Preliminary Results

Harrier Group PLC 12 April 2000 HARRIER GROUP PLC PRELIMINARY AUDITED RESULTS OF THE GROUP FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 1999 Chairman's statement The past year has been a significant year of growth and development for Harrier culminating in our flotation on the Alternative Investment Market on 4 November 1999. The flotation has raised the capital required to grow Harrier both organically and through acquisition in order to capitalise on the Company's market position and the forecast growth in the markets in which it operates. The Company is now well placed for the challenge ahead with sufficient cash resources, a strong management team, well resourced operating businesses and growing markets. We are pleased to report record revenue for the year to 31 December 1999 of £5.4 million an increase of 22 per cent. compared to £4.5 million in 1998. We continue to grow the revenues of our strategic business, which increased by 38 per cent. to £5.3 million in 1999 from £3.9 million in 1998. The loss on ordinary activities for 1999 of £154,000 compared with £494,000 for 1998 reflects the growth in our higher margin business sectors and the planned increase in overhead costs in our Sales, Technical and Marketing activities to meet our future growth targets. Net assets have improved to £3.1 million reflecting the flotation in November which raised £4.8 million in cash and allowed the Company to repay its long term debt. Building on the 1999 results, the Group is now making significant progress towards becoming a leading provider of integrated solutions in our two market areas: Internet and network security, and advanced data protection and storage management. The Directors believe that Harrier is now well positioned to take advantage of the projected growth in both of these areas. Harrier provides the outsourced services and solutions, required by corporate organisations who, with the increasing complexity of computer software and hardware, are finding it more difficult to maintain in-house IT departments that have a sufficiently detailed knowledge of all technological spheres to satisfy their organisation's IT requirements. Solutions from Harrier are enabling e-business to take place securely. The requirements for the enabling technologies that we supply and support continue to increase in importance to companies as they develop and grow their e-commerce requirements and their employees start to work remotely on a more regular basis. The ability of e-storage to support, protect and enable corporate resources is now not only fully recognised but valued accordingly. In October 1999, the Board of Directors was strengthened with the appointments of Mark Rowlinson as Finance Director and Derek Alway and Brian Wrighton as Non-executive Directors. Their appointments bring a wealth of industry experience to the Group and a commitment to the growth strategy of the Company. During the latter part of 1999 we significantly increased the number of employees in the group from 26 members of staff to 43 at the end of the year, primarily augmenting the revenue generating teams within the operating businesses. On 15 March 2000, the Company strengthened its Internet and network security division through the acquisition of Re-Net Limited, an IT consultancy and support services company, for £130,000 in cash. I am pleased to announce that today the Company has reached an agreement to acquire Zeuros for a consideration of £14 million plus two million shares. The cash element of the consideration will be met through an underwritten placing and open offer. The acquisition of Zeuros will considerably enhance Harrier's position in the Internet and network security solutions market in the UK and will also increase the range of products and services that the Company is able to offer. I would like to thank my fellow Directors and all Harrier staff for their support and commitment over the past year. Harrier can only be as good as its staff and 1 am pleased to report that we continue to be successful in recruiting and retaining skilled individuals to join our highly professional team. Harrier is well positioned in both of its market places and the Group's solutions and skills are in strong demand. The Directors look to the future with confidence. A L R Morton Chairman Consolidated Profit and Loss Account For the year ended 31 December 1999 Year ended 31 December 1999 1998 (As restated) £'000 £'000 Turnover 5,437 4,465 Cost of sales (3,146) (2,793) Gross Profit 2,291 1,672 Administrative expenses (2,229) (1,846) Exceptional redundancy costs - (88) Operating profit/(loss) 62 (262) Interest receivable 15 - Interest payable (229) (230) Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (152) (492) Taxation - - Loss on ordinary activities after taxation (152) (492) Additional finance costs of non-equity (2) (2) minority interests Loss for the financial year (154) (494) Basic loss per share 0.5p 5.9p Diluted loss per share 0.49p Statement of total recognised gains and losses Year ended 31 December 1999 1998 (As restated) £'000 £'000 