Final Results

Numis Corporation PLC 14 December 2001 Embargoed for release at 7.00 am Friday 14 December 2001 Numis Corporation Plc Final Results for the 12 months ended 30 September 2001 Numis Corporation Plc today announces its final results for the 12 months ended 30 September 2001. * Profits before tax and exceptionals £1m (2000:£4m) * EPS on the same basis 4.8p (2000:18.2p) * Dividend per share 4.25p (2000:4.0p) Chief Executive's Comments Oliver Hemsley said: 'During 2000/1, our first full financial year of operation as Numis Corporation, we have concentrated on laying sound foundations for our future development. In that context, and in the light of the challenging market conditions during much of the year, this was a creditable outcome. The current year has started satisfactorily. We will continue to invest in high quality people who can add value and reputation to our investment banking and stockbroking business and, while we remain cautious in current market conditions, I am confident that we are well placed to benefit as and when our markets improve.' For further information, please contact: Oliver Hemsley Chief Executive, Numis Corporation Plc 020 7776 1500 Tom Wyatt Financial Dynamics 020 7269 7204 Chairman's and Chief Executive's Statement Results The Group's profit before tax and exceptional items for the year ended 30 September 2001 was £1.0m (compared with £4.0m for the previous period) with basic earnings per share, excluding exceptional items, of 4.8p (2000:18.2p). The Board recommends payment of a dividend of 4.25p per share (2000:4.0p) which will be payable subject to shareholders' approval on 25 January 2002 (being the day after the Annual General Meeting) to all shareholders on the register on 11 January 2002. The dividend increase of 6.25% reflects the Board's confidence in the future of the business. Trading overview Although it is disappointing to report a drop in full year profits, they were made against a background of falling equity markets and a difficult year for the Group with the disruption caused by a significant fire at our Cheapside offices. All areas of our business, corporate finance, research led institutional stockbroking and market making have suffered as a result. Business development The Group has been successful in attracting a number of well regarded teams and individuals. We are delighted that they have joined and believe that the environment we have created, where high quality executives can participate in the equity of the Group, will be of a major benefit to all shareholders in the future. Our specialist sectors now include media, insurance, financials, retail, food, consumer, support services and life sciences. Our analytical expertise, both in London and Liverpool, has developed strongly during the course of the year and Numis Securities has consistently been ranked very highly in fund manager surveys. The dramatic rise in our profile amongst institutional investors should bode well for the future of our business and provides an indication of the level of importance we attach to investing in high quality research for our clients. We will, in the New Year, focus our attention on the creation of investment funds. These will concentrate on our specialist sectors, leveraging our existing expertise. Outlook We have been busy creating an organisational structure for a strong investment banking and stockbroking business. Our professional staff head count has increased from 25 to 45 over the period under review and we expect this to increase further as we take advantage of the uncertainty in the markets to secure high quality individuals and teams who prefer a more dynamic and entrepreneurial culture. The current year has started well and we have recently acted as adviser and broker for two clients in the insurance sector raising in excess of £180m. Although we remain cautious in current market conditions we are well placed to benefit from an upturn due to our relatively low cost base, our diverse range of specialist sectors and our strong balance sheet. On 10 December 2001 we moved back into our refurbished offices in Cheapside. We are grateful to all our staff and clients for their forbearance during our enforced absence from Cheapside and we look forward to the future with confidence. David Craig Oliver Hemsley Chairman Chief Executive 14 December 2001 Consolidated profit and loss account For the year ended 30 September 2001 2001 2001 2001 2000 £ £ £ £ Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Audited Ordinary Exceptional Total Activities Items TURNOVER Continuing 6,560,086 48,000 6,608,086 9,405,277 Operations Discontinued - - - 2,345,089 Operations 6,560,086 48,000 6,608,086 11,750,366 Discontinued - - - (612,881) Operations - shared commissions GROSS PROFIT 6,560,086 48,000 6,608,086 11,137,485 Administrative expenses Continuing (6,112,422) (1,553,500) (7,665,922) (5,167,406) Operations Discontinued - - - (2,407,634) Operations OPERATING PROFIT/(LOSS) Continuing 447,664 (1,505,500) (1,057,836) 4,237,871 Operations Discontinued - - - (675,426) Operations 447,664 (1,505,500) (1,057,836) 3,562,445 Share of associated (43,474) - (43,474) 107,500 undertaking's (loss)/profit Exceptional items - profit on - 761,086 761,086 - disposal of tangible fixed assets - profit on - 1,504,560 1,504,560 - disposal of fixed asset investments - profit on sale of - - - 1,958,431 discontinued operations PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE INTEREST AND AMOUNTS WRITTEN 404,190 760,146 1,164,336 5,628,376 OFF INVESTMENTS Interest receivable 604,119 - 604,119 344,518 and similar income Amounts written off - (1,460,614) (1,460,614) - investments Interest payable (1,437) - (1,437) (9,504) and similar charges PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE TAXATION 1,006,872 (700,468) 306,404 5,963,390 Tax on profit on (286,168) 200,694 (85,474) (1,840,390) ordinary activities PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES AFTER TAXATION 720,704 (499,774) 220,930 4,123,000 Dividends paid and (652,260) - (652,260) (599,680) proposed RETAINED 68,444 (499,774) (431,330) 