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Fri 10 Nov 2006, 7:00 Astral Foods - Audited results for the year ended
ARL
 ARL                                                                             
Astral Foods - Audited results for the year ended 30 September 2006             
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 2006                            
* Operating profit increase 28%                                                 
* Headline earnings per share increase 34%                                      
* Dividend increase 54%                                                         
Condensed Income Statement                                                      
Restated                      
                                Audited           Audited                       
                                Year              Year                          
                                ended             ended                         
30 Sept           30 Sept                       
                                2006       Change 2005                          
                                R"000      %      R"000                         
Revenue                         5 183 664  7      4 838 284                     
Operating profit (note 6)       765 953    28     596 709                       
  Net finance income/(costs)    4 884             (11 323)                      
Profit before income tax        770 837    32     585 386                       
  Income tax expense             (254             (169 852)                     
339)                                            
Profit for the year             516 498    24     415 534                       
Attributable to:                                                                
  Equity holders of the parent  509 517    24     410 242                       
company                                                                         
  Minority interests            6 981      32     5 292                         
Profit for the year             516 498    24     415 534                       
Earnings per share (cents)                                                      
-  basic                        1 285      30     989                           
-  diluted                      1 268      32     961                           
Additional Information                                                          
Headline earnings (R"000)       509 803    28     397 466                       
Headline earnings per share                                                     
(cents)                                                                         
-  basic                        1 286      34     958                           
-  diluted                      1 269      36     932                           
Dividend per share (cents)                                                      
-  declared out of earnings     585        54     380                           
for the year                                                                    
Ordinary shares                                                                 
-  Issued net of treasury       38 949            40 569                        
shares                          578               574                           
-  Weighted-average             39 643            41 482                        
                                913               050                           
-  Diluted weighted-average     40 177            42 668                        
                                944               767                           
Net asset value per share       28,28      19     23,83                         
(rand)                                                                          
Condensed Balance Sheet                                                         
Assets                                                                          
Non-current assets              1 182 692         977 606                       
  Property, plant and           1 038 328         833 477                       
equipment                                                                       
  Intangible assets             141 725           140 982                       
  Investments and loans         1 394             2 284                         
  Deferred income tax asset     1 245             863                           
Current assets                  989 541           847 710                       
  Inventories                   198 228           155 200                       
  Biological assets             214 354           198 474                       
  Trade and other receivables   448 031           428 503                       
Cash and cash equivalents     128 928           65 533                        
Total assets                    2 172 233         1 825 316                     
Equity                                                                          
Capital and reserves                                                            
attributable to equity holders                                                  
of                                                                              
  the parent company            1 101 622         966 603                       
  Issued capital                93 711            253 765                       
Reserves                      1 007 911         712 838                       
Minority interests in equity    19 332            16 589                        
Total equity                    1 120 954         983 192                       
Liabilities                                                                     
Non-current liabilities         248 879           209 278                       
  Long-term liabilities         9 600             1 759                         
  Deferred income tax           171 399           146 095                       
liability                                                                       
Retirement benefit            67 880            61 424                        
obligations                                                                     
Current liabilities             802 400           632 846                       
  Trade and other liabilities   734 601           571 657                       
Current income tax            55 787            58 965                        
liabilities                                                                     
  Short-term borrowings         12 012            2 224                         
Total liabilities               1 051 279         842 124                       
Total equity and liabilities    2 172 233         1 825 316                     
  Net surplus cash              107 316           61 550                        
Condensed Cash Flow Statement                                                   
Cash operating profit           868 896           659 817                       
Working capital changes       84 384            170 466                       
Cash generated from operating   953 280           830 283                       
