AGM Trading Statement

Churchill China PLC 17 May 2006 For Immediate Release 17 May 2006 CHURCHILL CHINA plc AGM Trading Statement At the Company's Annual General Meeting, Stephen Roper, Chairman, will make the following statement: 'Group sales for the four months to the end of April 2006 were marginally ahead of our expectations and as anticipated were below the levels recorded in the corresponding period of 2005 as we continued to actively manage the mix of our business towards more profitable distribution channels. We have continued to make good progress against our target of improved profit for the year and this has been enhanced by improved capital utilisation and cost savings from a number of investment projects. The principal reason for the fall in Group sales is the planned transfer of lower price Retail business from a full service model through our UK operations to shipment direct from source to both our UK and export markets. This revised strategy is designed to improve both our competitive position and operating performance and has been well received by customers. Sales of Hospitality products are marginally below anticipated levels, however good progress has been made in our key markets, the UK, Spain and the USA. Overall sales are marginally below 2005 with reduced sales to some lower margin export markets. We continue to generate cash through careful management of our working capital base and disposal of surplus assets. We are confident that the optimism expressed in our Preliminary Results statement in March remains appropriate and that we will deliver an improved performance at the half year and for the year as a whole.' For further information, please contact: Stephen Roper, Chairman or David Taylor, Finance Director Tel No: 01782 577566 Churchill China plc Tim Anderson/Lisa Baderoon/Rebecca Skye Dietrich Buchanan Communications Limited Tel No: 020 7466 5000 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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