Final Results
Carr's Milling Industries PLC
13 November 2006
CARR'S MILLING INDUSTRIES PLC - PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT
Carr's, (CRM.L) the Cumbria-based agriculture, food and engineering group,
announces an eighth successive annual increase in both adjusted pre-tax profit
and adjusted basic earnings per share in the 52 weeks ended 2 September 2006.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
* Revenue increased by 26.3% to £242.6m, partially due to the inclusion for
the full year of the Pye animal feed business acquired by an associate in
July 2005 and of the Meneba flour business acquired in November 2004.
* Adjusted pre-tax profit+ was up 9.2% at £7.3m.
* Adjusted basic earnings per share+ rose 17.3% to 59.7p.
* Cash generated from operations totalled £11.1m (2005: £6.7m), up 66.1%.
* Reflecting the Group's progressive dividend policy, its good performance
and the strength of its business, the Board is proposing an increase in the
final dividend per share of 13.6% to 12.5p, making a total for the year of
18.0p, up 12.5%.
+ Adjusted excludes non-recurring items, the write-back of negative goodwill and
the amortisation of intangible assets, but includes share of profit in associate
and joint ventures.
COMMERCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
* Agriculture achieved an operating profit of £5.0m (2005: £5.9m) on revenue
of £174.5m (2005: £132.7m). Agriculture's UK market place was even more
challenging than last year. Although the Group took decisive action to
rationalise its expanded compound and blended feed operations, manufacturing
capacity in its trading area of the North West of England and South West of
Scotland remains in excess of demand. Fertiliser profits slightly reduced,
but feed blocks in the UK and the USA again increased their profit.
* Food increased its operating profit before non-recurring items to £3.3m
(2005: £2.3m) on revenue of £55.7m (2005: £48.0m). In a more favourable
market for flour, all three mills - at Silloth (Cumbria), Kirkcaldy (Fife)
and Maldon (Essex) - worked near capacity throughout the year. Higher margin
speciality flours are performing particularly well. The Kirkcaldy and Maldon
mills acquired from Meneba benefited from a full year's trading and the
greater efficiencies implemented since acquisition.
* Engineering profit totalled £1.1m (2005: £0.8m, before the gain on
disposal of property of £4.1m) on revenue of £12.2m (2005: £11.2m). During
the year, Bendalls, which is much the largest of the Group's three
engineering businesses, successfully completed a £2.5m contract to supply
pressure vessels to the Azerbaijan pipeline.
* During the year, the Group successfully established three Joint Ventures:
Bibby Agriculture in Wales; Crystalyx Products in Oldenburg (North West
Germany); and Afgritech in Langwathby (Cumbria).
Richard Inglewood, Chairman stated, 'Commercially, the year was significant for
the successful integration of the previous year's two substantial acquisitions
in the important areas of animal feed and flour and for the establishment by
Agriculture, which remains much the largest of the Group's three Divisions, of
three joint ventures - in Wales, Germany and England.'
With regard to prospects, Lord Inglewood added 'Market conditions for
Agriculture are not getting any easier with the low farm gate milk price and
again long delays expected in the settlement by DEFRA of the Single Farm Payment
with respect to the previous harvest year. The massive increase in wheat prices,
combined with high-energy costs, will make it a tough year for Food. Engineering
made good progress this year in improving its underlying result, but this is
unlikely to be repeated in the current year. Given these trading environments,
to achieve a ninth successive annual increase in adjusted profit before tax will
be challenging, despite the greater strength of the business and Carr's track
record in successfully combating adverse conditions.'
Lunchtime Presentation:
Today, Monday 13 November, from 13:00 to 14.00, Carr's will be presenting to
brokers' analysts and private client brokers over a sandwich lunch, at the
offices of Bankside Consultants,
1 Frederick's Place, London EC2R 8AE. Those wishing to attend are asked to
notify Bankside Consultants.
