> REG-Spiritel PLC Final Results

Released: 31/07/2008

com:20080731:Rnse2736A
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RNS Number : 2736A  
  
Spiritel PLC  
  
31 July 2008  
  
For release, 07.00 31 July 2008  
  
SPIRITEL PLC  
  
("SpiriTel" or "The Group")  
  
PRELIMINARY UNAUDITED RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2008  
  
SpiriTel plc (AIM: STP), the business communications service provider, is 
pleased to announce preliminary unaudited results for the year ended 30 April 
2008.   
  
Commenting on the results, Lord St. John of Bletso said: "I am pleased to report 
on an excellent year of growth and development for SpiriTel plc. The Group is 
now a fully integrated business communications provider delivering fixed, 
mobile, data and networking services to wide ranging business customers across 
the UK. The Group is now very well placed to progress its chosen strategy 
further towards robust, accelerating profitability and value delivery to our 
shareholders."  
  
Highlights:   
  
 
 * Underlying EBITDA* 15% ahead of market expectations at £938,000 (2007: loss 
of £861,000) 
 * Revenue up 20% to £16.7 million (2007: £13.9 million) 
 * Gross profit up 220% to £6.42 million (2007: £2.0 million) 
 * Pre tax loss £4.0 million (2007: £3.1 million), after non-cash finance 
costs** of £3.1m (2007: £0.6m) 
 * New 5 year debt and overdraft facility of £2.7m from Clydesdale Bank 
 * Cash inflow from operating activities of £0.9m (2007: £1.2m outflow) 
 * Two earnings enhancing acquisitions completed: tdotcom and WN1  
 * UK's largest hosted VoIP and WiFi contract with Regent Inns 
 * Completion of two year business restructure and rationalisation 
 * Post year end balance sheet restructure - partial conversion of Penta debt to 
ordinary shares and waiver of more than £800,000 annual interest costs  
 * Post year end SpiriTel receives industry recognition with two national awards 
for the converged solution pioneered for Regent Inns  
  
* Operating profit after adding back charges for depreciation, amortisation, 
share-based payments and exceptional costs   
  
** Non-cash finance costs comprise redemption premiums on the Penta debt and 
preference shares granted alongside the conversion rights less interest waived 
plus IFRS charges.  
  
Chief Executive, Alastair Mills added: "This has been a year of genuine 
turnaround for SpiriTel. We are profitable in the new financial year, turnover 
has increased markedly and we have achieved widespread recognition for the 
quality and pioneering nature of the IP communications services we are 
delivering to a broad range of business customers across the UK. Following two 
more acquisitions during the year, the Group is now a fully integrated business 
communications provider. This is a key differentiator for us in a market where 
customers are increasingly looking to one supplier to provide the full range of 
communications services they need. In a highly fragmented sector, we are also 
taking advantage of ongoing acquisition opportunities to expand our customer 
base, enhance earnings and, where appropriate, bring new products to the Group 
offering."   
  
For further information please visit www.SpiriTelplc.com or contact:   
  
 
  SpiriTel plc            Tavistock Communications   Daniel Stewart         
  Alastair Mills          Simon Hudson               Simon Leathers         
  Chief Executive         Clemmie Carr               Stewart Dick           
  Tel: +44 20 7160 0100   Tel: +44 20 7920 3150      Tel: +44 20 7776 6550  
  
  
Chairman's statement  
  
Introduction  
  
I am pleased to report on a further year of growth and development for SpiriTel 
plc. The Group is now a fully integrated business communications provider 
delivering fixed and mobile, voice, data and networking services to a wide range 
of business customers across the UK.   
  
SpiriTel has made significant progress this year and is a radically transformed 
business. The Group is currently profitable with strong cash flows and a robust 
debt and equity structure following the initial £2.6 million Penta debt 
conversion in May 2008. The operational restructuring and rebuilding of the 
business that we began some two years ago was only completed during the year 
under review and so this set of results reflects only partially the 
transformation achieved by the management team.   
  
