Interim Results

Ideal Shopping Direct PLC 06 September 2005 Ideal Shopping Direct Plc (the "Company") 6th September 2005 Interim results for the 26 weeks to 30 June 2005 First half profits reflect major scale benefits from 53% sales rise June 2005 June 2004 % Change FY 2004 Turnover £36.977m £24.067m +53% £60.382m Operating Profit £ 3.467m £ 0.771m +350% £ 4.109m Profit before tax £ 3.660m £ 0.684m +435% £ 4.105m EPS 8.8p 1.6p 9.4p Net cash £17.078m £ 9.324m £14.517m Interim dividend 10.p Nil 1.0p • First half trading has continued to show a strong improvement against last year • Turnover up 53.6%, again benefiting from first-time Freeview contribution • Sales since the Freeview anniversary (April 23rd) also up on like-for-like basis • Company continues to show improvements in its operational gearing • Net profits therefore reflect significant scale benefits of higher turnover • First half pre-tax profits at £3.7m compare with last year's £0.7m • Company is strongly cash generative: end June net cash £17.0m vs.Dec 04 £14.5m. • Interim net dividend of 1.0 pence • Paul Wright moves to Deputy Chairman to concentrate on new business development • Andrew Fryatt appointed Chief Executive with immediate effect. • Mike Camp joins as Finance Director. • Fourth TV shopping channel - Jewellery Vault - launched on July 1st Jim Hodkinson, Chairman, commented: "This excellent performance underlines the considerable benefits of the significant growth generated over the last year, but it also reflects our efforts to improve the business and its management at every level. Trading in the first eight weeks of the second half to date has continued strongly, despite a challenging and highly competitive trading environment. While we remain alert to the possibility of a slowing pattern of spending, the Board looks forward to reporting further good progress for the full year." Enquiries: Ideal Shopping Direct Plc: Tel: 08700 780 704 Jim Hodkinson Chairman Andrew Fryatt Chief Executive Reputation Inc: Tel: 020 7758 2800 Tom Wyatt CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT I am delighted to report that trading has continued to show a strong improvement in the six months to 30 June 2005. Sales have again benefited from a first-time contribution from our Freeview channel, and from further year-on-year growth from other activities, including our core Ideal World channel. Whilst the business has continued to grow rapidly, costs have been managed such that profitability has increased significantly over the equivalent period of 2004. The first half of 2005 saw a total profit of £3.7 million compared with a profit of £0.7 million in the corresponding period of 2004. This profit performance has had a strong impact on the balance sheet, which shows an improved cash and short term deposit position. We ended the half year with net funds of £13.4 million, compared with £10.3 million at the end of 2004, and £4.6 million at the end of June 2004. This excellent performance underlines the continuing improvements over the last year in every area of the business, and the substantial progress made in developing promising new areas of activity. At the same time, we have invested in the strengthening of systems and management. Review of Trading Turnover was £37.0 million - an increase of 53.6% when compared to the £24.1 million achieved in the same period last year. A significant element of this increase reflects the additional contribution from our Freeview channel, which launched on 23 April 2004. The continuing growth in the number of households with access to Freeview has outstripped the growth of Sky, and helped us maintain further year-on-year growth in the period following the anniversary of the Freeview launch. Our main channel, Ideal World, grew by 47.0% in the half year, including a substantial increase in web sales as a result of relaunching the Ideal World website in April 2005. Our niche market channels, Create and Craft and Ideal Vitality, have also benefited from our continuing investment and innovative new developments. In particular, our transactional websites have ensured that our web-based business for both channels has grown significantly, and we are continuing to promote the internet as a valuable complementary sales vehicle. Create and Craft has shown particularly good progress, doubling sales compared with the same period last year. In April 2005 we launched the Create and Craft Club, which features an online interactive magazine and promotes our wider catalogue of speciality craft merchandise. Ideal Vitality has a new dedicated management team and, with the benefit of our experience of selling health and beauty products via our main Ideal World channel, we are making good progress in determining what sells well to this specialised audience. Administration and distribution costs as a proportion of sales have fallen from 41.6% to 33.5%, showing the benefits of our rapid growth in scale over the last eighteen months. Total operating costs increased from £10.0 million to £12.4 million - the increase of 23.9% reflecting the costs of Freeview and increased staffing levels to support the continued growth in order levels and the strengthening of our buying team. Our reported gross margin performance has been affected by the reclassification