Interim Results

MITIE Group PLC 10 December 2001 MITIE Group PLC INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE 6 MONTHS' PERIOD ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2001 STRONG GROWTH CONTINUES Pre-tax profit up 29.5% to £14.1m (2001 - £10.9m) Turnover up 21.2% to £241.6m (2001 - £199.3m) Interim dividend per share up 27.3% to 0.7p (2001 - 0.55p) Earnings per share up 32.9% to 2.9p (2001 - 2.2p) David Telling, Chairman, reports 'I am gratified that the MITIE Group strategy and business model has continued to produce strong, profitable growth in these less certain times. The Board remains confident that your Company looks set for another good year.' Notes: MITIE: Management Incentive Through Investment Equity. ACTIVITY: MITIE Group provides Support and Building Services to the owners and occupiers of commercial, industrial and government premises. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: On 10 December 2001 Ian Stewart, Chief Executive, MITIE Group PLC Mobile: 07979 701002 John Urquhart, Corporate Affairs, MITIE Group PLC Mobile: 07979 701006 at UBS Warburg, I Finsbury Avenue Switchboard: 020 7567 8000 / 020 7568 2128 Subsequently - MITIE Group PLC, Head Office 01934 862006 INTERIM RESULTS The following are the results for the six months ended 30 September 2001, together with figures for the same period in 2000. Six months Six months Year to 31 to to March 30 30 2001 September September 2001 2000 (audited) (unaudited) (unaudited) £000's £000's £000's Group turnover 241.564 199.293 415.375 Operating profit 13.889 10.857 25.027 Net Interest received 185 12 48 Profit before taxation 14.074 10.869 25.075 Taxation (4.416) (3.534) (8.420) Profit after taxation 9.658 7.335 16.655 Minority interest (1.495) (1.302) (2.703) Profit for the period 8.163 6.033 13.952 Dividend (2.008) (1.537) (3.497) Retained profit 6.155 4.496 10.455 Earnings per share 2.9p 2.2p 5.0p Diluted earnings per share 2.8p 2.1p 4.9p Earnings per share before 3.0p 2.2p 5.1p goodwill amortisation Dividend The Board has declared an interim dividend of 0.7p per Ordinary Share (2000: 0.55p). The dividend will be payable on 2 April 2002 to all shareholders registered on 8 March 2002. Taxation We have adopted the new financial reporting standard FRS 19, and have made provision for deferred tax using the incremental liability approach. The effects of this change are not material. We have also taken into account the forecast effective rate for the year ending 31 March 2002. Earnings per Share The calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share, using the principles of FRS 14, is based on the profit for the period attributable to holders of Ordinary Shares. The weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue for the period was 281,067,736 (2000: 276,028,450) and fully diluted 286,439,696 (2000: 283,766,292). The calculation of earnings per share before goodwill amortisation follows the guidelines set down by the Institute of Investment and Research (IIMR) and is based on the profit after deduction of tax and minority interest but before goodwill amortisation of £255,000 (2000: £176,000, year to 31 March 2001: £73,000). The calculation of earnings per share has been adjusted to reflect the subdivision of shares from 5p each to 2.5p each which took place on 2 April 2001. The figures for the year to 31 March 2001 have been extracted from the full accounts for the year which received an unqualified auditor's report and which have been lodged with the Registrar of Companies. A copy of this statement will be posted to all shareholders and will be available to members of the public from the Company's Head Office: The Stable Block, Barley Wood, Wrington, Bristol, BS40 5SA. Summary Group Balance Sheet At 30 At 30 At 31 September September March 2001 2000 2001 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) £000's £000's £000's Fixed assets Intangible assets 13.602 8.988 8.597 Tangible assets 50.267 44.319 48.123 63.869 53.307 56.720 Current assets 113.418 86.152 100.744 Creditors (amounts falling due (100.982) (84.122) (94.182) within one year) Net current assets 12.436 2.030 6.562 Total assets less current 76.305 55.337 63.282 liabilities Creditors (due after more than (715) (721) (788) one year) Provision for liabilities and (2.383) (1.677) (2.191) charges Net assets employed 73.207 52.939 60.303 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 7.139 6.963 6.991 Share premium account 21.616 13.440 13.738 Other reserves (509) (519) (514) Profit and loss account 36.106 24.002 29.951 Equity Shareholders' funds 64.352 43.886 50.166 Minority interest 8.855 9.053 10.137 73.207 52.939 60.303 Summary Group Cash Flow Six months