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Post Close Trading Update

3rd Jul 2014 07:00

RNS Number : 2819L
Goals Soccer Centres PLC
03 July 2014
 



Goals Soccer Centres plc

('Goals' or 'The Company')

 

Post Close Trading Update

 

Goals Soccer Centres plc, the UK's premier operator of next generation outdoor 5-a-side soccer centres with 44 centres in the UK and one in Los Angeles, USA, is pleased to announce a trading update for the six months ended 30 June 2014, in advance of the release of the Company's interim results on 3rd September 2014.

 

Our 'Path to Success' initiative has delivered significant operational improvements across the business and has driven both sales and profit growth in the UK and the US. Trading for the period is in-line with the Board's expectations with overall sales increasing by 3% to £17m (2013: £16.6m) and like-for-like sales increasing by 3%.

 

The development of our new innovative app is well advanced and is planned to be launched in late August. The app is designed to drive top-line growth by making it easier for team organisers to make bookings, manage teams and player payments, as well as reduce cancellations and build new teams through the use of its team and player matching functionality.

 

On 21 March 2014 the Company acquired a centre in Newcastle and remains on course to add one further centre prior to the year end and three centres, including one in the US, in the year ending 31 December 2015. With a healthy pipeline of new sites and the scope to further grow profitability in the existing centres, Goals is well positioned to deliver sustainable growth.

 

On 10 March the Company raised approximately £11m by way of a placing to provide sufficient funds to accelerate the controlled roll-out of new centres in the UK and US; and to improve the Company's capital structure.

 

The Company is in advanced discussions to put in place a long term non amortising loan facility of £42.5m, replacing its existing banking arrangements. This new facility will provide a significant funding contingency for the Company but will result in bank arrangement fees on the pre-existing bank facilities of £0.5m being expensed as an exceptional cost in the period to 30 June 2014. To facilitate this restructuring and, as announced as part of the placing, the Board have also decided to crystallise the liability of the Company's interest rate swap at a cost of approximately £2.7m. This will also be expensed as an exceptional cost in the period to 30 June 2014. The restructured facilities will reduce the Company's interest expense by in excess of £1m per annum once fully implemented.

 

Goals operates in a resilient market place with a favourable price point and a market leading position. The Board remains confident of continued progress in 2014 and beyond.

 

All figures quoted above are unaudited.

 

 

 

3 July 2014

 

Enquiries:

 

Goals Soccer Centres plc

 

 

Today: 020 7457 2020

Keith Rogers, Managing Director

Thereafter: 01355 234 800

Bill Gow, Finance Director

 

Canaccord Genuity

Tel: 020 7523 8350

Bruce Garrow

Chris Connors

Joe Weaving

 

Instinctif Partners

Tel: 020 7457 2020

Mark Reed

Jamie Ramsay

 

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