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Annual Report & Accounts
Maintel Holdings Plc

2013

Contents

Directors, Company details and advisers 

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Directors, Company details and advisers

Chairman’s statement

Strategic Report 

Board of directors

Report on corporate governance

Report of the Remuneration committee 

Report of the directors

Statement of directors’ responsibilities

Independent auditors’ report

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income 

Consolidated	statement	of	financial	position

Consolidated statement of changes in equity

Consolidated	statement	of	cash	flows

Notes	forming	part	of	the	financial	statements

Balance sheet of Maintel Holdings Plc

Notes forming part of the balance sheet of Maintel Holdings Plc

Notice of annual general meeting

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5 

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18 

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28 

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60 

61 

66 

2

Directors
J D S Booth 
E Buxton  
A J McCaffery 
K Stevens  
W D Todd 
N J Taylor 

Chairman, Non-Executive Director
Chief Executive
Sales and Marketing Director
Operations Director
Finance Director
Non-Executive Director

Secretary	and	registered	office
W D Todd, 61 Webber Street, London SE1 0RF

Company number
3181729

Auditors
BDO LLP, 55 Baker Street, London W1U 7EU

Nominated broker and nominated adviser
finnCap Limited, 60 New Broad Street, London EC2M 1JJ

Registrars
Computershare Investor Services PLC, 
The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZY          
Tel: 0870 707 1182

3

 
Chairman’s statement 

I am pleased to be able to report another satisfactory 
year for the Maintel Group, with organic adjusted 
profit before tax increasing by 1%, and the recently 
acquired Datapoint companies contributing their 
maiden profit.

Group revenues increased by 10% in the year, to 
£31.1m (2012 - £28.2m), producing a 5% increase 
in adjusted profits to £5.23m (2012 - £4.97m) 
and adjusted earnings per share of 37.6p, a 7% 
improvement on the 35.1p reported for 2012.   

A highlight of the year was the acquisition in mid-
September of the UK and Ireland operations of the 
Datapoint group for a consideration of £3.5m, paid in 
cash and partly funded by borrowings. The aggregate 
unaudited revenue of these companies in the year to 
30 June 2013 was £15.8m, although it is envisaged 
that revenues will be approximately £2.0m lower in 
the current financial year due to lower levels of non-
recurring business and a degree of attrition. 

The Datapoint acquisition brings with it new and 
exciting skill sets which are allowing us to develop 
our business in new sectors, including the contact 
centre market where Maintel already has a 
presence but Datapoint has a much greater depth of 
knowledge and experience. It also has a significant 
international customer base and an Irish office, 
which will bring further opportunities to the Group.  

Revenues from Maintel’s managed service and 
maintenance and equipment sales division excluding 
Datapoint were 4% down on 2012, partly due to 
two delayed projects and the full year effects of the 
high managed service attrition in 2012. Customers 
transitioning to newer technologies, however, have 
allowed further reductions in the cost base, so 
that divisional margins excluding Datapoint were 
maintained at 38% and gross profit was only £0.2m 
down on 2012. With Datapoint’s contribution to the 
division, revenues increased by £3.1m or 17% to 
£21.8m. 

The network services division once again showed 
steady growth with revenues up 3% at £6.9m, gross 
profit up 6% and margins improving again from 29% 
to 30%. 

The mobile division saw revenues of £2.6m in 2013, 
a reduction of £0.3m, as the focus was on improving 
margins – which increased from 54% to 63% – rather 
than connection numbers.  Nevertheless, new sales 
during the year were below expectations and this 
is being addressed in 2014 with the addition of new 
sales resource.

Cash generation from trading remained strong with 
adjusted net cash flow from operating activities (as 
described in the Strategic report) of £2.6m despite 
having paid £1.2m of exceptionally delayed supplier 
payments from 2012.  We ended the year with 
£0.5m in cash. The Datapoint acquisition was partly 
financed by way of a £3.0m loan, of which £2.75m 
was outstanding at year end.

Given the Company’s strong cash generation, the 
board intends over the next two years to increase 
its dividend payout ratio to around 50% of adjusted 
earnings per share which it considers will be more 
in line with its peer group.  We therefore propose to 
pay a final dividend for 2013 of 9.0p, bringing the total 
payable for the year to 15.7p (2012: 7.3p and 13.6p), 
which will be paid on 24 April to shareholders on the 
register on 21 March.  

Our medium term focus is to realise the potential 
of the Datapoint acquisition across a number of 
fronts, but we will remain alert to value enhancing 
acquisitions of businesses or customer bases as 
these arise. We look forward to the coming year with 
enthusiasm and confidence. 

2013 has been particularly eventful for the Group 
with the acquisition of Datapoint and I thank my 
colleagues, longstanding and newly arrived, for their 
dedication and hard work during the year.

J D S Booth
Chairman
7 March 2014

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Strategic report

Results for the year 
2013 was another year of solid performance for Maintel, with revenue increasing by 10% to £31.1m and 
adjusted profits (as described below) by 5% to £5.232m (2012 – £4.970m), with a consequent increase in 
adjusted EPS of 7% to 37.6p (2012 – 35.1p). 

Unadjusted profits were £3.643m in the year (2012 – £1.405m) and unadjusted EPS 25.0p (2012 – 3.4p), the 
2013 figure being impacted by the £691,000 costs of the acquisition of the Datapoint companies (described 
below), and the 2012 figure by the expensing under accounting standards of contingent consideration 
payments relating to the acquisition of the mobile division in October 2011. Both years experienced the regular 
amortisation of intangible assets, the 2013 charge being higher with the addition of a charge in respect of 
Datapoint.  

Revenue increased by 10% over the previous year to £31.1m (2012 – £28.2m) with Datapoint’s £3.8m revenue 
more than compensating for a £0.9m (3%) reduction in the base Maintel revenue. As in 2012, most of the 
reduction was seen in the managed service and equipment division, in part due to the delay in earning revenue 
from two material signed contracts. Revenues in the mobile division also reduced but this was the result of 
an active policy of churning lower revenue customers, which translated into an increase in gross profit.  The 
network services division continued its steady growth in the year. The Datapoint business brings with it an 
annualised contract base of c£8.2m, with £2.5m of this recognised in the period since acquisition, so that 
total recurring revenue (managed services, network services and mobile) increased by 10% in the year from 
£21.7m to £23.8m (77% of total revenues; 2012 – 77%).  

Revenue

Profit before tax 

Add back customer relationship intangibles 

amortisation

Exceptional items relating to the acquisition of 

Datapoint (note 11)

Contingent consideration re Maintel Mobile treated 

as remuneration (note 12)

Adjusted profit before tax

Of which:   Maintel^ 

                   Datapoint^

Basic earnings per share

Diluted

Adjusted earnings per share*

Diluted

^ Before management charges

H1 2013
£000

13,565

2,000

H2 2013
£000

2013
£000

17,559

31,124

1,643

3,643

2012
£000

28,171

1,405

Increase

10%

259%

359

539

898

731

-

-

2,359

2,359

-

2,359

14.4p

14.2p

16.9p

16.7p

691

691

-

-

2,873

2,668

205

2,873

10.6p

10.5p

20.7p

20.4p

-

5,232

5,027

205

5,232

25.0p

24.7p

37.6p

37.1p

2,834

4,970

4,970

-

4,970

3.4p

3.4p

35.1p

34.7p

5%

1%

5%

7%

7%

* Adjusted profit after tax divided by weighted average number of shares (note 10).

4

5

 
 
Strategic report (continued)

The Group’s cash flows remained robust, with adjusted (as explained on page 13) net cash flows from 
operating activities of £2.554m (2012 - £3.678m) in the period, the main reduction from last year being due to 
a £1.2m reversal of creditor payments deferred at 31 December 2012, paid in 2013. The Group ended the year 
with cash of £544,000.  The Group borrowed £3.0m during the year to finance the acquisition of the Datapoint 
companies and £2.75m of this remained due at the year end.

Acquisition of the Datapoint companies
On 13 September 2013, the Group acquired Datapoint Customer Solutions Limited, Datapoint Global Services 
Limited and Datapoint Communications Limited (“Datapoint”) for a consideration of £3.5m. This acquisition 
represents a key component of the Group’s strategy to diversify its revenue base and significantly increase its 
presence in new markets.

The Datapoint companies provide managed services in Unified Communications to a base of approximately 
100 customers, with a particularly strong presence in the contact centre sector. Other services include 
consulting, professional services and equipment sales. Whilst the core business acquired is UK and Ireland 
based, some customers have subsidiary operations in other countries, whose service is coordinated from the 
UK and Ireland operations. 

Review	of	operations
The table below summarises the revenues of the three operational divisions of Maintel.  The Datapoint results 
are reviewed by the board as part of the managed services and equipment division and aggregate figures 
will be reported in future periods, however they are stated separately in this report to show the organic 
movements year on year.

Revenue analysis (£000)

Managed services related 

Equipment, installations and other

Total managed services and     
equipment division

Network	services	division

Mobile division

Intercompany

Total Maintel Group

2013 
Maintel

2013 
Datapoint

2013 
Total

Increase/ 
(decrease)

2012

11,966

5,993

2,511

1,294

14,477

12,246

7,287

6,435

17,959

3,805

21,764

18,681

6,938

2,597

(175)

-

-

-

6,938

2,597

(175)

6,730

2,941

(181)

18%

13%

17%

3%

(12)%

27,319

3,805

31,124

28,171

10%

Divisional performance is described further below.

Managed services and equipment division
The managed services and equipment division provides the management, maintenance, service and support 
of office-based voice and data equipment across the UK and Ireland on a contracted basis.  It also supplies 
and installs voice and data equipment to managed services customers, both to our direct clients and into 
our partner customers. In previous reporting periods this division was referred to as the maintenance 
and equipment division, however an increasing proportion of the division’s operations encompass the 
management of customers’ systems and networks.  This trend has been augmented by the inclusion of 
Datapoint’s revenues within this division.

Excluding Datapoint the division’s revenues were £17.959m in 2013, a reduction of 4% in the year with 
managed services related revenue down 2% and equipment sales down 7%.  Both revenue streams were flat 
in H2 2013 compared with H1 2013. H2 equipment sales were adversely affected by two large projects being 
delayed by customers, though both of these will be fully installed during Q1 2014 and the pipeline for new 
orders remains very healthy.  Despite competitive pressure, gross margins were maintained at 38% prior to 
inclusion of the lower margin Datapoint sales.

6

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Managed services
(a) Maintel, excluding Datapoint
It was noted in the half year report that the transitioning of the customer base to newer IP technology was 
altering the managed services business model, with a higher proportion of third party and vendor software 
support contracts and network monitoring services resulting in the need for fewer lower skilled field 
engineers.  As a result, Maintel (excluding Datapoint) engineer productivity improved with engineer numbers 
reducing from 87 at last year end to 79 at 31 December 2013.

It was noted at the half year that the higher than usual attrition rate of 2012 had resulted in a drop in 
managed services revenue.  Despite much reduced attrition levels in 2013 this was not fully compensated for 
by new sales, and translated into a reduction in the annualised customer base from £12.3m at last year end, 
to £11.9m at 31 December 2013 and a consequent reduction in managed service revenues of 2% from the 
previous year. 

(b) Datapoint
The Datapoint customer base had an annualised value of £8.2m at the year end. Synergies resulting from the 
joint servicing of the Datapoint and Maintel bases include duplicated management, sub-contracted support 
contracts which can be brought inhouse with the combined Group’s extended skillsets, cost savings from 
joint purchasing and the termination in many cases of the parts replacement service currently outsourced by 
Datapoint.  Progress in realising these synergies has been in line with expectations and further cost savings 
will be achieved over the course of 2014.    

Equipment sales
(a) Maintel, excluding Datapoint report
The half year report noted that a significant project had been substantially completed in H1 2013, but had 
reduced the divisional margin to 36%.  The predicted improvement in H2 margin was achieved through an 
increased weighting towards professional services projects, including the implementation of a large Avaya 
data network, the upgrading of an IP telephony infrastructure across multiple sites and a significant contact 
centre upgrade.  H2 revenues were slightly ahead of H1 and divisional margins recovered such that gross 
margin for the year as a whole matched the 38% achieved in 2012.  We have recently won two significant 
technology upgrade projects in the health and communications sectors involving multiple large contact 
centres implementing our new video conferencing proposition across multiple sites, which is an encouraging 
start to the new year.

(b) Datapoint
As with the base Maintel business, equipment, professional services and other revenues are derived from 
Datapoint’s managed service customers almost as a matter of course, with £1.294m of such revenue earned 
in the period since acquisition.  The table below shows Datapoint having a lower gross profit percentage than 
the base Maintel business, largely because of the more extensive use of sub-contracted support contracts 
used by Datapoint.  As noted above, these arrangements will be under review during 2014.

7

 
Strategic report (continued)

Headcount

Sales and customer service - 
Maintel

Sales and customer service - 
Datapoint* 

Engineers - Maintel

Engineers - Datapoint*

* average since acquisition

Division	gross	profit	(£000)

Maintel

Datapoint

Group

Average 
2013

Average 
2012

At 31 December 
2013

53

11

84

49

53

-

90

-

52

9

79

48

2013

6,790 (38%)

1,254 (33%)

8,044 (37%)

2012

Increase/(decrease)

7,017 (38%)

-

7,017 (38%)

(3)%

-

15%

Given the application of common resource across both managed service and equipment sales, it is not 
practical to quote definitive margin data on the separate business sectors; however management figures are 
used to monitor constituent elements internally.

Network	services	division
The network services division sells a portfolio of services which includes telephone line rental, inbound 
and outbound telephone calls, data connectivity, internet access and hosted IP telephony solutions.  These 
services complement those offered by the managed service and equipment division and the mobile division.

