Final Results

Fletcher King PLC 10 July 2007 PRESS RELEASE Not for release before 0700, 10th July 2007 FLETCHER KING PLC ANNOUNCES STRONG SET OF RESULTS - INCREASED PRE TAX PROFITS AND DIVIDEND Fletcher King, the London based property fund manager and asset manager, announces today its preliminary results for the year ended 30 April 2007. Financial highlights: • Profit before tax up 71% to £1,027,000 (2006: £600,000) • Final ordinary dividend up 50% to 3.75 pence per share (2006: 2.5 pence per share) • Earnings per share (EPS) up 44% to 7.34 pence (2006: 5.09 pence) Operational highlights: • Record contribution made by Fund Management department. • Second Stratton House Investment Property Syndicate now fully invested and the third fund has completed a successful equity raising. • Asset management department has met targets and the added value initiative continues to produce both rental and capital growth. • The Valuation department's turnover significantly up on last year, new contracts include AIB and The Ulster Bank. • Landlord and Tenant department enjoyed its most successful year since its establishment with turnover increasing by 20%. Commenting, David Fletcher, Chairman of Fletcher King, said: 'I am delighted to announce such a strong set of results, with profits before tax up by 71% and the recommended final dividend up by 50%. We also have a strong pipeline of business and I believe the year ahead will be an exciting time for the group.' For further information: David Fletcher, Fletcher King 020 7493 8400 Tim McCall, MJ2 Business Communications 020 7491 7776 CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Results Turnover for the year was £7.438m (2006: £6.117m) with profit before tax of £1,027,000 (2006: £600,000). The Board is proposing a final dividend of 3.75p per share (2006: 2.5p). The final dividend is subject to shareholders' approval at the Annual General Meeting and will be paid on 28 September 2007 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 31 August 2007. With the interim dividend of 1.0p per share (2006: 0.63p) already paid, the total ordinary dividend for the year will amount to 4.75p per share (2006: 3.13p). The Commercial Property Market The commercial property market continued the trend of the past few years and produced record prices for commercial property investments and record rents in the West End of London. Occupier demand for all types of space was generally positive which led to rental growth across all sectors. The only sign of weakness was perhaps in some High Streets where rental growth stalled and there was some drift in investment yields. REITs finally arrived. After strong initial interest and rising share prices some disillusionment crept in and they have been receiving a poor press. We believe REITs are a useful addition to the property investment market and their tax transparency and the liquidity enjoyed by the larger ones is of positive benefit to many investors. Property returns for the year to the end of March were 15.6% as measured by IPD and are likely to be around 9% for the coming year. At this level property will continue to produce a return that most balanced portfolio investors will find very acceptable. Our second SHIPS fund is now fully invested. We recently concluded a successful equity raising for our third Fund and have already agreed to purchase its first property. Outlook for 2007/2008 Although prices are weakening in the secondary investment market, prime property and deals with added value potential continue to be in strong demand and we do not see that situation changing in the coming months. The rise in interest rates has made it more difficult to debt finance buying but there is enough equity in the market to sustain interest at current levels. We have a strong pipeline of business for the coming year and look forward to continuing growth. DAVID FLETCHER CHAIRMAN 10 JULY 2007 DIVISIONAL REVIEW Fletcher King Fund Management and Investment As might be expected in such a buoyant investment market the department had an extremely active year. Turnover was fairly evenly divided between sales and purchases compared to last year when most of the activity was buying. We carried out our first transaction in Continental Europe buying a prime office in Paris for €17.26m. Other significant acquisitions during the year were a Sainsbury's supermarket in Guernsey for £19.25m together with office buildings in the City and Nottingham. Sales included a Business Park in Ascot for £10.5m and a mixed use portfolio of properties throughout the country for £25m. Our Fund Management fees continue to be a significant contributor to the department's turnover and we successfully closed the equity raising operation for our latest SHIPS fund where we again co-invested. Another first for the department this year was investment into the indirect market. We purchased units