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Purplebricks Group plc

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FY2016 Annual Report · Purplebricks Group plc
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Purplebricks Group plc
Annual Report
2016

CONTENTS

Company information 

Highlights 

Chairman’s statement 

Strategic report 

Local Property Experts case studies and productivity 

Directors’ report 

Directors’ remuneration report 

Independent auditor’s report to the members of Purplebricks Group plc 

Statement of comprehensive income 

Statement of financial position 

Statement of changes in equity 

Statement of cash flows 

Notes to the financial statements 

05

06

08

10

18

26

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   3

COMPANY INFORMATION

Directors 

M P D Bruce
N R Cartwright
W E Whitehorn
P R M Pindar
N S Discombe

Registered company number 

08047368

Registered and head office 

Suite 7
Cranmore Place
Cranmore Drive
Shirley
West Midlands
B90 4RZ

Solicitor to the Company 

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
3 More London Riverside
London
SE1 2AQ

Auditor to the Company 

Grant Thornton UK LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor
Colmore Plaza
20 Colmore Circus
Birmingham
B4 6AT

Nomad/Broker 

Zeus Capital Ltd
41 Conduit Street
London
W1S 2YQ

I would like to thank our shareholders for the 
support and encouragement we receive from 
them. They have invested in creating a strong 
and thriving business that is changing the estate 
agency industry forever and for the better.

Michael Bruce
CEO

4   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   5

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS

Financials

Revenue growth 
+448%
to £18.6m
(2015: £3.4m)

Gross profit 
+427%
to £10.6m
(2015: £2.0m)

£30.5 m
cash
(2015: £4.6m)

Average revenue
per instruction
£901

(2015: £703)

Adjusted EBITDA1 
(£9.7m)

(2015: (£5.3m))

Adjusted EBITDA1
pre marketing costs
£3.2m

Loss before tax
increased to
(£11.9m)

(2015: (£1.8m))

(2015: (£5.4m))

The basic and diluted loss
per share increased to

(£0.12)
(2015: (£0.03))

Operationals

Local Property Experts 
increased by
159%
to 205 (2015: 79)

Every Local Property 
Expert to be granted
share options
on a long term
incentive scheme

Sold and
completed on
£2.766 bn
(2015: £832m)

Current SSTC
pipeline
£1.697 bn

Ended year with
2,827
instructions
in April 2016

Current monthly rate
of sales agreed
2,386
(May 2016)

Conversion from 
instruction to sale 
agreed over

77%

2

Average period
to exchange of
contracts
56 days3

Online market share 
increased to
62%
(2015: 41%)

4

Most reviewed estate 
agent in the UK with over
5,7005
reviews on Trustpilot

Currently over
1.23 m
monthly visits to our 
website (2015: 0.4m)

Intention to launch 
Purplebricks in
Australia
a £3.3bn market

1Defined by the Group as (loss)/profit before tax, depreciation, amortisation, net non recurring fund raising / IPO costs and share based payment charges.
2Percentage against all instructed properties April 2015 - March 2016. This may represent the minimum conversion assuming those properties still on the market sell hereafter.
3Source - My Home Move (the largest conveyancing firm in the UK) Period from contracts issued to exchange of contracts.
4Period week ending 5 June 2016.
5Period ending 12 June 2016.

Financial Highlights
•  Revenue increased to £18.6m (2015:£3.4m) by 448%
•  Gross profit increased to £10.6m (2015:£2.0m) by 427%
•  The cash balance increased to £30.5m (2015:£4.6m)
•  Average revenue per instruction was £901 (2015:£703)
•  Adjusted EBITDA1 losses narrowed in the second half of the year by 38%
•  Adjusted EBITDA1 pre marketing costs increased to £3.2m (2015:£1.8m loss)
•  The loss before tax increased to £11.9m (2015:£5.4m)
•  The basic and diluted loss per share increased to £0.12 (2015 rebased2:£0.03)
•  The loss before tax as a percentage of revenue reduced to 64% (2015:160%)
•  The rebased adjusted EBITDA loss per share increased to £0.10 (2015:£0.03)