Six months Year to to to 31 March 30 30 2001 September September 2001 2000 (audited) (unaudited) (unaudited) £000's £000's £000's Net cash inflow from operating 15.397 15.015 33.111 activities Returns on investments and 185 36 (32) servicing of finance Taxation paid (2.464) (1.929) (6.763) Capital expenditure (7.309) (10.139) (18.940) Acquisitions (522) (248) (490) Equity dividends paid - - (3.194) Net cash inflow before financing 5.287 2.735 3.692 Issue of share capital 590 244 590 Cash (outflow)/inflow from (76) 72 48 (decrease)/increase in debt Increase in cash in the period 5.801 3.051 4.330 Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt: Increase in cash in the period 5.801 3.051 4.330 Cash inflow/(outflow) from 76 (72) (48) increase/(decrease) in debt Movement in net debt in the 5.877 2.979 4.282 period Opening net funds 5.318 1.036 1.036 Closing net funds 11.195 4.015 5.318 Summary Group Cash Flow continued Six months Six months Year to to to 31 March 30 30 2001 September September 2001 2000 (audited) (unaudited) (unaudited) £000's £000's £000's Reconciliation of operating profit to operating cash flows: Operating profit 13.889 10.857 25.027 Depreciation 5.499 5.040 11.784 Amortisation of goodwill 255 176 73 Profit on sale of tangible (334) (130) (789) fixed assets Increase in work in progress (6.873) (6.287) (17.141) and debtors Increase in creditors 2.961 5.359 14.157 Net cash inflow from operating 15.397 15.015 33.111 activities Chairman's Statement Financial Overview I am pleased to report an encouraging first half. Your Company continues to grow strongly and to consolidate its position as a leading provider of services to the owners and occupiers of commercial, industrial and government property. Pre-tax profit for the first half year amounted to £14.1m, an increase of 29.5% over the same period last year. This was achieved on turnover of £241.6m, up 21.2%, of which 20.2% was accounted for by organic growth. Earnings per share rose by 32.9% from 2.2p to 2.9p. During the period, the Group generated operating cash flow of £15.4m. Proposed lnterim Dividend Your Directors are proposing an interim dividend of 0.7p per share, an increase of 27.3% from the corresponding period of the previous year. This dividend will be paid on 2 April 2002 to shareholders on the register on 8 March 2002. Segmental Analysis Turnover Pre-Tax Pre-Tax Six months to 30 £000's Profit Profit September 2001 £000's Margin % Building Services 143.545 7.337 5.1 Support Services 98.019 6.737 6.9 Total 241.564 14.074 5.8 Six months to 30 September 2000 Building Services 114.318 5.335 4.7 Support Services 84.975 5.534 6.5 Total 199.293 10.869 5.5 BUILDING SERVICES The Building Services Division consists of Engineering Services, Property Services and Access Systems. Collaborative arrangements are becoming the norm in the industry and MITIE, because of its customer focused attitude and track record, is a sought after partner for this type of project. The Government's investment in the infrastructure of public services provides MITIE Group companies in this Division with further opportunities for growth. In the private sector there is a little hesitancy, in some sectors, for clients to confirm orders but this has not impacted on our forward workload, which continues to be healthy. Engineering Services MITIE Engineering Services is now equipped to handle complex projects, particularly in the public sector's search for Best Value. Formal partnering agreements are in place with BT, Cornwall County Council and Bristol University and have resulted in contracts valued at £4m or more with each. Growth has been driven by orders for the education sector, local health authorities and county councils. New contracts include University College Cardiff, Newbury College, Somerset College of Art and Technology, Dawlish Hospital and Cornwall Fire Stations as well as Gartree Prison and The Home Office. In the private sector, relationships with our valued clients Cannons Leisure, Primark, Vodafone, Warners, BT and The Savoy Group continue to produce orders. Additional major contracts have been won for Hutchison Telecom, Manchester Arndale Centre, Thompson & Capper and Whatley Manor Hotel. All regions report a strong forward workload for the second half of the year and 40% of next year's targeted turnover has already been secured. While it is sensible to temper optimism with caution, we have seen few cancellations of orders and are reasonably confident that the market for our services remains strong because we have concentrated on niche markets and on working direct to our end-user clients whenever possible. Property Services MITIE Property Services' contracts are increasingly