REG - Persimmon Plc - Final Results - Part 2
Released: 02/03/2010

- Part 2: For the preceeding part double click [ID:nRSB9007Ha]
     expenditure in relation to forward land held on the balance sheet.
  
   ·  Amendment to IFRS 2 'Share-based Payment' clarifies, amongst
   other matters, the treatment of cancelled options. The impact on the
   Group is insignificant.
 
   ·  IFRS 8, 'Operating Segments'. IFRS 8 replaces IAS 14,
   'Segment Reporting' and requires the disclosure of segment information on
   the same basis as the management information provided to the chief
   operating decision maker. The adoption of this standard has not resulted
   in a change in the Group's reportable segments. The Group's operating
   segments have similar economic characteristics, products, construction
   processes and types of customers and meet the aggregation criteria of
   IFRS in full. Consequently the Group has aggregated its geographic
   operations into one reportable segment, which is housebuilding in the
   United Kingdom.
 
   ·  IAS 23 'Borrowing Costs' (Amendment). This amendment
   requires an entity to capitalise borrowing costs directly attributable to
   the acquisition, construction and production of a qualifying asset, as
   part of the cost of that asset. A qualifying asset is one that takes a
   substantial period of time to get ready for use or sale. Inventories
   which are produced in large quantities on a repetitive basis over a short
   period of time are not qualifying assets. This amendment is not expected
   to have any material impact on the Group's financial statements as the
   activities performed by the Group do not generally produce qualifying
   assets.
 
 

2. Exceptional items
 
                                              2009              2008
                                                            Restated
                                                £m                £m
 
   Cost of sales:
 
   Inventory write back / (impairment) (i)    74.8            (664.1)
 
   Asset impairment and write-offs (ii)          -             (24.1)
 
   Operating expenses:
 
   Restructuring costs (iii)                     -             (21.9)
 
   Asset impairment (iv)                         -            (201.0)
 
   Exceptional income / (costs)               74.8            (911.1)
 
   Finance income:
 
   Other interest receivable (v)                 -                6.3
 
   Exceptional items before tax               74.8             (904.8) 
 

(i) In the year ended 31 December 2008 the Group
recognised a net realisable write-down of its inventory carrying values of
£664.1m (restated). During the year ended 31 December 2009, the Group
conducted further reviews of the net realisable value of its inventory
carrying values which resulted in net reversals of the previous write-down
of inventories of £46.9m and £27.9m in each of the six months ended 31
December and 30 June respectively. Further details are given in note 6.

(ii)  In the year ended 31 December 2008 a review of
trade and other receivables resulted in impairments and write-offs of
£24.1m (restated). At 31 December 2009 the review indicated no further
exceptional impairments were required.

(iii) During the year ended 31 December 2008 the Group had incurred £21.9m 
in relation to reorganising and restructuring the business. There were no 
such costs in 2009.

(iv) At 31 December 2008, the Group conducted an impairment review of its 
goodwill. This resulted in an impairment charge of £202.8m of which £201.0m 
was considered exceptional. At 31 December 2009, the impairment review gave 
rise to a charge of £4.0m, which is not considered exceptional in nature.

(v) Interest receivable in the year ended 31 December 2008 represented monies 
due following the receipt of tax repayments. There are no such amounts in the 
year ended 31 December 2009.

 

3. Taxation
                                                               

                                                                  2009      2008
 
                                                                    £m        £m
 
UK corporation tax in respect of the current year                  8.2       0.3
 
Adjustments recognised in the current year in 
respect of prior years                                              -    (182.7)

 
                                                                   8.2   (182.4)
 
Deferred tax credit relating to origination and reversal of       (1.9)    (2.1)
temporary differences
 
Adjustments recognised in the current year in respect of prior    (2.6)     29.5
years deferred tax
 
                                                                   (4.5)    27.4
 
Tax charge / (credit) for the year recognised in profit and         3.7   (155.0)
loss
 
 

The charge / (credit) for the year can be reconciled to the accounting
profit / (loss) as follows:

                                                                 2009      2008
 
                                                                   £m        £m
 
Profit / (loss) from continuing operations                       77.8    (780.0)
 
Tax calculated at UK corporation tax rate of 28.0% (2008:        21.8    (222.3)
28.5%)
 
Accounting base cost not deductible for tax purposes              0.1        1.1
 
Goodwill impairment losses that are not deductible                1.1       57.8
 
Losses carried back                                                 -      127.5
 
Losses carried forward                                              -       31.1
 
Losses brought forward                                          (18.0)        -
 
Expenditure not allowable for tax purposes                         1.3       3.0
 
Adjustments in respect of prior years                            (2.6)    (153.2)
 
Tax charge / (credit) for the year recognised in profit or        3.7     (155.0)
loss
 
 

In addition to the amount recognised in profit and loss, deferred tax of
£19.3m was credited directly to other comprehensive expense (2008: £11.3m
charge), and £nil was recognised in equity (2008: £0.7m charge).

