Interim Results

Evolution Group PLC 03 September 2003 3 September 2003 The Evolution Group Plc ("Evolution Group" or the "Group") Interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2003 Evolution Group, the listed investment bank and retail fund management group, today announces its results for the six months ended 30 June 2003. Financial highlights • Group turnover increased by 168% to £13.7m (2002: £5.1m) • Gross profit increased by 206% to £12.9m (2002: £4.2m) • Operating profit before amortisation, non-recurring costs and profit on/ and provisions against fixed asset investments of £3.2m (2002: loss of £2m) Operational highlights • First half demonstrates considerable growth in revenues • Investment banking division has made an excellent start to full year trading on a combined basis as Evolution Beeson Gregory • IP2IPO strengthened by partnership deal with King's College London • Move to the Official List completed in June 2003 Richard Griffiths, Evolution Group's Chairman, commented: "The Evolution Group has developed significantly over the course of 2003. The Board is extremely encouraged by the continued improvement across the Group's operating businesses as the third quarter progresses. "Investment banking revenues and the corporate finance pipeline look strong whilst equity trading profits and commissions from the secondary market continue to perform well ahead of expectations. Christows' revenue figures are stronger week-by-week, and the organic wins in funds under management look set to be supplemented as we attract new discretionary managers with existing client portfolios. IP2IPO has progressed its strategy of forging university partnerships and announced it signed a deal with King's College London in May this year." -Ends- For further information please contact: The Evolution Group Plc 020 7071 4300 Alex Snow, Chief Executive Officer Graeme Dell, Finance Director Hogarth Partnership Limited 020 7357 9477 Andrew Jaques / Georgina Briscoe Notes to Editors: The Evolution Group Plc The Evolution Group is the holding company of Evolution Beeson Gregory, Christows and IP2IPO. The Evolution Group is fully listed with a current market capitalisation of approximately £180 million. Evolution Beeson Gregory ("EVBG") aims to be the "leading investment bank to small and mid cap companies". This is based upon the belief that it has the strategy and capabilities to achieve this goal, coupled with the fact that the market opportunity exists for this strategy to be a successful and profitable one. The company's capabilities are strong across the primary and secondary equity market and central to this is the presence of a leading corporate retained client base in the small and mid cap sector. We service these clients by providing the full range of corporate finance, equity research, market making and sales activities and delivering all of these with a strong client service culture. Christows is a leading independent firm of stockbrokers and portfolio managers which, from its foundation in 1991 in Exeter, has always set out to provide a traditional stockbroking service whilst developing an innovative product offering. Christows now also operates from London and Bournemouth and has 55 staff across account executive, research, sales and administration staff. As at 30 June 2003, Christows had a total of £360m client funds under management, on over three quarters of which it receives a recurring fee based commission. Christows' strategy for 2003 is one of controlled growth of the funds under management by organic means through the sales and account executive teams and by the recruitment of likeminded account executives who can attract new clients to the company. IP2IPO is a majority owned subsidiary of Evolution Beeson Gregory. IP2IPO's business is the formation of long-term university partnerships in which it receives a significant interest in the intellectual property created by its university partners. IP2IPO's first partnerships were with the University of Oxford's Chemistry Department and the University of Southampton. In May 2003, IP2IPO announced that it had entered into a partnership with King's College London. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Key Financial Information 6 months 6 months to 30 June to 30 June 2003 2002 £'000 £'000 % change Group turnover 13,701 5,117 168 % increase Commissions payable (754) (885) 15 % decrease Gross profit 12,947 4,232 206 % increase Other operating income - 5 - Operating costs (9,728) (6,249) 56 % increase Operating profit / (loss) before amortisation, 3,219 (2,012) - non-recurring costs and profit on/and provisions against fixed asset investments Non recurring costs and amortisation (624) - - Provision against and profit on fixed asset investments (4,862) (1,987) 145% increase Operating loss (2,267) (3,999) 43% decrease Basic loss per share (pence) (0.63) (2.91) 78% decrease Earnings / (loss) per share (pence) 1.34 (1.18) - (based on operating profit / (loss) before amortisation, non-recurring costs and profit on/and provisions against fixed asset investments) Review of the half year ended 30 June 2003 The first half of 2003 has been one of considerable progress for The Evolution Group Plc ("Evolution" or the "Group") and I am pleased to report operating profits, before amortisation, non-recurring charges and provisions against and profits on fixed asset investments of £3.2 million, giving the Group an adjusted earnings per share figure of 1.34p per share (2002: loss per share of 1.18p). Investment Banking Evolution Beeson Gregory has made an excellent start to its first full year of trading on a combined basis. Our revenues have been ahead of budget and have been generated across the full range of activities. The cultural change within the firm is tangible and this has enabled us to deepen our focus on client service, idea generation and transaction execution. We have continued to pursue rigorous overall cost management, whilst at the same time making investments in systems and processes to facilitate future gains in scalability, control and management information. In August, we completed the successful relocation of the Group to our new City of London headquarters enabling this momentum to be driven on through the second half of the year. Private Client Stockbroking & Fund Management Christows has certainly had to contend with a very difficult set of market conditions during the first half of 2003. The first quarter marked a new low point, for both transaction and management fee based revenues, following the weakening trend quarter by quarter in 2002. The situation improved markedly in the second quarter as confidence returned producing greater transaction revenues and increased recurring management fees as the market conditions improved. Our sales team and discretionary managers have continued to introduce new funds under management, and this has increased as the first half ended. IP2IPO IP2IPO, the Group's Intellectual Property business, has made further important progress in the first half. Its third university partnership deal was completed with King's College London ("KCL") where IP2IPO will receive 20% of KCL's interest in spin out companies and technology licences for a term of 25 years. This has cemented our leadership in the field of university IP commercialisation in the UK. The KCL deal was funded by way of a placing of 3,906,250 shares at £1.60 per share. The spin-outs coming from Oxford University's Chemistry Department and the University of Southampton have continued in the first half with a total of four new companies having been spun out. The total number of spin-outs from IP2IPO partnerships currently stand at eleven amongst which one has already successfully achieved second round funding. Move to the Official List On 26 June 2003 the Group completed the move from AIM and its Ordinary Shares were admitted to the Official List. This has resulted in an increased marketability for the Group's shares and I am confident we will see significant benefits from this in the future. Investment Provisions and Non-recurring costs As previously reported the Group has continued to exit from its non-core activities. The Group's last remaining investment of this type was Inter-Alliance and, as at 30 June 2003, the Group has further provided for this investment. This provision followed the fall in the Inter-Alliance share price and the refinancing that was completed subsequent to the period end which left the Group with a negligible stake in the company. The impact of this provision is a write off of £6.2 million. The move to the Official List resulted in one off costs in the first half. Furthermore, in common with many organisations in the investment banking sector, the Group reduced its cost base with a number of redundancies. Overall, there were one off non-recurring costs amounting to £0.3 million. Outlook The Board is extremely encouraged by the continued improvement across the Group's operating businesses as the third quarter progresses. • Investment banking revenues and the corporate finance pipeline look strong. • Equity trading profits and commissions from the secondary market continue to perform well ahead of expectations. • Christows' revenue figures are stronger week-by-week and the organic wins in funds under management look set to be supplemented as we attract new discretionary managers with existing client portfolios. • Your Board, in conjunction with the board of IP2IPO, is examining a number of strategic options for the company which may include a flotation on the London market. All of these businesses are people businesses, where our most important assets are our people. Your