RNS Number : 6660A
AB Dynamics PLC
24 January 2024
 

24 January 2024

AB Dynamics plc

Final results for the year ended 31 August 2023

"Strong financial performance and clear strategic progress"

AB Dynamics plc ("AB Dynamics", the "Company" or the "Group"), the designer, manufacturer and supplier of advanced testing, simulation and measurement products to the global transport market, is pleased to announce its final results for the year ended 31 August 2023.

 

Revenue

100.8

83.2

+21%

Gross margin

59.5%

56.6%

+290 bps

Adjusted EBITDA1

20.5

17.3

+18%

Adjusted operating profit1

16.6

13.7

+21%

Adjusted operating margin1

16.5%

16.4%

+10 bps

Statutory operating profit

12.6

6.2

+103%

Adjusted cash flow from operations1

23.5

20.7

+14%

Net cash

32.0

29.2

 


Pence

Pence

 

Adjusted diluted earnings per share1

60.8

48.1

+26%

Statutory diluted earnings per share

47.4

20.7

+129%

Total dividend per share

6.36

5.30

+20%

 

1Before amortisation of acquired intangibles, acquisition related charges and exceptional items. A reconciliation to statutory measures is given below.

2Restated for change in interpretation of revenue recognition, see note 10.

 

Financial highlights

·    Record revenue and operating profit delivered alongside an improved operating margin reflecting strong growth enhanced by improved operational efficiency and effective cost management

·    Market and customer activity levels have remained positive, with strong activity in both track testing and laboratory testing and simulation, particularly in Europe

·      Revenue increased by 21% of which 7% was organic growth

Track testing revenue grew by 6% reflecting increases in robots and Advanced Driver Assistance (ADAS) platforms

Laboratory testing and simulation organic growth of 10% driven by a strong performance at rFpro and delivery of SPMM systems. Total sector revenue growth of 74% includes the contribution from the acquisition of Ansible Motion

·      The proportion of recurring and service-based sales was maintained at 40% (2022: 40%)

·     The Group has remained effective in mitigating inflationary cost pressures, with gross margins improving to 59.5% (2022: 56.6%)

·    Operating margin improved by 10bps to 16.5% as a result of the increased levels of activity and the benefits of enhanced performance initiatives, partially offset by the continued investment of £1.8m in ABD Solutions to support the Group's strategic long-term growth drivers

Excluding ABD Solutions, the operating margin increased to 18.3% (2022: 18.2%)

·      Significant operating cash generation of £23.5m (2022: £20.7m) with cash conversion of 114% (2022: 119%), resulting in net cash at year end of £32.0m (2022: £29.2m) after funding the initial consideration for the acquisition of Ansible Motion

·      Proposed final dividend of 4.42p per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to 6.36p per share (2022: 5.30p per share), an increase of 20%, reflecting the Board's confidence in the Group's financial position and prospects

Operational and strategic highlights

·      Continuing progress made in the strategic initiative to open up new markets beyond automotive

ABD Solutions won a £1m contract for delivery of a retrofit pedestrian detection system for construction machines for delivery during FY 2024, illustrating the wide range of applications for its technology

·      VadoTech has been awarded an extension of its existing contract to provide testing services in Beijing, as well as a new, smaller contract to provide similar services near Shanghai

·      The integration of Ansible Motion is continuing as planned and the business has delivered a strong performance since acquisition in September 2022

·      New product development continues in line with the technology roadmap for existing track testing and simulation markets and development of the core technology for ABD Solutions

Along with the launch of the new range of ADAS motorcycle and pedestrian dummies, and LaunchPad Spin, the Group has also released ray-tracing capability for its simulation software

·      Well placed to sustain growth momentum into the medium term, supported by:

Strong organic growth across automotive markets, supported by regulatory tailwinds and rapid technology change, with a greatly strengthened operational and commercial platform

The substantial opportunity beyond automotive markets presented by ABD Solutions, transitioning from technology development to commercialisation 

Significantly enhanced simulation and software capabilities enabled by the expanded product range created through the acquisitions of rFpro and Ansible Motion

A strong financial position that provides scope for further value-enhancing growth investment in FY 2024 and beyond

Current trading and outlook

·    Trading in FY 2024 to date has been encouraging, supported by the solid current order book which provides good visibility into the second half of the year

·      Whilst being mindful of timing of pipeline conversion and customer delivery schedules, the Board remains confident that the Group will make further financial and strategic progress with its expectations for FY 2024 unchanged

·      Future growth prospects remain supported by long-term structural and regulatory growth drivers in active safety, autonomous systems and the automation of vehicle applications

 

There will be a presentation for analysts this morning at 9.30am at Teneo, 85 Fleet Street, EC4Y 1AE.  Please contact abdynamics@teneo.com if you would like to attend.

Commenting on the results, Dr James Routh, Chief Executive Officer said:

"The Group has delivered a strong performance in FY 2023, demonstrating the benefits of the investment made in recent years in the commercial and operating capability of the business. The financial results show further strong progress, with record levels of revenue and operating profit and an improvement in operating margin. In parallel, the Group has further strengthened its platform for growth through both organic investments and acquisitions.

"We see significant opportunity in our core markets in automotive, which are supported by long-term structural and regulatory growth drivers, and are continuing to invest in new product development and technology. In addition, we are investing in new technologies to diversify the business into attractive adjacent markets through ABD Solutions.

"Trading in FY 2024 has been encouraging, supported by a solid order book providing good visibility into the second half of the year. Whilst being mindful of timing of pipeline conversion and customer delivery schedules, the Board remains confident that the Group will make further financial and strategic progress and its expectations for FY 2024 are unchanged.

