Interim Results

Ninth Floor (The) PLC 26 February 2002 Ninth Floor plc ('Ninth Floor' or 'the Company') Interim Results for the six months ended 30 November 2001 Chairman's Statement Introduction In the annual report for the year ended 31 May 2001, we affirmed our strategy to transform the Ninth Floor into a supplier of technology based, infrastructure services and solutions for our customers computing and security requirements. Further significant progress has been made in the six months ended 30 November 2001, although the benefits of the Company's transformation will not be fully apparent until the end of this calendar year. The main changes during this financial period were the acquisition of Applied Infrastructure Management Services (AIMS) in June, the sale of Swansea City AFC in July and gaining 100% control of IOMM Software Limited (the development company of e-surveillance), now known as Farsight Software. Results and Dividends Operating loss on continuing operations was £902,000; (2000 loss of £835,000) on turnover of £1.649 million; (2000 £1.822 million). This loss includes £274,518 of amortised goodwill (2000 £139,000). No dividend is recommended. Trading Review Farsight Limited The aftermath of September 11 has had a dramatic effect on many industries and businesses. There is an increased awareness of the importance of infrastructure and security, and many companies are allocating specific budgets for this purpose. Farsight continues to concentrate on its core business of remote video monitoring and security consultancy and has experienced a significant increase in requests for independent advice and consultancy work. Changes to the European Working Time Directive have led many traditionally manned guarding companies to reduce manpower in favour of technology based solutions. The result can be a combination of manned guards with remote video monitoring - 'mantech' - but, often, complete replacement of security guards with total technology solutions is the preferred option. Farsight is positioned to take advantage of this new and emerging marketplace. We have re-structured the business and made personnel changes to increase our focus on marketing and sales in the present advantageous market conditions. We continue to foster our relationships with product manufacturers such as Sony, JVC, Axis and Indigo Vision on the Internet Protocol cameras and devices used within our e-surveillance software, for which there are fast growing opportunities. Farsight is working with a number of major telecommunications companies supplying them with important internet based, security applications to support their efforts to roll out broadband networking to the corporate and SME market place. For example, Farsight is currently bidding with BT on one of their major accounts and providing consultancy support on others. Final testing of our open, Wintel based digital recording software is complete and will be introduced into the market place later this quarter. Applied Infrastructure Management Services (AIMS) For different reasons the aftermath of September 11 has also had a dramatic effect on AIMS' income streams and results during the period. Financial institutions cut back dramatically on their IT and infrastructure services expenditure initially, which resulted in a certain level of lost business or delays in orders in the latter part of 2001. However, despite this setback, AIMS continue to deliver services to blue chip companies such as Cahoot Bank, First Data Resources and have recently won a major contract at CPP, the leading Card Protection provider, for programme change and contact centre consultancy services. We continue to expand the AIMS portfolio of 'productised' consultancy services with the introduction of an aftercare offering that provides our clients with technical support and problem management capabilities. This new initiative enhances AIMS' revenue streams with recurring annual service contracts which follow naturally from specific consultancy or change assignments. The first contract of this type is being delivered for Abbey National Business and Professional Banking. Clearly, sustainable recurring revenues over a 12 month period, reduce the risk of volatility in our traditionally short-term consultancy market. Our pipeline of opportunities in the early part of 2002 has at last exceeded the pre-September 11 peaks with a number of substantial initiatives via our strategic partnership with Answerthink Inc. the American NASDAQ quoted consultancy company coming on stream. Overhead Costs Reducing overhead costs was given greater urgency by the difficult trading conditions post-September 11 and we have made significant reductions in overheads both within our subsidiaries and at group level. By the next financial year, we anticipate that costs of more than £500,000 (on an annualised basis) will have been removed in line with our ongoing transformational change. Funding