INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTH PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021

Summary

• Record H1 results, ahead of the Board’s upgraded expectations
• Group revenue growth of 10% to £40.7m (H1 2020: £36.9m) and 16% on constant currency basis
• Adjusted* operating profit increased by 47% to £7.25m (H1 2020: £4.9m)
• Adjusted* basic EPS growth of 51% to 13.3 pence (2020: 8.8 pence) and increase of 125% compared to H1 2019
• Review of future strategy for Frontier Smart Technologies completed, including margin enhancing royalty buyout
• Balance sheet remains strong with gross cash of £29.0m and net funds of £13.0m (2020: £22.0m and £4.9m) providing opportunity for further corporate activity

Interim Results 2021

Science Group is an international, science-led services and product development organisation comprising three operating divisions: R&D Consultancy; Regulatory & Compliance; and Frontier Smart Technologies. The Group has a very strong balance sheet with significant cash resources and freehold property assets.

The Group achieved record results in H1 2021 delivering strong organic growth and a substantial increase in profitability, despite significant currency exchange headwinds. For the six months ended 30 June 2021, Group revenue was £40.7 million (H1 2020: £36.9 million), an organic growth rate of 10%, equivalent to 16% on a constant currency basis. The Group’s adjusted operating profit increased by 47% to £7.25 million (H1 2020: £4.9 million) and by approx. 120% relative to the same period two years ago (H1 2019: £3.3 million). Adjusted profit before tax was £6.9 million (H1 2020: £4.6 million).

Due to the Group’s strong cash generation, self-funding of acquisitions and share buy-back programme, this strong performance has been achieved without shareholder dilution. As a result, adjusted basic earnings per share increased by 51% to 13.3 pence (H1 2020: 8.8 pence) and 125% over the past two years (H1 2019: 5.9 pence).

The Group retains a robust balance sheet with gross cash (excluding client funds) at 30 June 2021 of £29.0 million (30 June 2020: £22.0 million) and net funds of £13.0 million (30 June 2020: £4.9 million). The long term debt of £15.9 million is secured on the freehold properties. Excluding treasury shares, at 30 June 2021, the Company had 41.2 million shares in issue (30 June 2020: 41.6 million and 30 June 2019: 41.1 million) and held 0.8 million (30 June 2020: 0.4 million) shares in treasury. Total voting rights at 30 June 2021 were 41.1 million.

R&D Consultancy

The R&D Consultancy Division was established through the integration of the Group’s Advisory, Applied Science and Product Development business activities. This Division combines leading science and engineering capabilities with expertise in key vertical sectors, namely: Medical; Consumer; Food & Beverage; and Industrial, Chemical & Energy. In the first half of 2021, the Medical Sector continued to be particularly strong, with the other sectors, which were more affected by the pandemic, reflecting their respective market sector environments. Most sectors are now seeing the initial signs of global economic recovery.

For the six months ended 30 June 2021, the R&D Consultancy Division generated services revenue of £15.2 million (H1 2020: £15.2 million). This is a good performance against a challenging comparator since the first half of 2020 included the one-off UK ventilator initiative. Furthermore, since 50% of the division revenue is invoiced in US Dollars and 7% in Euro in the first half of 2021, this performance has been achieved despite the material currency exchange headwinds and growth in services revenue would have been 4% on a constant currency basis.

For the period ended 30 June 2021, the Group’s Services businesses (R&D Consultancy and Regulatory & Compliance) reported an aggregate adjusted operating profit margin of 19% (H1 2020: 16%).

Regulatory & Compliance

The Regulatory & Compliance Division includes the North American and European operations of TSG, acquired in 2017, and the Leatherhead Food Research business, acquired in 2015. The Division reported continued progress in the first half of 2021, including the launch of a new US capability in medical device regulatory advice, further strengthening the synergies with the R&D Consultancy Division.

For the six months ended 30 June 2021, the Regulatory & Compliance Division generated revenue of £10.5 million (H1 2020: £10.0 million), of which around 23% is of a recurring nature. This organic growth, equivalent to approx. 8% on a constant currency basis, was broadly consistent between the North American and European operations. As noted above, the Group’s Services businesses (R&D Consultancy and Regulatory & Compliance) reported an aggregate adjusted operating profit margin of 19% (H1 2020: 16%).

