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Thu 8 Nov 2007, 17:56 ARL - Astral Foods - Audited results for the year
ARL
 ARL                                                                             
ARL - Astral Foods - Audited results  for the year ended 30 September 2007      
Astral Foods                                                                    
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa                                    
Registration no 1978/003194/06                                                  
Share code ARL & ISIN ZAE000029757                                              
AUDITED RESULTS                                                                 
For the year ended 30 September 2007                                            
Highlights                                                                      
    Operating profit increase 6%                                                
    Headline earnings per share increase 7%                                     
    Dividend increase 20%                                                       
Condensed Income Statement                                                      
                                     Audited                   Audited          
                                     Year ended                Year ended       
                                     30 Sept                   30 Sept          
2007           Change     2006             
                                     R`000          %          R`000            
Revenue                               6 329 311      22         5 183 664       
Operating profit (note 5)             808 238        6          765 953         
Net finance (costs)/income          (1 591)                   4 884            
Profit before income tax              806 647        5          770 837         
 Income tax expense                  (261 089)                 (254 339)        
Profit for the year                   545 558        6          516 498         
Attributable to:                                                                
 Equity holders of the parent        537 858        6          509 517          
company                                                                         
 Minority interests                  7 700          10         6 981            
545 558        6          516 498          
Earnings per share (cents)                                                      
 - basic                             1 387          8          1 285            
 - diluted                           1 385          9          1 268            
Additional information                                                          
Headline earnings (R`000)             535 521        5          509 803         
Headline earnings per share (cents)                                             
 - basic                             1 381          7          1 286            
- diluted                           1 379          9          1 269            
Dividend per share (cents)                                                      
- declared out of earnings for the    700            20         585             
year                                                                            
Ordinary shares                                                                 
 - Issued net of treasury shares     38 459 792                38 949 578       
 - Weighted-average                  38 789 127                39 643 913       
 - Diluted weighted-average          38 825 141                40 177 944       
Net asset value per share (Rand)      33,47          18         28,28           
Condensed Balance Sheet                                                         
                                     Audited                   Audited          
                                     Year ended                Year ended       
30 Sept                   30 Sept          
                                     2007                      2006             
                                     R`000                     R`000            
Assets                                                                          
Non-current assets                    1 416 775                 1 183 199       
 Property, plant and equipment       1 254 028                 1 038 328        
 Intangible assets                   139 266                   141 725          
 Investments and loans               2 873                     1 394            
Derivative financial instrument     15 549                    -                
 Deferred income tax asset           5 059                     1 752            
Current assets                        1 449 933                 989 541         
 Inventories                         249 368                   198 228          
Biological assets                   282 308                   214 354          
 Trade and other receivables         772 490                   448 031          
 Current income tax assets           22 318                    -                
 Derivative financial instrument     16 555                    -                
Cash and cash equivalents           106 894                   128 928          
Total assets                          2 866 708                 2 172 740       
Equity                                                                          
Capital and reserves attributable to                                            
equity                                                                          
 holders of the parent company       1 287 063                 1 101 622        
 Issued capital                      6 184                     93 711           
 Reserves                            1 280 879                 1 007 911        
Minority interests in equity          20 450                    19 332          
Total equity                          1 307 513                 1 120 954       
Liabilities                                                                     
Non-current liabilities               329 967                   249 386         
Borrowings                          6 228                     9 600            
 Deferred income tax liability       256 326                   171 906          
 Retirement benefit obligations      67 413                    67 880           
Current liabilities                   1 229 228                 802 400         
Trade and other liabilities         955 162                   734 601          
 Current income tax liabilities      14 651                    55 787           
 Borrowings                          259 415                   12 012           
Total liabilities                     1 559 195                 1 051 786       
Total equity and liabilities          2 866 708                 2 172 740       
Net (debt)/surplus cash               (158 749)                 107 316         
Condensed Cash Flow Statement                                                   
                                     Audited                   Audited          
Year ended                Year ended       
                                     30 Sept                   30 Sept          
                                     2007                      2006             
                                     R`000                     R`000            
Cash operating profit                 913 454                   863 644         
 Working capital changes             (221 711)                 84 384           
