Final Results

AMCO Corporation PLC 07 March 2006 AMCO CORPORATION PLC ('AMCO' OR 'THE GROUP') PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2005 CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Results before taxation I am pleased to report substantially improved results for 2005. The profit before taxation for 2005 was £7.0 million compared with £3.0 million in 2004. This was on total turnover of £126 million as compared with £134 million for 2004. Structural steel activities had a particularly good year and contracting, property development and plastics manufacture all performed well. Dosco underground equipment manufacture again had an unsatisfactory year although only modest losses were sustained. Taxation The effective rate was 28.6% due mainly to the utilisation of the balance of trading losses brought forward. Earnings per share Earnings per share were 42.7 pence for 2005 compared with 23.0 pence for 2004. Dividend I am delighted to announce a return to the payment of dividends with a recommended dividend for 2005 of 11 pence per share payable on 3rd July 2006 to shareholders of record on 2nd June 2006. Liquidity and capital resources The Group had net funds in hand at 31st December 2005 of £4.2 million as compared with a net debt position at 31st December 2004 of £0.2 million. Pension Schemes The net deficits on the Group's final salary pension schemes increased by £0.8 million to £12.6 million at 31st December 2005. We intend to make additional contributions, in excess of normal contributions, to the schemes of £1.4 million in 2006. Prospects for 2006 I am pleased to report that prospects for 2006 are good. Structural steel activities continue to be buoyant and another good year is expected in 2006. Property development activities in 2006 should be better than in 2005 having regard to developments in progress. Following the closure of the U.K. coal contracting activities in 2005, we expect reduced profits from contracting activities in 2006. Plastics manufacturing is expected to have a satisfactory year in 2006. Dosco is operating in a very difficult market but we hope for modest profits in 2006. Management and workforce I should like to thank all directors and employees for their efforts and enthusiasm in 2005 which have contributed to a significant extent to the very satisfactory outcome to the year. S. N. Gordon Chairman 7th March 2006 OPERATIONAL REVIEW Overview The Group's focus on the development of its contracting, structural steel and property businesses continues, supported by its interests in engineering and manufacturing. The results in 2005 were a further significant improvement on the figures registered in 2004. 2005 marked the Group's final withdrawal from the UK coal mining contracting industry after 35 years. Provided that the progressive growth of our specialist construction activities are maintained and that the structural steel market remains relatively buoyant, and with the completion of property development projects currently in hand, the Group should achieve a further satisfactory performance in 2006. We will continue to make investment throughout the Group to expand the scope of the services and products we offer and improve the efficiency and profitability of our businesses. Health and Safety Health and Safety is at the core of the Group's operations and is seen as an integral element of ongoing business success. Considerable emphasis continues to be placed on the identification and minimisation of health and safety risk, the prevention of accidents and the effective management of Occupational Health, Safety and Employee Well Being. As part of our policy of continuous improvement further initiatives will be adopted throughout 2006 to build on the health and safety successes of the previous 12 months, particularly in the areas of employee behaviour and occupational health. Management Systems 2005 saw further significant progress made in relation to the review and development of management systems within the Group. Amalgamated Construction, Amco Plastics, Billington Structures and Hollybank all operate process based business management systems delivered electronically using web browser technology. Billington Structures has continued to develop its electronic management information system. It now includes document management and is linked to accounting software. It is now possible, through a single portal, to store and retrieve all relevant documents by project and to monitor costs against projects in real-time. January 2006 saw Amalgamated Construction roll out its 'Workspace' Knowledge and Document Management System and employees are currently undergoing training in its use. Companies within the Group have all successfully maintained ISO 9000 (Quality) and ISO 14000 (Environmental) certification of their management systems during 2005. During this period Billington Structures also successfully achieved certification to the Occupational Health Standard ISO 18001. Training and Development Substantial investment in employee training and development to meet the needs of the future business has been made in 2005 and will continue throughout 2006. The ongoing development of employee skills, knowledge and competence is seen as fundamental to the achievement of our longer term strategic objectives and as such will continue to be the focal point around which our training and development strategy has been developed. This area received particular attention during 2005 with a significant amount of groundwork being carried out towards the development of a Competency Framework encompassing the areas of Management and Leadership Skills, Technical Capability and Health & Safety. Significant focus has been and will continue to be placed on increasing health and safety knowledge and awareness amongst