Final Results
Fiske PLC
27 August 2004
Fiske plc - Preliminary Results for the year ended 31 May 2004
Chairman's Statement
As reported in our Interim Statement issued in February 2004, the results
achieved in the six months to 30 November 2003 showed a welcome return to
profitability. However, whilst the second half started reasonably well, the
caution we expressed at the interim stage proved to be well founded. Levels of
business have remained static with the result that our profit for the year did
not come up to earlier expectations.
Profit before tax for the year ended 31 May 2004 was £466,000 as compared with a
loss in the previous year of £793,000. Profit after tax amounted to £317,000 as
compared with a loss in the previous year of £664,000. The profit is stated
after provisions of £150,000 have been made for the amortisation of goodwill. As
at 31 May 2004 our shareholding in the London Stock Exchange was 50,000 ordinary
shares, which is carried in our Balance Sheet at nil cost.
Management continues to focus on cost control and it is reassuring to note that
in a people business like ours, we have been able to hold increases in staff
costs to less than 1% and other operating costs to just over 3%.
The Board has always been conscious of the importance of a strong and liquid
balance sheet with the advantages this gives to a company to come through
difficult times. For the six month period to 30 November 2003 we declared a
dividend of a higher proportion of the total annual dividend than hitherto. On
this occasion we believe it appropriate to recommend to shareholders a final
dividend of 2p per share, being equal to the interim dividend.
As last year, shareholders may elect to receive their final dividend by way of a
scrip dividend of Fiske shares in lieu of cash. Shareholders eligible to receive
their dividend by way of scrip will be sent an election form during the week
beginning 20 September 2004.
In our Interim Statement I referred to the appointment of Mr Martin Perrin as an
additional non-executive director. Mr Perrin will be proposed for election at
our forthcoming Annual General Meeting. Also, at that meeting, Mr Philip
Lovegrove, who joined us as an executive director in June 2002, following our
acquisition of Ionian, will be proposed for re-election.
I shall be retiring from the Board as its Chairman and as a non-executive
director at the end of September 2004. I feel privileged to have been associated
with the company over the past four and a half years, particularly in its
transition from a private company to one quoted on the London Stock Exchange AIM
market. The company has an enthusiastic and hard working management team and I
take the opportunity to thank them for all their support during my term of
office.
It gives me much pleasure to report that Mr Michael Allen, who joined us as a
non-executive director in November 2002, has agreed to succeed me and I wish him
every success in his future role.
The current year has not yet shown any positive signs of improvement in levels
of business. The Stock Market continues to be volatile, largely due to a number
of factors that influence the wish to invest and which are currently adversely
affecting confidence levels. These include rising interest rates, company
pension fund deficits, oil prices and global uncertainty over terrorist attacks.
It is not surprising therefore that the public is generally becoming more
cautious. However, we have traded profitably so far in the current financial
year.
G Maitland Smith
Chairman
26 August 2004
Consolidated Profit and Loss Account
Year ended 31 May 2004
Notes 2004 2003
£'000 £'000
TURNOVER
Gross commission and similar income 4,323 2,401
Commission payable (1,207) (649)
Other income 87 82
3,203 1,834
OPERATING COSTS
Staff costs (1,306) (1,295)
Depreciation (65) (102)
Amortisation of intangible fixed assets (183) (161)
Other operating charges (1,346) (1,304)
Goodwill write-off (exceptional) - (395)
(2,900) (3,257)
OPERATING PROFIT/(LOSS) 303 (1,423)
Gain on disposal of fixed asset investment 22 467
Other income from fixed asset investments 23 60
Interest receivable and similar income 126 106
Interest payable (8) (3)
PROFIT/(LOSS) ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE TAXATION 466 (793)
Taxation (charge)/credit on profit/(loss) on ordinary activities (149) 129
PROFIT/(LOSS) ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES AFTER TAXATION 317 (664)
Dividends paid and proposed (330) (220)
Retained loss for the financial year (13) (884)
Retained profit brought forward 788 1,672
Retained profit carried forward 775 788
Basic earnings/(losses) per share 1 3.9p (8.3)p
Diluted earnings/(losses) per share 1 3.9p (8.3)p
Headline earnings/(losses) per share 1 5.0p (6.7)p
Headline diluted earnings/(losses) per share 1 5.0p (6.7)p
All activities relate to continuing operations; there are no recognised gains or
losses other than the profit/(loss) for the current and prior years.
