TIDMCCC

RNS Number : 6612C

Computacenter PLC

10 March 2011

Computacenter plc

Final results announcement

Computacenter plc, the European IT infrastructure services provider, today announces final results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2010.

"Another year of strong progress"

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Underlying performance

-- Ongoing^ revenues increased 10.7% to GBP2.68 billion (2009: GBP2.42 billion)

-- Adjusted* profit before tax increased 21.8% to GBP66.1 million (2009: GBP54.2 million)

-- Adjusted* diluted earnings per share ('EPS') increased 19.1% to 33.0 pence (2009: 27.7 pence)

-- Total dividend for 2010 of 13.2 pence per share (2009: 11.0 pence)

-- Net cash prior to customer specific financing (CSF) was GBP139.4 million (2009: GBP86.4 million)

Statutory Performance

-- Group revenues increased 6.9% to GBP2.68 billion (2009: GBP2.50 billion)

-- Profit before tax increased 35.1% to GBP65.4 million to (2009: GBP48.4 million)

-- Diluted EPS increased by 30.9% to 32.6 pence (2009: 24.9 pence)

-- Net cash after CSF of GBP111.0 million (2009: GBP37.3 million)

OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS

-- Revenues improved significantly in all our major geographies

-- Ongoing^ Group product revenue grew markedly, up 12.5% (14.7% in constant currency) as a result of strong customer demand for upgraded and improved IT infrastructure

-- Our Group annual services contract base grew over 7.1% (9.3% in constant currency) to GBP539.4 million (2009: GBP503.6 million) in excess of market growth predictions(#)

-- Our Group-wide ERP project remains on track with a successful migration onto the new platform in Germany

-- On 15 February 2011 we announced, subject to the approval of the French Competition Board, our agreement to acquire Top Info for an initial debt free cash consideration of EUR21 million

-- Launch of C(3) Mail, the first in a suite of cloud based offerings

Mike Norris, Chief Executive of Computacenter plc, commented:

"Computacenter has delivered another strong set of results with increased profits, EPS, dividends and an improved cash position. We have delivered in excess of 20% compound annual EPS growth over the last four years.

Over the last two years, we have done much to identify those areas where we have competitive advantage and for which there is market appetite. We believe that this is where our future success lies.

We believe that 2011, as a whole, will be a year of continuing improvement for Computacenter's performance. We are encouraged by end user demand for new technology which is driving the requirement for investment in corporate IT infrastructure, helped by economic improvement within our customers' markets. Our services market place continues to grow, albeit at a modest pace, but we feel increasingly confident about our ability to continue to outperform the market."

* Adjusted for exceptional items and amortisation of acquired intangibles.

(#) Source: Gartner

^ Ongoing revenues exclude revenues from the disposed Trade Distribution business

For further information, please contact:

Computacenter plc.

Mike Norris, Chief Executive 01707 631 601

Tessa Freeman, Investor Relations 01707 631 514

www.computacenter.com

Tulchan Communications 020 7353 4200

Christian Cowley

Lucy Legh

www.tulchangroup.com

Chairman's statement

2010 was another year of strong progress for our Company. Adjusted* profit before tax once more grew by more than 20 per cent. It is worth noting that Computacenter has delivered greater that 20 per cent compound annual growth in earnings per share over the last four years. We gained market share and grew our services revenues by 6.5 per cent. The German business showed great resilience in recovering from a poor first quarter, and our French business became profitable again. We are pleased with this performance, not least because it came as a result of the execution of our strategy, rather than simply as a result of an improving economic backdrop.

If 2009 was about cost and expense reduction and simplifying our structure, then 2010 showed disciplined sales and service delivery. Pleasing as it was, this only confirms that we have the opportunity to do much more in growing share in our chosen markets and improving our profitability in a sustainable way.

In 2011 we will continue to invest in our infrastructure, our talents and skills as well as enhancing our customers' experience. We are on course to successfully implement a single Group-wide ERP system, the major benefits of which will not manifest themselves until 2012 and beyond. Our efforts to 'industrialise' our services are already showing margin improvement and better customer satisfaction and are designed to create long-term competitive advantage. The services contract base upon which these improvements operate, grew by more than seven per cent in 2010 and the benefits will increase as time passes. We will continue our relentless focus on cost and expense management while supporting these significant investments.

This year marks the 30(th) anniversary of the founding of Computacenter. Since then the Company has grown considerably in size and this evolution has required Computacenter to adapt to the ever changing legislative environment. We have in place a governance framework, aligned to the principles of the UK Corporate Governance Code, not simply because we must do so, but rather because it is the right thing to do. In this regard, I give you my commitment to uphold the merits of the Code, as it applies to Computacenter.

I thank all of our employees for their efforts and our customers for their business. We have much to do in 2011, on our journey of continuous improvement, to achieve our potential.

Greg Lock

Chairman

*Adjusted profit before tax and EPS is stated prior to amortisation of acquired intangibles and exceptional items.

Operating review

Group Overview

Computacenter has again delivered a strong profit performance in 2010. Group adjusted* profit before tax grew by 21.8 per cent to GBP66.1 million (2009: GBP54.2 million). The Group's adjusted* diluted earnings per share (EPS) grew by 19.1 per cent to 33.0 pence (2009: 27.7 pence), primarily due to this increase in profitability. We have delivered in excess of 20 per cent compound annual EPS growth over the last four years.

On a statutory basis, taking into account amortisation of acquired intangibles and exceptional items, Group profit before tax increased by 35.1 per cent to GBP65.4 million (2009: GBP48.4 million) and diluted EPS increased by 30.9 per cent to 32.6 pence (2009: 24.9 pence).

Group revenue, as reported, increased in 2010 by 6.9 per cent to GBP2.68 billion (2009: GBP2.50 billion). After the significant product revenue decline experienced in 2009, during 2010 customers embarked on refreshing, upgrading and improving their IT infrastructures. This resulted in strong Group product revenue growth of 12.5 per cent, or 14.7 per cent in constant currency, excluding the effect of the CCD disposal towards the end of 2009, but including the acquisitions made late in 2009. This growth was achieved steadily over the year as a whole and we also believe that, subject to performance of the overall macroeconomic conditions, growth should continue during 2011.

Group services revenue, as reported, increased by 6.5 per cent and 8.7 per cent in constant currency. Different to the product revenue growth, the services revenue growth was achieved, as expected, largely during the second half of 2010. Particularly pleasing, as this is fundamental to the long-term success of Computacenter, is that the annual services contract base at December 2010, has increased by 7.1 per cent on the services contract base level at December 2009 and 9.3 per cent in constant currency. This leaves us confident that Computacenter continues to meet the IT investment needs of our customers and is evidence that our customers rely on Computacenter to help them in reducing their operating costs, over the longer term. The Group annual services contract base stood at GBP539.4 million at the end of the year (2009: GBP503.6 million).

In 2009, we reduced operating expenses ('SG&A') by over GBP30 million in constant currency and the increase gained in operational leverage has in no small way contributed to these encouraging results. Furthermore, the early indication of improving corporate capital expenditure, first detected some 12 months ago, has persisted, to the extent that we have now gained a high level of confidence that Computacenter's progress is sustainable and not of a short-term nature. The Group incurred no exceptional costs during 2010 and this should, in all likelihood, continue until the ERP benefits start being realised.

Our balance sheet has further strengthened considerably. At the end of the year, net cash prior to customer specific financing (CSF) was GBP139.4 million (2009: net cash of GBP86.4 million). Including CSF, net funds were GBP111.0 million (2009: GBP37.3 million). This material improvement in our cash position was primarily due to increased profitability and prudent working capital management, which we believe, is largely sustainable. However, the figures are flattered by approximately GBP38 million (2009: GBP30 million) with the continuation of extended credit terms from one of our major vendors, which have been made available to all of their business partners. These terms could return to normal in the second half of 2011.

The Board has decided to recommend a final dividend of 9.7 pence, bringing the total dividend paid for 2010 to 13.2 pence, representing a 20 per cent increase on the 2009 total dividend paid of 11.0 pence. The increase in dividend is broadly consistent with our stated policy of maintaining dividend cover within our target range of 2 to 2.5 times. Subject to the approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 13 May 2011, the proposed dividend will be paid on 10 June 2011 to shareholders on the register as at 13 May 2011.

Our offerings continue to gain momentum in the market, as customers choose to outsource IT infrastructure support selectively, rather than opting for a comprehensive IT outsourcing contract or undertaking the work in-house. Service desk offshoring remains an attractive offering and we continue to invest in the expansion of this resource. We currently employ in excess of 750 staff, outside of the UK, Germany and France, primarily within our multi-language service desk in Barcelona and for an English speaking desk in Cape Town. These facilities are making significant contributions towards fuelling the growth in contractual services, through addressing the increased demand from customers for global and multi-lingual service delivery.

Over the last two years, we have done much to identify those Computacenter offerings, where we have competitive advantage and for which there is market appetite. We believe that this is where our future success lies and our focus is on repeating delivery of these offerings, in an efficient and high quality manner. We are investing into tools and processes, which support repetitive delivery of these services, whilst ensuring efficiency and quality.

