1. Segmental analysis
 
 
Operating profit before goodwill Turnover
amortisation
Net Assets Excluding
Operating profit
 
goodwill
 
                       
BY ACTIVITY
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m
  2000
£m
  1999
£m
 

Hydronic Controls
                     
Continuing operations
651 528 79.7 75.5 66.5 68.1          
Acquisitions
16 - 1.7 - 1.1 -          

Hydronics Controls total
667 528 81.4 75.5 67.6 68.1   301   299  

Drinks Dispense
340 353 33.0 34.6 32.6 34.3   116   108  

Fluid Power
444 435 43.1 38.1 42.2 37.2 222 211  

Energy Controls
152 139 17.6 15.4 17.5 15.2   43   36  

Total continuing operations
1,603 1,455 175.1 163.6 159.9 154.8   682   654  

BY GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN
UK
562 445 67.8 56.5 54.4 49.1   290   296  
Rest of Europe
540 531 60.9 55.0 60.7 54.8   215   201  
The Americas
453 435 44.0 50.2 42.4 49.0   162   142  
Asia/Pacific
48 44 2.4 1.9 2.4 1.9   15   15  

Total continuing operations
1,603 1,455 175.1 163.6 159.9 154.8   682   654  

Acquisitions
Robimatic and Flow Design Inc are reported within Hydronic Controls from their acquisitions in August 2000 and September 2000 respectively.

Discontinued operations
The amounts shown for discontinued operations comprise the turnover and operating profit of Fittings Australia previously reported within Hydronic Controls and Asia/Pacific. 1999 figures also include copper smelting, the Drinks Dispense Brazilian operation and the Marston aerospace businesses.
 
TURNOVER BY GEOGRAPHICAL DESTINATION
2000
£m
1999
£m

UK
469 374
Germany
204 220
Rest of Europe
383 353
USA
397 373
Asia
68 55
Rest of World
82 80

Total continuing operations
1,603 1,455

RECONCILIATION OF NET ASSETS
2000
£m
1999
£m

Operating assets of continuing operations
682 654
Discontinued operations
-   4
Intangiable fixed assets
286 246
Investments
4 4
Net borrowings
(403 ) (388 )
Taxation liabilities and dividend payable
(91 ) (91 )

Net assets per Group balance sheet
478   429  

 
2. Operating profit
 
2000 1999
Continuing
operations
£m
Dis-continued
operations
£m
Total
£m
Continuing
operations
£m
Dis-continued
operations
£m
Total
£m

Turnover
1603.2 12.3 1615.5 1454.6 47.2 1501.8
Cost of
sales
(1026.3 ) (8.3 ) (1034.6 ) (919.7 ) (43.7 ) (963.4 )

Gross profit
576.9 4.0   580.9 534.9 3.5 538.4
Distribution costs
(231.8 ) (2.3 ) (234.1 ) (219.5 ) (3.9 ) (223.4 )
Administrative expenses
(186.8 ) (0.5 ) (187.3 ) (162.5 ) (2.4 ) (164.9 )
Other operating income
1.6 - 1.6 1.9 - 1.9

Operating profit
159.9 1.2   161.1 154.8 (2.8 ) 152.0

Continuing operations for 2000 include the following amounts relating to acqusitions: cost of sales £10.9m, distribution costs £1.1m, administrative expenses £2.2m.
 
 
3. Exceptional items
  Profit on disposal of discontinued operations arises from the sale of Fittings Australia. The profit in 1999 represents the surplus arising on the sale of the Marston aerospace businesses.

Provision for losses on closure of businesses in 1999 comprises £16.0m for the complete cessation of copper smelting and £3.1m for closing the Drinks Dispense Brazilian operation.
 
