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Half Yearly Report

30th Sep 2014 07:00

RNS Number : 9294S
Work Group plc
30 September 2014
 

 

Press Release 30 September 2014

 

WORK GROUP PLC

(the "Group" or "Company")

Interim Results

 

Work Group plc, the AIM quoted global consulting firm that builds business performance through innovative and integrated approaches to talent management, today announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2014.

 

Headlines

· Group unaudited operating loss £132k (2013: loss £366k)

· Strong performances from our US and Hong Kong operations

· Operating loss(from continuing activities) more than halved to £116k (2013: loss £303k)

· Focussed investment on strengthening management and sales teams and new enterprise system

· Cash at period end of circa £0.5m

 

 

Six months to 30 June 2014 £'000

Six months to 30 June 2013 £'000

Year ended

 31 December 2013 £'000

Gross profit (net fee income)

Work Communications

2,388

3,023

5,957

Armstrong Craven - discontinued business

-

2,107

2,129

Group gross profit

2,388

5,130

8,086

Operating profit/(loss) before exceptional items

Work Communications

(116)

(303)

(403)

Armstrong Craven - discontinued business

0

2,357*

1916

Corporate (non-recharged)

(280)

(191)

(612)

Group operating profit/(loss) before exceptional items

(396)

1863

901

Operating (loss)/profit

Work Communications

(116)

(303)

(455)

Armstrong Craven - discontinued operation

0

157**

(284)

Corporate (non-recharged)

(16)

(220)

(888)

Group operating (loss)/profit

(132)

(366)

(1,627)

*Includes £1,957k profit on disposal of assets.

** Includes £2,200k goodwill impairment

 

For Further Information Contact:

Work Group

Simon Howard, Executive Chairman

Tel: +44 (0)20 7492 0000

Sanlam Securities UK Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker)

Simon Clements

James Thomas

Tel: +44 (0)20 7628 2200

 

Chairman's Statement

Whilst we are encouraged by the progress of change in the Group, the turnaround in the UK has been slower than anticipated and the first half year results reflect this.

Nevertheless, the unaudited interim accounts show that in the US revenue growth has increased significantly by 58 per cent. to £493k (2013: £366k). Furthermore, both the US and Hong Kong returned to profitability with a combined operating profit of £109k (2013: Operating loss £191k).

The early turnaround signs are encouraging with a reduced operating loss from continuing operations of £116k (2013: loss £303k), and overall the increased gross margin of 59per cent. (2013: 53 per cent.) represents our focus on operational profitability.

We took the decision last year to move away from low-margin communications work and focus on higher margin work, particularly in the UK. As a result of this, the £787k drop in income is more than accounted for by client business activity in the corresponding period last year, but which did not repeat thereafter.

The cash position reflects the significant capital expenditure on the implementation of the Microsoft Dynamics enterprise system, together with the professional costs relating to the Armstrong Craven disposal.

Over the past three months we have reorganised the Company to create a UK trading subsidiary, appointed a UK Managing Director and created a partnership in order to enter the lucrative temporary recruitment market.

We remain committed to returning all regions to profitability and to explore all avenues for the maximisation of shareholder returns.

The Directors do not recommend the payment of an interim dividend.

 

Simon Howard

30 September 2014

 

 

Consolidated income statement

For the Six month period ended 30 June 2014

Six months ended

Year ended

30-Jun-14

30-Jun-13

31-Dec-13

Note

Unaudited

£'000

£'000

£'000

Continuing operations

Revenue

4,016

5,674

10,435

Cost of sales

(1,628)

(2,651)

(4,478)

Gross profit

2,388

3,023

5,957

Net operating expenses

(2,520)

(3,546)

(7,300)

Operating loss

(132)

(523)

(1,343)

Analysed as:

Operating loss before exceptional items

(396)

(494)

(1,015)

Exceptional items

3

264

(29)

(328)

Finance income

0

-

1

Finance costs

0

(3)

(3)

Loss before taxation

(132)

(526)

(1,345)

Taxation

4

26

68

147

Loss for the period from continuing operations

(106)

(458)

(1,198)