Results  
  
Underlying EBITDA* has moved from a loss in 2007 of £0.9 million to a profit of 
£0.9 million and revenue was up 20% to £16.7 million (2007: £13.6 million). 
Gross profit increased by 220% to £6.4 million (2007: £2.0 million) with gross 
profit margins up to 38.5% from 14.9% in 2007. These margin improvements are a 
result of both enhanced margins on continued operations and an improving product 
mix towards higher margin products and services. Acquisitions have also 
contributed to the increased profits of the business and the level of 
operational gearing has enabled us to deliver higher earnings from these 
acquired businesses.   
  
These results are a significant achievement for SpiriTel and demonstrate that 
the progress made in restructuring and realigning the business is now flowing 
through to revenue and profit enhancement. The two acquisitions made in the year 
under review, tdotcom Limited and WN1 Limited, contributed for only six months 
and one month respectively. We look forward to incorporating a full year's 
earnings from these businesses, which should deliver a significantly enhanced 
level of profitability in the current financial year.  
  
Dividend  
  
SpiriTel is still pursuing its acquisition strategy and therefore reinvesting 
funds generated from operations into the business. The Directors are not 
recommending the payment of a dividend for the year to 30 April 2008.   
  
Board  
  
As reported in our interim statements, we appointed Ronnie Smith to the Board as 
the Group's Chief Financial Officer following his tenure as Finance Director. We 
also appointed David Anahory as Managing Director of SpiriTel Business. David 
joined us from Carphone Warehouse where he was the Commercial Director 
responsible for over 100,000 customers in their Business Division.    
  
Both Ronnie and David are integral to the success of the business and played 
significant roles over the course of the financial year in the delivery of much 
improved financial and operational performance.   
  
I am also pleased to report that our Chief Executive, Alastair Mills, received 
personal recognition for the Group's progress with a nomination as a finalist 
for the 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. The award is 
recognised globally and marks entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and outstanding 
leadership and drive. I congratulate him on this achievement.   
  
Current year and outlook  
  
Revenues and profitability are currently running at levels significantly above 
those of a year ago with earnings visibility from contracted revenue continuing 
to grow. This is a reflection of our acquisitions and the strong organic growth 
being driven by our push to cross sell products and services into our expanded 
customer base. We also achieved substantial improvement in margins during the 
year under review and these strong margins have been maintained into the current 
financial year.  
  
In June 2008, we completed the integration of our most recent acquisition, 
mobile specialist WN1 Communications, which has now been fully re-branded as 
SpiriTel Mobile and relocated to our Business Division's Wigan office. We look 
forward to reporting a full six months contribution from the WN1 acquisition in 
our next interim results.   
  
During the year, we have successfully executed our 'Acquire, Integrate, Grow' 
strategy and as a result the business has delivered much improved financial and 
operational results. The Group is now very well placed to further progress its 
chosen strategy towards robust, accelerating profitability and value delivery to 
its shareholders.    
  
Lord St John of Bletso  
  
Chairman  
  
31 July 2008  
  
  Chief Executive's review  
  
2007/08 has been a year of considerable progress for SpiriTel and I am delighted 
to be able to provide the most positive review since the current management team 
took charge of SpiriTel's strategy. Our restructure of the Group is complete and 
the combination of organic growth alongside selective earnings enhancing 
acquisitions is now reflected in improved operational and financial performance 
across the Group. Whilst growing overall customer numbers, we have also sold 
more products to our existing customers, which is now a key focus for the 
management team. During the year, we also reached agreement for an important 
balance sheet restructure which was approved at our EGM post year end in May 
2008.   
  
During the year, we completed our fourth and fifth acquisitions with tdotcom 
Limited and WN1 Limited. The acquisition of WN1, now fully re-branded as 
SpiriTel Mobile, completed our B2B communications product set, adding mobile to 
our existing fixed line, data and networking services. The tdotcom transaction 
leveraged our existing operational infrastructure, enabling us to rapidly 
integrate the value of tdotcom's services and customers into SpiriTel Business. 
Both acquisitions are good examples of our acquisition strategy: buy quality 
businesses with attractive customer bases, integrate them swiftly and drive 
forward the resulting synergy benefits of cost savings and new sales 
opportunities.   
  
