Interim Results

Alliance Pharma PLC 03 November 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3 NOVEMBER 2005 ALLIANCE PHARMA PLC ('Alliance Pharma' or 'the Company') Interim Results for the six month period ended 31 Augst 2005 Alliance Pharma plc (AIM: APH), an emerging speciality pharmaceutical company, is pleased to announce its interim results for the half year ended 31 August 2005. Financial Highlights • Sales up 35.5% to £7.5m • Profit after tax, on an IFRS basis was £385K • Gross margin improvement of 53.6% • Operating cashflow remains strong at £1.6m • Basic earnings per share of 0.26p • Financial year changing to December 31st - commencing December 2005 Operational Highlights • Phase III clinical trials on Isprelor(TM), (induction of labour) - trials expected to complete the middle of 2006 • Phase III trials on Posidorm(TM), (melatonin for sleeping disorders), - on track for introduction in 2007 • Selective acquisition of reputable prescription brands under discussion Commenting on the results, Michael Gatenby, Alliance Pharma's Chairman, said: 'Our interim results for the 6 months to August 2005 represent another period of good, on-target, performance from the current business with solid progress also being made on the development projects. Significant progress has also been made in building and strengthening the managerial team...... We look forward to the next half year with continued optimism.' For further information: Alliance Pharma plc + 44 (0) 1249 466966 John Dawson, Chief Executive Maddy Scott, Finance Director www.alliancepharma.co.uk Buchanan Communications + 44 (0) 20 7466 5000 Mark Court/Lisa Baderoon Notes to editors About Alliance Pharma Alliance Pharma, founded in 1996, is an AIM listed emerging speciality pharmaceutical company based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK. The company has a strong track record of acquiring the rights to established niche brands and owns, or shares, the rights to 30 branded pharmaceutical products and continues to explore opportunities to expand the range. Alliance Pharma's products are prescribed in the treatment of a wide range of conditions and include brands used in periodontitis (a serious gum disease), the prevention of heart disease, in Parkinson's disease, in nutrition, in nasal infections, in the treatment of dermatological conditions and in childbirth. Alliance Pharma's sales are mainly prescription driven. Its products are distributed to hospitals directly and to pharmaceutical wholesalers which service both hospital and retail pharmacies with their prescription requirements. Alliance Pharma is also developing novel products for sleep disorders and the induction of labour. Alliance Pharma joined the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2003 and trades under the symbol APH. Chairman's statement Our Interim Results for the 6 months to August 2005 represent another period of good, on-target, performance from the current business with solid progress also being made on the development projects. Significant progress has also been made in building and strengthening the managerial team. Sales were £7.5m having grown by 35.5%, compared to the same period last year, 5.8% being like for like and 29.7% arising from the acquisitions of Periostat and Forceval in November 2004. Profit after tax, on an IFRS basis was £385k corresponding to £206k for the same period last year, representing an increase of 86.7%. This was after P&L costs for the pre-marketing activities on the development projects of £301k. Development costs, per se, of £724k were capitalised, bringing the total expenditure on development projects to £1,025k in the period. IFRS adjustments amounted to (£113k), the most significant of which was (£115k) for the change in the fair value of interest rate swaps which provide us with interest rate stability until 2008. This revaluation is a non-cash item which could move around from period to period. Excluding the IFRS adjustments, profit after tax was £498k. Looking forward to the full year results, we expect minor phasing differences on expenses, particularly on the development projects, to reduce slightly the pro-rata accumulation of profit compared to the first six months, but nevertheless the full year result is expected to be within the range of market forecasts. We have taken the decision to change our financial year end to December 31st commencing in December 2005 in order to align ourselves with most companies in our sector. This means that the period to December 2005 will contain 10 months trading. Trading to the end of October was on plan and therefore we expect the result in December to be