Half Yearly Report

RNS Number : 7927M
W.H. Ireland Group PLC
21 July 2014
 



WH Ireland Group plc

("WH Ireland", "the Group" or "the Company")

 

Half Year Results

 

WH Ireland, the financial services group that provides corporate broking and private wealth management services, today announces its results for six months ended 31 May 2014.

 

Highlights:

 

·      Revenue increased by 12.6% to £14.69m (2013: £13.05m)

·      Recurring revenue increased by 9.3% to £4.7m (2013: £4.3m)

·      Adjusted* profit before tax £470,000 (2013: £59,000)

·      Profits before tax £203,000 (2013: £59,000)

·      Basic earnings per share of 0.58p (2013: 0.16p)

·      Dan Cowland appointed Finance Director and Tim Steel as non-executive director

 

*Before one off re-organisation costs of £267,000

 

 

Corporate Broking:

 

·      Continued growth in the number of corporate broking clients to 92 (2013: 84)

·      Fund raisings increased to £34.8m (2013: £26.5m) in 9 transactions (2013: 13)

·      Market making revenue and secondary commission increased total divisional revenue by 12%

·      Recruitment has taken place in investor relations, research, sales and corporate teams enhancing the division's capability and capacity

 

 

Private Wealth Management:

 

·      Funds under management and administration rose by 9.6% to £2.7bn (30 November 2013: £2.5bn)

·      Active recruitment of individuals and teams, specifically in Milton Keynes, Birmingham and London

·      Isle of Man office fully operational and winning new private client mandates

·      Focusing the offering:

Streamlining of smaller offices with assets transferred to London

Ceased to offer traded options facilities

Planning to exit third party administration business

 

 

Richard Killingbeck, Chief Executive Officer, said:

 

"WH Ireland performed strongly during the first half of the year, with good growth in adjusted pre-tax profits and revenues, continuing the progress made in the last financial year. 

 

"Much progress has been made in the development of WH Ireland into a focussed business around two key disciplines, Corporate Broking and Private Client Wealth Management. Both businesses are in a considerably stronger position than twelve months ago in terms of their financial performance, proposition and teams.

 

We anticipate making further progress in the second half and into 2015."

 

A copy of these results are available on the Company's website: www.wh-ireland.co.uk 

 

 

 

 



 

For further information please contact:

 

WH Ireland Group plc

www.wh-ireland.co.uk

Richard Killingbeck, Chief Executive Officer

Miles Nolan, Head of Communications

+44(0) 20 7220 1666



Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited


Hugh Morgan / Adam James, Corporate Finance

+44(0)20 7886 2500



MHP Communications


Reg Hoare / Jade Neal / Jamie Ricketts

+44(0) 20 3128 8100


whireland@mhpc.com

 

Notes to editors

 

WH Ireland Group plc:

WH Ireland is a financial services group offering private wealth management and corporate broking services.  Since 2000, the company has been listed on the London Stock Exchange on AIM (WHI).  The Group has two divisions:

 

Corporate Broking:  The Group provides corporate finance, research, market making and fund raising capabilities to quoted small/mid-cap companies, including a full NOMAD service to the majority of our corporate clients. WH Ireland is ranked 3rd largest Nominated Advisor and corporate broker by number of AIM clients.

 

Private Wealth Management: The Group provides wealth management and wealth planning services tailored to the individual, corporates, trusts and funds. It has over 140 years' pedigree in private client wealth management. It manages £2.7 billion of assets under management and administration and operates from 10 offices around the United Kingdom.

 

 

 



 

Chairman's Statement

 

Introduction

The Board is pleased to report that WH Ireland performed strongly during the first half of the year, with good growth in adjusted pre-tax profits and revenues, continuing the progress made in the last financial year. 

 

This continues to be against the backdrop of decreasing volatility and increasing activity in financial markets. Both of our businesses, Corporate Broking and Private Wealth Management, took advantage of these improved market conditions and continued to develop their businesses and improve their financial performance.

 

Divisional review

In Corporate Broking, we have continued to raise money for small growth companies across a variety of sectors as well as increasing the number of clients for whom we act as NOMAD and/or Broker to 92 as of the half year end. 

 

In Private Wealth Management, our funds under management and administration continue to grow with total funds increasing by 9.6% during the period. Following the half year end we were pleased to announce the opening of our new Milton Keynes office staffed by a new team formerly of Charles Stanley.  They are amongst several individuals who have joined the division recently as we seek to grow assets under management further.

 

Across the Company one of the most pleasing developments is the increase in recurring income which, in the half year, rose to £4.7m (2013: £4.3m).  At the same time we have begun to address the cost/income ratio with the intent of delivering more profit to the bottom line, the full benefits of which should begin to be in evidence during 2015.

 

Board

There have been a number of Board changes since the year end.  Dan Cowland has joined us from Shore Capital replacing Alan Kershaw as Finance Director.  Our thanks go to Alan for his contribution to our progress.  Roger Lane-Smith is stepping down, effective 31 July 2014, after eight years on the Board while Tim Steel joined us in March as a non-executive director.  Roger has given much sage advice over a challenging period for WH Ireland and deserves sincere thanks.  We look forward to working with Tim who brings with him the benefits of a 30 year career at Cazenove with experience of both broking and fund management.

 

Dividend

In line with previous years, the Board continues with its policy of only recommending the payment of a final dividend in respect of each financial year; this will be declared at the time of the final results in February 2015.    

 

Summary

The pipeline of new corporate transactions remains robust but as always market conditions and timing are a key determinant to translating this into revenue. Our Private Client business should continue to demonstrate good asset growth but the benefits of changes already announced will not be fully reflected in this year's figures.

 

Thanks as always goes to all our staff.

 

 

Rupert Lowe

Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Chief Executive Officer's Report

 

Overview

The past six months have witnessed continued development of the more focussed WH Ireland proposition. This has required senior management changes, the costs of which are reflected by the adjustments to pre-tax profits. The new management structure is working well and has helped form the increased oversight of the business that in turn has created the framework from which to achieve more focussed growth.

 

The process of change at WH Ireland will continue for some time as we seek to create a more efficient and focussed offering across both business divisions. Alongside these corporate challenges remain the wider industry challenges of increased costs associated with regulation, which are impacting WH Ireland and our peers.

 

Corporate Broking division

The number of corporate clients, a key objective of this division, has continued to increase with 92 corporate clients as of the half year end (2013:84). This has enabled a good increase in retainer revenues to be reported. Corporate fund raisings have also risen to £34.8 million during this period compared with £26.5 million for the comparative period last year. Improved commission income and income from market making has helped to increase total revenue generated by this division by 12%. The division has been active across the IPO market, secondary fund raisings and mergers and acquisitions.

 

The business is now focussed in four locations in London, Leeds, Manchester and Bristol. Recruitment has taken place in investor relations, research, sales and corporate teams enhancing the division's capability and capacity.

 

Private Wealth Management division

A significant amount of change has occurred within this division, to both develop the fund management proposition and team, whilst at the same time focusing its offering.  

 

As the Chairman has referred to in his statement above, we have recruited a team of fund managers from Charles Stanley into a new Milton Keynes office and we have also welcomed private client executives from Barclays Wealth and Canaccord to our offices in Birmingham and London respectively. Our new Isle of Man office, which we opened in February 2014, has begun to win new clients and offers us increased opportunities in the international market representing an important strategic expansion for the division. This increase in the size of our team has significantly increased our capacity to manage additional discretionary and advisory client portfolios, and will help to increase funds under management to over £3 billion in the future. 

 

In terms of focusing our offering, we have ceased to operate from a number of smaller offices and in the majority of cases the assets have been transferred to London to be managed. We have ceased to offer a traded option service to clients and we have also informed our third party administrative clients that we will be ceasing to offer this service as of the year end.

 

Outlook

Much progress has been made in the development of WH Ireland into a focussed business around two key disciplines, Corporate Broking and Private Client Wealth Management. Both businesses are in a considerably stronger position than twelve months ago in terms of their financial performance, proposition and teams.

 

There remains more work to be done in both as we seek to achieve recognition for each division in the market place. The majority of change will have been completed by year end at which time the focus will shift to embedding a lower cost structure and achieving economies of scale by organic, as well as acquisitive, growth.

 

We anticipate making further progress in the second half and into 2015.

 

 

Richard Killingbeck

Chief Executive Officer

 



 

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income - unaudited

for the half year ended 31 May 2014

 



Half year

Half year

Year

 



ended

ended

ended

 



31 May

31 May

30 November

 



2014

2013

2013

 


Note

£'000

£'000

£'000

 

Revenue

2

14,691

13,051

29,653

 

Administrative expenses


(14,564)

(12,847)

(28,734)

 

Operating profit


127

204

 

Other income


-

-

25

 

Investment (losses)/gains


(2)

30

458

 

Fair value gains/(losses) on investments


87

(154)

238

 

Finance income


14

6

64

 

Finance expense


(23)

(27)

(52)

 

Profit before tax


203

59

1,652

 

Tax charge


(64)

(22)

(516)

 

Profit for the period


139

37

1,136

 





 

Other comprehensive income:





 

Items that will be reclassified to profit or loss





 

Valuation gains on available for sale investments


-

-

370

 

Transferred to profit or loss on sale of investments


-

-

(581)

 

Tax relating to items that may be reclassified


-

-

48

 






 

Total other comprehensive income


-

-

(163)

 





 

Total comprehensive income attributable to the owners of the parent


139

37

973

 





 

Earnings per share for profit attributable to the ordinary equity holders of the parent during the period





 

Basic

6

0.58p

0.16p

4.80p

Diluted

6

0.55p

0.15p

4.47p






 






 






 

 

 


Consolidated statement of financial position - unaudited

as at 31 May 2014

 



31 May

31 May

30 November



2014

2013

2013


Note

£'000

£'000

£'000

Assets





Non-current assets





Property, plant and equipment


5,700

5,357

5,640

Goodwill


319

470

400

Intangible assets


476

640

489

Investments

3

532

853

447

Deferred tax asset


375

618

378



7,402

7,938

7,354

Current assets




Trade and other receivables


33,098

34,357

36,692

Other investments


1,180

808

847

Cash and cash equivalents

4

8,643

8,739

6,046



42,921

43,904

43,585

Total assets


50,323

51,842

50,939

Liabilities




Current liabilities





Trade and other payables


(34,191)

(36,620)

(34,980)

Corporation tax payable


(192)

(79)

(131)

Obligations under finance leases


(119)

(119)

(119)

Borrowings


(175)

(168)

(181)

Provisions


(412)

(492)

(344)



(35,089)

(37,478)

(35,755)

Non-current liabilities




Borrowings


(1,255)

(1,435)

(1,348)

Deferred tax liability


(393)

(318)

(393)

Obligations under finance leases


(159)

(288)

(228)

Accruals and deferred income


(363)

(27)

(128)

Provisions


(21)

(21)

(21)



(2,191)

(2,089)

(2,118)

Total liabilities


(37,280)

(39,567)

(37,873)

Total net assets


13,043

12,275

13,066

Equity




Share capital

5

1,192

1,185

1,185

Share premium


95

5

6

Available-for-sale reserve


7

170

7

Other reserves


982

982

982

Retained earnings


11,549

10,715

11,668

Treasury shares


(782)

(782)

(782)

Total equity


13,043

12,275

13,066










 


Consolidated statement of cash flows - unaudited

for the half year ended 31 May 2014

 


Half year

Half year

Year


ended

ended

ended


31 May

31 May

30 November


2014

2013

2013


£'000

£'000

£'000

Operating activities




Profit for the period

139

37

1,136

Adjustments for:




Depreciation, amortisation and impairment

235

181

394

Property revaluation

-

-

(48)

Finance income

(14)

(6)

(64)

Finance expense

23

27

52

Taxation

64

53

516

Changes in investments

(155)

133

(570)

Investment transfer to employees as remuneration

-

170

170

Non-cash adjustment for share based payments

99

95

(57)

Decrease/(increase) in trade and other receivables

3,594

(511)

(2,025)

Decrease in trade and other payables

(554)

(631)

(2,170)

Increase in provisions

68

193

45

Increase in current asset investments

(333)

(495)

(534)

Net cash generated from/(used in) operations

3,166

(754)

(3,155)

Income taxes paid

-

-

(47)

Net cash generated from/(used in) operating activities

3,166

(754)

(3,202)

Investing activities




Proceeds from sale of investments

70

547

695

Interest received

14

6

64

Acquisition of property, plant and equipment

(201)

(54)

(402)

Acquisition of intangible assets

-

(36)

84

Acquisition of investments

-

(32)

(103)

Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities

(117)

431

338

Financing activities




Proceeds from issue of shares

96

-

7

Repayment of borrowings

(59)

(84)

(158)

Repayment of obligations under finance leases

(99)

(59)

(102)

Interest paid

(23)

(18)

(52)

Interest paid: Finance leases

(10)

(9)

(17)

Dividends paid

(357)

(108)

(108)

Net cash used in from financing activities

(452)

(278)

(430)

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

2,597

(601)

(3,294)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

6,046

9,340

9,340

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

8,643

8,739

6,046

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period comprise of:




Clients' settlement cash

4,895

6,400

2,188

Group cash

3,748

2,339

3,858

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

8,643

8,739

6,046

 

 

Certain items for prior periods in the consolidated statement of cash flows have been restated to correctly classify non-cash items and dividends paid. The reclassification does not impact the net cash position but has resulted in increase in net cash used in operating activities (30 November 2013: £592,000; and 31 May 2013: £142,000), increase in net cash generated from investing activities (30 November 2013: £717,000; and 31 May 2013: £259,000) and increase in net cash used in financing activities (30 November 2013: £125,000; and 31 May 2013: £117,000). There was no impact on the income statement or balance sheet.



 

 

Consolidated statement of changes in equity - unaudited

for the half year ended 31 May 2014

 

 

 



















Available






Share

Share

for-sale

Other

Retained

Treasury

Total


capital

premium

reserve

reserves

earnings

shares

equity


£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

Balance at 1 December 2012

1,184

-

170

982

10,697

(782)

12,251

Comprehensive income for the period








Profit after taxation

-

-

-

-

37

-

37

Other comprehensive income

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total comprehensive income for the period

-

-

-

-

37

-

37









Contributions by and distributions to owners








Recognition of share-based payments

-

-

-

-

89

-

89

Share options exercised

1

5

-

-

-

-

6

Dividends (note 7)

-

-

-

-

(108)

-

(108)

Total contributions by and distributions to owners

1

5

-

-

(19)

-

(13)

Balance at 31 May 2013

1,185

5

170

982

10,715

(782)

12,275

Comprehensive income for the period








Profit after taxation

-

-

-

-

1,099

-

1,099

Other comprehensive income

-

-

(163)

-

-

-

(163)

Total comprehensive income for the period

-

-

(163)

-

1,099

-

936









Contributions by and distributions to owners








Recognition of share-based payments

-

-

-

-

(146)

-

(146)

Share options exercised

-

1

-

-

-

-

1

Dividends

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total contributions by and distributions to owners

-

1

-

-

(146)

-

(145)

Balance at 30 November 2013

1,185

6

7

982

11,668

(782)

13,066

Profit after taxation

-

-

-

-

139

-

139

Other comprehensive income

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total comprehensive income for the period

-

-

-

-

139

-

139









Contributions by and distributions to owners








Recognition of share-based payments

-

-

-

-

99

-

99

Share options exercised

7

89

-

-

-

-

96

Dividends (note 7)

-

-

-

-

(357)

-

(357)

Total contributions by and distributions to owners

7

89

-

-

(258)

-

(162)

Balance at 31 May 2014

1,192

95

7

982

11,549

(782)

13,043

 


Notes to the interim report and financial information

for the half year ended 31 May 2014

 

1. Basis of preparation

Statement of compliance

The financial information in this interim report has been prepared in accordance with the disclosure requirements of AIM Rules and the recognition and measurements of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as adopted by the European Union (EU).

The interim report does not include all of the information required for full annual financial statements.

The accounting policies adopted by the Group in the preparation of its 2014 interim report are those which the Group currently expects to adopt in its annual financial statements for the year ending 30 November 2014 and are consistent with those disclosed in the annual financial statements for the year ended 30 November 2013 with the exception of  IFRS 13 which has become effective in the current financial year but does not have a significant impact on the amounts recognised in the interim report.

The financial information for the year ended 30 November 2013 does not constitute the Company's statutory accounts.  The statutory accounts for the year ended 30 November 2013 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales.  The auditor has reported on those accounts.  Its report was unqualified, did not draw attention to any matters by way of emphasis, and did not contain a statement under Section 498(2) or 498(3) of the Companies Act 2006.  The financial information for the half year ended 31 May 2014 and 31 May 2013 is unaudited.

 

Going concern

The information in this interim report has been prepared on a going concern basis.  In making this assessment, the Directors have prepared detailed financial forecasts for the period to November 2016, which consider the funding and capital position of the Group.  Those forecasts make assumptions in respect of future trading conditions, notably the economic environment and its impact on the Group's revenues and costs.  In addition to this the nature of the Group's business is such that there can be considerable variation in the timing of cash inflows.  The forecasts take into account foreseeable downside risks, based on the information that is available to them at the time of the approval of this interim report.

 

Certain activities of the Group are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which is a statutory regulator for financial services business in the UK and has responsibility for policy, monitoring and discipline for the financial services industry as a whole.  The FCA requires the Group's capital resources to be adequate; that is sufficient in terms of quantity, quality and availability, in relation to its regulated activities.  The Directors monitor the Group's regulatory capital resources on a daily basis and they have developed appropriate scenario tests and corrective management plans which they are prepared to implement to address any potential deficit as required.  These actions may include cost reductions, regulatory capital optimisation programmes or further capital raising.  The Directors consider that, taking account of foreseeable downside risks, regulatory capital requirements will continue to be met.

 

The Directors have renewed the Group's banking facilities, confirming that these will be available until 28 February 2015 and do not have any reason to believe that the facility will not be renewed when it falls due.

 

 

2. Segmental reporting

The Group has two operating segments.  The Private Wealth Management division offers investment management and stockbroking advice and services to individuals and contains our Independent Financial Advisory ("IFA") business, giving advice on and acting as intermediary for a range of financial products.  The Corporate Broking division provides corporate finance and corporate broking advice and services to companies and acts as Nominated Adviser to clients listed on the Alternative Investment Market ("AIM") and contains our Institutional Sales and Research business, which carries out stockbroking activities on behalf of companies as well as conducting research into markets of interest to its clients.

Divisions are located in the UK and the Isle of Man.  Each reportable segment has a segment manager who is directly accountable to and maintains regular contact with the chief operating decision maker (CODM).  The Head Office segment comprises centrally incurred costs and revenues.

No customer represents more than ten percent of the Group's revenue.



2. Segmental reporting continued

The following tables represent revenue and profit information for the Group's business segments:

 

Half year ended 31 May 2014


Private Wealth

Corporate

Head



Management

Broking

Office

Group


£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

Revenue

8,827

4,539

1,325

14,691

Segment result

2,368

1,185

(3,426)

127

Other Income

-

-

-

-

Investment gains

-

-

(2)

(2)

Fair value gains/(losses) on investments

-

191

(104)

87

Finance income

-

1

13

14

Finance expense

-

-

(23)

(23)

Profit/(loss) before taxation

2,368

1,377

(3,542)

203

Taxation




(64)

Profit on continuing operations after taxation




139

 

Half year ended 31 May 2013


Private Wealth

Corporate

Head



Management

Broking

Office

Group


£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

Revenue

8,407

3,081

1,563

13,051

Segment result

2,171

573

(2,540)

204

Other Income

-

-

-

-

Investment losses

-

-

30

30

Fair value losses on investments

(32)

(51)

(71)

(154)

Finance income

-

-

6

6

Finance expense

-

-

(27)

(27)

Profit/(loss) before taxation

2,139

522

(2,602)

59

Taxation




(22)

Profit on continuing operations after taxation




37

 

Year ended 30 November 2013


Private Wealth

Corporate

Head



Management

Broking

Office

Group


£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

Revenue

17,991

8,488

3,174

29,653

Segment result

4,491

2,017

(5,589)

919

Other Income

-

-

25

25

Investment gains

-

(19)

477

458

Fair value (losses)/gains on investments

(63)

45

256

238

Finance income

-

45

19

64

Finance expense

-

-

(52)

(52)

Profit/(loss) before taxation

4,428

2,088

(4,864)

1,652

Taxation




(516)

Profit on continuing operations after taxation




1,136

 

3. Investments


Half year

Half year

Year


ended

ended

ended


31 May

31 May

30 November


2014

2013

2013


£'000

£'000

£'000

Available-for-sale investments




Fair value:         quoted

-

16

-

                        unquoted

247

578

347


247

594

347

Investments at fair value through the income statement




Fair value:         quoted

41

231

76

                        warrants

244

28

24


285

259

100

Total investments

532

853

447

 

Fair value, in the case of quoted investments, represents the bid price at the reporting date.  In the case of unquoted investments, the fair value is estimated by reference to recent arm's length transactions.  The fair value of warrants is estimated using established valuation models.

4. Cash, cash equivalents and bank overdrafts

For the purposes of the statement of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents comprise cash in hand and deposits with banks and financial institutions with a maturity of up to three months.

Cash and cash equivalents represent the Group's and the Company's money and non-segregated money held for settlement of outstanding transactions and is available for use in the business.  The corresponding liability for unsettled trades is recognised within trade and other payables.

Free money held on behalf of clients represents segregated client money and is therefore not included in the statement of financial position.  Free money at 31 May 2014 was £101.6m (31 May 2013: £89.8m; 30 November 2013: £90.6m).

5. Share capital

The total number of authorised ordinary shares is 34.5 million shares of 5p each (31 May 2013 and 30 November 2013: 34.5 million).  The total number of issued ordinary shares is 23.8 million shares of 5p each (31 May 2013: and 30 November 2013: 23.7 million).

6. Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share (EPS) is calculated by dividing the profit attributable to equity holders of the Company by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year, excluding ordinary shares purchased by the Company and held as treasury shares.

Diluted EPS is the basic EPS, adjusted for the effect of conversion into fully paid shares of the weighted average number of all dilutive employee share options outstanding during the period.  No options over shares are excluded from the EPS calculation.  At 31 May 2013: 144,524 and 30 November 2013: 89,801 options were excluded from the EPS calculation as they were anti-dilutive.  Anti-dilutive options represent options issued where the exercise price is greater than the average market price for the period.

Reconciliations of the earnings and weighted average number of shares used in the calculations are set out below:


Half year

Half year

Year


ended

ended

ended


31 May

31 May

30 November


2014

2013

2013


'000

'000

'000

Weighted average number of shares in issue during the period

23,763

23,695

23,698

Effect of dilutive share options

1,243

1,228

1,716


25,006

24,923

25,414






£'000

£'000

£'000





Earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders

139

37

1,136





Basic EPS




Continuing operations

0.58p

0.16p

4.80p





Diluted EPS




Continuing operations

0.55p

0.15p

4.47p





 

7. Dividends

A final dividend of 1.5p per share, in respect of the year ended 30 November 2013, was approved by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting held on 25 March 2014.  This was subsequently paid on 11 April 2014.  No interim dividend has been paid or proposed in respect of the current financial year (2013: nil).

8. Contingent liabilities

In April 2014, the FCA instigated a review into WH Ireland Limited, the principal operating subsidiary of WH Ireland Group plc, in respect of its control procedures required by Principle 3 of the FCA Rules of Business. The review is in relation to the period between 1 January 2013 until 19 June 2013.

There has been no formal notification as to whether or not the FCA intends to take any further action in respect of the review. The Directors have therefore made no provision in these financial statements in respect of this review, with which it is fully cooperating.

9. Availability of Interim Report

Copies of this Report can be downloaded from the Company's website at www.wh-ireland.co.uk.


Independent review report

to WH Ireland Group plc

Introduction

We have been engaged by the company to review the interim financial information in the interim report for the six months ended 31 May 2014 which comprises the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and related notes.

We have read the other information contained in the interim report and considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the information in the interim financial information.

Directors' responsibilities

The interim report, including the interim financial information contained therein, is the responsibility of and has been approved by the directors.  The directors are responsible for preparing the interim report in accordance with the rules of the London Stock Exchange for companies trading securities on AIM which require that the half-yearly report be presented and prepared in a form consistent with that which will be adopted in the company's annual accounts having regard to the accounting standards applicable to such annual accounts.

Our responsibility

Our responsibility is to express to the company a conclusion on the interim financial information in the interim report based on our review.

Our report has been prepared in accordance with the terms of our engagement to assist the company in meeting the requirements of the rules of the London Stock Exchange for companies trading securities on AIM and for no other purpose.  No person is entitled to rely on this report unless such a person is a person entitled to rely upon this report by virtue of and for the purpose of our terms of engagement or has been expressly authorised to do so by our prior written consent.  Save as above, we do not accept responsibility for this report to any other person or for any other purpose and we hereby expressly disclaim any and all such liability.

Scope of review

We conducted our review in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK and Ireland) 2410, ''Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity'', issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom.  A review of interim financial information consists of making enquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review procedures.  A review is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) and consequently does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in an audit.  Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.

Conclusion

Based on our review, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the interim financial information in the interim report for the six months ended 31 May 2014 is not prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the rules of the London Stock Exchange for companies trading securities on AIM.

 

BDO LLP

Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors

London

United Kingdom

18 July 2014

 

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (with registered number OC305127).

 


 

Advisors

 

Nominated adviser and broker
Panmure Gordon
One New Change
London EC4M 9AF

Auditors
BDO LLP
55 Baker Street
London W1U 7EU

Solicitors
DWF LLP
1 Scott Place, 2 Hardman Street
Manchester M3 3AA

Bankers
Bank of Scotland

2nd Floor, 1 Lochrin Square

92-98 Fountainbridge

Edinburgh EH3 9QA

 

Registrars
Neville Registrars Limited

Neville House
18 Laurel Lane
Halesowen
West Midlands B63 3DA

 

Company Secretary and registered office
Katy Mitchell
5th Floor, 24 Martin Lane

London EC4R 0DR

Company number
3870190

 


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
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