Consolidated Balance Sheet
31 May 2004
2004 2003
£'000 £'000
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 57 86
Intangible assets 806 989
Investments 74 251
937 1,326
CURRENT ASSETS
Market and client debtors 13,447 11,593
Other debtors 158 268
Cash at bank and in hand 4,006 3,276
17,611 15,137
CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year
Market and client creditors (13,808) (11,982)
Other creditors (727) (560)
(14,535) (12,542)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 3,076 2,595
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 4,013 3,921
PROVISION FOR LIABILITIES AND CHARGES - (2)
NET ASSETS 4,013 3,919
CAPITAL AND RESERVES
Called up share capital 2,068 2,001
Share premium account 1,170 1,130
Profit and loss account 775 788
EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 4,013 3,919
Company Balance Sheet
31 May 2004
2004 2003
£'000 £'000
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 57 86
Intangible assets 806 989
Investment in subsidiary 432 432
Investments 74 251
1,369 1,758
CURRENT ASSETS
Market and client debtors 13,447 11,593
Other debtors 158 268
Cash at bank and in hand 4,006 3,276
17,611 15,137
CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year
Market and client creditors (13,808) (11,982)
Other creditors (1,212) (1,045)
(15,020) (13,027)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 2,591 2,110
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 3,960 3,868
PROVISION FOR LIABILITIES AND CHARGES - (2)
NET ASSETS 3,960 3,866
CAPITAL AND RESERVES
Called up share capital 2,068 2,001
Share premium account 1,170 1,130
Profit and loss account 722 735
EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 3,960 3,866
Consolidated Cash Flow Statement
For the year ended 31 May 2004
Cash flow 2004 2003
notes £'000 £'000
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 1 490 (126)
Returns on investment and servicing of finance 2 136 125
Taxation - UK corporation tax repaid/(paid) 131 (16)
Capital expenditure and financial investment 2 171 519
Acquisitions 2 - (572)
Equity dividends paid (273) (378)
Financing 2 75 8
Increase/(decrease) in cash 3,4 730 (440)
Notes to the Consolidated Cash Flow Statement
For the year ended 31 May 2004
1. RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING PROFIT/(LOSS) TO NET CASH
INFLOW/(OUTFLOW) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
2004 2003
£'000 £'000
Operating profit/(loss) 303 (1,423)
Depreciation charges 65 102
Amortisation of intangible fixed assets 183 161
Goodwill write-off (exceptional) - 395
Increase in debtors (1,812) (4,827)
Increase in creditors 1,751 5,466
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 490 (126)
2. GROSS CASH FLOWS
2004 2003
£'000 £'000
Returns on investments and servicing of finance
Interest received 126 106
Interest paid (8) (3)
Dividends received 18 22
136 125
Capital expenditure and financial investment
Proceeds from sale of London Stock Exchange shares - 467
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (36) (21)
Payments to acquire intangible fixed assets - (99)
Purchase of fixed asset investments (159) (504)
Proceeds from sale of fixed asset investments 366 676
171 519
Acquisitions
Cash paid upon purchase of subsidiary undertaking - (430)
Cash paid upon purchase of associate's business - (300)
Cash acquired with subsidiary undertakings - 158
- (572)
Financing
Issue of ordinary share capital 54 5
Premium on issue of ordinary share capital less expenses 21 3
75 8
Notes to the Consolidated Cash Flow Statement
For the year ended 31 May 2004
3. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET CASH
At 1 June Cash At 31 May
2003 flows 2004
£'000 £'000 £'000
Cash at bank and in hand 3,276 730 4,006
4. RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH FLOW TO MOVEMENT IN NET FUNDS
2004 2003
Cash Flow £'000 £'000
notes
Increase/(decrease) in cash in the year 3 730 (440)
Change in net cash 730 (440)
Net funds at 1 June 2003 3,276 3,716
Net funds at 31 May 2004 4,006 3,276
Notes to the Accounts
For the year ended 31 May 2004
1. Earnings/(losses) per share
Basic earnings/(losses) per share has been calculated by dividing the
profit/(loss) on ordinary activities after taxation by the weighted average
number of shares in issue during the year. Diluted earnings/(losses) per share
is basic earnings/(losses) per share adjusted for the effect of conversion into
fully paid shares of the weighted average number of share options during the
year.
Headline earnings and losses per share have been calculated in accordance with
the definition in the Institute of Investment Management Research ('IIMR')
Statement of Investment Practice No. 1, 'The Definition of IIMR Headline
Earnings', in order to take out the exceptional gain arising on disposal of
certain fixed asset investments, as follows:
Diluted Diluted
31 May 2004 Basic eps Headline eps Basic eps Headline eps
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 317 317 317 317
Add: Goodwill written off after taxation - 105 - 105
Less: Exceptional gain on disposal of fixed asset
investment after tax - (15) - (15)
Add: Adjustment to reflect impact of dilutive share options - - 3 3
Earnings 317 407 320 410
Number of shares (000s) 8,167 8,167 8,250 8,250
Earnings per share (pence) 3.9 5.0 3.9 5.0
Diluted Diluted
31 May 2003 Basic eps Headline eps Basic eps Headline eps
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Loss on ordinary activities after taxation (664) (664) (664) (664)
Add: Goodwill written off after taxation - 520 - 520
Less: Exceptional gain on disposal of fixed asset
investment after tax - (390) - (390)
Losses (664) (534) (664) (534)
Number of shares (000s) 7,983 7,983 7,983 7,983
Losses per share (pence) (8.3) (6.7) (8.3) (6.7)
31 May 2004 31 May 2003
Number of shares (000s):
Weighted average number of shares 8,167 7,983
Dilutive effect of share option schemes 83 -
8,250 7,983
2. Final Dividend
The final dividend of 2p per share will be paid, subject to shareholder
approval, on 19 October 2004 to shareholders on the share register on 10
September 2004. The shares will go ex-dividend on 8 September 2004. A scrip
dividend alternative is being offered to eligible shareholders in respect of
this final dividend.
The above results for the year ended 31 May 2004 are an abridged version of the
Group's audited statutory financial statements which have not yet been filed
with the Registrar of Companies. The balance sheet and profit and loss account
do not constitute statutory financial statements within the meaning of Section
240 of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended). These statements have been prepared
on a consistent basis with the accounting policies as stated in the previous and
current years' financial statements.
The results for the years ended 31 May 2004 and 2003 have been extracted from
the financial statements of the company on which unqualified reports from the
auditors have been issued and which in respect of 31 May 2003 accounts have been
filed with the Registrar of Companies.
Copies of this announcement are available from the Group's registered office at
Salisbury House, London Wall, London, EC2M 5QS. The Annual Report and Accounts
will be sent to shareholders on 1 September 2004.
Enquiries:
Clive Harrison (Chief Executive Officer) - 020 7448 4700
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