proportionate to our expectation for the full 12 month period. Regarding segmental analysis, sales for our Growth Brands grew from £2.9m (at August 2004) to £3.6m and the Growth Brands Result grew from £1.5m to £2.0m. Nu-Seals and Symmetrel continue to perform well. Since the acquisition of Periostat in November 2004, great progress has been made on its integration. In April 2004 a Head of the Dental Business Unit took office; in May a co-promotion deal was signed with Oraldent; and by August the OralDent sales team had been expanded in number and trained on the technical aspects of Periostat enabling promotion of Periostat to commence. As yet, it is thus too soon to see the impact. In the Core Brands segment which does not receive promotional support, sales grew from £2.7m to £4.0m, principally due to acquisition of Forceval in November 2004. It was however affected by the one-off 7% price decrease imposed on sales to the UK NHS in January 2005 as part of the industry-wide renegotiation of the PPRS (Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme) for the period 2005 - 2011. Whilst this has been a bitter pill to swallow, it does provide price stability for the period up to 2011. Growth due to acquisitions was 27.4%. The Core Brands Result grew from £0.75m to £1.2m. Our Phase III clinical trials on Isprelor(TM), our intra-vaginal misoprostol for induction of labour, opened in January with the expectation that they would be finished this year. Site set-ups were prolonged and patient recruitment has been slower than planned. To compensate for this, the number of sites is currently being expanded and the trials are now expected to complete around the middle of 2006, with the introduction being delayed into 2007. Nevertheless interest in the product is keen and an Alliance sponsored symposium on the use of misoprostol in obstetrics at the 6th International Scientific Meeting of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Cairo in September was very well attended and provoked much positive contribution during discussion. Our Phase III trials on Posidorm(TM), our medical development of melatonin for sleeping disorders, commenced in July and progress is going well with the project remaining on track for an introduction in 2007. Posidorm is a very substantial market opportunity for the Company as it addresses a market currently estimated at £0.5 billion but which is expected to treble in the next decade. Out-licensing discussions on Posidorm are ongoing. Selective acquisition of reputable prescription brands remains an essential part of our strategy for building the business base and we have several projects under discussion. As can be seen from the accompanying announcement we have just divested for the sum of £0.5m the rights to Uniflu, an OTC cold and 'flu preparation, to G R Lane Health Products Ltd for the UK and various other territories. This product had been acquired along with Forceval in a package of assets from the Administrators of Unigreg Ltd in November 2004. Uniflu, which has undeveloped potential in the UK, was non-core to Alliance, although, via overseas distributors, we retain our international sales of around £400k and we are pleased with the sum achieved. Michael Gatenby Chairman Consolidated interim income statement For the six months ended 31 August 2005 6 months 6 months 12 months to 31 Aug to 31 Aug to 28 Feb 2005 2004 2005 Note £ £ £ Sales revenue 4 7,545,724 5,568,333 11,826,292 Cost of sales (3,501,628) (2,658,048) (5,624,857) --------- --------- ---------- Gross profit 4,044,096 2,910,285 6,201,435 Operating expenses Other operating expenses (2,629,096) (1,801,822) (3,832,893) --------- --------- ---------- (2,629,096) (1,801,822) (3,832,893) ------------------- --------- --------- ---------- Operating profit Pre exceptional items 1,415,000 1,108,463 2,368,542 Exceptional items - (109,504) (109,504) Operating profit before finance costs 1,415,000 998,959 2,259,038 ----------------------- --------- --------- ---------- Finance costs Interest paid (906,300) (717,880) (1,661,487) Other finance costs (20,806) (76,689) (191,715) Change in fair value of derivative financial instruments (115,263) - - --------- --------- ---------- (1,042,369) (794,569) (1,853,202) --------- --------- ---------- Profit for the period before taxation 372,631 204,390 405,836 Taxation 12,497 1,864 - --------- --------- ---------- Profit for the financial 5 385,128 206,254 405,836 period ========= ========= ========== Earnings per share Basic (pence) 6 0.26 0.19 0.33 ========= ========= ========== Diluted (pence) 6 0.46 0.46 0.81 ========= ========= ========== Consolidated balance sheet At 31 