Interim Results
Brooke Industrial Holdings PLC
16 June 2000
BROOKE INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS PLC
INTERIM STATEMENT
For the six months ended 31 March 2000
CHAIRMAN'S INTERIM STATEMENT
As anticipated in my statement in the Annual Report last year, the Group is
now beginning to realise the benefits of two years of continuous
reorganisation, substantial investment in new plant and the acquisition of
Somta Tools. It is pleasing to report that the hard work of management and
staff is now translating into improved trading performance, confirming the
confidence of shareholders, and our bankers and advisers. The Group is now
positioned to take advantage of identified opportunities in world markets, and
a programme of disposal of
surplus assets is under way.
GROUP RESULTS
I am pleased to report an encouraging improvement in the trading results for
the half year. Including Somta Tools, Group first half sales increased by 37
per cent from £12.2m to £16.7m and a pre interest loss of £353,000 was turned
round to a pre interest profit of £484,000 before a charge of £279,000, which
essentially completes the extensive programme of Group reorganisation. This
improved performance was against a background of an uncompetitive Sterling
exchange rate against the Euro.
BORROWINGS
The Group borrowings at 31st March 2000 were £14.6m, an increase of £1.6m over
the position at the end of the last financial year. This primarily reflects
the increased working capital requirement, generated by increased activity
levels and a deferred consideration payment against the South African
acquisition.
DIVIDEND
Whilst the Board is encouraged by current trading and the prospects for
growth, in view of the working capital requirements to support the anticipated
growth, we do not believe it appropriate to pay an interim dividend.
However, if expectations for the year are achieved, we fully expect to be
able to recommend a final dividend.
CUTTING TOOLS
Somta Tools in South Africa was acquired in June last year as a vehicle to new
and larger world markets, and a low cost manufacturing base for volume
production. It is pleasing to report that Somta is achieving the levels of
activity and profitability anticipated.
The restructuring and rationalisation of manufacturing has seen the closure of
two sites in Rotherham and Bradford, with many product lines now transferred
to South Africa, and the establishment of three new distribution centres in
Rotherham, Chicago and Johannesburg.
Throughout the changes the division's customer base has expanded and currently
order books are over 40 per cent higher than at the beginning of the year with
the prospect of attracting greater volumes from mainland Europe as a result of
very recent exchange rate improvements.
Cutting tool sales now account for 51 per cent of total Group sales.
CARBIDE
The extensive programme of investment, to which the Group committed over two
years ago, was unfortunately undermined by low levels of activity in the
carbide wear part industry during 1999. However, during the past six months,
the company has seen significant improvements in activity levels, reversing
the operating loss of the last financial year. The improvement in activity
levels at the Doncaster facility has been coupled with rising productivity, as
the capital investment has demonstrated its value to the business.
METAL PARTS
The metal parts division encompasses both APW manufacturing in Warrington and
the separately managed seven Perfast distribution depots.
APW made encouraging progress in the first half, broadening its customer base
and winning work on many prestigious millennium projects. Although
construction related activity was sluggish the company did achieve first half
expectations through cost control and manufacturing efficiencies.
Perfast continued to under-perform Group expectations in the first half.
However, the implementation of several action plans, coupled with the
appointment of a new Managing Director who has a wealth of experience in
industrial supply, will underpin a return to profitable growth.
SPRINGS
The UK Spring distribution business, serving the automotive after market from
a new refurbished distribution base in Sheffield, has now been consolidated
with Suplex Germany under a single management team. In response to continuing
sales growth in Europe, the German business based in Dusseldorf has recently
increased its warehouse capacity by 66%, to handle the additional volumes, and
is presently trading well ahead of budgeted expectation.
The manufacturing business has now been consolidated on to a single
manufacturing site in Sheffield and progress has been made in the first half
of the financial year in realising the benefits.
DISPOSALS
The Group announced on 17th April 2000 that it had disposed of certain
freehold and leasehold properties now surplus to requirements. The net
proceeds from disposals to date is £478,000, of which £235,000 has been
received since 31st March 2000.
A further freehold property in Bradford, and two leases in Chicago and
Rotherham, are now available for disposal and your Group hopes to be able to
make an announcement concerning these in the near future.
The Board recognises the need to evaluate all strategic proposals for the
Group and investigate options for non core businesses that do not form part of
the Group's plans for growth.
OUTLOOK
The Board and Group management are encouraged by the initial benefits being
realised as a result of reorganisation and investment, and look forward with
confidence, to the second half of this financial year and, in particular, next
year.
