Final Results

Hardide PLC 04 December 2006 Press Release 4 December 2006 Hardide plc ('Hardide' or 'the Company') Preliminary Results for the Period to 30 September 2006 Hardide plc, the provider of unique surface engineering technology, announces its preliminary results which cover trading for the year ended on 30 September 2006. Highlights • Turnover increased to £1.89 million (2005*: £0.69 million) • Gross profit increased to £1.07 million (2005*: £0.41 million) • Loss after tax** £0.91 million (2005*: £0.48 million) • Successful opening of Hardide's manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, on budget and ahead of schedule • Strengthened Board • Trading improving following customer inventory reduction • Successful fundraising of £2.34 million during the year, £1.80m cash on the balance sheet at the period end * The figures for 2005 cover the period from the Company's formation on 27 January 2005 to 30 September 2005. ** after £0.14m R&D tax credit Commenting on the results, Jim Murray-Smith, Chief Executive of Hardide plc, said: 'These results are in line with expectations and demonstrate Hardide's continued strong growth. The opening of the US manufacturing facility in Houston, which was achieved ahead of schedule and on budget, will further drive revenues. 'We are experiencing buoyant market conditions in all of our key markets and have the capacity to install additional furnaces in both the UK and the US to satisfy this increased demand.' For further information: Hardide plc Jim Murray Smith, Chief Executive Tel: +44 (0) 1869 353 830 jmurray-smith@hardide.com www.hardide.com Daniel Stewart & Company plc Paul Shackleton, Corporate Finance Tel: +44 (0) 207 776 6550 paul.shackleton@danielstewart.co.uk www.danielstewart.co.uk Media enquiries: Abchurch Chris Lane / Laura Riascos de Castro Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7700 chris.lane@abchurch-group.com www.abchurch-group.com CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT These results represent another year of solid growth for Hardide. The Board took the decision in November 2005 to exploit the interest shown in Hardide's unique technology by US-based energy companies by setting up a manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, the energy capital of the world. The Company raised combined funds of £2.34 million (before expenses) in December 2005 and May 2006 through the issue of 18,886,494 New Ordinary Shares, in part to accelerate Hardide's development plans in Houston, and also to employ and train additional staff to apply the Hardide process. In nine months, the site in Houston was transformed from a greenfield project to an operational coatings facility with local people being trained in the technology. The plant is ideally located in the heart of the energy community, with state-of-the-art production facilities operated by highly-qualified staff. Although early in the site's development, the furnace has produced validation product for an existing US customer as well as test components for both new and current customers. The last year has again been a significant period of development for the Group and I would like to thank Hardide's Chief Executive, Jim Murray-Smith, for leading the management team and staff over this time. In March 2006, Peter Davenport was appointed to the Board of Hardide as Finance Director and I welcome him to the role. Peter has already made a major contribution to the Hardide management team. The Board is confident that Hardide is well-placed to make solid and continuing progress over the next financial year and beyond as it engages new customers and new applications in the UK and overseas. David Chestnutt Chairman 1 December 2006 CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S STATEMENT The last financial year has been extremely busy for Hardide, with significant progress made in sales and international expansion. Sales increased to £1.89 million in the year ended 30 September 2006, from £0.69 million reported for the Group for the previous period. This represents a 73% increase over the previous full year sales of £1.09 million for the Group's operating subsidiary, Hardide Coatings Limited. Substantial increases are reported across all of the Group's key sectors of oil and gas, valves, pumps and aerospace. This performance is attributable to new business generation, further increases in demand for parts from existing customers, and it reflects the high level of customer satisfaction that Hardide is delivering. I am delighted to report that our Houston manufacturing plant opened within budget and a month ahead of schedule on 1 September 2006. These results were achieved despite two short-term, customer-related issues outside of our control which affected the Company's performance against market forecasts. As previously announced, one of the Company's major oil and gas customers reduced its inventory during the year, resulting in lower than expected sales. Significantly, Hardide remains the specified supplier for this customer and orders have returned to previous levels. Furthermore, we have recently converted two new applications for the customer, with more in trial in both the UK and US. The strength of