"Our market drivers both in our core business and in ABD Solutions remain strong. This backdrop, along with the Group's recent investments in capability and new products, provides confidence of delivering continued progress in 2024 and beyond."

Enquiries:

AB Dynamics plc

01225 860 200

Dr James Routh, Chief Executive Officer

Sarah Matthews-DeMers, Chief Financial Officer


Peel Hunt LLP

0207 418 8900

Mike Bell

Ed Allsopp

 







Teneo

0207 353 4200

James Macey White

Matt Low




 

The person responsible for arranging the release of this information is Felicity Jackson, Group Legal Counsel.

 

About AB Dynamics plc

AB Dynamics is a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of advanced testing, simulation and measurement products to the global transport market. 

AB Dynamics is an international group of companies headquartered in Bradford on Avon. AB Dynamics currently supplies all the top automotive manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers and service providers, who routinely use the Group's products to test and verify vehicle safety systems and dynamics.

 



 

Group overview

 

The Group delivered a strong set of results driven by recent investments in its commercial and operating capabilities, underpinned by positive market dynamics in both sectors. The Group has evolved significantly over the last four years, building a solid and scalable platform from which to capitalise on a multi-year growth opportunity.

 

The Group delivered record levels of revenue and operating profit, while continuing investment to support its long-term growth objectives.

 

The Group continued to deliver against its strategic priorities by launching new products, developing its service offering to drive recurring revenues and delivering on its diversification plans through progress in ABD Solutions. The acquisition of Ansible Motion also expanded its presence in the simulation market, complementing the existing product range.

 

The Group is well positioned, with market-leading products and services, and remains supported by regulatory and structural growth drivers that provide a strong position for continued growth and performance during FY 2024.

 

Financial performance

 

The Group delivered significant revenue growth in the year of 21%, to £100.8m (2022: £83.2m), of which 7% related to organic growth and the remainder to the acquisition of Ansible Motion.

 

Laboratory testing and simulation revenue grew by 74% due to the contribution from Ansible Motion as well as a significant increase in SPMM revenue driven by an increase in demand and timing of delivery for new units. Track testing saw more modest growth of 6% overall due to reduced testing services revenue impacted by local lock downs in China and the availability of new vehicles for testing in H1 2023. The proportion of recurring revenue was consistent at 40% (2022: 40%). The level of recurring revenue is now expected to broadly stabilise ahead of new market offerings which will be released in the near future.

 

Gross margin was 59.5%, up 290bps on 2022 due to operational efficiencies and mitigation of the ongoing impacts of inflation through price increases to the market.

 

Group adjusted operating profit of £16.6m (2022: £13.7m) increased 21% against 2022. The adjusted operating margin increased against 2022 to 16.5% (2022: 16.4%), as a result of the increased levels of activity and the benefits of enhanced performance initiatives, partially offset by the investment in ABD Solutions to support the strategic long-term growth drivers. Excluding ABD Solutions, the adjusted operating margin increased to 18.3% (2022: 18.2%).

 

Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation ('EBITDA') increased by 18% to £20.5m (2022: £17.3m). Adjusted EBITDA margin was 20.4% (2022: 20.8%), a decrease of 40bps.

 

Adjusted net finance costs were consistent at £0.4m (2022: £0.4m).

 

Adjusted profit before tax was £16.3m (2022: £13.3m). The Group adjusted tax charge totalled £2.1m (2022: £2.3m), an adjusted effective tax rate of 13.2% (2022: 17.1%). The effective tax rate is lower than the current UK corporation tax rate due to allowances for research and development and patent box. In future years, the effective tax rate is expected to increase as a result of the full year effect of the increase in the UK corporation tax rate. 

 

Adjusted diluted earnings per share was 60.8p (2022: 48.1p), an increase of 26%, reflecting the increase in operating profit and a lower tax rate.

 

The Group delivered strong adjusted operating cash flow of £23.5m (2022: £20.7m) with cash conversion of 114% (2022: 119%). The cash generated was used to fund the acquisition of Ansible Motion, £3.4m of investment in product development and property, plant and equipment and dividends of £1.3m.

 

Net cash at the end of the year was £32.0m (2022: £29.2m), underpinning a robust balance sheet. Along with the Group's £15.0m revolving credit facility which extends to February 2026, this provides significant funding headroom to continue the Group's investment programme.

 

Statutory operating profit increased by 103% to £12.6m (2022: £6.2m) and after net finance costs of £1.1m (2022: £0.4m), statutory profit before tax increased by 98% from £5.8m to £11.5m. Statutory basic earnings per share was 48.0p (2022: 21.0p). The statutory tax charge was £0.5m (2022: £1.0m). A reconciliation of statutory to underlying non-GAAP financial measures is provided below.

 

Sector review

 

 

 

2023

£m

*Restated

2022

£m


Driving robots


25.2

20.6

+22%

ADAS test products


30.5

29.7

+3%

Testing services


12.9

14.4

-10%

Track testing


68.6

64.7

+6%

Laboratory testing


7.3

5.3

+38%

Simulation


24.9

13.2

+89%

Laboratory testing and simulation


32.2

18.5

+74%

Total revenue


100.8

83.2

+21%

*See note 10.

 

Track testing

 

The track testing business delivered revenue of £68.6m (2022: £64.7m), a 6% increase against the prior year, with growth in sales of driving robots and ADAS platforms offset by a reduction in testing services revenue due to local COVID-19 restrictions in China delaying the delivery of services and impacting the availability of test vehicles in the first half of the year.

