Interim Results
Capitaltech PLC
27 February 2001
CapitalTech plc
Half-Yearly Report
6 months to 31 October 2000
HALF YEAR TO 31 OCTOBER 2000
We are pleased to report that during the half year to 31 October 2000, we made
good progress towards our aim of building a solid asset base.
First, our balance sheet shows our net asset value increased in the half year
by £7m from the £11.3m at 30 April 2000 to £18.3m at 31 October 2000. This
increase of 61% in our net assets is principally due to the acquisition in
exchange for shares in September 2000 of three residential property unit
trusts which brought in net assets of £9.1m .
Second, we have had regard to advices from new property managers appointed in
October and to the stock market's continuing lack of appetite for new
technology investment.
We have carried out a programme of repair and refurbishment and accelerated
depreciation of furnishings of the property portfolios acquired in the
previous year to bring them up to standard. We have written all of these
costs through profit and loss account amounting to around £500,000.
We have, with our new property managers, examined the rents receivable on
portfolios acquired and provided some £200,000 against non-recovery of
outstanding rents.
We are considering the possibility of seeking recovery in respect of the
foregoing matters.
Additionally,in respect of the unit trust properties acquired in the current
year, repair requirements have been reflected in the directors' assessment of
the condition, and fair value, of these properties.
We also worked towards enhancing the composition of our increased asset base
by rationalising it through sales of poorer performing or lower yielding
properties.
Disposals of some £5m of low yielding property have, after deducting costs,
realised £279,000 less than carrying value, which is generally April 2000
revaluation. However, £247,000 of previous valuation surpluses was realised
in the period meaning that in reality these properties, after costs of sale,
realised very close to effective acquisition cost.
We have considered carefully the ongoing carrying value of certain
non-property investments. During the half year we restricted further
investment diversification to property related and traditional businesses.
The result of all this activity is that the profit and loss account shows a
loss for the half year of £1,942,000.
We regarded the debt, particularly because of that taken on in the course of
making opportunistic acquisitions late in the previous financial year, as
higher than we are happy with long term relative to net assets. We plan to
reduce debt, and hence the interest payable, further. In addition to routine
sales, similar to those in the half year, we are currently hoping to sell as
portfolios some £15m of property and have granted options allowing a new
proposed fund to acquire up to a further £11m of properties from us.
Of our net current liabilities of £12.9m, £11.9m was well secured property
lending which is normally taken as medium term debt. The repayment profile,
and extent, of this lending is being discussed with our bankers in the context
of the prospective sales referred to above.
The net asset value per ordinary share at 31 October 2000 was 31.3p.
Robert F M Adair
Chairman
27 February 2001
6 6 12
months months months
to to to
31-Oct-00 31-Oct-99 30-Apr-00
£000 £000 £000
TURNOVER
Continuing operations 1,646 1,845 3,869
Acquisitions 305 - -
1,951 1,845 3,869
OPERATING (LOSS)/PROFIT
Continuing operations:
Trading (loss)/profit (358) 605 1,056
Goodwill - amortisation (44) (6) (51)
- impairment losses - - (144)
Acquisitions:
Trading profit 165 - -
Goodwill amortisation (1) - -
GROUP OPERATING (LOSS)/PROFIT (238) 599 861
Share of operating loss on joint venture - (39) (35)
TOTAL OPERATING (LOSS)/PROFIT (238) 560 826
Continuing operations:
(Write down)/net write back of provision (202) - 21
for unlisted investments
Gain on disposal of other fixed asset - - 119
investment
(Loss)/gain on disposal of investment (279) 1 (846)
properties
Negative goodwill release 52 78 1,234
Other income 286 - -
Loan stock redeemed below par - - 303
Net interest payable (1,561) (506) (1,642)
(LOSS)/PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES (1,942) 133 15
BEFORE TAX
Taxation - - 176
(LOSS)/PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBERS OF (1,942) 133 191
PARENT COmpany
Preference share dividend (1) (5) (16)
Proposed ordinary dividend - - (145)
RESULT FOR PERIOD (1,943) 128 30
(Loss)/earnings per share - basic and (4.93p) 3.35p 1.69p
diluted
31-Oct-00 31-Oct-99 30-Apr-00
£000 £000 £000
FIXED ASSETS
Intangible assets
Positive goodwill 444 216 440
Negative goodwill (360) (1,244) (355)
84 (1,028) 85
Tangible assets
Investment properties 67,043 15,895 46,996
Other 69 186 80
67,112 16,081 47,076
Investments
Joint venture - share of gross assets 48 91 48
- share of gross liabilities (36) (79) (36)
12 12 12
Other 1,046 101 440
1,058 113 452
68,254 15,166 47,613
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 1,591 1,441 2,990