Board considers that it is imperative to the success of Evolution that all employees of the group are properly incentivised and that the interests of employees are aligned with those of shareholders. It is therefore proposed that the Group adopts an all employee share incentive scheme and a circular will be sent to shareholders shortly about the proposed scheme. I should like to reiterate my thanks to everyone for all of their efforts as we move towards the achievement of our strategic goals - revenue maximisation, strict cost management and asset realisation achieved in a timely and proactive fashion. Richard Griffiths Chairman 3 September 2003 CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT Unaudited six Unaudited six Audited twelve months to 30 months to 30 months to June 2003 June 2002 31 December 2002 £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover 13,701 5,117 15,357 Commissions payable (754) (885) (1,631) Gross profit 12,947 4,232 13,726 Administrative expenses (10,352) (6,249) (29,226) Other operating income - 5 92 Profit on sale of fixed asset investments 1,301 - 19 Provision against fixed asset investments (6,163) (1,987) (9,712) Operating loss (2,267) (3,999) (25,101) Interest receivable and similar income 716 644 1,346 Interest payable and similar charges (2) (11) (15) Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (1,553) (3,366) (23,770) Tax on loss on ordinary activities (2) (26) (117) Loss on ordinary activities after taxation (1,555) (3,392) (23,887) Minority interest 41 - 51 Loss for the period attributable to the members of The Evolution Group Plc (1,514) (3,392) (23,836) Basic loss per ordinary share (pence) (0.63) (2.91) (13.65) CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET Unaudited Unaudited Audited 30 June 30 June 31 December 2003 2002 2002 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Intangible 11,140 - 11,432 Tangible assets 719 901 973 Investments 22,594 14,568 27,640 Own shares 492 - 484 34,945 15,469 40,529 Current assets Debtors 44,119 4,256 18,721 Equity shares 7,575 - 2,664 Investments 77 - 176 Cash at bank and in hand 31,259 22,887 31,988 83,030 27,143 53,549 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year (38,723) (2,966) (17,706) Net current assets 44,307 24,177 35,843 Total assets less current liabilities 79,252 39,646 76,372 Provisions for liabilities and charges (196) - (396) Net assets 79,056 39,646 75,976 Capital and Reserves Called up share capital 2,454 8,157 2,404 Shares to be issued 254 - 508 Share premium account 24,831 66,150 23,892 Merger reserve 57,261 6,031 57,261 Profit and loss account (13,465) (40,692) (12,053) Total shareholders' funds 71,335 39,646 72,012 Shareholders' funds - Equity 71,335 32,675 72,012 Shareholders' funds - Non-equity - 6,971 - Minority interests 7,721 - 3,964 Minority interests & shareholders' funds 79,056 39,646 75,976 Graeme Dell Alex Snow Finance Director Chief Executive Officer CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT Unaudited six Unaudited six months to 30 months to 30 June June 2003 2002 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Net cash outflow from operating activities (5,658) (1,722) Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 712 587 Interest paid (2) (11) Income from fixed asset investments - 5 Net cash inflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance 710 581 Taxation Corporation tax 276 (269) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (126) (139) Purchase of fixed asset investments (1,457) (11,791) Sale current asset investments 199 - Purchase of current asset investments (26) 223 Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investments (1,410) (11,707) Acquisitions and disposals Disposal of subsidiaries - 36 Cash outflow before management of liquid resources and financing (6,082) (13,081) Financing Issues of ordinary share capital 5,578 - Expenses of share issue (225) - Net cash inflow from financing 5,353 - Decrease in cash in the period (729) (13,081) Notes to the Financial Statements 1. There has been no change in accounting policies since the last annual report, as at 31 December 2002. 2. The interim report was approved by the directors on 3 September 2003. 3. Prior year comparatives relate to the Group figures prior to the acquisition of Beeson Gregory Group Plc on 11 July 2002 and hence do not include any contribution from that company and its subsidiaries. 4. The interim report for the six months to 30 June 2003, including the independent review report by the auditors, will be mailed to the shareholders of the Group. Copies of this interim report will be available for a period of one month from today's date at the registered office address: 9th Floor, 100 Wood Street, London, EC2V 7AN. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
UK 100

Latest directors dealings