3,523,320 (LOSS)/PROFIT FOR THE YEAR Earnings per share Basic 1.4p 27.9p Diluted 1.3p 26.9p Earnings per share excluding exceptional items Basic 4.8p 18.2p Diluted 4.3p 17.5p Consolidated balance sheet At 30 September 2001 2001 2000 Unaudited Audited £ £ FIXED ASSETS Tangible fixed assets 614,245 164,543 Fixed asset investments 773,715 592,222 Investment in associated undertaking 241,696 129,010 _________ _________ 1,629,656 885,775 _________ _________ CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 19,850,958 16,719,216 Investments 7,604,284 7,294,488 Cash at bank and in hand 97,437 4,024,693 _________ _________ 27,552,679 28,038,397 _________ _________ CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year (16,823,680) (16,428,689) _________ _________ NET CURRENT ASSETS 10,728,997 11,609,708 _________ _________ NET ASSETS 12,358,653 12,495,483 _________ _________ CAPITAL AND RESERVES Share capital 3,818,000 3,748,000 Share premium account 3,275,925 3,051,425 Profit and loss account 5,264,728 5,696,058 _________ _________ SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 12,358,653 12,495,483 _________ _________ Consolidated cash flow statement For the year ended 30 September 2001 2001 2000 Unaudited Audited £ £ Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating (2,921,205) 3,134,335 activities Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 549,630 303,156 Interest paid (1,437) (9,504) Dividends received 54,489 41,362 _________ _________ Net cash inflow from returns on 602,682 335,014 investments and servicing of finance Taxation Corporation tax paid (including advance (1,667,354) (792,536) corporation tax) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (676,778) (61,522) Purchase of fixed asset investments (587,648) (510,974) Purchase of non-trading investments - (5,000,000) Sale of tangible fixed assets 126,867 17,422 Sale of fixed asset investments 1,504,560 37,374 _________ _________ Net cash inflow/(outflow) 367,001 (5,517,700) from capital expenditure and financial investment Disposals, net of cash disposed - 2,021,040 Equity dividends paid (602,880) (447,780) Financing Issue of ordinary shares 294,500 54,300 _________ _________ Decrease in cash in the year (3,927,256) (1,213,327) _________ _________ Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds Decrease in cash balances in the year (3,927,256) (1,213,327) Net funds at the beginning of the year 4,024,693 5,238,020 _________ _________ Net funds at the end of the year 97,437 4,024,693 _________ _________ NOTES: 1. Exceptional items £ Profit on disposal of fixed assets following the fire at the 761,086 Company's London office at Cheapside House in May 2001 Profit on disposal of fixed asset investment, being 475,000 1,504,560 London Stock Exchange Plc shares Costs associated with recruiting senior executives of the (1,553,500) Group Provision against an investment of the Group and (1,460,614) a loan made by the Company Fire insurance claim for loss of earnings following the fire 48,000 at the Company's London office at Cheapside House in May 2001 in respect of commission income and market making profits Exceptional loss (700,468) The Company has yet to finalise its claim with insurers for loss of earnings following the fire at the Company's London office at Cheapside House in May 2001 in respect of corporate finance income. 2. Earnings per share Basic earnings per share is based on profit on ordinary activities after taxation of £220,930 (2000:£4,123,000) that has been adjusted to £212,250 (2000:£4,116,490) to remove dividends from shares held in the ESOP. Diluted earnings per share assumes that options outstanding at the end of the financial year were exercised at the beginning of the financial year, where the exercise price per share is less than the fair value of the share in the period. 3. Earnings per share excluding the exceptional items Basic earnings per share is based on profit on ordinary activities after taxation of £720,704 (2000:£2,960,569) that has been adjusted to £712,024 (2000:£2,684,059) to remove the exceptional items and dividends from shares held in the ESOP. Diluted earnings per share assumes that options outstanding at the end of the financial year were exercised at the beginning of the financial year, where the exercise price is less than the fair value of the price of the share in the period. 2001 2000 Number Number Weighted average number of ordinary shares in 14,932,500 14,733,083 issue during the year-basic Effect of options over ordinary shares 1,747,349 587,949 Diluted number of ordinary shares 16,679,849 15,321,032 4. Dividend A dividend of 4.25p (2000: 4.0p) per ordinary share has been proposed. This is payable subject to shareholders' approval on 25 January 2002 (being the day after the Annual General Meeting) to all shareholders on the register on 11 January 2002. 5. Cash at bank and in hand The Group's cash at bank and in hand at 30 September 2001 of £97,437 excludes £5,288,645 of funds held in an RBS International money market fund, available at one day's notice and included within the investments caption of the balance sheet. The decrease in cash in the year mainly arose from the settlement of bargains at the year end date, that reversed shortly thereafter. 6. Statutory accounts This preliminary announcement of results does not constitute statutory accounts for the year. Statutory accounts for the year are still to be audited and filed with the Registrar of Companies. It is expected that these will be available shortly. The results for the year ended 30 September 2000 are an abridged version of the Group's statutory accounts for that year which received an unqualified auditor's report and have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. 7. Further copies A copy of the audited Report and Accounts is due to be sent to all shareholders on or about 21 December 2001. Copies of this announcement are available free of charge for one month from: The Company Secretary Numis Corporation Plc Cheapside House 138 Cheapside London EC2V 6LH
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