12 Feb 2010 07:00
DDD GROUP PLC (the "Company")
TRADING STATEMENT AND 2009 PRELIMINARY RESULTS PUBLICATION DATE
The Company announced that trading during the second half of 2009 has continued to show similar levels of growth to those experienced during the first half of the year. Accordingly, the Company expects to report full year revenue of approximately £1.4 million compared to £592,000 for the prior financial year. The Company also expects to report improvements in gross profit margins of approximately 10 percent compared to the prior year; and, as previously reported, operating expenses are expected to increase by approximately 6 percent compared to the same period during 2008, primarily due to changes in exchange rates.
During the year, Acer launched their first 3D notebook PC that has resulted from the collaboration between the Company and Wistron Corporation. Sales commenced worldwide in late October following the introduction of Windows 7 with shipments of just over 50,000 units for the year. The Acer Cinereal 3D application for 3D movies, photos and games is based on the Company's TriDef 3D Experience software for which DDD receives a per unit royalty fee from Wistron Corporation.
The Company launched Yabazam.com, an online source of high definition, originally made 3D films. Trailers for several Yabazam.com 3D movies are packaged with the Acer 3D notebook PC. The Company expects digital broadband to become an increasingly important aspect of delivering high quality 3D content to customers of the latest 3D PCs and HDTVs.
Through the partnership with The Littlefield Company, the Company also began marketing a cost effective 2D to 3D conversion process aimed at television networks and studios that are seeking to enter the emerging 3D broadcast market. Following presentations to senior executives in virtually every major US broadcast network, the Company is presently completing a number of 3D conversion tests of popular television shows. Following recent announcements of imminent 3D TV channel launches by broadcasters in the US, Europe and Asia, the Company expects that a cost effective 3D conversion capability for existing high definition programming will be instrumental in creating content for 3D broadcast channels.
Following the end of the 2009 period, The Company's TriDef 3D conversion technologies were featured by a number of brand name companies in a variety of emerging 3D consumer devices at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Company's 3D game conversion technologies were demonstrated by Intel Corporation ("Intel") on their stand as well as during the keynote presentation given by Paul Otellini, Intel's chief executive. Elsewhere, the Company's TriDef software was demonstrated as part of the Acer 3D notebook PC exhibited by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and also by Lenovo who demonstrated a 3D version of the IdeaPad Y560 notebook PC. Samsung Electronics and Hyundai IT both demonstrated the Company's real time 3D conversion capabilities embedded on 3D processing chips inside their 3D LCD TVs while Quartics Inc. demonstrated the Company's 3D conversion capabilities on their new Qvu video processing chip. Finally one of the world's leading set top box suppliers presented a set top box incorporating the Company's 3D conversion capabilities at an 'invitation-only' demonstration.
Commenting on the 2009 achievements, the Company's Chairman, Paul Kristensen, said, "It is pleasing to see that the market for 3D consumer devices is gathering momentum. The Company has continued to achieve strong growth in turnover despite facing challenging global economic conditions. The Company continues to experience positive interest from additional consumer electronics companies, and expects to secure further licensing contracts, particularly for personal computers, next generation 3D televisions and 3D TV peripherals."
The Company also announces that it expects to publish the 2009 preliminary results during the week of April 19th, 2010.
Enquiries:
| DDD Group |
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| Chris Yewdall, President & CEO | +1 310 566-3340 |
| e-mail: info@ddd.com |
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| Brewin Dolphin |
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| Sandy Fraser, Managing Director - Corporate Finance | +44 (0) 131 529 0272 |
| Paul Mason, Assistant Director - Corporate Finance | +44 (0) 141 314 8208 |
END
DDD.L (DDD)