Interim Results
Eurolink Managed Services PLC
30 November 1999
EUROLINK MANAGED SERVICES PLC
Interim results for the six months ended 30 September 1999
Chairman's Statement
Introduction
It is my pleasure to present the first interim report of the
Company since its introduction to AIM in the summer of this
year. The results for this six month period are in
accordance with expectation at the time of flotation and
should be viewed in the context of the significant
developments which the Company's operating subsidiary, RDF
Consulting Limited, has undertaken to position itself for
growth in the IT market.
Results
Turnover for the period was £4.07m (1998 £4.12m) with profit
before tax £0.19m (1998 £0.62m). Earnings per share were
1.29p (1998 3.92p). As indicated in the admission document,
a dividend is not being recommended.
Business review
During this period the Company has maintained turnover
levels by growing its customer base. As expected, activity
levels at certain clients have reduced, partly as the burden
of Year 2000 work has eased. We have brought in several new
clients since this time last year, for whom we have
undertaken a range of initial assignments, and we see good
opportunities arising from this wider client base.
Gross margin is as budgeted with the change from last year
arising principally from the different mix of customers,
increased IT consultants costs and commission for the
introduction of new IT resources, a specific cost which we
did not have last year.
The significant developments referred to above included
investment in the infrastructure of the business, which
commenced in the second half of the last financial year. The
full impact of these costs is being felt this year, and is
reflected in the increase in administrative expenses. We
expect to see the full benefit of this expenditure over the
next twelve to eighteen months. The costs related to the
need for support staff in the areas of business services,
finance and sales, and to the need for office space in
Livingston, Scotland and additional space in Brighton. The
additional premises are necessary to be able to offer
clients one of the key features of our service, which is an
off-site development facility, and enable the Company to
respond quickly to client needs.
Outlook
With the ability substantially to increase the volume of
business without the need to incur additional infrastructure
costs, the Company is well placed to benefit from the effort
currently being expended to develop existing and new
business.
At the present time we believe many organisations with
substantial IT development requirements are reviewing the
manner in which they resource those requirements, and are
seeking more cost effective and flexible resourcing
solutions, particularly after the significant costs incurred
addressing the Year 2000 issue through the more traditional
resourcing channels.
Whilst confident that the Company is positioning itself well
as a cost-effective source of professional teams for IT
development, your Board considers that major new orders are
unlikely to be secured over the next few months, because of
the uncertainty that still surrounds the millennium date
change. Consequently, your Board does not expect
significant improvement in trading performance in the second
half of the financial year ending March 2000.
We see good opportunities for growth and improved
profitability in the next financial year.
Anthony G Antoniades
Chairman
29 November 1999
GROUP PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
for the six months ended 30 September 1999
Pro-forma
Unaudited
Unaudited and not Audited
Six months reviewed twelve
to 30 six months months to
September 30 September 31 March
1999 1998 1999
£ '000 £ '000 £ '000
Turnover 4,069 4,116 8,323
Cost of sales (3,238) (3,031) (6,454)
--------- ---------- ---------
Gross profit 831 1,085 1,869
Administrative expenses (639) (433) (988)
---------- ---------- ---------
Operating profit 192 652 881
Net interest payable (3) (29) (36)
---------- ---------- ---------
Profit on ordinary 189 623 845
activities before tax
Tax (59) (227) (310)
--------- --------- ---------
Profit on ordinary 130 396 535
activities after tax
Dividend - - (300)
--------- -------- --------
Retained profit for the 130 396 235
period
======= ======= =======
Earnings per share 1.29p 3.92p N/a
======= ======= =======
GROUP BALANCE SHEET
At 30 September 1999
Pro-forma
unaudited
and not
Unaudited reviewed Audited
30 September 30 September 31 March
1999 1998 1999
£ '000 £ '000 £ '000
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 277 149 188
-------- -------- --------
Current assets
Debtors 1,408 1,074 1,335
Cash at bank 163 107 -
--------- ---------- ---------
1,571 1,181 1,335
--------- ---------- ---------
Creditors - amounts
falling
due within one
year
Borrowings (41) (8) (50)
Other creditors (1,217) (888) (1,196)
--------- --------- ---------
-
(1,258) (896) (1,246)
--------- --------- ---------
Net current assets 313 285 89
Total assets less
current 590 434 277
liabilities
Creditors - amount
falling
due after one
year
Borrowings (87) (38) (42)
--------- -------- ---------
503 396 235
====== ====== ======
Capital and reserves
Share capital 208 - -
Share premium 130 - -
Profit & loss 165 396 235
account
--------- --------- ---------
503 396 235
====== ====== =======
GROUP CASH FLOW
for the six months ended 30 September 1999
Pro-forma