Revenue analysis (£000)

Call traffic 

Line rental

Data services

Other

Total network services

2013

2,586

3,179

809

364

6,938

2013

2012

2,656

2,979

799

296

6,730

2012

Division	gross	profit	(£000)

2,055 (30%)

1,945 (29%)

Increase/(decrease)

(3)%

7%

1%

23%

3%

Increase

6%

The network services division has again shown steady growth, with revenues up 3% and gross profit up 
6% on 2012.  

Call minutes billed continued to increase year on year as new customers were signed and attrition remained 
at its historically low levels.  However, continued pressure on call rates, including the reduction in mobile 
termination rates, resulted in call revenue reducing by 3%. 2013 was the final year of these regulatory 
decreases in mobile termination rates which were initiated by Ofcom in 2011.  Line rental revenues 
continued to grow, increasing by 7% in the year with a full year’s revenues from a large contract signed 
during 2012 outweighing the proactive transitioning of some larger customers from old technology to newer 
SIP technology and consolidating their estates.  Although data connectivity revenues were restricted to a 
headline 1% increase, the 2012 revenue included a large one-off hardware sale, so that the underlying growth 
rate excluding this contract was a healthier 9%.  Within the other services category, both VoIP and inbound 
services revenues showed particularly strong growth in the year.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

We have seen a continued increase in the number of new customers taking multiple products and existing 
customers being cross-sold network services, particularly in the maturing SIP technology for a range of 
Enterprise and SME clients and with notable wins for our hosted telephony services in the latter part of the 
year.

Each of the primary network services revenue streams saw an increase in margins during the year, 
with overall divisional gross margin increasing from 29% to 30%, through tight cost control and margin 
management particularly on the call traffic side of the business. 

Mobile division
Maintel Mobile derives its revenues primarily from commissions received under its dealer agreements 
with Vodafone and O2, supplemented by revenue derived from ongoing customer monthly spend, with 
approximately 75% of connections at the end of 2013 under the Vodafone agreement and 25% under the O2 
agreement.

£000

Revenue

Gross	profit

2013

2,597

 2012

2,941

1,640 (63%)

1,602 (54%)

Increase/ (decrease)

(12)%

2%

At 31 December 2013

At 31 December 2012

Decrease

Number of customers

Number of connections

952

13,178

1,042

13,859

(9)%

(5)%

Whilst revenue in 2013 was down 12% on 2012, margins increased from 54% to 63%, so that gross profit  
increased by £38,000 or 2%. At 31 December 2013, the mobile division managed 13,178 (2012 - 13,859) 
connections, a decrease of 5% in the period, as we have continued to focus on margin rather than numbers of 
connections, proactively managing out many of the lower value customers from our base.  

As noted in the half year report, revenue was affected by a mid term renewal cap imposed by one of our 
network suppliers in the first quarter of the year, which temporarily limited our ability to re-sign customers 
and so restricted this revenue stream.  

With this restriction removed, H2 saw a creditable 12% improvement in revenue over H1, however new 
connections in the year didn’t meet our expectations and this is a focus of our attention for 2014 and we have 
recruited additional sales resource to support this.

We did see an increase in the volume of upsells and bolt-on packages into the base – which attract higher 
margins – and this further supported the increase in the division’s gross profit compared to the previous year.  
Cross-selling our mobile proposition into the customer base continues to gain traction and we signed two 
higher value contracts late in H2 in the IT and commodities sectors including one that added 666 connections, 
which started billing early in 2014.

As previously highlighted, one of our network suppliers has implemented changes to its commission 
arrangements from August 2013 which over the course of two years from that date will result in a reduction 
in recurring commissions from that supplier of approximately 10%.

8

9

Strategic report (continued)

Administrative expenses, excluding intangibles amortisation and non-trading adjustments

Administrative expenses (£000)

Sales expenses 

Other administrative expenses (excluding intangibles 
amortisation, exceptional expenses, and in 2012 an 
adjustment to acquisition consideration) 

Maintel excluding Datapoint

Datapoint administrative expenses

Total other administrative expenses

2013

2,408

2012

2,606

2,780

5,188

1,148

6,336

2,837

5,443

-

5,443

Increase/
(decrease)

(8)%

(2)%

(5)%

16%

Total other administrative expenses excluding Datapoint were reduced by £255,000 (5%) in the year, with a 
saving from the departure in October 2012 of the vendor of the acquired mobile business, and a range of other 
cost savings secured during the year.  The Datapoint administrative expenses are shown above from the date 
of acquisition.

The exceptional costs of £691,000 shown in the income statement relate to legal and professional fees 
incurred in respect of the acquisition of the Datapoint companies and £120,000 of redundancy costs resulting 
from the combining of certain operations following the acquisition.

The intangible amortisation charge increased in the year due to the charge applying to the Datapoint 
intangible acquired during the year. Impairment and amortisation charges are discussed further below.

The table below shows relevant headcount in relation to revenue in respect of the Maintel (excluding 
Datapoint) business.  

Average Group headcount during the period

Average sales and service headcount

Average corporate and admin headcount

Group revenue excluding Datapoint (£000)

2013

176

69

23

2012

182

69

23

27,319

28,171

Increase/ 
(decrease)

(3)%

-%

-%

(3)%

The reduction in average Group headcount above resulted from redundancies in the engineering force, as 
noted earlier.

Equivalent figures for Datapoint were:

Average Datapoint headcount since acquisition

Datapoint revenue since acquisition (£000)

2013

72

3,805

Datapoint’s higher revenue per head reflects its greater use of third party and manufacturer support 
contracts, as noted earlier, reflecting the greater complexity of the services it provides.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Interest
Interest receivable reduced from £9,000 to £2,000 in 2013, with average cash balances being lower in 2013 
as described below, combined with the continuing low rates of interest achievable from acceptable financial 
institutions.

The Group recorded a £32,000 interest charge in 2013 (2012 - £Nil) on the borrowings secured to acquire the 
Datapoint companies.

Taxation
The consolidated statement of comprehensive income shows a tax rate of 27% (2012 – 74%).  Each of the 
Group companies is taxed at 23.25% (2012 – 24.5%).  Certain recurring expenses that are disallowable for 
tax raise the effective rate above this, partly offsetting Datapoint profits which are free of tax due to brought 
forward tax losses.  The rate is inflated in the year by the £571,000 costs of the Datapoint acquisition not being 
an allowable deduction for tax, and in 2012 by a disallowable adjustment for £2.834m contingent consideration 
relating to the Maintel Mobile acquisition; excluding these the tax rate would be 23.2% in 2013 and 24.6% in 
2012.  

Dividends
A final dividend for 2012 of 7.3p per share (£779,000 in total) was paid on 25 April 2013, and an interim 
dividend for 2013 of 6.7p (£715,000) was paid on 11 October 2013.

It is proposed to pay a final dividend of 9.0p in respect of 2013 on 24 April to shareholders on the register at 
the close of business on 21 March, representing a 23% increase on the 2012 final dividend. The corresponding 
ex-dividend date will be 19 March.  In accordance with accounting standards, this dividend is not accounted 
for in the financial statements for the period under review as it had not been committed as at 31 December 
2013.

The Business model section below describes the board’s dividend policy.

Consolidated	statement	of	financial	position
The consolidated statement of financial position remains sound, with £544,000 of cash at 31 December 2013 
(2012 - £1.941m) and the £2.75m loan, £250,000 of the principal on the loan having been repaid in December 
2013.  Cash flow is described further below. 

Trade receivables have increased by £1.724m in the year, the main reason being the inclusion of £1.187m of 
Datapoint trade receivables at the date of acquisition, and the increase in that balance to £2.211m at the year 
end due to the timing of invoicing of several larger customers.  This is partly offset by Maintel’s improved 
trade receivable position at the end of 2013, 2012 debtors having been artificially high due to back-billing.  

Prepayments have increased by £1.445m, with the Datapoint acquisition accounting for £1.052m of this and 
most of the rest being increased accrued income due to late crediting to the mobile division by network 
services suppliers resulting in revenue being accrued.   

10

11

 
Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Strategic report (continued)

The value of maintenance stock has increased by £62,000 in the year, to £640,000, primarily due to the 
maintenance stock acquired with Datapoint.  The value of stock held for resale has increased from £114,000 
to £205,000 reflecting different stages of invoicing and completion of cross-period installations year to year.

(c)  In 2012, £2.3m was paid during the year in respect of contingent consideration relating to the acquisition 
of Maintel Mobile and under accounting rules this was expensed in the income statement.  This is also 
adjusted below.  

Trade payables have increased by only £398,000 since 31 December 2012, despite the addition of £1.294m of 
Datapoint payables at acquisition, primarily due to the reversal of the December 2012 delay in paying £1.165m 
to three suppliers for operational reasons, as highlighted in last year’s report.

In the Chairman’s statement and Strategic report these payments have been added back to the cash flows 
shown in the statement of cash flows as follows, in order to give a more meaningful picture of the Group’s 
operational cash flows:

Other tax and social security liability has increased by £389,000 largely due to the Datapoint liability acquired.

Accruals have increased by £615,000 year on year, with the accruals related to Datapoint being only partly 
offset by the payment during the year of the final £900,000 Totility (now Maintel Mobile) consideration that was 
accrued at 31 December 2012.

Deferred managed service income has increased by £2.908m, with £3.191m attributable to Datapoint at year 
end, partly offset by a reduction in Maintel reflecting the slightly lower managed service base.  Other deferred 
revenue has increased by £539,000, £459,000 attributable to Datapoint.

No significant expenditure has been required on plant and equipment during the period, with the depreciation 
charge including a £33,000 charge in respect of Datapoint;  the main expenditure was as usual on IT and 
routine office refurbishment.

Intangible assets
The Group has two intangible asset categories: (i) an intangible asset represented by customer contracts 
and relationships acquired from District Holdings Limited, Callmaster Limited, Redstone, Maintel Mobile and 
Datapoint, and (ii) goodwill relating to the Maintel Network Services, District, Redstone, Maintel Mobile and 
Datapoint acquisitions. 

Goodwill of £4.702m (2012 - £1.026m) is carried in the consolidated statement of financial position, which 
is subject to an impairment test at each reporting date.  The £3.676m increase in the year relates to the 
acquisition of the Datapoint companies. No impairment has been charged to the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income in 2013 (2012 - £Nil).  

The intangible assets represented by purchased customer contracts and relationships were valued at 
£6.286m at 31 December 2013 (2012 - £3.489m). £3.695m of value was added in the year relating to the 
acquisition of the Datapoint companies. The intangible assets are subject to an amortisation charge of 17-
20% of cost per annum in respect of managed service and maintenance contract relationships, and 14.2% per 
annum in respect of network services contracts and Maintel Mobile customer relationships, with £898,000 
being amortised in 2013 (2012 - £731,000), the increase attributable to the Datapoint customer relationships 
acquired.

Cash flow
At 31 December 2013 the Group had cash and bank balances of £544,000 (2012 - £1.941m), all unrestricted 
save for the charge held by Lloyds Bank over the assets of the Group generally.

Net cash flows from operating activities in 2013 at £963,000 (2012 - £1.378m) were affected by non-recurring 
transactions, as they were in the previous year, as follows:

(a) At 31 December 2012, £900,000 was accrued in respect of the final payment due in respect of the 
consideration payable for the acquisition of Maintel Mobile.  In the 2013 cash flow statement, this is shown as 
a working capital movement and is therefore adjusted below.

(b) The Group incurred an exceptional cost of £691,000 during 2013, £571,000 in respect of legal and 
professional fees and £120,000 in respect of redundancy costs, both in relation to the Datapoint acquisition.

12

Cash generated from operating activities - 2013

                                                                       - 2012

Net cash flows from operating activities   - 2013

                                                                        - 2012

Unadjusted

Adjusted

£2.111m

£2.880m

£0.963m

£1.378m

£3.702m

£5.180m

£2.554m

£3.678m

Adjusted cash generated from operating activities before tax reduced in the year to £3.702m (2012 – £5.180m), 
primarily due to the payment of £1.165m of deferred supplier payments noted earlier. Unadjusted cash 
generated from operations was £2.111m, with payment of £1.494m dividends, £1.148m in corporation tax, and 
£3.497m on the Datapoint acquisition less a net £2.750m of associated loan financing, producing a net overall 
outflow of £1.397m in the year (2012 – outflow of £1.012m).

The Group had no debt at 31 December 2012, but drew a loan from Lloyds Bank plc on 13 September 2013 
to finance the acquisition of Datapoint; further details of the loan are given in note 19.  At the same time, the 
Group secured an overdraft facility of £1m with Lloyds.  The Group invests its surplus cash with mainstream 
banking organisations.

The Group established a revolving credit facility of £1.5m in October 2011 with J D S Booth, the Group’s 
chairman, however no monies were drawn against this and the facility expired on 30 June 2013.

Business model and strategy
The Group’s objective is to maximise shareholder returns over the short, medium and long term through 
the provision of telecoms-related products and services. Historically these services have been provided 
predominantly in the UK, however with the acquisition of the UK and Ireland operations of the Datapoint group 
in September 2013, the Group now also services a range of customers overseas.

The provision of these services is based around the Group’s managed services and equipment division.  
Historically this division was known as the maintenance and equipment division, the bulk of its support 
revenues deriving from a break-fix contract with customers. However the signing of an increasing number 
of higher end customers requiring a more holistic, managed service, together with the acquisition of 
the Datapoint companies, has seen the balance of revenues move more to a managed service, and the 
maintenance element of the business has been renamed as such.

The provision of break-fix and managed services creates the opportunity to sell other services into clients, 
primarily equipment and professional services, and the Group combines these revenue streams into a single 
business unit.  The Group operates two other business units – network services and mobile – whose services 
are cross-sold into the managed services base and to external clients, mostly in the SME sector.    

Organic growth in each business unit is targeted each financial year, and is supplemented by the acquisition 
of complementary companies or client bases where clear shareholder value creation can be achieved.  
Acquisitions may be funded out of cashflow, borrowings or the issue of shares, dependent on a range of 
factors considered at the time.