Enquiries:
Carr's Milling Industries plc 01228-554 600
Chris Holmes (Chief Executive Officer)
Ron Wood (Finance Director)
Bankside Consultants Limited
Charles Ponsonby 020-7367 8851
charles.ponsonby@bankside.com
Ian Payne 020-7367 8853
ian.payne@bankside.com
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
It gives me great satisfaction to report to Shareholders that Carr's has once
again raised to record levels both adjusted pre-tax profit, with a 9.2% increase
to £7.3 million, and adjusted earnings per share, with a 17.3% increase to
59.7p. Both represent an eighth successive annual increase. Commercially, the
year was significant for the successful integration of the previous year's two
substantial acquisitions in the important areas of animal feed and flour and for
the establishment by Agriculture, which remains much the largest of the Group's
three Divisions, of three joint ventures - in Wales, Germany and England.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The annual figures have, for the first time, been prepared under International
Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') and those for 2005 have been restated on
a comparable basis.
Revenue in the 52 weeks to 2 September 2006 rose 26.3% to £242.6 million (53
weeks to 3 September 2005: £192.1 million), partially due to the inclusion for
the full year of the Pye animal feed business acquired by an associate in July
2005 and of the Meneba flour business acquired in November 2004. Profit before
tax was £6.3 million (2005 : £10.4 million).
Profit before tax excluding non-recurring items (principally the £4.1 million
gain on disposal of the Bendall's engineering factory in the previous year) and
amortisation of intangibles increased by 9.2% to £7.3 million (2005: £6.7
million). Adjusted basic earnings per share, on a similar basis, rose 17.3% to
59.7p (2005: 50.9p).
Operating cash flow in the year was strong. Cash generated from operations of
£11.1 million compared with £6.7 million in the previous year. Net debt reduced
to £13.9 million (2005: £14.9 million), representing gearing of 68.3% (2005:
73.9%). More importantly, the net interest charge of £1.0 million (2005: £1.2
million) was covered 7.9 times (2005: 6.7 times) by adjusted Group operating
profit.
DIVIDENDS
Reflecting the Group's progressive dividend policy, its good performance and the
strength of its business, the Board is proposing an increase in the final
dividend of 13.6% to 12.5p per share.
Along with the interim dividend of 5.5p per share, paid in May 2006 (2005:
5.0p), this makes a total dividend for the year of 18.0p per share, an increase
of 12.5 % on last year's 16.0p.
The final dividend, if approved by Shareholders, will be paid on 19 January 2007
to Shareholders on the register at the close of business on 15 December 2006.
Shares will trade ex-dividend on 13 December 2006.
Dividends per share are covered 3.3 times (2005: 3.1 times) by adjusted earnings
per share.
BOARD
In September 2005 and as reported in last year's Preliminary Announcement,
Alastair Wannop, a significant member of the Cumbrian farming community, was
appointed a non-executive Director, bringing non-executive Directors to three
and independent non-executive Directors to two, and I succeeded David Newton as
Chairman.
As in previous years, the Board reviewed best practice Corporate Governance
policies and procedures and made changes where appropriate to ensure that the
Group remains compliant, to the extent appropriate to the size of the Group,
with the Combined Code.
AGRICULTURE
The Group's Agriculture business comprises, in the UK (primarily in the North
West of England and South West of Scotland), four related activities - animal
feed manufacture, fertiliser blending, agricultural retailing and oil
distribution - and, in the USA and Germany, animal feed manufacture.
Operating profit of £5.0 million (2005: £5.9 million) was achieved on a revenue
of £174.5 million (2005: £132.7 million). This represents a modest, and much
reduced, operating margin of 2.8% (2005: 4.4%), mainly reflecting market
conditions and actions taken to improve for the future the Group's marketplace
for compound and blended animal feed.
United Kingdom
Agriculture's UK market place was even more challenging than last year. In
general, this reflected delays and uncertainty in farmers' receiving the initial
Single Farm Payment (indeed, some payments are still outstanding in respect of
the 2005 harvest year), the low farm gate milk price and higher energy costs.
Further problems specifically affecting the manufacture of compound ruminant
animal feed included the mild winter weather (enabling animals to feed outside)
and substantial over-production, reflecting reduced demand, in the Group's
trading area.