As the infrastructure demands of our customers grow, so their appetite for increased efficiency solutions has also grown. This has been the driving force behind the notable interest in cloud related services. Computacenter has responded with the recent launch of C(3) Mail, the first in a suite of cloud based offerings.

We maintained good progress in preparing for our Group ERP implementation. During the first week of February 2011, the Release 1 migration onto the new platform in Germany was delivered, without material disruption. However, the remainder of 2011 will be important, as migration of the UK system is scheduled to follow during the third quarter. The Release 1 migration has significantly reduced implementation risk, as the lessons we have learnt will assist during the subsequent migrations. As our people become familiar with the system, the benefits related to a single Group-wide system, will start to materialise. Due to the commencement of the ERP depreciation, we will incur an incremental charge of GBP3 million in 2011.

We did not make any acquisitions during 2010, but on 15 February 2011, we announced that our French business had agreed to acquire Top Info, subject to the approval of the French Competition Board. Top Info will be acquired for an initial debt free cash consideration of EUR21 million, with a further EUR1 million payable, subject to the financial performance of the Top Info business in the period to end December 2011. A further circa EUR15 million will be paid on the closing date, for the cash on Top Info's balance sheet at that time. We believe that Top Info's attractive customer portfolio in France will provide our French business with new opportunities to deploy its services and infrastructure solutions further, whilst at the same time, strengthening its presence within the IT infrastructure supply market to large French corporations and the Government.

UK

Excluding the effect of the exit of trade distribution in 2009, UK revenues improved by 10.8 per cent in 2010, to GBP1.27 billion (2009: GBP1.14 billion). This increase was delivered by healthy revenue growth in both the product and services businesses and was largely attributable to the continuing and increasing capital expenditure of our customers. The rate of this increase in revenue was broadly consistent over the year, without a significant revenue spike in the fourth quarter and no obvious increased demand driven by the VAT rate change, but certainty in this regard is impossible.

Adjusted* operating profit in the UK increased by 14.5 per cent to GBP43.3 million (2009: GBP37.8 million). This profit growth flowed from the strong increase in revenues, as well as some services margin improvement. We also continue to enjoy leverage from the cost savings made in 2009.

SG&A in 2010 increased by GBP3.0 million, from the significantly reduced base in 2009. This increase was largely due to investment into our Services capability, aimed at improving our delivery and as would be expected, higher commissions were also earned by our sales teams during the year.

Computacenter UK's services revenue grew by 13.9 per cent to GBP380.5 million (2009: GBP334.0 million), whereas services revenues for the total UK market, declined by 0.1% in 2010, according to Gartner figures. Revenue performance in contractual services was encouraging, as anticipated, accelerating towards the end of the year, as new contract wins became active. Particularly pleasing was the increase in the contractual services base, as it serves as an encouraging lead indicator for this business' revenue into 2011 and beyond. A clear indication of the return of capital expenditure into the market can, in part, be seen in the strong revenue growth achieved in the Professional Services Business.

Together with growing the contract base, our focus on retaining and, ideally, expanding our activities with existing customers, is also delivering success. For example, we extended our desktop managed services agreement with AEGON - to whom we've been providing IT support for over 10 years - with a continued end-to-end infrastructure outsource worth over GBP12 million, for a further five years until October 2015. We have also renewed our relationship with OB10, the global e-Invoicing company, for a further five years. The scope of this contract, worth GBP6 million, has been expanded to incorporate our multi-site datacenter offering.

We were also successful in winning a number of new services contracts. We signed a new five-year, GBP10 million infrastructure management outsourcing contract with Gatwick Airport. The scope of work includes managing two datacenters at the airport, along with 26 critical IT node rooms.

The infrastructure will be monitored and managed initially, from our facility in Hatfield and in the future, from Cape Town, with an onsite support presence at the airport. The airport operator will have access to scalable and agile support models, as well as our offshore capability, and in the future, access to 'utility' based computer provisioning.

Waitrose, the leading high street retailer awarded us a five-year support contract. Under the agreement, Computacenter will provide hardware support to 269 stores, covering electronic point of sale equipment, as well as back office IT and network devices. The service will ensure availability of critical devices and also deliver increased efficiency for Waitrose.

RDC, our subsidiary which provides its customers with secure and environmentally appropriate solutions to their end-of-life IT equipment, once again delivered exceptional performance, with overall revenue up by 30.3 per cent to nearly GBP38.2 million (2009: GBP29.3 million), while profits grew by 30.9 per cent.

To an increasing extent, IT infrastructure refreshes require physical cabling solutions, prior and during projects. This is evidenced by the 73 per cent increase in contribution of our cabling business, on the previous year. A large global financial institution is due to relocate a large number of its current premises across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Computacenter's cabling team has been selected as the sole supplier of cabling installation services to all the new EMEA locations.

Throughout 2010, Computacenter UK has continued to win and deliver more critical contracts, enabling our customers to operate a resilient infrastructure and to reduce their operating costs. These contracts increase the opportunity of retaining such customers over the longer term.

Germany

In Germany, overall adjusted* operating profit for the year, grew by 8.8 per cent to EUR23.9 million (2009: EUR22.0 million). This result represents a strong recovery from the slow start to the year, when adjusted operating profit declined by 46.7 per cent, compared to the 2009 first half result.

2010 can be viewed as a year of two halves. The expiry of some larger contracts at the end of 2009, as well as general hesitancy in the market for capital expenditure, resulted in reduced services revenue in the first half of 2010, although there were early signs of recovery towards the end of this period. Market confidence improved substantially in the second half of the year, with IT infrastructure investment into both services and products, accelerating towards the end of the year, with a particularly strong revenue performance in December 2010. For the year as a whole, in local currency and including the acquired becom business, revenue increased by 12.2 per cent to EUR1,173.1 million (2009: EUR1,045.1 million) and by 6.2 per cent, excluding the becom business which was acquired in 2009.

Our services contract base grew by 8.7 per cent to EUR290.0 million (2009: EUR266.8 million). Both new and existing customers invested in high-end products, combined with our service offerings.

We signed a three-year framework agreement, valued at circa EUR9 million with Dataport, for the supply and deployment of Cisco datacenter hardware and related services, including consultation work and maintenance provision.

Intelligent workplace and communication solutions also combine our product and service offerings. Volkswagen commissioned Computacenter Germany to implement the car manufacturer's Windows 7/Office 2010 strategy. The overall project lays the foundation for the future workplaces at the Volkswagen Group, worldwide.

Union IT Services GmbH, as the IT services provider to the financial service company Union Investment, a leading real estate investment manager in Europe for private and institutional investors, renewed the outsourcing contract with Computacenter Germany, until 2017. This end-to-end outsourcing contract has been expanded to include the implementation and operation of a new and flexible IP telecommunication centre, as part of its unified communication and collaboration solution.

The integrated becom business has started to deliver real value to Computacenter Germany's overall business, especially within the datacenter product business, which has seen much healthier activity than last year. Additionally, a close relationship with Microsoft has contributed to Computacenter Germany's recent certification as a Microsoft Voice Specialist, in addition to the existing certification as a Cisco Master Unified Communication Specialist. It is the first time in Germany that any provider has been awarded both certifications and our response to current market requirements for multi-vendor communication solutions, has been materially enhanced. Our overall relationship with Cisco continues to grow, culminating in the award of "Cisco Enterprise Partner of the Year- Europe"

Revenue growth in the second half of 2010 was in part derived from our reorganisation activities in the first six months. The managed services delivery structures were integrated them into a new Managed Service Factory and the product and services portfolios were merged. These changes enabled Computacenter Germany to maximise its opportunities on the economic rebound and even grow in excess of the German market in 2010.

We are pleased with our overall performance for the year, especially as many of our senior staff members were focussed on the design and implementation work for a smooth ERP system migration. This was achieved in early January 2011, an event which will provide lessons for the rest of the Group's future migrations.

France

Computacenter France delivered an operating profit of EUR1.2 million (2009: operating loss EUR3.1 million), flattered to the extent of EUR1.0 million, when compared to 2009, by a change in classification of certain French tax expenses, from administration expenses in 2009, to income tax expense in 2010.

We achieved strong revenue growth, materially outperforming the French market, with reported revenue increasing by 16.9 per cent to EUR419.4 million (2009: EUR358.7 million). Although both services and product revenue growth outperformed their respective markets, product revenue grew by an impressive 19.7 per cent, whilst services revenue growth was lower, at 4.6 per cent. Services now represent 16.5 per cent (2009: 18.4 per cent) of the total business.

Product growth resulted mainly from increased higher-end enterprise and software sales. Enterprise revenue growth, in the year, by 53 per cent, was partly due to the success in up-scaling our enterprise service offerings. The French Army, an existing customer, additionally awarded us a comprehensive hardware supply contract to support their storage consolidation and virtualisation project, from conception to roll-out and training, which supply is due to continue through 2011. There was further evidence of encouraging growth in enterprise sales in the product supply contract win for the virtualised workplace environment of Europ Assistance, a major international provider of insurance and assurance services.