13

Strategic report (continued)

Business model and strategy (continued)
The Group has historically paid dividends equivalent to approximately 40% of its adjusted earnings per 
share.  To reflect the Group’s confidence in future cash flows, the directors are of the view that this should be 
increased to approximately 50% over the course of the next two years.  To mark a transition to this policy, the 
directors are proposing a final dividend of 9.0p for financial year 2013, which when combined with the interim 
2013 dividend of 6.7p per share gives a full year dividend of 15.7p, equivalent to 42% of adjusted earnings per 
share.

Principal risks and uncertainties 
The directors consider that the principal risks to the Group relate to technological advance, marketplace 
relationships and pricing strategies.

Telecommunications hardware has historically focused on a PBX core, which is gradually being replaced, 
at least at the higher end, by hosted and cloud based IP capabilities. Customers’ acceptance of the new 
technologies moves at varying rates, however, so that legacy systems will continue to be serviced for some 
time to come. Maintel sells and maintains the replacement breed of unified communications and contact 
centre systems, and has had notable success with the transition to date.  Managed service income from the 
new technology can be reduced when compared to traditional telephony although this is mitigated through 
reduced costs in delivering our service and promoting a managed service concept, retaining where possible 
the resultant enhanced calls and lines revenue and up-selling high value new products such as network 
monitoring, software assurance and mobile services.  The acquisition of Datapoint, with its broader range of 
associated business application skills in the unified communications contact centre high growth space, will 
accelerate Maintel’s ability to drive new revenue streams.

VoIP technology is a potential threat to the reselling of call minutes with a particular type of customer.  
Recognising this potential risk, the Group has expanded its product portfolio to include SIP trunking and 
hosted IP technology, which is gaining traction.  In addition line rental and data revenues have continued to 
grow significantly during 2013.  The development of VoIP is constantly monitored so that the Group may take 
advantage of profitable business models as and when they appear.

The Group has a close partner relationship with O2/Telefonica and to a diminishing extent Vodafone 
(incorporating Cable & Wireless Worldwide), such that these companies and their clients constitute a 
significant share of its managed service base.  The extent of the relationship with O2 has grown with the 
acquisition of the Datapoint companies and the work they carry out for O2. Should the relationships be 
terminated, the managed service base would reduce to that extent over time, necessitating a commensurate 
reduction in costs.  Partnerships with other integrators continue to be developed to reduce the percentage 
weighting of business with these partners.  

Maintel Mobile is a dealer for its suppliers, primarily Vodafone and O2, and is reliant on its relationships 
with those companies. The Group more generally relies on its contracts with both suppliers and clients and, 
beyond contractual status, maintains strong relationships with them at various levels of the business, as well 
as striving to ensure that client expectations are met and, where possible, exceeded.

The Group’s managed service contracts have a natural finite life, and are subject to competitive attack, so that 
there is an inevitable customer churn.  The directors monitor the rate and causes of churn and implement 
strategies with the objective of minimising attrition and growing the customer base organically and by way of 
acquisition if cost effective.

The pricing of the network services and mobile divisions’ products and services can be affected by regulatory 
bodies in the UK and the EU. The company is also potentially subject to new pricing strategies by both 
competitors and suppliers, whether due to their own internal policies or in response to technological change.  
The company mitigates these risks by assessing anticipated regulations and pricing strategies and amending 
its own pricing policies accordingly.

14

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Employees
Maintel’s success is dependent on the knowledge, experience and motivation of its employees, and so on the 
attraction and retention of those staff.  The Group’s management ensures that there is continual investment 
in external and internal training of employees, and monitors the compliance with both statutory regulation 
and best practice with regard to gender, race, age and disability.

Periodic newsletters are distributed to employees, and a Group intranet is core to open communication 
amongst employees; this continues to be developed.

The Company established a Share Incentive Plan in 2006, allowing employees and directors to invest tax 
effectively in its shares, and so aligning employee interests with those of shareholders. Under the plan, 
shares are acquired by employees out of pre-tax salary, with ownership vesting at that time, and are held by 
trustees on behalf of the employees.  The plan is therefore separate from the assets of the Group.

Environment
The Group acknowledges its responsibilities to environmental matters and where practicable adopts 
environmentally sound policies in its working practices, such as recycling paper and packaging waste and 
using specialist recyclers of scrap telecommunications and IT equipment. A major consideration when 
replacing company cars is their impact on the environment, a focus on the replacements during 2013 being 
on energy saving technologies, with the new vehicles consequently attracting zero road tax.  The Group also 
makes use of in-house video-conferencing facilities to reduce the need for regional meetings. Maintel Europe 
Limited has ISO14001:2004 accreditation for its environmental management systems.

Outlook
Overall, whilst competition levels remain high, we are seeing market conditions moderately improve with 
businesses engaging in discussions to increase investment in their communications infrastructure. 

We remain alert and well positioned to consider further acquisitions in a market that we anticipate will 
see further consolidation. However our short-term focus will be on the integration and successful synergy 
realisation from Datapoint and realising the opportunity it has brought to the Group to diversify our revenues 
and significantly increase our presence in new markets.

15

Strategic report (continued)

Board of directors

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Outlook (continued)
We remain cautiously optimistic in our outlook for the year ahead having started the new financial year on 
track, with confidence that our investment in the Datapoint business will deliver clear cost benefits and 
growth in due course. In the light of this outlook, the Board intends to increase the dividend pay out to 
approximately 50% of adjusted earnings per share over the course of the next two years. 

On behalf of the board

E Buxton
Chief Executive
7 March 2014

John Booth, 55, Non-executive chairman
John was appointed chairman of Maintel in 1996.  He is also chairman of Integrated Asset Management plc. 
He acts as a non-executive director of several other private companies and is a consultant to Herald Venture 
Partners. John’s career has been spent in equity investment and broking where he has held various senior 
positions including Head of Equities at Bankers Trust and co-founder and executive chairman until 2011 of the 
Link Group which was acquired by ICAP plc in 2008.

Eddie Buxton, 53, Chief Executive
Eddie was appointed chief executive in February 2009, having previously been managing director of the 
telecoms division of Redstone plc.  Eddie has worked in telecoms since 1995 including senior roles with Cable 
and Wireless, NTL and Centrica Telecommunications. 

Angus McCaffery, 47, Sales and marketing director
Angus has over 20 years experience in the telecommunications market, and co-founded Maintel Europe in 
1991, being appointed sales director of Maintel Holdings in 1996.  His role with the Group has been to develop 
its sales, marketing and product strategy. He is also a non-executive director of Nasstar Plc an AIM listed 
cloud computing provider.

Dale Todd, 55, Finance director
Dale qualified as a chartered accountant with Thomson McLintock (now KPMG) in 1982 and joined the 
Group in March 2002.  Prior to this he held positions as group finance director at Rolfe & Nolan Plc, Best 
International Group Plc and HS Publishing Group Ltd.

Kevin Stevens, 48, Operations Director
Kevin was appointed to the Board on 1 January 2014.  He joined the Group in June 2010 and has been a 
director of the main trading company, Maintel Europe Limited, since December 2011.  He has worked in the 
Communications and IT industry since 1981, holding senior operations and general management positions 
with Genesis Telecommunications, Xpert Communications, Redstone and Westcon Convergence, with a focus 
on improving business operations, process and customer service. 

Nicholas Taylor, 47, Non-executive director
Nicholas has extensive experience of working with growing organisations, principally in the media and 
communications industries.  He has worked as a consultant and in-house, in both an executive and non-
executive capacity and has held senior positions in both private and public businesses and in the not for profit 
sector.  He is also non-executive Chairman of Linstock Communications, a public relations consultancy.

16

17

Report on corporate governance

As a company listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange, Maintel Holdings 
Plc is not required to comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code (“the Code”).  However, the board of 
directors recognises the importance of, and is committed to, ensuring that proper standards of corporate 
governance operate throughout the Group. A description of the main governance policies and procedures 
adopted by the Group is set out below.

Board of directors
The board includes two non-executives - John Booth, who is chairman, and Nicholas Taylor.  Although it is not 
considered necessary, given the Company’s size and stage of development, to seek a further non-executive, 
the board is mindful of the potential benefits, and intends to recruit when a suitable candidate becomes 
available.

Other than in respect of their shareholdings in the Company, both non-executive directors are independent 
of management and are free from any business or other relationship which could materially interfere with 
the exercise of their independent judgement. During 2013 Hopton Hill Limited, a company owned by Nicholas 
Taylor, provided consultancy support around the Datapoint acquisition; however, given the limited nature of 
the engagement, the Board does not consider it to have compromised his independence.

The board also consists of four executive directors, of whom Eddie Buxton is Chief Executive, Angus 
McCaffery is Sales and Marketing Director, Dale Todd is Finance Director and Kevin Stevens is Operations 
Director.  Reflecting the growth in the Group and its focus on technological developments, Mr Stevens was 
appointed to the Board on 1 January 2014.

The directors’ biographies on page 17 demonstrate the range and depth of experience they bring to the Group.

The board meets regularly, normally monthly, and both reviews operations and assesses future strategy for 
the six operating subsidiaries and for the Group as a whole.  It operates to a schedule of matters specifically 
reserved for its decision. 

The Company’s articles of association require that Angus McCaffery retires by rotation at the forthcoming 
annual general meeting and he offers himself for re-election at the meeting. Although not required to retire 
this year in accordance with the articles, revised corporate governance guidance recommends that non-
executive directors with more than 9 years service are re-elected annually, and John Booth, having been a 
director since 1996, also offers himself for re-election.

The Company has purchased insurance to cover its directors and officers against any costs they may incur in 
defending themselves in any legal proceedings instigated against them as a direct result of duties carried out 
on behalf of the Company.

The directors are able to seek independent professional advice as necessary, for the furtherance of their 
duties, at the Company’s expense within designated financial limits.

The following committees deal with specific aspects of the Group’s affairs:

Audit committee
The audit committee is chaired by Nicholas Taylor with John Booth being the other member.  The Board 
is satisfied that for the year under review and thereafter Mr Taylor has adequate recent and relevant 
commercial and financial knowledge and experience to chair the committee.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

The remit of the committee is to: 

• consider the continued appointment of the external auditors, and their fees and independence.

• liase with the external auditors in relation to the nature and scope of the audit.  

• review the form and content of the financial statements and any other financial announcements issued by   
    the Company.

• review any comments and recommendations received from the external auditors.

• review the Company’s statements on internal control systems and the policies and process for identifying
   and assessing business risks and the management of those risks by the Company. 

The audit committee convenes at least twice a year to review the 6 monthly and annual financial statements 
and at these meetings in 2013 Eddie Buxton, Dale Todd (who acts as secretary to the committee) and the 
external auditors attended by invitation.

In 2013 it also formally met to review and update its remit and liased informally with the executive directors 
in relation to published financial information and other audit-related matters.  Nicholas Taylor met with the 
external auditors in the absence of executive management. 

The principal issues addressed by the Committee during the year were:

• The external auditors’ year-end report for 2012, the review of the Group’s preliminary results in 2013 and
    the disclosures in the 2012 annual report.

• The external audit plan for the 2012 financial statements which included a review of the audit objectives,
    scope, timetable and deliverables. 

•  The re-appointment of BDO LLP as external auditors, their independence and objectivity and their fee.

•  Consideration of the external auditors’ observations on the internal financial controls arising from their  
     annual audit.

BDO LLP is retained to perform audit and audit-related work for the Group.  The committee monitors 
the nature and extent of non-audit work undertaken by the auditors, including reviewing the letter of 
independence provided by the auditors annually which includes details of audit and non-audit work 
undertaken. The committee is satisfied that there are adequate controls in place to ensure auditor 
independence and objectivity.  Details of audit and non-audit fees for the period under review are shown in 
note 6 of the financial statements.

Remuneration committee
The remuneration committee is chaired by Nicholas Taylor, its other member being John Booth.  The 
committee meets at least once in respect of each financial year.  The committee’s report to shareholders on 
directors’ remuneration is set out on page 22.

18

19

 
Report on corporate governance (continued)

Nomination committee
The nomination committee had two members during 2013, both non-executive, being John Booth, chairman, 
and Nicholas Taylor.  The committee meets as required. It met once in 2013, to agree to recommend the 
appointment of Kevin Stevens as a director, to consider the appointment of a third non-executive director and 
to review and update its terms of reference, which includes: 

• reviewing the structure, size and composition of the board.

• identifying and nominating suitable candidates to fill vacancies on the board.

Board attendances
The following table shows the attendance of the directors at meetings of the board and the Remuneration and 
Audit Committees during the year.

Number of 
meetings 
in the year

J Booth

E Buxton A McCaffery N Taylor D Todd

Board

Audit committee

Remuneration  committee

14

3

3

14

3

3

14

2

-

12

-

-

14

3

3

14

2

-

Relationship	with	shareholders
The Chairman’s statement and the Strategic report on pages 4 to 16 include a detailed review of the business 
and future developments.

In addition to regular financial reporting, significant matters relating to trading or development of the 
business are released to the market by way of Stock Exchange announcements as required.

The directors meet with institutional and other shareholders when possible, usually following the 
announcement of the Company’s results, to keep them informed about the performance and objectives of the 
business.

The annual general meeting provides a further forum for shareholders to communicate with the board.  
Details of resolutions to be proposed at the annual general meeting are set out in the notice of meeting on 
page 66.

Internal control
The board is ultimately responsible for the Group’s systems of internal control, and for reviewing their 
effectiveness.  Such systems can provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material 
misstatement or loss.  The board believes that the Group has internal control systems in place appropriate to 
the size and nature of its business. 

The directors do not consider that an internal audit function is required, given the size and nature of the 
business at this time. This situation is reviewed annually.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Internal control
The Group maintains a comprehensive process of financial reporting.  The annual budget is reviewed and 
approved by the board before being formally adopted, following which the board receives at least monthly 
financial reports of the Group’s performance compared to the budget, with explanations of significant 
variances.  Monthly cash flow forecasts are provided to the board, as are budget reforecasts if deemed 
appropriate.