Cash generated from operating         691 743                   948 028         
activities                                                                      
Net finance income/(costs)          (1 591)                   4 884            
 Income tax paid                     (243 790)                 (234 434)        
Cash flows from operating activities  446 362                   718 478         
 Net cash used in investing          (358 266)                 (293 633)        
activities                                                                      
Cash generated for the year           88 096                    424 845         
Cash used in financing activities     (361 822)                 (372 173)       
 Proceeds from issuance of shares    4 736                     6 117            
Buy-back of shares                  (114 871)                 (190 589)        
 Dividends paid                      (249 107)                 (195 114)        
 - to the company`s shareholders     (240 818)                 (190 876)        
 - to minority interests             (8 289)                   (4 238)          
(Decrease)/increase in borrowings   (2 580)                   7 413            
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and   (273 726)                 52 672          
cash equivalents                                                                
 Effects of exchange rate changes    (1 912)                   2 694            
Cash and cash equivalent from       5 974                     -                
 acquisition of subsidiary                                                      
 Cash and cash equivalent            119 623                   64 257           
 balances at beginning of year                                                  
Cash and cash equivalent balances at  (150 041)                 119 623         
end of year                                                                     
Segment Information                                                             
                                     Audited                   Audited          
Year ended                Year ended       
                                     30 Sept                   30 Sept          
                                     2007           Change     2006             
                                     R`000          %          R`000            
Revenue                                                                         
 Animal Nutrition                    3 530 610      32         2 669 705        
 - South Africa                      3 347 738      34         2 500 371        
 - Other Africa                      182 872        8          169 334          
Poultry                                                                        
 - South Africa and Swaziland        4 382 651      21         3 623 545        
 Inter group                         (1 583 950)               (1 109 586)      
                                     6 329 311      22         5 183 664        
Operating profit                                                                
 Animal Nutrition                    332 707        22         272 265          
 - South Africa                      294 752        25         235 085          
 - Other Africa                      37 955         2          37 180           
Poultry                                                                        
 - South Africa and Swaziland        475 531        (4)        493 688          
                                     808 238        6          765 953          
Assets                                                                          
Animal Nutrition                    923 615        19         778 942          
 - South Africa                      826 690        19         696 356          
 - Other Africa                      96 925         17         82 586           
 Poultry                                                                        
- South Africa and Swaziland        2 097 183      37         1 530 174        
 Inter group                         (154 090)                 (136 376)        
                                     2 866 708      32         2 172 740        
Liabilities                                                                     
Animal Nutrition                    686 724        29         533 606          
 - South Africa                      640 684        31         487 559          
 - Other Africa                      46 040         -          46 047           
 Poultry                                                                        
- South Africa                      1 026 561      57         654 556          
 Inter group                         (154 090)                 (136 376)        
                                     1 559 195      48         1 051 786        
Condensed Statement of Changes in Equity                                        
Audited                   Audited          
                                     Year ended                Year ended       
                                     30 Sept                   30 Sept          
                                     2007                      2006             
R`000                     R`000            
Balance beginning of year             1 120 954                 983 192         
Profit for the year                   545 558                   516 498         
Movement in currency translation      (1 633)                   974             
difference during the year                                                      
Dividends to the company`s             (240 852)                (191 000)       
shareholders                                                                    
Payments to minority interest          (8 289)                  (4 238)         
holders                                                                         
Decrease in equity as result of buy-  (114 871)                 (190 589)       
back of shares                                                                  
Shares issued                         4 736                     6 117           
Option value of share options         503                       -               
granted                                                                         
Minority interest in subsidiary       1 407                     -               
acquired                                                                        
Balance at end of year                1 307 513                 1 120 954       
Notes                                                                           
1. Basis of preparation                                                         
The condensed consolidated financial information announcement is based on the   
audited financial statements of the Group for the year ended 30 September 2007  
which have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting   
Standards ("IFRS"), the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited and the South  
African Companies Act (1973).                                                   
2. Accounting policies                                                          
The accounting policies applied in these condensed consolidated financial       
statements comply with IFRS and IAS 34 and are in agreement with those applied  
in the preparation of the group`s annual financial statements for the year      
ended 30 September 2007 and consistent with those applied in previous years.    