employees. Of particular note during 2005 was the successful completion of CITB recognised Health and Safety Training by all operational line managers and supervisors within Amalgamated Construction. Both Amalgamated Construction and Billington Structures continue to actively support the construction industry's national initiative of achieving a fully qualified workforce. Environment We have continued to pursue our goal of continuous environmental improvement through the ongoing reduction of the environmental impact of our operations. Reductions in energy usage and waste have remained our main focus of attention. The Group continues to pride itself on the comprehensive measures implemented throughout the organisation for the control of our environmental impacts. Not only do these measures ensure our ongoing compliance with legislation they also earn acknowledgement from our clients. The ongoing development and promotion of good environmental practice, underpinned by sound environmental awareness and employee training, is seen to be a key issue in continued business success. Contracting Amalgamated Construction had a successful year in 2005 reflecting strong demand for and growth of its specialist construction activities. The business is structured into two multi-disciplined client focused operating divisions; Capital Projects and Infrastructure Services. Capital Projects is focussed on traditional and design & build contracting opportunities covering civil engineering, tunnelling, bulk materials handling and multi-discipline engineering projects servicing in particular the energy, water and transport sectors. During 2005 the business completed major projects for a number of blue chip clients including National Grid Transco, Scottish and Southern Energy, United Utilities, RWE Innogy and Scottish Water. On Merseyside it completed the high profile Mersey Queensway Road Tunnel Emergency Escapes contract for Mersey Passenger Transport Authority, having previously undertaken the Mersey Kingsway Tunnel Cross Passages contract for the same client. The £13 million project included the construction of seven emergency refuge rooms located below the road deck with associated fire protected, ramped access ways from road level down into each refuge. The Infrastructure division includes our specialist rail, mining and multi-disciplined engineering and maintenance activities. Amco Rail had a very successful year and further consolidated its position successfully delivering multi-disciplined civils, structures, maintenance and engineering projects throughout the Rail network. The growing prestige of the business was further demonstrated in early 2006 when it was awarded Minor Works framework contracts for three of the Network Rail Territories This £20 million per annum contract is for a period of 3 years with an option for a 2 year extension. Amco Mining was awarded a further extension to its exploration drilling contract in Guinea and undertook major surface and underground installation works at Svea Nord Mine on Spitzbergen for SNSG. Amco Engineering had a satisfactory year from its growing portfolio of maintenance work being undertaken for Magnox, National Grid, E-on, SSE, the Environment Agency, British Waterways and the Oil and Pipelines Agency. The continued reduction in the UK coal mining industry determined that we withdraw from deep mine contracting and as a result Amco Mining Services Ltd, the company established to service the requirements of UK Coal Plc, ceased to trade at the end of 2005. Structural Steel Billington Structures enjoyed a record year for turnover and profit in 2005. Market conditions were generally favourable and the company benefited from its well-established relationships with a number of major contractors and clients. The company operates out of two modern production facilities at Wombwell near Barnsley and Yate near Bristol. It was a particularly busy year on the SLAM contract for the MOD, with a large number of projects being undertaken. Other significant contracts included a town-centre development in Durham, an extension to a building that the company had built previously for Ikea in Doncaster, which has created the largest warehouse in Europe, and a number of buildings at the Langeled facility, which is the UK end of the new gas pipe-line from Norway. The company's abilities were recognised within the industry by winning two major awards. It was named Structural Specialist of the Year by Building Magazine and Specialist Steelwork Contractor of the Year by Construction News. Its continuing efforts to enhance health and safety have included the achievement of ISO 18001, the health and safety management standard, and the successful establishment of Works Improvement Teams in its two factories. These have tapped into the enthusiasm and knowledge of shopfloor employees and led to a number of worthwhile initiatives and improvements. The company's safety barrier system, 'easi-edge', was made generally available within the industry and has enjoyed considerable success. Its distinctive orange barriers are protecting workers on steel-framed multi-storey buildings on a large number of sites in cities throughout the country. A major effort is underway to improve the facilities at the company's Yate factory, with a view to increasing capacity. As part of this, an additional CNC saw and drill is on order, for delivery mid 2006. This machine is next generation, with substantial productivity benefits over current machines and will more than double the factory's sawing and drilling capacity. Continued growth in the business has meant that there is a severe shortage of office space at the company's main site at Wombwell. The Group has addressed this by authorising an extension to the main office-block, which should provide sufficient space