Chamberlin Plc Regulatory News (CMH)

28 February 2023

AIM: CMH

CHAMBERLIN PLC

("Chamberlin" or "the Company" or "the Group")

Interim Results

for the six months ended 30 November 2022

Chamberlin plc (AIM: CMH) is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 November 2022 ("H1 2023").

Key Points

Chairman, Keith Butler-Wheelhouse, commented: 

"All operating businesses within the Group are now operationally profitable, with new opportunities for growth continuing to emerge, the most significant being the newly reinvigorated Petrel".

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the UK version of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (2014/596) which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended and supplemented from time to time.

Enquiries

Chairman's Statement

Revenues in the first six months increased by 32% to £10.5m compared to £8.0m in the prior period, reflecting strong growth across all operations. Revenues in the second half of the year are expected to continue on a similar path, supported by strong order books at RDC and Petrel and the commencement of new contracts recently won by CHC, as previously announced. 

Operational performance of the Group in H1 2023 was impacted by inflationary cost pressures, primarily at CHC, with the underlying loss before tax increasing slightly to £0.3m (H1 2022: £0.1m), although these cost pressures have now been addressed through price increases and further cost savings. Despite these cost pressures, both Petrel and RDC delivered strong operating performances, with operating profit increasing by 78% and 11% respectively, compared with the prior period.

Petrel's new management team, led by divisional Managing Director Mark Pemberton, has overseen a substantial increase in operating performance. The team are now seeking to build on this strong base and have developed a strategy for Petrel that will involve entry into new export markets and sectors such as pharmaceutical and oil and gas. Petrel will continue to modernise and innovate to ensure it remains at the forefront of hazard lighting technology and meets evolving customer requirements.

In January 2023, Chamberlin completed a placing and subscription raising £650,000 to support the Group's working capital requirements as it enters a period of profitable growth. At that time, the Board stated that it was continuing to evaluate further opportunities to strengthen the balance sheet, including in relation to the Group's property assets. The Group is in discussions regarding a proposed sale and leaseback transaction at its Walsall freehold property which would include a proportion of any realised funds to be utilised to further reduce the Company's pension fund deficit. Whilst the freehold is currently under offer at £2.2m, Shareholders should note that this is subject to contract and there can be no certainty that this transaction will be completed. Further announcements will be made, as appropriate.

Outlook

The Group continues to go from strength to strength and is performing in line with market expectations.

The Board believes that Chamberlin is now entering a period of continuous growth with all businesses profitable in January 2023 for the first time in many years and supporting the Board's expectations that Group profits in FY 2023 will be second half weighted.

Keith Butler-Wheelhouse

Chairman

Consolidated Income Statement

for the six months ended 30 November 2022

# Non-underlying items include restructuring costs, hedge ineffectiveness, impairment of assets, dilapidation costs and share-based payment costs together with the associated tax impact.

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

for the six months ended 30 November 2022

Consolidated Balance Sheet

at 30 November 2022

 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement

for the six months ended 30 November 2022

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

for the six months ended 30 November 2022

Notes to the Interim Financial statements

1 General information and accounting policies

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements do not comprise the Group's statutory accounts as defined by section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. Statutory accounts for the year ended 31 May 2022 were approved by the Board of Directors on 4 November 2022 and filed at Companies House. The auditor's report on those accounts was unqualified but contained an emphasis of matter paragraph relating to a material uncertainty regarding going concern.

Basis of preparation

The Group's financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standards in conformity with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The condensed set of financial statements included in this half-yearly financial report has been prepared in accordance with AIM Rules issued by the London Stock Exchange.

Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies applied in preparing the interim Financial Statements comply with IFRS as adopted by the European Union and are consistent with the policies set out in the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 May 2022.

No new standards or interpretations issued since 31 May 2022 have had a material impact on the financial statements of the Group.

Going concern

The Director's assessment of going concern is based on the Group's detailed forecast for the three years ending 31 May 2023, 31 May 2024 and 31 May 2025, which reflect the Director's view of the most likely trading conditions. In November 2022, the Group secured an increase to its invoice finance facilities from £3.5m to £4.5m and the forecasts indicate that these bank facilities are expected to remain adequate.

The forecasts include revenue growth and margin improvement assumptions across all of the Group's businesses. At Chamberlin and Hill Castings, these assumptions include an improvement in automotive volumes as this sector recovers from the backlog of passenger vehicle orders arising from the shortage of vital electronic and other components in the last 18 months, modest growth from fitness equipment and cookware products and diversification into new markets. At RDC, the forecasts assume that revenue and margin growth will be achieved from the investment being made in the expansion of its capacity and the ability to manufacture and sell a wider range of products using new materials. At Petrel, revenue and margin growth assumptions are based on the introduction of new products, including the use of new technology, and services, including warranty, inspection and maintenance.