On 13 February 2002, the Ninth Floor issued in aggregate a total of 44,095,644 new ordinary shares at 1p each to three private investors to raise £440,956. In addition, these investors have undertaken to arrange a bank facility of £250,000 to further strengthen the Company's financial position. Board Changes Business re-structuring has required changes to the Board, with the departure of Neil McClure (previously the joint Chairman/Chief Executive) in August 2001 and Mike Creedon (previously the Group Finance Director) in January 2002. We hope to be announcing shortly the appointment of a non-executive director to further strengthen the Board. Conclusion The Company has undergone significant changes in the period ended 30 November 2001. The acquisition of AIMS and the completion of Version 1 of the Farsight Software product suite has meant that the Company is now well positioned to deliver products and services aligned to niche computing and security markets. We continue to service a blue-chip customer base and have a strong pipeline of future opportunities. We have reduced our overhead costs substantially and we will continue to reduce these where necessary. We have successfully established more secure funding for the future growth of the Company and are committed to delivering shareholder value by implementing our stated strategy, by forming strategic partnerships and by focusing intensely on future business growth. Alan Wix Chairman and Chief Executive Consolidated Profit and Loss Account for the six months ended 30 November 2001 Unaudited Unaudited Six Audited Months to 30 Six Months November 2000 Year to to 30 31 May 2001 November 2001 £000's £000's £000's Turnover Continuing operations 307 1,822 681 Acquisitions 1,342 Discontinued operations 0 0 2,467 Total turnover 1,649 1,822 3,148 Cost of Sales 0 0 (41) Gross Profit 1,649 1,822 3,107 Net operating expenses (2,351) (2,657) (5,761) Exceptional net operating expenses (200) 0 (185) Total net operating expenses (2,551) (2,657) (5,946) Operating (loss)/profit Continuing operations (1,101) (835) (1,713) Acquisitions 199 0 0 Discontinued operations 0 0 (1,126) Total Operating Loss (902) (835) (2,839) Interest payable and similar charges (27) 0 (26) Interest receivable 0 38 134 (Loss) on ordinary activities before taxation (929) (797) (2,731) Taxation 0 0 150 (Loss) on ordinary activities after taxation (929) (797) (2,581) (Loss) for the financial period (929) (797) (2,581) (Loss) per ordinary share (0.92)p (1.61)p (5.24)p Fully diluted earnings/(loss) per ordinary share (0.92)p (1.61)p (5.24)p Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 30 November 2001 Unaudited Six Unaudited Six Audited Year to Months to 30 Months to 30 31 May 2001 November 2001 November 2000 £000's £000's £000's Fixed assets Intangible assets 5,255 2,628 2,502 Tangible assets 662 1,889 1,969 5,917 4,517 4,471 Current assets Stocks 0 38 18 Debtors 1,012 1,820 558 Cash at bank and in hand 0 884 993 1,012 2,742 1,569 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year (1,770) (1,493) (1,544) Net current assets/(liabilities) (758) 1,249 25 Total assets less current liabilities 5,159 5,766 4,496 Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year (320) (17) (265) Accruals and deferred income 0 (718) (1,016) Net assets 4,839 5,031 3,215 Capital and reserves Share capital 5,483 4,939 4,919 Share premium account 5,587 3,895 3,895 Capital redemption reserve - - 20 Profit and Loss account - (deficit) (6,231) (3,803) (5,619) 4,839 5,031 3,215 Minority interests 0 0 0 Equity shareholders' funds 4,839 5,031 3,215 Notes to the interim report Basis of Preparation The interim accounts were approved by the Board of Directors on 26 February 2002, and are neither audited nor reviewed by the auditors. They do not constitute statutory accounts, but have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 May 2001. Information in respect of the year ended 31 May 2001 is derived from the Group's statutory accounts for the year which have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. Earnings/(loss) per ordinary share The calculation of basic loss per share is based on a loss of £(929,817) (November 2000; loss of £(797,000); May 2001: loss of £(2,581,000) and a weighted average number of shares of 100,653,762; (November 2000: 49,387,619); May 2001: 49,218,056). For diluted loss per share, the weighted average number of shares in issue is adjusted to assume conversion of the dillutive potential ordinary shares. Copies of the interim statement are being sent to shareholders of the Company and are also available at the Company's Registered Office. Enquiries: Alan Wix, Chairman and Chief Executive, The Ninth Floor plc 0207 643 5300 John Wade/Anna Watson, Weber Shandwick Fleet Financial 020 7950 2898 Mark Percy, Seymour Pierce Limited 0207 648 8700 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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