Final Results - Year Ended 31 December 1999

Christie Group PLC 29 March 2000 Christie Group plc Preliminary Results for the year to 31 December 1999 Overview of 1999 1999 was a successful year for the Group, which saw both strong financial performance and improved returns to our Shareholders. Both divisions of the Group traded strongly, whilst we continued to invest in future expansion opportunities both in the UK and overseas. Our core businesses are businesses of excellence and Christie & Co, Venners and Venners Computer Systems have each achieved record results. Profit before tax of £3.5 million was achieved on turnover of £35.2 million. This compares with profit of £2.1 million and turnover £24.5 million for the nine months to 31 December 1998. Strategy for Growth The Group has always had a strong commitment to 'adding value' to the services it offers its clients. To this end, recent years have seen us adding a logical sequence of businesses to the original business agency activity of Christie & Co. These included stock audit (Venners), mortgage and insurance services (RCC) and professional property services (Pinders and Christie & Co Valuation Services). In the early 1990's, we identified the growth of Information Technology as an essential component of our clients' future businesses. In 1992 we acquired the start-up business that has since developed into Venners Computer Systems (VCS), a leading supplier of EPoS and software solutions to the retail, leisure and hospitality industries in the UK, Europe and Northern America, and a key driver of the Group's growth today and in the future. Professional Business Services The Professional Business Services division achieved operating profits of £2.6 million (9 months to 31 December 1998 - £1.3 million) on turnover of £23.3 million (9 months to 31 December 1998 - £16.0 million. Christie & Co, as the UK's market leader, is now expanding into Europe and we have established a substantial presence with offices in Frankfurt and Paris, with Barcelona to follow. The business model for our European roll-out will be closely aligned to our internet strategy and we were encouraged that the Estates Gazette judged Christie & Co's website the best of the top agents' sites they reviewed in their 4th March 2000 edition. Information Systems and Services This division achieved operating profits of £0.9 million (9 months to 31 December 1998 - £0.8 million) on turnover of £11.9 million (9 months to 31 December 1998 - £8.6 million). VCS now has international offices in Germany, Canada and Spain as well as representation in Poland, Japan and Brazil. In September 1999 we added to Venners Computers Systems (VCS) with the acquisition of Vision Associates (renamed Venners Touch Systems), a provider of multimedia software for touchscreen internet kiosks. Since the year end we have further strengthened the position of VCS as a leading European supplier of EPoS solutions to the retail and leisure trades with the £7.2 million acquisition in March of the French software business, Groupe Timeless SA. The acquisition of Timeless, based in Paris and Montpellier, which provides its own software with internet capability to fashion and other retailers, substantially extends the reach of both businesses. We are delighted to welcome Yves Doukhan Chief Executive of Timeless and his eighty colleagues to the Christie Group. The draft results for Timeless for the year ended 31 December 1999 shows turnover and profit before tax of FFR 89.2 million and FFR 9.67 million respectively. Net assets at that date were FFR 13.7 million. Dividend Your board proposes a final dividend of 1.5p per share (9 months to 31 December 1998 - 2.0p), which is in addition to the interim dividend of 1.0p (1998 - nil), bringing the dividend for the year to 2.5p per share (1998 - 2.0p). People I would also like to pay a special tribute to our senior non- executive Director, Charles Wilson, who has announced his intention to retire from the Board at the forthcoming AGM. Charles Wilson joined the Group, then a private company, in 1980. Over all the ensuing years, he has been a source of wisdom, support and enthusiasm. I would also like to welcome Amanda Street who joined the Group Board as a non-executive director on 3 March this year. Amanda, a senior executive with Hewlett-Packard, was based in Europe throughout the 90's. She has extensive experience of sales, marketing and global operations and I am sure will make a marked contribution. As ever, thanks are due to all our staff for their continued hard work and commitment to excellence which has produced these significantly improved results. Outlook Christie Group has an interesting and exciting portfolio of businesses, which are well positioned both in terms of products and services and, more importantly, in terms of established and experienced management with the ability to take advantage of the opportunities which the new economy will offer them. Trading across the Group is currently strong and we expect another good years performance, although a slow start from VCS in January and February of this year will affect the first half performance. Enquiries Christie Group 020 7227 0707 Philip Gwyn, Chairman David Rugg, Chief Executive Robert Zenker, Finance Director Brunswick 020 7404 5959 Charlotte Elston PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF UNAUDITED RESULTS UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 1999 Year to 9 months to 31 Dec 31 Dec 1999 1998 £000 £000 Turnover 35,161 24,534 Staff costs (14,625) (9,452) Other operating charges (17,092) (13,009) Operating profit 3,444 2,073 Interest receivable 90 93 Interest payable (37) (34) Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 3,497 2,132 Tax on profit on ordinary activities (1,218) (720) Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 2,279 1,412 Dividends paid and proposed (608 (481) Retained profit for the financial year 1,671 931 Earnings per share 9.42p 5.87p Earnings per share - fully diluted 9.28p 5.87p All amounts derive from continuing activities. UNAUDITED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 1999 Year to 9 months to 31 Dec 31 Dec 1999 1998 £000 £000 Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 2,279 1,412 Gain on foreign currency translation 14 14 Total recognised