for the foreseeable future when it is finished in the autumn of 2006. The other structural steel business is Hollybank Engineering, which serves the underground mining industry. Its fortunes are closely bound up with those of the coal industry and, in consequence, it has declined considerably over the past several years. However, in recent years it has stabilised and is still profitable. Immediate prospects are not good, with more pit closures announced, but it is possible that recent upheavals in the global energy market have improved the medium and longer-term prospects for coal and hence for Hollybank. Property Development In 2005 Amco Developments further consolidated its position in the Yorkshire and North East property development markets and had another successful year with the sale of Folly Hall Mill, Huddersfield and the St. Mary's Gate site in Sheffield, which it owned in its joint venture with Strata. Work began on the Arundel Street, Sheffield apartment block comprising 68 units, 34 of which have already been sold. Completion of the block is anticipated in October 2006. A detailed planning consent was obtained for a large mixed use scheme in Sheffield comprising 205 apartments, 10,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 35,000 sq. ft. of office accommodation. It is anticipated a start on site will be made in October 2006 and strong interest has already been registered in the office element. The residential element of the development at St. James Boulevard, Newcastle, which is currently being undertaken in a joint venture, has been substantially sold and the commercial element forward sold to an investor with completion taking place in March 2006. Work continues on the 166,000 sq. ft. Temple Point Business Park in Leeds immediately adjacent to Junction 46 of the M1. Two buildings totalling 22,000 sq. ft. have been successfully completed and sold. Other phases comprising 43,000 sq. ft. in seven units are currently in various stages of completion. A number of other schemes are expected to come on stream during 2006. Engineering Dosco continues to develop its activities and services away from its traditional core market which centred on the UK coal mining industry. This market has now effectively been replaced through its expanding activities servicing the export mining and material handling markets. Although the business provided by the UK coal mining industry will continue to be serviced by the company, Dosco has had to look outside this market to provide the opportunity for a continuing structured and sustainable growth. The success achieved in changing its market base now provides a sound basis for Dosco to continue to expand its products and services around the world. The Russian service centre is now well established in the Siberian coalfields. During 2005 the company successfully completed a £2.5m contract to supply three roadheading machines to the Chinese coal mining market and one to Russia. One of the sales into China was for a MK4 machine, a new machine utilising the latest technologies for variable strata conditions Orders for 2006 have so far been received from USA, China and the Dominican Republic. The American order is for an initial two machines which will be used to develop underground workings for the extraction of oil, the Dominican Republic order is for a machine to develop the Santo Domingo underground system. Manufacturing During 2005 Amco Plastics continued to focus on the expansion of its extrusion business with the development of new products to serve a wide cross-section of industry applications. The company successfully completed the supply of almost 30 kilometres of tunnel ventilation ducting to the high speed train link from Madrid to La Coruna at Guadarrama during 2005 and as a result won the contract to supply similar ducting to the new road tunnel from France to Spain at Le Perthus. Amco Plastics also supplied more than 80 million metres of extruded product to the UK cable industry and 25 million metres of tube to the UK DIY industry. FINANCIAL DIRECTOR'S REPORT Results Total turnover in the year ended 31st December 2005 reduced by 6.3% to £126.0m from £134.5m in the previous year. The Group reported a total operating profit for 2005 of £7.2m a 125% increase on the profit achieved in 2004 of £3.2m. Operating margins also more than doubled, increasing from 2.4% to 5.7%. Taxation The tax charge of £2.0m in the year equates to an effective corporation tax rate of 28.6% on the Group's profits. Profit and dividends per share Earnings per share were 42.7p in 2005, which compares with earnings per share of 23.0p in 2004. No dividends were paid in the year although a final dividend of 11p per share is proposed in respect of the 2005 results. As a result of the Group implementing FRS 21: 'Events after the balance sheet date' the proposed final dividend is no longer shown as a liability of the Group at 31st December 2005. Capital expenditure The Group continued to invest in capital equipment with a further £3.3m (2004 - £2.4m) of capital expenditure in the year of which £1.8m (2004 - £1.3m) related to replacements in the Group's motor vehicle fleet. Of the balance of £1.5m, £1.1m was in respect of new equipment in the structural steel businesses with the rest invested in plant and equipment throughout the Group. The depreciation charge for the year was £2.3m which, together with sundry disposals, caused the total fixed assets in the Group to increase by £0.5m to £15.1m. Cashflow The Group had net funds at the end of 2005 of £4.2m, an increase of £4.4m from the net debt position of £0.2m at the end of 2004. There were no bank overdrafts at the year end with the Group having total cash at bank of £7.7m at 31st December 2005, a cash inflow of £2.1m in 2005. Bank and other loans reduced by £2.3m and the level of finance leases remained constant. Pension Schemes The deficit on the Group's pension schemes as calculated by FRS 17 increased during the year by £0.8m to £12.6m after allowing for deferred tax. This increase in the deficit was a result of changes in the actuarial assumptions underlying the present value of the scheme liabilities. The actual return on the scheme assets of £7.9m was £5.3m in excess of the anticipated return and the Group made contributions £0.9m in excess of the current service charge but the £7.3m actuarial losses caused the gross deficit to increase by £1.1m before deferred tax. The Group intends to make additional contributions to the pension schemes in 2006 of £1.4m. I. Swire Group Financial Director 7th March 2006 Profit and loss account for the year ended 31st December 2005 2005 2004 £000 £000 £000 £000 Total turnover (including share of turnover in joint ventures) 125,982 134,498 Increase /(decrease) in work in progress 46 (331) 126,028 134,167 Less: share of turnover in joint ventures (7,222) (2,542) Group turnover 118,806 131,625 Raw materials and consumables 44,019 46,945 Other external charges 25,140 34,548 (69,159) (81,493) 49,647 50,132 Staff costs 37,783 42,215 Depreciation 2,349 2,539 Other operating charges 3,043 2,340 (43,175) (47,094) Group operating profit 6,472 3,038 Share of operating profit in joint ventures 739 178 Total operating profit 7,211 3,216 Net interest (68) (187) Other finance (cost)/income (192) 2 Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 6,951 3,031 Tax on profit on ordinary activities (1,971) (312) Profit transferred to reserves 4,980 2,719 Earnings per share 42.7p 23.0p Statement of total recognised gains and losses for the year ended 31st December 2005 2005 2004 £000 £000 Profit for the financial year 4,980 2,719 Actuarial loss recognised in the pension scheme (1,858) (4,032) Movement on deferred tax relating to pension liability 342 929 Current tax relating to pension liability 215 281 Total recognised gains/(losses) for the year 3,679 (103) Consolidated balance sheet at 31st December 2005 2005 2004 £000 £000 £000 £000 Fixed assets Tangible assets 15,136 14,649 Investments 350 350 Investments in joint ventures: share of gross assets 12,595 5,630 share of gross liabilities (10,934) (4,485) 1,661 1,145 17,147 16,144 Current assets Stock and work in progress 11,381 10,801 Amounts recoverable on contracts 957 8,098 Debtors 15,823 13,209 Cash at bank and in hand 7,738 5,618 35,899 37,726 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (28,653) (33,634) Net current assets 7,246 4,092 Total assets less current liabilities 24,393 20,236 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (1,710) (1,830) Net assets excluding pension liability 22,683 18,406 Pension liability (12,640) (11,840) Net assets including pension liability 10,043 6,566 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 1,293 1,293 Share premium 1,864 1,864 Capital redemption reserve 132 132 Property revaluation reserve 3,284 3,284 Other reserves (798) (596) Profit and loss account 4,268 589 Shareholders' funds 10,043 6,566 Consolidated cashflow statement for the year ended 31st December 2005 2005 2004 £000 £000 £000 £000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 7,702 3,277 Dividends from joint ventures 0 125 Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 159 174 Interest paid (87) (214) Hire purchase interest paid (140) (147) Net cash outflow from returns on Investments and servicing of finance (68) (187) Taxation (486) 153 Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (1,499) (928) Sale of tangible fixed assets 702 2,203 Net cashflow from capital expenditure and financial investment (797) 1,275 Net cash inflow before financing 6,351 4,643 Financing Bank and other loans (2,290) 1,640 Capital element of finance lease rentals (1,739) (1,689) Employee Share Ownership Plan - purchase of shares (230) (20) - disposal of shares 28 5 Net cash outflow from financing (4,231) (64) Increase in cash 2,120 4,579 Notes: 1. Basis of preparation The financial information in this preliminary announcement has been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the financial statements of Amco Corporation Plc for the year ended 31st December 2004, which have remained unchanged for the financial year ended 31st December 2005 apart from the adoption of FRS 21 - Events After the Balance Sheet Date. 2. Accounts The summary accounts set out above do not constitute statutory accounts as defined by Section 240 of the UK Companies Act 1985. The summarised consolidated balance sheet at 31 December 2005, the summarised consolidated profit and loss account, the summarised consolidated cash flow statement and the summarised statement of total recognised gains and losses for the year then ended have been extracted from the Group's 2005 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors' opinion is unqualified. The statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2005 were approved by the directors on 7th March 2006, but have not yet been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. 3. Earnings per share Earnings per ordinary share have been calculated on the basis of profit for the year after tax, divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue in the year (excluding those held in the ESOP Trust) of 11,654,508 (2004 - 11,797,808). 4. Preliminary announcement Copies of the preliminary announcement are available from the company's registered office at Amco House, Cedar Court Office Park, Denby Dale Road, Wakefield, WF4 3QZ. The Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2005 will be posted to shareholders on or about 29th April 2006. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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