The executive directors monitor key performance indicators on a monthly basis, management of these being 
delegated to the Group’s senior management.

The board undertakes a rolling review of known and potential risks, and addresses newly identified risks as 
they arise, with controls put in place to minimise their potential effect on the Group.

The key operational functions of the Group are subject to processes established and externally audited under 
ISO9001 and ISO27001, which the directors consider to be a valuable additional internal and external control 
tool of the business.

Operating control
Each executive director has defined responsibility for specific aspects of the Group’s operations.  The 
executive directors, together with key senior executives, meet regularly to discuss day-to-day operational 
matters.

Investment appraisal
Capital expenditure is controlled via the budgetary process, the budget being approved by the board.  
Expenditure is approved as required by the chief executive.

Risk management
The board is responsible for identifying the major business risks faced by the Group and for determining the 
appropriate course of action to manage these risks.  The Group’s approach to financial risk management is 
further explained in note 21 to the financial statements.

Going concern
The Group has a sound financial record including strong operating cash flows derived from a substantial 
level of recurring revenue across a range of sectors and as a consequence and after making enquiries 
and reviewing projections, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group 
have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.  Accordingly, they 
continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

20

21

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Non-executive directors
Each of the non-executive directors has a three month rolling contract.

The remuneration of the non-executive directors is agreed by the executive directors, and is based upon the 
level of fees paid at comparable companies and taking account of the directors’ evolving responsibilities. 
Taking these factors into account, the remuneration of the non-executive directors also increased with effect 
from 1 January 2014.  The non-executives receive no payment or benefits other than their fees.  

Directors remuneration  
The remuneration of the directors in office at 31 December 2013 was as follows: 

Salaries/fees
£000

Benefits
£000

Bonus
£000

Pension
contributions
£000

Total
2013(1)
£000

Total
2012(1, 2)
£000

34

20

140

160

138

492

-

-

12

19

12

43

-

-

36

20

30

86

-

-

4

4

-

8

34

20

192

203

180

629

34

20

189

193

170

606

J D S Booth

N J Taylor (3)

E Buxton

A J McCaffery

W D Todd

(1) Excluding social security costs in respect of the above amounting to £79,000 (2012 - £78,000).

(2) Including bonuses of £65,000, employer pension contributions of £8,000 and benefits of £43,000, so that salaries amounted to £490,000.

(3) In addition to his fees as a director stated above, the Company paid £44,000 plus £2,000 expenses to a company of which Mr Taylor is a 

shareholder and director in respect of consultancy services provided to the Company during the year.

The directors are the only employees of the Company.

Directors’ interests in ordinary shares
The directors’ interests in the ordinary shares of the Company are shown in the directors’ report on page 25.  
These include holdings under the Company’s Share Incentive Plan, to which all of the directors subscribe.

Report of the Remuneration committee 

The remuneration committee’s remit is to measure the performance of, and determine remuneration policy 
relating to directors and senior employees, and to support this responsibility it has access to professional and 
other advice external to the Group.  Taking these factors into account, it then makes recommendations to the 
board.

The committee consists of the two non-executive directors, Nicholas Taylor (chairman of the committee) and 
John Booth, and met three times during 2013, including one meeting to review its terms of reference.

Remuneration policy
The Group’s executive director remuneration policy is designed to attract and retain directors of the calibre 
required to maintain the Group’s position in its marketplace. In December 2013, recognising the increased 
responsibilities arising from the acquisition of Datapoint, the committee reviewed the directors’ remuneration 
in comparison with market rates for companies with similar attributes.

The executive director remuneration package consists of up to four elements:

(a) Basic salary

An executive director’s basic salary is determined by the remuneration committee at the beginning of each 
year.  In deciding appropriate levels the committee considers the relative responsibilities of each of the 
directors.  

As a result of the market review, the basic salary of the executive directors was increased with effect from 1 
January 2014.  

(b) Pension contributions and other benefits

Executive directors are entitled to employer pension contributions of 3% of basic salary, or additional salary in 
lieu thereof.  

They also receive a car allowance and membership of private health, permanent health and life assurance 
schemes.  

(c) Bonus

The executive directors are eligible to receive bonuses, dependant on Group profitability and other 
performance criteria.  

(d) Share options

Eddie Buxton and Dale Todd have been granted share options, details of which are shown below.  

Directors’ service agreements
Executive directors’ service agreements, which include details of remuneration, will be available for 
inspection at the annual general meeting.  Each executive director has a six month rolling service agreement.  

22

23

 
 
Report of the Remuneration committee (continued)

Report of the directors for 
the year ended 31 December 2013

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Share options
On 18 May 2009 the directors of the Company approved the adoption of the Maintel Holdings Plc 2009 Option 
Plan.  The following options remain outstanding under the Plan:

Option holder

Number of shares

Date of grant

Option price

Expiry of option

Eddie Buxton

Eddie Buxton

Eddie Buxton

Dale Todd

Dale Todd

Dale Todd

Dale Todd

Dale Todd

All options have vested.

53,909

107,818

107,818

18 May 2009

18 May 2009

18 May 2009

100p

200p

300p

18 May 2019

18 May 2019

18 May 2019

10,000

10 September 2009

150.5p

10 September 2019

10,000

11 March 2011

20,000

21 December 2011

10,000

17 April 2013

10,000

19 December 2013

200p

265p

345p

525p

11 March 2021

21 December 2021

17 April 2023

19 December 2023

The following table illustrates the number and weighted average exercise prices (WAEP) of, and movements 
in, share options during the year:

Outstanding at the beginning of the year

Granted during the year

Exercised during the year

Outstanding at the end of the year

2013 
Number
of options

309,545

20,000

-

329,545

2013
WAEP

220p

435p

-

233p

2012 
Number
of options 

319,545

-

(10,000)

309,545

2012
WAEP

218p

-

145p

220p

The Company’s mid-market share price at 31 December 2013 was 580.5p per share, and the high and low 
prices during the year were 580.5p and 325p respectively.

Share Incentive Plan
In 2006 the Company established the Maintel Holdings Plc Share Incentive Plan (“SIP”). The SIP is open to 
all employees with at least 6 months’ continuous service with a Group company, and allows employees and 
directors to subscribe for existing shares in the Company at open market price out of their gross salary.  
The employees own the shares from the date of purchase, but must continue to be employed by a Group 
company and hold their shares within the SIP for 5 years to benefit from the full tax benefits of the plan.  At 31 
December 2013 there were 88,039 shares held by the SIP, representing 0.8% of the issued share capital of the 
Company (2012 -  79,406 and 0.7%).

The Report of the Remuneration committee was approved by the board on 7 March 2014.

N J Taylor
Chairman of the Remuneration committee

The directors present their annual report together with the audited financial statements for the year 
ended 31 December 2013.  

Principal activities
The principal activities of the Group are the provision of contracted managed services, the sale 
and installation of telecommunications systems and the provision of fixed line, mobile and data 
telecommunications services, predominantly to the enterprise business sector.  In September 2013 the 
Company acquired the UK and Ireland subsidiaries of the Datapoint group of companies, one of which is 
registered in and operates from the Republic of Ireland.

Results and dividends  
The consolidated statement of comprehensive income is set out on page 30 and shows the profit of the Group 
for the year.

During the year the Company paid a final dividend of 7.3p per ordinary share in respect of the 2012 financial 
year, amounting to £779,000 (2012 – 6.0p, amounting to £640,000), and an interim dividend in respect of 2013 
of 6.7p per share, amounting to £715,000 (2012 – 6.3p and £672,000 respectively).  The directors propose the 
payment of a final dividend in respect of 2013 of 9.0p per share. The cost of the proposed dividend, based on 
the number of shares in issue as at 7 March 2014, is £961,000.

Strategic report
A review of the business and future developments of the Group is set out in the Strategic report on pages 
5 to 16.

Directors
The directors of the Company as at 31 December 2013 and their interests in the ordinary shares of the 
Company at that date were as follows:

             Number of 1p ordinary shares 

2013

2012

Beneficial

Non-beneficial

Beneficial

Non-beneficial

2,759,015 

3,756      

-

2,758,272

  84,283

3,204      

        2,054,509

-

        2,053,845

14,759

    6,821      

  80,280

14,062

           81,218

      16,157

          -   

76,202

            -

72,344

73,249

J D S Booth

E Buxton

A J McCaffery

N J Taylor

W D Todd 

J D S Booth is a shareholder in Herald Investment Trust plc which has notified the Company of its holding of 
760,000 1p ordinary shares in the Company; this is in addition to Mr Booth’s beneficial holding above.

Kevin Stevens was appointed to the Board on 1 January 2014 and on that date held 1,547 ordinary shares in 
the Company and was beneficially interested in a further 436 shares.

The non-beneficial holdings above relate to holdings of the Share Incentive Plan, of which the respective 
directors are trustees.  

Since the year end, the Share Incentive Plan has purchased a net 800 shares in total, including 47 in respect 
of Kevin Stevens.   There were no other changes in the directors’ shareholdings between 31 December 2013 
and 7 March 2014.

24

25

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report of the directors for 
the year ended 31 December 2013 (continued)

Substantial shareholders
In addition to the directors’ shareholdings, at 7 March 2014 the Company had been notified of the following 
shareholdings of 3% or more in the ordinary share capital of the Company:

J A Spens

Marlborough Fund Managers Ltd

Herald Investment Trust plc

Octopus Investments Limited

T Wat

Number of
1p ordinary
shares

% of issued
ordinary
shares

1,616,747

1,095,864

760,000

631,920

340,203

15.1%

10.3%

7.1%

5.9%

3.2%

Share capital
Details of the share capital of the Company are shown in note 22 of the financial statements.

No shares were issued or repurchased during the year.

The existing authority for the repurchase of the Company’s shares is for the purchase of up to 1,600,119 
shares.  A fresh authority, for the purchase of up to 1,600,119 shares, will be sought at the forthcoming 
annual general meeting.

Financial instruments
Details of the use of financial instruments by the Group are contained in note 21 of the financial statements.

Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the company will be held at its offices on 17 April 2014 at 9.30am.  

Auditors
All of the current directors have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware 
of any information needed by the Company’s auditors for the purposes of their audit and to ensure that the 
auditors are aware of that information.  The directors are not aware of any relevant audit information of which 
the auditors are unaware.

A resolution proposing the re-appointment of BDO LLP as auditors of the Company will be proposed at the 
forthcoming annual general meeting.

On behalf of the board

E Buxton
Director
7 March 2014

26

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Statement of directors’ responsibilities

Directors’ responsibilities
The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and regulations. 

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year.  Under that 
law the directors have elected to prepare the Group financial statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union and the Company financial 
statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom 
Accounting Standards and applicable law).  Under company law the directors must not approve the financial 
statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and 
Company and of the profit or loss of the Group for that period.  The directors are also required to prepare 
financial statements in accordance with the rules of the London Stock Exchange for companies trading 
securities on the Alternative Investment Market.  

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
• state whether they have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, subject   
   to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
•  prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the  
    Company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain 
the Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 
Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the requirements of the 
Companies Act 2006.  They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for 
taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Website publication
The directors are responsible for ensuring the annual report and the financial statements are made available 
on a website.  Financial statements are published on the Company’s website in accordance with legislation 
in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements, which may 
vary from legislation in other jurisdictions.  The maintenance and integrity of the Company’s website is 
the responsibility of the directors.  The directors’ responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity of the 
financial statements contained therein.

27

 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion the information given in the strategic report and the directors’ report for the financial year for 
which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements. 

Matters	on	which	we	are	required	to	report	by	exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to 
report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit  
  have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Anthony Perkins (senior statutory auditor)
For and on behalf of BDO LLP, statutory auditor
London
7 March 2014

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (with registered number OC305127).

Independent auditors’ report to the 
shareholders of Maintel Holdings Plc

We have audited the financial statements of Maintel Holdings Plc for the year ended 31 December 2013 which 
comprise the consolidated statement of financial position and company balance sheet, the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of cash flows, the consolidated statement 
of changes in equity and the related notes.  The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the 
preparation of the consolidated financial statements is applicable law and International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union.  The financial reporting framework that has been 
applied in preparation of the parent company financial statements is applicable law and United Kingdom 
Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 
of the Companies Act 2006.  Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s 
members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose.  
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the 
company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we 
have formed.

Respective responsibilities of directors and auditors
As explained more fully in the statement of directors’ responsibilities, the directors are responsible for 
the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view.  Our 
responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the financial statements in accordance with applicable 
law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland).  Those standards require us to comply with the 
Financial Reporting Council’s (FRC’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors.

Scope	of	the	audit	of	the	financial	statements
A description of the scope of an audit of financial statements is provided on the FRC’s website at 
www.frc.org.uk/auditscopeukprivate.

Opinion	on	financial	statements
In our opinion: 

• the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the parent company’s  
    affairs as at 31 December 2013 and of the group’s profit for the year then ended;

• the consolidated financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by
   the European Union;

•  the parent company’s financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with United
    Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

•  the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act
     2006.