The Directors have applied reasonably foreseeable downside sensitivities to the forecast, including sales growth and margin improvement at Chamberlin and Hill Castings is 40% and 20% lower than expectations respectively, sales growth and margin improvement at RDC are both 20% lower than expectations and sales growth and margin at Petrel are 20% and 10% lower than expectations respectively. Furthermore, the Group is reliant on an invoice finance facility to fund its working capital needs. The renewal of the facility at the next annual review in March 2023 cannot be guaranteed, although there are no indications at the date of the approval of the financial statements that a renewal with the existing provider would not be granted or that alternative providers could not be found. In addition, the Directors have assumed that deferred settlement terms will be agreed with HMRC in relation to PAYE arrears of £1.5m for one subsidiary in the Group that have arisen in the period since the announcement by BorgWarner, having already agreed deferred settlement terms with HMRC for two subsidiaries.

As a consequence, after making enquiries, the Directors have an expectation that, in the circumstances of the reasonably foreseeable downside scenarios described above, the Group and Company have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

However, the rate at which revenue growth and margin improvement can be achieved during a potentially future recessionary period and uncertain global trading conditions is difficult to predict. Furthermore, the ability to renew or source alternative invoice finance facilities or to agree deferred settlement terms with HMRC results in material uncertainty, which may cast significant doubt over the ability of the Group and the Company to realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business and hence continue as a going concern.

The Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis, whilst recognising there is material uncertainty relating to the above matters.

2 Segmental analysis

For management purposes, the Group is organised into two operating divisions: Foundries and Engineering. The operating segments reporting format reflects the Group's management and internal reporting structures for the Chief Operating Decision Maker.

The Foundries segment is a supplier of iron castings, in raw or machined form, to a variety of industrial customers who incorporate the castings into their own products or carry out further machining or assembly operations on the castings before selling them on. The Engineering segment provides manufactured hazardous area lighting products to distributors and end-users.

Financing and income tax are managed on a Group basis and are not allocated to operating segments.

3 Finance costs

4 Income tax expense

An estimated effective rate of tax for the six months to 30 November 2022 of 39.8% (30 November 2021: 218.6%) has been used in these interim statements. This rate differs to the standard corporation tax rate of 19% due primarily due to the recognition of a deferred tax asset on certain trading losses, accelerated capital allowances and short-term timing differences. The corporation tax rate remained at 19% for the year ended 31 May 2022.

5 Earnings/(loss) per share

The calculation of earnings/(loss) per share is based on the profit/(loss) attributable to shareholders and the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue. In calculating the diluted loss per share, adjustment has been made for the dilutive effect of outstanding share options where applicable. Underlying earnings/(loss) per share, which excludes non-underlying items and the related tax thereon as disclosed in Note 7, as analysed below, has been disclosed as the Directors believe this allows a better assessment of the underlying trading performance of the Group.

There is no adjustment for the shares under option in the diluted loss per share calculation for the six months ended 30 November 2022 as they are required to be excluded from the weighted average number of shares as they are anti-dilutive.

6 Pensions

The Group operates a defined benefit pension scheme and a defined contribution pension scheme on behalf of its employees. For the defined contribution scheme, contributions paid in the period are charged to the income statement. For the defined benefit scheme, actuarial calculations are performed in accordance with IAS 19 in order to arrive at the amounts to be charged in the income statement and recognised in the statement of comprehensive income. The defined benefit scheme is closed to new entrants and future accrual.

Under IAS 19, the Group recognises all movements in the actuarial funding position of the scheme in each period. This is likely to lead to volatility in shareholders' equity from period to period.

The IAS 19 figures are based on a number of actuarial assumptions as set out below, which the actuaries have confirmed they consider appropriate. The projected unit credit actuarial cost method has been used in the actuarial calculations.

The demographic assumptions used for 30 November 2022 were the same as those used at 31 May 2022, and were based on the last full actuarial valuation performed as at 31 March 2019. The contributions expected to be paid during the year to 31 May 2023 are £362,000. The triennial valuation as at 31 March 2022 is currently in progress.

The defined benefit scheme funding has changed under IAS 19 as follows:

The change in the net pension liability since 31 May 2022 is mainly due to negative investment returns arising from a fall in the market value of scheme assets partially offset by a reduction in the value of liabilities as a consequence of an increase in bond yields increasing the discount rate.

7 Non-underlying items

In the six months ended 30 November 2022, the Group undertook a restructure of the senior management team at Petrel leading to redundancy and other associated costs of £106,000.

8 Net debt

9 Interim report

This interim results statement is available on the Group's website, www.chamberlin.co.uk.