Preliminary Statement

ADVFN.COM PLC 14 December 2001 Release to Companies Announcement Office Embargoed to: 12:30pm Friday 14 December 2001 ADVFN.COM PLC Preliminary Statement for the year ended 30 June 2001 Chairman's Statement Advfn is now the market-leading brand in online share information and is recognised throughout the financial community. We have moved in two years from an unknown service catering for a few hundred investors to one with hundreds of thousands of registered users. When we started Advfn we set ourselves several targets the most ambitious of which was to become market leader in 3 years, achieving this within 18 months. We have continued to create new tools and services to ever improve our service offering, leaving the competition behind. Since the year-end Advfn has introduced our real-time streaming technology, which has given our members the most up to date price information at an extremely competitive rate. This has been achieved by being a streamlined operation focused on keeping costs to the minimum. This coupling of low overheads and leading edge information provision positions us well to continue to expand our offering and revenue bases. The introduction of streaming technology allowed us to introduce new subscription levels and services, which has broadened and strengthened our business model. Subsequently in November of this year we were able to release a trading update that reported both the number of subscribers and our subscription income had exceeded our forecasts. In October our subscription income was up 67% since the end of July 2001, with traffic and sign up rates continuing to exceed our expectations. It should be noted that having only really worked within the UK market to date and with Advfn.fr only just reaching the end of its first stages of development, we are aware that there is pent up demand for American share information from our UK user base and we plan to introduce these services shortly. As a side effect, this will open the biggest and yet untapped market of all; America. Unlike traditional business, we have no product to ship, no offices to open, no people to hire in order to dip our toe into this huge market. We already have a contingent of US users on our site, checking UK stocks, so the introduction of US prices is a tantalizing low risk prospect for the future. As the dust settles on the Internet boom and bust, we look forward to the coming challenges. The future of world stock markets is now irreversibly intertwined with that of the Internet and we are focused on ensuring that ADVFN will transition from a pioneer into a stalwart of this developing industry. Michael J Hodges Chairman 14 December 2001 Managing Director's Review Operating Review 2001 ADVFN.com Plc has now become the leading on-line resource of financial information for private investors in the United Kingdom. Since our launch in December 1999, development has continued at a fast pace. Stock markets worldwide have been in a bear trend since March 2000, but ADVFN has managed to capitalise on these conditions by providing timely information. ADVFN now dominates the supply of data to the Private Investor community. From a small but loyal following of just 750 users in December 1999 we now have over 330,000 registered users on our sites with approximately 4000 paying subscribers. August 2000 saw the launch of our initial 'level 2' data offering in the UK, which was well received, and the rate of sign- ups exceeded our expectation. In August 2001 (after the year end) we launched streaming services across our websites, introduced new se3rvice levels and reviewed our pricing structures. This was a crucial moment for ADVFN as it represented a culmination of significant change in subscription levels, the introduction of a new and more sophisticated offering and the integration of the UK-Invest site into ADVFN. In November we were pleased to provide a trading update and reported that both the number of subscribers and our subscription income had exceeded forecasts. For example, in October 2001 ADVFN's subscription revenue cleared the £1,000,000 a year run rate, up 67% since the end of July 2001.This substantial increase underpins our continued belief that subscriptions from web services is the correct business model. The level of subscriptions continues to grow and this has been particularly noticeable during November and early December when the 'Bulls' returned to the market. Our advertising/page impression numbers also continued to exceed our expectations. ABC audited figures for June 2001 show we delivered over 43 million page impressions. Advertising remains an important part of revenue strategy and this has been building well now we have an in-house sales team. ADVFN has proven itself as a powerful medium for advertisers, particularly in financial services with most advertisers remaining as repeat customers. We are encouraged by the future of advertising revenues. Our other businesses namely advfn.fr (France), uk-invest.com and freeserve.advfn.com (our Freeserve venture) have all produced increased traffic, subscribers