Interim Results
Begbies Traynor Group PLC
16 January 2006
RNS Release
16 January 2006
Begbies Traynor Group plc
Interim results for the period ended 31 October 2005
Begbies Traynor Group plc, the UK's leading independent insolvency, corporate
rescue and recovery specialist, announces interim results for the period ended
31 October 2005.
Financial and business highlights:
•Turnover increased 29 per cent to £14.2 million (2004: £11 million)
•Operating profit of £2.8 million up by 60% (2004: £1.75 million)
•Profit before tax increased by 90% to over £1 million (2004: £570,000)
•Adjusted earnings per share of 2.5 pence (2004: 1.9 pence)
•Placing of new equity in July funded further expansion
•Interim dividend of 0.5 pence per share to be paid on 17 February 2006
•Entry into the fast-growing 'retail' insolvency market by acquiring W3
Debt Solutions
Ric Traynor, Executive Chairman, said:
'The board remains confident that the group will deliver full year results to
30 April 2006 in line with expectations and looks forward to the challenge of
delivering further growth in shareholder value in the 2006/07 financial year.'
Enquiries, please contact:
Ric Traynor Neil Boom/Dave Pettet
Executive Chairman Gresham PR Ltd.
Begbies Traynor Group plc 020 7404 9000
0161 839 0900
Chairman's Statement
I am pleased to present the Interim Statement of the group for the six months
ended 31 October 2005 and to report that we are continuing to deliver on our
strategy of growth through acquisition and development in our core UK corporate
recovery activity, coupled with expansion of our service offerings into related
professional services.
Activity in the six months to 31 October 2005 was as anticipated, given that the
period represents the less productive and active seasons of the year and set
against a continuing static level of overall market volumes, with turnover
increasing by 29% (over the comparable period in 2004) to £14.2 million. At the
operating profit level, the group's performance in the period, at £2.8 million
(2004: £1.8 million), shows an increase in margin to some 20% as a result of the
ongoing dilution of our fixed central overhead burden. Profit before taxation
was £1.1 million, an increase of 90% over the pro-forma comparable figure.
Adding back the amortisation of goodwill, which we continue to aggressively
apply, this translated into earnings per share of 2.5 pence in the period, an
increase of 36% over the equivalent pro-forma figure for the comparable six
month period.
Conversion of operating profit into cash generation from operations remains
strong and our placing of new equity in July has funded our continuing cash
expenditure on acquisitions, leaving drawdown on group bank borrowing facilities
of £15 million at a modest level of £3.6 million at 31 October 2005. In view of
the strong performance in the period, the board has declared an interim dividend
of 0.5 pence per share, in accordance with our goal of delivery of progressive
shareholder value overall. The dividend will be paid on 17 February 2006 to all
shareholders on the register at 27 January 2006.
During the period, we completed two major acquisitions, MCF in the field of
corporate finance and the Southend-based insolvency practice TGF, on which we
have previously reported. The integration of these two businesses into the group
is progressing well. Together, they contributed some £1.8 million to turnover
and £0.6 million to group operating profit in the period.
In November 2005, the group entered the field of 'retail' personal insolvency
through the acquisition of W3 Debt Solutions. We anticipate that this area of
activity is set for further growth as a result of the substantial increase in
demand for personal debt solutions. Our network of offices and qualified
professionals throughout the UK is now well placed to provide these solutions to
local communities alongside our main focus on the business arena. In addition,
we have recently welcomed general insolvency practitioners in Stoke and Halifax
into the group. The benefits of these developments will be seen in the second
half of this financial year and beyond.
Looking forward, our planned programme of consolidation of independent
specialist insolvency service providers and outreach into wider service
provision continues, with a number of possible additions to the group currently
in the pipeline. There are early signs that the business insolvency market may
see a cyclical upturn this calendar year, but this is yet to translate into an
increase in formal appointments.
The board remains confident that the group will deliver full year results to 30
April 2006 in line with expectations and looks forward to the challenge of
delivering further growth in shareholder value in the 2006/07 financial year.
Ric Traynor
16 January 2006
Begbies Traynor Group plc
Interim Financial Statement 31 October 2005
Group Profit and Loss Accounts
Unaudited Pro-forma Pro-forma
6 months to 6 months to Year to
31 Oct 2005 31 Oct 2004 30 April 2005
£'000s £'000s £'000s
Turnover 14,205 11,005 24,705
Movement in work in progress (544) 465 529
---------- -------- ---------
Value of work done 13,661 11,470 25,234
Direct costs (6,632) (5,708) (11,963)
Administrative expenses (4,259) (4,093) (8,655)
Other operating income 40 88 156
---------- -------- ---------
Operating profit 2,810 1,757 4,772
Amortisation of goodwill (1,495) (879) (2,020)
Interest payable and
similar charges (233) (308) (481)
Pre acquisition profits - (342) (342)
(note 1) ---------- -------- ---------
Profit before taxation 1,082 228 1,929
Tax on profits on ordinary
activities (note 1) (476) (89) (618)
---------- -------- ---------
Earnings on ordinary activities 606 139 1,311
Dividends (402) - (330)
---------- -------- ---------
Retained earnings 204 139 981
---------- -------- ---------
---------- -------- ---------
Earnings per share - in pence
(note 2)
Basic 0.9 0.7 2.6
Adjusted 2.5 1.9 5.0
Notes
1. Taxation
Profits up to 30 September 2005, which accrued to the former owners of firms in
the group have been deducted in arriving at the pro-forma profit before taxation
in the 6 months to 31 October 2004. Taxation charges are estimated at the
group's estimated tax rate of 32% after taking credit (at 30%) for allowable
goodwill amortisation.