3. Independent audit by the auditors                                            
These condensed consolidated results have been audited by our auditors          
PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. who have performed their audit in accordance with   
the International Standards in Auditing. A copy of their unqualified audit      
report is available for inspection at the registered office of the company.     
4. Trading weeks                                                                
The reporting period for the poultry segment ends on the last Saturday of the   
financial year, resulting in a 53 week reporting period for 2007 (2006: 52      
weeks).                                                                         
The extra trading week yielded additional revenue and operating profit of R78   
million and R6 million respectively.                                            
Audited                   Audited          
                                     Year ended                Year ended       
                                     30 Sept                   30 Sept          
                                     2007                      2006             
R`000                     R`000            
5. Operating profit                                                             
The following items have been                                                   
accounted for in the operating                                                  
profit:                                                                         
 Auditors` remuneration              3 902                     3 503            
 Directors` remuneration             16 244                    15 805           
 Fair value adjustment of cash       36 845                    14 111           
settled share-based payments                                                   
 Biological assets - fair value      2 557                     710              
 gain                                                                           
 Amortisation of intangible assets   4 475                     2 969            
Depreciation on property, plant     101 618                   85 766           
 and equipment                                                                  
 Profit on disposal of property,     746                       47               
 plant and equipment                                                            
Foreign exchange profit/(loss)      83                        (390)            
6. Reconciliation to headline                                                   
earnings                                                                        
Earnings for the year                 537 858                   509 517         
Profit on sale of property, plant   (503)                     (303)            
and equipment                                                                   
 Investment written off              -                         589              
 Investment previously written off    (714)                    -                
now reversed                                                                    
 Excess fair value over cost of                                                 
investment in business                (1 120)                   -               
Headline earnings for the year        535 521                   509 803         
7. Share capital                                                                
In terms of the share buy-back programme 1 036 886 shares were acquired during  
the period under review at a total cost of R114 669 565.                        
In terms of the Group`s share incentive scheme, 547 100 shares were issued in   
respect of share options exercised during the period under review.              
8. Capital commitments                                                          
Capital expenditure approved not     72 782              58 557                 
contracted                                                                      
Capital expenditure contracted not   83 893              65 628                 
recognised in financial statements                                              
Financial Overview                                                              
Profit for the year at R546 million showed a 6% increase over the               
corresponding period despite a significant increase in the prices of all        
agricultural input commodities.                                                 
Revenue increased by 22% from R5,184 million to R6,329 million and operating    
profit by 6% from R766 million to R808 million. Poultry operating profit was    
down 4% whilst Animal Nutrition showed an increase of 22% on last year. The     
Group`s operating margin of 12,8% was down on last year`s 14,8%.                
Cash generated for the year of R88 million was impacted by abnormally higher    
debtor levels due to the financial year ending on a Sunday.                     
Headline earnings per share increased by 7% from 1 286 cents to 1 381 cents     
per share.                                                                      
A final dividend of 440 cents per share has been declared, resulting in a       
total dividend for the year of 700 cents, compared to last year`s 585 cents,    
an increase of 20%.                                                             
During the second half of the year we received an expression of interest from   
a private equity company for a leverage buy-out. A committee of unaffected      
directors was appointed to consider the matter. After due consideration and     
involvement of advisors, the committee considered the offer to be an            
undervaluation of the company. This was duly communicated and there was no      
further development.                                                            
Operational Overview                                                            
Animal Nutrition Division                                                       
The South African maize producing industry experienced its worst drought in 30  
years and the domestic price of maize remained at high levels. The average      
Safex based yellow maize price increased by 62% over the corresponding period.  