and importantly income. Success Events our investor-training subsidiary continues to be the leader in its sector and is highly profitable. Our full launch of 3DV8 and subsequent partnership announcement mean that this venture is now generating income streams. Our list of clients is impressive and shows that we are now an accepted technology. Opportunities of becoming a data solutions provider to other companies such as brokers, institutions and banks is now providing us with new revenue generating gateways. We already supply a number of companies with level 1 and level 2 data and we will be announcing further deals in due course. Financial Websites ADVFN.com This is our flagship website and has now established itself as the No1 destination for investors seeking UK stock market data. With over 330,000 total registered subscribers and 4000 paying customers the site continues to out perform our expectations. This leading website has been recognised by a number of awards this year including, 'Best Private Investor Website' at Shares UK 2001 awards, 'Best Overall Website' and 'Best Web-site Design' at the Investors Chronicle UK Awards 2001 and recently 'Best Investment Site Tools' at the Investors Week Online Finance Awards 2001. We were also runners up or highly commended in a large number of other categories. The launch of new streaming services during August 2001 has meant that we are now able to increase our presentation and offering into new and more sophisticated areas. We plan to add additional exchanges, indices and futures data in due course to our websites, the first of which will be US stock data early next year. This will open up new markets both in Europe and the US as well as providing new subscription and advertising opportunities. UK-invest.com Since the year-end, ADVFN has acquired Uk-invest.com from the GlobalNet Financial.com Inc Group, for a total consideration of £800,000. The principal assets ADVFN acquired included: domain names, intellectual property and its customer list, but excluded all liabilities. At the same time GlobalNet subscribed for new ordinary shares in ADVFN for a cash consideration of £700,000. The acquisition of one of our main competitors was an important milestone for the company, not only in the transfer of 172,000 new customers to our books, but deriving substantial PR which has created new opportunities for us. Freeserve.advfn.com During July 2001 we signed a content partnership agreement with Freeserve, the UK's largest internet business, to provide financial news and share price data to their portal. Freeserve currently has approximately 2.1 million active registered accounts, 4.5 million unique users and as of February 2001 recorded 297 million page impressions. This agreement has increased our reach within the internet market place and we have already derived revenue from subscriptions and advertising from this channel. Advfn.fr We launched our French site (ADVFN.fr) during 2001 and this has been well received by both users and the French financial press. We have derived considerable PR through our exposure on Bloomberg and in 'Les Echos' and this in turn has led to good paid for user growth, We believe France has great opportunities for us due to the maturity of its financial markets and its cross border Euro based exchanges through Euronext. New streaming services were successfully launched in France during November 2001 and this will further enhance our position in the market. Success Events Success Events Ltd continues to expand both its range of courses and its turnover, contributing a healthy profit to the ADVFN Group. Its success lies in its range of investment courses, their content and calibre of tutors. New corporate courses have been launched and we have trained 'graduate trainees' from a number of organisations. During 2002 we will be embarking on a number of sponsored 'road shows' around Britain which we believe will increase our exposure in the private investor training market. New Media One of ADVFN's main advantages over its competitors is its technical expertise. ADVFN uses the latest technology to deliver timely shares data by a variety of media: Internet, Television and mobile. ADVFN remains Orange's partner for the delivery of shares data to WAP-enabled handsets. Further mobile services are due to be announced shortly. In June 2000 ADVFN launched its interactive television services with Telewest and in September 2001 extended that successful relationship to broadband internet via Blueyonder. Business Intelligence It is not just the private investor and professional trader who needs timely and relevant data. Businesses are also seeing the benefits of tracking not only their positioning in their market, but that of their competitors and clients. Using its existing technology and data, ADVFN supplies business intelligence solutions to such companies as Friends Provident. Investor Relations Increasingly companies are seeing the benefit of and being required to supply the most up to date information to investors and potential investors. ADVFN specialises in real-time data and is perfectly placed to provide real-time solutions to companies' investor relations sites. ADVFN have embarked on a range of new products to address this marketplace. We have already signed up a number of companies including the main flotations in 2001 namely Orange and Friends Provident, and have ongoing talks with a number of other national names. Fundamental Data As part of a commitment to produce unique content ourselves we formed a fundamental data team in June 2000, which has been analysing company data. This database is now complete and is in use by our website. New tools (such as Filter X) will be released utilising this proprietary data. We also have the opportunity to resell this data with other ADVFN products or to 3rd parties. 