 

Driving robot sales increased by 22% to £25.2m (2022: £20.6m), driven by the increase in complexity and volume of testing required for ADAS assessment. The Group expects continued growth in driving robot sales at more normalised levels, as new regulatory requirements for evolving ADAS technologies are released, such as the launch of the Euro NCAP 2030 roadmap and its new Truck Safe rating scheme. It is expected that there will be over 700 Euro NCAP test scenarios by 2025, up from 591 in 2023. New tests for commercial vehicles offer further opportunities for market expansion.

 

Revenue from ADAS platforms increased by 3% to £30.5m (2022: £29.7m). The new higher speed versions of the GST and LaunchPad, which can operate at speeds of up to 120kph and 80kph respectively, enable customers to perform a greater range of tests, particularly the assessment of automated lane-keeping technology and vehicle interactions with Vulnerable Road Users such as motorcyclists, and are continuing to gain traction. The recent launch of a new range of soft targets including motorcycles and articulating pedestrians and a new, more manoeuvrable platform, the LaunchPad Spin, will drive further growth.

 

Testing services revenue decreased 10% to £12.9m (2022: £14.4m) due to local COVID-19 restrictions delaying the provision of testing services in China during the first half of the year and continued delays in availability of test vehicles more widely due to the well documented supply chain challenges in the automotive market.

 

The Group continues to build customer relationships, drive improvement in revenue and gross margins and invest in new product development to meet the growing demand from manufacturers and test providers to keep up to date with changes in regulations.

 

The growth in testing volume and complexity continues to drive demand for ADAS platforms and driving robots that are both more capable and more versatile. To recognise the need for new test tools, this year Euro NCAP updated its listing of equipment used in official testing to include AB Dynamics' Soft Motorcycle 360.

 

Laboratory testing and simulation

 

Laboratory testing and simulation delivered strong growth in revenue up 74% on 2022 to £32.2m (2022: £18.5m) due to the contribution from Ansible Motion as well as strong organic growth from both rFpro and SPMM sales, reflecting the continued demand for laboratory testing equipment.

 

SPMM revenue of £7.3m grew by 38% (2022: £5.3m) demonstrating continued demand for our market leading kinetics and compliance machines. This long-standing product which has been supplied to global customers for the past 25 years has evolved significantly over this period, culminating in the recent launch of the SPMM Plus.

 

Organic simulation revenue was flat with revenue at £13.1m (2022: £13.2m). The contribution from Ansible Motion was £11.8m reflecting the strong order book at the time of acquisition and delivery of sales synergies, giving total simulation revenue of £24.9m (2022: £13.2m).

 

Strategic progress

 

The Group continues to make good progress against its organic-led growth strategy, supplemented with  value-enhancing acquisitions. During the year, the focus on building and growing the core business continued, coupled with delivering on the Group's diversification plans through ABD Solutions and building critical mass in the attractive simulation market through the acquisition of Ansible Motion.

 

Investment continued in the core automotive sector, which is characterised by strong regulatory and structural growth drivers and rapid technology change. New product development and the strengthened operational and commercial platform leaves the Group well placed to benefit from increasing regulation and the increasing number and complexity of test scenarios required by NCAP bodies.

 

Ansible Motion has been successfully integrated into the Group's simulation business, enhancing the Group's simulation capability and expanding its range of products and services in this area which includes the physics-based simulation software, rFpro.

 

As part of the objective to diversify into adjacent markets, ABD Solutions continues to make significant progress in its mission to add automated solutions to existing vehicles fleets faster and more cost effectively. ABD Solutions has demonstrated its product offering in contrasting environments for potential customers in mining, defence and other specialist vehicles and successfully proved its concept and market solution, Indigo Drive. A digital twin has been developed which provides operational environment validation and a platform for accelerated product testing.

 

Its focus is transitioning from technology development to commercialisation with negotiations ongoing around mining related contracts. The Japanese mining development contract is progressing as planned and a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with Jevons Robotics in Australia for mining applications. In addition, ABD Solutions has been awarded a £1m contract for delivery during FY 2024 of a retrofit pedestrian detection system for a UK customer for construction industry applications.

 

Acquisitions 

 

On 20 September 2022, the Group acquired Ansible Motion Limited, a UK based provider of advanced simulator solutions to the automotive market, for an initial cash consideration of £14.4m and shares in AB Dynamics plc to the value of £3.2m. Based on the financial performance in FY 2023, a further cash payment of approximately £5.7m will be made, along with retained consideration of £0.5m, bringing the total consideration to £23.8m.

 

Ansible Motion designs and manufactures high-end motion platform systems for Driver in the Loop development of vehicle dynamics, ADAS and automated systems and already utilises rFpro as its physics based virtual environments. The Ansible Motion range of driving simulators complements the existing product offering from AB Dynamics and provides a comprehensive range of simulators that addresses a wider range of simulator applications.

 

Ansible Motion has been integrated into the Group's simulation sector and has been earnings accretive, delivering £11.8m of revenue and £2.4m of adjusted operating profit during FY 2023.

 

Acquisitions continue to form a key part of the long-term strategic development of the Group and we operate a continuous process to identify and execute acquisition opportunities. The current long-term pipeline remains positive and we expect to continue to deliver further value-enhancing acquisitions.

 

Alternative performance measures

 

In the analysis of the Group's financial performance and position, operating results and cash flows, alternative performance measures are presented to provide readers with additional information. The principal measures presented are adjusted measures of earnings including adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted profit before tax and adjusted earnings per share.

 

This financial information includes both statutory and adjusted non-GAAP financial measures, the latter of which the Directors believe better reflect the underlying performance of the business and provide a more meaningful comparison of how the business is managed and measured on a day-to-day basis. The Group's alternative performance measures and KPIs are aligned to the Group's strategy and together are used to measure the performance of the business and form the basis of the performance measures for remuneration. Adjusted results exclude certain items because if included, these items could distort the understanding of the performance for the year and the comparability between the periods.

