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FFASTFILL PLC - 12th May, 2005
Preliminary Results For The Year Ended 31 March, 2005

FFastFill plc ('FFastFill' or the 'Company'), the leading provider of application services to the global derivatives community, announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31 March 2005.

Highlights

  • Turnover up by 63% to £4.326m (2003/4: £2.651m);
  • Operating loss on continuing operations was £2.293m (2003/4: £2.146m);
  • Cash at 31 March 2005 was £911k (2003/4: £967k); in addition we received £1.7m in mid April from customers, being payments that were due to be received prior to 31 March 2005;
  • The company was pleased to announce an additional Placing of £3.1m that is due to be approved at an EGM on 23 May 2005.

During the year, the company has:

  • Been selected by Reuters to be their launch partner in delivering CME E-quivalents. As a result we have signed application services contracts with five international banks including HSBC, Barclays Capital, ABN Amro, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of America, for the provision of the CME E-quivalents service.
  • Won the full application outsourcing for DrKW's Listed Products Group for trading software.
  • Acquired and successfully integrated Future Dynamics, a provider of trading, risk management and middle office software.
  • Built a high specification data centre facility in Chicago from which it will deliver the new generation application services.
  • Refocused it US business behind the Application Services strategy by transferring its Introductory Broker customers to Advantage Futures LLC, a fast growing Chicago-based Futures Commission Merchant to whom we now deliver an application service.
  • Extended its support coverage to 24 hours a day for five and a half days a week.

Commenting on the results, Keith Todd, Executive Chairman and CEO of FFastFill, said:

"We made real progress this year and vindicated the strategy of becoming an application services business for the financial community. We are confident that this strategy will deliver further success in the new financial year."

For further information, please contact:

FFastFill plc
Keith Todd, Executive Chairman 020 7665 8900

Rostron Parry
John Parry 020 7490 8062

Hansard Communications
Andy Tan 020 7245 1100

Chairman's statement

Introduction

I am pleased to announce another year of real progress in which our strategy has been vindicated by major Application Service contract wins. This success would not have been achieved without the support of our shareholders and staff but most importantly the confidence our customers have shown in us.

Over the past twelve months we have:

  • Achieved revenue of £4.327m, a growth of 63.2%
  • Been selected by Reuters to be their launch partner in delivering CME E-equivalents, which went live in March and we have now signed contracts with five international banks, including HSBC, Barclays Capital, ABN Amro, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of America
  • Won the full application outsourcing for DrKW's Listed Products Group for trading software
  • Successfully integrated Future Dynamics, which we acquired in July 2004.

Financial results for the year

The full year revenue grew to £4.327m (2003/4 £2.651m), up 63.2%. Operating loss on continuing operations was £2.293m (2003/4 £2.146m). The loss for 2004/5 includes expensing £130k of goodwill and all software development and build costs for the new services launched in the year. There was also a total of £311k one-time exceptional costs associated with the acquisition of Future Dynamics. These costs included the costs of redundancies and closure of premises.

We have maintained a rigorous control of cost ensuring that we continue to achieve increased productivity from our staff. This has enabled us for example, to expand the support coverage we provide to our customers to 24 hours a day, five and a half days a week without a commensurate overall increase in costs.

The cash balance at 31 March 2005 was £911k (2003/4 £967k). In addition we received £1.7m from customers in mid April. These payment were due to be received prior to 31 March 2005 but were delayed due to administrative issues within the customers' systems.

I was also pleased to announce raising £3.1m of additional funding from investors in April that is due to be approved at an EGM on 23 May. This will be used for working capital to support our growth and to strengthen our balance sheet.

Operational Review

Strategy: Our strategy to become the leading application services business supporting the financial community is gaining significant traction. We are seeing increased market acceptance that application services are the future for the delivery of technology to customers. The investments we have made over the past two years have helped give us a leadership position in this sector and the barrier to entry from new competitors should not be underestimated.

Business Development: The success in winning the Reuters project and the DrKW application services contract has helped to raise our profile in the market and give other prospects confidence in our ability to deliver our promises. We have a strong service proposition and a very competitive application portfolio. As a result, our prospect list has never been stronger.

Services: We now have a resilient infrastructure to support our application services in both London and Chicago. In addition we can provide service support 24 hours a day, five and a half days a week.

