RNS Number : 7793E
Fiinu PLC
19 September 2024
 

19 September 2024

 

This announcement contains inside information stipulated under the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, part of English Law under the European (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended. This information will be in the public domain upon publication of this announcement.

 

FIINU PLC

("Fiinu" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Half-Year results for the six months ended 30 June 2024

 

Fiinu, a fintech group and creator of the Plugin Overdraft®, announces its unaudited half-year results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

 

Operational Update

 

·    The Company has successfully completed all its previously announced cost-cutting programmes, leading to a much-reduced loss before taxation.

·    The Plugin Overdraft platform's intellectual property, documentation and source code remain boxed in a secured data warehouse, as previously announced. The Plugin Overdraft® platform can technically access over 100 million bank accounts in the UK.

·    During the period, the Company has continued funding conversations with potential investors.

·    In addition, the Company continues to discuss providing white-labelling services to other banks and licensing Fiinu's Plugin Overdraft technology platform.

 

Financial Highlights

 

·    Loss before taxation is reduced by 95% from the same period last year to approximately £0.24m (2023: £4.41m). Cash at bank on 30 June 2024 was approximately £0.7m. Since the period end, as in the past six years, the Company has submitted a file for a research & development tax credit, for approximately £0.6m. 

·    The Board remains confident in its ability to trade as a going concern. The Board has the main shareholder support, the operating losses have been reduced, and the monthly burn rate is being managed effectively with existing liquidity.       

 

Outlook

 

·    In addition to continuing to look to secure the funding required to enable it to re-visit its application for a UK Banking Licence and potential white-labelling or licensing opportunities, the Board remains open to exploring corporate transactions with other complementary businesses in the fintech or banking arena.

·    The ideal targets should have strategic and business ethics that synergise with Fiinu's proposition, corporate culture, and values, such as improving financial inclusion through innovative use of open banking-enabled technologies and pan-European expansion ambitions.

Dr Marko Sjoblom, Fiinu CEO, commented:

 

"I am pleased to report that the Company has made significant strides towards achieving financial stability. The successful completion of our cost-cutting initiatives is a major milestone, resulting in a 95% reduction in losses compared to the same period last year. This disciplined approach to financial management has allowed us to protect our cash position and maintain sufficient liquidity to support ongoing operations, including our efforts to secure additional funding.

 

"Our Plugin Overdraft® platform, which can technically access over 100 million UK bank accounts, remains a core asset. While our intellectual property, documentation, and source code are securely stored, we continue to explore strategic opportunities for white-labelling services and licensing of this unique platform technology. These discussions are ongoing and reflect our commitment to unlocking the full value of our proprietary offerings in a manner that aligns with the market's needs and our long-term objectives.

 

"From a strategic perspective, we are maintaining conversations with potential investors to secure additional funding. At the same time, the Board is  also exploring potential acquisitions that align with our mission of improving financial inclusion through innovative technologies. We are actively looking for businesses that not only complement our existing capabilities but also share our corporate values, including a commitment to open banking-enabled technologies and a vision for pan-European growth.

 

"In conclusion, I am confident that our strategic initiatives, coupled with prudent financial management, position us well for future success. The Board remains focused on delivering value for our shareholders and stakeholders as we continue to navigate the evolving fintech landscape."

 

Key Financials

Highlighted below are the key unaudited financial highlights for the six months to 30 June 2024, compared to the six months to 30 June 2023 and the audited year ended 31 December 2023.

 


Unaudited

half year to 30 Jun 2024

£

Unaudited

half year to 30 Jun 2023

£

Audited

year to 31 Dec 2023

£

Revenue

-

-

-

Gross profit

-

-

-

Administrative expenses

(238,606)

(4,395,412)

(7,223,494)

Investment revenues / (cost)

-

27,851

-

Net finance (cost) / income

433

(47,924)

(28,664)

Loss before taxation

(238,173)

(4,415,486)

(7,252,158)

Income tax income

-

253,462

16,157

Loss and total comprehensive income (continuing operations)

(238,173)

(4,162,024)

(7,236,001)

Fair value adjustments

-

-

(67,109)

Impairment of investments

-

-

(1,014,421)

Total Loss and total comprehensive

income

(238,173)

(4,162,024)

(8,317,531)

 

Earnings / (loss) per share




Basic

(0.001)

(1.75)

(3.06)

Diluted

(0.001)

(1.75)

(3.06)

 

 

 

 

 

Enquiries:


Fiinu Plc

Dr Marko Sjoblom, Chief Executive Officer

marko@fiinu.com

 

 

    Tel: +44 (0)1932 629 582

 

SPARK Advisory Partners Limited (Nomad)

Mark Brady / Adam Dawes

Tel: +44 (0) 203 368 3550

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Broker)

Matthew Johnson / Charlie Bouverat (Corporate Finance)

Abigail Wayne / Rob Rees (Corporate Broking)

Tel: +44 (0) 207 470 0470

 

About Fiinu

Fiinu, founded in 2017, is a fintech group that has developed the Plugin Overdraft®, which is an unbundled overdraft solution that allows customers to have an overdraft without changing their existing bank. The underlying bank Independent Overdraft® technology platform is bank agnostic, which therefore enables it to serve all other banks' customers. The Plugin Overdraft® platform can technically access over 100 million bank accounts in the UK. Open Banking allows Fiinu's Plugin Overdraft® to attach ("plugin") to the customer's existing primary bank account, no matter which bank they may use. Fiinu's vision is built around Open Banking, and it believes that it increases competition and innovation in banking.