 

We provide comparatives alongside all current year figures. The term 'adjusted' is not defined under IFRS and may not be comparable with similarly titled measures used by other companies. All profit and earnings per share figures in this financial information relate to underlying business performance (as defined above) unless otherwise stated.

 

A reconciliation of statutory measures to adjusted measures is provided below:

 


 

    2023

       20221

 


Adjusted

Adjustments

Statutory

Adjusted

Adjustments

Statutory








EBITDA (£m)

20.5

3.1

23.6

17.3

(2.0)

15.3

Operating profit (£m)

16.6

(4.0)

12.6

13.7

(7.5)

6.2

Operating margin

16.5%

 

12.5%

16.4%


7.4%

Finance expense (£m)

(0.3)

(0.8)

(1.1)

(0.4)

-

(0.4)

Profit before tax (£m)

16.3

(4.8)

11.5

13.3

(7.5)

5.8

Taxation (£m)

(2.2)

1.7

(0.5)

(2.2)

1.2

(1.0)

Profit after tax (£m)

14.1

(3.1)

11.0

11.0

(6.3)

4.7

Diluted eps (pence)

60.8

(13.4)

47.4

48.1

(27.4)

20.7

Operating cash (£m)

23.5

(4.2)

19.3

20.7

(2.0)

18.7

1 Restated, see note 10

 

The adjustments comprise:


2023

2022


Profit impact


£m

Cash flow impact

£m

Profit

impact


£m

Cash flow impact


£m

Amortisation of acquired intangibles

7.2

-

5.5

-

Acquisition related (credit)/costs

(4.5)

2.8

0.3

0.3

ERP development costs

1.3

1.4

1.7

1.7

Adjustments to operating profit / cash flow

4.0

4.2

7.5

2.0

Acquisition related finance costs

0.8

-

-

-

Adjustments to profit before tax

4.8

4.2

7.5

2.0

 

The tax impact of these adjustments was a credit of £1.7m (2022: £1.2m).

Return on capital employed (ROCE)

 

Our capital-efficient business and high margins enable generation of strong ROCE (defined as adjusted operating profit as a percentage of capital employed, being shareholders' equity less net cash plus deferred tax and contingent consideration). During the year, ROCE has increased from 15.3% to 15.4% benefitting from operating leverage.

 

Research and development

 

While research and development form a significant part of the Group's activities, a significant and increasing proportion relates to specific customer programmes which are included in the cost of the product. Development costs of £0.5m (2022: £1.7m) have been capitalised in relation to projects for which there are a number of near-term sales opportunities. Other research and development costs, all of which have been expensed as incurred, totalled £0.2m (2022: £0.4m).

 

Foreign currency exposure

 

Foreign exchange translation has provided a minor tailwind on revenue and profit, due to the weakening of Sterling against the US dollar and Euro. On a constant currency basis, restating the current year at 2022 average rates, revenue would have been £1.2m lower and both adjusted and statutory operating profit £0.1m lower.

 

Dividends

 

We recognise that dividends continue to be an important component of total shareholder returns, balanced against maintaining a strong financial position. The Board is recommending a final dividend of 4.42p per share, giving a total dividend for the year of 6.36p per share, which is an increase of 20% over the prior year.

 

Summary and outlook

 

The Group has delivered a strong performance, demonstrating the benefits of the investment in the commercial and operating capability of the business. The financial results show further strong progress, with record levels of revenue and operating profit and an improvement in operating margin. In parallel, the Group has further strengthened its platform for growth through both organic investments and acquisitions.

 

We see significant opportunity in our core markets in automotive, which are supported by long-term structural and regulatory growth drivers, and are continuing to invest in new product development and technology. In addition, we are investing in new technologies to diversify the business into attractive adjacent markets through ABD Solutions.

 

Trading in FY 2024 has been encouraging, supported by a solid order book providing good visibility into the second half of the year. Whilst being mindful of timing of pipeline conversion and customer delivery schedules, the Board remains confident that the Group will make further financial and strategic progress and its expectations for FY 2024 are unchanged.

 

Our market drivers both in our core business and in ABD Solutions remain strong. This backdrop, along with the Group's recent investments in capability and new products, provides confidence of delivering continued progress in FY 2024 and beyond.

 

 



 

Directors' Responsibility Statement on the Annual Report and Accounts

 

The responsibility statement below has been prepared in connection with the Company's full annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023. Certain parts thereof are not included within this announcement.

 

We confirm to the best of our knowledge:

1.

the financial statements, prepared in accordance with the applicable set of accounting standards, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole; and

2.

the strategic report and directors' report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the issuer and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.

 

We consider the annual report and accounts, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable, and provides the information necessary for shareholders to assess the Group's position and performance, business model and strategy.

 

This responsibility statement was approved by the Board of Directors on 23 January 2024 and has been signed on its behalf by James Routh and Richard Elsy CBE.

