Final Results

Quadrant Group PLC 29 September 2000 Quadrant Group plc Preliminary Announcement of Unaudited Results For the year ended 31 May 2000 Chairman's Statement In the year to 31 May 2000 Quadrant Group made an overall profit before tax of £254,000. This figure comprises: 1. a net exceptional gain of £785,000 derived from realised gains and provision for asset impairment and losses on disposals 2. an operating loss on continuing operations of £159,000 3. an operating loss on discontinued operations of £226,000, and 4. interest expense of £146,000. The comparative figures for 1999 were an overall loss of £60,000 and an operating profit on currently continuing businesses of £458,000. This year's operating performance is clearly unsatisfactory. I would however like to put that performance into perspective with regard to the very important corporate developments that have been concluded since May 1999. Firstly, Quadrant's three full flight simulators were sold at a considerable profit as part of a continuing relationship with FlightSafety Boeing. Secondly, our 50% owned special purpose joint venture company, Quest Flight Training, won selection by the UK Ministry of Defence for exclusive provision of simulator flight training for the RAF's fleet of E-3 AWACS aircraft for a minimum of 25 years, in a contract expected to generate sales of £60 million over its life. Thirdly, agreement was reached for the sale of the Audio Visual and Presentations business of Quadrant Video Systems ('QVS'), enabling QVS to focus on the growing success of its CCTV security activities. These disposals enabled the Group to largely repay its debts, shed a consistently loss making business and concentrate on the profitable ongoing activities. The operating loss on these activities, which I have just reported, requires further explanation. At Quadrant Systems the operating result was seriously adversely affected by the 4 month delay in signing the E-3 AWACS contract. During the period of that delay our costs were significantly increased by the presence of additional personnel and other resources which were necessary to finalise what is a very complex contract. The current order book for Quadrant Systems' equipment business is now £4.9 million which should support turnover growth of at least 50% this year. This business has taken much time, effort and expenditure to reach its current position and we fully expect very positive results from now on - it has been a long wait. QVS' CCTV activities rebounded sharply in the second half as indicated in our half year statement. The backlog of town centre projects began to flow after a frustrating delay in government funding in the first half. The second half produced a record result in both turnover and profit. Now that the Audio Visual and Presentations business has gone we expect good financial returns as the management are able to concentrate fully on the retained profitable CCTV activities. Axiom Design and Print (formerly Quick Imaging Centre) produced another good result with an operating profit of £137,000 on turnover of £2.1 million. Although Axiom is a small part of the Group when measured by turnover, its management is to be congratulated on their consistently excellent results. We do believe that finally this year we will deliver sustainable operating and bottom line profits. Peter Rae Chairman 29 September 2000 Consolidated Profit and Loss Account For the year ended 31 May 2000 Unaudited Notes 2000 1999 £'000 £'000 Turnover Continuing operations 1 13,192 11,280 Discontinued operations 1 6,096 6,147 19,288 17,427 Cost of sales 12,493 11,434 Gross profit 6,795 5,993 Net operating expenses 7,180 5,816 Operating profit/(loss) Continuing operations (159) 458 Discontinued operations (226) (281) (385) 177 Exceptional items - continuing operations Profit on disposal of fixed 1,235 63 assets - discontinued operations Provisions and asset (450) - impairment on disposal of business 785 63 Profit before interest 400 240 Net interest payable (146) (300) Profit/(loss) before taxation 254 (60) Tax charge on ordinary activities - - Profit/(loss) on ordinary 254 (60) activities after taxation Minority interests - - Profit/(loss) for the year - 254 (60) transferred to reserves Basic earnings/(loss) per 2 4.1p (1.0)p ordinary share Diluted earnings/(loss) per 2 4.1p (1.0)p ordinary share Consolidated Balance Sheet 31 May 2000 Unaudited 2000 1999 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Intangible assets 46 48 Tangible assets 2,044 5,209 2,090 5,257 Current assets Stocks 936 981 Debtors 4,837 3,965 Cash at bank and in hand 109 10 5,882 4,956 Creditors: amounts falling due 4,650 5,319 within one year (including convertible debt) Net current 1,232 (363) assets/(liabilities) Total assets less current 3,322 4,894 liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due 92 2,036 after more than one year (including convertible debt) Provisions for liabilities and 120 202 charges Net assets 3,110 2,656 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 1,288 1,254 Share premium account 6,934 6,798 Other reserves 4,387 4,387 Profit and loss account (9,499) (9,783) Equity shareholders' funds 3,110 2,656 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement For the year ended 31 May 2000 Unaudited Notes 2000 1999 £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from (51) 356 operating activities Returns on investments and (183) (283) servicing of finance Net capital expenditure and 3,567 (1,430) financial investment Acquisitions and disposals 3 - 509 Cash inflow/(outflow) before 3,333 (848) financing Financing (2,217) 229 Increase/(decrease) in cash 1,116 (619) Notes 1 Continuing operations comprise the businesses of Quadrant Systems, Synectic Systems, Axiom Design & Print (formerly Quick Imaging Centre) and the CCTV business of Quadrant Video Systems,. Discontinued operations comprises the audio-visual business of Quadrant Video Systems, which was sold to its management following shareholder approval of the disposal at an extraordinary general meeting on 1 September 2000. 2 The calculation of earnings per share is based on the profit after taxation for the year of £254,000 (1999: loss of £60,000) and on 6,271,349 shares (1999: 6,254,888), being the weighted average number of shares in issue and ranking for dividend during the year. There were no dilutive potential ordinary shares in either the year ended 31 May 2000 or the previous year. 3 Cash inflows from acquisitions and disposals in the year ended 31 May 1999 arose from the receipt of deferred consideration for Quadrant Precision Manufacturing, Inc, less the cost of acquiring 'A' ordinary shares in Quadrant Video Systems plc. 4 The preliminary results for the year have not been audited by the Group's auditors and do not constitute statutory accounts. The comparative figures for 1999 have been abridged from the statutory accounts for the year ended 31 May 1999. The Auditors' opinion on these accounts was unqualified and did not contain any statements under section 237(2) or (3) of the Act. The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 May 1999 have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.

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