 
4. The following have been charged in arriving at profit before taxation
 
2000
£m
1999
£m

Depreciation of tangible fixed assets
69.2 69.9
Amortisation of goodwill
15.2 8.8
Bonus under employees’ profit sharing scheme
1.3 1.5
Auditor’s remuneration*:
Fees and expenses
2.0 2.0
Non-audit services (mainly overseas)
1.0 1.0
Rentals under operating leases:
Property rents
11.2 10.4
Hire of plant and machinery
4.4 5.1
Research and development expenditure
19.5 19.2

* In addition to the above, amounts paid to the UK auditors in respect of fees included in cost of investment were £40,000 (1999: £145,000).
 
 
5. Net interest payable
 
2000
£m
1999
£m

Interest payable:
Bank loans and overdrafts
21.1 13.8
Interest on finance leases
0.2 0.2
Other loans
9.7 8.0
   

31.0 22.0
Interest receivable
(3.0 ) (6.2 )

28.0 15.8

 
 
6. Taxation
 
2000
£m
1999
£m

UK corporation tax
       
UK corporation tax at 30% (1999: 30.25%)
18.3 15.5
Adjustment in respect of prior periods
(8.9 ) (0.7 )
     

9.4   14.8  
Double taxation relief
(4.6 ) (1.3 )

  4.8   13.5  

Foreign tax
       
Current tax on income for the period
29.9   24.0  
Adjustment in respect of prior periods
0.4   0.7  

30.3   24.7  

Deferred taxation
       
UK at 30% (1999: 30%)
3.1   (1.2 )
Foreign
10.1   6.3  

13.2   5.1  

48.3   43.3  
 

 
 
7. Profits applicable to shareholders of IMI plc
  Of the Group profit of £95.0m (1999: £79.3m), £55.4m (1999: £53.4m) has been dealt with in the profit and loss account of the Company.
 
 
8. Dividends
 
    2000
£m
  1999
£m
 

Ordinary dividend:
Interim6.0p (1999 : 5.8p)
21.1 20.3
Proposed final 9.5p (1999 : 9.3p)
33.4 32.7

54.5 53.0

 
 
9. Earnings per ordinary share
  The weighted average number of shares in issue during the year was 351.2m, 351.5m diluted for the effect of outstanding share options (1999: 350.5m, 350.7m diluted). Earnings per share have been calculated on earnings of £95.0m (1999: £79.3m) and adjusted earnings per share have been calculated on earnings of £100.6m (1999: £98.0m) being the profit for the year before exceptional items and goodwill amortisation. Adjusted earnings per share figures have been shown because the Directors consider that they give a more meaningful indication of the underlying performance.
 
 
10.  Employee information
  The number of people employed by the Group on average each month during the year was:
2000 1999

Hydronic Controls
7,090 5,910
Drinks Dispense
3,912 4,090
Fluid Power
6,524 6,684
Energy Controls
1,433 1,387
Other
202 232

19,161 18,303

The aggregate employment cost for the year was:
£m £m

Wages and salaries
409.3 389.4
Social security costs
58.3 54.8
Pension costs
12.1 12.6

479.7 456.8

Directors’ emoluments for the year were:
£000 £000

Emoluments for qualifying service
1,611 1,539
Notional gains on exercise of share options
37 85

The detailed information concerning Directors’ emoluments, shareholdings and options is shown in the Corporate Governance Report.
 
 
11.  Intangible fixed assets
 
Goodwill
Gross book
value
£m
Amortisation
£m
Net book
value
£m

At 31 December 1999
255.2 9.2 246.0
Exchange adjustments
2.2 0.1 2.1
Acquisitions
36.0 - 36.0
Adjustment to prior year acquisition (note 19)
17.5   - 17.5  
Amortisation
- 15.2 (15.2 )

At 31 December 2000
310.9 24.5 286.4

Goodwill arising from the acquisitions in the year is being amortised over 20 years.
 