 

 


 

AB Dynamics plc

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

For the year ended 31 August 2023

 



2023

 

**Restated 2022


 

Note

Adjusted

£'000

*Adjustments

£000

Statutory

£'000

 

Adjusted

£'000

*Adjustments

£'000

Statutory

£'000



 

 

 





Revenue

2

100,767

-

100,767


83,226

-

83,226

Cost of sales


(40,837)

-

(40,837)


(36,085)

-

(36,085)

Gross profit


59,930

-

59,930


47,141

-

47,141

General and administrative expenses


(43,326)

(4,049)

(47,375)


(33,473)

(7,514)

(40,987)

Operating profit


16,604

(4,049)

12,555


13,668

(7,514)

6,154

Operating profit is analysed as:


 

 

 





Before depreciation and amortisation


20,517

3,140

23,657


17,288

(1,998)

15,290

Depreciation and amortisation


(3,913)

(7,189)

(11,102)


(3,620)

(5,516)

(9,136)

Operating profit


16,604

(4,049)

12,555


13,668

(7,514)

6,154

Net finance expense


(354)

(713)

(1,067)


(374)

-

(374)

Profit before tax


16,250

(4,762)

11,488

 

13,294

(7,514)

5,780

Tax expense

4

(2,146)

1,644

(502)


(2,274)

1,235

(1,039)

Profit for the year

 

14,104

(3,118)

10,986

 

11,020

(6,279)

4,741

 

 

 

 

 

 




Other comprehensive (expense)/income


 

 

 





Items that may be reclassified to consolidated income statement:


 

 

 





Cash flow hedges


124

-

124


(93)

-

(93)

Exchange (loss)/gain on foreign currency net investments


(2,059)

-

(2,059)


3,574

-

3,574

Total comprehensive income for the year


12,169

(3,118)

9,051

 

14,501

(6,279)

8,222



 

 

 





* See note 3


 

 

 





** Restated, see note 10


 

 

 







2023


**Restated 2022

Earnings per share

Note

Adjusted

 

Statutory


Adjusted


Statutory

Basic

6

61.6p

 

48.0p


48.7p


21.0p

Diluted                                                                

6

60.8p

 

47.4p


48.1p


20.7p

** Restated, see note 10

 











 

           

 

           

AB Dynamics plc

Consolidated statement of financial position

As at 31 August 2023

 




Note


2023

£'000

 

*Restated

2022

£'000


*Restated 2021

£'000

ASSETS


 





Non-current assets


 





Goodwill


36,939


23,818


22,221

Acquired intangible assets


32,831


23,665


28,282

Other intangible assets


2,746


2,971


1,577

Property, plant and equipment


25,739


25,708


25,815

Right-of-use assets


1,409


876


913


 

99,664

 

77,038


78,808



 





Current assets


 





Inventories


17,954


13,651


7,901

Trade and other receivables


14,494


13,782


15,500

Contract assets


3,152


4,328


4,319

Taxation


-


890


1,542

Cash and cash equivalents


33,486


30,141


23,282


 

69,086

 

62,792


52,544

 

 

 

 




Assets held for sale

 

1,893

 

1,893


1,893

 

 

 

 




LIABILITIES


 





Current liabilities


 





Trade and other payables


20,127


16,810


10,933

Contract liabilities


9,234


5,068


5,258

Derivative financial instruments


-


123


31

Short-term lease liabilities


570


628


456

Contingent consideration


5,943


-


4,929


 

35,874

 

22,629


21,607

 

 

 

 




Non-current liabilities


 





Deferred tax liabilities


8,708


6,397


6,552

Long-term lease liabilities


906


315


511


 

9,614

 

6,712


7,063

Net assets

 

125,155

 

112,382


104,575



 





 


 





SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY


 





Share capital


229


226


226

Share premium


62,781


62,260


62,210

Other reserves

7

2,403


1,142


(2,339)

Retained earnings


59,742


48,754


44,478

Total equity


125,155

 

112,382


104,575

 



 

 

 

 

 

* See note 10

AB Dynamics plc

Consolidated statement of changes in equity

For the year ended 31 August 2023

 








Share capital

Share premium

Other reserves

Retained earnings

Total equity


£'000

 

£'000

£'000

£'000

£'000

At 1 September 2021 as previously reported

226

62,210

(2,339)

44,889

104,986

Prior year adjustment (note 10)

-

-

-

(411)

(411)

At 1 September 2021 as restated

226

62,210

(2,339)

44,478

104,575

Share based payments

-

-

-

750

750

Total comprehensive income

-

-

3,481

4,741

8,222

Deferred tax on share based payments

-

-

-

(84)

(84)

Dividend paid

-

-

-

(1,131)

(1,131)

Issue of shares

-

50

-

-

50

At 31 August 2022 as restated

226

62,260

1,142

48,754

112,382







At 1 September 2022 as previously

reported

226

62,260

1,142

48,333

111,961

Prior year adjustment (note 10)

-

-

-

421

421

At 1 September 2022 restated

226

62,260

1,142

48,754

112,382

Share based payments

-

-

-

1,064

1,064

Total comprehensive income

-

-

(1,935)

10,986

9,051

Deferred tax on share based payments

-

-

-

193

193

Dividend paid

-

-

-

(1,255)

(1,255)

Issue of shares

3

521

3,196

-

3,720

At 31 August 2023

229

62,781

2,403

59,742

125,155

 

 



 

AB Dynamics plc

Consolidated cash flow statement

For the year ended 31 August 2023

 


 

 

 

*Restated



Note

2023
£'000

 

2022

£'000


 

 



Cash flows from operating activities

Profit before tax


11,488


5,780

Depreciation and amortisation


11,102


9,136

Finance expense


1,067


374

Share based payment


1,263


795

Release of contingent consideration


(5,180)


-

Acquisition costs


-


290

Operating cash flows before changes in working capital


19,740


16,375

Increase in inventories


(2,612)


(5,751)

Decrease in trade and other receivables


2,514


1,707

(Decrease)/increase in trade and other payables


(369)


6,350

Cash flows from operations


19,273


18,681

Adjusted cash flows from operations

23,450


20,651

Cash impact of adjusting items

3

(4,177)

 

(1,970)

Cash flows from operations


19,273

 

