Interim Results
Renold PLC
11 November 2002
11 November 2002
RENOLD PLC
2002 Interim Results
Precision engineering group, Renold plc, a leading
international manufacturer and supplier of industrial chains
and related power transmission products, automotive cam drive
systems and machine tools and rotors, today announces its
preliminary results for the half year to 28 September 2002.
Summary
- Substantial improvement in profitability, reflecting the
benefit of the actions taken to refocus the Group's activities
and reduce operating costs.
- Turnover at £91.3 million (2001: £97.6 million).
- Pre-exceptional profit before tax* rose 50% to £3.0
million (2001: £2.0 million).
- Profit before tax was £1.8 million (2001: loss £5.1
million).
- Adjusted earnings per share* increased 45% to 2.9 pence
(2001: 2.0 pence).
- Operating cash inflow net of capital spending was £5.2
million (2001: outflow £0.6 million).
- Gearing 32% compared with 42% a year ago and 35% at 30
March.
- Interim dividend unchanged at 1.5 pence.
- Market share increases for the Industrial Chain and Power
Transmission businesses in all regions, particularly in the US
market, despite ongoing depressed market conditions.
- Automotive Systems saw sales rise 21% with order intake up
35%; continuing trend towards chain driven cam drive systems in
the automotive market.
* before goodwill amortisation and exceptional items
Outlook
Roger Leverton, Chairman of Renold plc, said:
'The encouraging improvement in the first half performance
demonstrates the success of the actions which were taken last year
to address underperforming operations and refocus the business.
The Group's core activities, industrial chain and power
transmission products, and chain driven automotive cam drive
systems, have enhanced their position in the market and are well
placed for future development.
'In the short term there is little sign of a return to growth in
our key markets; however assuming conditions do not weaken
further, the second half should continue to benefit from the tight
control on costs and cash management which we have in place.'
RENOLD PLC
Chairman: Roger Leverton
Interim Statement for the half year
ended 28 September 2002
Financial Summary
First half year
2002/2003 2001/2002
£m £m
Turnover 91.3 97.6
Trading profit before goodwill amortisation
and trading exceptional items 4.7 3.8
Profit before tax, goodwill amortisation
and exceptional items 3.0 2.0
Profit/(loss) before tax 1.8 (5.1)
Earnings per ordinary share
- based on adjusted earnings 2.9p 2.0p
- based on reported earnings 1.7p (5.7)p
Interim dividend per ordinary share 1.5p 1.5p
Operating cash flow after capital spending 5.2 (0.6)
Gearing (net borrowings to shareholders'
funds) 32% 42%
RENOLD PLC
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
I am pleased to report that the results for the half year to 28
September 2002 show a substantial improvement in profitability
from the first half of last year. This improvement reflects
the benefit of the actions which have been taken over the last
year to refocus the Group's activities and reduce operating
costs, and has been achieved despite continuing weak economic
conditions in both Europe and North America.
Group results
Sales for the half year to 28 September 2002 were £91.3 million
(2001/2002: £97.6 million), a reduction of 6% at constant
exchange rates. Trading profit before goodwill amortisation
and trading exceptional costs was £4.7 million (2001/2002: £3.8
million), an increase of 24%. Profit before tax (and before
goodwill amortisation and exceptional items) rose 50% to £3.0
million (2001/2002: £2.0 million). Redundancy and
restructuring costs of £0.5 million were charged in the period
(2001/2002: £1.8 million). The tax charge in the period was
£0.6 million (2001/2002: tax credit £1.2 million).
Adjusted earnings per share, before goodwill amortisation and
exceptional items, were 2.9 pence (2001/2002: 2.0 pence).
Cash flow and borrowings
Operating cash flow net of capital spending was strong at £5.2
million (2001/2002: £(0.6) million) reflecting continuing tight
control on working capital, further reductions in inventory
holdings and lower capital spending. This resulted in a net
cash inflow in the first half year of £0.7 million, compared
with an £8.8 million outflow a year ago. Net borrowings at 28
September were £25.7 million compared with £29.1 million at the
year end, as a result of the cash inflow in the period and of a
£2.7 million reduction due to exchange translation. Gearing
was 32% of shareholders' funds compared with 35% at the year
end, and 42% a year ago.
Dividend
The Board has declared an unchanged interim dividend of 1.5
pence. The dividend will be paid on 31 January 2003 to
shareholders on the register on 10 January 2003.
Comment
Power Transmission - Industrial Chain and Power Transmission
The performance of the industrial chain and power transmission
businesses during the first half year was encouraging.
Although sales levels were down on the same period last year,
importantly they showed a marginal improvement over the second
half, reflecting an increasing market share for our core chain
activities in continuing depressed market conditions.