 
12.  Tangible fixed assets
 
  Land and buildings Plant and
machinery
  Assets in course of construction
Total

Gross
book
value
£m
Depre-ciation
£m
Net
book
value
£m
Gross
book
value
£m
Depre-
ciation
£m
Net
book
value
£m
Gross
book
value
£m
Net
book
value
£m

At 31 December 1999
210.1 76.2 133.9 737.5 487.6 249.9 8.4 392.2
Exchange adjustments
3.9   1.6   2.3   12.3   8.9   3.4   0.2   5.9  
Acquisitions
0.7 0.3 0.4 3.7 2.0 1.7 - 2.1
Disposal of subsidiaries
(0.3 ) (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (6.8 ) (4.4 ) (2.4 ) (0.3 ) (2.8 )
Additions
3.9 - 3.9 53.6 - 53.6 9.9 67.4
Disposals
(8.4 ) (4.0 ) (4.4 ) (45.8 ) (42.6 ) (3.2 ) (1.1 ) (8.7 )
Transfers
0.6 - 0.6 6.1 - 6.1 (6.7 ) -
Depreciation for year
- 5.8 (5.8 ) - 63.4 (63.4 ) - (69.2 )

At 31 December 2000
210.5 79.7 130.8 760.6 514.9 245.7 10.4 386.9

The net book value of land and buildings comprises:

2000
£m
1999
£m

Freehold: land
15.1 18.2
buildings
108.1 107.5
Long leasehold
5.2 5.3
Short leasehold
2.4 2.9

130.8 133.9

Gross book value represents cost except for £1.0m in respect of revaluations of land and buildings in certain overseas subsidiaries.

Included in the total net book value is £1.5m (1999: £2.8m) in respect of assets acquired under finance leases. Depreciation for the year on these assets was £0.4m (1999: £0.3m).
 
 
13.  Fixed assets - investments
 
Company
Subsidiary undertakings
Shares
£m
Loans
£m
Total
£m

At 31 December 1999 at cost
395.7 349.4 745.1
Additions
13.8   - 13.8  
Advances during the year
- 63.3 63.3

At 31 December 2000 at cost
409.5 412.7 822.2

Details of subsidiary undertakings at 31 December 2000 are shown here

The Company's cost of investment in subsidiary undertakings is stated at the aggregate of (a) the cash consideration, (b) the nominal value of the shares issued as consideration where sections 131 and 133 of the Companies Act 1985 apply and (c) in all other cases the market value of the Company's shares on the date they were issued as consideration.
 
 
14.  Stocks
 
2000
£m
1999
£m

Raw materials and consumables
109.0 104.7
Work in progress
60.1 49.0
Finished goods
161.3 139.5
Payments on account
(5.0 ) (4.1 )

325.4 289.1

 
 
15.  Debtors
 
        Group         Company
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Falling due for payment within one year:
Trade debtors
278.4 252.5 - -
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings
- - 63.5 66.5
Prepayments and accrued income
15.4 13.8 0.5 0.7
Other debtors
24.2 18.6 6.0 8.3

318.0 284.9 70.0 75.5

Falling due for payment after more than one year:
Pension fund prepayment
9.1 9.9 - -
Other debtors
5.6 6.3 - -

14.7 16.2 - -

332.7 301.1 70.0 75.5

 
 
16.  Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
 
        Group         Company
Borrowings and finance leases
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Bank loans and overdrafts
29.2 23.7 14.2 29.3
Obligations under finance leases
0.1 0.2 - -
Other loans
69.1 77.4 68.4 63.0
5.5% loan stock 2001/06
1.6 - 1.6 -

100.0 101.3 84.2 92.3

The Group borrowings include bank loans and overdrafts of £5.8m (1999: £6.3m), obligations under finance leases of £0.1m (1999: £0.2m) and other loans of £0.3m (1999: nil) which are secured by charges over the assets of certain overseas subsidiary undertakings.

Other loans include £58.7m of floating rate loan stock 2001/07 issued in respect of the Polypipe acquisition and £9.7m of floating rate loan stock 2001/05 issued in respect of the Robimatic acquisition.

