Half Yearly Report
RNS Number : 1368H
Adams PLC
27 November 2015
Adams PLC
("Adams" or the "Company")
Interim Results for the Six Months ended 30 September 2015
Adams Plc (AIM: ADA), an investing company focusing on the technology and life sciences sectors, is pleased to announce its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2015.
Chairman's Statement
I was appointed to the Board as a non-executive director in May of this year and subsequently took over the role of Chairman from Nicholas Nelson on his retirement at the Annual General Meeting of the Company on 11 September 2015. I thank Nicholas for all his work in completing the restructuring process of Adams (formerly Carpathian Plc) in to an investing company. The Company also announced the appointment of Dr Andrew Mitchell as a non-executive director on 6 August 2015.
One of my first priorities on joining the Board was to seek to strengthen the Company's balance sheet by raising additional funds to be used to make investments in accordance with the Company's investing policy and for general working capital purposes. This was achieved by way of a placing of 18,181,818 new ordinary shares of 0.01 each with new and existing investors at a placing price of 4.4p (5.962 cents) per ordinary share to raise 800,000 (1,084,000) for the Company before expenses. The new shares were admitted to trading on AIM on 23 September 2015.
The Company is an investing company focusing on the technology and life sciences sectors and incurred a loss after tax for the six months ended 30 September 2015 of 95,000 compared to a loss of 72,000 in the previous 2014 half year. The reported loss mainly reflects administration expenses of 116,000 less gains amounting to 24,000 on portfolio investments in the six month period.
During the six months to 30 September 2015, the Company invested 242,000 in two AIM listed technology businesses. One is a global online gaming and sports betting company and the other is a leading processor technology company that creates unique, patented semiconductor IP for multimedia and communication applications.
The Company also disposed of the two investments that it held at the 31 March 2015 year end for a total cash sale consideration of 193,000.
As at 30 September 2015, the two new investments had a carrying value of 247,000 (31 March 2015: 174,000 represented by the two quoted holdings that have since been sold).
Subsequent to the 30 September 2015 period end, the Company invested 121,000 in a leading AIM listed provider of outsourced digital asset management and personalised customer communication services.
At 30 September 2015, the Company had net assets of 1,239,000 inclusive of cash balances of 1,012,000 compared with net assets of 250,000 at 31 March 2015 inclusive of cash balances of 158,000. The increase in net assets is attributable to the receipt of 1,084,000 of share issue proceeds less the loss of 95,000 in the period.
Outlook
Equity markets had a difficult six months to the end of September 2015 reflecting a significant slowdown in China's economy, together a myriad of other challenges including the ongoing European debt crisis, conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East, uncertainty over the UK referendum on its EU membership and also an expectation that a US interest rate rise is probable later this year.
It remains the Board's intention to acquire additional investments in the technology and biotechnology sectors. However, given the uncertain and challenging markets, the Board will continue to maintain a highly selective investment approach. I am confident that this will enable us to build considerable value for shareholders going forward.
Michael Bretherton
Chairman
27 November 2015
Enquiries:
| Adams plc | |
| Mike Bretherton | Tel: +44 1534 719 760 |
| Nomad | |
| Cairn Financial Advisers LLP | |
| Sandy Jamieson, James Caithie | Tel: +44 207 148 7900 |
| Broker | |
| Peterhouse Corporate Finance Limited | |
| Heena Karani | Tel: +44 207 469 3393 |
| 6 months ended 30 September 2015 | Year ended 31 March 2015 | 6 months ended 30 September 2014 | ||
| Note | (Unaudited) | (Audited) | (Unaudited) | |
| '000 | '000 | '000 | ||
| Net change in fair value of investments at fair value through profit or loss | 6 | 24 | 172 | 1 |
| Total income | 24 | 172 | 1 | |
| Expenses | ||||
| Net foreign exchange (loss) /gain | (3) | 14 | 6 | |
| Administrative expenses | (116) | (211) | (79) | |
| Operating loss | (95) | (25) | (72) | |