Towards the end of 2010, we won a four-year product supply contract with SAE, the Government Purchasing Agency, led by the Minister of Finance. EDF, a major energy utilities company, has also awarded Computacenter France a three-year global software licensing contract, with two extension options of one year each.

Our services business in 2010 grew at a slower rate than in 2009. However, while no significant existing contracts were lost during 2010, we experienced a natural erosion of revenue from older maintenance contracts and new wins had not yet started contributing revenue. This resulted in a marginal decline by 0.1 per cent in local currency, in contractual services. Encouraging though was the 15.3 per cent growth in professional services revenue, which should be a natural consequence of strong product revenue growth, but which has not previously been realised in France, to this extent.

SG&A expenses were held flat through effective controls and external costs were reduced sufficiently, to allow for investment in enhancing and up-skilling our salesforce. We rolled out an opportunity management tool to enhance potential customer engagement across the Company and we created a sales specialist team to provide technical support to the salesforce.

Additionally, we comprehensively reviewed the salesforce incentivisation mechanisms, resulting in changes to individual targets and other incentive structures. Whilst this investment was aimed at sales acceleration into 2011 and beyond, there have been clear signs of early successes, making us confident of further organic growth and profitability in 2011. In addition, the proposed acquisition of Top Info, subject to approval by the French Competition Authority, is anticipated to deliver further revenue enhancement in 2011.

Benelux

The Benelux operation showed an adjusted operating loss of EUR0.46 million in 2010 (2009: loss of EUR0.85 million), resulting from an operating profit for Belgium and the Netherlands of EUR0.49 million (2009: loss of EUR0.45 million) and an operating loss for Luxembourg of EUR 0.95 million (2009: loss of EUR0.39 million).

The business in Belgium and the Netherlands delivered significantly increased revenue, up by 90.8 per cent to EUR49.6 million (2009: EUR26.0 million), largely derived through product sales. However, a material proportion of this revenue was derived from a single, one-off sale. Services revenues increased by 3.3 per cent to EUR9.6 million (2009: EUR9.3 million) and our managed services business maintained a stable long-term contract base.

This business has strengthened its competitive position by combining its local presence with international shared services facilities for licensing, service desk and datacenter activities. This has allowed the business to compete for and win, major product and licensing contracts, as is evidenced by a EUR10.2 million datacenter project to a high profile wireless technology provider, as well as a licensing contract with a market leader in the field of local search and advertising, valued at circa EUR1.2 million.

Continued investment into our Professional Services offering enabled some project contract wins in the fields of unified IP communications, for example, a EUR0.14 million VOIP project for the Red Cross Flanders, as well as in Microsoft technologies, as evidenced by a EUR0.12 million MS System Center project for De Lijn, a regional public transport provider.

Additionally, a datacenter technology related contract, for storage implementation, with a value of EUR0.23 million was awarded by Pentair Europe, a leading provider of water solutions and related technical products.

In Luxembourg, a restructuring project, at a cost to the profit and loss account of circa EUR0.48 million, was undertaken to reduce the future cost base significantly and to enhance focus on growing the long-term managed services contract base. An early success, in this context, is evident from having been awarded a two-year contract, valued at EUR0.47 million, by Enovos, a gas and electricity utilities company.

In recognising the business needs of our local customers, we integrated our Luxembourg team structure in the German organisation, effective from 1 January 2011. Going forward, performance of the Belgium and Netherlands based businesses will be reported separately from the Luxembourg business, the latter which will be reported as part of the German business performance.

Outlook statement

We believe that 2011, as a whole, will be a year of continuing improvement for Computacenter's performance. As we state every year, it is always a challenge drawing any meaningful conclusions about the new financial year until we have completed at least the first quarter. This year, drawing conclusions from comparisons with prior first quarter results, will be particularly difficult. In the first quarter of 2010 in the UK, we had very buoyant market conditions and a large one-off contract, which flattered revenue to a greater extent than profit. This is a marked contrast to Germany, where the comparison is materially easier, due to their challenging start to 2010.

Looking further ahead, we believe there are a number of growth drivers which Computacenter will be able to take advantage of. End user demand for new technology is driving the requirement for investment in corporate IT infrastructure, helped by economic improvement within our customers' markets. Our services market place continues to grow, albeit at a modest pace, but we feel increasingly confident about our ability to continue to outperform the market. This reflects our customers' desire not to outsource to a single supplier, but to 'smart source' best of breed suppliers, playing to Computacenter's strengths. We believe that these growth drivers, coupled with the opportunity to further reduce our operating cost over time due to our investment in systems, will enable Computacenter to continue our earnings momentum.

*Adjusted profit before tax and EPS is stated prior to amortisation of acquired intangibles and exceptional items. Adjusted operating profit is also stated after charging finance costs on CSF.

Mike Norris

Chief Executive

Finance Director's review

Turnover and profitability

In 2010, Computacenter Group delivered a strong turnover and profit, across all our main geographies with revenue growth in all business lines. Our 2009 revenues included GBP84.6 million from the trade distribution ('CCD') business in the UK, which was disposed in 2009. Excluding CCD, turnover increased by 10.7 per cent, with product revenues increasing by 12.5 per cent and service revenues increasing by 6.5 per cent.

This growth was partially achieved due to the impact of the acquisitions of becom and Thesaurus, which were both made in November 2009, offset by a small dilution in growth due to movements in currency. The like-for-like turnover growth, which excludes currency fluctuations, the CCD disposal and the impact of acquisitions, was 10.3 per cent. On this measure, product revenue growth was 11.4 per cent, and services growth 7.7 per cent. The turnover growth reflects the strong rebound in corporate infrastructure spending in 2010 across UK, Germany and France.

Adjusted profit before tax improved by 21.8 per cent from GBP54.2 million to GBP66.1 million, albeit GBP0.9 million of this improvement is generated from a change in classification of certain French tax expenses from administration expenses in 2009 to income tax expense in 2010. Without this classification change, adjusted profit before tax increased by 20.1 per cent.

After taking account of exceptional items, in 2009, and amortisation of acquired intangibles, statutory profit before tax increased by 35.1 per cent from GBP48.4 million to GBP65.4 million.

Adjusted operating profit

Statutory operating profit increased from GBP52.1 million to GBP65.9 million. However, management measure the Group's operating performance using adjusted operating profit, which is stated prior to amortisation of acquired intangibles, exceptional items and the transfer of internal ERP implementation costs and after charging finance costs on customer specific financing ('CSF') for which the Group receives regular rental income. Gross profit is also adjusted to take account of CSF finance costs. The reconciliation of statutory to adjusted results is further explained in the segmental reporting note (note 3) to the financial statements.

UK

UK revenues, excluding the CCD disposal, grew strongly in 2010 by 10.8 per cent overall. Product sales increased by 9.5 per cent and services revenues also increased by 13.9 per cent. Revenue decline in the Government Sector was more than offset by growth in other sectors, particularly Financial Services. Adjusted gross profit margin moved from 14.8 per cent to 15.0 per cent with the loss of low margin CCD revenues replaced by higher revenues on corporate product sales.

At a headline level, adjusted operating expenses ('SG&A') increased by GBP3.0 million as reported. However, we incurred operating expenses of GBP3.5 million in 2009 in the CCD business. Following the cost reductions realised in 2009, the UK business entered into certain targeted SG&A investments to improve efficiency, repeatability and industrialisation of our service operations function.

Germany

Revenue, as reported, grew in 2010 by 8.1 per cent to GBP1,005.8 million (2009: GBP930.7 million), although approximately GBP54.3 million (or 72.3 per cent) of the growth can be attributed to the acquisition of becom Informationsysteme Gmbh ('becom').

In local currency, revenue grew by 12.2 per cent, with product and services revenues increasing by 16.8 per cent and 4.1 per cent respectively. The adjusted gross profit percentage for Germany as a whole decreased from 13.4 per cent to 13.1 per cent of sales, due to a higher product revenue mix.

SG&A increased by GBP6.2 million to GBP111.0 million (2009: GBP104.8 million), albeit excluding the SG&A increase associated with the acquisition of becom and taking into account the effects of currency, the like-for-like SG&A growth is 2.6 per cent.

France

The rebound in revenue was most pronounced in France, with revenue increasing by 12.6 per cent or 16.9 per cent in local currency.

Product revenue increased by 19.7 per cent in local currency mainly due to a relatively buoyant product market and strong growth in the Enterprise product sector. Following two years of double digit growth, services revenue grew by a more modest 4.6 per cent, with professional services up 15.3 per cent and managed services down by 0.1 per cent in local currency.

Due to the high product sales growth, gross profit percentage reduced from 11.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent. This led to an overall gross profit increase of GBP0.4 million, with SG&A down by GBP3.3 million. The operating profit is flattered by the change in the basis of the calculation of certain tax payments. In 2010, GBP0.9m has been charged in income tax expense that in previous periods was classified within administration expenses.

The operating result turned around from a loss of GBP2.7 million in 2009 to an operating profit of GBP1.0 million in 2010. This is a particularly pleasing performance, being the first time our French business has generated an operating profit since 2001.

