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Tue 24 May 2005, 8:51 Interim Results And Dividend Declaration
Astral Foods Limited - Unaudited Interim Results And Dividend Declaration For   
The Year Ended 31 March 2005                                                    
ASTRAL FOODS LIMITED                                                            
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)                                  
(Registration number 1978/003194/06)                                            
Share code:ARL ISIN:ZAE000029757                                                
(`the Group`)                                                                   
- Headline earnings per share increase 33%                                      
- Net cash inflow increase 37%                                                  
- Interim dividend increase 50%                                                 
UNAUDITED IMTERIM RESULTS AND DIVIDEND DECLARATION                              
for the six months ended 31 March 2005                                          
Consolidated Income Statement                                                   
                                 Unaudited                          Audited     
                              Six months ended                   Year ended     
31 March       31 March     Change        30 Sept     
                              2005           2004                      2004     
                             R`000          R`000          %          R`000     
Revenue                  2 326 632      1 935 606         20      4 053 142     
Operating profit(note 3)   246 121        189 901         30        388 979     
Net interest                                                                    
received/(paid)            (7 972)          2 422                     1 339     
Profit before tax          238 149        192 323         24        390 318     
Taxation                  (73 474)       (64 127)                 (126 070)     
Profit after tax           164 675        128 196         28        264 248     
Minority interests         (1 325)          (926)                   (1 845)     
Net profit for the                                                              
period                     163 350        127 270         28        262 403     
Earnings per share                                                              
(cents)                      392,2          304,3         29          630,2     
Headline earnings per                                                           
share (cents)                406,6          306,2         33          631,4     
Diluted earnings per                                                            
share (cents)                374,3          288,4         30          603,3     
Diluted headline earnings                                                       
per share (cents)            388,1          290,2         34          604,6     
Dividend per share(cents)                                                       
-declared out of earnings                                                       
for the period                 120             80         50            230     
Net asset value per                                                             
share(Rand)                  20,21          15,80         28          17,36     
Shares in issue                                                                 
- net of treasury                                                               
shares                  41 516 365     41 341 422                41 654 032     
Weighted average shares                                                         
in issue (net of                                                                
treasury shares)                                                                
- net of treasury                                                               
shares                  41 653 141     41 828 216                41 640 015     
Consolidated Balance Sheet                                                      
Assets                                                                          
Unaudited             Audited     
                                          Six months ended       Year ended     
                                       31 March      31 March       30 Sept     
                                           2005          2004          2004     
R`000         R`000         R`000     
Non-current assets                      799 459       521 572       823 653     
Property, plant and equipment           677 855       496 648       689 789     
Goodwill                                114 819        17 204       117 033     
Investments and loans                     6 785         7 720         6 715     
Deferred tax                                  -             -        10 116     
Current assets                          878 761       917 545     1 014 424     
Inventories                             172 823       213 727       199 592     
Biological assets                       204 196       115 715       202 778     
Receivables and pre-payments            465 358       450 982       568 016     
Cash and cash equivalents                36 384       137 121        44 038     
Total assets                          1 678 220     1 439 117     1 838 077     
Equity and liabilities                                                          
Capital and reserves                    850 448       662 691       764 828     
Issued capital                          258 004       255 764       258 590     
Reserves                                581 244       397 634       496 363     
Ordinary shareholders`                                                          
interest                                839 248       653 398       754 953     
Minority interests                       11 200         9 293         9 875     
Non-current liabilities                 202 875       135 827       207 181     
Long-term liabilities                     1 720         2 547         2 748     
Deferred tax                            139 658        78 432       142 965     
Post-retirement medical                                                         
aid obligations                          61 497        54 848        61 468     
Current liabilities                     624 897       640 599       866 068     
Trade and other payables                549 113       596 614       590 022     
Provision for tax                           913        38 992        77 232     
Short-term borrowings                    74 871         4 993       198 814     
Total equity and liabilities 1          678 220     1 439 117     1 838 077     
Net debt/(surplus cash)                  40 207     (129 581)       157 524     
Consolidated Cash Flow Statement                                                
Cash operating profit                    302 510      230 579       470 664     
Working capital changes                   87 046       36 543      (57 041)     
Cash generated from                                                             
operations                               389 556      267 122       413 623     
Interest received(paid)                  (7 972)        2 422         1 339     
Tax paid                               (141 892)     (68 365)     (105 137)     
Dividends paid                          (64 015)     (45 871)      (79 539)     
Cash inflow from operating                                                      
activities                               175 677      155 308       230 286     
Net cash outflow to                                                             
investing activities                    (42 557)     (57 816)     (406 817)     
Net cash inflow/(outflow) for                                                   
the period                               133 120       97 492     (176 531)     
Net cash outflow to financing                                                   
activities                                                                      
Shares issued                              1 324            -         4 923     
Buy-back of shares                      (17 379)     (25 470)      (36 099)     
(Decrease)/increase in                                                          
borrowings                             (124 971)      (1 499)       186 538     
Net (decrease)/ increase in                                                     
cash and cash equivalents                (7 906)       70 523      (21 169)     