The UK chain businesses continued to benefit from higher sales
from the Bredbury transmission chain factory into the US market
through Jeffrey Chain; domestic turnover was down however, with
the conveyor chain factory at Burton-upon-Trent adversely
affected by low demand for escalator chain products.
In Germany the transmission chain factory also achieved
increased sales into the USA, more than offsetting the effects
of a weaker local economy. Whilst in European markets,
including France, sales were below those of the comparable
period last year, they did not fall as much as underlying
market demand, as the Group improved its competitive position.
Jeffrey Chain in the USA performed well in the first half,
increasing sales against last year, growing market share, and
improving profitability. The Group's other North American
businesses saw sales decline as demand from equipment
manufacturers and, in particular, the steel industry was weak;
however profit levels were maintained as a result of early
action on the cost base.
Australasia and the Far East grew sales, and profitability
substantially improved following the concentration of
manufacturing activities in Australia on to one site.
The UK gear and coupling businesses also produced better
results following the major restructuring programme carried out
last year; these businesses are now clearly focused on
supplying products which enhance the Group's power transmission
product portfolio and leverage our customer relationships and
global sales channels.
We believe that, despite weak market conditions in Europe and
North America, the work undertaken last year to revitalise and
refocus the Group's industrial chain and power transmission
business is succeeding, and that we are winning a greater share
of the industrial chain market.
Automotive Systems
Sales of Automotive Systems rose 21% from the previous half
year, and new order intake rose by 35%. This rapid growth rate
arose from the continuing trend towards chain, as opposed to
belt, driven cam drive systems in the automotive market, and
from the build up in production of new engine programmes
supplied by the Calais site. Investment in new equipment to
accommodate this growth is continuing, however production
efficiencies have not yet reached targeted levels and as a
result planned margins in this business are not yet being
realised.
The Group's technology in this field is recognised as world
class by leading automotive manufacturers; further development
and expansion of the Automotive Systems business is one of our
key focus areas.
Machine Tool and Rotor
The machine tool sector continued to suffer from a general lack
of confidence in manufacturing industries and a consequent low
level of capital investment.
The shortage of major project orders affected the Holroyd
business particularly, and further cost reduction actions were
necessary in the first half. However, new orders were won for
Edgetek superabrasive machine tools which are now produced at
the Holroyd UK factory at Milnrow.
The downsized Jones & Shipman business was successfully
relocated to a new smaller site in Leicester during the first
half year; the sale of the former site is now under way.
Orders for Jones & Shipman grinding machines have held up well
over the period and the advantages of sourcing components
externally from low cost economies are now coming through.
The Group's machine tool activities have undergone major
rationalisation over the last twelve months. Although sales
were substantially lower than the first half of last year, the
loss in this business was reduced. The Holroyd and Jones &
Shipman businesses now have a sound basis from which to go
forward.
Outlook
The encouraging improvement in the first half performance
demonstrates the success of the actions which were taken last
year to address underperforming operations and refocus the
business. The Group's core activities, industrial chain and
power transmission products, and chain driven automotive cam
drive systems, have enhanced their position in the market and
are well placed for future development.
In the short term there is little sign of a return to growth in
our key markets; however assuming conditions do not weaken
further, the second half should continue to benefit from the
tight control on costs and cash management which we have in
place.
RELEASE OF INTERIM STATEMENT
The Interim Statement will be posted to shareholders on 15
November 2002. Copies will be available for the public from
that date at the Company's registered office, Renold House,
Styal Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5WL.
For further information, please contact:
Renold plc
Ian Trotter, Chief Executive : 11 November 2002 - 020 7950 2800
Tony Brown, Finance Director : Thereafter - 0161 498 4500
Issued by:
Weber Shandwick Square Mile
Ben Padovan/Stephanie Smart : Telephone - 020 7950 2800
This announcement and the Analysts' Presentation can also be
viewed on the website http://www.renold.com