18,681

Finance costs paid


(291)


(89)

Income tax received/(paid) 


363


(684)

Net cash flows from operating activities


19,345


17,908

 


 

 


Cash flows used in investing activities


 

 


Acquisition of businesses net of cash

9

(10,656)


(5,114)

Purchase of property, plant and equipment


(2,930)

 

(2,098)

Capitalised development costs and purchased software


(469)


(1,711)

Net cash used in investing activities


(14,055)


(8,923)



 



Cash flows used in financing activities


 

 


Drawdown of loans


6,000


-

Repayments of loans


(6,000)


-

Dividends paid

5

(1,255)


(1,131)

Proceeds from issue of share capital


457


50

Repayment of lease liabilities


(1,124)


(964)

Net cash used in financing activities


(1,922)


(2,045)



 



Net increase in cash and cash equivalents


3,368

 

6,940

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year


30,141


23,282

Effects of exchange rate changes


(23)


(81)

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year


33,486

 

30,141

 

 

 

 

 



 

* See note 10

AB Dynamics plc

Notes to the consolidated financial statements

For the year ended 31 August 2023

 

 

1.       Basis of preparation

 

The Company is a public limited company limited by shares and incorporated under the UK Companies Act. The Company is domiciled in the United Kingdom and the registered office and principal place of business is Middleton Drive, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1GB.

 

The principal activity of the Group is the design, manufacture and supply of advanced testing, simulation and measurement products and services to the global transport market. The Group's products and services are used primarily for the development of road vehicles, particularly in the areas of active safety and autonomous systems, as well as automation of vehicles used for other applications, such as mining and defence.

 

The annual financial statements of the Group are prepared in accordance with UK-adopted international accounting standards and applicable law.

 

The financial information set out above does not constitute the Company's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023 or 31 August 2022 but is derived from those accounts. A copy of the statutory accounts for the year ended 31 August 2022 has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditor's report on those accounts was unqualified and did not contain any statements under section 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006.

 

Certain new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations are not yet effective for the year ended 31 August 2023 and have therefore not been applied in preparing the annual financial statements.

 

Going concern basis of accounting

 

The financial information has been prepared under the going concern basis, which assumes that the Group will continue to be able to meet its liabilities as they fall due for the foreseeable future.

 

The Directors have assessed the principal risks to the going concern assumption, including by modelling a severe but plausible downside scenario, whereby the Group experiences:

·      A reduction in demand of 25% over the next two financial years, with no mitigation

·      A 10% increase in operating costs from supply chain disruption

·      An increase in cash collection cycle

·      An increase in input costs resulting in reduction in gross margins to 40%.

 

With £33.5m of cash at 31 August 2023 and a £15.0m undrawn revolving credit facility, in this severe downside scenario, the Group has sufficient headroom to be able to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. The Directors believe that the Group is well placed to manage its financing and other business risks satisfactorily and have a reasonable expectation that the Group will have adequate resources to continue in operation for at least twelve months from the signing date of the financial statements. They therefore consider it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.



 

2.         Segment information

 

The Group derives revenue from the sale of its advanced measurement, simulation and testing products used in assisting the global transport market in the laboratory, on the test track and on-road. The income streams are all derived from the utilisation of these products which, in all aspects except details of revenue, are reviewed and managed together within the Group and as such are considered to be the only segment.

 

The operating segment is based on internal reports about components of the Group, which are regularly reviewed and used by the Board of Directors being the Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM). Revenue is split into sectors in the information reviewed by the Board but all other aspects of performance are reviewed and managed together.

 

Analysis of revenue by destination:





2023

£'000


*Restated

2022

£'000







United Kingdom



4,875


7,299

Rest of Europe



22,095


13,723

North America



25,171


20,547

Asia Pacific



46,409


40,941

Rest of World



2,217


716




100,767


83,226

 

No customers individually represent more than 10% of total revenue for the year ended 31 August 2023 (2022: One customer individually represented 12% of revenue).

 

Assets and liabilities by segment are not reported to the Board of Directors, therefore are not used as a key decision-making tool and are not disclosed here. 

 

A disclosure of non-current assets by location is shown below:




2023

£'000


2022

£'000







United Kingdom



66,199


39,565

Rest of Europe



1,049


1,262

North America



15,508


17,084

Asia Pacific



16,908


19,127




99,664


77,038







 

Revenues are disaggregated as follows:

 




 

2023

£'000


*Restated

2022

£'000

 

Revenue by sector






 

Track testing



68,610


64,743

 

Laboratory testing and simulation



32,157


18,483

 




100,767


83,226



 



 



 



 

 

* See note 10

3.       Alternative Performance measures

 

In the analysis of the Group's financial performance and position, operating results and cash flows, alternative performance measures are presented to provide readers with additional information. The principal measures presented are adjusted measures of earnings including adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating margin, adjusted profit before tax, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per share.

 

The financial statements include both statutory and adjusted non-GAAP financial measures, the latter of which the Directors believe better reflect the underlying performance of the business and provide a more meaningful comparison of how the business is managed and measured on a day-to-day basis. The Group's alternative performance measures and KPIs are aligned to the Group's strategy and together are used to measure the performance of the business and form the basis of the performance measures for remuneration. Adjusted results exclude certain items because if included, these items could distort the understanding of the performance for the year and the comparability between the periods.

 

We provide comparatives alongside all current year figures. The term 'adjusted' is not defined under IFRS and may not be comparable with similarly titled measures used by other companies. All profit and earnings per share figures in this financial information relate to underlying business performance (as defined above) unless otherwise stated.