Benelux

Reported revenue increased by 74.0 per cent to GBP45.6 million (2009: GBP26.2 million), translating to an increase of 80.8 per cent in local currency. In local currency, product revenue increased by 130.5 per cent whilst service revenue grew more modestly by 6.2 per cent. This is driven by a large product win during 2010 in Belgium and the Netherlands, that is not expected to be repeated in 2011.

Our business in Belgium returned to profitability in 2010, reporting an operating profit of GBP0.4 million (2009: operating loss of GBP0.4 million). The business in Luxembourg however, was once again loss-making, and as a consequence we incurred GBP0.4 million of redundancy costs within an operating loss of GBP0.8 million (2009: GBP0.4 million). From 2011, the Luxembourg business will be managed and reported through our German business and going forward, will form part of the German geographical segment.

The operating loss generated in the Benelux segment was therefore GBP0.4 million (2009: GBP0.8 million).

Exceptional items

Following exceptional items of GBP5.3 million in 2009, no exceptional items were recorded during 2010. Further details of the prior year exceptional items are provided in note 4.

Finance income and costs

Net finance costs on a statutory basis reduced from GBP3.7 million in 2009 to GBP0.5 million in 2010. This takes account of finance costs on CSF of GBP2.1 million (2009: GBP4.0 million). On an adjusted basis, prior to the interest on CSF, net finance income recovered from GBP0.3 million in 2009 to GBP1.6 million in 2010, mainly due to the significant improvement in net funds.

Taxation

The effective adjusted tax rate for 2010 was 23.1 per cent (2009: 22.6 per cent). The Group's tax rate continues to benefit from losses utilised on earnings in Germany and will benefit from the reducing corporation tax rate in the UK.

Deferred tax assets of GBP11.3 million (2009: GBP11.4 million) have been recognised in respect of losses carried forward. In addition, at 31 December 2010, there were unused tax losses across the Group of GBP171.2 million (2009: GBP188.1 million) for which no deferred tax asset has been recognised. Of these losses, GBP99.4 million (2009: GBP111.1 million) arise in Germany, albeit a significant proportion have been generated in statutory entities that no longer have significant levels of trade. The remaining unrecognised tax losses relate to other loss-making overseas subsidiaries.

Earnings per share and dividend

The adjusted* diluted earnings per share has increased in line with profit growth by 19.1 per cent from 27.7 pence in 2009 to 33.0 pence in 2010. The statutory diluted earnings per share growth of 30.9 per cent takes into account exceptional items reported in 2009.

The Board is recommending a final dividend of 9.7 pence per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to 13.2 pence (2009: 11.0 pence). This will be payable on 10 June 2011 to registered shareholders as at 13 May 2011.

Cash flow

The Group's trading net funds position takes account of factor financing, but excludes CSF. There is an adjusted cash flow statement provided in note 9 that restates the statutory cash flow to take account of this definition.

The net funds (excluding CSF) improved from GBP86.4 million to GBP139.4 million by the end of the year. The Group has a history of strong cash generation however, the increase in 2010 was unusual, given the increase in product revenues, due to a number of factors. Firstly, following the exit from the CCD business in the UK in late 2009, the UK increased the mix of its purchases via distributors, resulting in lower stock holdings and increased creditor payment terms. Secondly the Group continued to benefit from the extension of a temporary improvement in credit terms with a significant vendor, equivalent to GBP38 million at 31 December 2010, an increase of approximately GBP8 million over the course of the year. These terms will continue until at least 30 June 2011.

These factors combined to generate a GBP21.4 million working capital inflow, despite a 7.1 per cent increase in product sales compared to 2009. This, together with the post tax earnings in the period of GBP50.3 million, improved the cash position, by over GBP50 million in the year, despite continued investment in the ERP system, investment in our datacenters and dividends of GBP17.0 million paid.

Whilst the increase in net cash in the year is particularly strong, changes in future periods are more likely to be in line with the underlying earnings of the business, except if the improvement in credit terms with a significant vendor is reversed.

CSF reduced in the year from GBP49.1 million to GBP28.4 million, partially due to a decision to restrict this form of financing in the light of the credit environment and reduced customer demand. Taking CSF into account, total net cash at the end of the year was GBP111.0 million, compared to GBP37.3 million at the start of the year.

Customer specific financing

In certain circumstances, the Group enters into customer contracts that are financed by leases or loans. The leases are secured only on the assets that they finance. Whilst the outstanding balance of CSF is included within the net funds for statutory reporting purposes, the Group excludes CSF when managing the net funds of the business, as this CSF is matched by contracted future receipts from customers. Whilst CSF is repaid through future customer receipts, Computacenter retains the credit risk on these customers and ensures that credit risk is only taken on customers with a strong credit rating.

The committed CSF financing facilities are thus outside of the normal working capital requirements of the Group's product resale and service activities.

Capital Management

Details of the Group's capital management policies are included within the financial statements.

Financial instruments

The Group's financial instruments comprise borrowings, cash and liquid resources and various items that arise directly from its operations. The Group occasionally enters into hedging transactions, principally forward exchange contracts or currency swaps. The purpose of these transactions is to manage currency risks arising from the Group's operations and its sources of finance. The Group's policy remains that no trading in financial instruments shall be undertaken.

The main risks arising from the Group's financial instruments are interest rate, liquidity and foreign currency risks. The overall financial instruments strategy is to manage these risks in order to minimise their impact on the financial results of the Group. The policies for managing each of these risks are set out below. Further disclosures in line with the requirements of IFRS 7 are included in the financial statements.

Interest rate risk

The Group finances its operations through a mixture of retained profits, bank borrowings, invoice factoring in France and the UK and finance leases and loans for certain customer contracts. The Group's bank borrowings, other facilities and deposits are at floating rates. No interest rate derivative contracts have been entered into. When long-term borrowings are utilised, the Group's policy is to maintain these borrowings at fixed rates to limit the Group's exposure to interest rate fluctuations.

Liquidity risk

The Group's policy is to ensure that it has sufficient funding and committed bank facilities in place to meet any foreseeable peak in borrowing requirements. The Group's net funds position improved substantially during 2010, and at the year-end was GBP139.4 million excluding CSF, and GBP111.0 million including CSF.

Due to strong cash generation over the past three years, the Group is now in a position where it can finance its requirements from its cash balance. As a result, the Group has not renewed a number of overdraft and factoring facilities during 2010, and consequently the uncommitted overdraft and factoring facilities available to the Group has reduced to GBP15.5 million at 31 December 2010 (2009: GBP100.3 million).

At 31 December 2010, the Group still has access to a GBP60.0 million three-year committed facility established in May 2008, of which GBP43.5 million (2009: GBP42.9 million) is not utilised at the balance sheet date. This facility is due to expire in May 2011, and is not expected to be renewed.

The Group manages its counterparty risk by placing cash on deposit across a panel of reputable banking institutions, with no more than GBP50.0 million deposited at any one time except for UK Government backed counterparties where the limit is GBP70.0 million. CSF facilities are committed.

Foreign currency risk

The Group operates primarily in the UK, Germany, France, and the 'Benelux' countries, using local borrowings to fund its operations outside of the UK, where principal receipts and payments are denominated in Euros. In each country a small proportion of the sales are made to customers outside those countries. For those countries within the Euro zone, the level of non-Euro denominated sales is very small and if material, the Group's policy is to eliminate currency exposure through forward currency contracts. For the UK, the vast majority of sales and purchases are denominated in Sterling and any material trading exposures are eliminated through forward currency contracts.

Credit risk

The Group principally manages credit risk through management of customer credit limits. The credit limits are set for each customer based on the creditworthiness of the customer and the anticipated levels of business activity. These limits are initially determined when the customer account is first set up and are regularly monitored thereafter. In France, credit risk is mitigated through a credit insurance policy which applies to non-Government customers and provides insurance for approximately 50 per cent of the relevant credit risk exposure.

There are no significant concentrations of credit risk within the Group. The Group's major customer, disclosed in note 3 to the financial statements, consists of entities under the control of the UK Government. The maximum credit risk exposure relating to financial assets is represented by carrying value as at the balance sheet date.

Events after the balance sheet date

On 15 February 2011, the Group announced its agreement to acquire TOP Info SAS and its subsidiaries ('Top Info'), an information technology reseller of hardware, software and services based in Paris, France. The acquisition is still subject to competition clearance in France, with the closing date not expected before the end of March 2011. The expected consideration totals EUR21 million payable on the closing date with an additional EUR1 million dependant upon the performance of Top Info in the period to 31 December 2011. The management and exercise of control over Top Info will not pass to Computacenter until the closing date.

Going concern

As disclosed in the Directors' Report, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue its operations for the foreseeable future. Accordingly they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the consolidated financial statements.

Tony Conophy

Finance Director

Risk Report

Computacenter's Group Risk Department facilitates a process through which the Group's most senior management team identify all the significant risks posed to the strategic goals. During 2010, the Strategic Risk Profiling Project ('SRPP'), or 'top-down' risk identification, was additionally facilitated by an external risk consultancy and the result of this exercise was adopted by the Board and shared with all the business unit leaders across the Group.

The annual 'bottom-up' risk assessment process involves all business unit leaders across the Group, to identify and prioritise, in accordance with a pre-approved risk matrix of severity and likelihood values, those risks posed to the objectives and targets set for their individual business units. The output of this process presents a risk footprint for each business unit, as well as, a collated top risks log for the Group, which is compared to the SRPP log.

