Final Results

Slingsby(H.C.)Plc 28 April 2000 Preliminary announcement for the year to 31 December 1999 Statement by the Chairman The decrease in business confidence within our principal market sectors had an adverse effect on our order levels for the year, resulting in a 3% decrease in turnover and a 31% reduction in last year's record pre-tax profit figure. I am pleased, however, to report that towards the end of 1999 and continuing into the current year, there has been a positive improvement in business confidence within the commercial and industrial marketplace, resulting in an encouraging first quarter for us. Our medium to long term strategy aimed at improving our market share did have an immediate impact on profits by increasing expenditure on marketing activities. However, the evaluation of all marketing activities has enabled us to quantify the cost of recruiting new and reactivating former customers. Whilst the emphasis will be on contacting our 'active' customers, there is also planned activity with the aim of further increasing our customer base during the current year. Customer service initiatives are also being undertaken to further improve the level of service to our customers. In addition to a new telephone 'Order Hotline', providing a 24 hour operator call handling, a new customer contact database will be introduced to enable more accurate customer targeting to be performed and consequently, enhance service levels throughout the organisation. Although we have had an internet presence for some time at www.slingsby.com, we now view the development of e-commerce as an important part of our long- term marketing strategy and we are currently evaluating several initiatives in this rapidly changing new channel to market. We welcome to the Board Mr Ernie Round, who joined us six years ago as Operations Manager and has primarily been responsible for updating our computer systems. We also welcome Mr Eric Gudgeon as our Independent Non- Executive Director, who was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive of Von Roll Isola Limited. I would like to thank all our employees once again for their considerable contribution in what proved to be a difficult year. Your Board is pleased to recommend a final dividend of 21.0p per share (1998: 20.0p per share). The total dividend for the year is 24.0p per share (1998: 24.0p per share). The record date will be 5 June 2000 and the payment date for the final dividend 3 July 2000. J F Slingsby Chairman Registered Office Preston Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1JF The following extracts are not full financial statements for the Company. Full financial statements will be issued to the shareholders on 25 May 2000 and will be available to members of the public at the registered office of the Company from that date. The announcement has been agreed with the Company's auditors for release. The information for the year ended 31 December 1998 is an extract from the statutory accounts to that date which have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. Those accounts included an audit report which was unqualified and which did not contain a statement under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 1999, upon which the auditors have still to report, will be delivered to the Registrar following the Company's Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting will be held on 29 June 2000. H C Slingsby plc Profit and Loss Account for the year ended 31 December 1999 Unaudited Audited 1999 1998 £'000 £'000 Turnover - continuing operations 15,344 15,856 Operating profit 557 820 Interest receivable 79 99 Profit on ordinary operations before 636 919 taxation Taxation (172) (252) Profit attributable to shareholders 464 667 Dividends : Interim Paid 30 40 Proposed Final 210 200 Earnings per share 46.4p 66.7p The Company does not have any recognised gains or losses than those recorded above within the profit and loss account, and therefore no separate statement of total recognised gains and losses has been presented. Earnings per share Basic earnings per share is based upon earnings of £464,000 (1998: £667,000) and on 1,000,000 (1998: 1,000,000) ordinary shares in issue during the year. There is no difference between basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share for both years stated. H C Slingsby plc Balance Sheet as at 31 December 1999 Unaudited Audited 1999 1998 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Tangible assets 1,722 1,749 Investments 300 300 2,022 2,049 Current assets Stock 1,378 1,343 Debtors 2,644 2,624 Cash at bank and in hand 1,524 1,517 5,546 5,484 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one (2,989) (3,165) year Net current assets 2,557 2,319 Total assets less current liabilities 4,579 4,368 Provisions for liabilities and charges Deferred taxation (30) (42) Net assets 4,549 4,326 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 250 250 Profit and loss account 4,299 4,076 Equity shareholders' funds 4,549 4,326 H C Slingsby plc Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 December 1999 Unaudited Audited 1999 1998 £'000 £'000 Operating activities Net cash inflow from operating activities 745 1,466 Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest received 77 97 Taxation UK Corporation tax paid (239) (187) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (413) (727) Purchase of investments - (300) Sales of tangible fixed assets 77 127 Net cash outflow from capital expenditure and financial investment (336) (900) Equity dividends paid (240) (180) Net cash inflow before use of liquid 7 296 resources Management of liquid resources Increase in short term deposits with banks - (250) Increase in cash in the period 7 46 H C Slingsby plc Cash Flow Statement Notes for the year ended 31 December 1999 1. Reconciliation of operating profit to net cash inflow from operating activities Unaudited Audited Year to Year to 1999 1998 £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow from operating activities Operating Profit 557 820 Depreciation charges 364 342 Profit on sale of tangible fixed assets (29) (78) (Increase)/decrease in stocks (35) 163 (Increase)/decrease in debtors (18) 80 (Decrease)/increase in creditors (94) 139 Net cash inflow from operating activities 745 1,466 2. Analysis of changes in net cash At 1/1/99 Cash Flows At 31/12/99 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash at bank in hand 517 7 524 Liquid resources 1,000 - 1,000 1,517 7 1,524
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