Preliminary Statement 28/2/03

Ovoca Resources PLC 15 September 2003 Ovoca Resources PLC York House, Rear 176 Rathgar Road Dublin 6 Phone Intl + 353 1 491 2944 Fax Intl + 353 1 491 2948 OVOCA RESOURCES PLC PRELIMINARY STATEMENT FOR YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2003 Set out below is an extract from the audited consolidated financial statements of Ovoca Resources PLC for the year ended 28th February 2003. For further information contact Mr. John O'Connor, (01) 491 2944. Copies of this report will be available at the Company's offices at York House, Rear 176 Rathgar Road, Dublin 6. 15 September 2003 Ovoca Resources plc Chairman's statement The accompanying Chief Executive's Report sets out the exploration position of your Company throughout the year and the developments surrounding our energy storage project, Optimum Energy Limited. As discussed at the recent EGM much of the year has been taken up with the raising of funds, which proved difficult given the market and economic conditions, and limited other progress to technical and market research. However, following the successful placing, work has recommenced on the selected potential CAES sites. The market outlook for energy storage remains extremely bright and continues to improve given the growing peak power demands and ongoing emerging electricity market deregulation. This when taken with the increasing growth of infirm wind generation makes energy storage an ideal solution to some for the country's power needs yielding firm generation that's available at peak and utilising an increasing source of off peak energy. Ovoca Resources remains very well placed to fill this economically attractive storage niche. Your company also retains its strong mineral exploration interest and experience, and in addition to its licence block in Limerick which remains highly promising, is continually assessing other mining opportunities in exciting sectors of the industry with a view to acquisition should the assessment be positive. I look forward to meeting you at the Annual General Meeting. Paul Smithwick Chairman Ovoca Resources plc Chief Executive's Statement During the past year the priority was the raising of funds to push forward the Energy storage and Mineral programs. Given the prevailing market conditions this proved to be time consuming limiting exploration work to minimal non-field related work for most of the year. Regardless of this some progress has been achieved. Minerals Exploration Program As you will be aware Amcorp Ireland Ltd terminated the joint venture project with Ovoca relinquishing their interest in the Cahir and Galway licenses. After further analysis of the licenses it was decided that, although still promising from an exploration viewpoint, they would be surrendered given the ongoing depressed zinc market, and hence the lack of market appetite for Zinc projects. For this same reason work on the remaining Newcastlewest license block has been largely concerned with ongoing analysis awaiting a reappraisal of its prospects if the zinc market improves. During the year a number of other mining and exploration projects have been looked at, both abroad and in Ireland, to examine if any opportunities exist in more favourable mineral markets such as copper or gold. Energy Storage Project : Optimum Energy Ltd Again progress here has been hampered by the delay in fundraising. However work on the feasibility has progressed, and with the successful share placing achieved, more intensive surveys and site assessment is underway. Market conditions for energy storage have continued to improve, driven by the ongoing increase in peak electricity demand, which is continuing to rise steadily. This has highlighted the possibilities of black outs in the near future and signalled the need for the development of new peak power generation plant. This has resulted in part in the numerous ESB retail price rises authorised by the CER (commission for energy regulation) in an effort to stimulate investment in generation. However to date the only generation development that has any momentum is wind power, with several large scale projects making steady progress, but these do little to allay peak power worries. In fact this increased presence of infirm power will add considerably to the off-peak surplus while doing little to guarantee peak supply. A situation is evolving in Ireland that cries out for energy storage and which will make it even more economically rewarding. Following on the placing in July geophysical field crews have been mobilized and are commencing a program designed to progress the assessment of a number of the potential CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage) sites that have been selected for examination. In addition to this a further site for a unique Pumped Hydro (similar to Turlough Hill) energy storage scheme has been assessed. This site was imaginatively selected in order to provide a Pumped Hydro plant at a greatly reduced cost and in a very short timescale. Unfortunately after considerable evaluation this site has proven to be unsuitable but we remain confident that one of the selected CAES sites will prove feasible. Frank Buckley B.E. Chief Executive Ovoca Resources plc Consolidated profit and loss account for the year ended 28 February 2003 2003 2002 Euro Euro Administrative expenses (125,413) (135,000) Other operating income - - Operating loss - continuing operations (125,413) (135,100) Share of operating losses of joint venture undertaking (107,317) (12,181) Interest receivable (net) 3,039 642 Loss on ordinary activities before taxation (229,730) (146,639) Tax on loss on ordinary activities - - Loss for the financial year (229,730) (146,639) Profit and loss account at beginning of year (5,279,614) (5,132,975) Profit and loss account at end of year (5,509,344) (5,279,614) Basic loss per ordinary share (0.79)c (0.51)c Ovoca Resources plc Consolidated balance sheet at 28 February 2003 2003 2002 Euro Euro Fixed assets Intangible assets 3,173,464 3,156,145 Tangible assets 218,678 232,783 Financial Assets Investment in joint venture undertaking Share of gross assets 15,681 21,828 Share of gross liabilities (105,179) (4,008) 3,302,644 3,406,748 Current assets Debtors 39,935 105,310 Cash at bank and in hand 52,536 60,774 92,471 166,084 Creditors: Amounts falling due (235,978) (183,966) within one year Net current liabilities (145,507) (17,882) Net assets 3,159,137 3,388,866 Financed by: Capital and reserves Called-up share capital 727,079 727,079 Share premium account 7,757,235 7,757,235 Capital conversion reserve fund 11,482 11,482 Revaluation reserve 172,684 172,684 Profit and loss account (5,509,344) (5,279,614) Shareholders' funds - equity 3,159,137 3,388,866 Ovoca Resources plc Consolidated cash flow statement for the year ended 28 February 2003 2003 2002 Euro Euro Net cash inflow/(outflow) from Operating activities 6,042 (187,320) Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received - net 3,039 642 Net cash inflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance 3,039 642 Tax paid - - Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible assets - - Purchase of intangible assets (17,319) (177,925) Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investment (17,319) (177,925) Acquisitions and disposals Investment in joint venture undertaking - (2,233) Net cash outflow from acquisitions and disposals - (2,233) Net cash outflow before financing and use of liquid resources (8,238) (366,836) Financing Proceeds received from issue of share capital - 409,046 Net cash transferred from/(to) liquid resources 8,154 (585) Net cash inflow from financing and use of liquid resources 8,154 408,461 (Decrease)/increase in cash in the year (84) 41,625 This announcement has been issued through the Companies Announcement Service of the Irish Stock Exchange. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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