| Loss on ordinary activities before taxation | (95) | (25) | (72) | |
| Tax on loss on ordinary activities | - | - | - | |
| Loss for the period | (95) | (25) | (72) | |
| Basic and diluted loss per share ( cents) | 10 | (0.4) | (0.1) | (0.4) |
| As at 30 September 2015 | As at 31 March 2015 | As at 30 September 2014 | |||
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | (Unaudited) | |||
| Note | '000 | '000 | '000 | ||
| Assets | |||||
| Non-current assets | |||||
| Investments | 5 | 247 | 174 | 61 | |
| Current assets | |||||
| Trade and other receivables | 7 | 5 | 10 | 6 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 5 | 1,012 | 158 | 154 | |
| 1,017 | 168 | 160 | |||
| Total assets | 1,264 | 342 | 221 | ||
| Equity and Liabilities | |||||
| Called up share capital | 9 | 413 | 231 | 231 | |
| Share premium | 1,116 | 214 | 214 | ||
| Retained earnings | (290) | (195) | (242) | ||
| Total equity | 1,239 | 250 | 203 | ||
| Current liabilities | |||||
| Trade and other payables | 8 | 25 | 92 | 18 | |
| Total current liabilities | 25 | 92 | 18 | ||
| Total liabilities | 25 | 92 | 18 | ||
| Total equity and liabilities | 1,264 | 342 | 221 |
| Share | Share | Retained | |||
| Capital | Premium | Losses | Total | ||
| '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | ||
| At 1 April 2014 | 162 | 133 | (170) | 125 | |
| Issue of shares | 69 | 81 | - | 150 | |
| Total comprehensive loss for the period | - | - | (72) | (72) | |
| At 30 September 2014 | 231 | 214 | (242) | 203 | |
| Total comprehensive gain for period | - | - | 47 | 47 | |
| At 31 March 2015 | 231 | 214 | (195) | 250 | |
| Issue of shares | 182 | 902 | - | 1,084 | |
| Total comprehensive loss for period | - | - | (95) | (95) | |
| At 30 September 2015 | 413 | 1,116 | (290) | 1,239 |
| 6 months ended 30 September 2015 | Year ended 31 March 2015 | 6 months ended 30 September 2014 | |
| (Unaudited) | (Audited) | (Unaudited) | |
| '000 | '000 | '000 | |
| Loss for the period | (95) | (25) | (72) |
| Adjustment for: | |||
| Exclude net changes in fair value of investments | (24) | (172) | (1) |
| Decrease /(increase) in trade and other receivables | 5 | (3) | 1 |
| (Decrease)/increase in trade and other payables | (67) | 79 | 5 |
| Net cash outflows from operating activities | (181) | (121) | (67) |
| Cash flows from investing activities | |||
| Proceeds from sales of investments | 193 | 79 | 7 |
| Payments to acquire investments | (242) | (67) | (53) |
| Net cash (used)/generated in investing activities | (49) | 12 | (46) |
| Cash flows from financing activities | |||
| Issue of ordinary share capital | 182 | 69 | 69 |
| Issue of premium share capital | 902 | 81 | 81 |
| Net cash from financing | 1,084 | 150 | 150 |
| Net increase in cash and cash equivalents | 854 | 41 | 37 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 158 | 117 | 117 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | 1,012 | 158 | 154 |
| As at 30 September 2015 | As at 31 March 2015 | As at 30 September 2014 | |
| '000 | '000 | '000 | |
| Equity investments | 247 | 174 | 61 |
| Cash at bank | 1,012 | 158 | 154 |
| 1,259 | 332 | 215 |
| As at 30 September 2015 | As at 31 March 2015 | As at 30 September 2014 | |
| '000 | '000 | '000 | |
| Movement in unrealised (losses)/gains on investments | (126) | 128 | 1 |
| Realised gain on investments | 150 | 44 | - |
| 24 | 172 | 1 |
| As at 30 September 2015 | As at 31 March 2015 | As at 30 September 2014 | |
| '000 | '000 | '000 | |
| Prepayments | 5 | 10 | 6 |
| 5 | 10 | 6 | |
| As at 30 September 2015 | As at 31 March 2015 | As at 30 September 2014 | |
| '000 | '000 | '000 | |
| Trade payables | 12 | 6 | 16 |
| Accruals | 13 | 86 | 2 |
| 25 | 92 | 18 |
| Number of shares issued and fully paid up | Share capital '000 | Share premium '000 | ||
| Ordinary shares of 0.01 | ||||
| At 1 April 2014 | 16,166,392 | 162 | 133 | |
| Issue of shares | 6,928,406 | 69 | 81 | |
| At 30 September 2014 | 23,094,798 | 231 | 214 | |
| Issue of shares | - | - | - | |
| At 31 March 2015 | 23,094,798 | 231 | 214 | |
| Issue of shares | 18,181,818 | 182 | 902 | |
| At 30 September 2015 | 41,276,616 | 413 | 1,116 | |
| Period ended 30 September 2015 | Year ended 31 March 2015 | Period ended 30 September 2014 | |
| Loss after tax attributable to equity holders of the Company ('000) | (95) | (25) | (72) |
| Weighted average number of ordinary shares | 23,889,632 | 20,456,223 | 17,321,370 |
| Basic and diluted loss per share | (0.4)c | (0.1)c | (0.4)c |