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RNS Number : 6283D
Prime People PLC
28 October 2015
 

 

 

 

 

28th October 2015

 

Prime People Plc

 

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Report

 for the six months ended 30 September 2015

 

 

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

 

Overview

The Group is pleased to report strong uplift in Operating Profit to £1.06m in the first half of this year compared to £0.63m achieved in the comparable period last year. The growth in the period has been generated from our permanent business, which represents 92% of Net Fee Income (NFI) compared to 93% in the comparable period of 2014. During the period our contract recruitment business has grown by 32%.

 

The improvement in performance highlighted in our 2015 Annual Report has continued throughout the current period. NFI in the period for the Group is £6.21m which is a 24% increase on last year (2014: £5.00m). There were a number of strong NFI performances in both the UK and Asia. In the UK NFI increased by 22% from £3.2m to £3.9m and in Asia NFI increased by 36% from £1.4m to £1.9m.

 

Financial Results

Group revenue increased by 27.5% for the period to £10.2m (2014: £8.0m)

 

Administrative costs for the group have increased from £4.4m in 2014 to £5.2m in the current period which is in part a consequence of higher commission paid to consultants for improved performance and in part an uplift in fee earning head-count of the Group.

 

Profit before taxation for the period has increased to £1.06m (2014: £0.64m)

 

The charge for taxation is based on the expected annual effective tax rate of 20% (2014: 21%).

 

Basic earnings per share for the period increased to 6.97p (2014: 4.17p).

 

Cash Flow

The Group continues to maintain a strong net cash position.

 

After taxation payments of £0.20m (2014: £0.01m) cash generated from operations was £1.00 (2014: £0.37m). A special second interim dividend was paid in April 2015 of £0.49m, and a final dividend for 2015 of £0.38m was paid in June 2015 (2014: £0.38m). At the end of the period the Group had net cash of £1.04m (2014: £1.11m)

 



 

 

Dividend

The Board has declared an interim dividend of 1.75p (2015: 1.75p) together with a special second interim dividend of 4.00p (2015: 4.00p). Both, interim and special dividend will be paid on 27 November 2015 to those shareholders whose names are on the register on 20 November 2015.

 

Outlook

We have expectations that the UK businesses will perform at least at similar levels to the first half of the year. We are looking for continued improved performance from our businesses in Asia which we believe will provide us with increased opportunities for growth in the mid to long term. We continue to have conservative expectations as to the likely performance from our businesses in the Rest of the World. We believe we are well positioned to capitalise on both current and future growth opportunities.

 

The present focus for the Group is to maximize the returns from recent investment in technology and to increase productivity of the business. We continue to recruit new heads into those markets where there is potential for NFI and profit growth.

 

 

 

Robert Macdonald

Executive Chairman

28 October 2015

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

Prime People

020 7318 1785

Robert Macdonald, Executive Chairman


Donka Zaneva- Todorinski, Finance Director




Cenkos Securities

020 7397 8900

Ivonne Cantu - Nomad

Elizabeth Bowman - Nomad


Julian Morse - Sales


 



PRIME PEOPLE PLC

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

For the six months ended 30 September 2015

 

 




Six months ended


Year ended



30 September

2015


30 September

2014

 

 

31 March

2015


Note


£'000


£'000


£'000









Revenue

3


10,197


8,028


16,647

Cost of sales

 



(3,987)


(3,030)


(6,425)









Net fee income



6,210


4,998


10,222

Administrative expenses

 



(5,147)


(4,364)


(8,792)









Operating profit



1,063


634


1,430

Finance income

 



-


6


6









Profit before taxation



1,063


640


1,436

Income tax expense

 

4


(215)


(135)


(310)

 

Profit for the period/year

 



 

848


 

505


 

1,126

Other comprehensive (loss)/income:

Exchange (loss)/gain on translating foreign operations

 

 

 

 

(57)


 

 

 

35


 

 

 

130

 

Total comprehensive income for the period/year

 

 

791


 

540


 

1,256

















Attributable to:

 

Equity shareholders of the parent

 



 

 

791


 

 

540


 

 

1,256

























Earnings per share

6







Basic earnings per share



                   6.97p

                      4.17p

  9.28p

Diluted earnings per share

 



                   6.82p

                      3.89p

9.01p









 

The above results relate to continuing operations.