Other creditors
        Group         Company
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Trade creditors
130.2 123.6 - -
Bills of exchange payable
4.4 2.9 - -
Corporation tax
8.2 17.9 - 0.9
Other taxation
33.7 23.7 - -
Social security
6.3 5.9 - -
Accruals and deferred income
117.4 105.6 4.6 11.4
Proposed dividend
33.4 32.7 33.4 32.7
Other creditors
1.9 2.2 - -

335.5 314.5 38.0 45.0

 
 
17.  Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year
 
   
        Group         Company
Borrowings and finance leases
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Bank loans
Secured
11.0 5.0 - -
Unsecured
238.8 230.2 226.1 216.1

249.8 235.2 226.1 216.1

Loan stock
Unsecured
5.5% loan stock 2001/06
- 1.6 - 1.6
US loan notes (6.70% to 7.17%) 2007/22
67.1 62.1 - -
US loan notes (7.85% to 8.09%) 2009/14
30.2 27.9 30.2 27.9

97.3 91.6 30.2 29.5

Other loans
Secured
5.6 5.5 - -
Obligations under finance leases
0.7 0.8 - -

6.3 6.3 - -

Total loans
353.4 333.1 256.3 245.6

Security consists of charges over the assets of certain overseas subsidiary undertakings.
 
Total borrowings and finance leases
        Group         Company
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Secured
17.3 11.3 - -
Unsecured
336.1 321.8 256.3 245.6

Total loans
353.4 333.1 256.3 245.6

        Group         Company
Repayment of loans
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Bank loans
Between one and two years
143.0 3.7 - -
Between two and five years
104.8 230.6 226.1 216.1
In five years or more
2.0 0.9 - -

249.8 235.2 226.1 216.1

Loan stock and other loans
Between one and two years
0.6 0.7 - -
Between two and five years
2.0 1.9 - -
In five years or more
101.0 95.3 30.2 29.5

103.6 97.9 30.2 29.5

Total loans
353.4 333.1 256.3 245.6

Of the loans and loan stock repayable more than five years from the balance sheet date, the US loan notes mature between 2007 and 2022. The majority of other loans and loan stock are repayable in instalments between 2004 and 2007. Loans repayable by instalments any of which are payable after five years are included above as follows: bank loans £3.6m, loan stock and other loans £5.5m.
   
        Group         Company
Other creditors
2000
£m
1999
£m
2000
£m
1999
£m

Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings
- - 144.2 70.6
Overseas taxation
34.3 25.3 - -
Accruals and deferred income
3.3 5.7 - -

37.6 31.0 144.2 70.6

 
 
18.  Financial Instruments
  Currency profile of assets and liabilities
Assets
excluding
cash and debt
2000
£m
Cash
2000
£m
Debt
2000
£m
Exchange
contracts
2000
£m
Net asset
exposure
2000
£m
Net asset
exposure
1999
£m

Sterling
498 6 (143 ) 59 420 384
US Dollars
173 5 (166 ) (3 ) 9 7
Euro
168 20 (138 ) (40 ) 10 2  
Other
42 19 (6 ) (16 ) 39 36

Total
881 50 (453 ) 0 478 429

Exchange contracts are financial instruments used as currency hedges of overseas net assets.

Currency profile of interest exposure at 31 December 2000
Financial assets

      Cash and
exchange
contracts
2000 £m
Cash and
exchange
contracts
1999 £m

Sterling
      65 64
US Dollars
      5 5
Euro
      20 19
Other
      19 17

Total
      109 105

All financial assets are floating rate and comprise short term cash of £50m (1999: £46m) bearing interest at short term bank deposit rates and the asset side of exchange contracts where the interest element is based primarily on six month interbank rate.