Results   
  
Revenue for the year to 30 April 2008 was up 20% to £16.7 million (2007: £13.6 
million) and gross profit increased to £6.42 million (2007: £2.0 million), a 
rise of 220%. Underlying EBITDA* increased significantly to £938,000 profit 
(2007: £861,000 loss), albeit there was only a part year contribution from the 
two acquisitions, tdotcom and WN1. As a result of the timing of these 
acquisitions, the Group is currently performing at a level that is significantly 
ahead of the year ended 30 April 2008.   
  
At a divisional level, SpiriTel Business' revenue increased by 313% to £6.74 
million (2007: £1.63 million) while Underlying EBITDA* increased more than 
fourfold to £1,125,000 (2007: £236,000), Our other Division, SpiriTel 
Technologies, increased Underlying EBITDA* to £1,024,000 (2007: £40,000 loss).  
  
The loss before taxation for the year was £4.0m (2007: £3.1m), after non- cash 
interest charges of £3.1m (2007: £0.6m). The non-cash interest charges relate to 
redemption premiums charged by Penta Capital Partners ("Penta") on the granting 
of conversion rights, waiver of accrued interest costs and finance charges 
related to the adoption of IFRS.  
  
* Operating profit after adding back charges for depreciation, amortisation, 
share-based payments and exceptional costs  
  
Balance sheet  
  
Post year end, we successfully agreed on the restructuring of the Group's 
balance sheet. Conversion rights were granted over the Group's total 
indebtedness of £11 million to Penta in exchange for a waiver of all interest 
costs from 1 November 2007 until 1 May 2010. An initial conversion of £2.6 
million of indebtedness took place on 22 May 2008 at 1.1 pence per ordinary 
share (a premium to the then share price) which increased Penta's shareholding 
to 49.99%. The remaining indebtedness of £8.4 million is convertible at the 
higher of the most recent placing price and 1.5 pence per ordinary share, 
subject to Penta's shareholding not exceeding 49.99%.   
  
The waiver of interest costs will save the Group approximately £0.8 million in 
annual interest charges and will result in a credit to profits of £0.4 million 
in the current year to 30 April 2009. This is a milestone for SpiriTel that 
significantly strengthens the Group's balance sheet and improves our ability to 
attract future funding partners. I would like to take this opportunity to thank 
Penta for their support, encouragement and advice during our restructure of the 
Group's business.  
  
During the year, we secured an initial £1.0 million loan and overdraft facility 
from Clydesdale Bank to support our acquisition strategy. The successful 
negotiation of this facility represented a welcome endorsement of both our 
progress and our acquisition strategy. The facility was extended by £500,000 on 
31 January 2008 and by a further £1,200,000 on 2 April 2008 giving a total 
facility of £2.7 million, of which £1.95 million is repayable over five years.  
  
Strategy   
  
The UK communications market remains highly fragmented on the supply side whilst 
the demand from customers for converged IP based services is accelerating and 
these are key drivers behind the ongoing consolidation in our sector.  
  
SpiriTel continues to play a significant role in this consolidation through our 
"Acquire, Integrate, Grow" strategy as we build a business with the operational 
scale and the broad product offering that corporate customers demand. During the 
year, we successfully executed two earnings enhancing acquisitions that expanded 
both our product portfolio and customer base. Our bespoke and proven integration 
framework was used effectively to incorporate these acquisitions swiftly and 
efficiently, as illustrated by the full integration of tdotcom into SpiriTel 
Business in just 25 working days.  
  
We continue to target growth by selective acquisition in order to leverage the 
scale of our operations and breadth of our product portfolio. Increasingly, our 
focus is on cross selling our now complete integrated suite of voice and data 
services into our expanding customer base. Cross selling is a major focus during 
the current year as many of our acquired customers have only ever taken one or 
two products from the Group. As a result, product penetration is currently low 
and we are confident of our ability to benefit from the considerable upside 
opportunity that cross selling presents. As customers start to migrate to hosted 
and managed services under long term contracts, we are also benefiting from a 
much increased visibility of future earnings.  
  
