22 Apr 2013 07:00
UBC Media Group Plc
Trading Update & Issue of Equity
UBC Media Group plc (AIM: UBC) ("UBC" or the "Company"), the multimedia content and services company, today issues the following Trading Update ahead of its Preliminary Results for the year to 31 March 2013 expected to be announced on 20 June 2013.
The Company expects turnover for continuing operations to be approximately 17% up on 2012's revenues at £3.8m. Operational losses are expected to be in line with market expectations. The Company's cash balance at 31 March 2013 was £2.6 million (£3.5 million at 31 March 2012). UBC has no debt.
Current trading is in line with management's expectations and the Board will update the market further with its Preliminary Results.
UBC is pleased to further announce that its Interactive division has signed the first overseas agreement to licence the UK Radioplayer technology to Digitalradio Norge, a body representing the commercial and public service broadcasters in Norway (www.radio.no). UBC expects similar licensing agreements in other territories in the next six months.
The Company also has a significant (37%) interest in the audio social network Audioboo which is currently going through a period of rapid growth. Active users have quadrupled in the last six months to 4.4 million and the number of audio "listens" per month has risen from 3.3 million in September 2012 to 8.2 million in February 2013. Audioboo has opened an office in San Francisco and has appointed Pagemill Partners of Palo Alto to lead a fundraising round, which will involve a new lead investor. UBC expects to update further on this process in its Preliminary Statement in June.
The Company also announces a further investment by Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG) ("Imagination"). UBC has issued 8,333,333 new ordinary shares of 1 penny each to Imagination in the share capital of the Company ("New Ordinary Shares") at a price of 2.4p per New Ordinary Share. Further to this acquisition, Imagination will hold a total of 27,857,373 ordinary shares which represents 13.68% of UBC's enlarged voting rights. The Company has also issued Imagination with an Option to purchase 3,169,010 of shares for a total amount of £1 on the satisfactory completion of certain commercial conditions. If the Option to purchase the maximum number of ordinary shares were exercised, Imagination would be the holder of a total of 31,026,383 ordinary shares, representing 15.00% of the enlarged voting rights.
Application has been made for 8,333,333 Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission"), and it is expected that Admission will occur on 25 April 2013. The New Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the Company's existing Ordinary Shares.
Following Admission, the Company will have 206,619,545 Ordinary Shares in issue with each share carrying the right to one vote. There will be 2,946,004 shares held in treasury. The total number of voting rights in UBC will therefore be 203,673,541. This number may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculation by which they may determine if they are required to notify their interesting, or a change in their interest in, UBC, under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Enquiries:
UBC Media Group | 020 7453 1600 |
Simon Cole, Chief Executive | |
Chris Dent, Finance Director | |
finnCap | 020 7220 0500 |
Charlotte Stranner/Rose Herbert - Corporate Finance | |
Victoria Bates - Corporate Broking |
Notes to Editors
About UBC Media Group
UBC is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. UBC is a leading provider of digital content, software and mobile applications. The Group is the largest independent producer of radio programming for the BBC and a provider of entertainment programming to commercial radio stations throughout the UK. Its software division, Unique Interactive, is a global supplier of digital radio text and data services.
www.ubcmedia.com