Financial liabilities
Debt and
exchange
contracts
2000
£m
Floating
rate
2000
£m
Fixed
rate
2000
£m
Weighted
average
interest
rate
%
Weighted
average
period for which
rate is
fixed
(years)

Sterling
143 141 2 5.5 0.5
US Dollars
169 93 76 7.3 9.4
Euro
178 105 73 5.4 3.3
Other
22 22 - - -

Total
512 361 151

Debt and
exchange
contracts
1999
£m
Floating
rate
1999
£m
Fixed
rate
1999
£m
Weighted
average
interest
rate
%
Weighted
average
period for which
rate is
fixed
(years)

Sterling
125 123 2 5.5 6.5
US Dollars
155 80 75 7.3 10.4
Euro
178 173 5 5.4 3.7
Other
35 35 - - -

Total
493 411 82

Interest rates are managed using fixed and floating rate debt and financial instruments including interest rate swaps. Floating rate liabilities comprise short term debt which bears interest at short term bank rates and the liability side of exchange contracts where the interest element is based primarily on six month interbank rate.

Short term trade debtors and creditors have been excluded from the above two analyses. There are no other material non-interest bearing financial assets or liabilities.

Undrawn committed facilities
The Group has various undrawn committed borrowing facilities. The facilities available at 31 December in respect of which all conditions precedent had been met were as follows:

2000
£m
1999
£m
Expiring within one year
- 21.2
Expiring between one and two years
75.4 10.0
Expiring after more than two years
27.1 67.5
102.5 98.7

The weighted average life of these facilities is 2.2 years (1999: 3.1 years).

Net monetary assets and liabilities
The table below shows the Group's transactional currency exposures at 31 December that give rise to the net currency gains and losses included in the profit and loss account. These include the monetary assets and liabilities of the Group that are not denominated in the functional currency of the operating unit involved, other than where such non-sterling liabilities are treated as hedges of net investments of non-UK operations.

Net foreign currency monetary assets/(liabilities)
Functional currency of group operation
2000
Sterling
£m
2000
US Dollar
£m
2000
Euro
£m
2000
Other
£m
2000
Total
£m

Sterling
- (0.5 ) 0.3 (0.5 ) (0.7 )
US Dollar
(0.6 ) - (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (0.9 )
Euro
(0.4 ) -   - 0.1 (0.3 )
Other
(0.4 ) 2.0 (3.1 ) (0.5 ) (2.0 )

Total
(1.4 ) 1.5 (3.0 ) (1.0 ) (3.9 )

Net foreign currency monetary assets/(liabilities)
Functional currency of group operation

1999 Sterling
£m

1999
US Dollar
£m
1999
Euro
£m
1999
Other
£m
1999
Total
£m

Sterling
- - 4.3 - 4.3
US Dollar
(3.8 ) - (0.1 ) 0.9 (3.0 )
Euro
(0.7 ) (0.5 ) - 1.7 0.5
Other
(3.1 ) 0.8 0.3 (0.1 ) (2.1 )

Total
(7.6 ) 0.3 4.5 2.5 (0.3 )

The amounts shown in the table above take into account the effect of any currency hedges entered into to manage these currency exposures.

As at 31 December 2000 the Group also held open various currency forward contracts taken out to hedge expected future foriegn sales.

Fair value of financial instruments

Financial instruments by category: asset/(liabilty)
   
  Book Value
2000
£m
Fair Value
2000
£m
Book Value
1999
£m
Fair Value
1999
£m

Short term deposits
  12.6 12.6 39.2 39.2
Cash at bank and in hand
37.8 37.8 7.2 7.2
Borrowings falling due
within one year
  (100.0 ) (100.0 ) (101.3 ) (101.3 )
Borrowings falling due
after more than one year
  (353.4 ) (353.5 ) (333.1 ) (328.5 )
Forward currency contracts
  - (2.5 ) - 1.1
Interest rate instruments
  - 1.5 - -

Where available market rates have been used to determine fair values. When market prices are not available, fair values have been calculated by discounting cash flows at prevailing market rates.