28

29

 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income for the year ended 31 December 2013

Consolidated statement of financial 
position at 31 December 2013

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Revenue

Cost of sales

Gross	profit

Administrative expenses

Intangibles amortisation

Exceptional costs 

Contingent consideration treated as remuneration

Other administrative expenses

Operating	profit

Financial income

Financial expense

Profit	before	taxation

Taxation

Profit	and	total	comprehensive	income	

attributable	to	owners	of	the	parent

Earnings per share 

Basic 

Diluted

Note

3

13

11

12

6

7

7

8

10

10

2013 
£000

31,124

19,526

11,598

898

691

-

6,336

7,925

2012
£000

28,171

17,756

10,415

742

-

2,834

5,443

9,019

3,673

1,396

2

(32)

9

-

3,643

1,405

978

1,043

2,665

362

25.0p

24.7p

3.4p

3.4p

Non current assets

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Current assets

Inventories

Trade and other receivables

Cash and cash equivalents

Total current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Current tax liabilities

Total current liabilities

Non current liabilities

Deferred tax liability  

Borrowings

Total net assets

Equity

Issued share capital

Share premium

Capital redemption reserve

Retained earnings

Total equity

 2013
£000

2013
£000

2012
£000

2012
£000

Note

13

15

16

17

18

20

19

22

23

23

23

845

8,961

544

10,988

289

11,277

10,350

21,627

15,211

638

15,849

149

1,750

3,879

107

1,028

31

2,713

3,879

692

5,793

1,941

4,515

216

4,731

8,426

13,157

9,203

665

9,868

581

-

2,708

107

1,028

31

1,542

2,708

The notes on pages 34 to 59 form part of these financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board on 7 March 2014 and 
were signed on its behalf by:

W D Todd
Director

The notes on pages 34 to 59 form part of these financial statements.

30

31

 
 
Consolidated statement of changes in equity 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

Consolidated statement of cash flows for the year 
ended 31 December 2013

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

At 1 January 2012  

Profit and total comprehensive 
income for the year

Dividend

Issue of new ordinary shares

Share
capital
£000

  107

Share
premium
£000

1,013

Capital
redemption
reserve
£000

Retained
earnings
£000

31

2,492

-         

-

-

-         

-

15

-         

-   

-   

362

(1,312)

-

Total
£000

3,643

362

(1,312)

15

At 31 December 2012  

107

1,028

31

1,542

2,708

Profit and total comprehensive 
income for the year

Dividend

-

-

-

-

-

-   

2,665

(1,494)

2,665

(1,494)

At 31 December 2013

107

1,028

31

2,713

3,879

The notes on pages 34 to 59 form part of these financial statements.

 Operating activities

 Profit before taxation

 Adjustments for:

 Intangibles amortisation

 Depreciation charge

 Interest receivable

 Interest payable

 2013

 £000

 3,643

 898

 135

 (2)

 32

 2012

 £000

 1,405

 742

 124

 (9)

 -

Operating	cash	flows	before	changes	in	working	capital

 4,706

 2,262

 (Increase)/decrease in inventories

 Increase in trade and other receivables

 (Decrease)/increase in trade and other payables

 (36)

 (1,253)

 (1,306)

 30

 (1,774)

 2,362

 Cash generated from operating activities 

 2,111

 2,880

 Tax paid

	Net	cash	flows	from	operating	activities

Investing activities

Purchase of plant and equipment

Purchase price in respect of business combination

Net cash acquired with subsidiary undertaking

 Interest receivable

	Net	cash	flows	from	investing	activities	

 Financing activities

 Proceeds from borrowings

 Repayment of borrowings

 Interest payable

 Issue of new ordinary shares

 Equity dividends paid

	Net	cash	flows	from	financing	activities

 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents 

 Cash and cash equivalents at start of period

 (1,148)

 963

 (89)

 (3,500)

 3

 (3,497)

 2

 (3,584)

 3,000

 (250)

 (32)

 -

 (1,494)

 1,224

 (1,397)

 1,941

 (1,502)

 1,378

 (116)

 (986)

 -

 (986)

 9

 (1,093)

 -

 -

 -

 15

 (1,312)

 (1,297)

 (1,012)

 2,953

 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 544

 1,941

The notes on pages 34 to 59 form part of these financial statements

32

33

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

General information

1 
Maintel Holdings Plc is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in the UK, whose shares are 
publicly traded on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).  Its registered office and principal place of 
business is 61 Webber Street, London SE1 0RF.

Accounting policies 

2 
The principal policies adopted in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are as follows:  

(a) Basis of preparation 

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards, International Accounting Standards and Interpretations (collectively IFRS) issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) as adopted by the European Union (“adopted IFRSs”),  
and with those parts of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies preparing their accounts in 
accordance with adopted IFRSs. The Company has elected to prepare its parent company financial 
statements in accordance with UK GAAP and these are presented on page 60.

(b) Basis of consolidation

The financial statements consolidate the results of Maintel Holdings Plc and each of its subsidiaries 
(the “Group”). The results of subsidiaries acquired are included within the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income and consolidated statement of financial position from the effective date of acquisition. 
Uniform accounting policies are adopted in each subsidiary for the purposes of consolidation.  The results 
of disposed subsidiaries are included in the statement of comprehensive income up to the effective date 
of disposal.  All intra-group transactions and balances are eliminated on consolidation.  Acquisitions are 
accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting.

2 

Accounting policies (continued)

(d) Intangible assets

Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the fair value of the consideration of a business combination over the 
acquisition date fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities acquired. 

For business combinations completed on or after 1 January 2010, the fair value of the consideration 
comprises the fair value of assets given. Contingent consideration is included in cost at its acquisition 
date fair value and, in the case of contingent consideration classified as a financial liability, remeasured 
subsequently through profit or loss. For business combinations completed on or after 1 January 2010, direct 
costs of acquisition are recognised immediately as an expense.  

Goodwill is capitalised as an intangible asset and carried at cost with any impairment in carrying value being 
charged to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Other intangible assets
Intangible assets are stated at cost, or fair value where acquired through a business combination, less 
accumulated amortisation and consist of customer relationships. Where these assets have been acquired 
through a business combination, the cost will be the fair value allocated in the acquisition accounting; where 
they have been acquired other than through a business combination, the initial cost is the aggregate amount 
paid and the fair value of any other consideration given to acquire the asset.

Customer relationships are amortised over their estimated useful lives of (i) five or six years in respect of 
managed service contracts, (ii) seven years in respect of network services and mobile contracts.  

Subsidiaries are all entities over which the Group has the power to govern their financial and operating 
policies.

(e) Impairment of non-current assets

As permitted by IFRS 1, business combinations prior to 1 January 2006 have not been restated under an IFRS 
basis.

(c) Revenue

Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the Group and 
can be reliably measured.

Revenue represents sales to customers at invoiced amounts and commissions receivable from suppliers, 
less value added tax.  Revenue from sales of equipment, chargeable works carried out and network services, 
is recognised when the goods or services are provided. Amounts invoiced in advance in respect of managed 
service contracts are deferred and released to the statement of comprehensive income on a straight 
line basis over the period covered by the invoice. Connection commissions received from mobile network 
operators are recognised (a) where commission is payable in advance, when the customer contract has been 
accepted by the network operator and is therefore legally binding, less an allowance for expected future 
clawbacks, and (b) where commission is payable on a monthly basis, in the month to which commission 
relates.  Interest income is recognised on an accruals basis.

Impairment tests on goodwill are undertaken annually on 31 December. Customer relationships and other 
assets are subject to impairment tests whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying 
amount may not be recoverable. Where the carrying value of an asset exceeds its recoverable amount (being 
the higher of value in use and fair value less costs to sell), the asset is written down accordingly through the 
consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the impairment test is 
carried out on the asset’s cash-generating unit (being the lowest group of assets in which the asset belongs 
for which there are separately identifiable cash flows). Goodwill is allocated on initial recognition to each of 
the Group’s cash-generating units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination giving 
rise to goodwill.

Impairment charges are included in the administrative expenses line item in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income and, in respect of goodwill impairments, are never reversed.

34

35

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

2 

Accounting policies (continued)

(f) Property, plant and equipment

2 

Accounting policies (continued)

(i) Taxation (continued)

Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and any impairment in value.  
Depreciation is provided to write off the cost, less estimated residual values, of all tangible fixed assets over 
their expected useful lives, at the following rates:

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when the Group has a legally enforceable right to offset current 
tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax 
authority on either:

Office and computer equipment 
Motor vehicles 
Leasehold improvements    

25% straight line
25% straight line
over the remaining period of the lease

(g) Inventories

Inventories comprise (i) maintenance stock, being replacement parts held to service customers’ 
telecommunications systems, and (ii) stock held for resale, being stock purchased for customer orders which 
has not been installed at the end of the financial period.  Inventories are valued at the lower of cost and net 
realisable value.

• the same taxable Group company; or

• different Group entities which intend either to settle current tax assets and liabilities on a net basis, or to   
    realise the assets  and settle the liabilities simultaneously, in each future period in which significant  
    amounts of deferred tax assets or liabilities are expected to be settled or recovered.

(j) Financial assets and liabilities

The Group’s financial assets and liabilities mainly comprise cash, trade and other receivables and trade and 
other payables.  

(h) Cash and cash equivalents

Cash comprises cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and short term deposits with an original maturity of three 
months or less.  

Trade and other receivables are not interest bearing and are stated at their nominal value as reduced by 
appropriate allowances for irrecoverable amounts or additional costs required to effect recovery.

(i) Taxation

Trade and other payables are not interest bearing and are stated at their nominal amount.

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, together with any adjustments to 
tax payable in respect of previous years.

(k) Borrowings

Deferred tax is provided using the liability method, providing for temporary differences between the carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes, 
except for differences arising on:

Interest bearing bank loans and overdrafts are initially recorded at the value of the amount received, net of 
attributable transaction costs. Interest bearing borrowings are subsequently stated at amortised cost with 
any difference between cost and redemption value being recognised in the income statement over the period 
of the borrowing using the effective interest method.

• the initial recognition of goodwill; 

(l) Operating leases

• the initial recognition of an asset or liability in a transaction which is not a business combination and  
    at the time of the transaction affects neither accounting nor taxable profit; and

Rentals payable are charged to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis 
over the term of the lease.  

•  investments in subsidiaries where the Group is able to control the timing of the reversal of the difference 
    and it is probable that the difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

(m) Employee benefits

A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the extent that it is more probable than not that future taxable 
profits will be available against which the asset can be utilised.

Management judgment is used in determining the amount of deferred tax asset that can be recognised, based 
upon the likely timing and level of future taxable profits together with future tax planning strategies.

The amount of the deferred tax asset or liability is measured on an undiscounted basis and is determined 
using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the date of the consolidated statement of 
financial position and are expected to apply when the deferred tax assets/liabilities are recovered/settled.  

The Group contributes to a number of defined contribution pension schemes in respect of certain of its 
employees.  The amount charged in the statement of comprehensive income represents the employer 
contributions payable to the schemes in respect of the financial period.  The assets of the schemes are held 
separately from those of the Group in independently administered funds.

The cost of all short term employee benefits is recognised during the period the employee service is 
rendered.

Holiday pay is expensed in the period in which it accrues.

36

37

 
 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

2 

Accounting policies (continued)

(n) Dividends

Dividends unpaid at the reporting date are only recognised as a liability at that date to the extent that they are 
appropriately authorised and are no longer at the discretion of the Company.  Proposed but unpaid dividends 
that do not meet these criteria are disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

(o) Accounting standards issued

There are no IFRSs that are effective for the first time during the financial year that have a material effect on 
the financial statements, nor are there any impending IFRSs that are expected to have a material effect on the 
Group’s financial statements.

(p) Contingent consideration 

Where payment of contingent consideration in respect of a business combination or acquisition of business 
and assets is dependent on the continued employment by the Group of the seller(s), the estimated contingent 
consideration is pro rated in accordance with the period of employment required of the seller and this amount 
is expensed in the income statement.

(q) Foreign currency

The presentation currency of the Group is sterling. All Group companies have a functional currency of 
sterling (other than Datapoint Communications Limited (“DCL”) which has a functional currency of the Euro) 
consistent with the presentation currency of the Group’s financial statements. Transactions in currencies 
other than sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the dates of the transactions. 

On consolidation, the results of DCL are translated into sterling at rates approximating those ruling when 
the transactions took place. All assets and liabilities of DCL, including goodwill arising on its acquisition, are 
translated at the rate ruling at the reporting date. Exchange differences arising on translating the opening net 
assets at opening rate and the results of DCL at actual rate were not material in the year and are recognised 
in other comprehensive income.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

3 

Segment information 

For management reporting purposes and operationally, the Group consists of three business segments: 
(i) telecommunications managed service and equipment sales, (ii) telecommunications network services, and 
(iii) mobile services.  Each segment applies its respective resources across inter-related revenue streams 
which are reviewed by management collectively under these headings. The businesses of each segment and 
a further analysis of revenue are described under their respective headings in the Strategic report.  
The Datapoint business is reported under the managed service and equipment segment as it is managed
 and measured as part of that segment.  

Year ended 31 December 2013

Managed service
and equipment
£000

Network	
services
£000

Mobile
£000

Central/
inter-
company
£000

Total
£000

Revenue

21,764

6,938

2,597

(175)

31,124

Operating profit before customer
relationship intangibles amortisation 
and exceptional expenses

3,246

1,101

931

(16)

5,262

Customer relationship intangibles
amortisation

(251)

(49)

Exceptional expenses

(120)

-

-

-

(598)

(898)

(571)

(691)

Operating	profit

2,875

1,052

931

(1,185)

3,673

Interest (net)

Profit before taxation

Taxation

Profit and total comprehensive income for the period 

(30)

3,643

(978)

2,665

38

39

 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

3 

Segment information (continued)

3 

Segment information (continued)

Year ended 31 December 2013 (continued)
Revenue is wholly attributable to the principal activities of the Group and other than sales of £973,000 to EU 
countries and £151,000 to the rest of the world (2012 - £23,000 to EU countries), arises within the United 
Kingdom.

Managed services and equipment revenue consists of managed services related revenue of £14.477m and 
equipment, installation and other revenue of £7.287m (2012 - £12.246m and £6.435m).  Network services 
revenue consists of call traffic revenue of £2.586m, line rental revenue of £3.179m, data services revenue of 
£0.809m and other revenue of £0.364m (2012 - £2.656m, £2.979m, £0.799m and £0.296m). Mobile revenue 
consists principally of commissions receivable from network operators.

Intercompany trading consists of telecommunications services, and recharges of sales, engineering and rent 
costs, £90,000 (2012 - £90,000) attributable to the managed services and equipment segment, £82,000 (2012 - 
£85,000) to the network services segment and £3,000 (2012 - £6,000) to the mobile segment.

In 2013 the Group had two customers (2012 - One) which accounted for more than 10% of its revenue, one 
accounting for £5.419m and the other £4.258m. The directors have noted that the value attributed to the 
customer reported last year was incorrect and should have been reported as £4.224m. 

The board does not regularly review the aggregate assets and liabilities of the Company and its segments and 
accordingly an analysis of these is not provided.

Managed 
service and
equipment

Network
services Mobile

Central/
inter-
company

£000

£000

£000

£000

89

133

251

-

-

49

-

2

-

-

-

598 

Total

£000

89

135

898

Other

Capital expenditure

Depreciation

Amortisation

Year ended 31 December 2012

Managed service 
and equipment
£000

Network	
services
£000

Mobile
£000

Central/
inter-
company
£000

Total
£000

Revenue

18,681

6,730

2,941

(181)

28,171

Operating profit before customer 
relationship and software 
intangibles amortisation and 
adjustments

Customer relationship and 
software intangibles amortisation

Operating profit before 
adjustments

Contingent consideration treated 
as remuneration (note 12)

3,272

(264)

983

(59)

813

(96)

4,972

-

(419)

(742)

3,008

924

813

(515)

4,230

-

-

-

(2,834)

(2,834)

Operating	profit

3,008

924

813

(3,349)

1,396

Interest (net)

Profit before taxation

Taxation

Profit and total comprehensive income for the period

9

1,405

(1,043)

362

Other

Capital expenditure

Depreciation

Amortisation

113

121

264

-

-

59

2

3

-

-

-

419 

115

124

742

40

41

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

4 

Employees 

6	

Operating	profit	

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

The average number of employees, including directors, 
during the year was:

Corporate and administration

Sales and customer service

Technical and engineering

Staff costs, including directors, consist of: 

Wages and salaries

Social security costs

Pension costs

2013

2012

Number

Number

26

72     

96

194

2013

£000

9,891

1,168

188    

11,247

23

69     

90

182

2012

£000

8,698

1,031

150

9,879

In addition to the above, the comprehensive income statement in 2012 included £2.834m of contingent 
consideration in respect of the Maintel Mobile acquisition which was treated as a remuneration expense (see 
note 12). 

The Group makes contributions to defined contribution personal pension schemes for employees and 
directors.  The assets of the schemes are separate from those of the Group.  Pension contributions totalling 
£41,000 (2012 - £25,000) were payable to the schemes at the year end and are included in other payables.

5 

Directors’ remuneration 

The remuneration of the Company directors was as follows:

Directors’ emoluments

Pension contributions

Included in the above is the remuneration of the highest paid director as follows:

Directors’ emoluments

Pension contributions

2013

£000

621

8

629

2013

£000

199

4

203

2012

£000

598

8

606

2012

£000

189

4

193

The Group paid contributions into defined contribution personal pension schemes in respect of 2 (2012 – 2) 
directors during the year.

Further details of director remuneration are shown in the Remuneration committee report on page 22.

42

This has been arrived at after charging:

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Amortisation of intangible fixed assets

Operating lease rentals

- property

- plant and machinery

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for:
- the audit of the Company’s annual accounts       

- due diligence

- audit of the Company’s subsidiaries pursuant to legislation                 

- audit-related assurance services 

- tax compliance services 

Foreign exchange gain

7 

Financial income and expense

Interest receivable on bank deposits

Interest payable on bank loans

2013

£000

2012

£000

135

898

274

101

8

95

95

18

6

4

124

742

171

82

8

-

63

11

4

-

2013

£000

2012

£000

2

32

9

-

43

 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

8 

Taxation 

10 

Earnings per share

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

UK corporation tax

Corporation tax on profits of the period

Prior year adjustment

Deferred tax

Taxation on profit on ordinary activities  

2013

£000

2012

£000

1,114

1,159

7

1,121

(143)

978

-

1,159

(116)

1,043

The differences between the total tax shown above and the amount calculated by applying the standard rate of 
UK corporation tax to the profit before tax are as follows:

Profit before tax

3,643

1,405

Profit at the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 
23.25% (2012 – 24.5%)

Effect of: 
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes

Capital allowances in excess of depreciation

No tax relief on contingent consideration treated as 
remuneration (note 12)

Prior year adjustment

Other timing differences

9 

Dividends paid on ordinary shares

Final 2011, paid 26 April 2012 – 6.0p per share

Interim 2012, paid 5 October 2012 – 6.3p per share

Final 2012, paid 25 April 2013 – 7.3p per share

Interim 2013, paid 11 October 2013 – 6.7p per share

847

141

(11)

-

7

(6)

978

2013

£000

- 

- 

779

715

345

11

-

694

-

(7)

1,043

2012

£000

640 

672

- 

- 

1,494

1,312

The directors propose the payment of a final dividend for 2013 of 9.0p (2012 – 7.3p) per ordinary share, payable 
on 24 April 2014 to shareholders on the register at 21 March 2014.  The cost of the proposed dividend, based 
on the number of shares in issue as at 7 March 2014, is £961,000 (2012 - £779,000).

Earnings per share is calculated by dividing the profit after tax for the period by the weighted average number 
of shares in issue for the period, these figures being as follows:

Earnings used in basic and diluted EPS, being profit after tax

Adjustments:

Amortisation of intangibles

Contingent consideration treated as remuneration (note 12)

Exceptional expenses (note 11)

Tax relating to above adjustments

Adjusted earnings used in adjusted EPS

Weighted average number of ordinary shares of 1p each

Potentially dilutive shares

Earnings per share

Basic

Basic and diluted

Adjusted – basic but after the adjustments in the table above

Adjusted – basic and diluted after the adjustments in the table above

2013

£000

2,665

898

-

691

(244)

4,010

2012

£000

362

731

2,834

-

(185)

3,742

Number

Number

(000s)

(000s)

10,675

125

10,800

10,671

121

10,792

25.0p

24.7p

37.6p

37.1p

3.4p

3.4p

35.1p

34.7p

The adjustments above have been made in order to provide a clearer picture of the trading performance of the 
Group.  

In calculating diluted earnings per share, the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue is adjusted 
to assume conversion of all dilutive potential ordinary shares.  The Group has one category of potentially 
dilutive ordinary share, being those share options granted to employees where the exercise price is less than 
the average price of the Company’s ordinary shares during the period.

44

45

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

11 

Exceptional expenses 

12  

Business combinations (continued)

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Legal and professional fees of £571,000 were incurred in relation to the acquisition of the Datapoint 
companies in September 2013. Redundancy costs of £120,000 have been incurred as a result of synergies 
achieved following the acquisition. These costs, totalling £691,000, have been shown as exceptional expenses 
in the income statement as they are not normal operating expenses.

Business combinations 

12 
 On 13 September 2013 the Company acquired the entire share capital of Datapoint Customer Solutions 
Limited, Datapoint Global Services Limited and Datapoint Communications Limited at the following 
provisional aggregate valuations:

Purchase consideration

Cash 

Assets and liabilities acquired 

Tangible fixed assets

Trade and other receivables

Cash

Trade and other payables

Customer relationships

Deferred tax on customer relationships

Deferred tax asset relating to historic tax losses

Total assets and liabilities acquired

Fair value adjustment (see below)

Net assets and liabilities acquired

Goodwill

Cash flows arising from the acquisition were as follows: 

Purchase consideration settled in cash

Direct acquisition costs (note 11)

Cash balances acquired

£000

3,500

119

1,915

3

(6,314)

(4,277)

3,695

(776)

1,065

(293)

117

(176)

3,676

£000

(3,500)

(571)

3

(4,068)

The Datapoint companies were acquired to complement and extend the Group’s existing offerings of 
telecommunications and data services and enable further cross-selling to and from other Group operations, 
as further described in the Strategic report. The goodwill is attributable to the cross-selling opportunities and 
cost synergies that are expected to be achieved from sharing the expertise and resource of Maintel with that 
of Datapoint and vice versa. 

The customer relationships are estimated to have a useful life of six years based on the directors’ experience 
of comparable contracts and are therefore amortised over that period and are subject to an annual 
impairment review.  A deferred tax liability of £776,000 has been recognised above which is being credited to 
the income statement pro rata to the amortisation of the customer relationships. The amortisation charge in 
2013 is £180,000.  

The fair value adjustment relates to the inventories held by Datapoint at the date of acquisition, revalued to 
their fair market value.

The Trade and other receivables are stated at gross valuation, no provisions being made against them.

Since their acquisition, the Datapoint companies have contributed the following to the results of the Group 
before exceptional redundancy costs of £69,000 and management charges of £100,000:

Revenue

Profit before tax 

£000

3,805

205

It would not be meaningful or practicable to estimate the revenue or profit of the Datapoint companies for 
calendar year 2013, because prior to its acquisition by Maintel they were part of another group which levied 
different intragroup charges, had a different management structure from that under Maintel’s ownership and 
undertook a number of activities which have been terminated. 

In 2012, £2.834m was expensed in the income statement in respect of contingent consideration relating to the 
acquisition of Maintel Mobile.  

46

47

 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

13 

Intangible assets  

Cost

At 1 January 2012
Disposed of in the year

At 31 December 2012

Acquired in the year

At 31 December 2013

Amortisation and impairment

At 1 January 2012

Amortisation in the year

In respect of disposals in the year

At 31 December 2012

Amortisation in the year

At 31 December 2013

Net book value

At 31 December 2013

At 31 December 2012

Goodwill

£000

Customer
relationships

Computer
software

£000

£000

1,343

-

1,343

3,676

5,019

317

-

-

317

-

317

4,702

1,026

5,859

-

5,859

3,695

9,554

1,639

731

-

2,370

898

3,268

6,286

3,489

91

(91)

-

-

-

80

11

(91)

-

-

-

-

-

Total

£000

7,293

(91)

7,202

7,371

14,573

2,036

742

(91)

2,687

898

3,585

10,988

4,515

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Intangible assets (continued)  

13 
Amortisation charges for the year have been charged through administrative expenses in the statement of 
comprehensive income.

Goodwill

The carrying value of goodwill is allocated to the cash generating units as follows:

Network services division

Managed service and equipment division

Mobile division

2013

£000

202

3,949

551

4,702

2012

£000

202

273

551

1,026

Goodwill of £227,000 arising on the acquisition of Pinnacle Voice and Data Limited (since renamed Maintel 
Network Solutions Limited) in December 2005 was capitalised at 31 December 2005, as was the related 
deferred payment of £147,000 in 2006, the aggregate being subject to an annual impairment review which has 
resulted in no charge in 2013 (2012 - £Nil) and a carrying value of £202,000.  

Goodwill of £290,000 arose on the acquisition of District Holdings Limited in June 2006.  This is assessed for 
impairment at the date of each consolidated statement of financial position.  There has been no impairment of 
the goodwill in 2013 (2012 - £Nil) and the carrying value is £145,000. 

Goodwill of £128,000 arose on the Redstone acquisition in October 2010.  This is assessed for impairment at 
the date of each consolidated statement of financial position.  There has been no impairment of the goodwill 
in 2013 (2012 - £Nil) and the carrying value is £128,000. 

Goodwill of £551,000 arose on the Maintel Mobile acquisition in October 2011.  This is assessed for 
impairment at the date of each consolidated statement of financial position.  There has been no impairment of 
the goodwill in 2013 (2012 - £Nil) and the carrying value is £551,000. 

Goodwill of £3.676m arose on the Datapoint acquisition in September 2013.  This is assessed for impairment 
at the date of each consolidated statement of financial position.  There has been no impairment of the 
goodwill in 2013 (2012 - £Nil) so the carrying value is £3.676m. 

For the purposes of the impairment review of goodwill, the net present value of the projected future cash 
flows of the relevant cash generating unit are compared with the carrying value, and with historical cash 
flows for the cash generating unit.  Projected operating margins for this purpose are based on a five year 
horizon and 3% rate of growth, and a discount rate of 10% is applied to the resultant projected cash flows; 
the discount rate is based on conventional capital asset pricing model inputs. Sensitivity analysis using 
reasonable variations in the assumptions shows no indication of impairment.

£195,000 (gross) of the Goodwill in the balance sheet of Maintel Europe Limited is eligible for tax relief, with 
relief being claimed against £10,000 of amortisation in 2013 (2012 - £10,000), leaving a net balance of £165,000 
available for future tax relief.

Fully amortised intangibles with a combined cost of £1.074m relating to the District Holdings Limited and 
Callmaster Limited acquisitions are included within intangibles and are still used within the business.

48

49

 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

Subsidiaries 

14 
The Group consists of Maintel Holdings Plc and its subsidiary undertakings, including several which did not 
trade during the year.  The following were the principal subsidiary undertakings at the end of the year and 
each has been included in the consolidated financial statements:

Maintel Europe Limited 
Maintel Voice and Data Limited
Maintel Mobile Limited (previously Totility Limited) 
Datapoint Customer Solutions Limited
Datapoint Global Services Limited 
Datapoint Communications Limited

Each company is wholly owned and, other than Datapoint Communications Limited which is incorporated in 
the Republic of Ireland, is incorporated in England and Wales.  