August 2005 At At At 31 Aug 31 Aug 28 Feb 2005 2004 2005 £ £ £ Assets Non-current assets Goodwill 1,128,973 1,128,740 1,128,973 Other intangible fixed assets 27,692,227 17,033,810 26,966,042 Property, plant and equipment 299,048 201,352 306,573 Deferred tax assets 12,497 1,864 - ---------- --------- ---------- 29,132,745 18,365,766 28,401,588 ---------- --------- ---------- Current assets Inventories 2,351,889 1,847,401 2,469,363 Trade and other receivables 3,377,500 1,752,514 2,149,613 Cash and cash equivalents 267,853 3,679,696 1,367,271 ---------- --------- ---------- 5,997,242 7,279,611 5,986,247 ---------- --------- ---------- Total assets 35,129,987 25,645,377 34,387,835 ========== ========= ========== Equity Ordinary Share capital 1,473,559 1,107,939 1,473,559 Share premium 9,030,959 5,221,761 9,030,959 Fair value of share options 22,610 2,119 12,423 Reserves (329,349) (329,349) (329,349) Retained earnings (2,978,159) (3,562,869) (3,363,286) ---------- --------- ---------- Total equity 7,219,620 2,439,601 6,824,306 ---------- --------- ---------- Liabilities Non-current Long term financial liabilities 12,789,901 10,375,627 14,293,913 Convertible debt 7,153,229 7,111,617 7,132,423 Other liabilities 163,889 200,000 177,778 ---------- --------- ---------- 20,107,019 17,687,244 21,604,114 ---------- --------- ---------- Current Financial liabilities 3,016,827 1,925,101 2,551,721 Derivative financial instruments 115,263 - - Trade and other payables and provisions 4,671,258 3,593,431 3,407,694 ---------- --------- ---------- 7,803,348 5,518,532 5,959,415 ---------- --------- ---------- Total liabilities 27,910,367 23,205,776 27,563,529 ---------- --------- ---------- Total equity and liabilities 35,129,987 25,645,377 34,387,835 ========== ========= ========== Consolidated interim statement of cash flows For the six months ended 31 August 2005 6 months 6 months 12 months to 31 Aug to 31 Aug to 28 Feb 2005 2004 2005 £ £ £ Operating activities Result for the year before tax and finance costs 1,415,000 998,959 2,259,038 Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 65,526 43,691 115,229 Change in inventories 117,474 (107,885) (729,847) Change in trade and other (1,227,887) 238,702 (165,521) receivables Change in trade and other 1,279,892 (233,611) 93,882 payables Tax paid (1,420) - (12,747) Share options charges 10,187 2,119 12,423 ---------- --------- ---------- Cash flows from operating 1,658,772 941,975 1,572,457 activities ========== ========= ========== Investing activities Interest received 51,621 101,703 161,726 Interest paid and similar (956,719) (543,341) (1,820,209) charges Other finance charges paid (1,202) (1,607) (3,004) Payment of deferred (13,889) - (128,399) consideration Purchase of subsidiary - (112,401) - undertaking Finance issue costs paid - (53,549) - Development costs capitalised (724,630) - (858,499) Purchase of tangible assets (58,001) (69,190) (245,948) Purchase of other intangible (1,555) (170,572) (9,248,913) assets ---------- --------- ---------- Net cash used in investing (1,704,375) (848,957) (12,143,246) activities ---------- --------- ---------- Financing activities Net proceeds from the issue of - - 4,181,941 shares Receipt from borrowings - - 6,875,000 Repayment of borrowings (1,115,514) (978,526) (3,763,859) Finance lease payments (10,378) (13,992) (26,031) ---------- --------- ---------- Net cash used in financing (1,125,892) (992,518) 7,267,051 activities ---------- --------- ---------- Net movement in cash and cash equivalents (1,171,495) (899,500) (3,303,738) Cash and cash equivalents at 1 March 2005 1,275,459 4,579,197 4,579,197 ---------- --------- ---------- Cash and cash equivalents at 31 August 2005 103,964 3,679,697 1,275,459 ========== ========= ========== Consolidated interim statement of changes in equity At 31 August 2005 Equity attributable to equity holders of Alliance Pharma plc Shares Share Share to be Reserves Retained Total Capital Premium issued earnings Equity £ £ £ £ £ £ Balance 1 March 2004 1,107,939 5,214,638 - (329,349) (3,769,123) 2,224,105 Costs of share issue reclaimed - 7,123 - - - 7,123 Employee benefits - - 2,119 - - 2,119 Profit for the period - - - - 206,254 206,254 ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Balance 31 August 2004 1,107,939 5,221,761 2,119 (329,349) (3,562,869) 2,439,601 ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Balance 1 September 2004 1,107,939 5,221,761 2,119 (329,349) (3,562,869) 2,439,601 Issue of shares 365,620 - - - - 365,620 Premium on shares issued - 3,809,198 - - - 3,809,198 Employee benefits - - 10,304 - - 10,304 Profit for the period - - - - 199,582 199,582 ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Balance 28 February 2005 1,473,559 9,030,959 12,423 (329,349) (3,363,287) 6,824,305 (1) ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Balance 1 March 2005 1,473,559 9,030,959 12,423 (329,349) (3,363,287) 6,824,305 Employee benefits - - 10,187 - - 10,187 Profit for the period - - - - 385,128 385,128 ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Balance 31 August 2005 1,473,559 9,030,959 22,610 (329,349) (2,978,159) 7,219,620 - ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Notes to the interim report For the six months ended 31 August 2005 1. Nature of operations Alliance Pharma plc and its subsidiaries' ('Alliance' or 'The Group') principal activities comprise the development, marketing and distribution of pharmaceutical products. The principal activity of the Company is to act as a holding company. 2. General information The information for the year ended 28 February 2005 does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. A copy of the statutory accounts for that year, prepared under UK GAAP, has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditors' report on those accounts was unqualified. The interim financial report for the six month period ended 31 August 2005 (including comparatives for the six months ended 31 August 2004) were approved by the board of directors on 3 November 2005. 3. Accounting policies The interim financial report has been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard 34 Interim Financial Reporting and the requirements of International Financial Reporting Standard 1 First-time adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards relevant to interim reports. The same accounting policies and methods of computation are followed in the interim financial report as published by the company in the 'additional unaudited information' contained within its February 2005 Annual Report, which is available on the company's website on www.alliancepharma.co.uk. 4. Segmental information The business is split between those brands which are invested in for growth, core brands which have no promotional investment and development projects which are non-revenue-generating. Growth Core Development Central & Total Brands Brands Projects Unallocated Group £ £ £ £ £ For the half year ended 31 August 2005 Segment revenue 3,586,822 3,958,904 - - 7,545,725 - 1 ======== ======== ========== ========= ======== Segment result 2,019,031 1,202,794 (301,009) (1,505,817) 1,415,000 - - ======== ======== ========== ========= ======== For the half year ended 31 August 2004 Segment revenue 2,882,919 2,685,414 - - 5,568,333 - 0 ======== ======== ========== ========= ======== Segment result 1,515,295 753,131 - (1,159,963) 1,108,463 - - ======== ======== ========== ========= ======== For the year ended 28 February 2005 Segment revenue 6,072,302 5,753,990 - - 11,826,292 - 0 ======== ======== ========== ========= ======== Segment ======== ======== ========== ========= ========= result 3,454,484 1,421,245 (51,103) (2,456,084) 2,368,542 - (0) ======== ======== ========== ========= ========= 5. Transition to International Financial Reporting Standards The transition from UK GAAP to IFRS has been made in accordance with IFRS 1 (First Time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards). IFRS 1, permits those companies adopting IFRS for the first time to take some exemptions from the full requirements of IFRS. Alliance Pharma plc has taken the following exemptions: • business combinations prior to the transition date (1 March 2004) have not been restated onto an IFRS basis. • The comparative information presented in the Group's first full set of IFRS financial statements need not comply with IAS 32 and IAS 39. Therefore the group has: (a) applied UK GAAP in the comparative information to financial instruments within the scope of IAS 32 and IAS 39. (b) the main adjustments that would make the opening balance sheet comply with IAS 32 and IAS 39 are: 1) that the interest rate swaps are considered a derivative financial instrument, under IAS 39, 'financial instruments; recognition and measurement', and would be originally recognised in the balance sheet at cost and then re-measured at subsequent reporting dates to fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives financial instruments are recorded in the income statement. Under UK GAAP these financial instruments are recorded at cost. The fair value of the interest rate swap at 1 March 2005, the beginning of the period in which IAS 32 and IAS 39 has been applied, was £3,000. This amount is not considered material to make any adjustment for a change in accounting policy as required by IAS 8; and 2) under UK GAAP the convertible loan stock is accounted for within creditors falling due within one year and creditors falling due after one year. In accordance with IAS 32, financial instruments; disclosure and presentation, the convertible loan stock is considered a compound financial instrument. The components of the financial instrument would have been separated and the liability recorded within creditors and equity element within shareholders funds. The fair value of the equity element of all loan stock currently in issue was nil at the date of issue. 