Operational Highlights
•  The number of Local Property Experts grew by 159% to 205 (2015:79) at the year end
•  Every Local Property Expert’s business to be granted share options on a long term incentive scheme
•  The value of property sold and completed by Purplebricks Group plc in the year was £2.766bn (2015:£0.832bn)
•  The pipeline of property sold subject to contract stood at £1.697bn
•  The Company recorded 2,827 instructions in April 2016 (April 2015:972)
•  The monthly run rate of sales agreed increased to 2,386 in May 2016
•  Conversion from instruction to sale was 77%
•  Average period from contracts issued to exchange of contracts was 56 days (Source: My Home Move)
•  Online market share increased to 62% (2015:41%)
•  Most reviewed estate agent in the UK with over 5,700 Trustpilot reviews
•  Monthly website visits has increased to 1.23m in April 2016 (April 2015:0.4m)
•  Announced intention to launch Purplebricks in Australia
•  Successful flotation on AIM on 17 December 2015
•  Launched Data Sales and Customer Support Unit in October 2015

Revenue 

Gross profit 

Gross profit % 

Loss before interest & tax 

Depreciation and amortisation 

Share based payment 

Fundraising costs 

Adjusted Earnings before interest, tax,
depreciation and amortisation 

2016 

2015 

£m 
H1 

7.2 

4.1 

56% 

(6.4) 

0.1 

0.3 

- 

£m 
H2 

11.4 

6.5 

57% 

(5.5) 

- 

0.3 

1.5 

£m 
H1 

0.8 

0.4 

54% 

(2.5) 

- 

- 

- 

£m 
H2 

2.6 

1.6 

62% 

(2.9) 

- 

0.1 

- 

2016 
£m 
FY 

18.6 

10.6 

57% 

(11.9) 

0.1 

0.6 

1.5 

2015
£m
FY

3.4

2.0

59%

(5.4)

-

0.1

-

(6.0) 

(3.7) 

(2.5) 

(2.8) 

(9.7) 

(5.3)

6   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   7

 
 
 
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
Paul Pindar

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
Paul Pindar

Whilst we are at the start of our 
journey as a Company listed on AIM, 
we can already see the evidence 
that our flotation has significantly 
raised the profile of our Company.

Summary

Our admission to the Alternative Investment Market in 
December 2015 marked the next chapter in Purplebricks’ 
development and growth. 

Whilst we are at the start of our journey as an AIM listed 
Company, we can already see the evidence that our 
flotation has significantly raised the profile of our Company, 
and the new money raised has enabled us to make 
important investments across all areas of our business.

During the year, we evolved from a regional footprint to a 
full national presence across the UK. Our strategy is 
focussed upon deepening this coverage across the UK to 
ensure we have an ‘ultra local’ presence through the 
recruitment of more Local Property Experts (LPEs). In this 
regard, I am delighted to report that we are ahead of our 
recruitment plan, closing our financial year with 205 LPEs, 
an increase of 159% over the corresponding year. This 
additional expertise will provide essential capacity to 
meet the burgeoning demand from our customers. More 
and more highly skilled estate agents are choosing 
Purplebricks Group plc because of our strong customer 
centric culture and full service offering.

We have continued to invest in high impact marketing 
and, as a consequence, we have built a national brand in 
just two years. Brand awareness is high and growing and 
we have sustained our reputation for ‘best in class’ 

customer service, notwithstanding our rapid growth. We 
actively encourage feedback from all of our customers 
and we are the most reviewed estate agency business in 
the UK as measured by independent review site 
Trustpilot. We are proud that we have sustained our 
rating of ‘Excellent’ with an average score of 9.4 out of 10, 
from over 5,700 customer reviews. The number of brand 
advocates is growing due entirely to the service that our 
customers are receiving, the number of sales we are 
achieving and as a result of the commitment and support 
we provide, right up until that important moving day.