Safeguards already in place and further required mitigations for each identified risk are identified and included in the risk logs, together with the owners of the risks. The frequencies for reviewing the effectiveness of the safeguards, as well as the date by which mitigation plans need to be progressed, are added to complete the risk plans.

The Group Risk Committee, chaired by the Chief Executive, convenes quarterly to review progress against the risk plans. Additionally, the Committee considers any new risks of potential significance which may be added to the appropriate risk log and for which a risk plan is required.

 
 Strategic Objectives       Principal risks           Principal mitigations 
=========================  ========================  ========================= 
 Accelerating the growth    Our offerings transpire   We formally review all 
 of our contractual         to be uncompetitive       lost bids and most won 
 services business.         within the market, or     bids to ensure that we 
                            an unforeseen             keep abreast of customer 
                            technology shift occurs   expectation from their 
                            where the market          IT services and 
                            develops appetite for     solutions partner. We 
                            different equipment and   formally review our 
                            solutions to those        internal service 
                            offered. We potentially   providers against price 
                            do not dedicate correct   points and benchmarked 
                            levels of resource to     service quality 
                            satisfy our customers'    standards. We have 
                            varying needs for         launched a Customer 
                            innovation. Our growth    Value Scorecard to 
                            aspirations are           identify our larger 
                            impacted by the           customer's innovation 
                            economic climate and      needs and we are 
                            with a certain level of   currently implementing 
                            uncertainty about a       the "Continual 
                            full return to economic   Improvement Framework" 
                            stability in the short    to detect where 
                            term; there is the        innovation needs are 
                            potential for reduced     arising. We operate 
                            capital expenditure       within different 
                            from customers.           economies that are 
                                                      affected differently at 
                                                      different times. We also 
                                                      believe that our 
                                                      offerings are targeted 
                                                      specifically towards 
                                                      being beneficial to our 
                                                      customers who are in 
                                                      need of reducing cost. 
=========================  ========================  ========================= 
 Reducing cost through      There is an absence of    The Industrialisation 
 increased efficiency and   appropriate investment    and Investment review 
 industrialisation of our   into automated tools      board convenes monthly 
 service operations         and other efficiency      and monitors the return 
                            measures, which           on investment as well as 
                            effectively fails to      the planned KPI 
                            reduce the need for       improvements. 
                            manual intervention 
                            activity, or a suitable 
                            return on these 
                            investments is not 
                            realised. 
=========================  ========================  ========================= 
 Maximising the return      Following significant     There is continued focus 
  on working capital and    progress over the last    on strict cost control 
  freeing working capital   years in freeing          and in future, the ERP 
  where not optimally       working capital,          system will facilitate a 
  used                      through the disposal of   common approach to 
                            the distribution          working capital 
                            business, as well as      management, across the 
                            other working capital     Group, through best 
                            optimisation              practice and other 
                            initiatives, a            working capital control 
                            significant increase in   adoption. 
                            working capital demand 
                            could harm the need for 
                            further progress in 
                            this regard. 
=========================  ========================  ========================= 
 Growing our profit         Our sales teams do not    Governance boards and a 
 margin through increased   focus on our defined      tool through which all 
 services and high end      propositions and target   relevant parties have to 
 product sales              market, resulting in      engage, will aim to 
                            "over-promising" on the   prevent any non-standard 
                            scope of services         offerings. All change 
                            offered to new            management will be 
                            customers, or making      reviewed by a governance 
                            non-standard offerings    board and if material, 
                            during the life of a      the same approval 
                            contract, resulting in    process as for new 
                            margin erosion,           contracts, will be 
                            customer                  initiated. Senior 
                            dissatisfaction or        management work very 
                            delays in the initial     closely with our leading 
                            phases of the contract.   vendor partners and 
                            Our vendor partners       customers, in order to 
                            compete in the high end   continually promote and 
                            sales environment and     protect the value we 
                            approach our customers    bring to the sale. 
                            directly.                 Computacenter's 
                                                      customers demand 
                                                      optimisation of their IT 
                                                      infrastructures and to 
                                                      this end, vendor 
                                                      independent solutions 
                                                      are imperative. 
=========================  ========================  ========================= 
 Ensuring the successful    With a project of this    The transition of the 
  implementation of the     scale, there is the       various systems have 
  Group-wide ERP system     potential that during     been phased over a 
                            early transition,         period of circa three 
                            operational issues        years, with the other 
                            could occur, which may    countries providing 
                            impact on customer        back-up support to the 
                            service levels and        transitioning country. 
                            ultimately, overall       Lessons learnt from the 
                            financial performance     early 2011 transition in 
                            of the Company. After     Germany will be deployed 
                            the ERP system is         in the UK and France. 
                            embedded, there is the    Return on investment 
                            potential that the full   plans have been 
                            return on this            developed and will be 
                            investment is not         built into the internal 
                            realised.                 governance structure, at 
                                                      all relevant levels and 
                                                      targets have already 
                                                      been added to senior 
                                                      management pay plans. 
=========================  ========================  ========================= 
 

Directors' responsibility statement

-- The financial statements, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, as adopted by the EU, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit for the Company and undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole; and

-- Pursuant to the Disclosure and Transparency Rules the Company's annual report and accounts include a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.

On behalf of the Board

Mike Norris Tony Conophy

Chief Executive Finance Director

9March 2011

Consolidated income statement

For the year ended 31 December 2010

 
                                                             2010         2009 
                                                Note      GBP'000      GBP'000 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Revenue                                            3    2,676,495    2,503,198 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Cost of sales                                         (2,310,682)  (2,153,395) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Gross profit                                              365,813      349,803 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 
Distribution costs                                       (18,978)     (19,032) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Administrative expenses                                 (280,288)    (272,876) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Operating profit: 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Before amortisation of acquired intangibles 
 and exceptional items                                     66,547       57,895 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Amortisation of acquired intangibles                        (655)        (517) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Exceptional items                                  4            -      (5,299) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Operating profit                                           65,892       52,079 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 
Finance income                                              2,329        1,307 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Finance costs                                             (2,823)      (4,977) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 
Profit before tax: 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Before amortisation of acquired intangibles 
 and exceptional items                                     66,053       54,225 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Amortisation of acquired intangibles                        (655)        (517) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Exceptional items                                               -      (5,299) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Profit before tax                                          65,398       48,409 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 
Income tax expense: 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Before exceptional items                                 (15,078)     (12,113) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Tax on exceptional items                           4            -        1,415 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Income tax expense                                 5     (15,078)     (10,698) 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Profit for the year                                        50,320       37,711 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 
Attributable to: 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Equity holders of the parent                       6       50,321       37,703 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
Non-controlling interests                                     (1)            8 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
                                                           50,320       37,711 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 
Earnings per share                                 6 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
- basic                                                     34.1p        25.7p 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
- diluted                                                   32.6p        24.9p 
----------------------------------------------  ----  -----------  ----------- 
 

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

For the year ended 31 December 2010

 
                                                                2010      2009 
                                                             GBP'000   GBP'000 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Profit for the year                                           50,320    37,711 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations    (4,076)  (10,173) 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Total comprehensive income for the period                     46,244    27,538 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
 
Equity holders of the parent                                  46,250    27,543 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Non-controlling interests                                        (6)       (5) 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
                                                              46,244    27,538 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

Consolidated balance sheet

As at 31 December 2010

 
                                                  2010      2009 
                                       Notes   GBP'000   GBP'000 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Non-current assets 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Property, plant and equipment                   88,882   105,290 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Intangible assets                               78,531    72,965 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Investment in associate                             47        57 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Deferred income tax asset                       15,577    16,444 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
                                               183,037   194,756 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Current assets 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Inventories                                     81,569    67,086 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Trade and other receivables                    471,133   475,646 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Prepayments                                     44,219    55,785 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Accrued income                                  39,971    29,538 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Forward currency contracts                         562       726 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Cash and short-term deposits               8   159,269   108,017 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
                                               796,723   736,798 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Total assets                                   979,760   931,554 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 
Current liabilities 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Trade and other payables                       440,790   378,929 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Deferred income                                100,840   123,861 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Financial liabilities                           37,936    48,647 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Income tax payable                               5,941     3,815 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Provisions                                       2,644     2,202 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
                                               588,151   557,454 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Non-current liabilities 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Financial liabilities                           10,320    22,022 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Provisions                                      10,749    11,605 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Other non-current liabilities                        -       227 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Deferred income tax liabilities                    978     1,674 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
                                                22,047    35,528 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Total liabilities                              610,198   592,982 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Net assets                                     369,562   338,572 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 
Capital and reserves 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Issued capital                                   9,233     9,186 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Share premium                                    3,697     2,929 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Capital redemption reserve                      74,957    74,950 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Own shares held                               (10,146)   (9,657) 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Foreign currency translation reserve            12,137    16,208 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Retained earnings                              279,674   244,940 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Shareholders' equity                           369,552   338,556 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Non-controlling interests                           10        16 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Total equity                                   369,562   338,572 
-------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 