Unrecognised gains and losses
The estimated current value of derivative currency and interest rate contracts entered into to hedge future transactional currency flows and interest rate fluctuation exposure is set out below based on quoted market prices where available. Changes in the fair values of instruments used as hedges are not recognised in the financial statements until the hedged position matures. An analysis of these unrecognised gains and losses is as follows:

Gains
£m
Losses
£m
Total net gains/
(losses)
£m

Unrecognised gains and losses on hedges at 31 December 1999
0.7 (0.6 ) 0.1  

Gains and losses arising in previous years that were recognised in 2000
0.7   (0.5 ) 0.2  
Gains and losses arising in previous years that were not recognised in 2000
-   (0.1 ) (0.1 )
Gains and losses arising in 2000 that were not recognised in 2000
3.3   (2.1 ) 1.2  
Unrecognised gains and losses on hedges at 31 December 2000 of which:
3.3   (2.2 ) 1.1  
Gains and losses expected to be recognised in 2001
1.0 (1.4 ) 0.4
Gains and losses expected to be recognised in 2002 or later
2.3 (0.8 ) 1.5  
 
 
19.  Provisions for liabilities and charges
 
Deferred
taxation
£m
Post-
retirement
liabilities
£m
Trade Warranties
£m
Other
£m
Total
£m

At 31 December 1999
12.9 25.8 9.1 21.8 69.6
Exchange adjustment
- 0.3   0.4 -   0.7  
Acquisitions/disposals
(7.5 ) 0.1 25.0 -   17.6  
Utilised during the year
- (1.0 ) (5.4) (9.7 ) (16.1 )
Profit and loss account
3.1   1.5 2.8 2.5 9.9

At 31 December 2000
8.5 26.7 31.9 14.6 81.7

Post-retirement liabilities are in respect of overseas pension liabilities and US post-retirement benefits which have not been separately funded. At 31 December 2000 other provisions comprise mainly environmental provisions of £10m.

Following completion of reviews of provisional fair values on prior year acquisitions, provisions for trade warranties have been increased to reflect the fair value of warranty commitments on acquisition with a corresponding increase in goodwill. Product warranties are given in the normal course of business and cover a range of periods, typically from 1-6 years. The provision is calculated based on historical claims history.

The potential liability for deferred tax calculated at 30% (1999 : 30%) is analysed as follows:

2000 1999
Provided
£m
Not provided
£m
Provided
£m
Not provided
£m

Accelerated capital allowances
14.4 2.1 13.0 3.7
Other timing differences
(5.9 ) - (0.1 ) -

8.5 2.1 12.9 3.7

 
 
20.  Share capital
 
2000
£m
1999
£m

Authorised
480m (1999 : 440m) ordinary shares of 25p each
120.0 110.0
Issued and fully paid
351.4m (1999 : 350.8m) ordinary shares of 25p each
87.9 87.7

During the year 595,915 shares were issued under employee share schemes realising £1.5m.

Share options
The majority of UK employees may participate in the IMI SAYE Share Option (1994) Scheme and selected senior executives within the Group participate in the IMI Executive Share Option (1995) Scheme. At 31 December 2000 options to purchase ordinary shares had been granted to and not exercised by participants of IMI share option schemes as follows:
    Date of grant Number of shares Price Date of exercise Scheme
code
 
IMI Savings Related Share Option Scheme
  08.04.94 214,938 280p
01.08.01
A
               
IMI SAYE Share Option (1994) Scheme
  11.04.95 344,467 242p
01.07.00 or 01.07.02
B  
    04.04.96 418,626 286p
01.07.01 or 01.07.03
C  
    08.04.97 383,916 314p
01.07.00, 01.07.02 or 01.07.04
D  
    07.04.98 388,497 365p
01.07.01, 01.07.03 or 01.07.05
E  
    06.04.99 908,865 254p
01.08.02, 01.08.04 or 01.08.06
F  
    13.04.00 1,912,941 210p
01.07.03, 01.07.05 or 01.07.07
G  
               