John K Dashper
Chairman
CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
For the six months ended 31 March 2000
No Opera- Excep- Un- Un- Audited
te tions tional audite audited year to
before operat- d 6 6 30
excep- ing months months Septem-
tional costs to 31 to 31 ber
operat- March March 1999
ing 2000 1999
costs
£000's £000's £000's £000's £000's
Turnover 2 16,660 - 16,660 12,162 27,775
Cost of Sales (11,847) - (11,847) (9,344) (21,218)
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Gross profit 4,813 - 4,813 2,818 6,557
Distribution (3,058) - (3,058) (2,019) (4,805)
costs
Administratio (1,459) (279) (1,738) (1,152) (2,434)
n expenses ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Operating
profit/(loss)
before
exceptional
operating 296 - 296 (353) (22)
costs
Exceptional
operating - (279) (279) - (660)
costs
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Operating
Profit/(Loss) 296 (279) 17 (353) (682)
Profit on
disposal of
fixed assets 188 - 188 - -
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Profit/(loss)
on ordinary
activities
before 484 (279) 205 (353) (682)
interest
Interest
payable (525) - (525) (230) (641)
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
(Loss) on
ordinary
activities
before (41) (279) (320) (583) (1,323)
taxation
------ ------
Taxation 4 94 167 62
(Loss) on
ordinary
activities
after (226) (416) (1,261)
taxation
Minority
interest - 17 17
----- ----- -----
(Loss)
attributable
to members of
Brooke
Industrial
Holdings plc (226) (399) (1,244)
Dividend - (133) (400)
------ ------ ------
Deficit for
the period (226) (532) (1,644)
------ ------ ------
(Loss)/earnin 3
gs per share (3.0p) (5.2p) (16.5p)
Diluted 3
(loss)/earnin
gs per share (3.0p) (5.2p) (16.2p)
Earnings per 3
share before
exceptional
operating (0.4p) (5.2p) (8.1p)
costs
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
As at 31 March 2000
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
31 March 31 March 30
2000 1999 September
1999
£000's £000's £000's
Fixed Assets
Tangible assets 9,476 6,943 10,028
Current Assets
Stocks 9,967 6,457 9,777
Debtors 10,280 6,981 8,974
Cash at bank and in 260 166 541
hand
------ ------ ------
20,507 13,604 19,292
Creditors: amounts
falling due within one (18,045) (8,360) (14,855)
year
------ ------ ------
Net current assets 2,462 5,244 4,437
------ ------ ------
Total assets less
current liabilities 11,938 12,187 14,465
Creditors: amounts
falling due after more
than one year (3,611) (2,625) (5,903)
Provisions for
liabilities and (223) (175) (244)
charges
------ ------ ------
Net Assets 8,104 9,387 8,318
------ ------ ------
Capital and reserves
Share capital 3,812 3,812 3,812
Share premium 3,867 3,867 3,867
Revaluation reserve 405 405 405
Profit and loss 20 1,303 234
account
------- ------- -------
Shareholders' funds 8,104 9,387 8,318
------ ------ ------
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
For the six months ended 31 March 2000
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
6 months 6 months to year to 30
to 31 31 March September
March 2000 1999 1999
£000's £000's £000's
Cash (outflow)/inflow
from operating (27) (654) (172)
activities
Returns on investments
and servicing of (525) (230) (430)
finance
Taxation (327) (57) (46)
Acquisitions and (474) (5) (2,748)
disposals
Capital expenditure
and financial (168) (498) (2,640)
investment
Equity dividend paid - - (400)
------ ------ ------
Net cash outflow
before financing (1,521) (1,444) (6,436)
Net cash inflows from
financing 2,106 202 4,716
------ ------ ------
Increase/(decrease) in
cash 585 (1,242) (1,720)
------ ------ ------
Reconciliation of operating profit to cash inflow/(outflow) from operating
activities
Operating 17 (353) (682)
profit/(loss)
Loss on disposal of
tangible fixed assets - - 20
Depreciation charge 673 567 1,112
(Increase)/decrease in (190) 225 (112)
stocks
(Increase)/decrease in
debtors (863) (27) (92)
Increase/(decrease) in
creditors 336 (1,066) (418)
------ ------ ------
Cash outflow from
operating activities (27) (654) (172)
------ ------ ------
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt
Increase/(decrease) in
cash in the period 585 (1,242) (1,720)
Cash (inflow)/outflow
from
(increase)/decrease in (2,014) 608 (4,127)
debt and lease finance
------ ------ ------
Change in net debt
resulting from cash (1,429) (634) (5,847)
flows
Net debt acquired with
subsidiary - - (123)
New finance leases (93) (810) (589)
Loan notes issued - - (2,000)
Exchange differences (41) - 10
------ ------ ------
Movement in net debt
in the period (1,563) (1,444) (8,549)
Net debt at beginning
of period (13,041) (4,492) (4,492)
------ ------ ------
Net debt at end of (14,604) (5,936) (13,041)
period
------ ------ ------
NOTES TO THE INTERIM STATEMENT
For the six months ended 31 March 2000
1. The interim results to 31 March 2000 and 1999, which are unaudited, have
been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies adopted in the
accounts for the year to 30 September 1999. The results for the year to
30 September 1999 are abridged from the full accounts for that year, which
contain an unqualified auditor's report and have been delivered to the
Registrar of Companies. The financial information contained in the
interim statement does not constitute statutory accounts within the
meaning of section 240 of the Companies Act 1985.
2. Turnover is analysed as:
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
6 months 6 months to year to 30
to 31 31 March September
March 1999 1999
2000
£000's £000's £000's
Destination
UK 8,821 9,347 17,814
Export 7,839 2,815 9,961
------ ------ ------
16,660 12,162 27,775
------ ------ ------
3. Earnings per share
(Loss)/profit for the
financial year (226) (399) (1,244)
Exceptional items 279 - 660
Tax impact of above
adjustments (83) - (31)
------ ------ ------
(Loss)/profit for the
financial year before
exceptional items (30) (399) (615)
------ ------ ------
No No No
Basic weighted average
number of shares 7,624,506 7,624,506 7,624,506
Adjustment for share
options - 53,703 53,703
-------- -------- --------
Diluted weighted 7,624,506 7,678,209 7,678,209
average number of
shares
-------- -------- --------
(Loss)/earnings per (3.0p) (5,2p) (16.3p)
share
Diluted
(loss)/earnings per (3.0p) (5.2p) (16.2p)
share
Earnings per share
before exceptional (0.4p) (5.2p) (8.1p)
items
4. Taxation has been provided at the estimated effective rate for the full
year.
5. Copies of this statement will be available for members of the public at
the Company's Head Office, Shepcote Lane, Sheffield, S9 1QT.