Group Profit and Loss Account
for the half year ended 28 September 2002 (unaudited)
First half year Full year
2002/2003 2001/2002 2001/2002
£m £m £m
Turnover 91.3 97.6 190.2
Trading costs
- normal operating costs (86.6) (93.8) (182.4)
- goodwill amortisation (0.7) (0.7) (1.5)
- exceptional redundancy and
restructuring costs (0.5) (1.8) (3.9)
-----------------------------------
(87.8) (96.3) (187.8)
-----------------------------------
Trading profit 3.5 1.3 2.4
Exceptional loss on termination of
operation - (4.6) (4.4)
Interest payable (1.7) (1.8) (3.6)
-----------------------------------
Profit/(loss) on ordinary activities
before tax 1.8 (5.1) (5.6)
-----------------------------------
Tax: UK 0.1 1.4 1.3
Overseas (0.7) (0.2) (0.7)
-----------------------------------
(0.6) 1.2 0.6
-----------------------------------
Profit/(loss) for the period 1.2 (3.9) (5.0)
Dividends (including non-equity) (1.1) (1.1) (3.2)
-----------------------------------
Retained profit/(loss) for the period 0.1 (5.0) (8.2)
-----------------------------------
Adjusted earnings per ordinary share
- based on reported earnings adjusted
for goodwill amortisation and
exceptional items after tax relief 2.9p 2.0p 3.8p
-----------------------------------
Basic and diluted earnings per
ordinary share
- based on reported earnings 1.7p (5.7)p (7.2)p
-----------------------------------
Dividends per ordinary share 1.5p 1.5p 4.5p
-----------------------------------
Group Balance Sheet
as at 28 September 2002 (unaudited)
At At At
28 September 29 September 30 March
2002 2001 2002
£m £m £m
Fixed assets
Intangible asset - goodwill 23.4 26.2 26.2
Tangible assets 52.2 57.2 54.6
----------------------------------------
75.6 83.4 80.8
----------------------------------------
Current assets
Stocks 44.9 51.9 46.9
Debtors 34.9 38.6 38.3
Cash and short term deposits 9.7 5.5 6.4
----------------------------------------
89.5 96.0 91.6
----------------------------------------
Creditors - due within one year
Loans and overdrafts (5.9) (16.4) (9.9)
Other creditors (35.6) (38.5) (41.2)
----------------------------------------
(41.5) (54.9) (51.1)
----------------------------------------
Net current assets 48.0 41.1 40.5
----------------------------------------
Total assets less current liabilities 123.6 124.5 121.3
Creditors - due after one year
Loans (29.5) (25.0) (25.6)
Other creditors (0.6) (0.3) (0.6)
Provisions for liabilities and
charges (12.5) (14.2) (12.6)
----------------------------------------
Net assets 81.0 85.0 82.5
----------------------------------------
Capital and reserves
(including non-equity interests)
Called up share capital 17.9 17.9 17.9
Share premium 6.0 6.0 6.0
Other reserves 57.1 61.1 58.6
----------------------------------------
Shareholders' funds 81.0 85.0 82.5
----------------------------------------
Summarised Group Cash Flow Statement
for the half year ended 28 September 2002 (unaudited)
First half year Full year
2002/2003 2001/2002 2001/2002
£m £m £m
Cash flow from operating activities
Trading profit 3.5 1.3 2.4
Depreciation 4.3 4.6 9.4
Goodwill amortisation 0.7 0.7 1.5
(Increase)/decrease in working capital (0.7) (3.7) 4.9
Other (0.1) 0.3 (1.7)
------------------------------------
Net cash inflow from operating
activities 7.7 3.2 16.5
Servicing of finance (1.3) (1.7) (2.9)
Taxation (1.1) (2.2) (3.5)
Capital expenditure and financial
investment
- purchase of tangible fixed assets (2.5) (3.8) (6.0)
- proceeds from disposal of fixed assets - - 0.5
Equity dividends paid (2.1) (4.3) (5.4)
------------------------------------
Cash inflow/(outflow) before use of
liquid resources and financing 0.7 (8.8) (0.8)
Management of liquid resources
- transfers (to)/from short term
deposits (0.8) 0.5 0.7
Financing
- increase/(decrease) in debt and
lease financing 6.2 (2.0) (1.8)
------------------------------------
Increase/(decrease) in cash in the
period 6.1 (10.3) (1.9)
------------------------------------
Reconciliation of net cash flow to
movement in net debt
Increase/(decrease) in cash in the
period 6.1 (10.3) (1.9)
Cash flow from (increase)/decrease
in debt and lease financing (6.2) 2.0 1.8
Cash flow from increase/(decrease)
in liquid resources 0.8 (0.5) (0.7)
------------------------------------
Change in net debt resulting from
cash flows 0.7 (8.8) (0.8)
Exchange translation difference 2.7 1.1 -
------------------------------------
Movement in net debt in the period 3.4 (7.7) (0.8)
Net debt at beginning of period (29.1) (28.3) (28.3)
------------------------------------
Net debt at end of period (25.7) (36.0) (29.1)
------------------------------------
Other Group Statements
Statement of total recognised gains and losses
First half year Full year
2002/2003 2001/2002 2001/2002
£m £m £m
Profit/(loss) for the period 1.2 (3.9) (5.0)
Exchange translation differences on
foreign currency net investments (1.6) (0.9) (0.2)
------------------------------------
Total recognised gains and losses (0.4) (4.8) (5.2)