Acquisitions  
  
During the year we completed two acquisitions that added both scale and new 
product lines and services to our Business Division. The first of these was 
tdotcom, a London based value added maintainer and supplier of 
telecommunications systems, acquired in October 2007. This was a loss making 
business which we turned around, post integration, into a business with an 
operating profit margin in excess of 30% that contributed immediately to Group 
earnings. The process of integration involved cost saving measures alongside 
cross selling upsides and clearly demonstrated the success of our model which we 
consider to be highly replicable for future acquisitions. tdotcom brought to 
SpiriTel a number of high profile clients such as The City of London and BBC 
Worldwide and also strengthened our strategic relationship with Mitel. tdotcom 
was combined with Wigan-based Ashland Group, acquired in March 2007, to form our 
IP Communications product line within SpiriTel's Business Division.  
  
The second acquisition, in April 2008, was WN1 Limited. WN1 is a leading 
reseller of mobile voice, data and Blackberry services, and holds key industry 
accreditations as an O2 Advance Partner, T-Mobile Business Partner and a 
Blackberry Alliance Member. It services exclusively business customers, which 
include Lufthansa, Servisair and Wigan Athletic Football Club. At the time of 
writing, we have completed the re-branding of WN1 as SpiriTel Mobile, also 
within the Business Division, and have moved their staff into our Wigan office 
with a number of back office functions being merged.    
  
Both acquisitions were immediately earnings enhancing for SpiriTel and in line 
with our organic growth strategy they have provided many significant cross 
selling opportunities for the Group. For example, we have had several wins in 
providing fixed line services to tdotcom (now SpiriTel IP Communications) 
clients and WN1 (now SpiriTel Mobile) has successfully tendered for the supply 
of mobile voice and data services to existing Group customers.   
  
We currently have a strong pipeline of acquisition targets that meet our 
criteria of being quickly earnings enhancing with additional upside opportunity 
from cost savings and cross selling. All acquisitions add scale in terms of 
customer numbers and some add engineering resource (for instance, tdotcom). 
Others, such as WN1, add new product lines as well as expanding our customer 
base which, in turn, provides further cross selling opportunities. In a rapidly 
consolidating sector, the opportunity to acquire complementary businesses is 
compelling. We remain selective in our evaluation of targets so as to ensure we 
minimise execution risk through adding the right customers, products and staff 
to our existing base. Furthermore, the restructuring of the balance sheet and 
the Penta Debt Conversion agreement lends further support to the strategy, as 
further fund raisings will also enable Penta to convert further debt and thereby 
reduce SpiriTel's gearing.  
  
Operations  
  
SpiriTel is structured into two complementary divisions: SpiriTel Business and 
SpiriTel Technologies - working alongside and supporting each other. Both 
divisions have undergone a period of expansion and enhancement in the past year 
and the Group now employs over 120 staff (2007: 102).   
  
SpiriTel Business has grown dramatically over the course of the financial year. 
The Business Division now has three lines of business: IP Communications, 
Networks and Mobile. SpiriTel IP Communications provides an advanced range of IP 
networking services to business customers alongside traditional structured 
cabling, equipment and maintenance services. SpiriTel Networks offers fixed line 
services including calls, lines and broadband. SpiriTel Mobile provides mobile 
voice and data, including Blackberry services. The acquisition of WN1 completed 
the integrated communications portfolio that SpiriTel Business now offers.   
  
SpiriTel Business has substantially increased its customer numbers from 700 at 
the beginning of the year and currently has over 1,500 business customers. These 
range from smaller UK SMEs, to high profile customers such as Wigan Athletic 
Football Club and blue chips like Whitbread, Marriott, and Lufthansa. These 
customers are supported by a team of 45 accredited engineers, providing 24/7 
nationwide engineering coverage.  
  
SpiriTel Business has developed a particularly close relationship with Mitel, 
and this relationship was key in the VoIP and WiFi solution that SpiriTel 
developed for Regent Inns, the UK's largest converged VoIP/WiFi deal. SpiriTel 
won this contract against fierce competition from much larger companies. Our 
solution provides Regent Inns with a complex and pioneering service that 
encompasses all their voice and data services across over 100 sites. I am 
delighted to report that in June 2008, this solution won both the "UK's Best 
Converged Solution" at the 2008 national Comms Business Awards and also the 
Federation of Communication Services "Best VoIP Solution" 2008 award. We are 
confident of our ability to roll this award winning solution out to other major 
corporate customers in the current year.  
  