In the latter context, the Group, together with its associate, took decisive
action (as it has often done when faced with adverse conditions). Within months
of the acquisition in July 2005 by the Group's associate company, Carrs
Billington Agriculture Operations, of certain assets of W&J Pye (in
Administration), compound feed mills were closed at Blackburn (Lancashire),
Penrith (Cumbria) and Shrewsbury (Shropshire). This left Carrs Billington
Agriculture with four compound feed mills - at Carlisle (Cumbria), Langwathby
(Cumbria), Lancaster (Lancashire) and Stone (Staffordshire) - and three blended
feed mills - at Askrigg (North Yorkshire), Kirkbride (Cumbria) and Lancaster.
Notwithstanding, manufacturing capacity in the Group's trading area remains in
excess of demand. The rationalisation and integration of the two entities has
gone well, as too has the capital expenditure programme to improve the
efficiency and quality of product at the Lancaster mill.
In March 2006, Afgritech, a joint venture company in which Carr's is a 50%
shareholder, was formed with Afgri, one of the largest South African
agricultural companies. Afgritech has invested £0.7 million in a new plant at
Langwathby to produce by-pass protein for ruminant animals, which will initially
be available exclusively to customers of Carrs Billington Agriculture,
simultaneously increasing labour productivity at that plant. Production will
start next month.
Caltech, which has a plant at Silloth (Cumbria), again increased revenue and
profits from its manufacture of low-moisture feed blocks for the domestic
agricultural livestock and equine market. The successful launch of a new
product, Garlyx, designed to repel biting insects on cattle and horses, will
fully benefit the current financial year.
Bibby Agriculture, the joint venture company formed in September 2005 in which
Carrs Billington Agriculture Sales is a 50% shareholder, has made a good start
selling in Wales animal feed manufactured by its shareholders, fertiliser and
other farming supplies.
Fertiliser, produced at the Group's three blending plants - at Invergordon
(Easter Ross), Montrose (Angus) and Silloth - marginally increased its volumes,
but profits slightly reduced. This reflected a difficult first half and peak
period of March/April, largely as a result of farmers' reluctance to pay
energy-related higher prices. The Group's unique range of
environmentally-protective fertiliser, New Choice, increased both revenue, by
15%, and profit.
Carr's Agricultural Retailing increased both revenue and profits from its 14
branches, operating from Perth in the North to Leek (Staffordshire) in the
South, selling farm supplies. Carr's Machinery distributes new and used
agricultural and groundcare machinery from six of these branches, across the
north of England and in Dumfries and Galloway in South West Scotland. Sales of
Massey Ferguson machinery again exceeded expectations and the increased sales of
parts and workshop services again contributed to the result.
Wallace Oils, which was acquired in April 2005, supplies oils and lubricants to
a broad customer base out of three depots, located at Carlisle, Dumfries and
Stranraer, the latter two in Dumfries and Galloway. In its first full year of
ownership, Wallace Oils performed satisfactorily and began to make inroads into
the Group's customer base.
Overseas
In the US, our subsidiary, Animal Feed Supplement, which produces Smartlic and
Feed in a Drum low-moisture animal feed blocks at mills in Belle Fourche (South
Dakota) and Poteau (Oklahoma), substantially increased its volumes, but profit
margins were lower as a result of further cost increases in the base raw
material, molasses. The installation of a new production line to replace the
1998 production line, the older of the two, at Belle Fourche will be completed
this month without disrupting production.
In Germany, a 50:50 joint venture, Crystalyx Products, was established in 2005
in conjunction with Agravis, one of Germany's largest agricultural companies. In
January 2006, a new low-moisture animal feed plant was commissioned to
manufacture Crystalyx in Oldenburg, North West Germany for the domestic market.
The business has commenced well, breaking into new European markets.
FOOD
Operating profit before non-recurring items of £3.3 million (2005 : £2.3
million) was achieved on revenue of £55.7 million (2005: £48.0 million).
Carr's principal food businesses are Carr's Flour Mills, with a flour mill at
Silloth, and, since November 2004, the two former Meneba flour mills, Hutchisons
at Kirkcaldy (Fife) and Greens at Maldon (Essex). The Meneba acquisition more
than doubled the size of Carr's flour business.
In a more favourable market for flour, all three mills worked near capacity
throughout the year and a price increase was implemented in September 2005,
partially offsetting increases in the cost of electricity and distribution.