the oil price also led our major energy customers to focus their resources on maintaining high levels of production; the effect has been a slow down in field-testing and a longer conversion time for customers intending to purchase the Hardide coating. Crucially, field-testing continues to produce impressive results with the majority of customers going on to incorporate the Hardide technology. UK FACILITY I am pleased to report a 73% like-for-like increase in sales despite the customer inventory reduction and slowdown in testing. The high level of repeat orders and new parts in test are a healthy indicator of customer confidence. Aerospace activity has progressed well with Hardide Coatings Limited receiving formal approved supplier status with BAE Systems and orders ongoing under strict purchasing and quality procedures. Over the last year, we have seen customers draw increasingly on our engineering resources whereby we work closely with the customer to add value from the design stage through to manufacture. This turnkey service sets us apart from competing technologies and enables us to maximise the effectiveness of the coating while giving us greater control over timelines and quality. To nurture and support new talent in the business, we have worked closely with Salford University, which runs the first UK MSc/PgDip in Vacuum Engineering and Applications. The Company has staff on the management board of the course and we see this as a valuable potential source of trained technical specialists as the business grows. US FACILITY The Houston plant has received an extremely warm welcome from our existing and prospective US customers and we have a backlog of interest from the top tier of Houston-based energy services companies as well as the aerospace sector. There are a number of different US parts in test which we expect will lead to further new customers and applications. Existing US customers are committing to increasing their order schedule now that the new plant is open and operational. HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT The Group's health and safety record remains exemplary. Operating within strict environmental frameworks is essential to working with the market-leaders in our target sectors. We have demonstrated our commitment to environmental responsibility by appointing an Environmental Officer to manage our activity in this area. Over the past year, the Group has been working towards ISO 14001 and is on-track to secure this accreditation. Hardide is committed to an environmental supply chain and we are currently reassessing our suppliers to ensure that they adhere to our environmental policy. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Last year I noted our intention to resume R&D activity into additional Hardide coating variants. Our strategy has proven successful as we secured the US patent for a new tungsten carbide adhesive and protective coating for industrial diamond crystals. The Group's R&D programme is ongoing and our development of a new low-slip coefficient coating continues to make progress. R&D will assume even greater significance over the next twelve months as we take one of the original UK furnaces out of commercial service and dedicate it to the development of the next generation of ultra-high performance coatings. MARKETING Notable sales leads were generated at the two largest energy exhibitions of 2006; the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, USA and the Global Petroleum Show in Calgary, Canada. Quality leads were also created as the Group made its debut at the Farnborough Airshow and attended the premier worldwide valve show in Maastricht, Holland. Each of these shows has led to a number of the new trials in the UK and US; these trials are a fundamental pre-requisite for sales and the majority are with blue chip industrial companies. Hardide has enjoyed a high and positive media profile over the last year featuring in a large cross-section of quality national, business and technical media in the UK and US. The website (www.hardide.com) was also redeveloped, incorporating new sections and features designed specifically for our technical, investor and media audiences. OUTLOOK The Company has a robust strategy where we position ourselves in close proximity to the markets with the highest potential. I am encouraged by the market conditions in all our operating areas and we will continue to invest in people, equipment and R&D. I am confident that we have the technology and talent to continue the Hardide growth story during the course of the next year and beyond. I would like to give my personal thanks to our employees in the UK and US for their commitment and hard work during the last year which is so crucial to our growing business. Jim Murray-Smith Chief Executive Officer 1 December 2006 FINANCIAL REVIEW The Group result for the year was a loss after tax of £906k. The last published results for the Group were for the period 27 January to 30 September 2005, in which the Group made a loss after tax of £481k. The increased loss was due primarily to the investment in our new US facility, as well as the impact of a full year's loss in the Plc of £319k (27 January to 30 September 2005: loss of £90k). The Group's UK operating subsidiary, Hardide Coatings Limited, reduced its full year loss from £701k in 2005 to £162k in 2006. Having reported at the half year turnover of £1,063k, the Group was hit by a sudden and unexpected inventory reduction by one of our largest customers over the summer, which reduced our turnover in the second half of the year to £828k. While this level of turnover and consequent impact on our profitability was disappointing, it is comforting that activity with this customer has now returned to normal levels, and the demand for Hardide coated product from the end user has remained strong throughout the period. On a like for like basis, turnover at our UK operating subsidiary rose from £1.09m in 2005 to £1.89m, an increase of 73%. This increase was evenly spread across each of our existing sales sectors (oil & gas, pumps, valves, and aerospace). It is testament to the effectiveness of the Hardide product that during the year we started coating production quantities of 21 new parts from existing customers. The Group's sales to US customers rose to £367k in 2006 from £91k reported last year, which together with the number of Hardide coated products in field trials with some of the largest US oil & gas companies, provides sound backing for the board's decision to open a facility in Houston, Texas. In spite of the increase in turnover and the expansion of the Group, we have been effective at keeping working capital under control. Levels of stock excluding work in progress were £76k at the year end (2005: £41k), and trade debtors reduced to £287k from £339k in 2005. The Group had a year end cash balance of £1,803k. There were increases in some of our costs of sales during the year. The Hardide process uses Tungsten Hexafluoride, the cost of which has increased by 13% since this time last year. Now that the Group is purchasing globally significant quantities of this gas, we are exercising our purchasing power with the aim of achieving major price reductions. We have also started to manage the entire supply chain for certain customers as part of our competitive offering, which increases turnover but at a lower margin. Group overheads were £2,160k in the year, compared with £970k reported for the previous period. Most of the increase is due to the increased length of period reported, with additional overheads caused by the opening of our Houston facility. During the year the Group invested in exhibiting at four major trade shows during the year, which have provided a rich source of sales leads. Group expenditure on fixed assets amounted to £978k in the year, of which £627k was for our Houston plant. Of the remaining £351k, £170k was payments for the construction of a new furnace for our Bicester plant, which was delivered in late November. This new furnace will both increase production capacity and allow one of our older furnaces to be taken out of front-line production and released for research and development purposes. The arrival of the additional furnace and the need to accommodate the overall increase in production has led to the Group leasing additional factory space. Given the size of the Group and its stage of development, it is appropriate that the board has given prominence to monitoring the financial health of the Group over the past year. The board also monitors a range of non-financial key performance indicators including furnace performance, delivery performance and product conformance. The board is now in the process of developing a wider range of non-financial key performance indicators which will form the basis of performance review in the coming year. Peter Davenport Finance Director 1 December 2006 HARDIDE PLC CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT For the year ended 30 September 2006 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 Note £'000 £'000 Turnover 2 1,891 692 Cost of sales (817) (283) Gross profit 1,074 409 Administrative expenses Amortisation 36 40 Depreciation (325) (146) Other administration (1,871) (864) Total administrative expenses (2,160) (970) Other operating income 2 68 Operating loss (1,084) (493) Net interest 36 12 Loss on ordinary activities (1,048) (481) before taxation Tax on loss on ordinary 3 142 - activities Loss for the financial year (906) (481) Loss per share basic and diluted 4 (0.7)p (0.4)p All operations are continuing. HARDIDE PLC CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2006 30 September 30 September 2006 2005 Note £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Intangible assets Goodwill 71 76 Negative goodwill (81) (122) (10) (46) Tangible assets 1,753 1,100 1,743 1,054 Current assets Stocks 102 63 Debtors 588 459 Cash at bank and in hand 1,803 1,107 2,493 1,629 Creditors: amounts falling due (584) (313) within one year Net current assets 1,909 1,316 Total assets less current 3,652 2,370 liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due (216) (314) after one year Net assets 3,436 2,056 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 1,467 1,275 Share premium account 3,345 1,262 Profit and loss account (1,376) (481) Shareholders' funds 5 3,436 2,056 HARDIDE PLC CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT For the year ended 30 September 2006 27 January - Note 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Net cash outflow from operating activities 6 (581) (851) Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 60 19 Finance lease interest paid (24) (7) Net cash inflow from returns on investments and 36 12 servicing of finance Taxation 35 - Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (978) (245) Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial (978) (245) investment Acquisitions and disposals Net cash transferred with subsidiary undertakings - 456 Net cash inflow from acquisitions and disposals - 456 Financing Issue of shares 2,375 1,750 Capital element of finance lease rentals (91) (20) New finance lease agreements - 318 Expenses paid in connection with share issues (100) (313) Net cash inflow from financing 2,184 1,735 Increase in cash 7 696 1,107 STATEMENT OF CONSOLIDATED TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES For the year ended 30 September 2006 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Loss for the financial year (906) (481) Currency differences on foreign 11 - currency net investments Total recognised loss for the (895) (481) year HARDIDE PLC NOTES TO THE PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT For the year ended 30 September 2006 1. BASIS OF PREPARATION The preliminary announcement has been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies of the group have remained unchanged from the previous year. 2. SEGMENTAL INFORMATION Turnover by origin Turnover by destination 27 January - 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 UK 1,891 692 1,509 593 USA - - 367 91 Other - - 15 8 1,891 692 1,891 692 Group loss before taxation 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 UK (584) (481) USA (464) - Group loss before (1,048) (481) taxation Group net assets 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 UK 2,806 2,056 USA 630 - Group net assets 3,436 2,056 3. TAXATION ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES (a) Analysis of credit in the year: 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Current tax: Research and development tax credit 57 - Adjustment in respect of prior years 85 - research and development tax credits 142 - (b) Factors affecting current tax charge: The tax assessed on the loss on ordinary activities for the year is lower than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 19% (2005: 19%) 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (1,048) (481) Loss on ordinary activities by rate of tax (199) (91) Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 4 - Capital allowances in excess of depreciation (6) (20) Permanent differences (4) (1) Current tax losses carried forward 216 112 Research and development tax credit 46 - adjustment Adjustment in respect of prior year research 85 - and development tax credit Total current tax (note 3(a)) 142 - The group has unutilised tax losses in the UK of approximately £3.4m (2005: £3.0m). 4. LOSS PER SHARE The calculation of basic loss per share is based on the loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of £906,000 (2005: £481,000) divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year which was 136,376,295 (2005: 127,493,242). The issue of additional shares on the exercise of options would decrease the basic loss per share and there is, therefore, no dilutive effect of share options. 5. RECONCILIATION OF MOVEMENTS IN SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Loss for the financial year (906) (481) Exchange differences 11 - Issue of shares 2,275 2,537 Net increase in shareholders' funds 1,380 2,056 Shareholders' funds at 1 October 2005 2,056 - Shareholders' funds at 30 September 2006 3,436 2,056 6. NET CASH OUTFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Operating loss (1,084) (493) Loss on disposal of fixed assets - 4 Depreciation of tangible fixed assets 325 143 Amortisation of goodwill (36) (40) (Increase) in stocks (39) (46) (Increase) in debtors (22) (163) Increase / (decrease) in creditors 275 (256) Cash outflow from operating activities (581) (851) 7. RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH FLOW TO MOVEMENT IN NET FUNDS 27 January - 2006 30 September 2005 £'000 £'000 Increase in cash 696 1,107 Cash inflow / (outflow) from finance leases 91 (405) 787 702 Net funds at 1 October 2005 702 - Net funds at 30 September 2006 1,489 702 8. PUBLICATION OF NON-STATUTORY ACCOUNTS The financial information set out in this preliminary announcement does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The consolidated balance sheet at 30 September 2006 and the consolidated profit and loss account, consolidated cash flow statement, statement of consolidated total recognised gains and losses and associated notes for the year then ended have been extracted from the Group's 2006 statutory financial statements upon which the auditors opinion is unqualified and does not include any statement under Section 237 of the Companies Act 1985. Those financial statements have not yet been delivered to the registrar of companies. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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