Interim Management Statement
07 May 2010 - 4:01PM
UK Regulatory
TIDMAGA
7th May 2010
AGA RANGEMASTER GROUP PLC
AGM AND INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
AGA Rangemaster Group plc will hold its Annual General Meeting at 11.00 am
today at which the following statement relating to the four month period ended
30th April 2010 (the "Period") will be made.
"In 2009 we delivered on our stated objectives of remaining profitable and
generating cash while continuing with our product investment programmes in
order to provide impetus into an upturn. In the period we continued to trade in
line with expectations.
Our work on cash management, seen in the increase in cash balances to GBP28
million at the end of 2009 from GBP5.8 million at the start of 2009, continues
alongside programmes to raise efficiencies and lower the cost base. Since the
start of 2008 the cost base has been reduced by over GBP9.5 million, giving us
confidence that should the improvement in consumer markets be sustained, the
operational gearing in the business will bring a material rebound in the
Group's profitability.
Our markets are now more stable than last year but consumers, unsurprisingly,
remain very cautious, particularly about undertaking larger scale projects.
Against this backdrop, we are pleased that AGA orders for the Period are up on
last year and home survey numbers are appreciably better than a year ago. After
slow, weather-related starts to the year Rangemaster's order intake has moved
ahead and Fired Earth's is close to last year's levels.
The North American markets may now be bottoming out and we are seeing steady
growth on the Continent.
We expect sales growth to be driven by new products. A strong response to our
new product introductions at this Spring's trade and consumer shows underpins
our expectations for higher volumes this year across our key UK production
facilities.
The cooker launches from Rangemaster include new oven formats and a greater
range of widths, adding to the design strengths for which they have always been
known. The new AGA PRO+, a single oven self-cleaning cooker aimed primarily at
the North American market, launched successfully this Spring epitomises the
work we have been undertaking to develop new products which best meet the needs
of our customers. We are also developing products for home energy management
and Rayburn's new, high efficiency boiler models are an important step forward
in this area.
We are confident that by remaining focused on maintaining the exceptional
quality of our product portfolio, whilst investing for the future, we will
enjoy renewed momentum as the market recovers. The Board continues to expect
that 2010 revenues will be ahead of 2009."
Enquiries:
William McGrath / Shaun Smith, AGA Rangemaster Group plc - 01926 455 731
Simon Sporborg, Brunswick - 0207 404 5459
END
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