Application: Our new application architecture has now gone live and this is providing us with an important technical advantage over our competitors since it is highly scalable, flexible and, most importantly for the trading community, fast. The purchase of Future Dynamics has given us access to middle office functionality that we are currently adding to our application services offering. In addition we are also progressively expanding the asset classes that we support.

USA: We have refocused our US operation fully behind our application services strategy with the building of a high specification data centre facility from which we will deliver the services. In addition we have integrated the US support operations with our London team so that we can provide global service support coverage, constantly, from both London and Chicago. We transferred our Introductory Broker (IB) customers to Advantage Futures LLC who are a fast growing Chicago-based Future Commission Merchant (FCM). We are now providing them with our application service. This has allowed us both to focus on our core business and gain an important new growth customer.

Staff: Our highly skilled teams in London, Chicago and Prague have worked diligently and effectively to ensure we succeeded with our plans. The board and I would again like to thank them for their dedication and commitment to the company.

Corporate Development: We made one important acquisition in the year with the purchase of Future Dynamics. This has been successfully integrated and we have gained access to and retained a significant customer base as well as the important middle office functionality.

We will continue to look for value enhancing acquisitions that accelerate the expansion of our asset class functionality, our ability to offer straight through processing, or expand our customer base. The board believes that the management have the experience to evaluate and implement appropriate consolidation opportunities.

Governance
The board consists of three executive directors and four independent non-executive directors. The senior independent non-executive is Mr Nigel McCorkell who is also joint deputy chairman. Mr Jim Oliff was promoted to joint deputy chairman recently in recognition of the important executive role he holds to increase the group's 'industry credentials' and reputation. Mr Oliff has over 30 years experience in the financial services industry and is known throughout the sector.

Outlook
Winning business in the tough financial services sector is always challenging but one that continues to offer huge rewards to those who succeed. Whilst we have much still to do, we are confident that our application services strategy is working and will deliver further success in the new financial year.

Keith Todd
Executive Chairman
11 May 2005

CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT for the year ended 31 March 2005

 

Notes

 
    Unaudited 2005   Audited2004
    £'000 £'000   £'000   £'000
Turnover            
- acquisitions activities   1,220     -  
- continuing operations   2,784     2,176  
- discontinued operations   323     475  
      4,327       2,651
Administrative expenses - exceptional 2   (92)       (137)
- other     (7,035)       (5,081)
Other operating income     51       -
Operating loss- acquisitions activities   (214)     -  
- continuing operations   (2,293)     (2,146)  
- discontinued operations   (242)     (421)  
      (2,749)       (2,567)
Exceptional items - reorganisation costs 2   (219)       -
Interest receivable and similar income     99       24
Interest payable and similar charges     (10)       (4)
Loss on ordinary activities before taxation     (2,879)       (2,547)
Tax on loss on ordinary activities     (7)       (6)
Loss on ordinary activities after taxation     (2,886)       (2,553)
Minority interest     4       7
Loss for the financial year attributable to shareholders     (2,882)       (2,546)
Basic and diluted loss per share 3   (1.60p)       ( 3.43p)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES
for the year ended 31 March 2005

    Unaudited
2005
  Audited
2004
    £'000   £'000
Loss for the financial year   (2,882)   (2,546)
Currency translation differences on foreign currency net investments   (83)   (110)
Total recognised gains and losses relating to the year   (2,965)   (2,656)

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET as at 31 March 2005

Notes Unaudited
2005
  Audited
2004
    £'000   £'000
Fixed assets        
Intangible assetsTangible assets   1,7991,139   - 434
    2,938   434
Current assets        
Debtors   2,666   512
Cash at bank and in hand   911   967
    3,577   1,479
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year   (1,978)   (1,168)
Net current assets   1,599   311
Total assets less current liabilities   4,537   745
Deferred income   (1,953)   (514)
Net assets   2,584   231
Capital and reserves        
Called up share capital 4 1,949   1,024
Share premium account 4 23,156   18,760
Shares to be issued 4 235   235
Merger reserve 4 890   890
Profit and loss account 4 (23,654)   (20,689)
Equity shareholders' funds 4 2,576   220
Minority interest   8   11
Total capital employed   2,584   231

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT for the year ended 31 March 2005

  Notes Unaudited
2005
  Audited
2004
    £'000   £'000
Net cash outflow from operating activities A (2,859)   (2,603)
Returns on investments and servicing of finance        
Interest received   99   24
Interest element of finance lease payments   (10)   (4)
Net cash inflow from returns on investments and servicing of finance   89   20
Taxation        
Overseas tax paid   (7)   -
Capital expenditure        
Receipts from sales of tangible fixed assets   -   430
Purchase of tangible fixed assets   (1,138)   (362)
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from capital expenditure and financial investment   (1,138)   68

Acquisitions
Purchase of subsidiary undertakings
Net cash acquired with subsidiary undertaking

  (36)
75
 

-

-

Net cash inflow from acquisitions

 

39

 

-

Cash outflow before financing

 

(3,876)

 

(2,515)

Financing

       

Issue of ordinary shares

 

3,821

 

2,486

Capital element of finance lease payments

 

(1)

 

(2)

Net cash inflow from financing

 

3,820

 

2,484

Decrease in cash

B

(56)

 

(31)

NOTES TO THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT for the year ended 31 March 2005

A. Reconciliation of operating loss to operating cash flow

   

Unaudited
2005

 

Audited
2004

   

£'000

 

£'000

Operating loss

 

(2,749)

 

(2,567)

Reorganisation costs of subsidiaries acquired during the year

Depreciation

 

(177)

359

  -

266

Amortisation of goodwill

 

130

  -

Foreign exchange translation differences

 

32

 

(98)

(Increase)/decrease in debtors

 

(1,218)

 

169

Increase/(decrease) in creditors

 

764

 

(420)

Profit on disposal of fixed assets

  -  

(154)

Charge on issue of unapproved share options

  -  

201

Net cash outflow from operating activities

 

(2,859)

 

(2,603)

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

   

Unaudited
2005
£'000

 

Audited
2004
£'000

Decrease in cash in the year

 

(56)

 

(31)

Repayment of finance leases

 

1

 

2

Change in net funds resulting from cash flows

 

(55)

 

(29)

Net funds at beginning of year

 

966

 

995

Net funds at end of year

 

911

 

966

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS for the year ended 31 March 2005

1. Accounting policies
Basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards.

Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements incorporate those of FFastFill plc and all of its subsidiary undertakings. Subsidiaries acquired during the year are consolidated using the acquisition method. Their results are incorporated from the date that control passes. All subsidiaries have accounting year ends of 31 March 2005.

Going concern
During the year, the group made losses of £2.9 million (2004: £2.5 million) and had net assets at 31 March 2005 of £2.6m (2004: £0.2m). As disclosed in the Chairman's Statement, the directors have taken steps to reduce operating losses and they are optimistic that revenues will increase significantly in the year ending 31 March 2006, which will further reduce these losses.

In addition, on 23 May 2005, the company has called an EGM to approve the placing of 44,285,715 new ordinary shares of 1p, at 7p per share. The company will use the net proceeds to provide further working capital and strengthen the company's balance sheet in support of major sales opportunities. On this basis, the directors have prepared the accounts on the going concern basis. The accounts do not include any adjustments that would arise if this basis were inappropriate.

2. Exceptional items
Exceptional items relate to the reorganisation costs of integrating FFastFill FD Limited (formerly Future Dynamics Limited) into those of FFastFill plc and its subsidiaries.

3. Loss per share and diluted loss per share
Loss per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to ordinary shareholders for each year amounting to £2,882,000 (2004: £2,546,000) for the year ended 31 March 2005 by 181,494,031 (2004: 74,297,011), being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during each year.

For the purposes of dilution, share options are non-dilutive.

4. Statement of movement on shareholders' funds

  Share
capital
Share premium account Shares to be issued Merger reserve Profit and loss account Share- holders' funds
 

£'000

 

£'000

 

£'000

 

£'000

 

£'000

 

£'000

At 1 April 2004 (audited)

1,024

 

18,760

 

235

 

890

 

(20,689)

 

220

Loss for the period

-   -  

-

  -  

(2,882)

 

(2,882)

Exercise of share options

20

 

5

 

-

  -   -  

25

Issue of shares

Share issue costs

905

-
 

4,595

(204)

  -   - -   - -  

5,500

(204)

Foreign exchange movement

-   -   -   -   (83)   (83)
                       

At 31 March 2005 (unaudited)

1,949

 

23,156

 

235

 

890

 

(23,654)

 

2,576

5. Financial Information
The financial information set out in this report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information for the year ended 31 March 2005 is unaudited. Information in respect of the year end 31 March 2004 is extracted from the statutory accounts for that year. The auditors' report on those accounts was unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985.

6. Dividend
The directors are not declaring a dividend.

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