IMI Executive Share Option (1985) Scheme
  19.04.91 138,600 247.7p
19.04.94 to 19.04.01
H  
    16.04.92 161,900 236.1p
16.04.95 to 16.04.02
I  
    15.04.93 253,600 265.7p
15.04.96 to 15.04.03
J  
    07.04.94 173,900 349.9p
07.04.97 to 07.04.04
K  
    11.04.95 298,700 301.3p
11.04.98 to 11.04.05
L  
               
     
IMI Executive
Share Option (1995)Scheme
19.09.96 351,100 398.9p
19.09.99 to 19.09.06
M  
    26.03.97 707,700 390.8p
26.03.00 to 26.03.07
N  
    18.09.97 731,900 384.9p
18.09.00 to 18.09.07
O  
    25.03.98 710,271 455.1p
25.03.01 to 25.03.08
P  
    24.03.99 604,300 284.6p
24.03.01 to 24.03.09
Q  
    22.03.00 538,650 226.6p
22.03.03 to 22.03.10
R  
 
 
21.  Reserves
  Group
Share premium account
£m
Revaluation
reserve
£m
Other reserves
£m
Profit and loss account
£m
Total
£m

At 31 December 1999
130.8 1.0 1.6   208.0 341.4
Retained profit for the year
- - - 40.5 40.5
Previously acquired goodwill taken through the profit & loss account
- - - 0.4 0.4
Currency translation differences
- - - 6.6   6.6  
Transfer
0.1 - - (0.1 ) -
Share premiums received
1.2 - - - 1.2

At 31 December 2000
132.1 1.0 1.6 255.4 390.1

Other reserves represent a capital redemption reserve. At the year end the aggregate amount of goodwill arising on acquisitions prior to 1 January 1999 deducted from Profit and Loss account reserves amounted to £422.0m.

Currency translation differences include a charge of £12.2m (1999: £14.0m) in respect of currency loans and hedging transactions used for overseas investments.

Company

Share premium account
£m
Other reserves
£m
Profit and loss account
£m
Total
£m

At 31 December 1999
130.8 1.6 147.0 279.4
Retained profit for the year
- - 0.9 0.9
Share premiums received
1.3 - - 1.3

At 31 December 2000
132.1 1.6 147.9 281.6

 
 
22.  Acquisitions
  There were no individually material acquisitions during the year.
    Total
£m

Book value at acquisition
Fixed assets
    2.1
Working capital
    10.5
Taxation
      (0.7 )
Net borrowings
      (7.4 )

Net assets
    4.5

Fair value to the Group
      4.5  
Purchase consideration
        40.5  

Goodwill arising in year
      36.0  

Adjustment in respect of prior year (note 19)
      17.5  

        53.5  


 
 
23.  Cash flow notes
 
2000
£m
1999
£m

a) Return on investments and servicing of finance
Interest received
2.9 6.2
Interest paid
(30.9 ) (22.0 )
Dividends to minorities
(0.5 ) (0.4 )

Net cash outflow for returns on investments and servicing of finance
(28.5 ) (16.2 )

b) Capital expenditure and financial investment
Purchase of fixed assets
(67.4 ) (63.5 )
Sale of fixed assets
5.7 9.1
(Purchase)/sale of current asset investments
(0.2 ) 9.2  
Exceptional proceeds from property sales
14.5   -  

(47.4 ) (45.2 )

c) Acquisitions and disposals
Purchase of subsidiary undertakings
(23.8 ) (289.0 )
(Overdrafts)/net cash acquired with subsidiary undertakings
(1.7)   4.2  
Net cash of subsidiary disposed of
(0.9 ) -
Sale of businesses
8.8   16.6
Exceptional business closure costs
(5.8 ) -

