Coral Products Regulatory News (CRU)

25 August 2016

CORAL PRODUCTS PLC

('Coral' or the 'Company' or the 'Group')

FINAL RESULTS

Coral Products PLC, (the "Company" or the "Group") a specialist in the design, manufacture and supply of injection moulded plastic products based in Haydock, Merseyside, announces its final results for the year ended 30 April 2016.

KEY FINANCIALS

* "Underlying" results are reported before separately disclosed items, as shown in note 2, as the Directors are of the opinion that these give a more accurate picture of underlying performance

HEADLINES

· Group revenue increase of 7.4%.

· Significant underlying operating profit rise to £1.65m (£1.35m in 2015).

· Sales of packaging containers continue to offset fall in media sales.

· Underlying EBITDA increased by 22.5% to £2.3m maintaining an improvement in operating cash flow.

· Successful integration of business and assets from Neiman Packaging Limited in June 2015.

· Revenues from non-media products increased to £17.9m (£14.5m in 2015) representing 95% of total revenues (2015: 83%).

· Purchase of Rotalac assets in January 2016.

· Acquisition of Global One-Pak Limited ("GOP") completed in February 2016.

· Progressive dividend policy maintained with 43% increase in total dividend for the year of 1.0p (2015: 0.7p).

· Commenced strategic reorganisation and restructuring of Group into more focussed units with benefits from economies of scale.

Commenting on the results, Joe Grimmond, Chairman, said:

"I am pleased to record a further year of progress for the Group with revenue up by 7.4% to £18.7 million and underlying profit up by 22.2% to £1.6 million.

The Group continues with its strategic progress of increasing focus on value-added and innovative products, particularly in the food container, telecommunications and rail industry markets. Our aim continues to be to build a significant plastic moulding business and we remain confident in our ability to make further progress by improving business performance and increasing our market share to drive forward financial results over the medium term.

We look forward with confidence to further progress in the coming year."

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Chairman's Statement

Trading

It is pleasing to record a further year of progress for the Group with revenue up by 7% to £18.7m and underlying operating profit up by 22% to £1.6m. I am pleased that we are both delivering increased profits to our shareholders and putting in place the levels of investment and planning needed to secure Coral's long term future as a leading player in our chosen markets.

Following the Five Year Plan that was adopted in 2015 the Group made a number of acquisitions this year aimed at substantially increasing Group revenue and profitability from our specialist plastic products manufacturing and distribution activities. In June 2015, we took our first step along this plan when we acquired certain plant and machinery from Neiman Packaging Limited ('Neiman'). This acquisition introduces two new manufacturing processes, injection blow moulding and extrusion blow moulding, enhancing our range of manufacturing capability. This was followed in January 2016 with the purchase of the fixed assets, stock and business of Rotalac Plastics Limited ('Rotalac') from its administrators. Rotalac provides thermoplastic extrusion and moulding solutions across a number of industries worldwide, including aerospace, medical and automotive and is a leader in shutter system design and manufacture. This addition further enabled the broadening of the Group's product range. Finally, in February 2016 the Group acquired Global One-Pak Holdings Limited ('GOP') which designs, manufactures and supplies lotion pumps and trigger sprayers to a broad range of customers worldwide, including a number of global brands, across a wide range of markets, including household and garden, automotive, personal care and pet grooming. This business expanded further the market coverage and product range with the supply of a number of high added value components. These businesses have all been successfully integrated into the Group and enable us to promote a more diverse range of products and manufacturing methods the benefits of which are already being seen.

Two of our subsidiaries at Interpack Limited ('Interpack') and Tatra Plastics Manufacturing Limited ('Tatra') had further years of improvement with continued improvements to profit and contribution. Interpack's turnover stayed roughly constant but its margins were improved from weaker overseas currencies whilst it also benefitted from reduced overheads following the closure of its Dunstable site with all operations moved to Haydock. Food container sales continue to improve as the markets grow for foodstuffs to be contained within hygienic, tamper-proof packaging and this looks set to continue further. Tatra continued to report both significant increases in both turnover and profit as demand from key suppliers of infrastructure and communications increased. The Company relocated from Halifax to Wythenshawe in July 2016 and, combined with the existing Rotalac business already in situ there, is confidently expected to maintain this progression and further increase its contribution to Group performance. Tatra has been renamed Tatra Rotalac Limited post year end, with the acquired Rotalac trade hived into the now combined entity in Wythenshawe.

At our freehold manufacturing site at Haydock within the subsidiary Coral Products (Mouldings) Limited ('Mouldings') we have made substantial investment in infrastructure, plant capacity and management control. The improvement on operational efficiency, whilst slower than anticipated, is nevertheless marked. We continue to improve this facility and believe this will benefit our renewed sales drive at Haydock.

Sales of on-line totes and recycling crates contributed £2.4m from £1.2m in 2015 which helped to offset the further fall in media sales to £0.9m in 2016 from £2.9m in 2015. We are delighted to announce the receipt of a letter of intent from our customer for a further supply of up to 300,000 totes for a new on-line fulfilment centre with delivery late 2016 through 2018. Trade moulding sales were below expectations with revenue falling to £1.2m from £2.9m in 2015. There remained challenging market conditions as local authorities continued not to commit resources in the present atmosphere of austerity. Waste management will continue to be a significant area of future spending and we are determined to offer products and partnerships that will assist in its management.

The significant fall in the relative value of sterling against the dollar and the euro since the beginning of the year, together with the prevailing uncertainty, could have a negative effect on our business. We are taking steps across the Group to mitigate these.

Performance of the Group is monitored principally through adjusted profit measures which exclude £0.7m of underlying items. Such items include the costs for the reorganisation involved in merging the two businesses of Tatra and Rotalac during 2016, together with the expenses in rationalising and improving the site at Haydock. In addition, acquisition costs and amortisation of intangibles arising on acquisition, written-off under accounting practices, are also treated as underlying, as are share based payment charges, compensation for loss of office of senior management, and losses on sale of tangible assets.

The Group has reduced net debt by £0.7m in the year and gearing has decreased to 23.9%. Given the continued pressure on raw material prices and credit availability we continued to focus on minimising our inventory and reducing our debtor days. Overall the Group was able to report a net cash inflow of £1.3m.

Results

Group revenue improved for the year to £18.7m (2015: £17.4m). Gross margin showed a significant increase to 33.1% (2015: 29.6%) resulting from the continued addition of better added value products along with decreases in the cost of raw materials. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the Group remained strong at £2.3m (2015: £1.9m). Administrative expenses in the Group increased to £4.4m (2015: £4.1m) in line with the increase in Group activity. This resulted in an underlying operating profit of £1.6m (2015: £1.3m).

Separately disclosed underlying items totalled £0.7m (2015: £1.0m) of which £0.4m resulted from the reorganisation costs of Haydock and Wythenshawe to improve the facilities and rationalise the businesses. Finance costs amounted to £0.2m (2015: £0.2m). The underlying profit for the financial year before taxation was £1.5m (2015: £1.2m). Earnings per share were 1.12 pence (2015: 0.35 pence), underlying earnings per share were 2.20 pence (2015: 2.12 pence).

Net debt at 30 April 2016 was £3.3m (2015: £4m) giving reduced gearing of 23.9% (2015: 43.7 %). Interest cover before underlying costs was 9.2 times (2015: 7.3 times). Net assets per share were 16.6p (2015: 15.8p).

Dividends

The board remains committed to its long-term progressive dividend policy, which takes account of the underlying growth in earnings, whilst acknowledging the requirement for continuing investment and short-term fluctuations in profit.

Having considered the results for the year, the outlook for the new financial year and the ongoing requirements of the business, the board has recommended the total dividend be increased to 1.0 pence per share. The final payment of 0.7 pence per share will have an ex-dividend date of 8 September 2016 and record date of 9 September 2016. This final dividend will be paid on 14 October 2016.