Higher margin speciality flours are performing particularly well. Silloth
suffered no repetition of the previous year's three month loss of flour sales to
United Biscuits' factory in Carlisle, as a result of flooding, and increased its
sales to United Biscuits' Tollcross factory outside Glasgow. The Kirkcaldy and
Maldon mills benefited from a full year's trading and the greater efficiencies
implemented since acquisition.
The Carr's Breadmaker range of retail flours continues to sell well, with
listings in three major multiple retailers.
ENGINEERING
Engineering profit totalled £1.1 million (2005: £0.8 million, before the gain on
disposal of property of £4.1 million) on revenue of £12.2 million (2005: £11.2
million).
Engineering comprises Bendalls and R Hind, which are based in Carlisle, and
Carrs MSM, which is based in Swindon (Wiltshire). Bendall's designs and
manufactures specialist steel fabrications for the global petrochemical,
nuclear, renewable energy and process industries. R Hind provides vehicle
bodybuilding and accident repairs for cars and commercial vehicles. Carrs MSM
designs and manufactures master slave manipulators, which are key components for
many industries but notably the nuclear industry.
Bendalls, which is much the largest of the three businesses, benefited from more
efficient working conditions following the move into larger, modern premises in
July 2005. A £2.5 million contract to supply pressure vessels to the Azerbaijan
oil pipeline was successfully completed in the year. The SeaGen next generation
tidal energy device, for which Bendalls has manufactured a part of the
structure, is expected to be delivered to Strangford Lough, outside Belfast, and
connected to the National Grid in January 2007. Prospects for improved orders
from British Nuclear Group at Sellafield are good as its decommissioning
programme progresses.
Of the smaller businesses, R Hind traded satisfactorily, whilst Carrs MSM traded
well, gaining some new customers and entering the current year with a strong
order book.
PROSPECTS
Market conditions for Agriculture are not getting any easier with the low farm
gate milk price and again long delays expected in the settlement by DEFRA of the
Single Farm Payment with respect to the previous harvest year. The massive
increase in wheat prices, combined with high-energy costs, will make it a tough
year for Food. Engineering made good progress this year in improving its
underlying result, but this is unlikely to be repeated in the current year.
Given these trading environments, to achieve a ninth successive annual increase
in adjusted profit before tax will be challenging, despite the greater strength
of the business and Carr's track record in successfully combating adverse
conditions.
Richard Inglewood
Chairman 13 November 2006
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT
for the period ended 2 September 2006
Notes 52 week 53 week
period period
2006 2005
£'000 £'000
Revenue 2 242,576 192,124
Cost of sales (206,658) (161,296)
----------- ----------
Gross profit 35,918 30,828
Net operating expenses (28,802) (18,564)
----------- ----------
Operating profit 7,116 12,264
Analysed as:
Operating profit before
non-recurring items and amortisation 7,987 7,975
Non-recurring items and amortisation (871) 4,289
----------- ----------
Group operating profit 7,116 12,264
Net finance costs (1,011) (1,198)
Share of post-tax profit/(loss) in
associate and joint ventures 218 (697)
----------- ----------
Profit before taxation 2 6,323 10,369
Income tax expense (1,989) (2,557)
----------- ----------
Profit for the period 4,334 7,812
=========== ==========
Profit attributable to minority
interests 139 329
Profit attributable to equity
shareholders 4,195 7,483
----------- ----------
4,334 7,812
=== =========== ==========
Earnings per share 4
Basic 51.0p 92.1p
Diluted 50.4p 90.3p
Adjusted earnings per share 4
Basic 59.7p 50.9p
Diluted 59.0p 49.9p
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF RECOGNISED INCOME AND EXPENSE
for the period ended 2 September 2006
52 week period 53 week period
2006 2005
£'000 £'000
Foreign exchange translation differences
arising on translation of overseas subsidiaries (150) (80)
Actuarial (losses)/gains on retirement
benefit obligation: (3,900) (1,543)
-Group 206 (944)
-Share of associate
Taxation credit/(charge) on actuarial
movement on retirement benefit obligation: 1,170 463
-Group (62) 283
-Share of associate
------------ -----------
