Five-a-side football operator Goals Soccer Centres (LON:GOAL) said this morning that the exceptional snow falls from January through March 2010 had dented profits in the first half-year by £0.8m. Sales at the group were up 3% to £13.2m, with like for like sales down 3% (flat excluding the snow impact). EBITDA was maintained at £5.8m while adjusted profit before tax was down 3% to £3.8m and the dividend was maintained at 0.675p per share.
Goals reported an accelerated rollout with four centres added during the current year at Liverpool North, Portsmouth, Eltham and Gillette Corner in London. Four further centres are under construction at Liverpool South, Sunderland, Ipswich and Norwich. A joint venture in California, USA, opened in June 2010 and is trading in line with management expectations. A franchise agreement has been granted to an experienced leisure operator in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Since the end of the 2010 World Cup like for like sales have improved by 3%. The group said it anticipated that that the results for the year to end- December 2010 would show continued growth and be within the range of current market expectations.
Keith Rogers, Goals' managing director, said: "Goals has delivered a robust trading performance in spite of the abnormal weather and a challenging economic environment. We took advantage of the opportunity that the World Cup presented to increase interest in our key product areas. This has resulted in increased Children's Parties and Corporate Events during the period and is now being reflected in an improvement in core football. Whilst the UK consumer outlook remains uncertain we are confident that results for the year to 31st December 2010 will show continued growth and will be within the range of current market expectations."
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