 



PRIME PEOPLE PLC

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

 

As at 30 September 2015

 

30 September

2015

30 September

2014

31 March

2015


Note

£'000


£'000


£'000








Assets







Non-current assets







Goodwill


9,769


           9,769


9,769

Property, plant and equipment


269


              386


316

















10,038


10,155


10,085








Current assets







Trade and other receivables

9

5,026


3,695


4,538

Cash and cash equivalents

 


1,037


1,114


1,009










6,063


4,809

 


5,547








Total assets

 


16,101


14,964


15,632















Liabilities







Current Liabilities







Trade and other payables

10

2,412


1,883


1,958

Current tax liabilities

 


206


165


184










2,618


2,048


2,142

 








Non-current liabilities                 




S



Deferred tax liabilities

 


12

15

                21


16










12


21


16

 








Total liabilities

 


2,630


2,069


2,158








Net assets

 


13,471


12,895


13,474















Capital and reserves attributable to the Company's equity holders

Called up share capital

Capital redemption reserve


1,219

9


1,217

                  9


1,219

9

Treasury shares


(21)


(146)


(21)

Share premium account


5,370


5,356


5,370

Merger reserve


173


173


173

Share option reserve


266


173


212

Currency translation differences


385


347


442

Retained earnings


6,070


5,766


6,070








Equity shareholders funds

 


13,471


12,895


13,474










PRIME PEOPLE PLC

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

For the six months ended 30 September 2015



 

Called up share capital

Capital redem-

ption

reserve

 

 

Treasury  shares

 

 

Merger reserve

 

Share option reserve

Foreign currency trans-

lation

 

 

Retained earnings

 

 

 

Total



£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

 

 

At 1 April 2014

 

1,207

 

9   

 

(143)

 

7,109

 

173

 

120

 

312

 

5,636

 

14,423

Total Comprehensive In come


 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

35

 

505

 

540

Adjustment in respect of share schemes


 

-

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

53

 

-

 

-

 

53

Issue of ordinary shares


 

10

 

-

 

-

 

47

-

-

-

 

-

 

57

Return of capital


-

-

-

          (1,800)

-

             -

-

-

(1,800)

Shares Issued from treasury


 

-

 

-

 

12

 

-

-

             -

-

-

 

12

Shares purchased for treasury


 

-

 

-

 

(15)

 

-

-

                -

-

-

 

(15)

Dividends


-

-

-

-

-

             -

-

 (375)

(375)

 

At 30  September 2014

 

 

1,217

 

9

 

(146)

 

5,356

 

173

 

173

 

347

 

5,766

 

12,895

Total comprehensive income for the period


 

-

   

-

 

-

 

-

 

- -

 

             -

 

95

 

                  621

 

716

Adjustment in respect of share schemes


 

-

   

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

          39

 

-

 

 

                     38

 

77

Issue of ordinary shares


 

2

 

-

 

-

 

1

 

-

         -

 

-

 

-

 

3

Shares issued from treasury


 

-

 

-

 

30

 

13

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

43

Shares purchased for treasury


 

-

 

-

 

(47)

 

-

 

-

         -

 

-

 

-

 

(47)

Adjustment on share disposal


 

-

 

-

 

142

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

(142)

 

-

Dividend

 


                 -

            -

-

-

-

-

-

(213)

(213)

 

At  31 March 2015

 

 

1,219

 

            9

 

         (21)

                

      5,370

 

173

 

    212

 

          442

 

         6,070

 

      13,474

 

Total comprehensive income for the period


 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

        

 

-

 

 

(57)

 

 

848

 

 

791

Adjustment in respect of share schemes


 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

54

 

-

 

15

 

69

Issue of ordinary shares


 

7

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

7

Discounted share capital


 

(7)

 

-

 

-

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

(7)

Dividends


-

-


-

-

-

-

(863)

 (863)

 

At 30 September 2015

 

 

1,219

 

9

 

(21)

 

5,370

 

173

 

  266

 

 385

 

6,070

 

13,471

 



PRIME PEOPLE PLC

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STATEMENT OF CASH FLOW

For the six months ended 30 September 2015

 



                  Six months ended

Year ended



30 September 2015

30 September

2014

31 March

2015


Note


£'000


£'000


£'000









Cash generated from/(used in) underlying operations

 

7


 

1,196


 

485


 

685

Income tax paid

 



(197)


(115)

 


(276)

 









 

Net cash from operating activities



 

999


 

370


 

409

 









Cash flows from investing activities







Interest received



-


6


6

Net purchase of property, plant and equipment


(51)


(138)


(156)

 









Net cash used in investing activities

 



(51)


(132)


(150)









Cash flows from financing activities







Issue of ordinary share capital



-


57


72

Capital reduction



-


(1,800)


(1,800)

Shares issued from treasury



-


12


42

Shares purchased for treasury



-


(15)


(62)

Dividend paid to shareholders



(863)


(375)


(588)

















Net cash used in financing activities

 


(863)


(2,121)


(2,336)









Net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

85


(1,883)


(2,077)







Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period/year

1,009


2,962


2,962







Effect of foreign exchange rate changes

 

(57)


35


130









Cash and cash equivalents at end of period/year

 

1,037


1,114


1,009









 



PRIME PEOPLE PLC

NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM REPORT

For the six months ended 30 September 2015

 

1.   General information

 

Prime People Plc ('the Company') and its subsidiaries (together 'the Group') is an international recruitment services organisation with offices in the United Kingdom, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region from which it serves an international client base. The Group offers both permanent and contract specialist recruitment consultancy for large and medium sized organisations.

 

Prime People Plc is the Group's ultimate parent company. The Company is a limited liability company incorporated and domiciled in the United Kingdom. The address of Prime People Group's registered office and its principal place of business is 2 Harewood Place, London, W1S 1BX, England.  Prime People Group's shares are quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. The registered number of the company is 1729887.

 

This unaudited condensed consolidated interim report for the six months ended 30 September 2015 (including comparatives) is presented in GBP'000, and was approved and authorised for issue by the board of directors on 27 October 2015.

 

Copies of the interim results are available at the Company's registered office and on the Company's website - www.prime-people.co.uk.

 

This unaudited condensed consolidated interim report does not constitute statutory accounts of the Group within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006.  The financial information for the year ended 31 March 2015 has been extracted from the statutory accounts for that year, which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.  The auditors' report on those accounts was unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 498 of the Companies Act 2006.

 

2.   Basis of preparation

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated interim report for the six months ended 30 September 2015 has been prepared using accounting policies consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRSs") and in accordance with 'IAS 34, Interim financial reporting', as adopted by the European Union.  The condensed consolidated interim report should be read in conjunction with the annual financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2015 which were prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union.

 

The Group was profitable for the period and has considerable financial resources comprising £1.04m of net cash at 30 September 2015.  After making enquiries, the Directors have formed a judgement, at the time of approving the six months results, that there is a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, a period of not less than 12 months. For this reason the Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the condensed set of financial statements.

 

These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, using the same accounting policies as those used in the preparation of the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2015 and which are also expected to apply for the year ended 31 March 2016.



 

 

The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the Group for the purposes of preparation of the condensed consolidated interim report.

 

 

3.   Segment reporting

 

(a)  Revenue and net fee income by geographical region

 



Revenue



Net fee income




Six months ended

Year ended


Six months ended

Year ended

30 September

2015

30 September  2014

31 March 2015

30 September 2015

30 September 2014

31 March 2015



£'000


£'000


£'000


£'000


£'000


£'000














UK


7,889


6,228


12,957


3,902


3,198


6,532














Asia


1,901


1,446


2,992


1,901


1,446


2,992














Rest of World


407


354


698


407


354


698
















10,197


8,028


16,647


6,210


4,998


10,222

 














 

All revenues disclosed by the group are derived from external customers and are for the provision of recruitment services. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as the Group's accounting policies. Segment profit before taxation represents the profit earned by each segment after allocations of central administration costs.

 

(b)  Revenue and net fee income by classification

 



Revenue



Net fee income




Six months ended

Year ended


Six months ended

Year ended

30 September

2015

30 September  2014

31 March 2015

30 September 2015

30 September 2014

31 March 2015



£'000


£'000


£'000


£'000


£'000


£'000














Permanent













- UK

- Asia

- Rest of World


3,420

1,901

407


2,833

1,446

354


5,760

2,992

698


3,416

1,901

407


2,824

1,446

354


5,747

2,992

698














Contract (UK)


4,469


3,395


7,197


486


374


785














 

 


10,197


8,028


16,647


6,210


4,998


10,222
















 

 

(c)  Profit before taxation by geographical region

 


Six months ended

Year ended


30 September

2015

30 September  2014

31 March 2015




£'000


£'000


£'000









UK



725


372


        993









Asia



257


248


        370









Rest of World



81


14


          67









Operating profit

 



1,063


634


     1,430

Net finance income



-


6


            6

 

Profit before taxation



 

1,063


 

640


 

1,436









 

The analysis above is of the carrying amount of reportable segment assets, liabilities and non-current assets. Segment assets and liabilities include items directly attributable to a segment and include income tax assets and liabilities. Non-current assets include goodwill, property, plant and equipment and computer software.

