Interim Results

Northamber PLC 20 February 2003 Northamber PLC Interim Report & Accounts (Unaudited) For Six Months Ended 31st December 2002 Chairman's Statement Results An increase in sales to £119.3 million for the six month period (£118.4 million: 31st December 2001) records a modest uplift in sales revenues and importantly, market share within our volume P.C. related activities. The pre-tax loss of £260k reveals unit volume growth as having been again coupled with still further falls in both price and profit margins. These results represent a loss of 0.58p per share, against the 0.18p of earnings per share of a year ago. Depreciation of £545k reduced the NAV per share to 98.5p, from the 101.9p of 31st December 2001. Although sales at £119.3 million recorded a modest increase over last years £118.4 million, this masked a reasonable improvement in our more specialised activities and a decline in our historic P.C. oriented business. That said, our unit volumes were higher and we believe we have increased our market share. Continued price erosion in the P.C. market has, however, reduced the value of sales and the value of our gross margin per unit fell correspondingly. The results also obscured the improved profit contribution from our specialist areas and the total loss per share of 0.58p against a positive 0.18p in the corresponding period of last year was due to losses in the P.C. business. The improvement in our specialist areas was necessarily accompanied by a commensurate evolutionary growth in their overheads and which distorts the view of the ongoing achievements in overhead reductions in our volume areas. The group remains debt free and had cash as at 31st December 2002 of £3.38 million. Trading Despite ongoing channel consolidation and a high level of unit sales, the period once again demonstrated the manufacturer 's ability to grow unit sales at the expense of both revenue and more especially margin. Following confirmation of the HP merger with Compaq, as previously forecast, we achieved availability and equal trading terms with the pre-merger distributors within the final weeks of the period, which led to increased stock levels and debtor levels as at 31 December. Unfortunately, this also coincided with a further downturn in demand levels for volume PC products in the weeks before Christmas. Over recent reports to members, I advised we had taken steps to significantly reduce costs, and those were successful in our volumes activities. At the full year I reported staff numbers at year-end were 350 against the 415 of a year before. Ongoing changes to the trading model, have enabled further reductions to now 317. We are also continuing to achieve improved efficiencies from fewer operational facilities. However, despite having taken actions to avoid loss, the extent of the downturn and trading difficulties, negated anticipated gains. The higher margin and skills based operations within the digital communications convergence and networking arena have brought us the anticipated incremental trading activities. Whilst not immune from the general economic downturn, with measured and managed evolution within its product offerings, its contribution is less uncertain. There has, however, been a slight increase in group overheads over the comparable period. These relate to structural cost increases to properly support the trading levels and growth expectations from our newer and profitable areas. The Balance Sheet Our £3.38 million of cash at 31st December was accompanied by our ongoing zero debt status, with Net Assets of £32.18 million (2001: £33.12 million), or 98.5p per share. In addition, £28,500 was spent on the re-purchase of 50,000 shares for cancellation. The preserved financial strength, benefited from appropriate, pre-emptive management actions of a year ago. Although the further sales downturn largely dissipated the benefits. The close focus on key ratios avoided a worse outcome within the limited viable trading opportunities available to ourselves. Dividend At the full year, it was necessary to draw attention to the need for dividend policies to reflect trading and ensure our healthy balance sheet is not compromised, pending a return to the cash demands of normal trading levels. We are recommending an interim dividend of 1p net, down from last year's 2.2p. The proposed dividend will be payable on 9th May, 2003 to members on the Register as at 22nd April, 2003 Outlook Within an uncertain and higher taxed commercial economy, any short-term market recovery is unlikely. The extensive consolidations of the past year should provide the I.T. hardware sector with the opportunity to commercially mature from a revenue growth focus, and rebase itself on one based more traditionally on the value of the working capital employed. Your Board is confident, if understandably very cautious, of a satisfactory outcome for the current trading year as a whole. D.M.Phillips Chairman 20th February, 2003 CONSOLIDATED UNAUDITED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT For the six months ended 31st December 2002 6 months 6 months 