Interim Results
Judges Capital PLC
15 September 2005
Judges Capital plc
('Judges Capital' or the 'Company')
Interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2005
Highlights:
• Judges Capital announces first results as a trading company
• Encouraging order book at Fire Testing Technology (FTT) acquired in May
2005
• Balance sheet includes cash and short-term debtors of £1.85 million; and
in excess of £1.5 million in cash and securities available to finance equity
element of future acquisitions
• Acquisition of 51% interest in PE fiberoptics in September 2005,
specialists in design and manufacture of instruments to test fibre optic
cables
• Interim pre-tax profits £12,000 (£28,000 before goodwill amortisation)
(2004: loss of £2,000)
• Earnings per Ordinary share: 0.08p (2004: loss 0.1p)
• Directors view the outlook with confidence
Alexander Hambro, Chairman of Judges Capital, commented: 'The order book at FTT
is encouraging and your Board is delighted that the Company's new direction as a
trading group has been founded on a company of the calibre of FTT. Your
Directors therefore view the outlook with confidence.
'As stated at the time of our purchase of FTT your Board has identified the UK
based instrumentation sector, which encompasses almost 2,000 active companies,
as an area that offers significant potential for growth. Against this
background, your Board is continuing to explore further acquisition
opportunities in this field.'
For further information please contact:
David Cicurel, Chief Executive, Judges Capital: Tel: 07771 893 080
Alex Borrelli, Shore Capital & Corporate: Tel: 020 7408 4090
Melvyn Marckus, Cardew Group: Tel: 0207 930 0777
Chairman's Statement
This is the first set of accounts since your Company's change of direction from
an investment company to a trading group involved in the manufacture of test and
measurement instruments. This is also our first six-month period showing
consolidated profits.
On 24 May 2005 your Company completed the purchase of Fire Testing Technology
Limited ('FTT'). As the world leader in its market, FTT is an attractive
business which has doubled its turnover in the space of five years and currently
generates an operating margin in excess of 25%. The purchase consideration was
£3.7 million comprised of cash (£2.3 million), shares (£0.4 million),
subordinated notes (£0.5 million) and earn-out (£0.5 million). This equates to
approximately 4.5 times FTT's operating profits for the year ended 31 May 2005.
In addition we will be paying an excess working capital adjustment of
approximately £0.8 million, which is more than covered by the cash accumulated
in FTT. The cash element and the earn-out have been financed through a £956,000
share placing and a £2.43 million bank loan facility.
Pre-tax profit for the six months to 30 June 2005 amounted to £12,000 (£28,000
before goodwill amortisation). The results benefited from a £45,000 five-week
operating contribution from FTT before goodwill amortisation, while investment
activity largely covered corporate overheads during the period. The Company,
which has been winding down its share portfolio, realised a £226,000 gain on its
investment in Interior Services Group and has made a provision of £150,000
against its interest in SP Holdings. The only significant holdings that remain
are in Poole Investments and Dickinson Legg.
The balance sheet includes cash and short-term debtors of £1.85 million. After
allowing for the aforementioned excess working capital payment, this leaves in
excess of £1 million in cash and £1.5 million in cash and securities available
to finance the equity element of future acquisitions. As stated at the time of
our purchase of FTT your Board has identified the UK based instrumentation
sector, which encompasses almost 2,000 active companies, as an area that offers
significant potential for growth. Against this background, your Board is
continuing to explore further acquisition opportunities in this field.
Since the end of the period we have acquired a 51% equity interest in PE
fiberoptics Limited ('PEF'), a newly formed company that will specialise in the
design and manufacture of instruments to test fibre optic cables; the balance of
the equity being held by senior managers and a US multinational corporation. The
business was purchased from a subsidiary of that corporation which had been
closed down following a sharp contraction in revenues post the exuberance of the
internet bubble. Our maximum investment is £300,000, including a £250,000
secured working capital facility.
The order book at FTT is encouraging and your Board is delighted that the
Company's new direction as a trading group has been founded on a company of the
calibre of FTT. Your Directors therefore view the outlook with confidence.
I would like to take this opportunity to express, on behalf of the Board, our
thanks to shareholders and employees for their continued support and to extend a
warm welcome to all our new colleagues at FTT and PEF.
The Hon. Alexander Robert Hambro
Chairman 14 September 2005
Judges Capital plc
Interim report and accounts
Consolidated profit and loss account for the six months ended 30 June 2005
Six months ended Six months ended Year ended
30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Continuing Acqui-sitions Total
operations
Turnover - 265 265 - -
Direct costs - (175) (175) - -
Gross profit - 90 90 - -
Administrative expenses (102) (61) (163) (84) (176)
Operating (loss)/profit (102) 29 (73) (84) (176)
Profit on disposal of 226 44 58
investments
Provision against (150) - (100)
investments
Investment income - 24 62
Profit/(loss) on ordinary 3 (16) (156)
activities before interest
and taxation
Net interest receivable 9 14 2
Profit/(loss) on ordinary 12 (2) (154)
activities before taxation
Tax on profit/(loss) on (10) - -
ordinary activities
Profit/(loss) on ordinary 2 (2) (154)
activities after taxation
Earnings/(loss) per 0.08p (0.1p) (7.3p)
ordinary share
Judges Capital plc
Interim report and accounts
Consolidated balance sheet at 30 June 2005
30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004
Notes (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£000 £000 £000
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 60 - -
Goodwill 8 3,946 - -
4,006 - -
Current assets
Stock and work in progress 210 - -
Investments 1 428 1,584 1,702
Debtors 922 27 8
Cash at bank and in hand 1,702 616 296
3,262 2,227 2,006
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year (2,062) (541) (472)
Net current assets 1,200 1,686 1,534
Total assets less current 5,206 1,686 1,534
liabilities
Long term liabilities
Subordinated loan note (500) - -
Bank loan (1,893) - -
(2,393) - -
Provision for deferred tax (23) - -
Total net assets 2,790 1,686 1,534
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital 2 186 118 118
Share premium account 3 2,881 1,695 1,695
Retained loss (277) (127) (279)
Shareholders' funds 2,790 1,686 1,534
Equity shareholders' funds 2,777 1,673 1,674
Non-equity shareholders' funds 13 13 13
2,790 1,686 1,534
Judges Capital plc
Interim report and accounts
Consolidated cashflow statement for the six months ended 30 June 2005
Note Six months ended Six months ended Year ended
30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£000 £000 £000
Net cash outflow from operating
activities 4 (114) (119) (195)
Return on investments and servicing of
finance
Interest paid (1) - -
Interest received 23 14 25
Dividends received - 24 58
Net cash inflow from returns on 22 38 83
investment and servicing of finance
Acquisitions
Purchase of subsidiary undertaking (2,715) - -
Net cash from purchase of subsidiary 580 - -
undertaking
Net cash outflow from acquisitions (2,135) - -
Management of liquid resources
Purchase of investments - (945) (651)
Sale of investments 780 412 413
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from 780 (533) (238)
management of liquid resources
Net cash outflow before financing (1,447) (614) (350)
Financing
Issue of ordinary share capital 956 - -
Expenses paid in connection with share (102) - -
issues
Receipts/(payments) for CFD's 119 526 (57)
Receipts from borrowing 1,880 - -
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from 2,853 526 (57)
financing
Increase/(decrease) in cash in the 5/6 1,406 (88) (408)
period
Judges Capital plc
Interim report and accounts
Notes to the interim accounts
1. Investments
Historical Period end value
cost Stock market Directors' Total
valuation valuation
£000 £000 £000 £000
Unquoted investments 169 - 66 66
Quoted investments 509 369 - 369
Less: provision against investments (250) - - -
428 369 66 435
2. Share capital
At 30 June 2005 At 30 June 2004 At 31 December 2004
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£000 £000 £000
Authorised:
10,000,000 ordinary shares of 5p 500 500 500
each
5,000,000 convertible redeemable 50 50 50
shares of 1p each
550 550 550
Allotted and called up:
3,462,356 (2004: 2,106,356) 173 105 105
ordinary shares of 5p each,
fully paid
5,000,000 convertible redeemable 13 13 13
shares of 1p quarter paid
186 118 118
On 24 May 2005, 956,000 ordinary 5p shares were issued by way of a placing for
consideration of £956,000, and on the same date, 400,000 ordinary 5p shares were
issued as part of the consideration in respect of the acquisition of shares in
FTT.
3. Share premium account
At 30 June 2005 At 30 June 2004 At 31 December 2004
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£000 £000 £000
Balance 2,881 1,695 1,695
On 24 May 2005 1,356,000 ordinary shares were issued at a premium of 95p
resulting in an increase in share premium of £1,185,935, after £102,265 of
placing costs.
4. Reconciliation of operating loss to net cash outflow from operating
activities
At 30 June 2005 At 30 June 2004 At 31 December
2004
(unaudited) (unaudited)
(audited)
£000 £000 £000
Operating loss (73) (84) (176)
Increase in debtors (225) (8) (4)
Increase/(decrease) in (27) (15)
creditors within one year
132
Decrease in stock 33 - -
Amortisation of goodwill 16 - -
Depreciation 3 - -
Net cash outflow from (114) (119) (195)
operating activities
5. Analysis of net funds
31 December 2004 Cashflow Debt 30 June 2005
£000 £000 £000 £000
Net cash:
Cash at bank 296 1,406 - 1,702
Bank loan - - (1,893) (1,893)
Net funds/(debt) 296 1,406 (1,893) (191)
6. Reconciliation of net cashflow to movement in net funds
£000
Increase in cash in the period 1,406
Change in debt in the period (1,893)
Movement in net funds in the period (487)
Opening net funds 296
Closing net debt (191)
7. Basis of accounts
The financial information for the six months to 30 June 2005 is unaudited and
has been prepared on the basis of the Company's adopted accounting policies.
This financial information, together with the comparative information, does not
constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act
1985.
The financial information for the year ended 31 December 2004 has been extracted
from the statutory accounts to that date which have been reported on by the
company's auditors and delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditors'
report was unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 237(2) or
(3) of the Companies Act 1985.
8. Acquisition of Fire Testing Technology Limited
Book value of assets & Fair value Total
liabilities at the date of adjustments
acquisition
£000 £000 £000
Fixed assets 335 (272) 63
Current Assets 1,512 - 1,512
Current Liabilities (453) - (453)
Long Term Liabilities (23) - (23)
Total net assets at date of 1,371 (272) 1,099
acquisition
Consideration paid 5,061 - 5,061
including acquisition costs
Goodwill arising on 3,690 272 3,962
acquisition
Less: Amortisation in period (16)
Net book value at 30 June 2005 3,946
The balance sheet of FTT included £271,684 within leasehold improvements on
premises rented by that Company. The Directors assessed the fair value of these
improvements as having no value in view of the fair market rental being paid by
the Company.
The calculation of the goodwill arising on acquisition of FTT is subject to the
final agreement of certain variable elements of the consideration.
The goodwill is being amortised over a period of 20 years, on a straight line
basis.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange