Final Results
S & U PLC
03 April 2003
S&U PLC
Providers of Consumer Credit & Motor Finance
RESULTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST JANUARY 2003
BUSINESS TRANSACTED £88.8M (£89.9M). PRE-TAX PROFITS
£7.8M (£9.2M). RESULTS AFFECTED BY ONE-OFF EVENT IN SOUTH LONDON
TOTAL DIVIDEND 28p (27p), UP 3.7% (PREVIOUS YEAR'S INCREASE 14.9%)
HOME COLLECTED CREDIT
APART FROM SOUTH LONDON SHOWED GOOD PROGRESS, PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTH WEST '
POTENTIAL FOR STEADY GROWTH REMAINS'
MOTOR CAR FINANCE
'INCREASINGLY SUCCESSFUL'. PRE-TAX PROFITS UP 16% ON TURNOVER UP 14%. BUDGETED
PROFITS TARGET £1.6M FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. 'PROSPECTS FOR THE LONGER TERM
HEALTHY' AND 'THE DIRECTORS ARE CONFIDENT OF FURTHER SIGNIFICANT PROFIT GROWTH'
Enquiries: Derek Coombs, Executive Chairman, S&U PLC
or
Anthony Coombs, Managing Director, S&U PLC
Tel: 0207 353 8906
CHAIRMANS STATEMENT
Results
Business transacted for the year is £88.8m compared to £89.9m. However, the
damage done to the figures by the lack of control in the South London area has
reduced the pre-tax trading profits for the year to £7.8m as against £9.2m.
This damage was referred to in the interim report although the full extent was
not known at that time. It is laudable to cut costs but in this case it is
evident the cuts went too far. Major changes have taken place both in
management, staff and security procedures as a consequence of that situation to
ensure such an event never happens again.
Earnings per share at 46.0p (53.5p previously) provide excellent cover for the
recommended total dividend.
The Board is recommending a final dividend of 20p per ordinary share, making 28p
for the year compared to 27p last year, an inflation beating increase for the
year as a whole of 3.7% (last year's increase was 14.9%). The dividend will be
paid on 2nd July 2003 to ordinary shareholders on the register at 6th June 2003.
The shares will be dealt ex dividend from 4th June 2003. On this basis, at
the average market price for March 2003 of 388.3p, the yield would be 7.2% with
a cover of 1.61 times. Shareholders have enjoyed dividend growth in every year
since before the company's 50th anniversary in 1988, a record we will seek to
maintain.
Home Collected Credit
Apart from the South London problem the rest of the country showed good
progress, particularly SD Taylor, our north west subsidiary which produced pre
tax profits of 29% of its shareholders' funds.
The potential for steady growth remains available and we will continue to invest
in training to produce the quality improvements, which underpin profit growth.
Motor Car Finance - Advantage Finance Limited
In the competitive used car finance market, Advantage Finance is increasingly
successful and 2002/03 was a year in which profits and cash receipts continued
to grow sensibly and steadily in line with our strategy for this business. On
turnover up 14%, pre-tax profits grew by 16% to nearly £1.3m, whilst borrowings
grew by less than £0.75m.
The business is not yet mature, but has already developed larger and more
reliable income streams and this is a tribute to our successful in-house
underwriting programme and our improving collections team. The underwriting
programme was reinforced during the year by a full review of policy and we also
reorganised the collections team to achieve a quicker and more integrated
approach to more difficult collection accounts. Both these changes should limit
bad debts and further improve future income streams. Our sales team also turned
in a very creditable performance against stiff competition from other finance
companies. Indeed we believe our efficient sales force, backed up by
sophisticated in-house systems, (allowing high levels of service and support),
to be an area of increasingly competitive advantage for us. Advantage has set
itself a budgeted profit target of £1.6m for the current year. Prospects for
the longer term are healthy and the directors are confident of further
significant profit growth.
I am particularly proud of Advantage's results because I introduced Advantage to
S&U as a new start-up venture only some three and a half years ago and the
management team has already achieved a significant presence in the market.
Staff
I was sorry to say goodbye to the staff of AE Holt (Leicester) Limited, the
small hosiery manufacturer that we had to close due to the increasing difficulty
of competing against low labour cost countries. I thank them for their service
to the group and wish them well.
Every company is only as good as the quality and dedication of its staff. S&U
is a very labour intensive operation and therefore even more dependent upon its
staff. We have a superb team and I must take this opportunity to thank them on
your behalf for their contribution during the year.