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

15 

Property, plant and equipment

Leasehold
improvements

Office	and
computer
equipment

Motor
Vehicles

£000

£000

£000

Cost or valuation
At 1 January 2012

Additions

Disposals

At 31 December 2012

Additions

On acquisition of Datapoint 

Disposals

At 31 December 2013

Depreciation

At 1 January 2012

Provided in year

Disposals

At 31 December 2012

Provided in year

On acquisition of Datapoint

Disposals 

At 31 December 2013

Net book value

At 31 December 2013

At 31 December 2012

137

23

-

160

7

325

-

492

87

25

-

112

33

312

-

457

37

48

908

93

(31)

970

82

956

(83)

1,925

734

99

(31)

802

97

886

(83)

1,702

221

168

-

-

-

-

-

64

-

64

-

-

-

-

5

28

-

33

31

-

Total

£000

1,045

116

(31)

1,130

89

1,345

(83)

2,481

821

124

(31)

914

135

1,226

(83)

2,192

289

216

50

51

 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

16 

Inventories

Maintenance stock
Stock held for resale 

2013
£000

640

205

845

2012
£000

578

114

692

Cost of inventories recognised as an expense

3,829

4,144

Provisions of £48,000 were made against the maintenance stock in 2013, (2012 - £47,000), with no reversal 
of provisions having been made in either year.  

17 

Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables

Other receivables

Prepayments and accrued income

All amounts shown above fall due for payment within one year.  

18 

Trade and other payables

Trade payables

Other tax and social security

Accruals

Other payables

Deferred managed service income

Other deferred income 

Borrowings

2013
£000

5,721

10

3,230

8,961

2013

£000

2,819

1,325

2,233

575

6,688

571

1,000

2012
£000

3,997

11

1,785

5,793

2012

£000

2,421

936

1,618

416

3,780

32

-

15,211

9,203

Deferred managed service income relates to the unearned element of managed service revenue that 
has been invoiced but not yet recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
Other deferred income relates to other amounts invoiced but not yet recognised in the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

19	

Borrowings

Non-current bank loan - secured

Current bank loan - secured

2013
£000

1,750

1,000

2,750

2012
£000

-

-

-

The bank loan is secured by a fixed and floating charge over the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries. 
Interest is payable at a variable rate of 3.05% per annum over LIBOR. The loan was drawn in September 2013 
and is repayable in quarterly instalments over a 3 year period, the first instalment of £250,000 having been 
paid in December 2013.  The directors consider that there is no material difference between the book value 
and fair value of the loan.

The Group has a £1.0m overdraft facility with Lloyds Bank plc which expires on 31 August 2014, which was not 
drawn upon as at 31 December 2013.

20 

Deferred taxation 

Net liability at 1 January 2012
(Credit)/charge to consolidated  
statement of comprehensive 
income

Net liability at 31 December 2012

Liability established against 

intangible assets acquired

during the year

Asset relating to Datapoint tax losses

Charge/(credit) to consolidated 

statement of comprehensive 

income

Net liability at 31 December 2013

Property,
plant and
equipment
£000

7

(8)

(1)

-

-

4

3

Intangible
assets
£000

705

(111)

594

776

-

Tax
losses
£000

-

-

-

-

(1,065)

Other
£000

(15)

3

(12)

Total
£000

697

(116)

581

-

-

776

(1,065)

(149)

1,221

-

(1,065)

2

(10)

(143)

149

The deferred tax liability represents (a) a liability established under IFRS on the recognition of an intangible 
asset in relation to the Maintel Mobile and Datapoint acquisitions, and (b) the amount of depreciation provided 
in the accounts in excess of the tax value of capital allowances claimed, and is calculated using the tax rates 
at which the liabilities are expected to reverse. 

52

53

 
 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

Deferred taxation (continued)

20 
The deferred tax asset predominantly relates to the anticipated use in the future of tax losses within the 
Datapoint companies which were acquired during the year, based on estimates of those companies’ future 
profitability and relevant tax rates.  A change in tax rates in the future would increase or decrease the value of 
this asset.

The asset relating to the use of tax losses is based on the directors’ judgment of a range of factors influencing 
their anticipated use. A further undiscounted deferred tax asset of £2.5m (2012 - £Nil) relating to tax losses 
has not been recognised on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence that the asset will be recoverable; 
use of these unrecognised losses would be increased by the Datapoint companies making more than the 
anticipated future profits and/or an increase in corporate tax rates. 

Changes in tax rates and factors affecting the future tax charge 
As a result of the Finance Bill 2013 enacted on 2 July 2013 the rate of income tax has been reduced to 21% for 
periods beginning after 1 April 2014 and again to 20% for periods beginning after 1 April 2015.  Accordingly, 
deferred tax balances as at 31 December 2013 have been recognised at 21%, as they are expected to reverse 
materially before 1 April 2015.

Financial instruments 

21 
The Group’s financial assets and liabilities mainly comprise cash, borrowings, trade and other receivables 
and trade and other payables, with smaller balances being recorded as other debtors and other creditors.

Current financial assets

Trade receivables

Cash and cash equivalents

Other receivables

Current financial liabilities

Trade payables

Other payables

Secured bank loan

Loans and receivables

2013

£000

5,721

544

10

6,275

2012

£000

3,997

1,941

11

5,949

Financial liabilities measured at 
amortised cost

2013
£000

2,819

575

1,000

4,394

2012
£000

2,421

416

-

2,837

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Financial instruments (continued)

21 
The maximum credit risk for each of the above is the carrying value stated above. The main risks arising 
from the Group’s operations are credit risk, currency risk and interest rate risk, however other risks are also 
considered below.

Credit risk
Management has a credit policy in place and the exposure to credit risk is monitored on an ongoing basis.  
Credit evaluations are performed on customers as deemed necessary based on, inter alia, the nature of the 
prospect and size of order.  The Group does not require collateral in respect of financial assets.

At the reporting date, the largest exposure other than cash was represented by the carrying value of trade 
and other receivables, against which £149,000 is provided at 31 December 2013 (2012 - £136,000).  The 
provision represents an estimate of potential bad debt, goodwill credits and additional costs to completion to 
be incurred in respect of the year end trade receivables, a review having been undertaken of each such year 
end receivable.  The largest individual receivable included in trade and other receivables at 31 December 2013 
owed the Group £2.3m including VAT (2012 - £1.8m).  

The movement on the provision is as follows:  

Provision at start of year

Provision used

Additional provision made

Provision at end of year

2013
£000

136

(44)

57

149

2012
£000

139

(60)

57

136

A debt is considered to be bad when it is deemed irrecoverable, for example when the debtor goes into 
liquidation, or when a credit or partial credit is issued to the customer for goodwill or commercial reasons.

The Group had past due trade receivables not requiring impairment as follows:

Up to 30 days overdue

31-60 days overdue

More than 60 days overdue

2013
£000

1,653

161

(125)

1,689

2012
£000

1,289

302

(35)

1,556

Cash and cash equivalents at 2013 and 2012 year ends represented short term deposits with Lloyds Bank plc.

54

55

  
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

21 

Financial instruments (continued)

22 

Share capital 

Foreign currency risk
The functional currency of all Group companies is Sterling apart from Datapoint Communications Limited, 
one of the Datapoint companies acquired during 2013, which is registered in and operates from the Republic 
of Ireland and whose functional currency is the Euro.  The consolidation of the results of that company is 
therefore affected by movements in the Euro/Sterling exchange rate.  In addition, all Datapoint companies 
invoice certain customers and are invoiced by certain suppliers in Euros or Dollars, and those transactions 
are affected by exchange rate movements during the year.

Interest rate risk
The Group has historically had no borrowings, but borrowed £3.0m and secured a £1.0m overdraft facility to 
finance the acquisition of the Datapoint companies.  The interest rate charged is related to LIBOR and bank 
rate respectively and would therefore change as those rates changed.  If interest rates had been 0.5% higher/
lower since the loan was drawn in September 2013, and all other variables were held constant, the Group’s 
profit for the year would have been £4,000 higher/lower due to the variable interest element on the loan.

The Group invests its surplus cash in short term bank deposits at prevailing rates of interest.  The Group’s 
interest income (£2,000 in 2013, and £9,000 in 2012) is therefore dependent on those prevailing rates, which 
were at a historically low level during 2013 and 2012.

Liquidity risk
The Group’s main financial liabilities are trade payables, which fall due and are typically paid in accordance 
with their contractual terms which are typically 30 days; payment of these is dependent on the Group’s 
liquidity, which in turn is dependent on management of the Group’s working capital and this will continue to 
be optimised where possible.

Market risk
As noted above, the interest earned on short term deposits is dependent on the prevailing rates of interest 
from time to time. 

Fair value
Other than £1.75m of the bank loan which is repayable between one and two years, all of the Group’s financial 
instruments are due to mature within one year and are subject to normal commercial credit and interest rate 
risk.  There is no significant difference between the carrying amounts shown in the consolidated statement of 
financial position and the fair values of the Group’s financial instruments.  

Capital risk management
The Group’s objective when managing capital is to safeguard its ability to continue as a going concern in 
order to provide returns to shareholders.  Capital comprises all components of equity – share capital, capital 
redemption reserve, share premium and retained earnings.  Typically returns to shareholders will be funded 
from retained profits, however in order to take advantage of the opportunities available to it from time to time, 
the Group will consider the appropriateness of issuing shares, repurchasing shares, amending its dividend 
policy and borrowing, as is deemed appropriate in the light of such opportunities and changing economic 
circumstances.

Authorised
17,571,840 ordinary shares of 1p each

Allotted, called up and fully paid
10,674,578 (2012 - 10,674,578) ordinary shares of 1p each

2013
£000

2012
£000

176

107

176

107  

Reserves

23 
Share capital, share premium and retained earnings represent balances conventionally attributed to those 
descriptions.

The capital redemption reserve represents the nominal value of ordinary shares repurchased and cancelled 
by the Company and is undistributable in normal circumstances.

The Group having no regulatory capital or similar requirements, its primary capital management focus is on 
maximising earnings per share and therefore shareholder return.

The directors propose the payment of a final dividend in respect of 2013 of 9.0p per share; this dividend is not 
provided for in these financial statements.

Share Incentive Plan

24 
The Company established the Maintel Holdings Plc Share Incentive Plan (“SIP”) in 2006. The SIP is open to 
all employees with at least 6 months’ continuous service with a Group company, and allows employees to 
subscribe for existing shares in the Company out of their gross salary.  The shares are bought by the SIP 
on the open market. The employees own the shares from the date of purchase, but must continue to be 
employed by a Group company and hold their shares within the SIP for 5 years to benefit from the full tax 
benefits of the plan.

Share based payments

25 
On 18 May 2009 the directors of the Company approved the adoption of the Maintel Holdings Plc 2009 
Option Plan.

The Remuneration Committee’s report on page 22 describes the options granted over the Company’s ordinary 
shares.  

In aggregate, options are outstanding over 3.1% of the current issued share capital. The number of shares 
under option and the vesting and exercise prices may be adjusted at the discretion of the Remuneration 
Committee in the event of a variation in the issued share capital of the Company.  

56

57

 
 
 
Notes forming part of the financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2013

26 

Operating leases

As at 31 December 2013, the Group had future minimum rentals payable under non-cancellable operating 
leases as set out below:

2013
Land and
buildings
£000

2012
Land and
buildings
£000

2013
Other
£000

The total future minimum lease payments are due as follow:

Not later than one year

Later than one year and not later than five years

534

317

851

82

168

250

164

118

282

2012
Other
£000

93

19

112

The commitment relating to land and buildings is in respect of the Group’s London, Dublin and Falkirk offices.  
The remaining commitment relates to other property, contract hired motor vehicles (which are typically 
replaced on a 3 year rolling cycle), and licencing of billing software. 

27 

Related party transactions

Transactions with key management personnel
The Group has a related party relationship with its directors and executive officers.  The remuneration of the 
individual directors is disclosed in the Remuneration report. The remuneration of the directors and other key 
members of management during the year was as follows:

 Short term employment benefits

 Contributions to defined contribution pension scheme

2013
 £000

 1,132

 20

1,152

2012
 £000

 1,164

 19

1,183

Transactions between the Company and its subsidiary undertakings
Transactions between Group companies are not disclosed as they have been eliminated on consolidation.

Other transactions   
The Group traded during the year with A J McCaffery and Maybank Marketing, a company indirectly associated 
with A J McCaffery.  Transactions in 2013 and 2012 amounted in aggregate to less than £1,500 in each case.  

The Group traded during the year with The Imaginarium Studios Limited, a company in which J D S Booth 
is a director and shareholder and N J Taylor was a director until April 2013. Imaginarium purchased 
telecommunication services from the Group in the year amounting to £5,011 net of VAT (2012 - £6,181), of 
which £348 (2012 - £376) was owed at the year end and is included in trade debtors.   

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Related party transactions (continued)

27 
The Company paid fees of £44,000 plus £2,000 expenses to Hopton Hill Limited, a company of which N J Taylor 
is a shareholder and director, in respect of consultancy services provided to the Company during the year in 
relation to the acquisition of the Datapoint companies.

The Group paid commissions in the year to J A Spens, a shareholder in the Company, amounting to £10,141 
net of VAT (2012 - £14,719), of which £Nil (2012 - £Nil) was owed at the year end. These commissions relate to 
revenues earned by the Group following an introduction to a customer by Mr Spens.

The Group established a revolving credit facility of £1.5m in October 2011 with J D S Booth, the Group’s 
chairman, however no monies were drawn against this and the facility expired on 30 June 2013.

Accounting estimates and judgements 

28 
In the process of applying the Group’s accounting policies, management has made various estimates, 
assumptions and judgements, with those likely to contain the greatest degree of uncertainty being 
summarised below.

Impairment
The Group assesses at each reporting date whether there is an indication that its intangible assets may 
be impaired.  In undertaking such an impairment review, estimates are required in determining an asset’s 
recoverable amount; those used are shown in note 13.  These estimates include the asset’s future cash flows 
and an appropriate discount to reflect the time value of money.  The directors do not consider that in the 
normal course of events there is a likelihood that an impairment charge would be required. 