International prices of agricultural commodities increased sharply as demand    
for ethanol production increased and erratic weather conditions disrupted       
world production.                                                               
Revenue increased by 32% to R3,531 million (2006: R2,670 million) driven by     
high agricultural input commodity prices. Volumes for the period increased by   
6% mainly due to the effect of the Earlybird expansion project coming into      
full production in July 2007. Operating profits increased by 22% to R333        
million but margins came under pressure and reduced from last year`s high of    
10,2% to 9,4%. Operating costs were well contained. During the year, the Group  
increased its shareholding in Meadow Feeds Mozambique from 33% to 80%.          
Poultry Division                                                                
The demand for poultry products remained strong. Selling prices of poultry      
meat increased by 13%, insufficient to compensate for the 29% increase in feed  
prices. Sales volumes increased by 9% mainly due to the poultry expansion       
project at Earlybird coming into full production in July 2007.                  
Revenue for the year increased by 21% to R4,383 million (2006: R3,624 million)  
but operating profit fell by 4% to R475 million due to the increased feed       
price. Operating margins dropped from 13,6% to 10,9%. The capital expansion     
project to increase production at Earlybird from 2,1 million broilers per week  
to 2,5 million was successfully completed by the end of June 2007. The second   
project to improve product mix and flexibility in the plants will be fully      
operational by the end of December 2007.                                        
Board Changes                                                                   
Tom Pritchard, Group Financial Director since 2001, retired at the end of       
August 2007.                                                                    
Prospects                                                                       
Due to good early rains and high maize prices, farmers are expected to plant    
more maize in the coming season which could result in lower prices going        
forward. This, together with the benefits of the Poultry expansion projects     
should result in improved earnings.                                             
Declaration of Ordinary Dividend No. 14                                         
Notice is hereby given that a final dividend (no.14) of 440 cents per ordinary  
share has been declared in respect of the year ended 30 September 2007.         
Salient dates                                     2008                          
Last date to trade cum dividend                   Friday, 4 January             
Shares commence trading ex dividend               Monday, 7 January             
Record date                                       Friday, 11 January            
Payment of dividend                               Monday, 14 January            
Share certificates may not be dematerialised or rematerialised between Monday,  
7 January 2008 and Friday, 11 January 2008, both days inclusive.                
On behalf of the board                                                          
J L van den Berg                   N C Wentzel                                  
Chairman                           Chief Executive Officer                      
Pretoria                                                                        
8 November 2007                                                                 
Registered office                                                               
Block 9, The Boardwalk Office Park                                              
107 Haymeadow Crescent, Faerie Glen, Pretoria, 0043                             
Postnet 329, Private Bag X10, Elarduspark, 0048                                 
Telephone: (012) 990-8260                                                       
Website address: www.astralfoods.com                                            
Directors                                                                       
J L van den Berg (Chairman)                                                     
*N C Wentzel (Chief Executive Officer)                                          
*M A Kingston, *C E Schutte, J J Geldenhuys                                     
C G van Veyeren, M Macdonald, T C C Mampane,                                    
Dr T Eloff, Dr. N Tsengwa                                                       
(*Executive director)                                                           
Company Secretary:                                                              
M Eloff                                                                         
Transfer secretaries                                                            
Computershare Investor Services 2006 (Pty) Limited                              
PO Box 61051                                                                    
Marshalltown, 2107                                                              
Telephone: (011) 370-5000                                                       
Sponsor                                                                         
JP Morgan Chase Bank NA                                                         
(Johannesburg Branch)                                                           
1 Fricker Road, Illovo                                                          
Johannesburg 2196                                                               
Private Bag X9936                                                               
Sandton, 2146                                                                   
Telephone: (011) 507-0430                                                       
Date: 08/11/2007 17:56:18 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.                  
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