Financials

Trading momentum has been strong throughout the year, 
with revenues of £18.6m representing an increase of 
448% on the prior year. This is a pleasing result given 
Purplebricks Group plc was a national agency for only the 
last 6 months of the year. As anticipated, we are reporting 
a loss for the full year, as a consequence of the considerable 
investment we have made across the business and the 
uplift in marketing costs when we moved to a national 
operation. However, the operating leverage of our low 
fixed cost business model is now becoming apparent with 
a 38% reduction in adjusted EBITDA losses in the second 
half of the year, compared to the first half. 

Net cash at the year end was £30.5m as a result of the 
fundraising activities undertaken and also the marked 
step up in revenue generation in our 4th quarter.

Net assets at 30 April 2016 were £28.0m (2015: £4.4m), 
with net current assets standing at £27.4m (2015: £4.2m).

business whilst maintaining our strong culture of 
customer service. 

The Company intends to use the proceeds of the 
fundraising to accelerate growth wherever possible as it 
seeks to be the market leader in what it sees as a 
transforming estate agency landscape.

All our operations are currently UK based and there is 
therefore no exposure to foreign currencies and 
associated exchange rate fluctuations. 

Australia

We have announced today our intention to launch the 
Purplebricks proposition in Australia, a £3.3bn market*.  
Our market research indicates that our compelling 
proposition of high quality customer service coupled with 
a competitive flat fee structure will appeal in a market 
where sellers are currently charged £5,900 (Aus $12,000) 
in addition to an average of £2,450 (Aus $5,000) for the 
cost of listing on portals and other related advertising.

We have recruited an Australian management team who 
will execute on our plans and report directly to our UK 
board. Similarly to the UK, we will launch regionally and 
adapt our offering should the need arise. Our maximum 
planned investment of £10m will be funded from existing 
cash resources over the next two years. We are very 
excited by the size of the market opportunity.

The Purplebricks Group plc Board has seen some 
changes this year as we restructured ahead of our IPO, 
with me becoming the Non-Executive Chairman, taking 
over from Nick Discombe who became Senior Non-
Executive Director. Our Board is supported by a very 
strong management team.

Dividend
As a young and fast growing Company with a substantial 
market opportunity, we intend to focus our financial 
resources on realising our potential in full. As we progress 
our strategy and our financial performance, we will look 
to move to a progressive dividend policy in future years.

The year ahead
The current year will be our first full year as a national 
operator, with all of the benefits of our investment in 
technology, marketing and our expanding LPE network 
which will flow through our operationally geared business 
model. We are ahead of plan on LPE recruitment, excited 
about the launch of our new marketing campaign and 
encouraged by the traction we are gaining from our new 
Data Sales Unit as a lead enquiry generator. The year has 
started well, our customers are enthused by our full 
service hybrid agency model, and we view the future with 
considerable optimism. 

Board and people

Our strong results would not have been possible without 
the enthusiasm and commitment shown by our 
colleagues this year. On behalf of the Board, I would like 
to thank them sincerely for their hard work in growing our 

Paul Pindar
Chairman
15 June 2016

8   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

*Source - IBIS Real Estate Services in Australia Industry Report - Industry composition.

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   9

STRATEGIC REPORT

Principal activity and strategy
The principal activity of the business is estate agency.

At the core of our strategy is a commitment to our 
customers and our people.

