Mi-Pay Group PLC Trading Update (4550O)

TIDMMPAY

RNS Number : 4550O

Mi-Pay Group PLC

30 January 2019

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

30 January 2019

Mi-Pay Group plc

("Mi-Pay", the "Group" or the "Company")

Trading Update

Mi-Pay (AIM: MPAY), the leading provider of outsourced digital transformation and mobile payment solutions, is pleased to provide a trading update for the year ended 31 December 2018.

Highlights

- Trading for the year was in-line with market expectations, with increased year-on-year revenues.

- Group operated profitably before interest, tax and depreciation in the second half of the year.

- Increased payment transaction values processed to GBP106 million during the year (2017: GBP94 million).

   -     Full year operating loss reduced to GBP0.2m (2017: GBP0.6m loss). 

Trading update

Trading for the year ended 31 December 2018 was in line with market expectations, with total revenue for the year expected to be GBP3.3 million (2017: GBP3.0 million). The Company has continued to experience strong growth in transactions, delivering an increase in payment transaction values processed during the year to GBP106 million (2017: GBP94 million). In addition, the Company successfully indemnified over GBP43 million of payment transactions for fraudulent activity during the period, using its proprietary payment fraud solution, resulting in new revenue of GBP0.3 million for the Group. This was achieved whilst maintaining high payment success rates and low fraud levels, which is expected to maintain gross margins of above 60% for the year.

The Company has also delivered further year-on-year reductions in administrative expenses which, when combined with the revenue growth, is expected to result in a reduction in operating loss to GBP0.2 million (2017 operating loss: GBP0.6 million). During the six-month period to 31 December 2018, Mi-Pay delivered a profit before interest, tax and depreciation.

The Company's cash position at 31 December 2018 increased to GBP3.5m from GBP2.9m as at 31 December 2017 due to the increase in payment transactions processed. GBP2.9m of this balance related to the management of client payments. The closing cash position as at 31 December 2018, excluding client payment balances was GBP0.6m, equivalent to the closing 2017 balance.

Appointment of CFO on a part-time basis

On 29 January 2019, the Company appointed Andrew Bowen as Chief Financial Officer on a part-time basis (a non-Board role) to support the Board and management team in its governance and development. Andrew has previously held finance director roles at a number of technology telecommunications businesses. He is a Principal with the FD Centre Ltd and his services are supplied under contract with that company.

Michael Dickerson, Chairman of Mi-Pay, commented: "Delivering underlying profitability in the second half of 2018 was a key target for Mi-Pay and we are pleased to have achieved this important milestone. The improved performance seen in H2 2018 was a result of delivering a new revenue channel for payment fraud management through the leverage of our in-house technology, a continuing reduction of our operating cost base and strong growth across our existing clients. We expect to see this growth continue as the e-commerce and digital channels increasingly become our clients' core strategic focus for customer engagement and our new fraud management services continue to expand."

For further information please contact:

 
 Mi-Pay Group plc     IFC Advisory            Allenby Capital Limited 
 Tel: [phone]     Tel: [phone]   Tel [phone] 
  2129 
 Michael Dickerson,   Graham Herring          James Reeve 
  Chairman 
 John Beale, CEO      Tim Metcalfe            Asha Chotai 
                       Heather Armstrong 
 
 

About Mi-Pay Group

Founded in 2003, Mi-Pay Group plc delivers fully outsourced online and related payment and fraud management solutions to digital ecommerce clients, primarily in the mobile and digital content sector. Its product offering provides the infrastructure to enable pre-paid mobile devices to be topped up via a variety of channels such as websites, mobile applications and social media applications and customers include Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MNVOs), additionally managing and indemnifying the data security and payment fraud risks. Mi-Pay sells, integrates and operates its products and solutions on a global basis. For further information, please visit www.Mi-Pay.com or contact details as shown above.

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January 30, 2019 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)