unaudited
and not Audited
Unaudited reviewed twelve
six months to six months to months to
30 September 30 September 31 March
1999 1998 1999
£ '000 £ '000 £ '000
Net cash flow from operating 111 263 496
activities
Returns on investments and
servicing of finance
Interest Paid (3) (29) (36)
Net capital expenditure and (119) (173) (252)
financial investment
Equity dividends paid - - (300)
---------- --------- ---------
Net cash flow outflow before (11) 61 (92)
financing
---------- --------- ---------
Financing
Issue of shares 400 - -
Expenses of issue (262) - -
Capital element of finance
leases
and hire purchase contracts 73 46 55
---------- --------- ---------
Net cash inflow from 211 46 55
financing
---------- --------- ---------
Increase/(decrease) in cash 200 107 (37)
---------- --------- ---------
Reconciliation of operating
profit to net cash flow from
operating activities
Operating profit 192 652 881
Depreciation charges 30 24 60
Loss on sale of tangible - - 3
fixed assets
Increase in debtors (73) (1074) (1,335)
Decrease in creditors (38) 661 887
--------- --------- ---------
Net cash inflow from 111 263 496
operating activities
===== ===== =====
Reconciliation of net cash
flow to movement in net debt
Opening net debt (92) - -
Increase/(decrease) in cash 200 107 (37)
in year
Capital element of finance
leases and hire purchase (73) (46) (55)
contracts
--------- --------- ---------
Closing net funds/(debt) 35 61 (92)
===== ====== ======
NOTES TO THE INTERIM STATEMENT
Preparation of interim report
The financial information for the six month period ended 30
September 1999 is unaudited and does not constitute
statutory accounts within the meaning of the Companies Act
1985. It has been prepared using accounting policies
consistent with those set out in the Group's statutory
accounts for the period ended 31 March 1999.
The pro-forma financial information for the six month period
ended 30 September 1998 is prepared from the separate
management accounts of RDF Consulting Limited and has not
been reviewed or audited. Eurolink Managed Services Limited
did not have any activity during this period and acquired
the share capital of RDF Consulting Limited on 1 March 1999.
However the figures are presented as if the acquisition
occurred on 1 September 1997.
The financial information for the period ended 31 March 1999
has been extracted from the statutory accounts of Eurolink
Managed Services Limited and RDF Consulting Limited for that
period which contained unqualified audit reports and which
have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.
Tax
The tax charge for the six months ended 30 September 1999
has been calculated using the 'discrete' approach and
represents the charge applicable for the six month period.
Earnings per share
The calculation of earnings per share is based on the profit
on ordinary activities after tax for each period and the
weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during
the period. The comparative earnings per share for the
period ended 30 September 1998 have been calculated on the
same basis notwithstanding that the changes in share capital
took place subsequent to that date.
Copies of report
The Interim Report will be posted to all shareholders and
will be available on request from the Company Secretary, 1
Queen Square, Brighton, BN1 3FW.
Year 2000 compliance
The company has reviewed its computer systems for the impact
of the Year 2000 date change. The issue is complex and no
business can guarantee that there will be no Year 2000
problems. However, the board believes that its plans, the
resources allocated and actions implemented are appropriate
to address the issue. External costs in addressing the
issue were minimal.
INDEPENDENT REVIEW REPORT TO EUROLINK MANAGED SERVICES PLC
Introduction
We have been instructed by the company to review the
financial information set out on pages 3 to 6 (the unaudited
proforma information for the period to 30 September 1998 is
beyond the scope of our review) and we have read other
information contained in the interim report and considered
whether it contains any apparent misstatements or material
inconsistencies with the financial information.
Directors' responsibilities
The interim report, including the financial information
contained therein, is the responsibility of, and has been
approved by the directors.
Review work performed
We conducted our review in accordance with guidance
contained in Bulletin 1999/4 issued by the Auditing
Practices Board. A review consists principally of making
enquiries of management and applying analytical procedures
to the financial information and underlying financial data
and based thereon, assessing whether the accounting policies
and presentation have been consistently applied unless
otherwise disclosed. A review excludes audit procedures
such as tests of controls and verification of assets,
liabilities and transactions. It is substantially less in
scope than an audit performed in accordance with Auditing
Standards and therefore provides a lower level of assurance
than an audit. Accordingly we do not express an audit
opinion on the financial information.
Review conclusion
On the basis of our review we are not aware of any material
modifications that should be made to the financial
information as presented for the six months ended 30
September 1999.
BDO Stoy Hayward, Chartered Accountants, Brighton
29 November 1999