in WELLput and Hercules for one of our discretionary fund management clients. These transactions were executed by our FSA regulated subsidiary Fletcher King Investment Management Plc. The coming year is likely to show a repeat of the department's excellent performance and there is already a very strong pipeline of instructions. Asset Management The department has met its targets and the added value initiative that I mentioned in my interim statement continues to produce both rental and capital growth. A number of new instructions were won throughout the year including a large mixed use block of property opposite Gloucester Road station in South Kensington. David Hall, a director of the operating company, was promoted to Head of the department and under his leadership the department is driving forward successfully. Valuation and Rating The department's turnover is significantly up on last year and since my interim statement we have been appointed to the Valuation Panels of AIB and The Ulster Bank. Despite three interest rate rises, lending to the property sector has not diminished nor has the demand for valuation advice. At this time last year we predicted a very heavy workload for the forthcoming year on rating and this has been the case. Highlights for the year include a £1.25m rate payment saving for Gate Gourmet on their short haul kitchen at Heathrow Airport, a 22% reduction in rate liability for The Merchant Group in Milton Keynes and a total rate saving of £216,000 for WSP Plc on their headquarters in Holborn. Whilst Central Government pressure on the Valuation Office to deal with outstanding deals as rapidly as possible has now relaxed we have a significant volume of appeals still be to negotiated and anticipate a busy year to come. Landlord and Tenant The Landlord and Tenant department enjoyed its most successful year since its establishment in 2003 and turnover this year increased by 20%. Highlights included a rent review on a 170,000 sq.ft. distribution unit in Bristol and a 65,000 sq.ft. Call Centre in the North-East. We achieved a 36% increase in rent for a landlord on a Bond Street shop and saved £250,000 per annum from the quoting rent for a tenant on the North Circular Road. The department has a strong pipeline of work for the coming year. Fletcher King Howard At the end of the year George Howard, the company's long serving Chairman, retired and we wish him all the very best for the future and thank him for his contribution to the company over very many years. Our non-executive Director, Harry Richardson, has been appointed Chairman for an interim period and Jonathan Howard has been appointed Managing Director. Fletcher King Howard had a busy work load in 2006 which saw the completion of the Travelodge Hotel in Hatfield, as part of Frontier Estates' town centre redevelopment scheme; the completion of AGCO's £12 million HQ Offices at Stonely Park, Coventry; and the occupation of the £12 million Malcolm Arnold House, a medium secure mental healthcare facility for St Andrew's Healthcare in Northampton. Also completed during the year was the largest Agri-processing plant in Europe with the construction of Moy Park's poultry processing plant at Sleaford, Lincolnshire. Two medium secure units for St Andrew's Hospital, the £12 million Smyth House facility in Northampton, and the £6 million Clare House facility at Basildon, Essex were completed. New orders for 2007 include two more Travelodge Hotels, in Blackpool and Uxbridge; a roll-out programme for Swanton Care & Community on their complex needs units nationwide; and a similar commission for Barchester Healthcare on several old persons care homes. Work continues on the VOSA (Vehicle and Operating Services Agency) programme comprising the refurbishment of their vehicle testing centres throughout the UK, and for Carlsberg on their UK distribution network. Work also continues on Education projects for Berkhamsted, Spratton Hall and St Albans private schools, and on state schools through the Government's PFI initiative. CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT for the year ended 30 April 2007 Notes 2007 2006 £000 £000 Revenue 7,438 6,117 Employee benefits expense (4,602) (4,019) Depreciation expense (114) (86) Other operating expenses (1,951) (1,747) Operating profit 771 265 Other income -- 237 Profit on disposal of non-current assets held for sale 132 -- Income from investments 18 34 Finance income 106 66 Finance expense -- (2) Profit before taxation 1,027 600 Taxation (351) (136) Profit for the year after taxation attributable to equity shareholders 676 464 Basic earnings per share 7.34p 5.09p Diluted earnings per share 7.33p 5.06p CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET as at 30 April 2007 Notes 2007 2006 £000 £000 Assets Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 125 144 Available-for-sale investments 897 597 1,022 741 