activities                                                                      
  Net finance income/(costs)    4 884             (11 323)                      
Income tax paid               (234 434)         (196 055)                     
Cash flows from operating       723 730           622 905                       
activities                                                                      
  Net cash used in investing    (298 885)         (154 863)                     
activities                                                                      
Cash generated for the year     424 845           468 042                       
Cash used in financing          (364 144)         (447 270)                     
activities                                                                      
Proceeds from issue of        6 117             8 209                         
shares                                                                          
  Buy-back of shares             (190             (140 675)                     
                                589)                                            
Dividends paid                (195 114)         (117 180)                     
  -  to the company"s           (190 876)         (112 009)                     
shareholders                                                                    
  -  to minority interests      (4 238)           (5 171)                       
Increase/(decrease) in        15 442            (197 624)                     
borrowings                                                                      
Net increase in cash and cash   60 701            20 772                        
equivalents                                                                     
Effects of exchange rate      2 694             (520)                         
changes                                                                         
  Cash and cash equivalent      65 533            45 281                        
balances at beginning of year                                                   
Cash and cash equivalent        128 928           65 533                        
balances at end of year                                                         
Condensed Statement of Changes in Equity                                        
Balance beginning of year as    915 371           764 828                       
previously stated                                                               
  Revised useful life of        62 065            46 642                        
property, plant and equipment                                                   
  Transfer of translation       (785)             -                             
reserves                                                                        
  Full consolidation of         6 541             5 908                         
business unit                                                                   
Restated balance beginning of   983 192           817 378                       
year                                                                            
Profit for the year             516 498           415 534                       
Movement in currency            974               19                            
translation difference during                                                   
the year                                                                        
Dividends declared during the   (195 238)         (117 273)                     
year                                                                            
Decrease in equity as result    (190 589)         (140 675)                     
of buy-back of shares                                                           
Shares issued                    6 117            8 209                         
Balance at end of year          1 120 954         983 192                       
Segment Information                                                             
Revenue                                                                         
  Animal Nutrition              2 670      6      2 516                         
  -  South Africa               2 501      5      2 388                         
  -  Other Africa               169        32     128                           
Poultry                                                                       
  -  South Africa and           3 623      8      3 356                         
Swaziland                                                                       
  Inter group                   (1 109)           (1 034)                       
5 184      7      4 838                         
Operating profit                                                                
  Animal Nutrition              272        27     214                           
  -  South Africa               235        21     194                           
-  Other Africa               37         85     20                            
  Poultry                                                                       
  -  South Africa and           494        29     383                           
Swaziland                                                                       
766        28     597                           
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 2006 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). The financial           
statements for the year ended 30 September 2006 are Astral Foods                
Limited"s first published financial statements stating compliance with          
IFRS. Refer to the reconciliation of previous SA GAAP to IFRS for the           
effects of IFRS compliance on previously reported financial statements.         
The nature of all items reconciling SA GAAP to IFRS has been described in       
detail in the financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2006.        
2. 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.                                                                        
3. Transition to IFRS                                                           
The Group has made the following elections in terms of IFRS 1 (First-time       
Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards) as at the              
transition date (1 October 2004):                                               
* Cumulative translation differences of foreign operations at date of           
transition to IFRS amounting to R8 004 000, were set to zero.                   
* Goodwill resulting from acquisitions prior to the date of transition to       
IFRS was not restated, and represents the written down value as                 
previously recorded under SA GAAP. Goodwill was tested for impairment at        
date of transition.                                                             
* IAS 16 requires the reassessment of assets" useful life and residual          
values at each balance sheet date. Applying this statement                      
retrospectively to the net book values of property, plant and equipment,        
has had the effect of the results being restated.                               