 

4.   Income tax expense

 

The charge for taxation on profits for the interim period amounted to £0.22m (2014: £0.14m) an effective rate of 20% (2014: 21%).

 

 

5.   Dividends

 



Six months ended

Year ended


30 September

2015

30 September

2014

31 March

2015



£'000


£'000


£'000

 

Final dividend for 2015 of 3.09  pence per share  (2014: 3.09 pence per share)

 

376


 

376


 

376

Special second interim dividend for 2015 of 4.00 pence per share

487


-


-

Interim dividend for 2015 of 1.75 pence per share

-


-


212

 










 

863


 

376


 

588















 

The interim dividend for 2016 of 1.75 pence (2015: 1.75 pence paid on 28 November 2014), and a special second interim dividend of 4.0p (2015: 4.00 pence paid on 2 April 2015) was approved by the board on 27 October 2015 and will be paid on 27 November 2015 to those shareholders whose names are on the register on 20 November 2015.



 

 

6.   Earnings per share

 

Earnings per share (EPS) is calculated by dividing the profit attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period.

 

Fully diluted earnings per share is calculated by adjusting the weighted average number of ordinary shares by existing share options assuming dilution through conversion of all existing options.

 

Earnings and weighted average number of shares from continuing operations used in the calculations are show below:

 



Six months ended

Year ended


                30 September

                2015

30 September

2014

31 March

2015



                £'000


£'000


£'000

 

Retained profit for basic and diluted earnings per share

 

 

848


 

505


 

1,126

















                     Number


Number


Number








Weighted average number of shares used for basic earnings per share

 

12,176,030


 

12,106,942


 

12,131,633

Dilutive effect of share options

 

260,697


876,289


362,117








Diluted weighted average number of shares used for diluted earnings per share

 

 

12,436,726


 

12,983,231


12,493,750








 



         Pence


Pence


Pence








Basic earnings per share


          6.97p


          4.17p


          9.28p

Diluted earnings per share


          6.82p


         3.89p


          9.01p









 

 

7.   Reconciliation of profit before tax to cash flow from operating activities

 



Six months ended

Year ended


30 September

2015

30 September

2014

31 March

2015



£'000


£'000


£'000








Profit before taxation


1,063


640


1,436

Adjust for:







Depreciation


99


79


170

Share option reserve movement


69


53


130

Loss on sale of plant and equipment

-


1


-

Net finance income


-


(6)


(6)








Operating cash flow before changes in working capital

 

1,231


 

767


1,730







(Increase)decrease in receivables

(488)


(160)


(1,003)

(Decrease)/increase in payables

 

453


(122)


(42)

 

Cash generated from underlying operations

 

 

1,196


 

485


685







 

8.   Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds

 



Six months ended

Year ended


30 September

2015

30 September

2014

31 March

2015



£'000


£'000


£'000








Decrease in cash and cash equivalents in period/year

 

85


 

(1,883)


 

(2,077)

Net funds at the start of the period/year


1,009


2,962


2,962

Other non-cash changes


(57)


35


130








Net funds at the end of the period/year

 


1,037


1,114


1,009










 

 

9.   Trade and other receivables

 


30 September

2015

30 September 2014

31 March 2015


£'000

£'000

£'000





Trade receivables

                   2,321

                     1,982

                 2,126

Allowance for doubtful debts

                     (190)

                       (178)

                   (102)

Prepayments and accrued income

                   2,827

                     1,810

                    578

Other receivables

                        68

                          81

                 1,936





 

 

                   5,026

                     3,695

                 4,538





 

 

10. Trade and other payables

 


30 September

2015

30 September 2014

31 March 2015


£'000

£'000

£'000





Trade payables

                     113

                        249

239

Other taxes and social security

                     588

                        460

567

Other payables

                     462

                        222

239

Accruals and deferred income

                  1,249

                        952

                    913


                  2,412

                     1,883

1,958





 


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