Frontier Smart Technologies (‘Frontier’)

For the six months ended 30 June 2021, Frontier reported revenue of £13.6 million (H1 2020: £7.5 million) and an adjusted operating profit margin of 22% (H1 2020: 7%). This exceptionally strong performance reflects the momentum from the second half of 2020, but also a weaker comparator in the first half of 2020 due to the post-acquisition integration and the initial impact of the Covid pandemic. The most significant challenge in the current year continues to be the availability of materials associated with the global semiconductor supply constraints.

On 11 January 2021, having successfully completed the turnaround phase, the Board initiated a review of the strategy for the Frontier business. An update was provided on 19 May informing shareholders that the Board had concluded that the review had identified a number of opportunities to further enhance and develop the business and that Frontier was to be retained within the Group.

As part of the review, an agreement was reached with Imagination Technologies Limited (“Imagination”) to buy out future royalties associated with the use of the Imagination licensed technology by Frontier and Group entities in consumer electronics (including DAB radio broadcast) for the sum of $6.0 million. For the year ended 31 December 2020, Frontier paid royalties of $1.0 million to Imagination in relation to licensing the technology. This agreement is effective 1 July 2021 and is anticipated to enhance the Frontier profit contribution in the second half of the year.

One of the growth opportunities identified in the strategy review was developing the SmartRadio market, an integrated product category that combines DAB, FM and Internet radio. In progressing this opportunity, the Board is exploring both internal developments and potential acquisition opportunities.

In summary, the Board considers the Frontier acquisition to have been very successful and anticipate a rapid payback of the cost of acquisition, including transaction and restructuring costs. The strategy review has set out the future direction for this very profitable business.

Freehold Properties

Science Group owns two freehold properties, Harston Mill near Cambridge and Great Burgh in Epsom. The Group’s triennial freehold property valuations were undertaken in March 2021. Despite the timing in the midst of the Covid pandemic, there were only minor changes to the valuations with a range between £23 million and £35 million, the latter being a sale & leaseback model. The properties are held on the balance sheet on a cost basis at £21.1 million (30 June 2020: £21.3 million).

For the six months ended 30 June 2021, the rental and associated services income of £0.3 million (H1 2020: £0.6 million) was generated from third-party tenants and £1.5 million (H1 2020: £1.6 million) from the Group’s operating businesses. Intra-group charges are eliminated on Group consolidation but this approach ensures that the reported profit for each operating business includes property rental at market rates.

The Group’s debt of £15.9 million at 30 June 2021 (£17.1 million at 30 June 2020) is primarily secured against the freehold property assets and the associated interest charge for the six month period was £0.3 million (H1 2020: £0.4 million). Interest on the debt is reported below operating profit in the consolidated results. There are no operating covenants on the debt provided that net bank debt does not exceed £10 million.

The deferred transfer of the Harston Mill property from Sagentia Limited to Quadro Harston Limited, formerly Sagentia Technology Advisory Limited, is now well advanced and is awaiting final bank approval before being completed. Resolving this legacy issue provides a more appropriate and flexible corporate structure and better aligns with the debt model related to the freehold properties. A tax cash outflow of £2.0 million is anticipated in 2021.

Corporate

The corporate function is responsible for Group and PLC matters, together with the strategic development of Science Group. In the period to 30 June 2021, Corporate costs were £1.4 million (H1 2020: £0.9 million) due to one-off items.

The Board continues to explore opportunities to increase the scale of the Group. In recent months, such opportunities have included add-on acquisitions into each of the operating divisions and larger acquisitions which would extend the Group’s capabilities. There can be no certainty that any acquisitions will be completed.

Summary

In summary, the performance of Science Group in the first half of 2021 has been well ahead of the Board’s expectations, with all divisions performing well. The excellent first half provides a solid platform for the rest of the year.

Frontier is now an integral part of Science Group. Despite the pandemic, the post-acquisition turnaround was very successful and the Board anticipates a rapid payback of the cost of acquisition. The strategy review identified a number of opportunities to further enhance the profitability of this business and areas for future investment.

The effectiveness of the Group’s acquisition strategy and its disciplined operating model, funded by strong cash generation, is clearly demonstrated by the substantial increase in adjusted operating profit and earnings per share over the past decade. This is particularly apparent in the past two years as a result of the larger acquisition in 2019. With a strong balance sheet including significant cash resources, the Board continues to explore both add-on acquisitions and larger opportunities to increase the scale of the Group.