gains and losses relating to the year 2,293 1,426 UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 1999 31 Dec 31 Dec 1999 1998 £000 £000 Fixed assets Tangible assets 2,778 2,579 Intangible assets 247 - ------- ------ 3,025 2,579 Current assets Stock 207 220 Debtors 7,785 6,581 Cash at bank and in hand 3,318 2,416 ------- ------ 11,310 9,217 Creditors - amounts falling due within one year (7,969) (7,135) Net current assets 3,341 2,082 Total assets less current liabilities 6,366 4,661 Creditors - amounts falling due after more than one year (150) (285) Net assets 6,216 4,376 Capital and Reserves Called up share capital 487 481 Share premium account 3,653 3,504 Profit and Loss Account 2,076 391 Shareholders' funds - equity interests 6,216 4,376 UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED CASHFLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 1999 Year to 9 months to 31 Dec 31 Dec 1999 1998 £000 £000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 4,273 2,653 Returns on investments and servicing of finance 53 59 Taxation paid (1,240) (390) Capital expenditure (1,094) (845) Acquisitions and disposals (331) - Equity dividends paid (724) (361) Cash inflow before financing 937 1,116 Financing (35) (107) Increase in cash in the year 902 1,009 Notes to the preliminary statement of unaudited results: 1. Segmental Information (Unaudited) Year to Year to 9 months to 9 months to 31 Dec 1999 31 Dec 1999 31 Dec 1998 31 Dec 1998 Turnover Operating Turnover Operating Profit Profit £000 £000 £000 £000 Professional Business Services 23,275 2,587 15,957 1,308 Information Systems and Services 11,886 857 8,577 765 -------- ------ ------- ------ Total 35,161 3,444 24,534 2,073 A final dividend of 1.5p (December 1998: 2.0p) per Ordinary Share has been proposed, which is in addition to the interim dividend of 1.0p (1998 nil). The ex-dividend date is 10 April, the record date 14 April and the date payable 16 June 2000. Earnings per share is based on the profit attributable to shareholders of £2,279,000 (9 months to 31 December 1998: £1,412,000) and 24,195,511 (31 December 1998: 24,057,569) ordinary shares of 2 pence each being the average number of shares in issue during the year. Fully diluted earnings per share is based on the profit attributable to shareholders of £2,279,000 (9 months to 31 December 1998: £1,412,000) and 24,558,493 (31 December 1998: 24,057,569) ordinary shares of 2 pence each being the average number of shares in issue during the year after allowing for the exercise of outstanding share options. The financial information set out above does not comprise the Company's statutory accounts. The Company's auditors have not as yet reported on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 1999 nor have such accounts been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The results for the period ended 31 December 1998 have been abridged from the published group accounts for which an unqualified audit report was issued and did not contain any statements under Section 237 (2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985 and which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The Report and Accounts are scheduled to be posted to shareholders in early May. The Annual General Meeting of the Company is scheduled to take place at 10.00 am on Thursday 8 June 2000 at: 50 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0NW Christie Group plc Professional Business Services Christie & Co Surveyors, Valuers & Agents The Leading Firm of Independent Surveyors, Valuers and Agents serving the hotel, leisure, licensed, healthcare and retail sectors. Its international operations are based in London and Paris and it has a linked network of 14 offices in the UK, each of which has valuation and agency teams that focus on these business sectors. Christie Consulting International Hotels, Tourism and Leisure Provides (to clients with interests in the hotel, tourism, leisure and healthcare sectors) Advisory Services including feasibility studies, market trend analysis, operational reviews and market entry strategy and tactics. With no geographic limitations, projects include provision of expert opinion, analysis of under-performing businesses, negotiation of management agreements and the like. Quest for Quality A Quality Assurance Company. It provides externally accredited quality assurance for the long-term care sector, and risk assessment through its Performance Evaluation Reports for banks, local authorities, charitable trusts and business owners. Rcc The Market Leader in the provision of finance and insurance for the hospitality, healthcare and retail sectors. Business purchase finance or re-financing are arranged through committed lines of funds from major financial institutions. Tailor-made insurance packages are also provided in its specialist sectors of the market. Pinders The UK's Leading Specialist Business Appraisal Company undertaking valuations in the healthcare, retail, licensed and leisure sectors. Information Systems and Services Venners A Leading Supplier of stocktaking and inventory services to the licensed and retail sectors using the latest on-site technology. This enables immediate investigation by the stock auditor and branch management of any problems, and provides valuable data for inclusion in Venners 'Vision 2000' Management Information System which is made available to all corporate clients for head office use. Venners Computer Systems Venners Computer Systems ('VCS') is the Software and Computer Services arm of Christie Group plc. VCS specialises in the provision of EPoS systems (including touchscreen, cashless and loyalty systems) and site management software. Through its Venners Touch Systems division, VCS provides e-business solutions, including the design and manufacture of interactive kiosks, and the creation and touch-enabling of Internet and Intranet sites. VCS is focused on the retail, hospitality and leisure markets in the UK, Continental Europe and North America. Clients include Forte Hotels, Greggs plc, Thornton's and UCI Worldwide. In September 1999, VCS acquired Vision Associates, and in March 2000 it announced the acquisition of Group Timeless SA, a Paris-based retail systems supplier, for £7.8 million.
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