Pre-close Trading Update
15 January 2004 - 6:00PM
UK Regulatory
Embargoed for 7.00 am, 15 January 2004
Parity Group plc
Pre Close Trading Update
Preliminary results will be announced on 17 March 2004
Continuing the practice introduced last year, Parity Group plc ("Parity" or
"the Group"), the IT services group, is providing a trading update prior to
entering its close period. Parity will announce its preliminary results for the
year ended 31 December 2003 on 17 March 2004.
The Board advises that the Group has continued to make positive progress in the
six months ended 31 December 2003 and confirms that trading for the full year
is anticipated to be in line with management expectations before discontinued
operations and exceptional costs.
At the time of the interim results, the Board indicated that exceptional costs
relating to the further restructuring of operations in the second half of the
year were likely to be in the region of �6.0 million and would yield savings on
an annualised basis of �2.9 million. Part of these savings will be used to fund
further investment in sales capability and skills development in 2004. This
restructuring exercise is now largely complete and both costs and savings are
in line with the amounts previously announced.
The successful completion of the rights issue in November 2003 raised �9.2m net
of costs. The Group's balance sheet has therefore been strengthened and we are
now well placed to implement the action plan set out at the time of the rights
issue.
- Ends -
Enquiries:
Parity Group plc Telephone: 020 7776 0800
Ian Miller, Group Chief Executive
Alison Leyshon, Group Finance Director
Financial Dynamics Telephone: 020 7831 3113
Giles Sanderson
Harriet Keen
END