2. Earnings per Share
Basic earnings per share are arrived at by dividing the profit attributable to
ordinary shareholders in the 6 months to 31 October 2005 by the weighted average
number of shares in issue in that period (69,557,309).
Comparative earnings per share are shown on a pro-forma basis to include all
profits in the respective periods and appropriate weighted average numbers of
shares notionally in issue.
Adjusted earnings per share add back to earnings the after tax cost of goodwill
amortisation.
Begbies Traynor Group plc
Interim Financial Statement 31 October 2005
Consolidated Balance sheets
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
At 31 Oct At 31 Oct At 30 April
2005 2004 2005
£'000s £'000s £'000s
Fixed Assets
Goodwill on group formation 23,418 23,418 23,418
Goodwill on acquisitions 13,150 4,559 4,230
Intellectual property 187 187 187
--------- -------- ---------
36,755 28,164 27,835
Tangible assets 3,324 2,157 2,526
--------- -------- ---------
40,079 30,321 30,361
--------- -------- ---------
Current Assets
Work in progress 1,802 1,207 2,036
Debtors 11,768 9,125 9,526
Cash at bank and in hand 64 2,131 131
--------- -------- ---------
13,634 12,463 11,693
Creditors falling due
within one year (11,876) (8,965) (10,501)
--------- -------- ---------
Net Current Assets 1,758 3,498 1,192
--------- -------- ---------
Total assets less
Current Liabilities 41,837 33,819 31,553
Creditors falling due
after more than one year (8,969) (8,482) (5,374)
--------- -------- ---------
32,868 25,337 26,179
--------- -------- ---------
--------- -------- ---------
Capital and Reserves
Issued share capital 3,610 3,271 3,271
Other reserves 28,073 21,927 21,927
Profit and loss account 1,185 139 981
--------- -------- ---------
Equity Shareholders' Funds 32,868 25,337 26,179
--------- -------- ---------
--------- -------- ---------
Movements in Shareholders' Funds
Profit for the period
after taxation 606 139 1,311
Less dividends (402) - (330)
--------- -------- ---------
204 139 981
Net proceeds on share issues
On group accretion - 20,166 20,166
On flotation - 5,032 5,032
From acquisition 500 - -
From new equity placing 5,985 - -
--------- -------- ---------
6,689 25,337 26,179
Opening shareholders' funds 26,179 - -
--------- -------- ---------
Closing shareholders' funds 32,868 25,337 26,179
--------- -------- ---------
--------- -------- ---------
Begbies Traynor Group Plc
Interim Financial Statement 31 October 2005
Group Cash Flow Statements
Unaudited Pro-forma Pro-forma
6 months to 6 months to Year to
31 Oct 2005 31 Oct 2004 30 April 2005
£'000s £'000s £'000s
Total operating profit 1,315 878 2,752
Depreciation 336 369 862
Amortisation 1,495 879 2,020
(Profit)/loss on sale of assets 1 (7) 29
--------- --------- ---------
EBITDA 3,147 2,119 5,663
Working capital movements
Work in progress 468 (298) (529)
Debtors (1,077) (1,390) (2,412)
Creditors (1,494) 474 (984)
--------- --------- ---------
Cash inflow from
operating activities 1,044 905 1,738
Returns on financing and
servicing of financing
Net finance charges paid (233) (291) (476)
Former partners accounts repaid - (1,655) (1,655)
Dividends paid (361) - -
Corporation tax paid - - (241)
Capital expenditure and
financial investment
Fixed assets acquired (1,070) (1,379) (2,459)
Fixed assets sold 115 633 758
Acquisitions (5,087) (1,581) (2,281)
--------- --------- ---------
Cash outflow before financing (5,592) (3,368) (4,616)
Financing
Proceeds of share issues 5,985 5,032 5,032
Asset finance raised
- net of repayments 267 609 449
--------- --------- ---------
Movement in net cash 660 2,273 865
Net debt at beginning of
the period (4,222) (5,087) (5,087)
--------- --------- ---------
Net debt at the end of
the period (3,562) (2,814) (4,222)
--------- --------- ---------
Cash at bank and in hand 64 2,131 131
Amount drawn on bank facility (3,626) (4,946) (4,353)
--------- --------- ---------
(3,562) (2,815) (4,222)
--------- --------- ---------
--------- --------- ---------
Status of Financial Statement
The interim results for the 6 months ended 31 October 2005 are unaudited and do
not comprise full accounts within the meaning of s240 of the Companies Act 1985.
Pro-forma unaudited comparative figures for the 6 months to 31 October 2004 and
the year to 30 April 2005 for the underlying group are given to assist readers
of this financial statement.
The financial statement and comparative pro-forma figures have been prepared
under UK GAAP and the accounting policies of the group as set out in its Annual
Report and Accounts 2005, dated 1 July 2005.
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