of royalty costs payable to Freeview. Underlying product margin improved by 0.5% points in the period, but after including royalty charges and other income, reported gross margin was 42.9% compared with 44.8% in 2004. Operating profit was £3.5 million, compared with £0.8 million in 2004. Profit before tax for the six months to 30 June 2005 was £3.7 million, against 2004's £0.7 million. Basic earnings per share increased from 1.6p to 8.8p in 2005. We are continuing with our progressive dividend policy and announcing an interim dividend of 1.0 pence per share. This will be paid on 12th October 2005 to shareholders on the register as at 16 September 2005. Management Changes I am pleased to announce that Andrew Fryatt has been appointed Chief Executive of the company with immediate effect. Andrew joined us as Chief Operating Officer almost a year ago, allowing Paul Wright to focus more fully on the future and on the specific task of developing our exciting new business opportunities. Andrew has demonstrated excellent leadership qualities over the last year and has shown that he has the ability to continue to manage a fast growing business as we face new challenges in the years ahead. Paul will become Deputy Chairman and will remain an executive director, with specific responsibility for developing our new business initiatives. Over the last few months, Paul has already been able to strengthen our position as one of the most innovative operators in the sector. His entrepreneurial flair and intuitive understanding of the TV shopping market are a vital asset which has kept us at the leading edge of the industry since he founded the business more than twenty years ago. I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Camp as Finance Director, with effect from September 19th. Mike joins us from the RAC, where he was Finance Director of the Consumer Division, following a number of years at Booker Plc. I am confident that Mike will play a vital role in managing the business through the next stage of its growth. On the 4th May 2005 Valerie Kaye stood down as an executive director to become a non-executive member of the Board, and I would like to thank Val for her dedication and commitment through the last few years, in particular in bringing Ideal Shopping Direct back from the fire of 2001. We look forward to her continuing strategic input in her new non executive role. Current Trading and Future Prospects The UK retail sector remains challenging and highly competitive. Against this background, it would be prudent to expect that the retail market will remain difficult, with significant discounting continuing to be the norm. Although TV shopping is slightly removed from the High Street, we should not assume that we are immune from the general economic situation. Nonetheless, trading in the first eight weeks of the second half has continued strongly, with sales in line with our expectations. On 1 July 2005 we opened a fourth TV shopping channel- Jewellery Vault. The channel is dedicated to the sale of jewellery via an auction. The channel broadcasts 8 hours live per day on Sky Digital Satellite Channel 638. Although the channel has only been operating for a few weeks, we are confident of its success. We have an excellent multi channel business, an extremely able senior management team, strong finances and a robust strategy. This gives me great confidence in the ability of Ideal Shopping Direct Plc to continue to deliver excellent results and I look forward to reporting further good progress for the full year. Jim Hodkinson Chairman 6 September 2005 Consolidated Profit and Loss Accounts Six months Six months Year to to to 31 December 30 June 2005 30 June 2004 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Turnover 36,977 24,067 60,382 Cost of sales (21,114) (13,290) (34,113) Gross profit 15,863 10,777 26,269 Administration and distribution costs (12,396) (10,006) (22,160) Operating profit 3,467 771 4,109 Net interest 193 (87) (4) Profit on ordinary activities 3,660 684 4,105 Tax on profit on ordinary activities (1,098) (204) (1,349) Profit for the financial period 2,562 480 2,756 Dividends (292) - (292) Retained profit 2,562 480 2,464 Basic profit per share 8.8p 1.6p 9.4p Diluted profit per share 8.6p 1.6p 9.3p There were no recognised gains or losses other than the profits of the six months ended 30 June 2005 Consolidated Balance Sheets 30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) Fixed assets Tangible assets 7,784 8,387 7,908 Current assets Stocks 6,051 4,470 3,829 Debtors: amounts falling due within one year 1,184 1,253 1,354 Debtors: amounts falling due after more than one year - 1,394 - Current asset investment - Treasury Deposit 10,000 - - Cash 7,078 9,324 14,517 24,313 16,441 19,700 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (16,454) (12,731) (13,941) Net current assets 7,859 3,710 5,759 Total assets less current liabilities 15,643 12,097 13,667 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (3,038) (3,797) (3,367) Provisions for liabilities and charges (773) (799) (794) Net assets 11,832 7,501 9,506 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 883 881 882 Share premium account 139 64 84 Special reserve - 5,709 - Profit and loss account 10,810 847 8,540 Shareholders' funds 