Approved by the Board on 9 March 2011

MJ Norris FA Conophy

Chief Executive Finance Director

Consolidated statement of changes in equity

For the year ended 31 December 2010

 
                                                                                          Non-controlling     Total 
                            Attributable to equity holders of the                  Total        interests    equity 
                                            parent                               GBP'000          GBP'000   GBP'000 
--------------                                                                  --------  ---------------  -------- 
                                                            Foreign 
                                     Capital       Own     currency 
                 Issued    Share  redemption    shares  translation   Retained 
                capital  premium     reserve      held      reserve   earnings 
                GBP'000  GBP'000     GBP'000   GBP'000      GBP'000    GBP'000 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
At 1 January 
 2010             9,186    2,929      74,950   (9,657)       16,208    244,940   338,556               16   338,572 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Profit for the 
 year                 -        -           -         -            -     50,321    50,321              (1)    50,320 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Other 
 comprehensive 
 income               -        -           -         -      (4,071)          -   (4,071)              (5)   (4,076) 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Total 
 comprehensive 
 income               -        -           -         -      (4,071)     50,321    46,250              (6)    46,244 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Cost of 
 share-based 
 payments             -        -           -         -            -      2,620     2,620                -     2,620 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Deferred tax 
 on 
 share-based 
 payment 
 transactions         -        -           -         -            -        789       789                -       789 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Exercise of 
 options             46      264           -     1,563            -    (1,563)       310                -       310 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Issue of share 
 capital              8      504           -         -            -          -       512                -       512 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Purchase of 
 own shares           -        -           -   (2,501)            -          -   (2,501)                -   (2,501) 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Cancellation 
 of own 
 shares             (7)        -           7       449            -      (449)         -                -        -- 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Equity 
 dividends            -        -           -         -            -   (16,984)  (16,984)                -  (16,984) 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
At 31 December 
 2010             9,233    3,697      74,957  (10,146)       12,137    279,674   369,552               10   369,562 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
 
At 1 January 
 2009             9,181    2,890      74,950  (11,169)       26,368    218,970   321,190               21   321,211 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Profit for the 
 year                 -        -           -         -            -     37,703    37,703                8    37,711 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Other 
 comprehensive 
 income               -        -           -         -     (10,160)          -  (10,160)             (13)  (10,173) 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Total 
 comprehensive 
 income               -        -           -         -     (10,160)     37,703    27,543              (5)    27,538 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Cost of 
 share-based 
 payments             -        -           -         -            -      2,555     2,555                -     2,555 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Deferred tax 
 on 
 share-based 
 payment 
 transactions         -        -           -         -            -        298       298                -       298 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Exercise of 
 options              5       39           -     2,072            -    (2,072)        44                -        44 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Purchase of 
 own shares           -        -           -     (560)            -          -     (560)                -     (560) 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
Equity 
 dividends            -        -           -         -            -   (12,514)  (12,514)                -  (12,514) 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
At 31 December 
 2009             9,186    2,929      74,950   (9,657)       16,208    244,940   338,556               16   338,572 
--------------  -------  -------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------  --------  ---------------  -------- 
 

Consolidated cash flow statement

For the year ended 31 December 2010

 
                                                                2010      2009 
                                                     Notes   GBP'000   GBP'000 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Operating activities 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Profit before taxation                                        65,398    48,409 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Net finance costs                                                494     3,670 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Depreciation                                                  31,722    35,326 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Amortisation                                                   6,550     4,631 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Share-based payments                                           2,620     2,555 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment                815        23 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Profit on disposal of business                           4         -   (1,879) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
(Increase)/decrease in inventories                          (16,400)    34,126 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
(Increase)/decrease in trade and other receivables           (3,660)    52,348 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Increase in trade and other payables                          46,435    10,960 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Other adjustments                                               (49)       283 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Cash generated from operations                               133,925   190,452 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Income taxes paid                                           (11,281)  (17,500) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Net cash flow from operating activities                      122,644   172,952 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 
Investing activities 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Interest received                                              2,284     1,717 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired                  -   (9,742) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Proceeds from sale of business                           4         -     2,982 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment              372         7 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Purchases of property, plant and equipment                  (12,856)   (9,511) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Purchases of intangible assets                              (12,774)  (11,790) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Net cash flow from investing activities                     (22,974)  (26,337) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 
Financing activities 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Interest paid                                                (3,200)   (4,540) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Dividends paid to equity shareholders of the 
 parent                                                  7  (16,984)  (12,514) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Proceeds from share issues                                       822        44 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Purchase of own shares                                       (2,501)     (560) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Repayment of capital element of finance leases              (20,641)  (20,956) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Repayment of loans                                          (12,622)  (40,248) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
New borrowings                                                 5,957    16,357 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Increase/(decrease) in factor financing                        1,568  (25,600) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Net cash flow from financing activities                     (47,601)  (88,017) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 
Increase in cash and cash equivalents                         52,069    58,598 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash 
 equivalents                                                 (1,090)     (533) 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of 
 the year                                                8   104,954    46,889 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
Cash and cash equivalents at the year-end                8   155,933   104,954 
---------------------------------------------------  -----  --------  -------- 
 

Notes to the consolidated financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2010

1 Authorisation of financial statements and statement of compliance with IFRS

The consolidated financial statements of Computacenter plc for the year ended 31 December 2010 were authorised for issue in accordance with a resolution of the Directors on 9 March 2011. The balance sheet was signed on behalf of the Board by MJ Norris and FA Conophy. Computacenter plc is a limited company incorporated and domiciled in England whose shares are publicly traded.

The Group's financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS'), as adopted by the European Union as they apply to the financial statements of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2010 and applied in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

2 Summary of significant accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The consolidated financial statements are presented in Sterling and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand (GBP'000) except when otherwise indicated.

Basis of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements comprise the financial statements of Computacenter plc and its subsidiaries as at 31 December each year. The financial statements of subsidiaries are prepared for the same reporting year as the parent company, using existing GAAP in each country of operation. Adjustments are made on consolidation translating any differences that may exist between the respective local GAAPs and IFRS.

All intra-group balances, transactions, income and expenses and profit and losses resulting from intra-group transactions have been eliminated in full. Subsidiaries are consolidated from the date on which the Group obtains control and cease to be consolidated from the date on which the Group no longer retains control.

Non-controlling interests represent the portion of profit or loss and net assets in subsidiaries that is not held by the Group and is presented separately within equity in the consolidated balance sheet, separately from parent shareholders'equity.

Changes in accounting policy and disclosures

The accounting policies adopted are consistent with those of the previous financial year except as follows:

The Group has adopted the following new and amended IFRS and IFRIC interpretations during the year. Except as noted below, adoption of these standards did not have any effect on the financial performance or position of the Group. They did however give rise to additional disclosures. The other pronouncements which came into force during the year were not relevant to the Group:

IFRS 3 (revised) Business Combinations

IFRS 3 (Revised) introduces significant changes in the accounting for business combinations. It requires that all acquisition related costs are expensed in the period incurred rather than included in the cost of the investment, that changes to the contingent consideration following a business combination are shown in the statement of comprehensive income instead of adjusting goodwill and that changes to deferred tax assets relating to business combinations are only reflected within goodwill if they occur within the measurement period. The Group has applied IFRS 3 (Revised) with effect from 1 January 2010. During the period the Group recognised the benefit of tax losses of GBP1.7 million attributable to an acquisition completed in a previous period. The impact is included within current income tax expense. Had the standard not been adopted, an adjustment to goodwill would have been required.

IAS 27 (amended) Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements

The amended standard requires that a change in the ownership interest of a subsidiary (without loss of control) is accounted for as a transaction with owners in their capacity as owners and these transactions will no longer give rise to goodwill or gains and losses. The standard also specifies the accounting when control is lost and any retained interest is remeasured to fair value with gains or losses recognised in profit or loss.

3 Segmental analysis

For management purposes, the Group is organised into geographical segments, with each segment determined by the location of the Group's assets and operations. The Group's business in each geography is managed separately and held in separate statutory entities.

No operating segments have been aggregated to form the below reportable operating segments.

Management monitor the operating results of its geographical segments separately for the purposes of making decisions about resource allocation and performance assessment. Segment performance is evaluated based on adjusted operating profit or loss which is measured differently from operating profit or loss in the consolidated financial statements. At a Group level however management measure performance on adjusted profit before tax. Adjusted operating profit or loss takes account of the interest paid on customer-specific financing ('CSF') which management consider to be a cost of sale for management reporting purposes. Excluded from adjusted operating profit is the amortisation of acquired intangibles, exceptional items and the transfer of internal ERP implementation costs as management do not consider these items when reviewing the underlying performance of a segment.