 

For more information, please visit www.fiinuplc.com


Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

 


Unaudited

half year to 30 Jun 2024

£

Unaudited

half year to 30 Jun 2023

£

Audited

year to 31 Dec 2023

£

Revenue

-

-

-

Gross profit

-

-

-

Administrative expenses

(238,606)

(4,395,412)

(7,223,494)

Investment revenues / cost

-

27,851

-

Net finance income / cost

433

(47,924)

(28,664)

Loss before taxation

(238,173)

(4,415,486)

(7,252,158)

Income tax income

-

253,462

16,157

Loss and total comprehensive income (continuing operations)

(238,173)

(4,162,024)

(7,236,001)

Fair value adjustments

-

--

(67,109)

Impairment of investments

-

-

(1,014,421)

Total Loss and total

comprehensive income

(238,173)

(4,162,024)

(8,317,531)

 

Earnings / (loss) per share




Basic

(0.001)

(1.75)

(3.06)

Diluted

(0.001)

(1.75)

(3.06)

 

 

 

Consolidated statement of financial position

 

 

 

Notes

30 June 2024 (unaudited)

£

30 June 2023 (unaudited)

£

31 Dec 2023

(audited)

£

ASSETS




Non-current assets




Intangible assets

-

878,639

-

Property, plant and equipment

-

209,949

-


-

1,088,588

-

Current assets




Trade and other receivables

64,386

429,147

236,720

Current tax recoverable

-

606,341

-

Cash and cash equivalents

691,280

4,284,783

1,310,757


755,666

5,320,361

1,547,477

Total assets

755,666

6,408,949

1,547,477

LIABILITIES




Non-Current liabilities




Lease liabilities

-

23,707

-


-

23,707

-

Current liabilities




Trade and other payables

144,371

1,846,203

663,940

Lease liabilities

23,707

137,381

57,776


168,078

1,983,584

721,716

Total liabilities

168,078

2,007,291

721,716

Capital and Reserves




Called up share capital

27,474,724

27,474,724

27,474,724

Share premium

9,475,486

9,482,775

9,475,486

Own shares

(5,100)

-

(5,100)

Merger reserve

(21,120,782)

(21,120,782)

(21,120,782)

Shares to be issued

50,000

-

50,000

Retained losses

(15,286,740)

(11,435,059)

(15,048,567)

Total Equity

587,588

4,401,658

825,761

Total equity and liabilities

755,666

6,408,949

1,547,477

 

 

 

Consolidated statement of cash flows

 

 

 

Notes

6 months

ended 30 June 2024 (unaudited)

£

6 months

ended 30 June 2023 (unaudited)

£

12 months

ended 31 Dec 2023

(audited)

£

Cash flows from operating activities




Cash absorbed by operations

(585,841)

(4,177,353)

(6,647,178)

Income taxes refunded

-

                                -

369,036

Net cash outflow from operating activities

(585,841)

(4,177,353)

(6,278,142)

Investing activities




Purchase of property, plant

and equipment

-

(8,618)

(8,618)

Interest received

2,013

27,851

46,176

Net cash generated from investing activities

2,013

19,233

37,558

Financing activities




Proceeds from issue of shares

-

1,250,000

500,000

Proceeds from borrowings

-

250,000

1,000,000

Repayment of borrowings

-

-

(750,000)

Payment of lease liabilities

(34,069)

(65,668)

(167,929)

Interest paid

(1,580)

(47,924)

(75,891)

Net cash generated from financing activities

(35,649)

1,386,408

506,180

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash

equivalents

(619,477)

(2,771,713)

(5,734,404)

Cash at beginning of period

1,310,757

7,045,161

7,045,161

Cash at end of period

691,280

4,273,448

1,310,757

 

 

 

Consolidated statement of changes in equity Attributable to equity shareholders of the company

 


Called up

share capital

 

£

Share

premium

 

 

 

£

Revaluation/

 Merger reserve/

shares to be issued

£

Retained

earnings

 

 

 

£

Total

 

 

 

 

£

Balance at 31

December 2023

27,474,724

9,475,486

(21,075,882)

(15,048,567)

825,761

Period ended 30

June 2024






Loss and total

comprehensive income for the period

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

(238,173)

 

(238,173)

Issue of share capital

-

-

-

-

-

Balance at 30 June 2024

27,474,724

9,475,486

(21,075,882)

(15,286,740)

587,588

 

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Financial information contained in this document does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act"). The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The report of the auditors confirmed that the financial statements:

·    give a true and fair view of the state of the Group's and of the Parent Company's affairs as at 31 December 2023 and of the Group's loss for the period then ended;

·    have been properly prepared in accordance with UK-adopted international accounting standards and, as regards the parent company financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

·    have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

 

The auditors conducted the audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the "Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements" section of our report. We are independent of the Group and the Parent Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the Financial Reporting Council's ('FRC') Ethical Standard as applied to listed entities and public interest entities and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

The financial information for the six months ended 30 June 2024 and 30 June 2023 are unaudited. This announcement was approved by the Board on 17 September 2024.

1.    Reporting entity

 

Fiinu Plc (the "Company" or the "Group") is a public company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Ibex House, Baker Street, Weybridge, KT13 8AH. The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of 30 June 2024 and for the six months ended 30 June 2023 comprise the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the "Group").

 

Fiinu, founded in 2017, is a fintech group that developed the Plugin Overdraft®, which is an unbundled overdraft solution that allows customers to have an overdraft without changing their existing bank. The underlying bank Independent Overdraft technology platform is bank agnostic, which therefore enables it to serve all other banks' customers. The Plugin Overdraft® platform can technically access over 100 million bank accounts in the UK. Open Banking allows Fiinu's Plugin Overdraft® to attach ("plugin") to the customer's existing primary bank account, no matter which bank they may use. Fiinu's vision is built around Open Banking, and it believes that it increases competition and innovation in banking.

 

For more information, please visit www.fiinuplc.com

 

2.    Basis of preparation

 

The consolidated financial information has been prepared in accordance with UK adopted international accounting standards. The consolidated financial statements are presented in pounds sterling, the functional currency of the Company and the presentation currency of the Group.

The interim financial information is made up to 30 June 2024. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial information of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by other members of the Group.

 

All intra-group transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between Group companies are eliminated on consolidation. Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred.

 

Subsidiaries are consolidated in the Group's financial statements from the date that control

commences until the date that control ceases.

 

Acquisitions are accounted for using the acquisition method. the cost of an acquisition is measured at fair value at the date of exchange of the consideration. Identifiable assets and liabilities of the acquired business are recognised at their fair value at the date of acquisition. To the extent that the cost of an acquisition exceeds the fair value of the net assets acquired, the difference is recorded as goodwill. Where the fair value of the net assets acquired exceeds the cost of an acquisition, the difference is recorded in profit and loss.

 

The Group has chosen not to adopt IAS 34 "Interim Financial Statements" in preparing the interim financial information.

 

3.    Significant accounting policies

The accounting policies set out in detail in note 2 of the Group's consolidated financial statements to 31 December 2023 have been applied consistently to these unaudited financial statements to 30 June 2024. There are no new standards or amendments to standards which are material to the accounts for the half year ended 30 June 2024.

 

4.             Events in the six months ended 30 June 2024 Business Highlights: Operational Update

·      The Company has successfully completed all its previously announced cost-cutting programmes, leading to a much-reduced loss before taxation.

·      The Plugin Overdraft platform's intellectual property, documentation and source code remain boxed in a secured data warehouse, as previously announced. The Plugin Overdraft platform can technically access over 100 million bank accounts in the UK.

·      During the period, the Company has continued funding conversations with potential investors.

·      In addition, the Company continues to discuss providing white-labelling services to other banks and licensing Fiinu's Plugin Overdraft® technology platform.

 

Financial Highlights

 

·    Loss before taxation is reduced by 95% from the same period last year to approximately £0.24m (2023: £4.41m). Cash at bank on 30 June 2024 was approximately £0.7m. Since the period end, as in the past six years, the Company has applied for a research & development tax credit, which equates to approximately £0.6m. 

·    The Board remains confident in its ability to trade as a going concern. The Board has the main shareholder support, the operating losses have been reduced, and the monthly burn rate is being managed effectively with existing liquidity.      

 

Outlook

 

·    In addition to continuing to look to secure the funding required to enable it to re-visit its application for a UK Banking Licence and potential white-labelling or licensing opportunities, the Board remains open to exploring corporate actions with other complementary businesses in the fintech or banking arena.

·    The ideal businesses should have strategic and business ethics that synergise with Fiinu's proposition, corporate culture, and values, such as improving financial inclusion through innovative use of open banking-enabled technologies and pan-European expansion ambitions.

 

5.    Share capital

 

Allotted, issued and fully paid:

 


Number of shares

Nominal value



£

Ordinary shares with nominal value of £0.10 per

share as at:

31 December 2023

274,747,246

27,474,725

Issued in the half year



30 June 2024

274,747,246

27,474,725

 

There are no restrictions on the transfer of shares in Fiinu Plc. All shares carry equal voting rights.

 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains certain forward-looking statements which reflect the knowledge and information available to the Company during the preparation and up to the publication of this document. By their very nature, these statements depend upon circumstances and relate to events that may occur in the future thereby involving a degree of uncertainty. Although the Group believes that the expectations reflected in these statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. Given that these statements involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward- looking statements.

 

The Group undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.
 
END
 
 
IR EAFNPFAKLEAA