Interim Results

16 September 2005 BUCKLAND GROUP PLC ('Buckland' or the 'Company') Interim Report Chairman's Statement I present the interim results for Buckland for the six months ended 30 June 2005. These show a profit before tax from continuing operations and acquisitions of £ 23,344 on sales of £ 1,671,785. After losses from discontinued operations of £ 228,050 on sales of £ 320,695 and after charging an exceptional item of £ 90,000 relating to closure costs, the consolidated pre-tax loss for the period was £ 294,706 on total sales of £1,992,480 (2004 Interim: loss of £ 277,800 on sales of £ 1,411,365). Earnings per share from continuing operations were 0.01 p; after discontinued operations and the exceptional charge, the loss per share was 0.09 p. (2004: 0.15p loss per share). No interim dividend is proposed. Review of Derlite, DK Gas Components & Euro Asia Connectors As already advised to shareholders, Euro Asia Connectors Co Ltd (`EAC') ceased all manufacturing on 22 July this year. EAC incurred trading losses of £ 228,050 in the six months to the end of June and a further amount of £ 90,000 has been provided as an exceptional item to cover trading losses in July and the estimated net costs to complete the closure of the business after allowing for redundancies, sale of assets, etc. . Derlite's production has not been affected by the closure of EAC and the process of rationalising our operations in Bangkok to allow us to release surplus factory space previously utilised by EAC will be completed within the next month. Derlite's prospects remain favourable with good demand from its long standing customer base in the cooker market being steadily augmented by new sales to the domestic gas boiler market in Western Europe and to the cooker market in the USA and Mexico. The trading results of DK Gas Components, consolidated since its acquisition on 18th February, have been in line with our expectations, with demand from its traditional customer base in the UK cooker market remaining good. Various projects are in hand jointly with Derlite which are expected to generate significant sales growth over the coming year whilst short term we have been able to achieve some improvement in DK Gas' operating margins by trimming the cost structure. Much more significant gains in this area should clearly flow as we relocate its manufacturing operations from the UK to Bangkok; the first phase in this process has already commenced. Balance sheet Following the acquisition of DK Gas and the related placing of new shares to finance it, shareholders' funds at the end of June this year stood at £ 825,096. With the drain on cash from EAC having been eliminated, the group's liquidity is expected to improve steadily over time although the short term position remains tight. In the circumstances, the Board considers that it would be appropriate to propose a capital reorganisation so that the nominal value of the ordinary shares is reduced from 0.5p to 0.01p. This would permit the issue of further new shares, if this were thought to be appropriate and in the best interests of shareholders. A circular setting out in more detail this proposed capital reorganisation is being posted to shareholders with this interim report and will be available free of charge for a period of one month from 19 September 2005 at the Company's registered office: 3 Draycott Place, London SW3 2SE Outlook With the loss making EAC business eliminated from the Group, Buckland is now in the much stronger position of having two profitable subsidiaries with most encouraging prospects. Although the second half of the year will bear some one off costs associated with the transfer of UK production to Bangkok, this is a process that will ultimately greatly enhance the performance of the Group. The anticipated labour and overhead savings arising from the transfer will start to impact profits in the first half of 2006 and provide the Board with confidence in the future of the Group. Patrick Rogers Chairman 16 September 2005 Interim Report Consolidated profit and loss account for the six month period ended 30 June 2005 Unaudited Six Unaudited Six Twelve month month period month period period ended ended 30 June ended 30 June 31 December 2005 2004 2004 £ £ £ Turnover Continuing 559,903 Operations Acquisitions 1,111,882 Discontinued 320,695 Operations 1,992,480 1,411,365 2,957,083 Cost of sales (1,400,104) (1,183,268) (2,458,683) Gross profit 592,376 228,097 498,400 Administrative (860,485) (467,234) (1,029,754) expenses Other operating 88,458 (24,739) 70,418 (expense)/income Operating profit/ (loss) Continuing 20,795 Operations Acquisitions 26,612 Discontinued (228,050) operations (179,651) (263,876) (460,936) Exceptional item (90,000) Interest 2 8 97 receivable Interest payable (24,065) (13,932) (27,537) and similar charges (Loss) on ordinary (294,706) (277,800) (488,376) activities before taxation Tax on ordinary - - - activities Retained (loss) (294,706) (277,800) (488,376) transferred (from) reserves (Loss) per (0.09)p (0.15)p (0.26)p ordinary share: Basic and Diluted Consolidated balance sheet at 30 June 2005 At 30 June 2005 At 31 December 2004 £ £ £ £ Fixed assets Intangible assets 1,236,425 318,313 Tangible assets 371,772 173,382 1,608,197 491,695 Current assets Stocks 541,740 423,088 Debtors 1,762,719 331,243 Cash at bank and in hand 16,619 37,298 2,321,078 791,629 Creditors: amounts falling (3,095,449) (1,206,754) due within one year Net current (liabilities)/ (774,371) (415,125) assets Total assets less current 833,826 76,570 liabilities Creditors: amounts falling (8,730) (26,768) due after more than one year 825,096 49,802 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 3,487,752 2,417,752 Share premium account 735,775 735,775 Profit and loss account (3,398,431) (3,103,725) Equity shareholders' funds 825,096 49,802 Consolidated cash flow statement for the six month period ended 30 June 2005 Unaudited Year ended Six month 31 December period 2004 ended 30 June 2005 £ £ Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating (665,775) 47,226 activities (see below) Returns on investments and servicing of (24,064) (27,440) finance Taxation (945,539) (2,066) Purchased Goodwill & Acquisition Costs Capital expenditure (180,265) (62,927) Cash outflow before management of liquid (1,815,643) (45,207) resources and financing Share issue 1,070,000 8,166 Debt 712,707 (Decrease) in cash (32,936) (37,041) Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds (Decrease) in cash in the period (32,936) (37,041) Cash inflow from increase in debt (712,707) (8,166) Change in net debt resulting from cash flows (745,643) (45,207) Exchange movement 10,533 (6,653) Movement in net debt in the period (735,110) (51,860) Opening net debt (289,102) (237,242) Closing net debt (1,024,212) (289,102) Reconciliation of operating (loss)/profit to net cash outflow from operating activities Operating (loss) (270,643) (460,936) Depreciation 65,538 191,095 Amortisation of goodwill 27,428 17,875 (Profit)/Loss on sale of fixed assets (83,662) (560) Decrease/(Increase) in stocks (118,652) 48,558 Decrease/(Increase) in debtors (1,431,476) 250,627 Increase in creditors 1,145,692 30,782 Other non cash operating adjustment - (30,215) Net cash (outflow) from operating activities (665,775) (47,226) Notes to the Interim Results: 1 The consolidated profit and loss account incorporates the unaudited results of Buckland Group Plc and all its subsidiary undertakings up to 30 June 2005, and has been prepared on a basis consistent with the accounting policies set out in the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2004. Earnings/ (loss) per share for the six months to 30 June 2005 have been calculated based on the weighted average number of shares in issue for the period of 346,845,706. 2 This Interim Report was approved by the board of directors on 16 September 2005. This interim financial information does not comprise statutory accounts as defined in Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information for the period ended 31 December 2004 is an extract from the latest company accounts. Those accounts received an unqualified auditors report and have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The financial information for the period ended 30 June 2005 has not been subject to review by the auditors. For further information please contact, Patrick Rogers, Chairman Tel. 07711 420 702 Ben Simons Hansard Communications Tel. 020 7245 1100
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