* Except as stated above, the accounting policies of the Group are              
consistent in all other material respects with those applied in the             
previous financial year.                                                        
4. Adjustments of prior period results reported under SA GAAP                   
* Consolidation of a business unit at 100% (previously proportionately          
consolidated at 82%).                                                           
* Reclassification of feed sales to contract growers as revenue,                
previously set off against cost of goods sold. The effect of the                
adjustment is to increase revenue and cost of goods sold each by R224 996       
773.                                                                            
* Application of offset to amounts in respect of contract growers               
separately disclosed under trade receivables and trade payables where a         
legal right of offset exists.                                                   
5. Reconciliation of previous reported SA GAAP to IFRS                          
Profit   Equity                         
                                                 attributable to                
                Total        Total      for the  equity holders of              
                assets       Liabili-   year     the parent                     
ties                                               
                30 Sept      30 Sept    30 Sept  30 Sept    1 Oct               
                2005         2005       2005     2005       2004                
                R"000        R"000      R"000    R"000      R"000               
As previously   1 802 484    887 113    397 768  906 092    754 953             
reported                                                                        
IFRS                                                                            
adjustments                                                                     
Property,     86 416       25 136     15 423   60 511     45 957              
plant and                                                                       
equipment (note                                                                 
3)                                                                              
SA GAAP                                                                         
adjustments                                                                     
  Full          7 013        472         2 343   -          -                   
consolidation                                                                   
of business                                                                     
unit (note 4)                                                                   
  Offset of     (70 597)     (70 597)   -        -          -                   
trade                                                                           
receivables and                                                                 
trade payables                                                                  
(note 4)                                                                        
Restated under  1 825 316    842 124    415 534  966 603    800 910             
IFRS                                                                            
The comparative results have accordingly been restated in terms of the          
International Reporting Standards accounting principles as set out in           
this report.                                                                    
Restated                     
                                    Audited        Audited                      
                                    Year           Year                         
                                    ended          ended                        
30 Sept        30 Sept                      
                                    2006           2005                         
                                    R"000          R"000                        
6. Operating profit                                                             
The following items have been accounted for in the operating profit:            
  Auditors" remuneration            3 503          2 637                        
  Biological assets - fair value    710            (218)                        
gain/(loss)                                                                     
Amortisation of intangible        2 969          1 046                        
assets                                                                          
  Depreciation on property, plant    85 766        76 693                       
and equipment                                                                   
Profit on disposal of property,   47             15 287                       
plant and equipment                                                             
  Foreign exchange (loss)/profit    (390)          2 283                        
7. Reconciliation to headline earnings                                          
Earnings for the year               509 517        410 242                      
  Profit on sale of property,       (303)          (13 875)                     
plant and equipment                                                             
  Loss related to investments       589            1 099                        
written off and sale of business                                                
unit                                                                            
Headline earnings for the year      509 803        397 466                      
8. Share capital                                                                
In terms of the share buy-back programme 2 344 247 shares were acquired         
during the period under review at a total costs of R190 589 000.                
In terms of the Group"s share incentive scheme, 724 251 shares were             
issued in respect of share options exercised during the period under            
review.                                                                         
9. Capital commitments                                                          
Capital expenditure approved not    58 557         23 484                       
contracted                                                                      
Capital expenditure contracted not  65 628          44 814                      
recognised in financial statements                                              
Financial overview                                                              
Results for the year showed significant improvement with headline               
earnings per share increasing by 34%.                                           
While the performance of the second half of the year did not match the          
first half due to substantially higher maize prices, they were                  
nevertheless better than last year"s record second half earnings.               
Revenue increased by 7% from R4,8 billion to R5,2 billion and operating         
profit by 28% from R597 million to R766 million with both the Animal            
Nutrition and Poultry divisions reporting satisfactory growth of 27% and        
29% respectively. Group operating margin of 14,8% was up on last year"s         
12,3%.                                                                          
Interest income of R4,9 million compares with the prior year"s interest         
paid of R11,3 million.                                                          
The effective tax rate (inclusive of STC) of 33,0% is well up on last           
year"s 29,0% following higher STC payments as the group increased its           
dividend, prior year adjustments and the once off benefit last year             
following the 1% reduction in the statutory tax rate.                           
The Group is gearing itself for further growth and as a result capital          
expenditure increased from the prior year"s R178 million to R297 million.       
Return on net assets improved from 51% to 65%.                                  
Net cash inflow from operating activities of R723 million was up 16% from       
the previous year. Following the share buy-back of R190 million (2005:          
R145 million), high levels of capital expenditure and increased dividend        
payments of R195 million (2005: R117 million), the year-end net cash            
increased from R62 million to R107 million.                                     
The dividend cover for the year has been lowered to 2,2 times (2005: 2,5        
times). The total dividend for the year of R5,85 per share is 54% up on         
last year"s R3,80. A final dividend of R3,60 (2005: R2,60) was declared.        
Return on equity improved to 49% (2005: 46%) and economic value added           
increased from R252 million to R418 million based on a weighted average         
cost of capital of 14%.                                                         
Review of operations                                                            
Animal Nutrition                                                                
The final maize crop estimate for the 2006 season is 6,2 million tons,          
the smallest crop since 1995. The large carry-out stocks in excess of 3,5       
million tons from last year was depleted to a tight carry-out                   
stockholding of around 1,6 million tons this year. This situation               
resulted in prices rising substantially over the past financial year. The       
maize market is now focusing on the huge jump in international prices,          
the recent volatility of the ZAR/USD exchange rate, intentions to plant         
for the new season and local weather conditions. Other key raw materials,       
soya beans and fish meal, also increased significantly. These market            
conditions were anticipated.                                                    
Animal Nutrition reported strong results with revenue of R2,7 billion           
(2005: R2,5 billion), 6% up on the prior year. Operating profit of R272         
million (2005: R214 million) was a pleasing 27% up on the prior year.           