Discontinued operations

Profit/(loss) for the period from discontinued operations

_

(397)

(369)

Loss for the period

(106)

(855)

(1,567)

Basic earnings per share (pence)

From continuing operations

(0.37)

(1.83)

(4.79)

From discontinued operations

-

(1.59)

(1.47)

(0.37) 

(3.42)

(6.26)

Diluted earnings per share (pence)

From continuing operations

(0.43)

(1.83)

(4.79)

From discontinued operations

-

(1.59)

(1.47)

 (0.43)

(3.42)

(6.26)

 

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

for the six month period ended 20 June 2014

30-Jun-14

30-Jun-13

31-Dec-13

Note

Unaudited Unaudited

Audited

£'000

£'000

£'000

Loss for the period

(106)

(855)

(1,567)

Other comprehensive income

Currency translation differences

(19)

16

(24)

Total comprehensive loss for the period

(125)

(839)

(1,591)

Total comprehensive loss for the period attributable to equity shareholders

(125)

(839)

(1,591)

 

Consolidated balance sheet

As at 30 June 2014

30-Jun-14

30-Jun-13

31-Dec-13

Note

 Unaudited

Unaudited 

Audited

£'000

£'000

£'000

Assets

Non-current assets

Property, plant & equipment

533

443

388

Intangible assets

2,145

2,252

2,252

Deferred tax assets

47

19

21

2,725

2,714

2,661

Current assets

Inventories

38

153

70

Trade and other receivables

1,735

3,565

1,757

Cash and cash equivalents

505

1,346

1278

Deferred tax asset

-

-

-

Current tax asset

103

-

103

2,671

5,064

3,208

Liabilities

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

(1,311)

(2,758)

(2,054)

Deferred tax asset

-

(5)

-

Current tax liabilities

(106)

(411)

-

(1,417)

(3,174)

(2,054)

Net current assets

964

1,890

1,154

Net assets

3,689

4,604

3,815

Shareholders' equity

Ordinary share capital

572

572

572

Share premium

8,240

8,240

8,240

Special reserves

2,826

2,826

2,826

Treasury shares

-

(108)

-

Shares held by EBT

(312)

(273)

(312)

Foreign exchange reserve

21

80

40

Retained (losses)/earnings

(7,658)

(6,733)

(7,551)

Total equity

3,689

4,604

3,815

 

Consolidated cash flow statement

for the six month period ended 30 June 2014

Six months ended

Year ended

Jun-14

Jun-13

Dec-13

Note

Unaudited

Audited

£'000

£'000

£'000

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash used in operations

6

(561)

(880)

(1,108)

Interest paid

-

(3)

(2)

Tax received/(paid)

-

8

35

Net cash used in operating activities

(561)

(875)

(1,075)

Cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of property, plant and equipment

(212)

(6)

(177)

Purchase on intangible assets

-

-

-

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment

-

250*

253

Proceeds for disposal of business unit

-

1,588

1,888

Net cash generated from / (used in) investing activities

(212)

1,832

1,964

Net increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the period/year

(773)

957

889

Cash and cash equivalents at start of period/year

1,278

389

389

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period/year

505

1,346

1278

*Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment relate to the disposal of business unit.

 

Notes to the interim financial information

 

1 Financial information and presentation

 

The Company is a limited liability company incorporated and domiciled in the United Kingdom. The address of its registered office is Marble Arch Tower, 55 Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AA.

The Company has its primary listing on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange.

This condensed consolidated Interim Report does not comprise statutory accounts within the meaning of section 435 of the Companies Act 2006. Statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2013 were approved by the Board of Directors on 24 April 2014 and delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The report of the auditors on those accounts was unqualified, did not contain an emphasis of matter paragraph and did not contain any statement under section 498 of the Companies Act 2006.

2 Principal accounting policies

Basis of preparation

This condensed consolidated financial information is for the half-year ended 30 June 2014 and has been prepared in accordance with AIM Rules and accounting policies set out in the Group's 2013 annual report as amended for new standards effective during the period where relevant. These accounting policies are based on the EU-adopted IFRS and IFRIC interpretations that are applicable at the balance sheet date. IFRS and IFRIC interpretations that will be applicable at 31 December 2014, including those that will be applicable on an optional basis, are not known with certainty at the time of preparing this interim financial information. It is therefore possible that further changes to the accounting policies and the comparative financial information may be required before their publication in the 2014 annual report and financial statements.