We see ongoing scope for rapid growth - both organic and acquisitive - in our 
Business Division. We are particularly focused on cross selling opportunities to 
our existing customer base and we hope to increase significantly the product 
penetration of the Division's 10 core products and services.  
  
SpiriTel Technologies continues to play a critical role in the development of 
the Group, both on its own account and in its support of SpiriTel Business. The 
Technologies team sees the Business Division as a key customer and their IP 
infrastructure and experience is a key differentiator for SpiriTel. SpiriTel 
Technologies provides the platform and credibility for us to deliver large 
scale, managed IP solutions for UK wide customers. Technologies was particularly 
instrumental in the hosted solution provided for Regent Inns where our next 
generation IP network architecture was the key component that enabled the 
Business Division to deliver the necessary high level of service to the 
customer. Technologies has built a robust and dynamic IP network that has three 
operation centres, five points of presence and several Tier 1 carrier 
interconnects. It provides the backbone for the support and development of the 
products and network infrastructure that the Business Division takes to market.  
  
In addition to the development and maintenance of the Group's IP network 
infrastructure, SpiriTel Technologies also generates a significant revenue 
stream from the provision of wholesale voice services to its own blue chip 
customers, including most of the UK's largest telecoms companies with whom the 
Business Division has established long term relationships. In the past year, the 
Business Division has grown into a 24/7 service with higher levels of traffic 
from a broader customer base and this has resulted in enhanced earnings and 
margins.  
  
In November 2007, SpiriTel re-launched its charity directory inquiry service 
with Richard Branson's Virgin Mobile. 118 918 is now fully branded as a Virgin 
Mobile number and gives 20 pence from every call to charity, the highest amount 
of any charity 118 service. This is a managed service for Virgin Mobile provided 
by SpiriTel Technologies.  
  
Summary and outlook   
  
The year to 30 April 2008 was a year of genuine turnaround for SpiriTel. We 
moved from losses to underlying EBITDA* profitability, revenue has increased 
markedly and we have earned widespread recognition for the quality of the 
communications services that we can and are delivering to a broad range of 
business customers across the UK. Following two further acquisitions, the Group 
is now a fully integrated business communications provider that is delivering 
the full range of fixed, mobile, data and networking services. This integrated 
capability is crucial in a market where customers are increasingly looking to 
suppliers to provide the full range of services they need from a one-stop shop 
supplier. In a highly fragmented marketplace, in which there are up to a 
thousand resellers with less than £5 million of turnover, we are among the few 
that can offer this scale and range of products and services. Customers 
recognise this as a differentiator in a competitive market place and we are 
enjoying the benefits of providing a fully converged offering  
  
We have completed the process of restructure and rebuilding, begun two years 
ago, and now have a level of revenues and earnings that provide the perfect 
springboard to take SpiriTel to the next stage in its rapid development. We have 
a highly replicable model where we can bolt on new, earnings enhancing 
acquisitions alongside consistent organic expansion. We are now demonstrating 
the benefits of our 'Acquire, Integrate, Grow' strategy which translates into a 
robust business model, an expanded product portfolio and ever increasing 
customer base.   
  
SpiriTel has an energised management team and highly skilled and committed 
staff. The foundations are now in place to deliver ongoing value to 
shareholders. I look forward to the coming year with real confidence.  
  
