TIDMFFX
RNS Number : 9000R
FAIRFX Group PLC
27 September 2017
27 September 2017
FairFX Group plc
("FairFX" or "the Group" or "the Company")
Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2017
Maiden Half Year Profit and continued strong growth
FairFX, the e-banking and international payments group,
announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June
2017.
Key Financial & Operational Highlights
-- Turnover up 26% to GBP434.0 million (H1 2016: GBP344.3 million)
-- Revenue up 33% to GBP6.1 million (H1 2016: GBP4.6 million)
-- Gross pro t increased by 37% to GBP4.8 million (H1 2016: GBP3.5 million)
-- Improved gross profit margin of 1.12% of turnover (H1 2016: 1.03%)
-- Maiden half year profit of GBP0.2 million (H1 2016: net loss GBP0.9 million)
-- Total retail customer numbers increased by 35,410 to 623,602
-- Corporate card turnover growth of 95% to GBP59.0 million (H1 2016: GBP30.3 million)
-- Acquired electronic money licence through Q Money acquisition
Post-Period End
-- Strong start to H2 with turnover in July and August up 12% on
same period last year (up 27% when stripping out lower margin
business for Leicester City FC)
-- Continued focus on higher margin product mix and
rationalisation of supply chain, improving gross margin
-- Completed fundraising in August raising net proceeds of
GBP26.2 million to acquire Spectrum Financial Group Limited
("CardOne") and to provide growth capital
-- Acquisition of CardOne will accelerate Group's stated
strategy of disrupting the SME banking space
Commenting on the results and outlook, Chief Executive Officer,
Ian Strafford-Taylor, said:
"The first half of the year has resulted in a strong performance
across the business, with a maiden half-year profit following our
first profitable quarter in Q4 2016. Top line turnover growth has
continued, and with the Group operationally geared, revenue is
increasingly flowing through to profit. This trend is expected to
continue in the second half of the year as we continue to grow and
rationalise the supply chain. Achieving this performance against a
backdrop of weak sterling, which is historically a headwind for the
business, is a great testament to the strides we have taken in
recent years to broaden the product mix.
"The outlook for the Group is further enhanced by our
acquisition of CardOne. In the short time since the deal was
completed, we have already made significant progress in combining
our two businesses into one and we are starting to extract cost
synergies with more to come. I am particularly delighted with how
the businesses complement each other and how the two locations are
already working together as a unified team."
Operational Summary
The operating environment for FairFX in the first half of 2017
was dominated by a weaker Pound, stemming from continued Brexit
worries and followed by a General Election which itself did not
deliver a clear result to reduce uncertainty. Against this
backdrop, the business has performed very well to deliver strong
growth. This growth is the result of targeted marketing to acquire
good quality customers at a lower cost of acquisition. In addition,
the Group has improved its Affiliate Sales efforts in order to
generate increased inbound leads, rather than relying on outbound
activity.
In January, the Group acquired an e-money licence through the
acquisition of Q Money Limited. The licence allows FairFX to hold
money on behalf of customers and to access the payment schemes
directly rather than through third parties. This licence also has
significantly reduced running costs and is more economical in
comparison to a full banking licence, due to the less intensive
capital and compliance requirements. The e-money licence itself
paved the way for the Group's recent acquisition of CardOne and the
expansion into digital banking services within the SME space. Since
gaining the e-money licence, significant work has been done both in
IT and infrastructure to build on these initiatives and will form
part of the deployments we expect to see in the remainder of 2017
and beyond.
FairFX's constant drive towards improving user-experience
remained a key focus in the first half. The Group continues to
focus on IT enhancements across the business to make it simpler to
both sign up as a customer (both consumer and business) and to
transact across all device types and interfaces. As part of this
continuing IT development, we also added considerable functionality
to our Corporate Platform on both desktop and app. Looking forward,
we will continue to target further technical developments towards
improving the functionality of both consumer and business
propositions, further rationalising the supply chain and
integrating the CardOne platform.
The process of combining CardOne with FairFX is proceeding
smoothly and we have a clear plan of actions and deliverables. The
Group is already operating as one overall entity across two
locations and beginning to optimise all processes from revenue
generation through to operations and finance. The cost synergies
identified at the time of the acquisition are already starting to
be realised ahead of expectations, with more to come as previously
stated.
