Final Results

Thorpe(F.W.) PLC 20 September 2005 FW Thorpe plc The following unaudited consolidated results for the year ended 30 June 2005 were announced today: Abridged financial information Chairman's Statement In the financial year to 30th June 2005 your company produced a turnover of £41.6M an increase of 12% on last year's turnover of £37.2M with a resulting operating profit before exceptional items of £5.8M being a 16% increase on the previous year's £5.0M. After accounting for exceptional costs of impairment at Sugg Lighting, the operating profit for the Group was £5.4M, an increase of 8% over the previous year. Investment income rose by 29% arising from the investment of cash generated from operations during the year and resulted in a profit before tax of £5.8M, up 9% on last year. The pattern of trading through the year varied unexpectedly from previous years, probably due to the economic effects of the UK national election. These variations were marked but differently felt by different group member companies. Some group members experienced a noticeable drop in orders and activity over the election period whilst others did not or only sustained mild effects. The effect appeared to be in proportion to project size with smaller jobs being more easily suspended over the election period than larger projects, which are carried forward by their own inertia. These effects have probably led to some loss of business during the year. Generally, however, as can be seen and understood from the group performance figures, overall trading has remained encouraging for the year as a whole. This year there have been no single large investments in plant, buildings, equipment or systems, but your company has continued to invest substantial amounts of money back into the business in a myriad of smaller projects involving both manufacturing plant and IT systems. One of the larger projects has been to strengthen group IT infrastructure which, with the increase in business levels in recent years, had been left lacking in both capacity and speed of operation. We now enjoy the benefits of the improved IT capability which in itself will allow us to develop and upgrade our operational system software. The company has, as usual derived the majority of its business from within the UK but this result should not cloud the determination expressed last year to increase the proportion of business obtained from overseas mature markets especially within the EU. Group exports this year were 14% of total turnover an increase of 17% on the last financial year. At the halfway stage I made some comment in regard to mixed performance within the group and whilst in hindsight some of that performance may well have been due to the effects of the election period, reviews prompted in certain areas of our business have, in themselves, been very useful, for example, in bringing Thorlux back to the high level of productivity previously enjoyed but which had been reducing due to the pressure of rapid output growth in very recent years. These reviews also helped in re-focusing product direction at Mackwell Electronics and crystallising a new forward plan for Sugg Lighting. The above results have prompted your board to recommend a final dividend of 7.5p which taken with the, already paid interim dividend, makes a total for the year of 10p being a 16% increase compared to last year. Review of Divisions Thorlux Lighting. Thorlux, the group's manufacturer of commercial, flood and industrial lighting products and systems has again enjoyed buoyant trading throughout the year and, with a 'close eye' on operations, Thorlux has returned a turnover up 16% on 2004 resulting in an operating profit up 26% over that period. Few new products were introduced during this financial year but a high proportion of sales emanated from those new products added within the very recent years. Product design, however continued apace so that 2005/6 will see further exciting new products added to the Thorlux portfolio. On the 'heaviest end' the Thorlux tunnel luminaire range and its associated remote control systems have enjoyed further success with new tunnel lighting projects having been gained within the UK. On the export front, whilst Thorlux sales to traditional export markets via a traditional agency network have been maintaining in value, the proportion of total turnover has continued to decline. The wish to carve out a substantial market under the trade name Thorlux in the sophisticated EU area remains, and the Company's spearhead Munich based operation in Germany has enjoyed an encouraging year giving the confidence to double the staff to two. The root foundations, as mentioned last year, have been laid and the current mission is to find quality customers who are willing to try products from the 'new kid on the block'. On the same theme Thorlux will also be reverting again to company employed staff to cover the Republic of Ireland. Mackwell Electronics Mackwell, the group's manufacturer of electronic emergency lighting control gear and systems undertook a product review during the year and subsequently withdrew from one area of business that showed little future profit potential and one that would require substantial investment but which could well fall prey to high volume competition from the Far East. These actions caused a loss of turnover and some profit but I am pleased to report that virtually all of the vacated capacity has been taken up reducing lead times and improving service to existing customers and for the manufacture of a new emergency lighting system. Despite these events Mackwell's turnover ended the year up 7% with a profit up 6% over last year. Compact Lighting Compact Lighting, supplier of display lighting to the retail trade enjoyed a busy year with mixed success, producing a turnover up 15% on last year but with a 26% reduction in profit level. Certain well known High Street names on Compact's client list delayed refurbishment programs due to uncertainty in the retail market and although new customers were gained some of the new business proved more difficult than expected. Philip Payne Philip Payne, the Group's manufacturer of quality specialist and bespoke exit signage has enjoyed a mixed trading year with a patch of poor business over the election period, although it is difficult to understand why this occurred in the case of Philip Payne. Opportunity was taken, however, during that time to re-appraise the Company structure and instigate changes to enable future growth. This appraisal resulted in strengthening of human resources from fourteen to seventeen people and Payne is now well set to resume growth well beyond current levels. The result of this unusual pattern of trading and the reappraisal left Philip Payne some 6% down on turnover and 24% down on profit. Profit to sales ratio was still perfectly respectable and I am pleased to report that at, this time, trading at Payne's is back to, if not in excess of previous levels. Sugg Lighting Sugg Lighting, manufacturer and refurbisher of heritage lighting, suffered a severe down turn in business for some five months over the election period which caused an unfortunate return to losses after a period of five months of profitability. Sales order input has now returned to that of last years levels but the increase in sales required to put Sugg on a firm footing is still elusive. Your board is currently considering a number of options. People It has been said that a business runs on its people. Well a short number of years ago the company found it very difficult to recruit people at all. Over the last year or so, a fresh wind has been blowing from the direction of Central Europe bringing with it many of our current work force. It is rewarding to find people who want to work and accept our offer of jobs. To these new arrivals and to our more long standing employees may I, again, offer our thanks for their loyalty and diligence over the last year. The Future The cautionary tune mentioned in earshot last year did not bring great tides of woe, however, some of the words of the song still hang in the air and those involving house prices, retail sales, pressures on government budgets seem to give more concern now than twelve months ago. I must say again, therefore, that your company will continue to drive forward, continue to try and please its customers with service and products and we must still trust that our markets will stay fair. Andrew Thorpe Chairman 20 September 2005 Group Profit and Loss Account 2005 2004 £'000 £'000 Turnover - continuing operations 41,572 37,258 Operating profit - before exceptional items 5,822 5,020 Exceptional items (422) - Operating profit - continuing operations 5,400 5,020 Interest receivable and similar income 440 342 Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 5,840 5,362 Taxation on profit on ordinary activities (1,479) (1,479) Profit on ordinary activities after taxation 4,361 3,883 Dividends (1,187) (1,014) Retained profit for the year 3,174 2,869 Earnings per ordinary share - ordinary 36.9p 33.1p - diluted 36.5p 32.5p Dividends per share 10.0p 8.6p Group Balance Sheet As at As at 30.06.05 30.06.04 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Tangible assets 9,335 9,343 Investments 258 281 9,593 9,264 Current assets Stocks 7,267 6,599 Debtors 10,622 8,355 Investments 70 70 Cash at bank and in hand 8,414 7,554 26,373 22,578 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (7,256) (7,053) Net current assets 19,117 15,525 Total assets less current liabilities 28,710 25,149 Provisions for liabilities and charges Deferred taxation (711) (403) Net assets 27,999 24,746 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 1,184 1,177 Capital Redemption Reserve 135 135 Share premium account 545 473 Profit and loss account 26,135 22,961 Equity shareholders' funds 27,999 24,746 Group Cash Flow Statement 2005 2004 £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 4,239 4,379 Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest and dividends received 440 342 Taxation UK corporation tax paid (1,758) (1,230) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchase of tangible fixed assets (1,170) (1,958) Sale of tangible fixed assets 56 66 Sale/(Purchase) of fixed asset investments 28 (37) Net cash outflow for capital expenditure and financial investments (1,086) (1,929) Equity dividends paid (1,054) (811) Cash inflow before financing 781 751 Financing Issue of shares 79 68 Repayment of hire purchase and finance leases - (7) Cash inflow from financing 79 61 Increase in cash in the period 860 812 Notes: 1. Reconciliation of operating profit to net cash inflow from operating activities 2005 2004 £'000 £'000 Operating profit 5,400 5,020 Depreciation 1,148 1,168 Profit on sale of fixed assets and fixed asset investments (31) (18) (Increase) in stocks (668) (403) (Increase) in debtors (2,267) (2,052) Increase in creditors 657 664 Net cash inflow from operating activities 4,239 4,379 2. Reconciliation of movement in net funds 1 July 2004 Cashflow 30 June 2005 £'000 £'000 £'000 Cash at bank and in hand 7,554 860 8,414 Liquid resources 70 - 70 Net Funds 7,624 860 8,484 3. Ordinary earnings per share is calculated by dividing the net profit attributable to shareholders of £4,361,000 (2004: £3,883,000) by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year of 11,825,715 (2004: 11,743,094). For diluted earnings per share, the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue is adjusted to assume conversion of all dilutive potential ordinary shares. The weighted average number of ordinary shares is calculated at 11,943,559 (2004: 11,943,559). 4. Under present regulation, the Company is required to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards for the financial year ending 30 June 2006. A preliminary review has shown that the major impact of the first-time adoption of the new accounting standards will arise from the introduction of IAS 19 relating to pension costs. The current effects of adoption of FRS 17 relating to pension costs are disclosed in the notes to the Annual Report and Accounts of the Group. Dates: AGM: 10-Nov-2005 Dividend payment date 17-Nov-2005 Ex-dividend date 28-Sep-2005 Record date 30-Sep-2005 The above financial information does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of Section 240(5) of the Companies Act 1985. The statutory accounts have not been delivered to the Registrar of Companies but will be delivered in due course. The unaudited preliminary information included herein has been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies as set out in the annual financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2004. The Auditors have given an unqualifed report on those statutory accounts. ENQUIRIES to the Chairman: Andrew Thorpe, F W Thorpe Plc, Redditch. Tel: 01527 583200 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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