Current assets Trade and other receivables 1,600 1,485 Amounts recoverable on contracts 222 202 Cash and cash equivalents 2,990 2,143 4,812 3,830 Non-current assets classified as held for sale -- 393 Total assets 5,834 4,964 Liabilities Current liabilities Trade and other payables 395 359 Current taxation liabilities 187 135 Other creditors and provisions 1,605 1,085 2,187 1,579 Non-current liabilities Deferred taxation liabilities 94 122 Total liabilities 2,281 1,701 Shareholders' equity Share capital 921 921 Share premium 140 140 Reserves 2,492 2,202 Total shareholders' equity 3,553 3,263 Total equity and liabilities 5,834 4,964 CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT for the year ended 30 April 2007 2007 2006 £000 £000 Cash flows from operating activities Profit before taxation 1,027 600 Adjustments for: Depreciation expense 114 86 Profit on disposal of non-current assets held for sale (132) -- Income from investments (18) (34) Finance income (106) (66) Finance expense -- 2 Cash flows from operating activities before movement in working capital 885 588 (Increase) / decrease in trade and other receivables (115) 145 Increase / (decrease) in trade and other payables 556 (148) Increase in work in progress (20) (3) Cash generated from operations 1,306 582 Finance expense -- (2) Taxation paid (299) (156) Net cash flows from operating activities 1,007 424 Cash flows from investing activities Purchases of equipment (95) (68) Purchase of investments (250) -- Sale of investments 383 -- Finance income 106 66 Income from investments 18 34 Net cash flows from investing activities 162 32 Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from the issue of equity shares -- 104 Dividends paid to shareholders (322) (334) Net cash flows from financing activities (322) (230) Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 847 226 Cash and cash equivalents at start of year 2,143 1,917 Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 2,990 2,143 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY Profit Fair Share Share and value Total TOTAL capital premium loss reserve Reserves EQUITY £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Balance at 1 May 2005 881 76 1,732 207 1,939 2,896 Net profit for the year -- -- 464 -- 464 464 Fair value gain on investments -- -- -- 193 193 193 Deferred taxation adjustment -- -- -- (60) (60) (60) Total income and expense for the year -- -- 464 133 597 597 Issue of ordinary shares 40 64 -- -- -- 104 Equity dividends paid -- -- (334) -- (334) (334) Balance at 1 May 2006 921 140 1,862 340 2,202 3,263 Net profit for the year -- -- 676 -- 676 676 Transfer of realised gains on disposal -- -- -- (142) (142) (142) Deferred taxation adjustment -- -- -- 43 43 43 Fair value gain on investments -- -- -- 50 50 50 Deferred taxation adjustment -- -- -- (15) (15) (15) Total income and expense for the year -- -- 676 (64) 612 612 Equity dividends paid -- -- (322) -- (322) (322) Balance at 30 April 2007 921 140 2,216 276 2,492 3,553 NOTES 1. Basis of preparation The financial information set out above, which has been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, does not comprise the company's statutory financial statements. Statutory financial statements for the previous financial year ended 30 April 2006 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditors' report on those financial statements was unqualified and did not contain any statement under section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. The auditors have not yet reported on financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2007, nor have any such financial statements been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. 2. Dividends Year ended 30 April 2007 2006 £000 £000 Equity dividends on ordinary shares: Declared and paid during year Ordinary final dividend for the year ended 30 April 2006: 2.5p per share (2005: 2.0p) 230 184 Special final dividend for the year ended 30 April 2005: 1.0p per share -- 92 Interim dividend for the six months ended 31 October 2006: 1.0p per share (2005: 0.63p) 92 58 322 334 Proposed ordinary final dividend for the year ended 30 April 2007: 3.75p per share 345 3. Earnings per share Basic earnings per share is calculated by reference to the result attributable to equity shareholders of £676,000 (2006: £464,000) and the weighted average of 9,209,779 shares (2006: 9,123,745) in issue during the year. Diluted earnings per share is calculated by reference to the result attributable to equity shareholders of £676,000 (2006: £464,000) and the weighted average of 9,221,475 shares (2006: 9,175,141) in issue during the year, being the weighted average number of shares adjusted for the weighted average number of share options outstanding at the end of each year. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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