Alastair Mills  
  
Chief Executive  
  
31 July 2008  
  
  Consolidated income statement  
  
Year ended 30 April 2008   
  
 
                                               2008       2007      
                                               £000       £000      
  Continuing operations                                             
  Revenue                                      16,674     13,649    
  Cost of sales                                (10,259)   (11,613)  
  Gross profit                                 6,415      2,036     
  Administrative expenses                      (7,261)    (4,503)   
                                                                    
  Underlying EBITDA                            938        (861)     
  Depreciation                                 (180)      (322)     
  Share based payments                         (190)      (45)      
  Exceptional costs                            (620)      (991)     
  Amortisation of other intangible assets      (794)      (248)     
  Operating loss                               (846)      (2,467)   
                                                                    
  Operating loss                               (846)      (2,467)   
  Finance income                               5          5         
  Finance costs                                (3,206)    (594)     
  Loss before taxation                         (4,047)    (3,056)   
  Tax credit                                   289        95        
  Loss for the financial year                  (3,758)    (2,961)   
  Attributed to:                                                    
  Equity holders of the parent                 (3,758)    (2,827)   
  Minority interest                            -          (134)     
                                               (3,758)    (2,961)   
  Loss per share in pence                                           
  Basic and diluted                            (1.19)     (1.33)    
  
  
  Consolidated statement of changes in shareholders' equity  
  
 
                                                       Share capital    Additional          Reverse acquisition reserve    Other reserves    Retained losses    Total    
                                                       £000             paid in capital     £000                           £000              £000               £000     
                                                                        £000                                                                                             
  Balance at 1 May 2006                                1,654            2,850               (5,763)                        15                (3,360)            (4,604)  
  Loss for the financial year                          -                -                   -                              -                 (2,961)            (2,961)  
  Minority interest                                                                                                                          134                134      
  Issue of share capital                               1,508            1,700               -                              -                 -                  3,208    
  Credit for equity settled share based payments       -                -                   -                              62                -                  62       
  Equity component of compound financial instruments   -                -                   -                              100               -                  100      
  Transfer between reserves                            -                -                   -                              (80)              80                 -        
  Balance at 1 May 2007                                3,162            4,550               (5,763)                        97                (6,107)            (4,061)  
  Loss for the financial year                          -                -                   -                              -                 (3,758)            (3,758)  
  Credit for equity settled share based payments       -                -                   -                              190               -                  190      
  Equity component of compound financial instruments   -                -                   -                              -                 333                333      
  Transfer between reserves                            -                -                   -                              (55)              55                 -        
  Balance at 30 April 2008                             3,162            4,550               (5,763)                        232               (9,477)            (7,296)  
  
  
  Consolidated balance sheet  
  
As at 30 April 2008  
  
 
                                        2008       2007      
                                        £000       £000      
  Assets                                                     
  Non-current assets                                         
  Goodwill                              5,292      2,357     
  Other intangible assets               4,392      3,579     
  Property, plant and equipment         438        408       
                                        10,122     6,344     
  Current assets                                             
  Inventories                           353        392       
  Trade and other receivables           2,151      3,007     
  Cash and cash equivalents             1,058      322       
                                        3,562      3,721     
  Total assets                          13,684     10,065    
                                                             
  Current liabilities                                        
  Trade and other payables              (4,595)    (3,890)   
  Borrowings                            (457)      (4,037)   
  Obligations under finance leases      (84)       (60)      
  Current tax payable                   (442)      (236)     
                                        (5,578)    (8,223)   
  Non-current liabilities                                    
  Trade and other payables              (432)      -         
  Borrowings                            (13,603)   (4,695)   
  Obligations under finance leases      (55)       (117)     
  Deferred tax liabilities              (1,312)    (1,091)   
                                        (15,402)   (5,903)   
  Total liabilities                     (20,980)   (14,126)  
  Net liabilities                       (7,296)    (4,061)   
                                                             
  Equity                                                     
  Capital and reserves                                       
  Share capital                         3,162      3,162     
  Additional paid in capital            4,550      4,550     
  Reverse acquisition reserve           (5,763)    (5,763)   
  Other reserves                        232        97        
  Profit and loss account               (9,477)    (6,170)   
  Total equity                          (7,296)    (4,061)   
  