We will continue to offer an exceptional experience by:

•  selecting and training Local Property Experts that  
  enhance our culture and core values and have the  
  desire and motivation to build their own business 

•  building upon our market leading technology that helps  
  Local Property Experts be more productive and which  
  delivers a much more convenient, transparent and cost  
  effective service for our customers

•  creating marketing and advertising that interests,  
  engages and inspires consumers to want to book a free  
  valuation from Purplebricks and ensures that our  
  messaging is clear and transparent to enable  
  consumers to swiftly instruct us to sell their home;

•  building upon our customer service and product  
  offering by growing our Data Sales Unit and introducing  
  new products and services that are relevant to our    
  customers’ needs throughout their journey;

•  maintaining a progressive and fun working environment  
  where our people care about our customers, our brand  
  and our business and can grow personally and  
  professionally, and

•  building a strong, sustainable and profitable business,  
  which is respected by all stakeholders for its  
  professional conduct and making good on its promises

Our strategy for growth is based upon the above core 
commitments.

Increase our footprint of Local Property Experts
We are extremely privileged to have secured some of the 
best people in our industry who have a strong desire to 
be part of a business that is changing the way people 
think about estate agents and estate agency. They are 
passionate about customer experience, giving customers 
that “light bulb moment” where they have met an estate 
agent who has promised a service, delivered on that 
service, been available when they needed them, sold 
their house, supported them until they have moved out 
and saved them lots of money.

Our Local Property Experts are entrepreneurial, ambitious 
to grow their territory and to meet the demand which 
continues to grow for our hybrid offering. As a result we 

are accelerating our recruitment programme and 
increasing our footprint of experts across the UK in order 
to win significantly more share of instructions in local 
markets. We are finding that more and more talented, 
professional estate agents want to be part of what 
Purplebricks is seeking to achieve. The pool of applicants 
continues to grow and as a result the number of people 
suitable to represent the Purplebricks brand is getting 
bigger and bigger. Our main focus though is on 
maintaining that first class, culture driven quality of 
individual. We are pleased to report that the industry has 
a large number of high quality people to choose from.

Build upon our market leading technology
Bringing together first class Local Property Experts and 
industry leading technology is the foundation upon which 
the Purplebricks business has been created. We are very 
proud of our technology and indeed the work we are 
doing to introduce new and innovative features that set 
us apart from anyone else in the industry. The recent 
release of the Purplebricks App has proven remarkably 
successful. In only two months there have been more 
than 11,000 downloads by our selling customers. We are 
now working on a Purplebricks App for buyers that will 
make the whole process even more integrated, 
convenient, effective and transparent. We have already 
revolutionised the way sellers and buyers communicate 
throughout the process and continue to build on the 
work we have started.

In addition to over 10,000 advanced changes to our 
technology this year and 2,900 new features we are 
working on new, engaging, informative, supportive and 
integrated methods of enhancing the customer 
experience and making our Local Property Experts more 
productive. We are also focused on engaging ways of 
increasing revenue with targeted and timely technology 
driven cross sales opportunities. There are smarter, more 
effective ways of selling some products and services with 
the use of our technology platform.

We have increased our technology team and are starting 
to become a hub of technical interest for developers 
across the UK.  

Create engaging marketing and advertising
Advertising has always been a central element of the 
Purplebricks Group plc strategy. We continue to work 
hard to grow our brand and the progress in just two years 
has been outstanding. Purplebricks Group plc is currently 
leading front of mind awareness (amongst all estate 
agents) for people thinking of selling their home 

STRATEGIC REPORT
Continued

according to The Nursery, one of the UK’s leading 
independent research and planning agencies*.

product and service streams, we will start to see the unit 
make a significant financial contribution.

We continue to grow brand recognition across all TV and 
radio advertising compared with a year ago. We are 
confident that the team has built upon their early success 
with the introduction of their new campaign, due to 
launch in June 2016. Our messaging will continue to 
focus upon the popularity and professionalism of our 
Local Property Experts and will present a humorously 
engaging portrayal of our model.

Our above the line marketing is complemented by brand 
and generic pay-per-click activity which is predominantly 
provided by Google and Bing. We are also looking at 
better ways of using social media in a targeted way to 
drive more activity amongst sellers. At the start of June 
2016 we commenced an intensive test marketing 
campaign with Rightmove, which we hope will raise 
further awareness and engagement and drive valuation 
opportunities.