(23.4 ) (268.2 )

d) Purchase of subsidiary undertakings
Net assets acquired:
Tangible fixed assets
2.1 109.5
Stocks
8.8 54.2
Debtors
11.0 80.0
Creditors
(9.3 ) (62.6 )
Overdrafts/borrowings
(7.4 ) (49.4 )
Taxation
(0.7 ) (14.4 )

4.5 117.3
Goodwill
36.0 234.7

40.5 352.0

Satisfied by:
Cash consideration
23.8 289.0
Loan notes
9.7 63.0
Deferred consideration
7.0 -

40.5 352.0

Acquisitions referred to in note 1 contributed a cash inflow of £0.7m to the Group's net operating cash flow.


e) Sale of businesses
2000
£m

Net assets disposed of:
 
Tangible fixed assets
2.8  
Stocks
4.3  
Debtors
2.5  
Creditors
(2.0 )
Cash
0.9  

8.5  
Add back goodwill previously written off to reserves
0.4  
Profit on disposal
0.5  

9.4  

Satisfied by:
   
Cash
8.8  
Deferred receipt
0.6  

9.4  

f) Reconciliation of movement in net borrowings
   
Cash & deposits Borrowings & finance leases due Total net debt
£m within 1 year
£m
after more than 1 year
£m
£m

At 31 December 1999
46.4 (101.3 ) (333.1 ) (388.0 )
Cash Flow
3.3   12.1 (4.7 ) 10.7  
Borrowings assumed with acquisitions
- (0.6 ) (4.9 ) (5.5 )
Loan notes issued to finance acquisitions
- (9.7 ) - (9.7 )
Exchange
0.7   (0.5 ) (10.7 ) (10.5 )

At 31 December 2000
50.4 (100.0 ) (353.4 ) (403.0 )

 
 
24.  Post-retirement liabilities
  United Kingdom
The principal pension plan operated for UK employees is the IMI Pension Fund, a defined benefit plan with assets held separately from the Company in a separate trust fund. The latest formal actuarial valuation of the fund was as at 31 March 1999 and used the Projected Unit method of valuation. The main financial assumptions adopted were that the annual investment return will exceed the increase in earnings by 2.5% and the increase in pensions by 4.0%. The actuarial value of the fund assets was 112% of the liabilities to cover benefits accrued to members. The surplus, resulting in an abatement of the company contributions, is being spread over the average remaining service life of employees in membership. The market value of the assets of the fund at the valuation date was £725m.

Overseas
Both defined contributions and defined benefit plans operate in overseas subsidiaries. The contributions to the defined contribution plans are made in accordance with the rules of the plans. Each of the major defined benefit plans have been subject to valuation by an independent actuary within the last three years and the valuations showed that the overall value of the assets was sufficient to cover the value of the benefits accrued to members.

For certain pension plans, principally in Germany and Sweden, and US post-retirement benefits, the annual actuarial liability is funded by insurance and/or provisions made by the subsidiaries concerned. The provisions are shown in note 19.

 
 
25.  Operating leases
 
   
Annual commitments under operating leases expiring:
   
2000 1999
Land and buildings
£m
Others
£m
Land and buildings
£m
Others
£m

Within one year
3.3 1.2 2.8 1.5
In the second to fifth year
9.1 3.2 8.4 3.3
After five years
5.9 1.5 3.2 0.1

18.3 5.9 14.4 4.9

 
 
26.  Commitments
  Group contracts in respect of future capital expenditure which had been placed at the balance sheet date amounted to £15m
(1999: £8m).

Foreign exchange commitments at the balance sheet date amounted to £115m (1999: £106m).

 
 
27.  Contingencies
  Group contingent liabilities relating to guarantees in the normal course of business and other items amounted to £20m (1999: £15m).

There is a right of set-off with four of the Company's bankers relating to the balances of the Company and a number of its wholly-owned UK subsidiaries.

   
 
28.  Related party transactions
  During the year, the Group purchased travel and other services to the value of £30,000 from Gamston Aviation Ltd of which Mr K McDonald is a director and shareholder.