Financial Review
The Group delivered another strong period of growth during the
first half of the year with a focus on improving margins. In terms
of turnover, growth was achieved across all areas of the business
with very strong performances in the Corporate Platform and
International Payments segments, a growth of 95% and 33%
respectively.
Group revenue grew by 33% compared to the first half of 2016,
whilst turnover grew by 26% demonstrating the improved margin
management and a better mix of products. Similarly, gross profit
growth, at 37%, was greater than revenue growth showing the first
effects of the rationalisation of the supply-chain and better
management of direct costs. The Group's overheads increased by 4.6%
on prior period last year, in line with the increase in trading
activity.
The Company achieved its maiden net profit in the first half of
GBP0.2 million (H1 2016: loss GBP0.9 million), a very significant
milestone for FairFX. Furthermore, of the GBP1.3 million increase
in gross profit on H1 2016, 80% flowed through to net profit,
demonstrating the Group's operational gearing and ability to take
advantage of further growth.
The Company's Balance Sheet remains healthy with net assets of
GBP4.9 million (H1 2016: GBP4.9 million), whilst cash and cash
equivalents (excluding client money) totalled GBP3.6 million (H1
2016 GBP3.5 million). Post the period end the Company raised net
proceeds of GBP26.2 million, which has increased the cash position
of the Group to approximately GBP17.1 million (excluding client
money) as at the end of August 2017 after accounting for the cash
consideration and associated fees for the CardOne acquisition and
placing expenses.
Current Trading and Outlook
FairFX continues to build on the significant growth seen in 2016
and the first half of 2017, with total turnover for July and August
at approximately GBP185 million, up 12 per cent on the same period
last year. When stripping out the effects of comparatively larger,
lower margin FX deals for Leicester City FC in 2016, the underlying
growth was 27 per cent. Growth has been broad based across retail
cards, corporate platform and International Payments and this trend
has continued into September.
Integration of the CardOne business acquired in August is
progressing well and is on track to deliver the expected cost
synergies for the enlarged Group as stated previously. The Board
remains excited about the growth opportunities that this
acquisition can deliver in the banking sector as well as the
significant cross-sell opportunities between both sets of
customers.
The Board remains confident about the trading outlook for the
business for the full year. We have an ongoing pipeline of IT
enhancements on both the consumer and business propositions with
the aim to make it as simple as possible to sign up as a customer
and to transact on any device. We believe that flexibility across
devices continues to be a competitive advantage.
Concurrently, we are continuing our rationalisation of the
supply chain, which is expected to yield direct benefits to
financial performance in 2017 and beyond. The Board believes that
the acquisition of CardOne will hasten this process as a result of
the Group's increased payment capability and larger combined
payment volume, which will enable it to negotiate better terms.
Accordingly, the Board of FairFX continues to be confident of
meeting market expectations for the full year.
Contact:
FairFX Group plc
Ian Strafford-Taylor,
CEO +44 (0) 20 7778 9308
Cenkos Securities plc
Max Hartley/Callum Davidson +44 (0) 20 7397 8900
Yellow Jersey
Charles Goodwin +44 (0) 7747 788 221
Abena Affum +44 (0) 7555 159 808
Katie Bairsto +44 (0) 7946 424 651
About FairFX
FairFX is a leading challenger brand in banking and payments
that disintermediates the incumbent banks with a superior user
experience and low cost operating model. This enables personal and
business customers to make easy, low-cost multi-currency payments
in a broad range of currencies and across a range of FX products
all via one integrated system. The FairFX platform facilitates
payments either direct to Bank Accounts or at 30 million merchants
and over 1 million ATM's in a broad range of countries globally via
Mobile apps, the Internet, SMS, wire transfer and MasterCard/VISA
debit cards.
FairFX provides banking and payment services to both personal
and business customers through four channels: Currency Cards,
Physical Currency, International Payments and Bank Accounts. The
Currency Card and Physical Currency offerings facilitate multiple
overseas payments at points of sale and ATM's whereas the
International Payments channel supports wire transfer foreign
exchange transactions direct to Bank Accounts. For Corporates,
FairFX has a market-leading business-expenses solution based around
its corporate prepaid platform and card that can yield significant
savings on a Corporate's procurement through better controls and
improved transparency and also streamline the procurement process
thus saving administrative costs. Through the recent acquisition of
CardOne, FairFX now has the capability to offer retail and business
Bank Accounts with all the functionality you would expect from a
Bank, namely faster payments, BACs, direct debits, international
payments and a debit card.
FairFX group PLC
consolidated statement of COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Notes Unaudited Unaudited Audited
6 Months 6 Months Year
Ended Ended Ended
30 June 2017 30 June 2016 31 December 2016
GBP GBP GBP
Gross value of
currency
transactions
sold 4 434,052,907 344,295,239 798,300,641
Gross value of
currency
transactions
purchased (427,948,544) (339,705,605) (788,105,667)
Revenue on
currency
transactions 6,104,363 4,589,634 10,194,974
Direct costs (1,256,949) (1,048,672) (2,725,788)
Gross margin 4,847,414 3,540,962 7,469,186
Administrative
expenses (4,697,022) (4,428,780) (8,909,376)
Profit / (loss)
before tax and
from
operations 150,392 (887,818) (1,440,190)
Tax expense 5 - - -
Profit / (loss)
for the period
/ year 150,392 (887,818) (1,440,190)
Profit / (loss)
per share
Basic 6 0.14p (0.99)p (1.49)p
Diluted 6 0.14p (0.99)p (1.49)p
All amounts relate to continuing activities.
FairFX group PLC
consolidated statement of FInancial POSITION
Unaudited as at Unaudited as at Audited as at
30 June 2017 30 June 2016 31 December 2016
GBP GBP GBP
ASSETS
Non-current assets
Intangibles 424,578 - -
Property, plant and equipment 199,275 78,236 75,258
623,853 78,236 75,258
Current assets
Inventories 281,590 198,165 229,905
Trade and other receivables 2,926,734 4,073,750 3,001,402
Derivative financial assets 205,910 489,365 223,884
Cash and cash equivalents 7,025,332 9,750,640 8,523,985
10,439,566 14,511,920 11,979,176
TOTAL ASSETS 11,063,419 14,590,156 12,054,434
EQUITY AND LIABILITIES
Equity attributable to Equity holders
Share capital 1,038,401 1,031,160 1,031,160
Share premium 10,482,032 10,174,274 10,174,273
Share based payment reserve 732,961 667,421 668,422
Merger reserve 5,416,083 5,416,083 5,416,083
Retained deficit (12,747,290) (12,345,310) (12,897,682)
4,922,187 4,943,628 4,392,256
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables 6,065,990 9,253,566 7,514,221
Derivatives and financial liabilities 75,242 392,962 147,957
6,141,232 9,646,528 7,662,178
TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 11,063,419 14,590,156 12,054,434
Included in cash and cash equivalents at 30 June 2017 was
GBP3.4m of client funds (30 June 2016: GBP6.0 million, 31 December
2016: GBP5.0 million).
FairFX group PLC
consolidated statement of CHANGES IN EQUITY
Share Total Equity
Based
Payment
Share Capital Share Retained Merger Reserve Attributable to
Premium De cit Shareholders
GBP GBP GBP GBP GBP GBP
Balance
as at 1
January
2016 768,660 5,313,780 667,421 (11,457,492) 5,416,083 708,452
Loss for
the period - - - (887,818) - (887,818)
Share based
payment
charge 262,500 4,860,494 - - - 5,122,994
Balance
as at 30
June 2016 1,031,160 10,174,274 667,421 (12,345,310) 5,416,083 4,943,628
Balance
as at 1
January
2016 768,660 5,313,780 667,421 (11,457,492) 5,416,083 708,452
Loss for
the year - - - (1,440,190) - (1,440,190)
Shares issued
in the year 262,500 4,860,493 - - - 5,122,993
Share based
payment
charge - - 1,001 - - 1,001
Balance
as at 31
December
2016 1,031,160 10,174,273 668,422 (12,897,682) 5,416,083 4,392,256
Profit for
the period - - - 150,392 - 150,392
Shares issued
in the period 7,241 307,758 - - - 314,999
Share based
payment
charge - - 64,539 - - 64,539
Balance
as at 30
June 2017 1,038,401 10,482,032 732,961 (12,747,290) 5,416,083 4,922,187
The following describes the nature and purpose of each reserve
within owners' equity:
Share capital Amount subscribed for shares at nominal
value.
Share premium Amount subscribed for shares in excess
of nominal value less costs directly
attributable to the Initial Public
Offer of the company's share.
Share based Fair value of share options granted
payment to both directors and employees.
Retained deficit Cumulative profit and losses are
attributable to equity shareholders.
Merger reserve Arising on reverse acquisition from
group reorganisation.
Under the principles of reverse acquisition accounting, the
group is presented as if FAIRFX Group Plc had always owned the
FAIRFX (UK) Limited group. The comparative and current period
consolidated reserves of the group are adjusted to reflect the
statutory share capital and merger reserve of FAIRFX Group Plc as
if it had always existed.
FairFX group PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Audited
Unaudited Unaudited as at
6 months 6 months Year
ended ended ended
30 June 30 June 31 December
2017 2016 2016
GBP GBP GBP
Profit / (Loss) for the
period / year 150,392 (887,818) (1,440,190)
Cash flow from operating
activities
Adjustments for:
Depreciation 15,108 24,500 53,423
Share based payment charge 64,539 - 1,001
Decrease / (increase) in
trade and other receivables 74,668 (2,108,746) (1,036,399)
Decrease (increase) in
derivative financial assets 17,974 (373,654) (108,173)
(Decrease) / increase in
trade and other payables (1,448,134) 4,789,641 3,050,296
Increase in derivative
financial liabilities (72,714) (306,279) (551,284)
Decrease / (increase) in
inventories (51,685) (103,072) (134,811)
Net cash generated from
operating activities (1,249,852) 1,034,572 (166,137)
Cash flows from investing
activities
Purchase of property, plant
and equipment (139,125) (21,981) (47,927)
Acquisition of subsidiary,
net of cash acquired (424,675) - -
Net cash used in investing
activities (563,800) (21,981) (47,927)
Cash flows from financing
activities
Proceeds from issuance
of shares 314,999 5,250,000 5,250,000
Costs directly attributable
to share issuance - (127,007) (127,007)
Net cash from financing
activities 314,999 5,122,993 5,122,993
Net increase / (decrease)
in cash and cash equivalents (1,498,653) 6,135,584 4,908,929
Cash and cash equivalents
at the beginning of the
period / year 8,523,985 3,615,056 3,615,056
Cash and cash equivalents
at the end of the period
/ year 7,025,332 9,750,640 8,523,985
Included in cash and cash equivalents at 30 June 2017 was
GBP3.4m of client funds (30 June 2016: GBP6.0 million, 31 December
2016: GBP5.0 million).
Notes to the unaudited Consolidated Interim Report for the six
months ending 30 June 2017
1. Basis of preparation and accounting policies
The interim nancial statements have been prepared in accordance
with the AIM rules and the basis of accounting policies set out in
the accounts of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2016. The
consolidated interim nancial statements have been prepared using
recognition and measurement principles of IFRS as adopted for use
in the European Union. The IASB has issued a number of IFRS and
IFRIC amendments or interpretations since the last annual report
was published. It is not expected that any of these will have a
material impact on the Group and therefore accounting policies
applied are consistent with those disclosed in the annual nancial
statements for the year ended 31 December 2016.
The interim nancial statements are unaudited and were approved
by the Board of Directors for issue on 27 September 2017. The
information set out herein is abbreviated and does not constitute
statutory accounts within the meaning of Section 434 of the
Companies Act 2006. These interim consolidated nancial statements
do not include all disclosures which would be required in a
complete set of nancial statements and should be read in
conjunction with the 2016 Annual Report. The results for the year
ended 31 December 2016 are in abbreviated form and have been
extracted from the published nancial statements of the Group. There
were audited and reported upon without quali cation by KPMG LLP and
did not contain a statement under Section 498 (2) or (3) of the
Companies Act 2006.
The Group has not applied IAS 34 "Interim Financial Reporting"
(which is not mandatory for UK Groups) in the preparation of this
interim report.
The Company is a limited liability company incorporated and
domiciled in England and Wales and whose shares are quoted on AIM,
a market operated by The London Stock Exchange. The Group nancial
statements are presented in pounds Sterling, which is the Group's
presentational currency.
2. Basis of consolidation
The consolidated nancial statements incorporate the nancial
statements of the Company and its subsidiary undertakings. The
company did not undertake any transactions prior to 30 June
2014.
On 5 August 2014, FAIRFX Group plc listed its shares on AIM, a
market operated by The London Stock Exchange. In preparation for
the Initial Public O ering ("IPO") the Group was restructured. The
restructure impacted a number of the prior year and comparative
primary nancial statements and notes. The e ect of this
reorganisation was to insert one new company into the Group, a new
ultimate holding company, FAIRFX Group plc.
FAIRFX Group Plc acquired the entire share capital of FAIRFX
(UK) Limited (previously named FAIRFX Group Limited) on 22 July
2014 through a share for share exchange. For the consolidated
financial statements of the Group, prepared under IFRS, the
principles of reverse acquisition under IFRS 3 "Business
Combinations" have been applied. The steps to restructure the group
had the effect of FAIRFX Group Plc being inserted above FAIRFX (UK)
Limited. The holders of the share capital of FAIRFX (UK) Limited
were issued fifty shares in FAIRFX Group Plc for one share held in
FAIRFX (UK) Limited.
By applying the principles of reverse acquisition accounting,
the Group is presented as if FAIRFX Group plc had always owned and
controlled the FAIRFX group. Comparatives have also been prepared
on this basis. Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of FAIRFX
Group plc have been recognised at their historical carrying
amounts, the results for the periods prior to the date the Company
legally obtained control have been recognised and the nancial
information and cash ows re ect those of the "former" FAIRFX (UK)
Limited group.
3. Going concern basis
The nancial statements have been prepared on a going concern
basis. In determining the appropriate basis of preparation of the
interim statements, the Directors are required to consider whether
the Group can continue in operational existence for the foreseeable
future. The Directors are of the opinion that the Group and Company
have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for
the foreseeable future and feel it is appropriate to adopt the
going concern basis in the preparation of the interim
statements.
4. Segmental analysis
The revenue for the group is generated through the provision of
foreign currency services and this is the sole operating segment of
the group. The revenue is wholly derived from within the UK.
5. Taxation
There is no charge for current or deferred tax due to the
availability of tax losses. Deferred tax assets are recognised for
tax losses carried forward to the extent that the realisation of
the related tax benefit through future taxable profits is
considered more likely than not. The decision to recognise any
asset will be taken at such point recovery is reasonably certain,
when the group returns to profitability.
6. Profit / Loss per share
The profit / loss per ordinary share is based on a loss
attributable to equity shareholders of the parent company.
Unaudited Unaudited Audited
6 months ended 6 months ended Year ended
30 June 2017 30 June 2016 31 December
GBP GBP 2016
GBP
Earnings:
Profit / Loss
for the purposes
of basic and
diluted profit/loss
per share (PPS/LPS)
being the net
profit/loss attributable
to the owners
of the Company 150,392 (887,818) (1,440,190)
Number of shares:
Weighted average
number of Ordinary
shares for the
purpose of basic
PPS/LPS 103,768,161 89,991,039 96,553,539
The calculation of diluted earnings per share has been based on
the profit / loss attributable to ordinary shareholders and a
weighted average number of shares outstanding, after adjustments
for the effects of all dilutive potential ordinary shares.
7. Dividends
The Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend.
8. Share capital and merger reserve
As at As at As at
30 June 2017 30 June 2016 31 December 2016
Number GBP Number GBP Number GBP
Allotted,
issued and
fully paid
Ordinary
shares of
1p each 103,840,175 1,038,402 103,116,039 1,031,160 103,116,039 1,031,160
Under the principles of reverse acquisition accounting, the
group is presented as if FAIRFX Group Plc had always owned the
FAIRFX (UK) Limited group. The comparative and current period
consolidated reserves of the group are adjusted to reflect the
statutory share capital and merger reserve of FAIRFX Group Plc as
if it had always existed.
Since 30 June 2016, the company has made the following share
issues:
Gross Nominal
Price value Value Costs
Date of No Shares per of shares of shares of share
Issue Issued share issued issued issues Share Premium
19 January 724,136 GBP0.435 GBP314,999 GBP7,241 - GBP307,758
2017
Total 724,136 GBP314,999 GBP7,241 - GBP307,758
========== =========== =========== ========== ==============
9. Events after the reporting date
On the 25(th) August 2017, the Group made a share placing and
open offer to raise net proceeds of GBP26.2 million. On the same
day the Group acquired the entire share capital of Spectrum
Financial Group Limited. The consideration payable for the
acquisition was GBP15,000,000, satisfied by issue of 3,762,930
ordinary shares of 1p each in the Company at an issue price of
58.0p and cash consideration of GBP12.8 million.
10. Interim announcement
The interim report was approved by the Board of Director for
issue on 27 September 2017. A copy will be posted on the Investor
section of the Company's website at www.fairfxplc.com.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
IR UNOKRBSAKUAR
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