11,832 7,501 9,506 Consolidated Cash Flow Statements Six months to Six months to Year to 30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) Net cash inflow from operating activities 3,495 3,394 9,225 Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 245 81 236 Interest paid (22) (103) (103) Finance lease interest paid (30) (65) (137) Net cash inflow/(outflow) from returns on investments and servicing of finance 193 (87) (4) Capital expenditure Purchase of tangible fixed assets (372) (132) (231) Net cash outflow from capital expenditure (372) (132) (231) Financing New finance lease - 119 - Issue of shares 56 - 21 Receipts from borrowings - 212 212 Repayment of borrowings (169) (66) (235) Capital element of finance lease payments (350) (463) (818) Net cash outflow from financing (463) (198) (820) Equity Dividend Paid (292) Management of liquid resources Purchase of short term deposits (10,000) - - (Decrease)/Increase in cash (7,439) 2,977 8,170 The Company generated £2.56 million (2004 £2.98 million) of cash during the six month period to 30 June 2005. At the period end this is represented by cash of £7.08 million (2004 £9.32 million) and short term treasury deposits of £10 million (2004 Nil). Short term treasury deposits are classified separately as per Financial Reporting Standard 1. Notes to the Interim Information for the six months ended 30 June 2005 1. Basis of preparation The interim financial information has been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the company's 2004 statutory financial statements. The financial information set out above does not constitute the company's financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2004. The statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2004 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and the auditors' report on those financial statements was unqualified and did not contain statements under Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial statements for the six months ended 30 June 2005 and 30 June 2004 are unaudited. 2. Earnings per ordinary share The calculation of the basic earnings per share is based on the profits attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the period. Profits attributable to ordinary Weighted average number of Basic earnings per share amount shareholders shares in pence Six months ended 30 June 2005 £2,562,000 29,276,043 8.8p Six months ended 30 June 2004 £480,000 29,200,570 1.6p Year ended 31 December 2004 £2,756,000 29,203,449 9.4p During the period ended 30 June 2005, options existed which had the dilutive effect of increasing the weighted average number of shares by 667,103 to 29,943,146. The diluted profit per share for the period ended 30 June 2005 was 8.6p. During the year ended 30 June 2004, options existed which had the dilutive effect of increasing the weighted average number of shares by 428,847 to 29,629,417. The diluted profit per share for the period ended 30 June 2003 was 1.6p. During the period ended 31 December 2004 options existed which had the dilutive effect of increasing the weighted average number of shares by 379,884 to 29,583,333. The diluted profit per share for the year ended 31 December 2004 was 9.3p. 3. Reconciliation of movements in shareholders funds Six months to Six months to Year to 31 30 June 2005 30 June 2004 December 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 Profit in the period 2,562 480 2,756 Dividends (292) - (292) 2,270 480 2,464 Issue of shares in the period 56 - 21 Net increase in shareholders' funds 2,326 480 2,485 Shareholders' funds at start of period 9,506 7,021 7,021 Shareholders' funds at end of period 11,832 7,501 9,506 4. Net cash inflow from operating activities Six months to Six months to Year to 31 30 June 30 June December 2005 2004 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 Operating profit 3,467 771 4,109 Depreciation 496 627 1,326 (Increase)/decrease in stocks (2,222) (170) 581 (Increase)/decrease in debtors (108) (4) 43 Increase in creditors 1,862 2,170 3,166 Net cash inflow from operating activities 3,495 3,394 9,225 5. Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds Six months to 30 Six months to Year to 31 June 2005 30 June 2004 December 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Decrease)/Increase in cash in the period (7,439) 2,977 8,170 Cash outflow/(inflow) from financing 169 (146) 23 Cash outflow from finance leases 350 463 818 Cash outflow from Treasury Deposits 10,000 - - Change in net funds resulting from cash flows 3,080 3,294 9,011 Inception of finance leases - (119) (119) Movement in net funds in the period 3,080 3,175 8,892 Net funds at start of period 10,324 1,432 1,432 Net funds at end of period 13,404 4,607 10,324 6. Analysis of changes in net funds At 1 January Cash At 30 June 2005 flow 2005 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash in hand and at bank 14,517 (7,439) 7,078 Debt (3,218) 169 (3,049) Finance leases (975) 350 (625) Treasury Deposits - 10,000 10,000 10,324 3,080 13,404 7. Distribution This statement will be sent to all shareholders and can be obtained from the company's registered office: Ideal Home House, Newark Road, Peterborough PE1 5WG. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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