Net expenses recognised directly in equity (2,736) (1,821)
=== ===
Profit for the period 4,334 7,812
------------ -----------
Total recognised income for the period 1,598 5,991
============ ===========
Profit attributable to minority interests 139 329
Profit attributable to equity shareholders 1,459 5,662
------------ -----------
1,598 5,991
============ ===========
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
at 2 September 2006
2006 2005
£'000 £'000
Assets
Non-current assets
Goodwill 235 400
Intangible assets 802 1,738
Property, plant and equipment 29,172 28,838
Investment property 794 822
Investment in associate 982 445
Interest in joint ventures 704 172
Other investments 254 255
Derivative financial instruments 37 -
Non-current receivables 208 223
Deferred tax assets 5,162 3,962
---------- ----------
38,350 36,855
---------- ----------
Current assets
Inventories 11,944 12,947
Trade and other receivables 33,546 35,197
Current tax assets 1 87
Cash and cash equivalents 2,292 3,149
---------- ----------
47,783 51,380
---------- ----------
Total assets 86,133 88,235
---------- ----------
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Financial liabilities
- Borrowings (9,682) (10,666)
- Derivative financial instruments (27) -
Trade and other payables (25,387) (29,318)
Current tax liabilities (1,324) (1,581)
---------- ----------
(36,420) (41,565)
---------- ----------
Non-current liabilities
Financial liabilities
- Borrowings (6,512) (7,399)
- Derivative financial instruments - (106)
Retirement benefit obligation (15,796) (12,119)
Deferred tax liabilities (3,600) (3,854)
Other non-current liabilities (1,524) (1,287)
---------- ----------
(27,432) (24,765)
---------- ----------
Total liabilities (63,852) (66,330)
---------- ----------
Net assets 22,281 21,905
========== ==========
Shareholders' equity
Ordinary shares 2,058 2,053
Share premium 5,004 4,977
Equity compensation reserve 22 -
Foreign exchange reserve (230) (80)
Other reserve 1,601 1,632
Retained earnings 11,895 11,613
---------- ----------
Total shareholders' equity 20,350 20,195
---------- ----------
Minority interests in equity 1,931 1,710
---------- ----------
Total equity 22,281 21,905
========== ==========
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
for the period ended 2 September 2006
52 week period 53 week
period
2006 2005
£'000 £'000
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations 11,069 6,663
Interest received 379 95
Interest paid (1,755) (1,195)
Tax paid (2,454) (1,855)
----------- ----------
Net cash generated from operating activities 7,239 3,708
----------- ----------
Cash flows from investing activities
Acquisition of subsidiaries (net of cash
acquired) (3) (10,256)
Investment in joint ventures (710) (172)
Payment of loans to joint ventures (280) -
Purchase of intangible assets (9) -
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and
equipment 192 3,114
Purchase of property, plant and equipment (2,901) (3,396)
Proceeds from sale of investments 1 -
Purchase of investments - (2)
----------- ----------
Net cash used by investing activities (3,710) (10,712)
----------- ----------
Cash flows from financing activities
Net proceeds from issue of ordinary share
capital 32 260
Net proceeds from issue of new bank loans
and other borrowings - 13,668
Finance lease principal repayments (1,047) (804)
Repayment of borrowings (2,487) (1,375)
Dividends paid to shareholders (1,358) (1,136)
----------- ----------
Net cash (used by)/generated from financing
activities (4,860) 10,613
----------- ----------
Effect of exchange rate changes (88) (28)
----------- ----------
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash
equivalents (1,419) 3,581
=========== ==========
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
the year 2,503 (1,078)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year 1,084 2,503
NOTES
1. Basis of preparation
The Group's Preliminary Announcement for the periods ended 2 September 2006 and
3 September 2005 are not statutory accounts within the meaning of Section 240
(5) of the Companies Act 1985. The Company's auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, have made a report under Section 235 of the Act on the Company's statutory
accounts for the year ended 3 September 2005. Such report was unqualified and
did not contain a statement under 237 (2), (3) or (4) of the Act and such
accounts have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.