------------------------------------
Reconciliation of movements in shareholders' funds
First half year Full year
2002/2003 2001/2002 2001/2002
£m £m £m
Profit/(loss) for the period 1.2 (3.9) (5.0)
Dividends (1.1) (1.1) (3.2)
-------------------------------------
Retained profit/(loss) for the period 0.1 (5.0) (8.2)
Exchange translation differences on
foreign currency net investments (1.6) (0.9) (0.2)
Goodwill resurrected on termination - 1.6 1.6
-------------------------------------
Net reduction in shareholders' funds (1.5) (4.3) (6.8)
Opening shareholders' funds
(including non-equity of £0.6m) 82.5 89.3 89.3
-------------------------------------
Closing shareholders' funds
(including non-equity of £0.6m) 81.0 85.0 82.5
-------------------------------------
Notes to the Interim Statement
1. Analysis of activities
Activities classified by business segment:
First half year Full year
2002/2003 2001/2002 2001/2002
£m £m £m
Turnover
Power transmission 82.3 85.9 168.0
Machine tool and rotor 9.9 12.5 23.6
-----------------------------------
92.2 98.4 191.6
Less: Inter activity sales (0.9) (0.8) (1.4)
-----------------------------------
91.3 97.6 190.2
-----------------------------------
Trading Profit
Power transmission 5.7 5.5 10.8
Machine tool and rotor (1.0) (1.7) (3.0)
-----------------------------------
4.7 3.8 7.8
Less:
Goodwill amortisation (0.7) (0.7) (1.5)
Exceptional redundancy and
restructuring costs (0.5) (1.8) (3.9)
-----------------------------------
3.5 1.3 2.4
-----------------------------------
Trading Assets
Power transmission 77.4 89.7 80.9
Machine tool and rotor 16.3 19.7 16.4
-----------------------------------
93.7 109.4 97.3
-----------------------------------
The exceptional redundancy and restructuring cost of £0.5 million is
attributed £0.2 million (2001/2002: £0.7 million) to the power
transmission segment and £0.3 million (2001/2002: £1.1 million) to
the machine tool and rotor segment. Of the total goodwill charge of
£0.7 million, £0.6 million (2001/2002: £0.6 million) relates to the
power transmission business and £0.1 million (2001/2002: £0.1
million) to the machine tool and rotor business.
The 'exceptional loss on termination of operation' included in the
comparative profit and loss accounts represents the cost of closing
the Manifold indexer business.
Activities classified by First half year Full year
geographical region of operation: 2002/2003 2001/2002 2001/2002
£m £m £m
Turnover
United Kingdom 34.4 39.9 74.2
Germany 15.4 15.4 29.0
France 19.1 17.3 35.0
Rest of Europe 8.0 8.3 16.2
North America 26.5 28.5 56.4
Other countries 8.6 8.1 16.5
------------------------------------
112.0 117.5 227.3
Less: Intra Group sales (20.7) (19.9) (37.1)
------------------------------------
91.3 97.6 190.2
------------------------------------
Turnover by geographical region includes intra group sales as
follows:
United Kingdom 13.7 14.1 26.4
Germany 5.4 4.3 7.9
France 1.0 1.1 2.0
Trading Profit
United Kingdom 0.1 (0.4) (0.4)
Germany 1.4 1.8 2.4
France 0.8 0.9 1.7
Rest of Europe 0.5 0.5 1.1
North America 1.5 0.9 2.6
Other countries 0.4 0.1 0.4
------------------------------------
4.7 3.8 7.8
Less:
Goodwill amortisation (0.7) (0.7) (1.5)
Exceptional redundancy and
restructuring costs (0.5) (1.8) (3.9)
------------------------------------
3.5 1.3 2.4
------------------------------------
The exceptional redundancy and restructuring cost of £0.5 million
has been incurred in relation to UK businesses (2001/2002: £1.4
million UK businesses; £0.4 million North American businesses).
Trading Assets
United Kingdom 43.5 51.3 43.7
Germany 12.1 13.7 11.5
France 10.6 11.0 10.3
Rest of Europe 3.7 3.9 4.2
North America 18.1 23.5 21.6
Other countries 5.7 6.0 6.0
------------------------------------
93.7 109.4 97.3
------------------------------------
Trading assets comprise fixed assets, current assets less creditors
but exclude goodwill, cash, borrowings, dividends, current and
deferred corporate tax, finance lease obligations and provisions for
liabilities and charges.
Geographical analysis of external turnover by market area:
United Kingdom 13.2 15.2 29.1
Germany 12.3 12.7 25.3
France 4.4 5.3 10.2
Rest of Europe 16.4 16.2 31.4
North and South America 33.0 35.2 68.4
Other countries 12.0 13.0 25.8
------------------------------------
91.3 97.6 190.2
------------------------------------
2. Accounting policies and basis of preparation
The interim accounts are unaudited and do not constitute statutory
accounts. They have been prepared under the historical cost
convention (but include some past revaluations of properties and
equipment) and in accordance with applicable accounting standards,
using the accounting policies set out in the Annual Report for the
year ended 30 March 2002. There is no material difference between
the result in the profit and loss account and the result on an
unmodified historical cost basis. The Board approved the Interim
Statement on 11 November 2002.
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