888) Net debt at the beginning of the period (16,382) (14,494) (14,494) ---------- ---------- ----------- Net funds/(debt) at the end of the period 3,351 (14,235) (16,382) ========== ========== ========== Reconciliation of operating profit to net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities Operating profit 571 772 1,752 Depreciation of fixed assets 55 122 235 Amortisation of goodwill 48 47 93 Loss on sale of tangible fixed assets - 1 4 (Increase)/decrease in stocks (30) 272 (321) Decrease/(increase) in debtors 600 921 (215) (Decrease)/increase in creditors (396) (348) 104 Increase in finance lease debtors (30) (782) (2,278) ---------- ---------- ----------- Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 818 1,005 (626) ========== ========== =========== -6- Leeds Group plc Interim Results Notes to the accounts 1. The financial information in this report does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The interim accounts for the six months ended 31st March 2006 and 31st March 2005 are unaudited. The comparative figures for the financial year ended 30th September 2005 are not the Group's statutory accounts, but have been extracted from those accounts, which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies and on which the Group's auditor gave an unqualified report that did not contain statements under Section 237 (2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. The interim accounts have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the 2005 Annual Report. 2. Earnings per share have been calculated on an average of 36,061,790 (2005: 36,598,603) ordinary shares of 12 pence each in issue during the period. 3. The table below sets out a segmental analysis of the Group's operations. Turnover Profit before taxation Six Six Twelve Six Six Twelve months months months to months months months to to to to to 31st 31st 30th 31st 31st 30th March March September March March September 2006 2005 2005 2006 2005 2005 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Hemmers-Itex 8,755 6,548 14,113 612 247 741 Central - - - (147) (175) (375) costs ---------------------------------------------------------------- Continuing 8,755 6,548 14,113 465 72 366 operations Leeds 255 1,506 3,075 106 700 1,386 Leasing ---------------------------------------------------------------- 9,010 8,054 17,188 571 772 1,752 ============================== Exceptional (loss)/profit on sale of a business operation (837) - 135 --------------------------------- (Loss)/profit before interest (266) 772 1,887 Interest -------------------------------- Hemmers-Itex (101) (80) (168) Holding companies 129 71 140 Leeds Leasing (85) (451) (924) -------------------------------- Net interest payable (57) (460) (952) -------------------------------- (Loss)/profit before taxation (323) 312 935 ================================ This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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