In addition to paid activities we continue to drive 
efficiencies in our valuation conversion funnel and to 
analyse trends amongst our database of hundreds of 
thousands of sellers and buyers in order to ensure that 
our key messages are resonating with consumers. As part 
of our strategy to increase awareness we have recently 
employed an experienced consumer PR professional to 
focus on securing local and national press coverage as 
well as writing engaging content for social media and 
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

We will continue to create marketing and advertising that 
interests, engages and inspires consumers to want to 
book a free valuation from Purplebricks and ensure that 
our messaging is clear and transparent to enable 
consumers to swiftly instruct us to sell their home.

Grow our Data Sales unit
We started the Data Sales Unit in October 2015 with only 
a handful of people and in just a few months have grown 
it to a team of over 70 employees engaging with buyers, 
sellers and viewers. As part of our strategy to increase 
valuations and drive down the cost per acquisition we 
continue to grow our Data Sales Unit. Every day we 
generate thousands of data points from people 
registering with Purplebricks, arranging a viewing direct, 
online or via the property portals and from buyers making 
offers and agreeing sales. We are steadily increasing 
revenue generating opportunities from data and as our 
people develop and we place them into dedicated 

Introduce new products and services
We believe that a major part of selling is being in the right 
place at the right time. Our model of combining people 
and technology places us in the best possible position to 
be in the right place at the right time. As a result we want 
to be able to offer customers relevant additional products 
and services that complement their journey of selling, 
buying or letting. We continue to look at new and smarter 
ways of supporting our customers with much more 
convenient, easy, accessible, stress free and cost effective 
products and services. We will add new products and 
services once we are satisfied that they add value for our 
customers and will be delivered with the Purplebricks 
culture and ethos.  We want to create lifetime value for 
our customers and everything we do as part of our 
strategy is working towards this.

Our culture is our business
Our people create our culture and our technology and 
our people deliver it. As a starting point the founders 
wanted to create a Purplebricks that cared about its 
people, that had a progressive and fun working 
environment and as a consequence our people cared 
about our customers, our brand and our business and 
they could grow personally and professionally. We have 
achieved these founding principles to date and continue 
to ensure that the same principles are applied as we scale.

Following our listing, the businesses of our founding 
Local Property Experts and a number of employees have 
been awarded share options in Purplebricks Group plc 
that will vest in part each year and in full over the coming 
years. We intend to extend awarding of share options to 
more Local Property Experts’ businesses and employees 
with the objective of everyone having some form of 
reward for their efforts in growing our business into the 
future in accordance with our admission document.

We have created a strong brand advocacy within our 
growing business and our customers. We work in a 
progressive and fun environment where, despite a strong 
desire to grow their business, our people have a 
tremendous degree of camaraderie, togetherness and a 
collective brand advocacy that is extremely hard to 
replicate. The foundations begin for everyone with the 
recruitment programme and training methodology and 
continue through the heart of the business.

10   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

*Based on 1,131 respondents in a survey

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   11

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT
Chief Executive’s Statement

STRATEGIC REPORT
Chief Executive’s Statement continued

We have continued to strengthen our 
position across the UK, buoyed by 
our national footprint and our strong 
and growing brand awareness. 

Purplebricks App

more than

11,000

downloads since
launch in April 2016

Review of the year

This has been a significant year of development for 
Purplebricks Group plc, culminating in our admission to 
AIM in December 2015. We have continued to strengthen 
our position across the UK, buoyed by our national 
footprint and our strong and growing brand awareness 
and reputation for delivering customers a more 
convenient, transparent and cost effective service.  
Customers are responding to our hybrid model and in just 
our second full financial year we sold properties worth 
nearly £2.8bn. We have over £1.697bn of property in our 
pipeline where sales have been agreed and they are 
going through the legal process. Our Company is doing an 
exceptional job of selling properties.