Effects of exchange                                                             
rate changes                                 252      (1 482)       (2 873)     
Cash and cash equivalent                                                        
balances at beginning of year             44 038       68 080        68 080     
Cash and cash equivalent                                                        
balances at end of period                 36 384      137 121        44 038     
Statement of Changes in Equity                                                  
Balance beginning of year                 764 828      608 226      608 226     
Change in accounting policy:                                                    
AC 137 - Agriculture                                                            
(biological assets)                             -            -        6 469     
Balance beginning of                                                            
year - restated                           764 828      608 226      614 695     
Profit for the period                     164 675      128 196      264 248     
Movement in currency                                                            
translation difference during                                                   
the period                                    917      (2 348)      (3 348)     
Dividends paid during                                                           
the period                               (63 917)     (45 913)     (79 591)     
Decrease in equity as result                                                    
of buy-back of shares                    (17 379)     (25 470)     (36 099)     
Shares issued                               1 324            -        4 923     
Balance at end of period                  850 448      662 691      764 828     
Segmental Reporting                                      Change                 
Revenue                                   Rm          Rm      %          Rm     
Animal Nutrition                     1 331,3     1 269,3      5     2 703,2     
Poultry                              1 634,7     1 093,3     50     2 284,7     
Inter group                          (639,4)     (427,0)            (934,8)     
2 326,6     1 935,6     20     4 053,1     
Operating profit                                                                
Animal Nutrition                       100,8        69,1     46       151,4     
Poultry                                145,3       120,8     20       237,6     
246,1       189,9     30       389,0     
Notes                                                                           
1. Accounting policies                                                          
The financial statements of the Group are prepared in accordance with and       
comply with the South African Statements of Generally Accepted Accounting       
Practice.                                                                       
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention,as   
modified by the restatement of certain financial instruments. The accounting    
policies of the Group are consistent in all material respects with those        
applied in the previous financial year.                                         
                                           Unaudited                Audited     
                                       Six months ended          Year ended     
31 March 2005 31 March 2004   30 Sept 2004     
                                         R`000         R`000          R`000     
2. Capital commitments                                                          
Capital expenditure commitments         32 462        44 051          9 242     
Earlybird acquisition                        -       250 000              -     
3.Operating profit                                                              
The following items                                                             
have been accounted                                                             
for in the operating profit:                                                    
Biological assets                                                               
- fair value gain/(loss)                    (3)            -            697     
Amortisation of goodwill                  6 234        1 170          3 405     
Depreciation on property, plant                                                 
and equipment                            50 447        36 881        71 247     
4.Reconciliation to headline earnings                                           
Net profit for the period               163 350       127 270       262 403     
Profit on sale of property,                                                     
plant and equipment                       (235)         (366)         (137)     
Amortisation of goodwill                  6 234         1 170         3 405     
Recovery of loans                                                               
previously written off                        -             -        (2 736)    
Headline earnings for the period        169 349       128 074        262 935    
5.Restatement of financial information under International Financial Reporting  
Standards (`IFRS`)                                                              
The Group will report its financial information for the 2006 financial year in  
accordance with IFRS.                                                           
The comparative financial information for 2006 (i.e. the results for the six    
months ended 31 March 2005) will have to be restated in accordance with         
IFRS,and these restated results are disclosed below for information purposes    
only, in order to give an indication of the effect of IFRS on the results and   
balance sheet for the six months ended 31 March 2005.                           
                                             Stated in Restated in              
accordance with     accordance     
                                                     SA GAAP      with IFRS     
                                                   Unaudited      Unaudited     
                                                    31 March       31 March     
2005           2005     
Consolidated Income Statement                          R`000          R`000     
Revenue                                           2 326 6322        326 632     
Operating profit                                     246 121        272 965     
Net interest paid                                    (7 972)       (10 156)     
Profit before tax                                    238 149        262 809     
Taxation                                            (73 474)       (79 109)     
Profit after tax                                     164 675        183 700     
Minority interests                                   (1 325)        (2 079)     
Net profit for the period                            163 350        181 621     
Earnings per share (cents)                             392.2          436.0     
Headline earnings per share (cents)                    406.6          435.5     
Consolidated Balance Sheet                                                      
Assets                                                                          
Non-current assets                                   799 459        940 984     
Current assets                                       878 761        883 489     
Total assets                                      1 678 2201        824 473     
Equity and liabilities                                                          
Capital and reserves                                 850 448        924 534     
Non-current liabilities                              202 875        264 759     
Current liabilities                                  624 897        635 180     
Total equity and liabilities                      1 678 2201        824 473     
Reconciliation of net profit for the period                                     
Net profit in accordance with SA GAAP                163 350                    
Reduced depreciation - after tax                      12 037                    
Goodwill amortisation added back                       6 234                    
Net profit in accordance with IFRS                   181 621                    
Financial overview                                                              
The Group reported a good performance with an increase in headline earnings     
per share of 33% from 306,2 cents to 406,6 cents.                               