2023

£'000


2022

£'000







Amortisation of acquired intangibles



7,189


5,516

Acquisition related (credit)/costs



(4,502)


328

ERP development costs



1,362


1,670

Adjustments to operating profit



4,049


7,514

Acquisition related finance costs



713


-

Adjustments to profit before tax



4,762


7,514

 

 

Amortisation of acquired intangibles

The amortisation relates to the acquisition of Ansible Motion Limited on 20 September 2022, VadoTech Group on 3 March 2021 and the businesses acquired in 2019, DRI and rFpro.

 

Acquisition related (credit)/costs

The credit in the current year relates to the release of contingent consideration on the acquisition of Ansible Motion, less acquisition costs.

 

The prior year costs also related to Ansible Motion acquisition costs.

 

ERP development costs

These costs relate to the development, configuration and customisation of the Group's new ERP system which is hosted on the cloud.

 

Acquisition related finance costs

Finance costs relate to the unwind of the discount on contingent consideration payable on the acquisition of Ansible Motion.

 

Tax

The tax impact of these adjustments was as follows: amortisation of acquired intangibles £1.3m (2022: £0.8m), acquisition related costs £0.1m (2022: £0.1m) and ERP development costs £0.3m (2022: £0.3m).

 

Cash impact

The operating cash flow impact of the adjustments was an outflow of £4.2m (2022: £2.0m) being £1.4m (2022: £1.7m) in relation to ERP development costs and £2.8m (2022: £0.3m) in relation to acquisition costs of which £2.1m (2022: £Nil) was in relation to a bonus paid to employees of the acquired entity for pre-acquisition service. The cash to pay this bonus was included within the cash acquired in the opening balance sheet, therefore the impact on the cash flow statement was a reduction in cash flows on acquisition of businesses and a corresponding decrease in cash flows from operations.

 



 

Net cash

The reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents to net cash is as follows:




2023

£'000


2022

£'000







Cash and cash equivalents



33,486


30,141

Lease liabilities



(1,476)


(943)




32,010


29,198

 

 

4.       Tax

 

The statutory effective rate of tax for the year of 4.4% (2022: 17.9%) is lower than (2022: lower than) the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 21.5% (2022: 19.0%) due to allowances for research and development and patent box, and the release of the accrual for contingent consideration in relation to Ansible Motion which was not taxable.

 

The effective rate of tax on the adjusted profit before tax is 13.2% (2022: 17.1%).

 

 

5.       Dividend paid




2023

£'000


2022

£'000







Final 2021 dividend paid of 3.24p per share



-


733

Interim 2022 dividend paid of 1.76p per share



-


398

Final 2022 dividend paid of 3.54p per share



811


-

Interim 2023 dividend paid of 1.94p per share



444


-




1,255


1,131

 

The Board has proposed a final dividend of 4.42p per share totalling £1,014,000. An interim dividend was paid of 1.94p per share totalling £444,000. If approved, the final dividend will be paid on 6 March 2024 to shareholders on the register on 9 February 2024.

 

6.       Earnings per share

 

Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the profit attributable to equity holders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period.

 

Diluted earnings per share is calculated by adjusting the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding to assume conversion of all potentially dilutive shares. The Company has one category of potentially dilutive shares, namely share options.

 

 



 

The calculation of earnings per share is based on the following earnings and number of shares:

 

 

 

 

*Restated

 

 

2023

2022

Weighted average number of shares ('000)

 

 


Basic


22,886

22,625

Diluted


23,193

22,908

 

 

 


Earnings per share

 

 


Profit for the year attributable to owners of the Group (£'000)

 

10,986

4,741

Basic earnings per share

 

48.0p

21.0p

Diluted earnings per share

 

47.4p

20.7p

 

 

 


Adjusted earnings per share

 

 


Adjusted profit for the year attributable to owners of the Group (£'000)

 

14,104

11,020

Adjusted basic earnings per share


61.6p

48.7p

Adjusted diluted earnings per share


60.8p

48.1p

 

* See note 10

 

7.       Other reserves

 

Merger relief reserve

£'000

 

Reconstruction reserve

 

£'000

 

Translation reserve

 

£'000

 

Hedging reserve

 

£'000

 

Total other reserves

 

£'000

 

At 1 September 2021

11,390

(11,284)

(2,414)

(31)

    (2,339)

Other comprehensive income

-   

-        

3,574

(93)

3,481 

At 31 August 2022

11,390

(11,284)

1,160

(124)

   1,142

Other comprehensive expense

-

-

(2,059)

124

(1,935)    

Issue of shares

3,196

-

-

-

3,196

At 31 August 2023

14,586

(11,284)

(899)

-

2,403 

 

 

8.       Foreign exchange

 

The foreign exchange rates applied during the year were:

 

 

 

2023

2022

Year end rate




US dollar

 

1.27

1.16

Euro

 

1.16

1.15

Yen

 

186

161

Average rate


 


US dollar

 

1.21

1.31

Euro

 

1.15

1.19

Yen

 

165

158

 

9.       Acquisition of subsidiary

 

On 20 September 2022, the Group acquired 100% of the issued share capital of Ansible Motion Limited, a leading provider of advanced simulators to the global automotive market.

 

The initial £17.6m consideration comprised £14.4m of cash and £3.2m of new ordinary shares in AB Dynamics plc. A maximum additional £12.0m performance payment was available subject to certain performance criteria being met for the year ended 31 August 2023. An accrual for the deferred contingent consideration was included in the balance sheet at net present value of £9.9m at the acquisition date, which has been adjusted at the year end to £5.9m following completion of the performance period. £0.5m of the total consideration has been retained against any potential warranties. The performance payment is payable in cash in January 2024.