Board Changes

In June 2016 Roberto (Rob) Zandona was appointed as Group Chief Executive and at the same time Joe Grimmond became Non-executive Chairman having previously acted as executive Chairman. Rob has over 35 years of experience in the manufacturing and project moulding sectors.

Strategy

Our board continuously reviews business performance alongside market conditions to make sure that we take the correct strategic decisions for each of our businesses. The board recognises fully that it has been tasked with delivering enhanced shareholder value in accordance with the strategy that we outlined in March 2015. The challenges facing the board relate to managing the continued growth of the Group whilst preserving the strengths of the business.

People

We are reliant on the expertise, professionalism and commitment of our people and their contribution to the business during a challenging year.

Outlook

The Group continues with its strategic progress of increasing focus on value-added and innovative products, particularly in the food container, telecommunications and rail industry markets. Our aim continues to be to build a significant plastic moulding business and we remain confident in our ability to make further progress by improving business performance and increasing our market share to drive forward financial results over the medium term.

We look forward with confidence to further progress in the coming year.

Joe GrimmondChairman25 August 2016

Group Income Statement

for the year ended 30 April 2016

Group Statement of Comprehensive Income

for the year ended 30 April 2016

Balance Sheets

as at 30 April 2016

Statement of Changes in Shareholders' Equity

for the year ended 30 April 2016

Cash Flow Statements

for the year ended 30 April 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 April 2016

1. Basis of preparation

The financial information set out above does not constitute the Group's statutory accounts for the years ended 30 April 2016 or 2015 within the meaning of Section 434 of the Companies Act 2006, but is derived from those accounts. Statutory accounts for 2015 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and those for 2016 will be delivered following the company's Annual General Meeting. The auditors' report on the statutory accounts for the year ended 30 April 2015 was unqualified and does not contain statements under s498 (2) or (3) Companies Act 2006.

This financial information has been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRSs") and International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) interpretations as adopted by the European Union and with those parts of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS.

Underlying profit - the Company believes that underlying profit and underlying earnings provide additional useful information for shareholders. The term underlying earnings is not a defined term under IFRS and may not therefore be comparable with similarly titled profit measurements reported by other companies.

2. Underlying operating profit and separately disclosed items

3. Earnings per share

Basic and underlying earnings per share

The basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders for the financial period by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the financial period of 66,238,090 (2015: 54,894,513).

Underlying earnings per share is also shown calculated by reference to earnings before exceptional items. The directors consider that this gives a useful indication of underlying performance.

Diluted earnings per share

The diluted earnings per share is based on the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue ranking for dividend during the year, adjusted for the effect of all dilutive potential ordinary shares. The number of shares used to calculate the earnings per share were 66,548,090 (2015: 54,894,513). This resulted in diluted earnings per share of 1.12p (2015: 0.35p).

4. Dividends

A final dividend for the year ended 30 April 2015 of 0.5p per share was paid on 30 October 2015 to shareholders on the register on 7 August 2015. This dividend amounted to £289,308.

In respect of the current year an interim dividend of 0.3p per share was paid on 1 March 2016 to shareholders on the register on 21 January 2016. This dividend amounted to £196,844.

A final dividend of 0.7p per share is to be paid on 14 October 2016 to shareholders on the register on 9 September 2016. The ex-dividend date will be 8 September 2016. The dividend is subject to approval by the shareholders of the company at the Annual General Meeting. This dividend equates to £578,304 and has not been included as a liability at 30 April 2016.

5. Group reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt

6. Publication of Annual Report and Notice of Annual General Meeting

A copy of the 2016 Report & Accounts, together with a notice of the Annual General Meeting to be held at Tatra Rotalac Limited, Southmoor Road, Roundthorn Industrial Estate, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 9DU on 28 September 2016 at 12:00 p.m., will be sent to all shareholders on 5 September 2016. Further copies will be available to the public at the company's registered address at North Florida Road, Haydock Industrial Estate, Haydock, Merseyside WA11 9TP and on the Company's website at www.coralproducts.com.