Interim Results
Concurrent Technologies PLC
08 September 2003
CONCURRENT TECHNOLOGIES PLC
Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2003
PRE-TAX PROFIT UP 31%
Concurrent Technologies Plc manufactures single board computers known as
Multibus II, CompactPCI(R) and VME for high demanding, critical applications in
areas such as defence, aerospace and telecommunications.
* Pre-tax profit up 32% to £351,562 (H1 2002: £267,320) on revenue up 8%
to £4.04m (H1 2002: £3.74m)
* Interim dividend 0.25p per share
* Zero gearing - cash £3.06m (H1 2002 - £2.68m)
* Clear signs of recovery in embedded computer market
* Three new products launched for the telecommunications and defence sectors
Michael Collins, Chairman, commented:
'We believe that the long awaited recovery in the market for embedded computers
is now occurring. The recovery is most evident in the USA which we expect to be
the most significant market for our products in the second 6 months of this year
and into the foreseeable future.
'We expect US defence applications to make a significant contribution to our
sales in the next twelve months even though we anticipate a strong recovery in
our telecommunications business following the earlier downturn in this sector.
There is clear evidence of a requirement for computer systems to handle large
increases in demand for basic telecommunications in developing countries as well
as more sophisticated 3G telecommunications products in developed countries.'
8 September 2003
ENQUIRIES:
Concurrent Technologies Plc Tel: 01206 752 626
Glen Fawcett, Managing Director
College Hill Tel: 020 7457 2020
Nicholas Nelson
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
Operations
The first 6 months of this year has seen improved turnover and profits despite
difficult market conditions in the embedded computer sector within which the
Company operates.
As a result of considerable investment in development over recent years
Concurrent Technologies manufactures a wide range of single-board computers for
many different market areas and applications. We are committed to a programme of
continual product evolvement to add features and improve performance thus
enhancing our competitive position.
We are now manufacturing and supplying a range of embedded computer products
which use Intel(R) or Motorola(R) PowerPC(R) central processing units for the VME bus
architecture while we still continue to develop CompactPCI(R) and Multibus II bus
architectures with Intel CPUs. In addition, the temperature range within which
some of our boards will operate has been extended for use in hostile defence
related environments.
The latest Gulf War has further enhanced the demand for sophisticated
electronics in defence equipment and overall accounted for 42% of our sales in
the first half of 2003, which compares to 38% in 2002 and 16% in 2001. The
defence applications with which we are involved are long term projects and in
most cases we have not yet supplied production quantities.
During the last 6 months we have developed, in our Chicago facility, a fast high
functionality PowerPC computer for which we believe there will be particular
demand in the U.S. defence market. In the UK we have produced a very fast
Pentium 4M board for CompactPCI which operates at low power and is targeted
primarily at telecomms. An even lower power version, using a Pentium M, will be
available for CompactPCI and VME in the coming months. Two new dual-processor
boards have now been released including a very fast version based on Intel(R)
XeonTM processors.
New sales channels have been opened in the Far East and as a result we now
represented in China, Japan and South Korea.
Financial summary
Turnover increased from £3,736,155 in the first half of 2002 to £4,036,489 in
the first half of this year; an increase of 8.0%. The consolidated pre-tax
profit was £351,562 compared to £267,320 in the same period last year (an
increase of 32%) and £285,575 in the second 6 months of 2002 (an increase of
23%).
We expect our performance in the second half of the year to continue to improve.
At 30th June 2003 cash at Bank and in hand was £3.06m, and we had no borrowings.
Interim Dividend
The outlook for our business continues to improve and consequently your Board
has resolved to pay an interim dividend of 0.25 pence per share. The cost of
this dividend to the company will be £181,750. The ex dividend date for the
interim dividend is 24 September 2003, the record date is 26 September and
payment will be made on 24 October 2003. The Board's current intention is to pay
a final dividend in April 2004
Outlook
We believe that the long awaited recovery in the market for embedded computers
is now occurring. The recovery is most evident in the U.S.A. which we expect to
be the most significant market for our products in the second 6 months of this
year and into the foreseeable future. We expect U.S. defence applications to
make a significant contribution to our sales in the next twelve months even
though we anticipate a strong recovery in our telecommunications business
following the earlier downturn in this sector. There is clear evidence of a
requirement for computer systems to handle large increases in demand for basic
telecommunications in developing countries as well as more sophisticated 3G
telecommunications products in developed countries.
The systems which supply the enhanced functionality provided by new generations
of telecoms systems need embedded computers such as ours to relay the large
quantities of data required to transmit voice, text and pictures. Computers such
as ours are also needed to monitor network traffic, to overlay video and to test
the quality of voice calls and the functionality of the telecoms systems
themselves.
Consolidated Trading Results
For six months ended 30 June 2003
Restated
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
six months six months year ended
30/6/03 30/6/02 31/12/02
£ £ £
Turnover 4,036,489 3,736,155 7,537,452
Profit on ordinary activities before 351,562 267,320 552,895
taxation
Taxation on profit on ordinary 85,609 46,497 96,169
activities
Profit for the period 265,953 220,823 456,726
Dividend 181,750 - 254,450
Retained profit for the period 84,203 220,823 202,276
Basic and diluted earnings per share 0.37p 0.30p 0.63p
Basic and diluted earnings per share 0.39p 0.33p 0.67p
excluding amortisation of goodwill
Consolidated Balance Sheet
at 30 June 2003
Restated
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
30/6/03 30/6/02 31/12/02
FIXED ASSETS £ £ £
Goodwill 181,201 195,724 200,224
Tangible assets 603,099 581,078 559,764
784,300 776,802 759,988
CURRENT ASSETS
Stocks and work in progress 1,025,153 1,187,318 1,111,317
Debtors 1,701,323 1,981,772 1,869,807
Cash at bank and in hand 3,059,813 2,676,343 2,635,225
5,786,289 5,845,433 5,616,349
CREDITORS
amounts falling due within one year 1,219,009 1,283,197 1,094,915
NET CURRENT ASSETS 4,567,280 4,562,236 4,521,434
TOTAL ASSETS LESS
CURRENT LIABILITIES 5,351,580 5,339,038 5,281,422
Provision for liabilities and charges 52,918 49,861 34,876
NET ASSETS 5,298,662 5,289,177 5,246,546
CAPITAL AND RESERVES
Called up share capital 727,000 727,000 727,000
Share premium account 3,405,817 3,405,817 3,405,817
Capital redemption reserve 256,976 256,976 256,976
Profit and loss account 908,869 899,384 856,753
EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 5,298,662 5,289,177 5,246,546
Notes to the Financial Statements
1 The results for the year ended 31 December 2002 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 2002. The
Group adopted FRS 19 (Deferred Tax) during 2002. This has resulted in a
prior year deferred tax adjustment of £64,846 and a decrease in the
taxation charge reported in the six month period ended 30 June 2002 of
£64,028
3 The taxation charge for the six months ended 30 June 2003 is based on the
estimated effective tax rate for the full year.
4 The calculation of earnings per share for the six months to 30 June 2003 is
based on the number of Ordinary Shares in issue of 72,700,012. Comparative
earnings per share for the periods shown are based on the same number of
Ordinary Shares in issue.
In accordance with FRS 14 (Earnings per Share) the diluted earnings per
share amounts are the same as the basic earnings per share.
5 Copies of this report will be sent to shareholders and are available at the
Company's Registered Office.
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