 



The carrying amount of each class of Ansible Motion Limited's assets before combination is set out below:


Book value

£'000

Fair value adjustments £'000

Provisional fair value £'000

Intangible assets

-

16,800

16,800

Property, plant and equipment

31

-

31

Right of use asset

441

-

441

Inventory

1,691

-

1,691

Trade and other receivables

2,049

-

2,049

Cash

3,744

-

3,744

Trade and other payables

(6,404)

-

(6,404)

Lease liabilities

(441)

-

(441)

Deferred tax liabilities

-

(4,137)

(4,137)

Deferred tax assets

222

-

222

Net assets acquired

1,333

12,663

13,996

Goodwill arising on acquisition



14,014




28,010





Cash paid



14,400

New ordinary shares issued



3,200

Contingent consideration payable



10,410

Total consideration



28,010





Cash consideration



14,400

Less cash acquired



(3,744)




10,656

 

Contingent consideration


Performance payment net present value at acquisition date

9,882

Retained consideration

528

At acquisition

10,410

Unwind of discount

713

Less adjustment to performance payment payable

(5,180)

At 31 August 2023

5,943

 

The contingent consideration has been adjusted at the year end to a fair value of £5.4m following completion of the performance period (an undiscounted value of £5.5m). £0.5m of the total consideration has been retained against any potential warranties. After the year end, the final payment was agreed as £5.7m and has become payable in cash in January 2024. 

 

The initial cash consideration was satisfied with available cash resources and a short-term utilisation of part of the Group revolving credit facility which has since been repaid. £0.5m of the initial purchase price has been retained against any potential warranties and is included within deferred consideration.

 

Intangible assets arising on acquisition are in respect of technology (£16.1m) and brand (£0.7m). The useful economic lives have been determined to be ten and five years respectively.

 

Ansible Motion Limited contributed revenue of £11.8m and adjusted operating profit of £2.4m for the period between acquisition and the balance sheet date. Acquisition related costs amounted to £0.7m which have been expensed when incurred. £0.7m of the discount on the deferred contingent consideration unwound in the period and has been included in finance expenses.

 

10.       Prior year adjustment

The comparatives for the prior period have been restated to reflect a different interpretation of the accounting standard regarding revenue recognition following challenge by the Group's new auditors, Grant Thornton. The restatement relates to timing differences on contracts with two customers under which revenue was previously recognised over time as the equipment was built and has been restated to reflect recognition at a point in time on delivery and installation. The change in interpretation relates to judgement applied in determining how much profit the Group would be entitled to in the unlikely event of a cancellation of the contract. None of these contracts were cancelled and all have concluded during FY 2023 and payment has been received in full.

 

The impact is detailed in the tables below and has resulted in an increase to revenue of £2,921,000 and profit after tax of £832,000 for the prior period and a decrease in opening net assets at 1 September 2021 of £411,000. The net impact on the closing net assets at 31 August 2022 and hence on the profit after tax for the year ended 31 August 2023 was £421,000. 

 

Consolidated statement of financial position

 

 

31 August 2022

31 August 2021

 


As reported
£'000

Impact of restatement

£'000


Restated

£'000

As reported
£'000

Impact of restatement
£'000


Restated
£'000

 







Non-current assets

77,038

-

77,038

78,808

-

78,808

Current assets







Inventories

13,611

40

13,651

6,771

1,130

7,901

Taxation

882

8

890

1,443

99

1,542

Contract assets

3,917

411

4,328

4,269

50

4,319

Other current assets

43,923

-

43,923

38,782

-

38,782


62,333

459

62,792

51,265

1,279

52,544

Assets held for sale

1,893

-

1,893

1,893

-

1,893

Current liabilities







Contract liabilities

5,787

(719)

5,068

3,568

1,690

5,258

Other current liabilities

16,804

757

17,561

16,349

-

16,349

 

22,591

38

22,629

19,917

1,690

21,607

Non-current liabilities

6,712

-

6,712

7,063

-

7,063

Net assets

111,961

421

112,382

104,986

(411)

104,575

 







Retained earnings

48,333

421

48,754

44,889

(411)

44,478

Share capital and other reserves


63,628


-


63,628

 

60,097

 

-

 

60,097

Total equity

111,961

421

112,382

104,986

(411)

104,575

 

 

 


 

 

 

Consolidated income statement

 

 

31 August 2022

 

 

 

 

As reported
£'000

Impact of restatement
£'000


Restated
£'000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue

 

 

 

80,305

2,921

83,226

Cost of sales

 

 

 

(34,089)

(1,996)

(36,085)

Gross profit

 

 

 

46,216

925

47,141

Operating profit

 

 

 

5,229

925

6,154

Profit before tax

 

 

 

4,855

925

5,780

Tax expense

 

 

 

(946)

(93)

(1,039)

Profit for the year

 

 

 

3,909

832

4,741

 

 

 

 




 

11.     Principal risks

 

The principal risks and uncertainties impacting the Group are described on pages 54-58 of our Annual Report 2023. They include: downturn or instability in major geographic markets or market sectors (including inflation, conflicts and pandemics), supply chain disruption, loss of major customers and change in customer procurement processes, failure to deliver new products, dependence on external routes to market, acquisition integration and performance, cybersecurity and business interruption, competitor actions, loss of key personnel, threat of disruptive technology, product liability, failure to manage growth, foreign currency, counterparty risk, credit risk, intellectual property/patents and environmental risk.

 

 



 

12.   2023 Annual Report

 

The Annual Report for the year ended 31 August 2023 will be posted on the Company's website, www.abdplc.com, on 2 February 2024 and a copy will be posted to shareholders, as required, in advance of the Company's Annual General Meeting of 28 February 2024.

 

 

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