Fair value of intangible assets acquired in business combinations
The valuation of intangible and certain other assets and liabilities on their acquisition requires management 
estimates and judgements similar to those used in assessing their impairment as described above. At 31 
December 2013 the directors have also had to estimate the value of tax losses attributable to the Datapoint 
companies that might be used against future profits, shown in notes 12 and 20, which involves estimating the 
companies’ profitability and future tax rates.

Inventory valuation
Where inventories are valued at net realisable value, parts which are not individually priced to market rates 
are subject to provisioning.  Such provisioning may prove to be over or understated, however any divergence 
from the estimates used is unlikely to be significant in aggregate.  

Receivables
Receivables are recognised to the extent that they are judged recoverable.  The directors believe that the 
current provision for the impairment of receivables is adequate based on their historic experience and current 
knowledge of customers and amounts due.

Business combination and asset purchase consideration
In certain circumstances, there may be a contingency to the consideration paid on the acquisition of a 
company or business, and in such cases the directors have to use judgement on the likely outcome.  

58

59

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company balance sheet at 31 December 2013 - 
prepared under UK GAAP

Notes forming part of the Company financial statements 
at 31 December 2013

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Fixed assets
Investment in subsidiaries

Current assets 
Debtors

Cash at bank and in hand

Creditors: amounts falling due 
within	one	year

Net current liabilities

Non-current liabilities
Borrowings

Total assets less current liabilities

Capital and reserves

Called up share capital

Share premium

Capital redemption reserve

Profit and loss account

Shareholders’ funds

Note

2013
£000

2013
£000

2012
£000

193

12

205

2,398

5

6

7

8

9

10

10

10

821

3

824

3,372

12,831

(2,548)

(1,750)

8,533

107

1,028

31

7,367

8,533

2012
£000

9,331

(2,193)

-

7,138

107

1,028

31

5,972

7,138

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board on 7 March 2014 and were 
signed on its behalf by:

W D Todd
Director

The notes on pages 61 to 65 form part of these financial statements.

Accounting policies 

1 
The principal accounting policies are summarised below; they have been applied consistently throughout the 
year and the preceding year.

(a) 

Basis of preparation

The financial statements of the Company are presented as required by the Companies Act 2006.  As permitted 
by that Act, the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards 
in the United Kingdom and on the historical cost basis.  

(b) Investments

Investments in subsidiary undertakings are stated at cost unless, in the opinion of the directors, there has 
been impairment to their value, in which case they are written down to their recoverable amount.

The investor recognises income from the investment only to the extent that the investor receives distributions 
from accumulated profits of the investee arising after the date of acquisition. Distributions received in excess 
of such profits are regarded as a recovery of investment and are recognised as a reduction of the cost of 
investment.

(c) Taxation

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, together with any adjustments to 
tax payable in respect of previous years.

(d) Dividends

Dividends unpaid at the balance sheet date are only recognised as a liability at that date to the extent that 
they are appropriately authorised and are no longer at the discretion of the Company.  Proposed but unpaid 
dividends that do not meet these criteria are disclosed in the notes to the accounts.

(e) Contingent consideration

Where payment of contingent consideration in respect of a business combination or acquisition of business 
and assets is dependent on the continued employment by the Company of the seller(s), the estimated 
contingent consideration is pro rated in accordance with the period over which it is calculated.

Employees

2 
 The directors’ remuneration is shown in note 5 of the consolidated financial statements.

Profit	for	the	financial	period	

3	
The Company has taken advantage of the exemption under S408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not 
presented its own profit and loss account in these financial statements.  The profit for the year of the 
Company, after tax and before dividends paid, was £2,889,000 (2012 – £3,346,000).

60

61

 
Notes forming part of the Company financial statements 
at 31 December 2013 (continued)

4 

Dividends paid on ordinary shares

Final 2011, paid 26 April 2012 – 6.0p per share

Interim 2012, paid 5 October 2012 – 6.3p per share

Final 2012, paid 25 April 2013 – 7.3p per share

Interim 2013, paid 11 October 2013 – 6.7p per share

2013

£000

-  

-  

779

715

2012

£000

640  

672

-  

-  

1,494

1,312

The directors propose the payment of a final dividend for 2013 of 9.0p (2012 – 7.3p) per ordinary share, 
payable on 24 April 2014 to shareholders on the register at 21 March 2014.

5                Investment in subsidiaries

Cost 

At 31 December 2012

Additions in the period

At 31 December 2013

Provision for impairment

At 31 December 2012 and 31 December 2013

Net book value

At 31 December 2013

At 31 December 2012

Shares in
subsidiary
undertakings
£000

9,411

3,500

12,911

80

12,831

9,331

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Investment in subsidiaries (continued)  

5 
On 13 September 2013 the Company acquired the entire share capital of Datapoint Customer Solutions 
Limited, Datapoint Global Services Limited and Datapoint Communications Limited (together “Datapoint”) for 
a consideration of £3.5m, paid in cash.

The following were the principal subsidiary undertakings at the end of the year:

Maintel Europe Limited 
Maintel Voice and Data Limited
Maintel Mobile Limited (previously Totility Limited) 
Datapoint Customer Solutions Limited
Datapoint Global Services Limited 
Datapoint Communications Limited

Each company is wholly owned and, other than Datapoint Communications Limited which is incorporated in 
the Republic of Ireland, is incorporated in England and Wales.  

6 

Debtors

Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings

Other debtors

Prepayments and accrued income

Corporation tax recoverable  

All amounts shown under debtors fall due for payment within one year.  

7               Creditors

Amounts due to subsidiary undertakings

Trade creditors

Accruals and deferred income

Borrowings

2013

£000

807

4

2

8

821

2013

£000

2,351

4

17

1,000

3,372

2012

£000

170 

2

2

19

193

2012

£000

1,488

  2

908

-

2,398

62

63

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Notes forming part of the Company financial statements 
at 31 December 2013 (continued)

 8	

Borrowings

Non-current bank loans - secured

Current bank loans - secured

2013

£000

1,750

1,000

2,750

2012

£000

-

-

-

The secured bank loan is secured by a fixed and floating charge over the assets of the Company and its 
subsidiaries. Interest is payable at a variable rate of 3.05% per annum over LIBOR. The loan was drawn 
in September 2013 and is repayable in quarterly instalments over a 3 year period, the first instalment of 
£250,000 having been paid in December 2013.  The directors consider that there is no material difference 
between the book value and fair value of the loan.

The Company has a £1.0m overdraft facility with Lloyds Bank plc which expires on 31 August 2014, which was 
not drawn upon as at 31 December 2013.

9 

Share capital 

2013

£000

2012

£000

Authorised

17,571,840 ordinary shares of 1p each

176

176

Allotted, called up and fully paid

10,674,578 (2012 - 10,674,578) ordinary shares of 1p each

107

107

The Remuneration Committee’s report on page 22 of the consolidated accounts of Maintel Holdings Plc 
describes the options granted over the Company’s ordinary shares.

Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

10 

Reconciliation of movement in shareholders’ funds

At 1 January 2012  

Profit for year

Dividends paid

Issue of new ordinary shares

At 31 December 2012  

Profit for year

Dividends paid

Share
capital
£000

107

Share
premium
£000

1,013

-          

-          

  -

107 

-          

-

-   

-

15

1,028

-   

-   

At 31 December 2013

   107 

1,028

Capital
redemption
reserve
£000

31

  -   

-   

-  

31

  -   

-   

31

Retained
earnings
£000

3,938

3,346

Total
£000

5,089

3,346

(1,312)

(1,312)

- 

5,972

15 

7,138

2,889

(1,494)

7,367

2,889

(1,494)

8,533

Related party transactions

11 
The Company established a revolving credit facility of £1.5m in October 2011 with J D S Booth, the Group’s 
chairman, however no monies were drawn against this and the facility expired on 30 June 2013.

Transactions with other Group companies have not been disclosed as permitted by FRS8, as the Group 
companies are wholly owned.

Contingent liability

12 
On the drawdown of the loan during the year, and the signing of the overdraft facility, the Company entered 
into a cross guarantee with its subsidiary undertakings in favour of Lloyds Bank plc.

64

65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

8. That the Company is, pursuant to Section 701 of the Act, hereby generally and unconditionally authorised
     to make market purchases (within the meaning of Section 693) of up to a maximum of 1,600,119 ordinary
     shares of 1p each in its capital (representing 14.99% of the Company’s current issued ordinary share
     capital), provided that:

     (a) the minimum price, exclusive of any expenses, which may be paid for an ordinary share is 1p; 

     (b) the maximum price, exclusive of any expenses, which may be paid for each ordinary share is not more  
     than 5% above the average published market value for an ordinary share as derived from the London Stock  
     Exchange Alternative Investment Market for the five business days immediately preceding the day on which  
     such share is contracted to be purchased; and

     (c) the authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or
     15 months after the passing of this resolution (if earlier), except in relation to the purchase of any ordinary  
     shares the contract for which was concluded before the date of expiry of the authority and which would or
     might be completed wholly or partly after such date.

By order of the Board

W D Todd
Company Secretary
21 March 2014 

Registered	office
61 Webber St
London SE1 0RF

Notice of annual general meeting
(the following does not form part of the statutory financial statements)

Notice is hereby given that the annual general meeting of Maintel Holdings Plc (“the Company”) will be held at 
its offices at 61 Webber Street, London SE1 0RF, on 17 April 2014, at 9.30 am, for the following purposes:

Ordinary business
To consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions which will be proposed as ordinary 
resolutions:

1. To receive and adopt the financial statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2013,  
     together with the report of the directors and the independent auditors’ report thereon.

2. To approve the report of the Remuneration Committee for the year ended 31 December 2013.

3. To re-elect Mr A McCaffery who is retiring as a director in accordance with Article 92.1 of the  
     company’s Articles of Association and who, being eligible, offers himself for re-election.  

4.  To re-elect Mr J D S Booth who is retiring as a non-executive director in accordance with good  
     corporate governance practice, having been a director for more than nine years and who, being  
     eligible, offers himself for re-election. 

5.  To re-appoint BDO LLP as auditors of the Company to hold office from the conclusion of the meeting  
     to the conclusion of the next meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company, and to  
     authorise the directors to agree their remuneration.

Special business
To consider and, if thought fit, to pass the following resolutions, of which resolution 6 will be proposed as an 
ordinary resolution and resolutions 7 and 8 as special resolutions:

6. That the directors be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised pursuant to Section  
     551 of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”) to exercise all powers of the Company to allot and to  
     make offers or agreements to allot relevant securities up to a maximum aggregate nominal amount of
     £35,581, provided that this authority shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of
     the Company or 15 months after the passing of this resolution (if earlier) unless renewed or extended
     prior to such time, except that the Company may before such expiry make an offer or agreement which
     would or might require the relevant securities to be allotted after such expiry and the directors may allot
     relevant securities in pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not
     expired.  This authority is in substitution for all subsisting authorities to the extent unused.

7.  That, subject to the passing of the previous resolution, the directors be and are hereby empowered
     pursuant to Section 570 of the Act to allot equity securities as defined in Section 560 of the Act for cash as
     if Section 561 of the Act did not apply to any such allotment, provided that this power shall be limited:

     (a) to the allotment of equity securities in connection with a rights issue or other pre-emptive issue in  
     favour of shareholders; and 

     (b) to the allotment (otherwise than pursuant to sub-paragraph (a) above) of equity securities up to an   
     aggregate nominal value of £10,674.

     This power shall expire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company or 15 months  
     after the passing of this resolution (if earlier) unless renewed or extended prior to such time except that  
     the Company may before such expiry make an offer or agreement which would or might require the
     relevant securities to be allotted after such expiry and the directors may allot equity securities in
     pursuance of such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.

66

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Annual Report & Accounts 
Maintel Holdings Plc 2013

Notice of annual general meeting (continued)

Notes
1. A member of the Company entitled to attend and vote at the meeting may appoint one or more proxies to 
attend, speak and vote at the meeting instead of him/her.  A proxy need not be a member of the Company. 
A member of the Company may appoint more than one proxy provided each proxy is appointed to exercise 
the rights attached to different shares.  A member may not appoint more than one proxy to exercise the rights 
attached to any one share.  Appointment of a proxy will not preclude a member from attending and voting 
at the meeting.  A form of proxy is enclosed which you are invited to complete and return.  To be effective, it 
must be completed and be received at the offices of the Company’s Registrar not later than 6.00 pm on 14 
April 2014.  Completion and return of the form of proxy will not preclude shareholders from attending and 
voting in person at the meeting.

2. The Company, pursuant to Regulation 41 of the Uncertified Securities Regulations 2001, specifies that 
only those shareholders registered in the register of members of the Company as at 6.00 pm on 14 April 
2014, shall be entitled to attend or vote at the aforesaid general meeting in respect of the number of shares 
registered in their name at that time (or in the event that the meeting is adjourned, 48 hours before the time 
of the adjourned meeting).  Changes to entries on the relevant register of securities after 6.00 pm on 14 April 
2014 shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to attend and vote at the meeting.

3. In order to facilitate voting by corporate representatives at the meeting, arrangements will be put in 
place at the meeting so that (i) if a corporate member has appointed the chairman of the meeting as its 
corporate representative with instructions to vote on a poll in accordance with the directions of all of the 
other corporate representatives for that member at the meeting, then on a poll those corporate 
representatives will give voting directions to the chairman and the chairman will vote (or withhold a vote) 
as corporate representative in accordance with those directions; and (ii) if more than one corporate 
representative for the same corporate member attends the meeting but the corporate member has not 
appointed the chairman of the meeting as its corporate representative, a designated corporate representative 
will be nominated, from those corporate representatives who attend, who will vote on a poll and the other 
corporate representatives will give voting directions to that designated corporate representative. Corporate 
members are referred to the guidance issued by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators on 
proxies and corporate representatives – www.icsa.org.uk – for further details of this procedure. The guidance 
includes a sample form of representation letter if the chairman is being appointed as described in (i) above.

68

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61 Webber Street
London
SE1 0RF

09

www.maintel.co.uk