 

The Group has recognised deferred tax assets of £22.3m (2008: £2.1m) on
£79.6m (2008: £7.7m) out of the total pension deficit of £114.4m (2008:
£95.3m). The Group has not recognised deferred tax assets on c. £44m of
tax losses carried forward (2008: c. £109m).

 

4.             Dividends

 
                                                               2009        2008
 
                                                                 £m          £m
 
Dividends paid:                          
 
2008 final dividend paid of                                       -        98.1   
nil per share (2007: 32.7p)
 
2009 interim dividend paid                                        -        15.0   
of nil per share (2008:
5.0p)
 
Total dividend                                                    -       113.1  
 
                                         
 
Dividends proposed:                      
  
2009 no final dividend proposed                                   -           -      
(2008: no final dividend proposed)

 
5. Earnings per share
 
   Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the profit for the
   year attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number
   of ordinary shares in issue during the year, excluding those held in the
   Employee Share Ownership Trust, the Employee Benefit Trust and treasury
   shares, all of which are treated as cancelled, which were 300.3m (2008:
   300.0m).
 
   Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing the profit for the
   year attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number
   of ordinary shares in issue adjusted to assume conversion of all
   potentially dilutive ordinary shares from the start of the year, giving a
   figure of 302.0m (2008: 301.0m)
 
   Underlying earnings per share excludes exceptional items and impairment
   of intangible assets.
 
   The earnings per share from continuing operations were as follows:
                                           
                                                        2009        2008
 
Basic earnings / (loss) per share                      24.7p     (208.3p)
 
Underlying basic earnings per share                     2.1p        35.3p
 
Diluted earnings / (loss) per share                    24.5p     (208.3p)
 
Underlying diluted earnings per share                   2.1p        35.2p
 
 

The calculation of the basic and diluted earnings per share is based upon
the following data:

                                                               2009       2008
 
                                                                 £m         £m
 
Underlying earnings attributable to shareholders                6.3      105.9
 
Exceptional items net of related taxation (including           71.8    (729.1)        
exceptional intangible asset impairment)
 
Goodwill impairment - utilisation of strategic land holdings   (4.0)     (1.8)
 
Earnings / (loss) attributable to shareholders                  74.1   (625.0)
 
 

6. Inventories
                                                                          2008
                                                           2009       Restated
                                                             £m             £m
 
Land                                                    1,633.9        1,847.5   
 
Work in progress                                          485.5          634.0     
 
Part exchange properties                                    9.3           54.5      
 
Showhouses                                                 59.1           78.5      
  
Total inventories                                       2,187.8        2,614.5   
 
                                                        
As set out in note 2, the Group conducted a further review of the net realisable 
value of its land and work in progress portfolio during 2009. The impact of these 
reviews of our net realisable value provisions is a net exceptional credit to
the consolidated statement of comprehensive income of £74.8m. An impairment of land
and work in progress of £209.3m was recognised in the year (2008: £664.1m (restated)) 
and a reversal of £284.1m (2008: £nil) on inventories that were written down in a 
previous accounting period. These charges / reversals mainly arose due to regional 
selling price movements being higher or lower than anticipated by management during 
the prior year review. Our approach to our net realisable value review has
been consistent with that conducted at 31 December 2008.
 
The key judgements in estimating the future net present realisable value of a 
site was the estimation of likely sales prices, house types and costs to complete 
the developments. Sales prices and costs to complete were estimated on a 
site-by-site basis based upon existing market conditions. If the UK housing market 
were to improve or deteriorate in the future then further adjustments to the 
carrying value of land and work in progress may be required.
 
Following the 2009 review, £752.3m (2008: £1,088.9m) of inventories are valued 
at fair value less costs to sell rather than at historical cost.
 
  
7. Reconciliation of net cash flow to net debt

                                                    Note             2009     2008                                                                            
                                                                       £m       £m

Increase in net cash and cash equivalents                             160.9   25.9
 
Decrease in debt and finance lease obligations                        174.3   96.7
 
Financing transaction costs                                            21.4    1.9
 
Decrease in net debt from cash flows                                 356.6   124.5
 
New finance lease obligations                                        -       (0.6)
 
Non-cash movements                                                   (6.1)   (0.8)
 
Decrease in net debt                                                 350.5   123.1
 
Net debt at 1 January                                              (601.2) (724.3)
 
Net debt at 31 December                               8            (250.7) (601.2)
                                   
                     
 

8. Analysis of net debt

                                                       Note           2009    2008
                                                                        £m      £m
 
Cash and cash equivalents                                            138.0     0.8
 
Bank overdrafts                                                          -   (23.7)
 
Net cash and cash equivalents                                        138.0   (22.9)
 
Bank loans                                                           -       (65.0)
 
US and UK senior loan notes due within one year                     (115.4) (119.4)
 
US, UK & EU senior loan notes due after more 
than one year                                                       (299.7) (507.0)
 
Other loan notes due within one year                                  (1.7)   (3.2)
 
Forward currency swaps                                                11.3    116.8
 
Finance lease obligations                                             (1.2)   (2.4)
 
Financing transaction costs                                             18.0    1.9
 
Net debt at 31 December                                 7           (250.7) (601.2)
                                  
                  
 

9. Retirement benefit obligation
 
   At 31 December 2009 the Group operated three employee pension schemes, a
   stakeholder scheme and two defined benefit schemes. Actuarial gains and
   losses are recognised in full as other comprehensive expense through the
   statement of comprehensive income. All other pension scheme costs are
   reported as operating expenses in the statement of comprehensive income.
 