3DV8 3DV8 entered into its first partnership with SPSS.Inc. (Nasdaq: SPSS) to develop visualisation data mining solutions. Under the terms of the agreement, 3DV8 has agreed to develop visual workflow interfaces as integrated add-on solutions to the SPSS flagship 'Clementine' product line. SPSS will promote the 3DV8 product and company in its marketing materials, press releases and trade events. We were particularly honoured to be invited to the recent Intel Developers Fall 2001 Forum held in San Jose, to demonstrate on behalf of Compaq their new 4.2Ghz desktop computer. A number of new product lines were launched this year in a wide price range from $250 to $7,500. We are launching our new top tier Enterprise ODBC version in January and are pleased to announce that we have already secured a forward order from Compuserve. This will add to our already growing customer list, which includes Abbott Laboratories, Ross Laboratories, Compaq, BTOpenworld, the US Army and Softlogic. Prospects. These year-end results are in line with our expectations and reflect our continued product development and growing dominance within this important financial sector. Since the year-end, through both prudent cost cutting and revenue growth, we have moved significantly towards profitability and positive cashflow, and are confident that we will cross this important threshold during the next year. The sale of our competitor Interactive Investor to AMP and our acquisition of UK-Invest, both since the year-end, now provide us with even more opportunities to capitalise on our position. We have achieved strong revenue growth throughout our history and this has been during a time of almost unprecedented gloom both in the stock market, technology and internet sectors. We see the future as holding great potential for ADVFN as our service moves from being the vanguard of how people invest in the markets, to ubiquity. Michael Boydell Managing Director 14 December 2001 For further information please contact: Advfn.com Plc 020 7070 0947 Michael Boydell, Managing Director Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000 Jeremy Garcia Consolidated Profit and Loss Account for the year ended 30 June 2001 2001 2000 Notes £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover Continuing operations 796 118 Discontinued operations - 1,120 796 1,238 Cost of sales (10) (21) Gross profit 786 1,217 Administrative expenses (2,467) (1,287) Operating (loss)/profit Continuing operations (1,681) (663) Discontinued operations - 593 (1,681) (70) Net interest 88 41 Loss on ordinary activities before (1,593) (29) taxation Tax on loss on ordinary activities 2 (2) Loss on ordinary activities after (1,591) (31) taxation Loss per ordinary share 4 (0.64p) (0.016p) There were no recognised gains or losses other than the loss for the financial year. Balance Sheets at 30 June 2001 Group Group Company Company 2001 2000 2001 2000 Notes £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed Assets Intangible assets 266 335 - - Tangible assets 2,159 1,023 1,810 1,014 Investments - - 355 350 2,425 1,358 2,165 1,364 Current Assets Debtors 522 153 846 151 Cash at bank and in hand 462 3,246 374 3,227 984 3,399 1,220 3,378 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (730) (493) (661) (476) Net current assets 254 2,906 559 2,902 Total assets less current liabilities 2,679 4,264 2,724 4,266 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (6) - (6) - Net assets 2,673 4,264 2,718 4,266 Capital and Reserves Called up share capital 2,505 2,505 2,505 2,505 Share premium account 2,336 2,336 2,336 2,336 Profit and loss account (2,168) (577) (2,123) (575) Shareholders' funds - equity 5 2,673 4,264 2,718 4,266 The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 14 December 2001 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 30 June 2001 2001 2000 Notes £'000 £'000 Net cash outflow from operating activities 6 (1,459) (147) Returns on investment and servicing of finance Interest received 89 46 Interest paid (1) (5) 88 41 Corporation tax paid (7) - Capital expenditure Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (1,420) (1,227) Sale of tangible fixed assets - 166 (1,420) (1,061) Acquisition Purchase of subsidiary undertaking - (350) Net cash outflow before financing (2,798) (1,517) Financing Issue of ordinary share capital - 4,792 Capital