Segmental performance for the years ended 31 December 2010 and 2009 was as follows:

 
                                  UK    Germany    France   Benelux      Total 
                             GBP'000    GBP'000   GBP'000   GBP'000    GBP'000 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
For the year ended 31 
December 2010 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
Results 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Revenue                    1,265,431  1,005,812   359,611    45,641  2,676,495 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted gross profit        189,614    131,511    37,815     4,753    363,693 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted net operating 
 expenses                  (146,277)  (111,014)  (36,825)   (5,150)  (299,266) 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted segment 
 operating profit/(loss)      43,337     20,497       990     (397)     64,427 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted net interest                                                    1,626 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted profit before 
 tax                                                                    66,053 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
 
Other segment information 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Capital expenditure: 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Property, plant and 
 equipment                    10,552      5,967       491       108     17,118 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Intangible fixed assets       11,935        701       138         -     12,774 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
Depreciation                  21,142      9,971       491       118     31,722 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Amortisation                   4,073      2,339       138         -      6,550 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
Share-based payments           1,918        489       213         -      2,620 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
 
                                  UK    Germany    France   Benelux      Total 
                             GBP'000    GBP'000   GBP'000   GBP'000    GBP'000 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
For the year ended 31 
December 2009 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
Results 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Revenue                    1,226,917    930,673   319,384    26,224  2,503,198 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted gross profit        181,149    124,395    37,448     2,838    345,830 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted net operating 
 expenses                  (143,310)  (104,831)  (40,169)   (3,597)  (291,907) 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted segment 
 operating profit/(loss)      37,839     19,564   (2,721)     (759)     53,923 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted net interest                                                      302 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Adjusted profit before 
 tax                                                                    54,225 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
 
Other segment information 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Capital expenditure: 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Property, plant and 
 equipment                    11,042      8,107       783       118     20,050 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Intangible fixed assets       11,891     15,301        71         -     27,263 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
Depreciation                  24,015     10,064     1,118       129     35,326 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
Amortisation                   3,302      1,209       120         -      4,631 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 
Share-based payments           1,893        357       305         -      2,555 
-------------------------  ---------  ---------  --------  --------  --------- 
 

Reconciliation of adjusted results

Management review adjusted measures of performance as shown in the tables above. Adjusted profit before tax excludes exceptional items and the amortisation of acquired intangibles as shown below:

 
                                           2010      2009 
                                        GBP'000   GBP'000 
-------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Adjusted profit before tax               66,053    54,225 
-------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Amortisation of acquired intangibles      (655)     (517) 
-------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Exceptional items                             -   (5,299) 
-------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Profit before tax                        65,398    48,409 
-------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

Management also reviews adjusted measures for gross profit, operating expenses, operating profit and net interest, which in addition takes account of interest costs of CSF within cost of sales (as these are considered to form part of the gross profit performance of a contract). The reconciliation for adjusted operating profit to operating profit, as disclosed in the Consolidated Income Statement, is as follows:

 
                                    UK   Germany    France   Benelux     Total 
                               GBP'000   GBP'000   GBP'000   GBP'000   GBP'000 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
For the year ended 31 
December 2010 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Adjusted segment operating 
 profit/(loss)                  43,337    20,497       990     (397)    64,427 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Add back interest on CSF         1,442       678         -         -     2,120 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Amortisation of acquired 
 intangibles                     (519)     (136)         -         -     (655) 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
ERP implementation costs       (4,250)     4,250         -         -         - 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Segment operating 
 profit/(loss)                  40,010    25,289       990     (397)    65,892 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
 
For the year ended 31 
December 2009 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Adjusted segment operating 
 profit/(loss)                  37,839    19,564   (2,721)     (759)    53,923 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Add back interest on CSF         2,921     1,051         -         -     3,972 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Amortisation of acquired 
 intangibles                     (481)      (36)         -         -     (517) 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Exceptional items              (3,155)     (291)   (1,613)     (240)   (5,299) 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
ERP implementation costs       (2,728)     2,728         -         -         - 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
Segment operating 
 profit/(loss)                  34,396    23,016   (4,334)     (999)    52,079 
----------------------------  --------  --------  --------  --------  -------- 
 

Sources of revenue

Each geographical segment principally consists of a single entity with shared assets, liabilities and capital expenditure. The Group has three sources of revenue, which are aggregated and shown in the table below. The sale of goods is recorded within product revenues and the rendering of services is split into Professional and Support and Managed Services.

Revenue performance is reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker excluding the UK Trade Distribution business, which was disposed of on 27 November 2009. The table below reflects revenue performance before and after the impact of the sold business.

 
                                    2010       2009 
                                 GBP'000    GBP'000 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Sources of revenue 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Product revenue 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Ongoing operations             1,888,362  1,678,613 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Trade distribution                     -     84,589 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Total product revenue          1,888,362  1,763,202 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Services revenue 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Professional services            192,448    175,364 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Support and managed services     595,685    564,632 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Total services revenue           788,133    739,996 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
Total revenue                  2,676,495  2,503,198 
-----------------------------  ---------  --------- 
 

Information about major customers

Included in revenues arising from the UK segment are revenues of approximately GBP311 million (2009: GBP397 million) which arose from sales to the Group's largest customer. For the purposes of this disclosure a single customer is considered to be a group of entities known to be under common control. This customer consists of entities under control of the UK Government, and includes the Group's revenues with central government, local government and certain government controlled banking institutions.

4 Exceptional items

 
                                                            2010      2009 
                                                         GBP'000   GBP'000 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Operating profit 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Profit on disposal of business, net of goodwill                -     1,879 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Restructuring costs                                            -   (7,178) 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
                                                               -   (5,299) 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
Income tax 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Tax on exceptional items included in operating profit          -     1,415 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

The profit on disposal of business of GBP1,879,000 arose from the Group disposing of its Trade Distribution division to Ingram Micro in November 2009. The disposal did not match the criteria of IFRS 5 'Non-current assets held-for-sale and discontinued operations' as the disposal did not represent a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations and hence was not treated as a discontinued operation. The Group received consideration of GBP2,982,000 in cash and cash equivalents, net of costs incurred in relation to the sale. This was offset by the disposal of goodwill associated with the business of GBP1,002,000. The directly attributable goodwill associated with the Trade Distribution business originally arose from the acquisition of Metrologie UK in 1999. Separately, related inventories of GBP8,574,000 were sold to Ingram Micro at cost.

Restructuring costs arose in 2009 from the change programme to reduce costs. They included expenses from headcount reductions of GBP5,309,000 and vacant premises costs of GBP1,869,000.

5 Income tax

a) Tax on profit on ordinary activities

 
                                                            2010      2009 
                                                         GBP'000   GBP'000 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Tax charged in the income statement 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Current income tax 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
UK corporation tax                                        12,917    11,181 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Foreign tax                                                3,306     1,394 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Adjustments in respect of prior periods                  (1,682)     (853) 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Total current income tax                                  14,541    11,722 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
Deferred tax 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Origination and reversal of temporary differences        (1,239)   (2,284) 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Losses utilised                                            5,535     4,803 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Changes in recoverable amounts of deferred tax assets    (6,608)   (3,691) 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Adjustments in respect of prior periods                    2,849       148 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Total deferred tax                                           537   (1,024) 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Tax charge in the income statement                        15,078    10,698 
------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

b) Reconciliation of the total tax charge

 
                                                               2010      2009 
                                                            GBP'000   GBP'000 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Accounting profit before income tax                          65,398    48,409 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
At the UK standard rate of corporation tax of 28.0 per 
 cent (2009: 28.0 per cent)                                  18,311    13,555 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes                      1,446       803 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Non-deductible element of share-based payment charge            490       715 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Relief on share option gains                                  (607)     (364) 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Adjustments in respect of current income tax of previous 
 periods                                                      1,167     (705) 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Higher tax on overseas earnings                                 110        69 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Other differences                                               781     (457) 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Effect of changes in tax rate                                   197         - 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Current year profits offset against brought forward 
 losses                                                       (438)         - 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Capital gain relieved by unrecognised losses brought 
 forward                                                          -     (835) 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Changes in recoverable amounts of deferred tax assets       (6,608)   (3,691) 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Losses of overseas undertakings not available for relief        229     1,609 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
At effective income tax rate of 23.1 per cent (2009: 
 22.1 per cent)                                              15,078    10,698 
---------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

c) Tax losses

Deferred tax assets of GBP11.3 million (2009: GBP11.4 million) have been recognised in respect of losses carried forward. In addition, at 31 December 2010, there were unused tax losses across the Group of GBP171.2 million (2009: GBP188.1 million) for which no deferred tax asset has been recognised. Of these losses, GBP99.4 million (2009: GBP111.1 million) arise in Germany, albeit a significant proportion have been generated in statutory entities that no longer have significant levels of trade. The remaining unrecognised tax losses relate to other loss-making overseas subsidiaries.

d) Impact of rate change

The Finance (No 2) Act 2010 reduced the main rate of UK Corporation Tax from 28 per cent to 27 per cent with effect from 1 April 2011. The impact of the new rate is to reduce the UK deferred tax asset by GBP0.2 million. Additional changes to the main rate of UK Corporation Tax to reduce the rate by 1 per cent per annum to 24 per cent by 1 April 2014 have been proposed. These changes have not been substantively enacted at the balance sheet date and consequently are not included in these financial statements. The effect of these proposals would be to reduce the UK net deferred tax asset by GBP0.2 million.

6 Earnings per ordinary share

Earnings per share ('EPS') amounts are calculated by dividing profit attributable to ordinary equity holders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year (excluding own shares held).