longer in term, affording visible forward earnings. The unique ability to provide a nationwide service opens up good opportunities for large, central and local government contracts that may extend over a period of years. Some of those won recently, such as Brent and Birmingham Councils, and Pathfinder projects for converting Job Centres for Trillium, are now contributing to growth as anticipated. Other significant contracts have been won for Vodafone, Virgin Trains, Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd, HM Prison Service and the MoD and the outlook for this discipline remains bright. Access Systems MITIE Access Systems has consolidated its position following the opening of the new branches referred to when we announced our full year results in July. New accounts include Radisson Hotels in Glasgow, Higgins Group and Newcastle City Council. We have seen a continuing improvement in hire rates achieved by MITIE Powered Access. Our hire and sale business, trading as MITIE Generation, continues to achieve high utilisation rates though we did see a temporary decline in direct sales immediately after 11 September. However the hire income continues to hold up well. SUPPORT SERVICES Support Services' principal disciplines are Cleaning, Engineering Maintenance and Managed Services. Catering and Security are managed within the Cleaning discipline, while Managed Services incorporates Business Services and PFI. All parts of this Division have continued to benefit from the development of outsourcing as an established business process, providing our customers with expertise in non-core activities. Cleaning Cleaning continues to win business by developing national customers. In recent reports we mentioned securing major national contracts with RBS NatWest, BAE Systems and Barclays. These contracts have been successfully mobilised and we anticipate seeing full income flow from these in future results. There has been an increase in work won in the education sector, including Sheffield City Council, Morrison FM for West Lothian Schools and New College, Durham. A major contract for a leading financial institution in London was started in the period, while Shell, Halifax and Ikea, all existing clients, have shown their confidence in MITIE by awarding additional contracts. Bundled service packages continue to be required, enabling us to cross-sell further services. Engineering Maintenance The Engineering Maintenance discipline has continued to grow profitably by successfully winning large, quality clients while retaining its existing ones. Contracts for Nokia and Xerox have been expanded and are now national. The value of new work shows a substantial increase over the same period last year. We have strengthened our position in the retail sector, winning two new contracts at shopping centres for Prudential, as well as three for Standard Life. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office contract was successfully re-tendered for a further three years and a new national contract for Ernst & Young is now in place. Managed Services Managed Services continues to perform well with new facilities contracts started at Bloombergs, Vizzavi and Global Switch. Our long-term partnership with Trillium goes from strength to strength and we have recently entered a 5- year contract to supply an integrated services package with them for the BBC's Scottish estate. Our partnering agreement with Sainsbury's entered a new phase as we relocated 3,000 of their staff into their new Holborn Business Centre and supplied a further integrated package directly to their IT suppliers, Accenture, in Southwark. MITIE Business Services, the reprographics and document handling company, is also involved in both contracts, providing further evidence of successful cross-selling and the synergies which exist between many of our businesses. It has additionally won new contracts with Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, Latham & Watkins, White & Case and The Financial Times as well as providing postal services for the BBC's London estate. MITIE PFI/Special Projects is proving to be an attractive partner to many consortia and has built on its early successes by signing 25-year contracts for West Lothian Schools and Highland Schools. We are endeavouring to accelerate our growth in this sector and have established a healthy pipeline of opportunities. Outlook I am gratified that the MITIE Group strategy and business model has continued to produce strong, profitable growth in these less certain times. The Board remains confident that your Company looks set for another good year. DAVID M TELLING Chairman

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