Interim Results
Concurrent Technologies PLC
16 August 2001
Concurrent Technologies Plc
Interim Results for the 6 months to 30 June 2001
Concurrent Technologies Plc, which designs, produces and markets single board
computers known as Multibus II, CompactPCI(R) and VME, announces its Interim
Results for the six months ended 30 June 2001.
O Pre-tax profit for the period £601,056 (2000 H1: £311,837, up 93%)
O EPS 0.54p up 69%
O Turnover for the period was £3.9 million (2000 H1: £3.6m, up 8%)
O Zero gearing, £2.25m cash
O Margins ahead of budget forecasts
O US acquisition - Letter of Intent signed
O Turnover affected by downturn in telecommunications market
O New products successfully introduced
O Growth continues despite slow down in certain areas of the market
O Continued progress in 2001
Michael Collins, Chairman, commented:
'Although we expected the fallout in the telecoms market at the time of our
Preliminary Results announcement in March it has turned out to be sharper than
we initially thought. The effect of the loss of anticipated turnover has,
however, largely been offset by an increase in the gross margin and lower than
anticipated operating costs. However, our reduced activity in the telecoms
sector has meant we currently expect to achieve only moderate growth in 2001.
'We have again expanded the US sales channels and I can now announce that we
have signed a Letter of Intent to acquire a complementary business in the USA.
We expect to see some growth this year and current indications from our
customers and our increased activity in widened markets lead us to believe
that we will see strong growth in 2002. Demand for our CompactPCI and VME
products is steadily increasing and we are starting to attract orders for
production volumes.'
16th August 2001
Enquiries:
Concurrent Technologies Plc Tel. No. 020 7457 2020 (today)
Glen Fawcett, Managing Director Tel. No. 01206 752 626
College Hill Tel. No. 020 7457 2020
Michael Padley / Nicholas Nelson
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
Financial
The turnover for the group for the six month period ended 30 June 2001 was £
3.94m. This was ahead of the turnover for the same period in 2000 although
somewhat behind our expectations at the start of the year, due to the sharp
decline in the telecommunications market. The effect of lower than
anticipated turnover has, however, largely been offset by an increase in the
gross margin and lower than anticipated operating costs. Although we expected
the fallout in the telecoms market at the time of our Preliminary Results
announcement in March it has turned out to be sharper than we initially
thought.
The pre-tax profit for the period was £601,056 compared to £311,837 in the
comparable period in 2000.
Our balance sheet remains strong with no borrowing and over £2.25m cash in
hand at the end of June 2001.
US Acquisition
I highlighted in my statement accompanying the 2000 Report and Accounts that a
priority was to strengthen our position in the US market. We have again
expanded the US sales channels and I can now announce that we have signed a
Letter of Intent to acquire a complementary business in the USA. We are now
undertaking final due diligence and are going through the legal process. If
all goes well, we expect the acquisition to be completed in the fourth
quarter.
We have selected a business which will widen our technology base, increase our
design capability and give us a platform to extend our presence in the US.
Our Markets
Demand for our CompactPCI and VME products is steadily increasing. At the
same time Multibus II remains an important part of the product portfolio and
we expect to sell these in significant volumes for some years. Sales in the
first half of 2001 remained biased towards Multibus II.
The main markets for our single board computers ('SBCs') continue to be
telecommunications, medical imaging and air traffic control, but this year we
have seen new demand for our computers in industrial, scientific research and
defence projects, much of which has come as a consequence of the introduction
of our new product ranges. Many of these projects are supported by government
funding and tend to be unaffected by short term economic factors. We see
telecommunications as an important continuing market for us and although we
expect the market to remain soft this year, we do believe that activity will
revive next year. Our reduced activity in the telecoms sector has meant we
currently expect to achieve only moderate growth in 2001.
Dividends
The Board does not propose to pay an interim dividend
Outlook
We expect to see some growth this year and current indications from our
customers and our increased activity in widened markets lead us to believe
that we will see strong growth in 2002. Our new ranges of products are
starting to attract orders for production volumes and if our expansion in the
US is successful we will have more products to put through our established
sales channels.
MICHAEL COLLINS
CHAIRMAN
16th August 2001
All companies and product names are trademarks of their respective
organisations.
CONSOLIDATED TRADING RESULTS
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
six six year
months months ended
to 30/6/01 to 30/6/00 31/12/00
£'s £'s £'s
Turnover 3,944,858 3,648,557 8,281,083
Profit on ordinary activities before 601,056 311,837 1,186,673
Taxation
Taxation 210,089 80,680 348,856
Profit on ordinary activities after 390,967 231,157 837,817
Taxation
Earnings per equity share 0.54p 0.32p 1.16p
Notes:
1. The results for the year ended 31 December 2000 are abridged from the
Financial Statements for the year which contain an unqualified audit
report and have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.
2. The Consolidated Trading Results have been prepared on a basis consistent
with the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2000.
3. The calculation of earnings per share for the six months to 30 June 2001 is
based on the number of Ordinary Shares in issue of 72,700,000. For the
year ended 31 December 2000 the calculation of earnings per share is based
on the weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue during that
year of 72,410,395.
Fully diluted earnings per share (assuming full exercise of the options
granted under the Share Option Scheme) is not materially different from
figures shown above.
4. Copies of this report have been sent to shareholders and are available
at the Company's Registered Office.