Operating margins improved from 8,5% to 10,2%.                                  
Other factors that contributed to this performance were the maintaining         
of volumes in a competitive market, tight cost control and a strong             
performance from the Zambian operation. The division managed to contain         
operating costs in rand value at the same level as the prior year.              
The teething problems experienced at the new Port Elizabeth mill during         
previous years are being overcome. This mill recorded a significant             
turnaround during the year and further improvements can be expected. A          
small mill in Ladismith, Southern Cape has been acquired and is expected        
to make a positive contribution in the new financial year.                      
NuTec SA and National Veterinary Services reported excellent profits for        
the year but the results of Central Analytical Laboratories disappointed.       
Increased sales of feed due to the poultry division"s expansion will be         
realised in the coming financial year.                                          
Poultry                                                                         
The benefit of the previous year"s low maize prices continued into the          
current year. Feed expenditure for the year on average for this division        
decreased by 2%.                                                                
Revenue increased by 8% from R3,4 billion to R3,6 billion. With a 6%            
increase in selling prices, and the reduction in feed costs, combined           
with improved production efficiencies, operating profit increased by 29%        
from R383 million to R494 million. Operating margins improved from 11,4%        
to 13,6%.                                                                       
Sporadic outbreaks of Newcastle disease continued into 2006.                    
Anti-dumping duties against the USA producers were renewed by the               
Minister of Trade and Industry in October 2006.                                 
The benefits of the expansion programme at the Earlybird division will          
start to flow through from December 2006.                                       
To date the Avian Influenza epidemic has not impacted on the South              
African poultry industry. Strict bio-security measures have been                
implemented to counter any outbreak of the disease.                             
All poultry operations reported strong results with the exception of            
National Chicks which reported no growth as a result of the impact of           
Newcastle disease.                                                              
Prospects                                                                       
Subsequent to the year-end the Board approved a R202 million capacity           
expansion and processing efficiency improvement project at the Earlybird        
division which will be commissioned in the last quarter of the coming           
financial year. Together with the current expansion project this will           
result in significant benefits for both the feed mills and the poultry          
division.                                                                       
Earnings are expected to improve further in 2007.                               
Higher anticipated plantings of maize are expected to result in lower           
prices.                                                                         
Against the above background, and expected high consumer spending on            
poultry products we look forward to another good year.                          
Declaration of Ordinary Dividend No. 12                                         
Notice is hereby given that a final dividend (no.12) of 360 cents per           
ordinary share has been declared in respect of the year ended 30                
September 2006.                                                                 
Salient dates                            2007                                   
Last date to trade cum-dividend          Friday, 5 January                      
Shares commence trading ex-dividend      Monday, 8 January                      
Record date                              Friday, 12 January                     
Payment of dividend                      Monday, 15 January                     
Share certificates may not be dematerialised or rematerialised between          
Monday, 8 January 2007 and Friday, 12 January 2007, both days inclusive.        
On behalf of the board                                                          
J L van den Berg Chairman     N C Wentzel Chief Executive                       
                              Officer                                           
Pretoria                                                                        
9 November 2006                                                                 
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, *C E Schutte,                                                    
J J Geldenhuys, C G van Veyeren,                                                
M Macdonald, T C C Mampane                                                      
(*Executive director)                                                           
Company Secretary                                                               
M Eloff                                                                         
Transfer secretaries                                                            
Computershare Investor Services 2004 (Pty) Limited                              
PO Box 61051                                                                    
Marshalltown, 2107                                                              
Telephone: (011) 370-5000                                                       
Sponsor                                                                         
JP Morgan Chase Bank NA,                                                        
(Johannesburg Branch)                                                           
1 Fricker Road, Illovo                                                          
Johannesburg, 2146                                                              
Private Bag X9936                                                               
Sandton, 2146                                                                   
Telephone: (011) 507-0430                                                       
Date: 10/11/2006 07:00:27 AM Produced by the JSE SENS Department                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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