Revenue for the period increased by 20% to R2,3 billion (2004 : R1,9 billion)   
mainly as the result of the acquisition of the remaining 50% of Earlybird in    
September 2004. Sales volumes increased by 5,5%.                                
Operating profit for the period increased by 30% from R190 million to R246      
million. Poultry is still the major contributor with R145 million (59%) whilst  
Animal Nutrition contributed R101 million (41%). Operating margin for the       
period at 10,6% is up from last year`s 9,8%.                                    
Net finance cost of R8,0 million compares with the previous year`s income of    
R2,4 million.                                                                   
The tax rate of 30,9% (2004 : 33,3%) includes a write back of R4,5 million on   
deferred taxation following the reduction of the statutory tax rate to 29%.     
The balance sheet reflects an increase in net asset value per share of 28% to   
R20,21 (2004 : R15,80).                                                         
The strong cash generation continued with net cash inflow for the period of     
R133 million (2004 : R97 million) before allowing for the further share buy-    
back of R17 million (2004 : R25 million). The resultant net borrowing           
situation reduced from R157 million at year-end to R40 million.                 
Dividends paid for the period increased by 50% from 80 cents per share to 120   
cents per share. This includes an element of adjustment of the disparity        
between the interim and final dividend.                                         
Operational overview                                                            
Animal Nutrition Division                                                       
The South African maize producers find themselves in a crisis situation.        
Following on the high carry over of 3,3 million tonnes of maize from the        
2004/2005 marketing season, the latest estimate for the current season crop is  
11,6 million tonnes. We believe that this figure could be conservative. Record  
global crops of grains for feed production have exacerbated the current         
agricultural crisis. Safex prices of maize remained high during the period      
under review but as the prospects of a huge crop became reality the maize       
price dropped substantially.                                                    
The division was well positioned for the market collapse. Revenue for the six   
months increased by 5% to R1,3 million mainly due to increased off-take by the  
Group`s poultry operations. Operating profit increased by 46% to R100,8         
million from last year`s R69,1 million. Operating margins improved from 5,4%    
to 7,6% due to strict cost control and margin management.                       
Poultry Division                                                                
The benefit to the poultry division as the result of reduced raw material       
prices will be felt during the second half of 2005.                             
The market, influenced by the increase of imports and the strong Rand,          
restricted realisations to an average price increase of 1%. Feed cost,          
however, increased by 6% resulting in operating margins decreasing from last    
year`s high of 11,0% to 8,9%. Operating profits nevertheless increased from     
R121 million to R145 million with the full inclusion of Earlybird. Poultry`s    
operating profit was negatively affected by a R5,3 million goodwill             
amortisation charge following the acquisition of Earlybird. Volumes increased   
by 5% over the same period last year.                                           
IFRS reporting                                                                  
The Group will report its financial information for the 2006 financial year in  
accordance with IFRS. Note 5 sets out the effect of IFRS on the results and     
balance sheet for the six months ended 31 March 2005.                           
Prospects                                                                       
Increased disposable income in the hands of consumers, lower raw material       
prices and the expectation of balanced poultry demand and supply should impact  
positively on results compared to the second half of last year.                 
Declaration of Ordinary Dividend No. 9                                          
Notice is hereby given that dividend no.9 of 120 cents per ordinary share has   
been declared in respect of the six months ended 31 March 2005.                 
Last date to trade cum-dividend                           Friday, 8 July 2005   
Shares commence trading ex-dividend                      Monday, 11 July 2005   
Record date                                              Friday, 15 July 2005   
Payment of dividend                                      Monday, 18 July 2005   
Share certificates may not be dematerialised or rematerialised between Monday,  
11 July 2005 and Friday, 15 July 2005, both days inclusive.                     
On behalf of the board                                                          
J L van den Berg                  N C Wentzel                                   
Chairman                          Chief Executive Officer                       
Pretoria                                                                        
23 May 2005                                                                     
Registered office                                                               
Block E, Castle Walk Office Park                                                
Erasmuskloof, Pretoria                                                          
Postnet 329, Private Bag X10, Elarduspark, 0048                                 
Telephone: (012) 347-5077                                                       
Website address: www.astralfoods.com                                            
Directors                                                                       
J L van den Berg (Chairman),                                                    
*N C Wentzel (Chief Executive Officer),                                         
*#T Pritchard (Financial Director) *M A Kingston,                               
J J Geldenhuys, E M Groeneweg,                                                  
C G van Veyeren, M Macdonald, T C C Mampane                                     
(*Executive director) (#Company secretary)                                      
Transfer secretaries                                                            
Computershare Investor Services 2004 (Pty) Ltd                                  
PO Box 61051                                                                    
Marshalltown, 2107                                                              
Telephone: 011-370-5000                                                         
Sponsor                                                                         
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Johannesburg branch)                                 
Private Bag X9936                                                               
Sandton, 2146
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