  
Consolidated statement of cash flows  
  
 
                                                        2008      2007     
                                                        £000      £000     
  Cash flows from operating activities                                     
  Loss before taxation                                  (4,047)   (3,052)  
  Adjustments for:                                                         
  Net finance costs                                     3,201     589      
  Depreciation and amortisation                         974       566      
  Impairment of tangible fixed assets                   64        422      
  Impairment of goodwill                                -         269      
  Loss on disposal of tangible fixed asset              -         12       
  (Increase) / decrease in inventory                    63        2        
  (Increase) / decrease in receivables                  (17)      14       
  Increase / (decrease in payables                      617       (44)     
  Equity settled share based payments                   190       45       
  Interest paid                                         (135)     (1)      
  Cash from / (used in) operating activities            910       (1,178)  
  Income taxes paid                                     -         (9)      
  Net cash from / (used in) operating activities        910       (1,187)  
                                                                           
  Cash flows from investing activities                                     
  Acquisition of subsidiaries net of cash acquired      (998)     (2,810)  
  Payment of deferred consideration                     (1,227)   -        
  Purchase of property, plant and equipment             (229)     (101)    
  Proceeds from sale of equipment                       -         6        
  Net cash used in investing activities                 (2,454)   (2,905)  
                                                                           
  Cash flows from financing activities                                     
  Net proceeds from issue of share capital              -         1,223    
  Proceeds from borrowings                              2,347     3,100    
  Payment of finance lease liabilities                  (67)      (7)      
  Net cash from financing activities                    2,280     4,316    
                                                                           
  Net increase in cash and equivalents                  736       224      
  Cash and equivalents at beginning of year             322       98       
  Cash and equivalents at end of year                   1,058     322      
  
  
Year ended 30 April 2008  
  
  Notes to the financial information  
  
1. Basis of preparation  
  
SpiriTel Plc's consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance 
with UK GAAP for the year ended 30 April 2007. For 2008, the Group has prepared 
final financial information in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRS), as adopted by the European Union (EU), for the first time.   
  
In relation to IFRS 1, "First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting 
Standards", the date of transition for 2008 financial statements was 1 May 2006. 
The comparative figures in respect of 30 April 2007 have been restated to 
reflect changes in accounting policies as a result of adoption of IFRS.   
  
This financial information has been prepared under the historical cost 
convention, except for the revaluation of certain financial instruments. The 
financial information set out in this announcement does not constitute the 
Group's statutory accounts for the years ended 30 April 2008 or 30 April 2007. 
The financial information for the year ended 30 April 2007 is derived from the 
statutory accounts for that year which have been delivered to the Registrar of 
Companies, as amended for the adoption of IFRS. The auditors reported on those 
accounts; their report was unqualified and did not contain a statement under 
s237(2) or (3), Companies Act 1985. The audit of the statutory accounts for the 
year ended 30 April 2008 is not yet complete. These accounts will be finalised 
on the basis of the financial information presented by the directors in this 
preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies 
following the Company's annual general meeting.   
  
Whilst the financial information included in this preliminary announcement has 
been computed in accordance with IFRS, this announcement in itself does not 
contain sufficient information to comply with IFRS.   
  
The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the Group for 
the purposes of the preparation of this financial information.  
  
Transition to IFRS   
  
This financial information shows the results for the years ended 30 April 2008 
and 30 April 2007. The results for the year ended 30 April 2007 have been 
extracted from the financial statements for that year and have been adjusted for 
the effects of changes in accounting policies on transition to IFRS.  
  
IFRS 1 "First Time Adoption of IFRS" sets out the procedures that the Group must 
follow when it adopts IFRS for the first time as the basis for preparing its 
consolidated financial statements.   
  
The Group has identified its IFRS accounting policies as at 30 April 2008 and 
had applied these retrospectively to determine the IFRS opening balance sheet at 
its date of transition, 1 May 2006. This standard provides a number of optional 
and mandatory exemptions to this general principle. The only exemptions adopted 
by the Group are set out below.  
  
IFRS 3 - Business combinations  
  
The Group has elected not to apply IFRS 3 to the business combinations that took 
place prior to the date of transition. Accordingly, combinations prior to 1 May 
2006 have not been restated. As a result the carrying value of goodwill is 
frozen as at 1 May 2006 but accounted for thereafter in accordance with IFRS.  
  
