RNS Number:4061K
Slingsby(H.C.)Plc
25 April 2003

H C SLINGSBY PLC



Preliminary announcement for the year to 31 December 2002



Statement by the Chairman



It is satisfying to report that despite a 3.8% drop in turnover we have achieved
a pre-tax profit figure of #1.1million which is very similar to last year's
performance. This result has been achieved in overall terms by improvements in
our operating efficiency, tighter cost control and the effort and enthusiasm of
the staff at all levels.



In August 2002, the Company achieved certification to ISO9001: 2000 following a
period of investment in education and quality awareness of personnel.
Continuing along this theme, we are examining our commercial activities across
the business and are about to embark on a number of significant projects
including site and facilities re-organisation and lean engineering development
programmes.



Throughout the year, our marketing strategy has continued to evolve.  Superior
segmentation of our customer base and more accurate targeting of campaigns have
resulted in an improved return on investment and greater value from key
accounts.  Our internet site has been completely re-designed to reflect our more
contemporary brand positioning and now supports our fully integrated e-commerce
facility.  Extensive new product development was also a feature of the year and
our latest Spring/Summer 2003 catalogue incorporates nine thousand new additions
including many new categories of product.



The reduction in consumer confidence, and the general economic uncertainty on a
global level in advance of the troubles in the Gulf, brought about a marked
decline in commercial consumption as the year progressed, hampering our top line
sales performance. Furthermore, since the commencement of military action in
Iraq and as the nervousness of the economy continues, our order levels continue
to be affected and we now find ourselves slightly behind last year's cumulative
figure at the same point.



Your Board is pleased to recommend a final dividend of 25.0p per share (2001:
25.0p per share).  The total dividend for the year is therefore 30.0p per share
(2001: 30.0p per share).  The record date will be 30 May 2003 and the payment
date for the final dividend 1 July 2003.



J F Slingsby
Chairman
25 April 2003



Registered Office
Preston Street
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD7 1JF


The following extracts are not full financial statements for the Company.  Full
financial statements will be issued to the shareholders on 23 May 2003 and will
be available to members of the public at the registered office of the Company
from that date.  The announcement has been agreed with the Company's auditors
for release.



The information for the year ended 31 December 2001 is an extract from the
statutory accounts to that date which have been delivered to the Registrar of
Companies.  Those accounts included an audit report which was unqualified and
which did not contain a statement under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies
Act 1985.  The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2002, upon
which the auditors have still to report, will be delivered to the Registrar
following the Company's Annual General Meeting.



The Annual General Meeting will be held on 19 June 2003.



Profit and Loss Account for the year ended 31 December 2002


                                                                                     Unaudited            Audited
                                                                                          2002               2001
                                                                                         #'000              #'000
                                                                                                       (Restated)

Turnover - continuing operations                                                        17,333             18,023
                                                                                         =====              =====
Operating profit - Continuing Operations                                                   994              1,014
Interest receivable                                                                        113                121
                                                                                        ______             ______
Profit on ordinary activities before taxation                                            1,107              1,135
Taxation                                                                                 (319)              (345)
                                                                                        ______             ______
Profit attributable to shareholders                                                        788                790
                                                                                         =====              =====
Dividends :
Interim Paid                                                                                50                 50
Proposed Final                                                                             250                250
                                                                                        ______             ______
Earnings per share                                                                       78.8p              79.0p

                                                                                         =====              =====


Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share is based upon earnings of #788,000 (2001: #790,000) and
on 1,000,000 (2001: 1,000,000) ordinary shares in issue during the year.  There
is no difference between basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share
for both years stated.



Statement of total recognised gains and losses for the year ended 31 December
2002


                                                                                   Unaudited              Audited
                                                                                        2002                 2001
                                                                                       #'000                #'000
                                                                                                       (Restated)
                                                                       Note

Retained profit for the year                                                             488                  490

Prior year adjustment                                                  5                 (50)                   -
                                                                                         
                                                                                       ______              ______
Total gains recognised since last annual report                                                               490
                                                                                         438
                                                                                        =====               =====



Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2002


                                                                                     Unaudited            Audited
                                                                                          2002               2001
                                                                                         #'000              #'000
                                                                                                       (Restated)
Fixed assets:
Tangible assets                                                                          1,799              1,762
Investments                                                                                300                300
                                                                                        ______             ______
                                                                                         2,099              2,062
                                                                                        ______             ______