12 months ended ended ended 31st December 31st December 30th June 2002 2001 2002 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover 119,266 118,410 250,410 Cost of sales (111,359) (110,719) (231,093) Gross profit 7,907 7,691 19,317 Net operating expenses (8,237) (7,770) (19,288) Operating (loss)/profit (330) (79) 29 Exceptional profit on sale of fixed assets in 93 321 continuing operations Interest receivable 79 86 142 Interest payable (9) (20) (36) (Loss)/profit on ordinary activities before taxation (260) 80 456 Taxation credit/(charge) 70 (21) (160) (Loss)/profit on ordinary activities after taxation (190) 59 296 Equity dividends (331) (715) (1,353) Retained loss for period (521) (656) (1,057) Earnings per ordinary share (0.58)p 0.18p 0.91p All operations are continuing. There is no difference between the loss on ordinary activities before taxation and the retained loss for the period stated above, and the historical cost equivalents. CONSOLIDATED UNAUDITED INTERIM BALANCE SHEET At 31st December 2002 31st December 31st December 30th June 2002 2001 2002 Restated* (Unauited) (Unaudited) (Audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Tangible assets 5,988 7,446 6,289 Investments 2,836 2,837 2,837 8,824 10,283 9,126 Current assets Stocks 17,742 16,261 14,590 Debtors 29,776 29,545 27,023 Cash at bank and in hand 3,378 4,555 8,587 50,896 50,361 50,200 Current liabilities Creditors - amounts falling due within one year (26,659) (26,722) (25,743) Net current assets 24,237 23,639 24,457 Total assets less current liabilities 33,061 33,922 33,583 Deferred Taxation (882) (804) (882) Net Assets 32,179 33,118 32,701 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 1,634 1,625 1,623 Share premium account 5,724 5,711 5,711 Capital redemption reserve 151 147 148 Profit and loss account 24,670 25,635 25,219 Equity Shareholders' Funds 32,179 33,118 32,701 Net assets per share 98.5p 101.9p 100.7p *As a result of the adoption of FRS19 the provision for deferred taxation has been restated, resulting in an increase in the provision of £703,000 at 31 December 2001. CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT For the 6 months ended 31st December 2002 6 months 6 months 12 months ended ended ended 31st December 31st December 30th June 2002 2001 2002 (Unauited) (Unaudited) (Audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash flow from continuing operating activities (5,130) 4,804 10,525 Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 79 86 142 Interest paid (9) (20) (36) Income from fixed asset investments 99 87 255 Net cash inflow from returns on investments and 169 153 361 servicing of finance Taxation UK corporation tax paid - (241) (913) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (268) (730) (1,090) Sale of tangible fixed assets 23 190 1,361 Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and (245) (540) 271 financial investment. Equity dividends paid - - (2,015) Cash (outflow)/inflow before financing (5,206) 4,176 8,229 Financing Purchase of shares (29) (193) (214) Issue of shares 26 - - Debt due beyond a year : Repayment of secured loan - (831) (831) Net cash outflow from financing (3) (1,024) (1,045) (Decrease)/Increase in cash in the period (5,209) 3,152 7,184 NOTES 1. The Directors have declared an interim net dividend of 1p per ordinary share ( 2001 - 2.2p ) which will be paid on 9th May 2003 to shareholders on the register on 22nd April 2003. The ex-dividend date for the shares will be 16th April 2003. 2. The tax charge for the six months ended 31st December 2002 has been based on the expected tax rate for the year of 30%. 3. The calculation of earnings per share is based on profits of (£190,000) (2001 - £59,000) on the weighted average number of 32,506,524 (2001 - 32,549,625) ordinary shares in issue. 4. The calculation of net assets per ordinary share is based on 32,675,400 ( 2001 - 32,499,000 ) ordinary shares being the number of shares in issue at the end of the period. 5. The interim financial statements for the six months ended 31st December 2002 are unaudited. They have been prepared on the basis of accounting policies consistent with those adopted for the year ended 30th June 2002. The results for the year ended 30th June 2002 have been summarised for comparative purposes within the meaning of Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The full financial statements for the year ended 30th June 2002 were reported on by the auditors without qualifications or statements under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985 and have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. 6. A copy of the Interim Statement is being sent to all shareholders and is available to the public from the Company's trading office at Namber House, Davis Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 1TT. 7. These interim results were approved by the Board of Directors on 20th February 2003. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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Northamber (NAR)
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