This is the first period in which the Company has prepared financial statements
under International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS'), and the comparatives
have been restated from UK Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ('UK GAAP')
to comply with IFRS. The effect of the Group's conversion to IFRS has already
been communicated to shareholders in a statement in April 2006. The Company's
accounting policies can be found in the statutory accounts.
2. Segmental analysis
Revenue Operating
profit*
2006 2005 2006 2005
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Agriculture 174,492 132,662 4,954 5,866
Food - normal 55,700 48,004 3,333 2,262
- non-recurring and amortisation (827) 179
Engineering - normal 12,171 11,199 1,055 764
- non-recurring and amortisation - 4,110
Other 213 259 (325) 15
------- ------- -------- ------
242,576 192,124 8,190 13,196
======= =======
Retirement benefit charge (1,074) (932)
=== ===
Share of post-tax profit/(loss)
of 393 (697)
associate
Share of post-tax loss of joint (175) -
ventures -------- -------
7,334 11,567
Net finance costs (1,011) (1,198)
-------- -------
Profit before tax 6,323 10,369
======== =======
*before deduction of retirement benefit charge
It is not possible to allocate the assets and liabilities of the defined benefit
pension scheme across the segments. Therefore, this is shown as a reconciling
item.
3. Non-recurring items and amortisation
2006 2005
Amount Tax credit/ Amount Tax credit/
£'000 (charge) £'000 (charge)
£'000 £'000
Group operating profit:
Cost of reorganising
Food - - (350) 105
division
Profit on disposal of
property, - - 4,110 (719)
plant and equipment
Immediate recognition
of 77 - 1,526 -
negative goodwill
Amortisation of
intangible (948) 284 (997) 299
assets -------- --------- ------- --------
(871) 284 4,289 (315)
Share of post-tax loss in associate
and joint ventures:
Cost of reorganising - - (627) -
associate
Amortisation of
intangible
assets and impairment (129) - - -
of goodwill - joint
venture
-------- -------- -------- --------
Total non-recurring
items and (1,000) 284 3,662 (315)
amortisation ======== ======== ======== ========
Profit before 6,323 10,369
taxation
Non-recurring items
and (1,000) 3,662
amortisation --------- ---------
Adjusted profit 7,323 6,707
before taxation ========= =========
Group operating 7,116 12,264
profit
Non-recurring items
and (871) 4,289
amortisation ---------- ----------
Adjusted Group 7,987 7,975
operating profit ========== ==========
4. Earnings per share
Basic earnings per share are based on profit attributable to shareholders and on
a weighted average number of shares in issue during the year of 8,227,329 (2005
: 8,127,328). The calculation of diluted earnings per share is based on
8,328,566 shares (2005 : 8,285,919).
2006 2005
Earnings Earnings per Earnings Earnings
share per share
£'000 pence £'000 pence
Earnings per
share - basic 4,195 51.0 7,483 92.1
Non-recurring items and
intangible asset
amortisation:
Cost of
reorganising
food division - - 350 4.3
Cost of
reorganising
associate, net
of tax - - 627 7.7
Profit on
disposal of
property,
plant and
equipment - - (4,110) (50.5)
Immediate
recognition of
negative
goodwill (77) (0.9) (1,526) (18.8)
Amortisation
of intangible
asset 948 11.5 997 12.2
Amortisation
of intangible
asset and
impairment of
goodwill -
joint venture,
net of tax 129 1.6 - -
Taxation
arising on
non-recurring
items (284) (3.5) 315 3.9
-------- -------- -------- --------
Earnings per
share -
adjusted 4,911 59.7 4,136 50.9
======== ======== ======== ========
5. Cash generated from operations
2006 2005
£'000 £'000
Profit for the period 4,334 7,812
Adjustments for:
Tax 1,989 2,557
Depreciation 3,419 3,055
Loss/(profit) on disposal of property, plant and 27 (4,199)
equipment
Profit on disposal of investments (1) -
Immediate recognition of negative goodwill (77) (1,526)
Intangible asset amortisation 986 1,029
Net fair value losses on derivative financial 27 6
instruments
Net fair value loss on share based payments 27 -
Net foreign exchange differences 14 19
Interest income (378) (93)
Interest expense and borrowing costs 1,396 1,297
Share of profit/(loss) from associate and joint (218) 697
ventures
Changes in working capital (excluding the effects of
acquisitions)
Decrease/(increase) in inventories 1,003 (1,009)
Decrease/(increase) in receivables 1,903 (6,595)
(Decrease)/increase in payables (3,382) 3,613
-------------------------------- --------- ---------
Cash generated from continuing operations 11,069 6,663
================================ ========= =========
6. Pensions
The Group operates its current pension arrangements on a defined benefit and
defined contribution basis. The valuation under the IAS19 accounting basis
showed a deficit net of the related deferred tax asset in the scheme at 2
September 2006 of £11.1m (3 September 2005: £8.5m). The movement in the current
year arose principally as a result of a reassessment of the mortality rates,
applicable discount rates and inflation rates.
A Group subsidiary undertaking is a participating employer in a defined benefit
pension scheme of the associate. The IAS19 accounting basis showed a deficit,
for that scheme, net of the related deferred tax asset in the scheme at 2
September 2006 of £4.0m (2005: £4.6m). The Group recognises in its balance sheet
approximately 50% of the deficit and deferred tax asset through its investment
in associate.
In the year, the retirement benefit charge was £1,074,000 (2005: £932,000).
7. Analysis of changes in net debt
At 4 Cash Other Exchange At 2
September Non-Cash September
2005 Flow Changes Movements 2006
£,000 £,000 £,000 £,000 £,000
Group
Cash and cash 3,149 (857) - - 2,292
equivalents
Bank (646) (474) - (88) (1,208)
overdrafts -------- -------- -------- --------- ---------
2,503 (1,331) - (88) 1,084
Loans and (9,220) 2,487 (901) - (7,634)
other
borrowings:
- current (6,534) - 894 - (5,640)
-
non-current
Finance
leases:
- current (800) 1,047 (1,087) - (840)
- (865) - (7) - (872)
non-current -------- -------- -------- --------- ---------
Net debt (14,916) 2,203 (1,101) (88) (13,902)
======== ======== ======== ========= =========
8. Reconciliation of movements in shareholders' equity and minority interest
Group Share Share Equity Foreign Other Retained Total Minority Total
Shareholders'
Equity
Capital Premium Compensation Exchange Reserves Earnings £'000 Interest £'000
£'000 Account Reserve Reserve £'000 £'000 £'000
£'000 £'000 £'000
--------- ------ ------- -------- ------- ------ ------ -------- ------ ------
Balance at 2,053 4,977 - (80) 1,632 11,613 20,195 1,710 21,905
4 September
2005
Total
recognised
income and
expense for
the period - - - (150) - 1,609 1,459 139 1,598
Dividends - - - - - (1,358) (1,358) - (1,358)
Equity settled
share- - - 22 - - - 22 5 27
based
payment
transactions
Share options
exercised by
employees 5 27 - - - - 32 - 32
Minority
interest on
increase in
shareholding
in subsidiary - - - - - - - 77 77
Transfer - - - - (31) 31 - - -
========= ====== ======= ======== ======= ====== ====== ======== ====== ======
Balance at 2,058 5,004 22 (230) 1,601 11,895 20,350 1,931 22,281
2 September
2006 ====== ======= ======== ======= ====== ====== ======== ====== ======
=========
9. The Group has taken the exemption provided under IFRS1 : First-time adoption
of International Financial Reporting Standards not to restate comparatives.
Details of the exemptions adopted by the Group can be found in the statutory
accounts.
10. The board of directors approved the preliminary announcement on 10 November
2006.
11. The accounts for the preliminary results for the period ended 2 September
2006 are unaudited. The financial information set out in this announcement does
not constitute the statutory accounts for the periods ended 2 September 2006 and
3 September 2005. The statutory accounts for the period ended 2 September 2006
will be finalised on the basis of the financial information presented by the
directors in this preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the
Registrar of Companies following the Company's Annual General Meeting.
12. The Company intends to post the Report and Accounts to shareholders by 12
December 2006. Further copies will be available upon request from the Company
Secretary, Carr's Milling Industries PLC, Old Croft, Stanwix, Carlisle, CA3 9BA
or alternatively on the Company's website: www.carrs-milling.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange