1 August 2018
HARGREAVES SERVICES PLC
Preliminary Results for the year ended 31 May 2018
Hargreaves Services plc (AIM: HSP), a diversified group delivering key services to the industrial and property sectors, announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31 May 2018.
HIGHLIGHTS
· Underlying trading satisfactory and in line with management expectations
· Distribution & Services Underlying Operating Profit margin up to 4.6% (2017: 4.3%)
· Independent property valuation confirms £20m market value uplift and a further £28m development value uplift
· Total property valuation uplift equates to 129p per share
· Good progress continues to be made on the development of the Blindwells project
· £29m Legacy assets to realise, down from £66m two years ago, with the majority to be realised by 31 May 2019
· Disposal of Brockwell Energy, treated as a Discontinued Operation, well advanced
· Roger McDowell becomes Chairman, 1 August 2018
· Final dividend maintained at 4.5p; full year dividend of 7.2p (2017: 7.2p)
Commenting on the preliminary results, retiring Chairman David Morgan said: "The Group is delivering against its strategic objectives. As revenues from traditional markets decline, operational focus is on risk management and margin improvement. Value realisation from the Group's Property and Energy assets is continuing with exclusivity granted to a purchaser for the Energy portfolio and sale completion expected in the next few months. Independent property valuations confirm the latent value in the Group's property portfolio. Legacy asset realisation should be substantially completed by 31 May 2019. The Board looks forward to an improvement in cash generation and underlying operating profits."
Analyst meeting
A meeting for analysts will be held at 10.00am this morning, 1 August 2018, at the offices of Buchanan,
107 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DN. Please contact Buchanan on 020 7466 5000 for further information.
***Further details via link below***
http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=6074171