Trading Statement

EPIC Reconstruction PLC 20 May 2005 Trading statement - for immediate release Following a successful first period of trading, EPIC Reconstruction Plc ('the Company') expects to announce its results for the period to 31 January 2005 on 27 May 2005. However, towards the end of the period end trading in one of the portfolio investments, Adam G Brown, failed to meet expectations, and it became unable to meet its obligations. The business was placed into liquidation, and the Company has been working to recover its investment via the charges that it had over Adam G Brown's assets. It has now become clear that it will not be recovered in full, and the Company will write off £435,000, which will be charged in the year to 31 January 2005. The Company listed in September 2003, having raised £30 million. This charge therefore amounts to approximately 1.3 per cent of the funds originally raised by the Company, and does not affect its trading potential, nor its ability to pay dividends in future. It will, however, mean that the target dividend payout of 8 per cent for the period to 31 January 2005 will not be met Adam G. Brown is a producer of profiled steel sheets, flashings, gutters, purlins, rails, and ancillary items for the construction and steel fabrication industries. The Company invested £0.95m in equity, and a further £2.2m in debt facilities. As a result of difficulties with suppliers, the ongoing cash requirements of the business made it an unviable investment proposition. Funds were therefore no longer available to support the business. The assets of the business have now been sold. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will maintain the residual value in the Property and Plant and Machinery, as well as 19.9 per cent of the equity of the new business. The Company is therefore writing off the equity investment of £950,000, whilst retaining the value in the Property and Plant and Machinery of £515,000. No value has been ascribed to the equity stake, and collection of the debtor book continues. The net write off of £435,000 will be reflected as an adjusting post balance sheet movement. The write-off will reduce the profits for the year to 31 January 2005 by £435,000, and therefore impact the Final Dividend. The Company currently expects the Final Dividend to be 5.0p, which with the Interim Dividend of 1.7p already paid will result in Dividends for the year of 6.7p compared with the full year target of 8.0p. Up to 31 January 2005 ten investments had been made, of which one has already been sold, and one (Adam G Brown) has now been liquidated. The opening three months of the current year have seen the Company complete two further deals. The deal pipeline remains strong, and the Company remains confident that it will continue to yield dividends to shareholders and deliver capital gains during the life of portfolio investments. Ends Contacts: Numis Securities: Simon Law 020 7776 1500 Dickie Hall This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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