Interim Results

Farsight PLC 28 February 2003 FARSIGHT PLC INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2002 Chairman's Statement I am pleased to present my report for the six months ended 30th November 2002, a period that has seen a considerable re-organisation of the business that will be reflected in the results for the full year ending 31st May 2003. In the annual report for the year ended 31st May 2002, we affirmed that as a result of the £1.5 million raised from the Placing and Open Offer, the appointment of a new Chief Executive and the implementation of a new strategy, Farsight plc should return to profitability within the second half of 2003. I am confident that a return to profitability will be achieved within the next two quarters, and that the operating business will be broadly cash neutral over the next six months. The Results and Dividends The loss on ordinary activities before taxation was £978,000 (2001: loss £929,000) on turnover of £597,000 (2001: £1.65 million). The loss includes £196,000 of exceptional costs incurred in the business re-organisation, and also £147,000 of amortised goodwill (2001: £274,518). We are not in a position to recommend a dividend. As at 30th November, Farsight plc had no bank debt and £491,000 cash at bank and in hand. Trading Review Farsight Security Significant new business has been secured over the last six months, including a £110,000 pa contract with one of the UK's leading motor retailers. The sales operation has been reinforced and re-motivated. Since September we have consistently won new business each month. A healthy pipeline of new business prospects has been developed and will ensure our sales growth during 2003. In particular, I am pleased to announce a joint venture initiative with Chesterton Workplace Management to reduce the cost of manned guards across over 1,000 of their sites in the UK. Chesterton Workplace Management is the facility management division of Chesterton International. This partnership allows Chesterton to offer Farsight's security expertise and remote video monitoring services across their client base in order to defray the extra cost associated with the European Working Time Directive, which affects the cost of employing manned guards. As a Remote Video Monitoring operation, Farsight is reliant on a number of security installation companies who place the CCTV monitoring connections. At present there are 10 installation companies with whom we have developed professional working relationships. In the next 12 months a number of supplier open days have been organised at The Observatory in Peterborough to develop and expand our range of relationships. We continue to focus on certain vertical markets for our expansion, with motor retailers, utilities, retail and industrial estates and facility management companies all contributing to our sales growth. Our e-Surveillance business moved forward in the first six months, with a substantial new contract won from a major UK car retailer. We continue to run trials in two of the UK's major food and beverage franchises, and have put in place two new sales channels. We are working with SSP Limited in Scotland and ICUK Technologies in Northern England to sell e-Surveillance CCTV security systems, remotely monitored by Farsight plc utilising our suite of e-Surveillance software. Further development of the software will take place during 2003 with a further £450,000 scheduled to be invested over the next three years and we continue to foster our relationships with product manufacturers, Sony, Axis, JVC and more recently Panasonic on the Internet Protocol cameras and devices used with our e-Surveillance software. I commend one of our clients, Newport City Council which won the prestigious, 'Security Client of the Year' award in 2002 from the industry's 'Security Installer' magazine. Working in conjunction with the Gwent Police, Newport C.C. formed the Newport Community Safety Partnerships and brought in Farsight and Axis Communication. Together we constructed a fully-networked IP Surveillance solution whereby vulnerable areas could be monitored across 20 different sites. A dramatic reduction in vandalism has resulted, alongside significant cost savings. Farsight Technology I outlined in previous statements the effect of the sharp and sudden downturn in the IT consultancy market on the AIMS business. Market conditions continue to deteriorate. Our largest customer, Abbey National Plc has conducted a cost reduction exercise resulting in a disputed termination of our contract with Abbey National Business. With no contracts and continued uncertainty in the consultancy market, the Board passed a resolution to put AIMS into liquidation on 27th February 2003. This decision will lead to a significant cost reduction within Farsight plc, and allow the re-organisation of our technology support services to be channelled in the future through a new division, Farsight Technology headed up by Tom Blanchard. Farsight Technology will supply technical support services to customers like Chesterton Workplace Management and Cahoot Bank, and explore new areas of activity like seeking telehousing opportunities whereby our BS5979 accredited Peterborough facility can be used for data centre storage. Funding At the EGM on 11th October, all resolutions including those in relation to the Placing and Open Offer of up to 150,000,000 new ordinary shares and the change of name to Farsight plc, were approved by shareholders. As a result of this exercise, £1.5 million was raised. Board Changes In July 2001, I became Chairman and Chief Executive of the Company, and subsequently announced the appointment of our new Chief Executive Mr Christopher Thomas in June 2002. I now intend to step down to the role of non-executive Chairman. Mr Colin Fisher has resigned from the Board as a non-executive director with immediate effect. I would like to thank Colin for his personal support and business professionalism. The Board intends to appoint a further non-executive director in the coming months. During the period, Ms Carol Booth and Mr Andrew Bromley resigned from the Board to pursue other interests. Conclusion The Company has undertaken a major re-organisation during the last six months, raised £1.5 million and has taken forward both the Remote Video Monitoring business and also successfully carried out trials of the new e-Surveillance software, leading to operational success such as with Newport CC. With our base cost reduced, rising revenues in our security business, new sales channels opened up for e-Surveillance and a motivated management team, the Board looks to the future with confidence. We can now begin the process of rebuilding the Farsight business and we will be looking for appropriate growth opportunities. A T G Wix Chairman 28th February 2003 Consolidated Profit and Loss Account for the six months ended 30th November 2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited six months six months year to to 30 Nov to 30 Nov to 31 May 2002 2001 2002 £000's £000's £000's Turnover 597 1,649 2,712 Cost of sales (720) - (1,123) Gross profit (123) 1,649 1,589 Net operating expenses (659) (2,351) (3,052) Exceptional net operating expenses (196) (200) (1,978) Total net operating expenses (855) (2,551) (5,030) Operating loss (978) (902) (3,441) Profit on sale of discontinued assets - - 141 Interest payable and similar charges (2) (27) (56) Interest receivable 2 - 3 Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (978) (929) (3,353) Taxation 50 - - Loss on ordinary activities after taxation (928) (929) (3,353) Loss for the financial period (928) (929) (3,353) Loss per ordinary share (0.047p) (0.92p) (2.94p) Fully diluted loss per ordinary share (0.047p) (0.92p) (2.94p) Consolidated Balance Sheet for the six months ended 30th November 2002 Unaudited Unaudited Audited six months six months year to to 30 Nov to 30 Nov 31 May 2002 2001 2002 £000's £000's £000's Fixed assets Intangible assets 2,200 5,255 2,348 Tangible assets 536 662 612 2,736 5,917 2,960 Current assets Debtors 317 1,012 475 Cash at bank and in hand 491 - 2 808 1,012 477 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 1,420 1,770 1,716 Net current assets/(liabilities) (612) (758) (1,239) Total assets less current liabilities 2,124 5,159 1,721 Creditors: Amounts falling due after one year (104) (320) (134) Provisions for liabilities and charges (2) - (2) Net assets 2,018 4,839 1,585 Capital and reserves Share capital 7,402 5,483 5,902 Share premium account 4,496 5,587 4,635 Capital redemption reserve 20 - 20 Profit and loss account (deficit) (9,900) (6,231) (8,972) Equity shareholder's funds 2,018 4,839 1,585 Notes to the Interim Report Basis of preparation The interim accounts were approved by the Board of Directors on 10 February 2003, 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 2002. Information in respect of the year ended 31 May 2002 is derived from the Group's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 May 2002 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 £927,000 (November 2001: loss of £929,817; May 2002: loss of £3,353,000) and a weighted average number of shares of 197,477,072; (November 2001: 100,653,762; May 2002: 114,218,694). This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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