Cash at bank and in hand 835 353 979
2,426 1,794 3,969
CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one
year
Borrowings 12,376 828 5,770
Other creditors 2,972 1,035 2,204
15,348 1,863 7,974
NET CURRENT liabilities (12,922) (69) (4,005)
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 55,332 15,097 43,608
CREDITORS: amounts falling due after more (37,072) (14,997) (32,291)
than one year
18,260 100 11,317
CAPITAL AND RESERVES
Called up share capital 1,909 228 775
Deferred consideration 193 193 193
Share premium account 8,631 653 698
Revaluation reserve - investment properties 1,747 320 1,994
- other 97 - 97
Capital redemption reserve 30 - 9
Merger reserve 9,100 858 9,282
Preference dividend reserve - 22 -
Profit and loss account (3,447) (2,174) (1,731)
18,260 100 11,317
6 6 12
months months months
to to to
31-Oct-00 31-Oct-99 30-Apr-00
£000 £000 £000
(Loss)/profit attributable to members (1,942) 133 191
of the parent company
Unrealised surplus on revaluation of - 320 1,994
properties
Unrealised surplus on revaluation of - - 97
unlisted investments
Total recognised gains and losses (1,942) 453 2,282
relating to period
GROUP RECONCILIATION OF SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS
6 months 6 months 12 months
to to to
31-Oct-00 31-Oct-99 30-Apr-00
£000 £000 £000
Total recognised gains and losses (1,942) 453 2,282
Preference share dividend (1) - (16)
Proposed ordinary share dividend - - (145)
New ordinary shares issued 503 865 584
Share premium arising on new ordinary 8,584 - 45
shares issued
Merger reserve arising on new ordinary - - 9,832
shares issued
Fair value adjustment to merger reserve (181) - -
Redemption of preference share capital (20) - (30)
Release of preference dividend reserve - - (17)
Total movements during the year 6,943 1,318 12,535
Opening shareholders' funds 11,317 (1,218) (1,218)
Closing shareholders' funds 18,260 100 11,317
BASIS OF PREPARATION
The interim financial statements are unaudited and do not constitute statutory
accounts as defined in Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. These
statements have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out
in the Group's 2000 Annual Report and Accounts and were approved by the board
of directors on 27 February 2001. Financial statements for the year ended 30
April 2000 are abridged statements; full accounts with an unqualified audit
report have been lodged with the Registrar of Companies.
(LOSS)/EARNINGS PER ORDINARY SHARE
The calculation of basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per ordinary share is
based on the following:
6 months 6 months 12 months
to to to
31-Oct-00 31-Oct-99 30-Apr-00
£000 £000 £000
(Deficit)/profit (1,942) 133 191
Preference dividend (1) (5) (16)
(1,943) 128 175
The weighted average number of
ordinary shares
in issue during the period:
Basic 39,447,227 3,825,512 10,361,954
Dilutive potential ordinary shares - 120 -
arising from
share option schemes
39,447,227 3,825,632 10,361,954
HALF-YEARLY REPORT
The half-yearly report will be posted to shareholders on or about 27 February
2001 and copies will be available from the Company Secretary, CapitalTech plc,
James Sellars House, 144 West George Street, Glasgow, G2 2HG.
INDEPENDENT REVIEW REPORT TO CAPITALTECH PLC
Introduction
We have been instructed by the company to review the financial information set
out on pages 3 to 6 and we have read the other information contained in the
interim report and considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements
or material inconsistencies with the financial information.
Directors' responsibilities
The interim report, including the financial information contained therein, is
the responsibility of, and has been approved by the directors. The Listing
Rules of the Financial Services Authority require that the accounting policies
and presentation applied to the interim figures should be consistent with
those applied in preparing the preceding annual accounts except where any
changes, and the reasons for them, are disclosed.
Review work performed
We conducted our review in accordance with guidance contained in Bulletin 1999
/4 issued by the Auditing Practices Board. A review consists principally of
making enquiries of management and applying analytical procedures to the
financial information and underlying financial data and based thereon,
assessing whether the accounting policies and presentation have been
consistently applied unless otherwise disclosed. A review excludes audit
procedures such as tests of controls and verification of assets, liabilities
and transactions. It is substantially less in scope than an audit performed
in accordance with Auditing Standards and therefore provides a lower level of
assurance than an audit. Accordingly we do not express an audit opinion on
the financial information.
Review conclusion
On the basis of our review we are not aware of any material modifications that
should be made to the financial information as presented for the six months
ended 31 October 2000.
Ernst & Young
Glasgow
27 February 2001
END