 

Exceptional items

Exceptional items are those income or costs recognised as one-off or non-recurring in nature, and substantive in size. The separate reporting of exceptional items helps provide a better indication of the Group's underlying business performance.

Seasonality of operations

Due to the seasonal nature of the recruitment segment, higher revenues and operating profits are usually expected in the second half of the year than in the first six months.

 

3 Exceptional items

 

The exceptional profit of £264k (2012: £2,229k) relates to the release of a provision previously made in connection with the disposal of the business of Armstrong Craven in 2013.

 

4 Taxation

The deferred tax asset for the six month period ended 30 June 2014 is based on the estimated expected effective tax rate of 20 per cent. (2013 actual rate: 23.5 per cent.). No taxation has been provided on profits of overseas subsidiaries.

5 Earnings per share

 

Six month period ended

Year ended

30-Jun-14

30-Jun-13

Year ended 31 Dec 2013

Unaudited

Audited

Losses

Weighted average number of shares

Per share amount

Earnings

Weighted average number of shares

Per share amount

Earnings

Weighted average number of shares

Per share amount

£'000

'000

Pence

£'000

'000

Pence

£'000

'000

Pence

Basic losses per share

(106) 

28,622

(0.37)

(855)

28,622

(2.99)

(1,567)

28,622

(5.47)

Less weighted average treasury shares

-

(658)

(0.01)

 -

(673)

-

 -

(658)

(0.13)

Less weighted average shares held by EBT

-

(3,595)

(0.05)

 -

(2,921)

-

 -

(2,936)

(0.66)

Basic losses per share excluding shares held by EBT

(106)

24,369

(0.43)

(855)

25,028

(3.42)

(1,567)

25,028

(6.26)

Effect of dilutive share options

-

-

-

160

-

-

-

Adjusted diluted losses per share excluding shares held by EBT

(106)

25,188

 (0.43)

(855)

25,188

(3.42)

(1,567)

25,045

(6.26)

 

As there are basic losses per share the effect of share options is anti-dilutive, consequently diluted losses per share equates to the basic losses per share

6 Reconciliation of operating loss to cash used in

Operations

Six month period ended

Year ended

30-Jun-14

30-Jun-13

31-Dec-13

Unaudited

Audited

£'000

£'000

£'000

Loss attributable to shareholders

(106)

(855)

(1,567)

Adjustments:

Taxation

(26)

486

(62)

Finance income

--

-

(1)

Finance costs

-

3

3

Depreciation of plant property and equipment

45

89

159

Profit/(loss) on disposal of plant property and equipment

-

(131)

20

Proceeds from disposal of business unit

174

(1,588)

(1,888)

Share based payments

-

(3)

(40)

(Increase)/decrease in inventories

32

(41)

41

Decrease/(increase) in trade and other receivables

63

381

2,061

(Decrease) in trade and other payables

(743)

(1,421)

(2,034)

Impairment of goodwill

-

2,200

2,200

Cash used in operations

(561) 

(880)

(1,108)

 

 

Statement of directors' responsibilities

The directors confirm that this Interim Report has been prepared in accordance with AIM rules and accounting policies set out in the Group's 2013 annual report as amended for new standards effective during the period.

The directors are also responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Company website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The directors of Work Group plc are listed in the Work Group plc Annual Report for 31 December 2013. A list of current directors is maintained on the Work Group plc website: www.workgroup.plc.uk.

 

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Board consider the principal risks and uncertainties relating to the Group for the next six months to be the same as detailed in our last Annual Report and Accounts to 31 December 2013. Full details of the risks and uncertainties are detailed in the Directors' report section of those accounts. The principal risks to the business are:

· Economic uncertainty

· Loss of clients

· Loss of key employees

· Financial risk

 

By order of the Board

 

Simon Howard Rose Colledge

Chairman Chief Executive

 

30 September 2014 30 September 2014

 

 

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