IFRS 2 - Share based payments  
  
The Group has elected to apply IFRS 2 only to relevant share based payment 
transactions granted after 7 July 2005 and not vested at 1 May 2006. Previously, 
share based payments were accounted for under FRS 20. There was no impact on the 
UK GAAP income statement because at the date of the grant the exercise price was 
materially equal to the intrinsic value.   
  
  2. Business combinations  
  
Companies acquired during the year are as described below.   
  
(a) tdotcom Limited  
  
On 22 October 2007, SpiriTel plc acquired 100% of the issued share capital of 
tdotcom Limited, a company based in the UK. The total cost includes the 
components stated below. The purchase price was settled in cash.   
  
 
                                                              £000  
  Purchase price                                              80    
  Contingent consideration under earn out agreement payable   150   
  in cash                                                           
  Due diligence fees                                          10    
  Other professional fees                                     23    
                                                              263   
  
  
Up to a further £150,000 of consideration may become payable in the event that 
the acquired business achieves certain earn-out sales targets during the 
eighteen months following the date of acquisition. In the opinion of the 
directors the likely amount payable is £150,000.  
  
The share purchase agreement includes a payment of £70,000 due on 1 May 2008 
against which any deficit in target net assets can be offset. The final net 
asset amount has not been agreed with the vendors but in the opinion of the 
directors this amount will not be payable.   
  
The assessment of the fair values of the assets and liabilities of tdotcom 
Limited was only provisionally completed at 30 April 2008 due to ongoing 
discussions with the vendor on the completion accounts. The amounts 
provisionally recognised for each class of the acquiree's assets and liabilities 
recognised at the acquisition date are as follows:  
  
 
                                                    Book value    Fair value adjustments    Provisional fair value to the Group   
                                                    £000          £000                      £000                                  
  Intangible fixed assets identified                -             615                       615                                   
  Trade and other receivables                       86            -                         86                                    
  Inventories                                       7             -                         7                                     
  Current tax assets                                29            -                         29                                    
  Cash and cash equivalents                         11            -                         11                                    
  Total assets                                      133           615                       748                                   
  Trade payables                                    (258)         -                         (258)                                 
  Deferred income                                   (133)         -                         (133)                                 
  Other taxes                                       (39)          -                         (39)                                  
  Other payables                                    (103)         -                         (103)                                 
  Deferred tax                                      -             (172)                     (172)                                 
  Total liabilities                                 (533)         (172)                     (705)                                 
  Net assets / (liabilities) acquired               (400)         443                       43                                    
  Provisional goodwill arising on the acquisition                                           220                                   
  Consideration                                                                             263                                   
                                                                                                                                  
  Satisfied by:                                                                                                                   
  Cash                                                                                      113                                   
  Contingent consideration to be settled in cash                                            150                                   
                                                                                            263                                   
  
  
During the period from the date of acquisition to 30 April 2008, tdotcom Limited 
generated revenue of £685,000 and an operating profit of £127,000.(b) WN1 
Limited   
  
On 2 April 2008, SpiriTel Plc acquired 100% of the issued share capital of WN1 
Limited, a company based in the UK. The total cost includes the components 
stated below. The purchase price was settled by a combination of cash and loan 
notes.   
  
 
                                                              £000   
  Purchase price                                              2,260  
  Loan notes repayable on 1 May 2009                          248    
  Contingent consideration under earn out agreement payable   432    
  in cash                                                            
  Due diligence fees                                          25     
  Other professional fees                                     202    
                                                              3,167  
  
  
Up to a further £550,000 of consideration may become payable in the event that 
the acquired business achieves certain earn-out sales and profit targets during 
the twelve months following the date of acquisition. In the opinion of the 
directors the likely amount payable is £550,000.  
  
Due to the proximity of the acquisition to the Group's year end, the assessment 
of the fair values of the assets and liabilities of WN1 Limited was only 
provisionally completed at 30 April 2008. The amounts provisionally recognised 
for each class of the acquiree's assets and liabilities recognised at the 
acquisition date are as follows:  
  
 
                                                    Book value    Fair value adjustments    Provisional fair value to the Group    
  
  
More to follow, for following part double-click [nRn2e2736A]