Derek M Coombs
Chairman
2 April 2003
SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED PROFIT & LOSS
ACCOUNT 31 JANUARY 2003
2003 2002
Note £000 £000
BUSINESS TRANSACTED 88,828 89,929
========= =========
TURNOVER 34,996 34,430
Cost of sales (3,131) (3,653)
--------- ---------
Gross profit 31,865 30,777
Other expenses (16,310) (16,080)
Provision for doubtful debt
(includes exceptional item of £1.9m) 1 (6,762) (4,300)
--------- ---------
Total administrative expenses (23,072) (20,380)
OPERATING PROFIT 8,793 10,397
Profit on sale of fixed assets 214 -
Net interest payable (1,161) (1,191)
--------- ---------
PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE
TAXATION 7,846 9,206
Tax on profit on ordinary activities (2,293) (2,775)
--------- ---------
PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES AFTER
TAXATION BEING PROFIT FOR THE FINANCIAL
YEAR 5,553 6,431
Dividends paid and proposed - including
amounts in respect of non equity shares (3,440) (3,323)
--------- ---------
RETAINED PROFIT FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2,113 3,108
========= =========
Basic Earnings per Ordinary share 46.0p 53.5p
========= =========
Dividends per Ordinary share 28.0p 27.0p
========= =========
There have been no recognised gains or losses other than the profit for the
current and preceding years.
All activities derive from continuing operations.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
31 JANUARY 2003
2003 2002
£000 £000
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 2,646 2,768
--------- ---------
CURRENT ASSETS
Amounts receivable from customers (including
£12,776,000 falling due after one year
(2002: £12,578,000)) 60,949 59,292
Stocks 214 238
Debtors 946 879
Cash at bank and in hand 106 115
--------- ---------
62,215 60,524
CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year (14,398) (14,942)
--------- ---------
NET CURRENT ASSETS 47,817 45,582
--------- ---------
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 50,463 48,350
CREDITORS: amounts falling due after more than one
year (15,000) (15,000)
--------- ---------
NET ASSETS 35,463 33,350
========= =========
CAPITAL AND RESERVES 35,463 33,350
========= =========
Statistics
31-Jan-03 31-Jan-02
Operating Profit/Business Transacted 9.8% 11.6%
Profit Before Taxation/Net Assets 22.2% 27.6%
Net Borrowing/Shareholders Funds 67.1% 69.5%
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT YEAR ENDED
31 JANUARY 2003
2003 2002
£000 £000 £000 £000
Cash flow from operating activities 7,366 1,750
Returns on investments and servicing
of finance
Interest received 5 12
Interest paid (1,159) (1,116)
Preference dividends paid (78) (78)
______ _____
Net cash outflow from returns on investments
and servicing of finance (1,232) (1,182)
Taxation (3,035) (2,430)
Capital expenditure and financial
investment
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (707) (708)
Proceeds of sale of fixed assets 459 74
______ _____
Net cash outflow for capital expenditure and
financial investment
(248) (634)
Equity dividends paid (3,357) (2,876)
______ _____
Cash outflow before financing (506) (5,372)
Financing
Increase in loans from banks - 5,000
______ _____
Decrease in cash in the year (506) (372)
====== =====
NOTES TO THE PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT YEAR ENDED 31 JANUARY 2003
1. EXCEPTIONAL BAD DEBT EXPENSE
Within the bad debt expense are the financial effects of frauds that were
identified at the London branch during the year ended 31 January 2003.
The bad debt provision in respect of London has increased by £1,872,000 to
£2,265,000 at 31 January 2003 (2002:393,000), which includes both the
direct losses due to the fraud and the indirect negative impact on the
normal collection procedures.
OTHER NOTES
2. The financial information has been prepared using the same accounting
policies as were used in preparing the statutory accounts of the
Group for the year to 31 January 2002
3. This summary of results are not statutory accounts within the meaning of
section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The statutory accounts for
the year ended 31 January 2003 on which the auditors have given an
unqualified report and did not contain an adverse statement under section
237(2) or 237(3) of the Companies Act 1985 will be delivered to the
Registrar of Companies after the Annual General Meeting.
4. The financial information within this report has been prepared in
accordance with applicable accounting standards. The transitional
requirements of FRS 17 have been adopted in the current period.
5. The number of shares used in the calculation of earnings per share is the
average number of shares in issue during the year of 11,737,228
(2001: 11,737,228). There are no dilutive shares.
6. If approved at the Annual General Meeting a final dividend of 20.0p per
Ordinary Share is proposed, payable on 2 July 2003, with a record date
of 6 June 2003.
7. The Annual General Meeting will be held on 4 June 2003.
8. The figures shown for the year ended 31 January 2002 are not statutory
accounts. A copy of the statutory accounts has been delivered to the
Registrar of Companies, contained an unqualified audit report and did not
contain an adverse statement under section 237 (2) or 237 (3) of the
Companies Act 1985.
9. The 2003 Annual Report and Financial Statements will be posted to
shareholders in due course. Copies of this announcement are available from
the Company Secretary, S&U plc, Royal House, Prince's Gate, Homer Road,
Solihull, West Midlands, B91 3QQ.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange