Final Results - Year Ended 20 February 2000

Peel Hotels PLC 12 April 2000 PEEL HOTELS PLC AUDITED RESULTS FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING 20 FEBRUARY 2000 Turnover up 121% to £7,364,987 (1999: £3,332,727) Operating Profit up 101% to £2,012,379 (1999: £1,001,743) Profits before tax up 93% to £1,452,755 (1999: £754,264) Earnings per share: Basic 13.6p (1999: 10.0p) Diluted 12.2p (1999: 8.0p) Purchase of two hotels at a cost of £8,750,000 Significant reinvestment in owned hotels of £1,931,968 (1999: £535,947) Dividend 2p per share (1999: l p) Solid progress has been achieved in the second year of the company's trading history and Peel Hotels has a good platform for further growth in the forthcoming year. Robert Peel Chairman Press enquiries to Robert Peel - 020 7266 1100 PEEL HOTELS PLC CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Results I am pleased to report solid progress for the year ended 20 February 2000. Pre-tax profits increased 92.6% to £1,452,755 from £754,264. After a full tax provision of 30%, earnings per share were 13.6p basic and 12.2p on a diluted basis, an uplift of 36% and 53% respectively on the previous year. This has been achieved against a relatively flat U.K. hotel trading environment during the year. As at 20 February 2000, net debt stood at £10,982,242 representing ten year loans totalling £10,406,111 and an overdraft of £658,651, less £82,520 cash at bank. Gearing on shareholders' funds was 133% with interest covered 3.6 times. Profit before interest and tax increased 101% to £2,012,379 from £1,001,743. The board has recommended doubling the dividend from lp to 2p per share, amounting to £173,333 which will be paid on 16 June 2000 to shareholders on the register at 19 May 2000. For the year as a whole, our 'Revpar' (accommodation revenue per available room) increased by 9.5% on the previous year and further progress was made in terms of cost and margin improvement. We incurred significant capital expenditure improving the quality of our portfolio, with a view to bringing each hotel up to the standards expected from four-star hotels. Events On 6 September 1999, the company raised £3.9 million through a placing and open offer by its broker, Peel Hunt plc., of 2,166,666 new ordinary shares at £1.80 per share, to purchase the Golden Lion Hotel, Leeds; Aire House, an office block adjacent to the Golden Lion, and the Caledonian Hotel, Newcastle. The balance of the overall consideration of £9.65 million was financed by a £7 million ten-year secured loan facility from the Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, which included finance to fund the development of Aire House. This development will constitute a 27-bedroom extension to the 89-bedroom Golden Lion. On 20 December 1999, we opened a new 2,079 square foot bar on the ground floor of Aire House called Hakuna Matata, which is currently operating as a 'Sportsbar' from 4.00 pm to 11.00 pm. Application has been made for a late music and dancing licence at the weekends and if successful will enable us to benefit from the demand for late night entertainment in Leeds. We will shortly open from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm providing food and drink. Planning permission has been granted and building has commenced to construct a 15-room extension to the Bull Hotel, Peterborough. Work is expected to be completed in July 2000. Since the year-end, planning permission has been granted for the 27-bedroom extension to the Golden Lion Hotel, Leeds in Aire House. The company now owns four city centre hotels with a total of 371 bedrooms and the additional 42 rooms will give us an average of over 100 rooms per hotel, whilst increasing our room stock by over 11%. Capital Expenditure Excluding the purchase of the two hotels and Aire House, a sum of £1,931,968 was spent in the year, primarily at the Midland Hotel, Bradford, where all the public areas have been totally renovated, four 'state of the art' conference rooms have been created and three new training rooms have been added. The hotel's night club and two ballrooms have also been refurbished. The renovation of the public areas at the Bull in Peterborough has been completed and as stated previously, a start has been made on the hotel's 15-bedroom extension. 56 bedrooms have been refurbished at the Golden Lion in Leeds, which now means that all 89 bedrooms in the hotel have been refurbished within the past two years, enabling us to offer a high standard product in a city currently enjoying a buoyant market.Our capital expenditure is targeted to expand the potential of our well located hotels and equally to bring all our hotels up to the requirements of a quality four star product. This will enable us to increase Revpar and consequently profit, whilst improving the value and desirability of our assets. Finance As reported in our interim statement in October, following the acquisition of the Golden Lion, Leeds, Aire House and the Caledonian, Newcastle, the board decided it would be prudent to cap the exposure of the company's borrowings to rising interest rates. This has been achieved in such a way that £7 million of the borrowings have effectively become, at worst, a ten-year fixed rate loan at approximately 8.5% including margin, while in certain circumstances, such as those currently prevailing, the rate will be less than this. Grace Hotels Management Contract The Company now manages 22 hotels on behalf of Grace Hotels Ltd, five of the original 29 have been sold to third parties during the year and two, the Golden Lion, Leeds and the Caledonian, Newcastle were bought by Peel Hotels PLC. The contract signed on 5 October 1998 is for a minimum of two years with various options to extend. Shareholders The financial welfare of our shareholders is of paramount importance and the prime objective of the company is to maximise shareholder value by focusing on earnings per share growth, consistently applying a full tax charge. This measurement overwhelmingly dictates the scope for any potential expansionary moves. The company is fortunate in having organic growth opportunities with its existing portfolio to afford further progress in the forthcoming year and at the same time opportunities for further acquisitions are being regularly reviewed in order to seek out good value, with growth