Chamberlin & Hill Regulatory News (CMH)

AIM: CMH

CHAMBERLIN PLC

("Chamberlin" or "the Group")

Half Year Results

For the six months to 30 September 2014

Key Points

· H1 results show continuing progress in business turnaround

- cost reduction programme has aided return to profitability

· Revenues up 8.2% to £21.1m (2013: £19.5m)

- foundry division revenues up 8.5% to £16.0m

- engineering division revenues up 7.1% to £5.1m

· Underlying* profit before tax of £0.4m (2013: loss of £0.6m)

On an IFRS basis, profit before tax of £0.3m (2013: loss of £1.2m)

· Cash inflow from operations of £0.5m (2013: cash outflow of £0.3m)

· Net debt at 30 September 2014 of £3.8m (31 March 2014: £3.6m and 30 September 2013: £2.3m)

· Diluted underlying* earnings per share of 3.9p (2013: loss per share of 6.8p)

On an IFRS basis, basic earnings per share of 2.6p (2013: loss per share of 11.9p)

· Post period, two major contract wins by Walsall foundry respectively worth:

- €6.7m over four years

- €26.0m over eight years

· Board expects full year results to be in line with current market expectations

*All underlying figures are stated before net financing costs on pension obligations, administration costs of the pension scheme, exceptional costs, share-based payment costs and associated tax impact.

Chairman, Keith Butler-Wheelhouse, commented,

"Results for the first half show a significant improvement on the same period last year, and most importantly, Chamberlin has moved back into profitability. This reflects a combination of factors including management actions to address the cost base, a strong performance from the Walsall foundry, helped by improved conditions in the turbocharger bearing housing market, and the engineering division delivering improved sales and profits.

Actions to deliver the ongoing turnaround of the business continue. The new executive team remains focused on measures to achieve further cost efficiencies and improve processes. At the same time, we are working on new business development and further refining growth plans. The two major new contracts wins we announced on 17 October and 18 November are highly encouraging. While there are clear challenges, the whole organisation remains focused on our business turnaround plans and therefore we believe that the Group remains positioned to deliver current market forecasts for the full year."

Enquiries

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

Introduction

Chamberlin's results for the first half of the financial year show a significant improvement on the same period last year with revenues up by 8.2% to £21.1m. Most importantly, the Group has moved back into profitability, with underlying profit before tax at £0.4m against an underlying loss of £0.6m last year. This encouraging improvement in trading results reflects a combination of factors including management actions to address the cost base, a strong performance from the Walsall foundry, which was helped by improved conditions in the turbocharger bearing housing market, and the engineering division also delivering improved sales and profits.

Actions to deliver the ongoing turnaround of the business continue. The new executive team remains focused on measures to achieve further cost efficiencies and improve processes. At the same time, we are working on business development and further refining growth plans. The two major new contracts wins we announced on 17 October and 18 November are highly encouraging and will help to support further expected progress in the second half of the year and beyond.

Results

Revenues for the six months to 30 September 2014 were 8.2% up on the same period last year at £21.1m (2013: £19.5m). This helped to support a turnaround in profitability, with underlying profit before tax of £0.4m against an underlying loss before tax of £0.6m in 2013. Diluted underlying earnings per share was 3.9p (2013: loss per share of 6.8p). All underlying figures are stated before net financing costs on pension obligations, administration costs of the pension scheme, exceptional costs, share-based payment costs and associated tax impact.

The Group also moved back into profit on IFRS basis. Profit before tax was £0.3m (2013: loss of £1.2m) and the diluted earnings per share was 2.5p (2013: loss per share of 11.9p).

The net debt position at 30 September 2014 showed an increase of £0.2m to £3.8m from the net debt position at 31 March 2014 of £3.6m (30 September 2013: £2.3m). This reflected increased receivables of £0.5m. As previously reported, the Group has new debt facilities in place totalling £7.2m. Over the period, the Group generated operating cash inflow of £0.5m (2013: outflow of £0.3m).

Dividend

No dividend is proposed for the period under review.

Operations

Revenues from the foundry division, which comprises three foundries at Walsall, Leicester and Scunthorpe, increased by 8.5% to £16.0m (2013: £14.8m) and the division contributed an operating profit of £0.9m against an operating loss of £0.3m in the same period last year. The sales growth and our continued focus on cost reduction drove the Group's return to profitability.

The Walsall foundry, which specializes in producing high volume small castings with complex internal geometry, led the foundry division's revenue growth. The foundry is a well-established supplier of bearing housings for automotive turbochargers. Revenues at Walsall increased by 17.8% on the prior year. The two major contract wins that we announced on 17 October and 18 November will help to underpin growth. Both wins were for the supply of turbo charger bearing housing for diesel engines in passenger cars. They are respectively worth €6.7 million over four years and €26.0m over eight years and commence on 1 January 2015.

As previously reported, revenues at the Scunthorpe foundry, which produces heavy castings, were adversely affected by market softening in power, construction and mining sectors. Demand has remained subdued and revenues are down 5.1% on the same period last year. We are continuing to focus on the foundry's cost base and are seeing some signs of returning volumes with existing customers.

The foundry at Leicester, which produces medium castings, showed growth of 6.4% over the same period last year. Operationally, the foundry's position has improved with reduced levels of scrap and significant productivity improvement.

The engineering division, which comprises Exidor, the UK market leader in panic and emergency exit door hardware, and Petrel, which manufactures lighting and control equipment for use in hazardous areas, continues to make steady progress. Revenues were 7.1% higher than the same period last year at £5.1m (2013: £4.7m) and the division's operating profit contribution improved to £0.3m from £0.2m last year.

Outlook

The new executive team is making progress with business turnaround and Chamberlin's move back into profitability is encouraging. There is still work to be done and we are paying particular attention to the Scunthorpe and Leicester foundries in order to deliver improvements to their respective performances.

Looking ahead, while there are clear challenges, we remain focused on our business turnaround plans and believe that the Group remains positioned to deliver current market forecasts for the full year.

Keith Butler-Wheelhouse

Chairman

24 November 2014

Consolidated Income Statement

for the six months ended 30 September 2014

# Non- underlying items represent exceptional costs as disclosed in note 7, administration costs of the pension scheme and net financing costs on pension obligations, share based payment costs and associated tax impact of these items.

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

for the six months ended 30 September 2014

Consolidated Balance Sheet

At 30 September 2014

 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement

for the six months ended 30 September 2014

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

for the six months ended 30 September 2014

Independent review report to Chamberlin plc

Introduction

We have been engaged by the Company to review the financial information in the half-yearly financial report for the six months ended 30 September 2014 which comprises the Consolidated Income Statement, Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and the related notes. We have read the other information contained in the half yearly financial report and considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the information in the condensed set of financial statements.

This report is made solely to the Company in accordance with guidance contained in ISRE (UK and Ireland) 2410, 'Review of Interim Financial Information performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity'. Our review work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company those matters we are required to state to them in a review report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company, for our review work, for this report, or for the conclusion we have formed.

Directors' responsibilities

The half-yearly financial report is the responsibility of, and has been approved by, the directors. The AIM rules of the London Stock Exchange require that the accounting policies and presentation applied to the financial information in the half-yearly financial report are consistent with those which will be adopted in the annual accounts having regard to the accounting standards applicable for such accounts.

As disclosed in Note 1, the annual financial statements of the Group are prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union. The financial information in the half-yearly financial report has been prepared in accordance with the basis of preparation in Note 1.

Our responsibility

Our responsibility is to express to the Company a conclusion on the financial information in the half-yearly financial report based on our review.

Scope of review

We conducted our review in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK and Ireland) 2410, 'Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity' issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom. A review of interim financial information consists of making enquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review procedures. A review is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) and consequently does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in an audit. Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.

Conclusion

Based on our review, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the financial information in the half-yearly financial report for the six months ended 30 September 2014 is not prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the basis of accounting described in Note 1.

GRANT THORNTON UK LLPAUDITOR

Birmingham24 November 2014

Notes to the interim financial statements

1 General information and accounting policies

This Interim Financial Report is unaudited, but has been reviewed by the Company's auditor having regard to the International Standard on Review Engagements (UK & Ireland) 2410 "Review of Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity", issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the UK. A copy of their unmodified review report is attached.

The 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 March 2014 were approved by the board of directors on 21 May 2014 and were filed at Companies House. The auditor's report on those accounts was unqualified, did not contain an emphasis of matter paragraph and did not contain any statement under section 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis of preparation

The annual financial statements of the Group are prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union. The condensed set of financial statements included in this half-yearly financial report has been prepared in accordance with the AIM Rules issued by the London Stock Exchange.

Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies, comply with IFRS, applied in preparing the Interim Financial Statements, and are consistent with the policies set out in the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2014.

No new standards or interpretations issued since 31 March 2014 have had a material impact on the accounting of the Group.

Hedge activities

At 30 September 2014 the Group held 11 months' worth of foreign currency forward contracts designated as hedges of expected future sales to customers in Europe for which the Group has highly probable forecasted transactions

Going concern

After making appropriate enquiries, the directors consider that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future. In forming this view the directors have reviewed internal cash flow and profit forecasts in conjunction with the available headroom on the invoice finance and overdraft facility. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts.

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 and imported products to distributors and end-users. The products fall into the categories of door hardware, hazardous area lighting and control gear and cable management.

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

3 Finance income and costs

4 Income tax expense

An effective rate of tax for the six months to 30 September 2014 of 27% (30 September 2013: 19%) has been used in these interim statements.

The effective rate of tax is higher than the standard rate because of non-deductible expenses for tax purposes. The 2013 effective rate of tax was lower than the standard rate because of the change in the corporation tax rate being applied to deferred tax assets, and non-deductible expenses for tax purposes.

The corporation tax rate fell from 23% for the year ended 31 March 2014 to 21% for the year ended 31 March 2014. The corporation tax rate will fall to 20% from 1 April 2015, a rate change which was substantively enacted on 2 July 2013. It is not anticipated that the subsequent reduction to 20% will have a material effect on the Company's future current or deferred tax charges.

5 Earnings/ (loss) per share

The calculation of earnings/(loss) per share is based on the profit attributable to shareholders and the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue. In calculating the diluted earnings per share, adjustment has been made for the dilutive effect of outstanding share options. Underlying earnings/(loss) per share, which excludes net financing cost of pension obligation, administration costs of the pension scheme and share based compensation, less related tax thereon, as analysed below, has been disclosed as the Directors believe this allows a better assessment of the underlying trading performance of the Group.

As at 30 September 2013 and 31 March 2014 respectively there is no adjustment for the 235,483 and 211,005 shares under option as they are required to be excluded from the weighted average number of shares for diluted (loss)/earnings per share as they are anti-dilutive for the period then ended.

6 Pensions

The Group operates a defined benefit pension scheme and a number of defined contribution pension schemes on behalf of its employees. For defined contribution schemes, 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 Company 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.

During the period the triennial valuation as at 1 April 2013 was completed. The funding contributions for the full year are in line with those reported at the year end.

The demographic assumptions used for 30 September 2014, were the same as used in 31 March 2014, 30 September 2013 and the last full actuarial valuation performed as at 1 April 2013.

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

The increase in the net pension liability is mainly due to an increase in the value of liabilities as a consequence of a reduction in bond yields decreasing the discount rate.

7 Exceptional costs and non-underlying items

Prior CEO leaving costs relate to contractual payments to be made to the former CEO, Tim Hair, and costs associated with the recruitment of the current CEO, Kevin Nolan.

During 2014 the Group rationalized its Foundry operations into one division, enabling the elimination of duplicate roles and implementation of best practice. Group reorganisation costs, including redundancy and recruitment, relate to this rationalisation.

8 Net debt

9 Dividends

The Board has suspended the payment of an interim dividend until justified by the trading performance of the Group.

10 Interim report

Copies of this interim results statement will be available on the Group's website, www.chamberlin.co.uk, and from the Group's headquarters at Chuckery Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 2DU.