element of new finance leases and hire purchase contracts 17 - Capital element of finance leases and hire purchase contracts repaid (3) (93) Net cash inflow from financing 14 4,699 (Decrease)/increase in cash 7 (2,784) 3,182 Notes for the year ended 30 June 2001 1. General The financial information herein does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information has been extracted from the group's 2001 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors reported on 14 December 2001. Their opinion is unqualified and does not include any statement under section 237 of the Companies Act 1985, but refers to the uncertainties surrounding the ability of the Group to continue as a going concern (as described in note 2). The accounts have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies of the group have remained unchanged from the previous annual report, except that Website development costs have been treated as tangible fixed assets following the issue of UITF29 'Website development costs'. They were previously treated as intangible fixed assets and the comparatives have been restated accordingly. Copies of the annual report are being posted to shareholders and copies will be available from the company's registered office at Crown House, Linton Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8HJ. 2. Basis of preparing the financial statements The company has incurred losses in the year, due mainly to costs associated with developing the company's product range. Since the year end, revenues have increased and development expenses have been substantially reduced. Additionally, further funding has been raised (see note 3). ADVFN France has begun to generate revenue, albeit at a low level initially, and negotiations are under way to enter into a licensing arrangement to incorporate the 3DV8 product with that of a leading supplier of software to financial markets. The company meets its day to day working capital requirements through a positive cash balance and has no agreed bank facilities at present. The company's brokers have indicated that they may be able to raise further funds through an issue of equity shares. The nature of the company's business is such that there can be considerable unpredictable variation in the timing of cash inflows. Bearing this in mind, the directors' have prepared projected cash flow information for the period ending 31 December 2002, that includes a requirement to raise further funds in early 2002. On the basis of this cash flow information and discussions with the company's brokers the directors consider that the company will continue to operate within the currently available funds including those from future fundraising. However, the margin of facilities over requirements is not large and there can be no certainty that an issue of equity shares would be successful. Inherently there can be no certainty in relation to these matters. On this basis, the directors consider it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that would result from the inability to raise the required funding. 3. Post balance sheet events On 30 July 2001 the company issued a further 37,500,000 ordinary shares of 1p each at 4p per share in connection with the purchase of the 'UK invest' website. This also raised £700,000 in cash of which a net £200,000 was available for working capital for the company. On 30 August 2001, the company issued a further 4,600,000 ordinary shares of 1p each at 3.25p per share to provide further working capital of £150,000 for the company. 4. Loss per ordinary share 2001 2000 Number Number of Loss of Loss Loss shares per Loss shares per share share £'000 '000 p £'000 '000 p Loss for the year (1,591) (31) Weighted average number of 250,504 194,006 shares Loss per share 0.64p 0.016p 5. Reconciliation of movements in shareholders' funds 2001 2000 £'000 £'000 Loss for the financial year (1,591) (31) Receipts from issues of shares - 4,792 Net (decrease)/increase in shareholders' funds (1,591) 4,761 Shareholders' funds at 1 July 4,264 (497) Shareholders' funds at 30 June 2,673 4,264 6. Reconciliation of operating loss to net cash outflow from operating activities 2001 2000 £'000 £'000 Operating loss (1,681) (70) Amortisation 69 11 Depreciation 284 174 Profit on sale of tangible fixed assets - (8) Decrease in stocks - 12 (Increase)/decrease in debtors (369) 86 Increase/(decrease) in creditors 238 (352) Net cash outflow from operating activities (1,459) (147) 7. Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds 2001 2000 £'000 £'000 (Decrease)/increase in cash for the year (2,784) 3,182 Cash acquired on acquisition of subsidiary - 13 New finance leases and hire purchase agreements (17) - Cash outflow from capital repayments of hire purchase and finance lease agreements 3 93 Movement in net cash/(debt) in the year (2,798) 3,288 Net cash/(debt) at 1 July 3,246 (42) Net cash at 30 June 448 3,246 8. Analysis of net cash 2001 2000 £'000 £'000 Cash at bank 462 3,246 Finance lease and hire purchase agreements (14) - Total 448 3,246

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