Diluted earnings per share amounts are calculated by dividing profit attributable to ordinary equity holders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year (excluding own shares held) adjusted for the effect of dilutive options.

Adjusted basic and adjusted diluted EPS are presented to provide more comparable and representative information. Accordingly the adjusted basic and adjusted diluted EPS figures exclude amortisation of acquired intangibles and exceptional items.

 
                                                             2010      2009 
                                                          GBP'000   GBP'000 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Profit attributable to equity holders of the parent        50,321    37,703 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Amortisation of acquired intangibles                          655       517 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Tax on amortisation of acquired intangibles                 (187)     (145) 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Exceptional items within operating profit                       -     5,299 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Tax on exceptional items included in profit before tax          -   (1,415) 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Profit before amortisation of acquired intangibles and 
 exceptional items                                         50,789    41,959 
-------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
 
                                                            2010     2009 
                                                           000's    000's 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Basic weighted average number of shares (excluding own 
 shares held)                                            147,752  146,918 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Effect of dilution: 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Share options                                              6,370    4,671 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
Diluted weighted average number of shares                154,122  151,589 
-------------------------------------------------------  -------  ------- 
 
 
                                        2010    2009 
                                       pence   pence 
------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
Basic earnings per share                34.1    25.7 
------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
Diluted earnings per share              32.6    24.9 
------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
Adjusted basic earnings per share       34.4    28.6 
------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
Adjusted diluted earnings per share     33.0    27.7 
------------------------------------  ------  ------ 
 

7 Dividends paid and proposed

 
                                                                2010      2009 
                                                             GBP'000   GBP'000 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Declared and paid during the year: 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Equity dividends on ordinary shares: 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Final dividend for 2009: nil (2008: 5.5 pence)                     -     8,097 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Interim dividend for 2010: 3.5 pence (2009: 3.0 pence)         5,173     4,417 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Additional interim dividend for 2009: 8.0 pence (2008: 
 nil)                                                         11,811         - 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
                                                              16,984    12,514 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
Proposed (not recognised as a liability as at 31 December) 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Equity dividends on ordinary shares: 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Final dividend for 2010: 9.7 pence (2009: nil)                14,926         - 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Additional interim dividend for 2009: 8.0 pence (2008: 
 nil)                                                              -    11,863 
----------------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

8. Analysis of changes in net funds

 
                            At                                           At 31 
                     1 January  Cash flows  Non-cash     Exchange     December 
                          2010     in year      flow  differences         2010 
                       GBP'000     GBP'000   GBP'000      GBP'000      GBP'000 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Cash and 
 short-term 
 deposits              108,017      52,452         -      (1,200)      159,269 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Bank overdraft         (3,063)       (383)         -          110      (3,336) 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Cash and cash 
 equivalents           104,954      52,069         -      (1,090)      155,933 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Other loans and 
 leases non-CSF        (3,705)       3,705         -            -            - 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Factor financing      (14,846)     (1,568)         -         (80)     (16,494) 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Net funds 
 excluding 
 customer-specific 
 financing              86,403      54,206         -      (1,170)      139,439 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Customer-specific 
 finance leases       (42,567)      20,641   (3,468)          500     (24,894) 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Customer-specific 
 other loans           (6,488)       2,960         -          (4)      (3,532) 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Total 
 customer-specific 
 financing            (49,055)      23,601   (3,468)          496     (28,426) 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
Net funds               37,348      77,807   (3,468)        (674)      111,013 
------------------  ----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ----------- 
 
 
                           At 1                                          At 31 
                        January  Cash flows  Non-cash     Exchange    December 
                           2009     in year      flow  differences        2009 
                        GBP'000     GBP'000   GBP'000      GBP'000     GBP'000 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Cash and 
 short-term 
 deposits                53,372      55,698         -      (1,052)     108,017 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Bank overdraft          (6,483)       2,901         -          519     (3,063) 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Cash and cash 
 equivalents             46,889      58,598         -        (533)     104,954 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Other loans and 
 leases non-CSF               -     (3,705)         -            -     (3,705) 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Factor financing       (42,280)      25,600         -        1,834    (14,846) 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Net funds 
 excluding 
 customer-specific 
 financing                4,609      80,493         -        1,301      86,403 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Customer-specific 
 finance leases        (55,191)      21,056  (10,163)        1,731    (42,567) 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Customer-specific 
 other loans           (34,009)      27,496         -           25     (6,488) 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Total 
 customer-specific 
 financing             (89,200)      48,552  (10,163)        1,756    (49,055) 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
Net (debt)/funds       (84,591)     129,045  (10,163)        3,057      37,348 
------------------  -----------  ----------  --------  -----------  ---------- 
 

9 Adjusted management cash flow statement

The adjusted management cash flow has been provided to explain how management view the cash performance of the business. There are two primary differences to this presentation compared to the statutory cash flow statement, as follows:

1) Factor financing is not included within the statutory definition of cash and cash equivalents, but operationally is managed within the total net funds/borrowings of the businesses; and

2) Items relating to customer-specific financing are adjusted for as follows:

a. Interest paid on customer-specific financing is reclassified from interest paid to adjusted operating profit; and

b. Where customer-specific assets are financed by finance leases and the liabilities are matched by future amounts receivable under customer operating lease rentals, the depreciation of leased assets and the repayment of the capital element of finance leases are offset within net working capital; and

c. Where assets are financed by loans and the liabilities are matched by amounts receivable under customer operating lease rentals, the movement on loans within financing activities is offset within working capital.

 
                                                          2010      2009 
                                                       GBP'000   GBP'000 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Adjusted profit before taxation                         66,053    54,225 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Net finance income                                     (1,626)     (302) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Depreciation and amortisation                           19,506    17,695 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Share-based payment                                      2,620     2,555 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Working capital movements                               21,358    65,337 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Other adjustments                                          293   (1,567) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Adjusted operating cash inflow                         108,204   137,943 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Net interest received                                    1,204     1,149 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Income taxes paid                                     (11,281)  (17,500) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Capital expenditure and disposals                     (25,258)  (21,294) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Acquisitions and disposals                                   -   (6,775) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Equity dividends paid                                 (16,984)  (12,514) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Cash inflow before financing                            55,885    81,009 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Financing 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Proceeds from issue of shares                              822        44 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Purchase of own shares                                 (2,501)     (560) 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Increase in net funds excluding CSF in the period       54,206    80,493 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 
Increase in net funds excluding CSF                     54,206    80,493 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Effect of exchange rates on net funds excluding CSF    (1,170)     1,301 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Net funds excluding CSF at beginning of period          86,403     4,609 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
Net funds excluding CSF at end of period               139,439    86,403 
----------------------------------------------------  --------  -------- 
 

10 Related party transactions

During the year the Group entered into transactions, in the ordinary course of business, with related parties. Transactions entered into are as described below:

Biomni provides the Computacenter e-procurement system used by many of Computacenter's major customers. An annual fee has been agreed on a commercial basis for use of the software for each installation. Both PJ Ogden and PW Hulme are Directors of and have a material interest in Biomni Limited.

The table below provides the total amount of transactions that have been entered into with related parties for the relevant financial year:

 
                                           Amounts   Amounts 
                 Sales to      Purchases   owed by   owed to 
                  related   from related   related   related 
                  parties        parties   parties   parties 
                  GBP'000        GBP'000   GBP'000   GBP'000 
---------------  --------  -------------  --------  -------- 
Biomni Limited         12             31         2         - 
---------------  --------  -------------  --------  -------- 
 

Terms and conditions of transactions with related parties

Sales to and purchases from related parties are made on terms equivalent to those that prevail in arm's length transactions. Outstanding balances at the year-end are unsecured and settlement occurs in cash. There have been no guarantees provided or received for any related party receivables. The Group has not recognised any provision for doubtful debts relating to amounts owed by related parties. This assessment is undertaken each financial year through examining the financial position of the related party and the market in which the related party operates.

11. Events after the reporting period

On 15 February 2011, the Group announced its agreement to acquire TOP Info SAS and its subsidiaries ('Top Info'), an information technology reseller of hardware, software and services based in Paris, France. The acquisition is still subject to competition clearance in France, with the closing date not expected before the end of March 2011. The expected consideration totals EUR21 million payable on the closing date with an additional EUR1 million dependant upon the performance of Top Info in the period to 31 December 2011. The management and exercise of control over Top Info will not pass to Computacenter until the closing date.

12. Publication of non-statutory accounts

The financial information in the preliminary statement of results does not constitute the Group's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2010 but is derived from those accounts and the accompanying Directors' report. Statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2010 will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the Company's Annual General Meeting. The auditors have reported on those accounts; their report was unqualified and did not contain statements under Section 498 (2) or Section 498 (3) of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements, and this preliminary statement, of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2010 were authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 9 March 2011 and the balance sheet was signed on behalf of the Board by MJ Norris and FA Conophy.

The statutory accounts have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies in respect of the year ended 31 December 2009. The report of the auditors was unqualified and did not contain statements under Section 498 (2) or Section 498 (3) of the Companies Act 2006.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

FR DGGDXGGGBGBC

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