Loss for the financial year (154) (494) Prior year adjustment (176) - Total losses recognised since last annual (330) (494) report Consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December 1999 As at 31 As at 31 December 1999 December 1998 (As restated) £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Tangible assets 346 341 Current assets Stock 55 37 Debtors 2,134 1,648 Cash at bank 2,107 - 4,296 1,685 Creditors: Amounts falling due (1,532) (2,510) within one year Net current 2,764 (825) assets/(liabilities) Total assets less current 3,110 (484) liabilities Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year (11) (1,169) Net assets/(liabilities) 3,099 (1,653) Capital reserves Called up share capital 207 84 Share premium account 4,548 - Capital redemption reserve 269 - Profit and loss account (1,925) (1,770) Equity shareholders funds 3,099 (1,686) Non-equity minority interests - 33 Total shareholders funds 3,099 (1,653) Consolidated cash flow statement for the year ended 31 December 1999 Year 31 ended December 1999 1998 (As restated) £'000 £'000 Reconciliation of operating profit to cash inflow from operating activities Operating profit/ (loss) 62 (262) Depreciation 164 159 Loss on sale of fixed assets 7 13 (Increase)/ decrease in stock (18) 29 Increase in debtors (486) (423) (Decrease) /increase in creditors (49) 500 Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating (320) 16 activities Returns on Investments and Servicing of Finance Interest received 15 - Interest paid (229) (120) Net cash outflow from returns on investments (214) (120) and servicing on finance Capital expenditure and financial investment Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (132) (47) Sale of tangible fixed assets 17 12 Purchase of minority interests (34) - Net cash outflow from investing activities (149) (35) Net cash outflow before financing (683) (139) Financing Issue of ordinary shares 5,460 - Costs of issue of ordinary share capital (520) - Issue of discounted capital bond 284 - Repurchase of discounted capital bonds (1,436) - Other loans (400) 381 Hire purchase loans repaid (133) (93) Net cash inflow from financing 3,255 288 Increase in cash in the year 2,572 149 Reconciliation of net cashflow to movement in net funds/(debt) Increase in cash in the year 2,572 149 Change in net debt resulting from cashflows 1,685 (288) New finance leases (63) (43) Interest on discounted capital bonds - (110) Movement in net funds/(debt) in the year 4,194 (292) Net debt at start of year (2,322) (2,030) Net funds/(debt) at end of year 1,872 (2,322) Notes to the financial information for the year ended 31 December 1999 1. The preliminary announcement of results has been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the Group's accounting policies for the year ended 31 December 1999. 2. The above financial information does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The summarised balance sheet at 31 December 1999 and the summarised profit and loss account and cash flow statement for the year then ended have been extracted from the Group's financial statements. These financial statements have not yet been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. 3. The prior year adjustment is in relation to a change in accounting policy for revenue recognition of maintenance contracts. This brings the Group in line with other Companies in the sector. 4. On 31 March 1999, the Company issued 345,276 £1 ordinary shares for a total consideration of £450,000 and a further £284,295 was raised by the issue of a 12 per cent. capital bond. The proceeds were used to repay £300,000 of short term borrowings and to provide £434,295 of additional working capital. On 4 November 1999 the Company was admitted to the Alternative Investment Market and upon admission the Company's share capital was subject to a capital reorganisation. The existing £1 ordinary shares totalling 428,982 were sub-divided into 100 ordinary shares of lp each. Immediately after this sub-division 62.7 per cent. of the issued sub-divided share capital was converted to deferred shares of I p each which were purchased by the Company and cancelled, leaving a total of 16,001,029 lp ordinary shares. A further 4,660,652 1p ordinary shares were issued on admission to the Alternative Investment Market. 5. The basic and diluted loss per ordinary share has been calculated on the basis of the loss for the financial year of £154,529 and a weighted average number of ordinary shares of 30,745,468 (basic) and 31,540,019 (diluted). 6. All of the company's operations are classed as continuing. 7. No dividends are proposed or were paid during the period. 8. The Annual General Meeting will be held at 12.00 p.m. on 26 May 2000 at the offices of Peel Hunt plc, 62 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8HP. 9. The Report and Accounts will be sent to shareholders on, or before 20 April 2000. Further copies may be obtained on application to the Company at the Registered Office (Pacific House, Imperial Way, Reading, Berkshire RG2 OTD).
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