Current assets:

Stock                                                                                    1,326              1,409
Debtors                                                                                  2,731              2,871
Cash at bank and in hand                                                                 3,755              3,398
                                                                                        ______             ______
                                                                                         7,812              7,678
Creditors:  Amounts falling due within one year                                        (3,877)            (4,210)
                                                                                        ______             ______
Net current assets                                                                      3,935               3,468

                                                                                        ______             ______
Total assets less current liabilities                                                    6,034              5,530

Provisions for liabilities and charges:
Deferred taxation                                                                         (78)               (62)
                                                                                        ______             ______

Net assets                                                                               5,956              5,468

                                                                                         =====              =====
Capital and reserves:
Called up share capital                                                                    250                250
Profit and loss account                                                                  5,706              5,218

                                                                                        ______             ______

Equity shareholders' funds                                                               5,956              5,468

                                                                                         =====              =====




Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 December 2002


                                                                                    Unaudited            Audited

                                                                                         2002               2001

                                                                                        #'000              #'000
Operating activities:
Net cash inflow from operating activities (Note 1)                                       1,533              1,286
Returns on investments and servicing of finance:

Interest received                                                                          113                121
Taxation:

UK Corporation tax paid                                                                  (354)              (324)
Capital expenditure and financial investment:

Purchase of tangible fixed assets                                                        (414)              (354)
Sales of tangible fixed assets                                                             108
                                                                                                               62
                                                                                        ______             ______
Net cash outflow from capital expenditure
and financial investment                                                                 (306)              (292)

Equity dividends paid                                                                    (300)              (300)

                                                                                        ______             ______
Net cash inflow before use of liquid resources                                             686                491

Management of liquid resources:

Increase in short term deposits with banks                                               (300)            (1,200)
                                                                                        ______             ______
Increase / (decrease) in cash in the period                                                386              (709)

                                                                                         =====              =====




Cash Flow Statement Notes for the year ended 31 December 2002



1.          Reconciliation of operating profit to net cash inflow from operating
activities


                                                                                    Unaudited            Audited

                                                                                         2002               2001

                                                                                        #'000              #'000

Net cash inflow from operating activities:
Operating Profit                                                                           994              1,014
Depreciation charges                                                                     301                  303

Profit on sale of tangible fixed assets                                                   (18)
                                                                                                              (6)
Decrease  in stocks                                                                         83                 66
Decrease in trade debtors                                                                  248                284
(Increase) / decrease in prepayments                                                     (118)                125
Increase / (decrease) in trade creditors                                                   337
                                                                                                            (443)
(Decrease) in other taxation and social security                                          (38)
                                                                                                             (12)
(Decrease)  in other creditors and accruals                                              (256)               (45)
                                                                                        ______             ______
Net cash inflow from operating activities                                                1,533              1,286

                                                                                         =====              =====



2.             Reconciliation to net cash


                                                                                    Unaudited            Audited

                                                                                         2002               2001

                                                                                        #'000              #'000

Changes during the year
Cash at bank in hand at 1 January                                                        3,069             2,578
                                                                                         
Increase / (decrease) in net cash                                                          386              (709)

Movement in short-term deposits                                                            300              1,200

                                                                                        ______             ______

Cash at bank and in hand at 31 December                                                  3,755              3,069

                                                                                         =====              =====




3.      The financial statements, which are unaudited, have been prepared on the
basis of the accounting policies set out in the 2001 Annual Report and Accounts
except for the adoption of FRS 19 "Deferred Tax", the effects of which are
described in note 5.



4.      The comparative figures for the year ended 31 December 2001 do not
constitute full financial statements and have been abridged from the full
accounts for the year ended on that date, on which the auditors gave an
unqualified report, as restated for the impact of FRS 19.  The 2001 accounts
have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.



5.      Financial Reporting Standard 19 "Deferred Tax" has been adopted for the
first time in the financial statements and full provision for deferred tax has
been made.  In previous periods the Company's accounting policy was not to
provide for deferred tax unless there was a reasonable probability that a
liability would arise in the foreseeable future.  The change in policy has been
accounted for by means of a prior year adjustment of #45,000 as at 1 January
2001.  The effect of the change in accounting policy has been to increase the
tax charge for the year ended 31 December 2001 by #5,000 and the results have
been restated accordingly.  The cumulative adjustment to prior year reserves at
1 January 2002 is #50,000.




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