   The amounts recognised in the statement of comprehensive income are as
   follows:

                                                                     2009     2008
								       £m       £m
 
Current service cost                                                  3.2      4.8
 
Curtailment credit                                                     -      (2.1)
 
Interest cost                                                          19.3   19.4
 
Expected return on scheme assets                                     (13.8) (19.6)
 
Total (included in staff costs)                                         8.7    2.5
 
Net actuarial loss recognised in other comprehensive expense           29.0   43.8
 
Total defined benefit scheme loss recognised                           37.7   46.3
 
 

The amount included in the balance sheet arising from the Group's obligation
in respect of its defined benefit schemes is as follows:
 
                                                                     2009     2008
								       £m       £m
 
Present value of funded obligations                                (387.3)  (324.0)
 
Fair value of scheme assets                                          272.9    228.7
 
Deficit in the scheme and net liability in the balance sheet        (114.4)   (95.3)
 
 


Principal risks

The Group's financial and operational performance is subject to a
significant number of risks, which are subject to continual assessment by
management to mitigate and minimise these risks. There are also many risks
which are outside of our control which can affect our business. Our
principal risks are:
 

                         Impact                       Mitigation
                                             
 
National and regional    The housebuilding            We minimise the level of
economic conditions      industry is sensitive to     speculative build
                         changes in job growth,       undertaken by closely
                         interest rates and           controlling our work in
                         consumer confidence.         progress levels. We carry
                         Further deterioration in     out extensive due
                         economic conditions may      diligence prior to our
                         significantly decrease       land investment decisions
                         demand and pricing for       to capture best margins.
                         new homes, which could
                         have a material effect
                         on our business
                         revenues, margins and
                         profits and result in
                         the impairment of asset
                         values.
 
                          
 
Mortgage availability    Any further restrictions     We ensure construction is
                         in the market                matched to our level of
                         availability of              sales. We can use HomeBuy
                         mortgages for our            Direct shared equity to
                         customers could reduce       enable buyers without
                         demand for our homes and     large deposits to purchase
                         affect revenues, margins     our homes.
                         and profits.
 
                                                   
                          
 
Capital requirements     Our ability to continue      The Group actively
                         to manage our business       maintains a mixture of
                         depends on our ability       medium and long term debt
                         to access capital on         and bonding lines to
                         appropriate terms. We        ensure sufficient funds
                         could be adversely           and bonding are available
                         affected by a change in      to support operations.
                         our credit rating or
                         disruption in the
                         capital markets
                         resulting in credit
                         facilities not being
                         available. We also
                         require access to
                         bonding facilities to
                         secure planning, road
                         and sewer agreements for
                         our developments.
 
                          
 
Competitive markets      We operate in a market       We constantly review our
                         with many other              prices and sales
                         national, regional and       incentives offered to
                         local housebuilders.         customers to maintain
                         Increasing levels of         appropriate sales volumes.
                         competition for a            We plan our developments
                         reduced number of buyers     to provide the right house
                         could reduce the number      styles and specifications
                         of homes we sell and         to suit the local market.
                         affect revenues, margins
                         and profits.
 
                                                   
 
                          
 
Regulatory compliance    Our business is subject      We hold a landbank
                         to extensive and complex     sufficient to provide
                         laws and regulations         security of supply for
                         principally relating to      short term requirements.
                         planning, the                We operate comprehensive
                         environment and health       management systems to
                         and safety. Our              ensure regulatory
                         obligations to comply        compliance and reduction
                         with legislation can         in reputational risk.
                         result in delays in land
                         development and
                         housebuilding activity
                         causing us to incur
                         substantial costs and
                         prohibit or restrict
                         land development and
                         construction.
 
 

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:

· 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 of the Company and the undertakings included 
in the consolidation taken as a whole; and

· the Annual Report which will be issued on 22 March 2010, includes a fair 
review of the development and performance of the business and the position 
of the Company and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as 
a whole, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties 
that they face.

 
By order of the Board

Mike Farley                   Mike Killoran
Group Chief Executive         Group Finance Director
1 March 2010                  1 March 2010        
                      

The Directors of Persimmon plc are:

John White                    Group Chairman
Mike Farley                   Group Chief Executive
Mike Killoran                 Group Finance Director
Jeff Fairburn                 North Division Chief Executive
Hamish Leslie Melville        Non-executive Director
David Thompson                Senior Independent Director
Neil Davidson                 Non-executive Director
Nicholas Wrigley              Non-executive Director
Richard Pennycook             Non-executive Director
Jonathan Davie                Non-executive Director

 
The Group's Annual financial reports, half year reports and interim
management statements are available from the Group's website at
www.corporate.persimmonhomes.com

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange 
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