potential, that fall within the board's overall strategy. We also aim to benefit shareholders through our Shareholder Discount Scheme. All Shareholders are entitled to a 20% discount on listed tariff, using a special reservations number: 020 7266 1100. Shareholders can identify the properties we own and manage using the Directory at the back of the Annual Report. We do hope you will visit our hotels. Staff The board would like to thank all our management and staff for a job well done and the commitment and enthusiasm they have shown to the progress of the company during the year. It is very gratifying to see that happy, motivated staff translate into satisfied guests who seek out and appreciate those hotels that can offer real care, friendliness and value. The Future The capital spent in 1999 and new bedroom stock coming on line later in 2000, will give us a good platform for growth in the forthcoming year. We are continually looking for opportunities where we can add value and thereby achieve superior returns for our shareholders whilst concentrating on extracting every ounce of value from our existing hotels. Robert Peel Chairman PROFIT & LOSS ACCOUNT For the financial year ended 20 February 2000 Continuing Acquired operations operations Note 20/02/2000 20/02/2000 20/02/2000 21/02/1999 Turnover 5,992,435 1,372,552 7,364,987 3,332,727 Cost of sales (3,838,904) (823,712) (4,662,616) (2,034,249) Gross profit 2,153,531 548,840 2,702,371 1,298,478 Administrative (689,992) - (689,992) (296,735) expenses Operating profit 1,463,539 548,840 2,012,379 1,001,743 Interest payable & similar charges (559,624) (247,479) Profit on ordinary activities before 1,452,755 754,264 taxation Taxation (435,826) (226,279) Profit on ordinary activities after 1,016,929 527,985 taxation Dividend 1 (173,333) (65,000) Profit retained 843,596 462,985 Earnings Per 2 Share Basic 13.6p 10.0p Diluted 12.2p 8.0p There are no recognised gains and losses other than as stated above. Accordingly, no statement of total recognised gains and losses is given. The comparative period was from 12 March 1998, when trading commenced to 21 February 1999. BALANCE SHEET As at 20 February 2000 20/02/2000 21/02/1999 Fixed assets Tangible assets 20,278,051 8,839,363 Current assets Stocks 69,481 70,329 Debtors 751,649 450,905 Cash at bank and in hand 82,520 182,463 903,650 703,697 Creditors (due within one year) (2,735,484) (1,230,458) Net current liabilities (1,831,834) (526,761) Total assets less current 18,446,217 8,312,602 liabilities Creditors (due after one year) (9,812,361) (4,588,125) Provision for liabilities & (396,578) (100,958) charges Net assets 8,237,278 3,623,519 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 866,667 650,000 Share premium account 6,064,030 2,510,534 Profit and loss account 1,306,581 462,985 Equity shareholders' funds 8,237,278 3,623,519 Approved by the board on 11 April 2000 Robert Peel, Director John Perkins, Director CASH FLOW STATEMENT For the financial year ended 20 February 2000 20/02/2000 21/02/1999 Note Net cash inflow from operating activities 3 2,246,027 1,154,894 Returns on investments & servicing of finance Interest paid (605,590) (232,176) Net cash outflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance (605,590) (232,176) Taxation UK corporation tax paid (25,559) Tax paid (25,559) Capital expenditure Purchase of tangible fixed assets (2,897,121) (8,903,553) Net cash outflow from capital expenditure (2,897,121) (8,903,553) Acquisitions and (8,750,000) disposals Equity dividend paid (65,000) Net cash outflow before financing (10,097,243) (7,980,835) Financing Issue of ordinary share 3,770,163 3,160,534 capital New long term loans 5,590,000 4,631,250 New short term loans 350,000 243,750 Loan repayments (243,750) - Net cash inflow from 9,466,413 8,035,534 financing (Decrease)/ increase in (630,830) 54,699 cash 4 Reconciliation of net debt (Decrease)/Increase in (630,830) 54,699 cash Increase in debt (5,574,236) (4,831,875) Movement in net debt in (6,205,066) (4,777,176) the year Net debt at beginning of (4,777,176) year Net debt at end of year 4 (10,982,242) (4,777,176) NOTES For the financial year ended 20 February 2000 2000 1999 1.Dividend proposed Final proposed dividend of 2p per 173,333 65,000 share (1999 1p) 2.Earnings per share Basic Calculated on average number of shares 7,494,047 5,262,428 in issue during the year and on the profit £1,016,929 £527,985 after taxation Diluted Calculated on average of maximum 8,347,311 6,562,138 number of shares available during the year and on the £1,016,929 £527,985 profit after taxation In calculating the diluted earnings per share, the weighted average number of shares is adjusted for the dilutive effect of the share options by 701,230 (1999 1,052,600) and the warrants by 152,034 (1999 247,110) giving an adjusted number of shares of 8,347,311. 3.Reconciliation of operating profit to net cash inflow from operating activities Operating profit 2,012,379 1,001,743 Depreciation 208,433 64,190 Decrease (increase) in stocks 848 (70,329) Increase in debtors (287,427) (444,482) Increase in creditors 311,794 603,772 Net cash inflow from operating 2,246,027 1,154,894 activities At beginning of year Cash flow At end of year 4.Analysis of net debt Cash at bank and in 182,463 (99,943) 82,520 hand Bank overdrafts (127,764) (530,887) (658,651) 54,699 (630,830) (576,131) Debt due within one (243,750) (350,000) (593,750) year Debt due after one (4,588,125) (5,224,236) (9,812,361) year Tota1 (4,777,176) (6,205,066) (10,982,242) 5.Accounting Policies This announcement is prepared on the basis of accounting policies as stated in the financial statements for the year ended 20 February 2000. 6.The financial information set out above does not constitute the company's statutory accounts for the year ended 20 February 2000 but is derived from those accounts.Statutory accounts for the year ended20 February 2000 will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the company's Annual G General Meeting. The auditors have reported on the accounts; their report was unqualified and did not contain statements under section 237 (2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. 7.The annual report for the year ended 20 February 2000 will be posted to shareholders no later than 20 April 2000.
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