5. Transition to International Financial Reporting Standards (continued) The reconciliation of the Group's equity previously reported under UK GAAP to its equity under IFRSs may be summarised as follows: As at As at As at As at 31 Aug 31 Aug 28 Feb 28 Feb 2005 2004 2005 2004 £ £ £ £ ** Equity Equity under UK GAAP previously reported 7,322,386 1,839,990 6,824,306 2,224,106 Amortisation * - 597,747 - - -------- -------- -------- -------- Revised equity under UK GAAP 7,322,386 2,437,737 6,824,306 2,224,106 Interest rate swaps - fair value adjustment (115,263) - - - Employee benefits reserve 22,610 2,119 12,423 - Deferred tax adjustment 12,497 1,864 - - Employee benefits expense (22,610) (2,119) (12,423) - -------- -------- -------- -------- Equity under IFRS 7,219,620 2,439,601 6,824,306 2,224,106 ======== ======== ======== ======== Profit and loss previously reported under UK GAAP can be reconciled to IFRS as follows: 6 months 6 months 12 months to to to 31 Aug 31 Aug 28 Feb 2005 2004 2005 £ £ £ ** Income statement (Loss)/profit for period under UK GAAP previously reported 498,081 (391,238) 418,259 Amortisation - 597,747 - ---------- --------- ---------- Revised (loss)/profit for period under UK GAAP 498,081 206,509 418,259 Interest-rate swaps - fair value adjustment (115,263) - - Employee benefits expense (10,187) (2,119) (12,423) Deferred tax movement 12,497 1,864 - ---------- --------- ---------- Profit for period under IFRS 385,128 206,254 405,836 ========== ========= ========== * Amortisation of goodwill and intangible assets previously reported in the 31 August 2004 interim financial report has been reversed to reflect a change in accounting estimate that was applied in the annual report for the full year to 28 February 2005. ** Reconciliations included above relating to the period ending 31 August 2005 have been given for information purposes only and do not relate to previously reported numbers. 6. Earnings per share The basic earnings per share is based on equity profits of £385,128 (31 August 2004: £206,254; 28 February2005: £405,836) and 147,355,891 (31 August 2004: 110,793,903; 28 February 2005: 123,815,891) ordinary shares of 1p each, being the weighted average number of shares in issue in the period. An adjusted earnings per share has been disclosed in order to show performance undistorted by exceptional items and one-off finance charges. The adjusted earnings per share is based on equity earnings of £385,128 (31 August 2004: £315,758; 28 February 2005: £633,067). 6 months 6 months 12 months to to to 31 Aug 31 Aug 28 Feb 2005 2004 2005 £ £ £ Reconciliation of diluted earnings Equity earnings 385,128 206,254 405,836 Interest saved on convertible loan stock 300,000 300,000 600,000 ---------- --------- ---------- Diluted earnings 685,128 506,254 1,005,836 ========== ========= ========== Reconciliation of adjusted earnings Equity earnings 385,128 206,254 405,836 Aborted acquisition costs - 109,504 109,504 Other finance costs - - 117,727 ---------- --------- ---------- Adjusted earnings 385,128 315,758 633,067 ========== ========= ========== Reconciliation of adjusted diluted earnings Equity earnings 385,128 206,254 405,836 Adjustments to diluted earnings 300,000 300,000 600,000 Adjustments to adjusted - 109,504 227,231 earnings ---------- --------- ---------- Adjusted diluted earnings 685,128 615,758 1,233,067 ========== ========= ========== Reconciliation of ordinary shares Basic number of ordinary shares 147,355,891 110,793,903 123,815,981 Conversion of convertible debt 340,630 338,648 339,639 Exercise of options - - 204,686 ---------- --------- ---------- Diluted number of ordinary 147,696,521 111,132,551 124,360,306 shares ========== ========= ========== Earnings per share Basic (pence) 0.26 0.19 0.33 ========== ========= ========== Adjusted (pence) 0.26 0.28 0.51 ========== ========= ========== Diluted (pence) 0.46 0.46 0.81 ========== ========= ========== Adjusted diluted (pence) 0.46 0.55 0.99 ========== ========= ========== This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
UK 100

Latest directors dealings