The average number of monthly instructions continues to 
grow. If we compare the second half of 2015 where the 
monthly average was just 578 to the same period in 2016, 
the monthly average has grown to 2,033 instructions, an 
increase of 252%. In April 2016, a month where most 
traditional operators were reporting a slowdown in 
activity levels, we achieved 2,827 instructions.  

We are winning share from the traditional estate agents 
and sustaining our 62% share of total instructions of the 
non-traditional market. However, any estate agent is only 
as good as their sales conversion and I am delighted to state 
that in the year we achieved an instruction to completed 
sale rate of 77% which we believe to be industry leading.

The on-going strength in our trading is only made 
possible by our success in continuing to secure first class, 
professional, experienced and highly motivated Local 
Property Experts. They are attracted to our customer 
focused culture coupled with a personal and professional 
desire to run their own business in an environment that 
assists them to quickly build a scalable, profitable, local 
business. We are ahead of plan in our recruitment, 
finishing the year with 205 Local Property Experts, an 
increase of 159% on the prior year.

To maintain the high quality of our Local Property Experts 
and the rate of recruitment, we have invested in more 
infrastructure and support, including an additional 
Training and Recruitment Director and a further three 
Regional Training and Recruitment Managers. Our three 
stage recruitment process, including our 11 day intensive 
training programme, continues to provide the necessary 
skills, culture and customer focus, to help transition 
traditional agents to fast becoming successful Local 
Property Experts.   

The growth of Local Property Experts has been one key 
element that has contributed to increased revenues. We 
have also invested in our in-house marketing team and 
developed our marketing strategy, resulting in significant 
growth in brand awareness with new engaging and 
informative television and radio campaigns that have 
taken the “Bruce brothers” out of the studio and onto the 

streets of the UK. We continue to evolve our marketing 
strategy and are confident that our new campaign, which 
is due to air from 18 June 2016 will take brand awareness, 
messaging and customer engagement to the next level.

Website visits continue to grow as activity levels increase 
amongst sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants browsing, 
booking valuations, arranging viewings, making offers or 
agreeing sales. This presents unique opportunities to 
offer further products and services. In the year our website 
visitors rose by 208% to over 1.23m per month and page 
views rose by 339% to over 7.0m per month. Unique 
visitors also increased by 366% to more than 616k per 
month and funnel conversion (measured as the number 
of people who come to instruct) has increased by over 50%.

Culturally we have a strong focus on customer support 
which is testament to the number of houses we are 
selling, the speed at which they are transacting through 
the legal process and the level of concentrated help 
customers receive where issues arise with any aspect of 
their sale. We provide dedicated, focused support 
whenever it is required. I have seen first-hand, running 
law firms in the past, how estate agents can inadvertently 
be an obstacle to progress with a sale. This is why we 
have an extremely experienced conveyancing lawyer 
managing our post sales process. There are over 300 
people (LPEs and customer support team) helping and 
supporting customers with their sale, within the confines 

of a progressive, supportive customer centric culture. It is 
the distinct advantage for the customer and the process 
that we are focused on a completion and not a commission.

In October we launched a Data Sales Unit and brought all 
of our Central Property Experts in-house. We now have 
over 70 people, contributing significantly to the success  
of our marketing strategy through the use of data and 
speaking to more and more people who have a house to 
sell, require a mortgage, conveyancing, insurance or any 
of the other products or services we have to offer. Our 
strategy is to grow this team as activity levels increase 
and to introduce new and complementary revenue 
streams for our customers.

Our advancement with technology continues at pace. We 
launched the Purplebricks App at the beginning of April 
2016, taking everything we do to a whole new level of 
convenience, speed and simplicity. We believe it to be  
the first truly sales process driven App in the industry.
We continue to add new features and develop our App 
for buyers.

Lettings remains an important element of our future 
strategy. During the course of the year we made some 
good progress. We have to date been predominantly 
growing lettings organically through the growth in sales 
and investor registration. Landlords who buy through 
Purplebricks tend to want to continue their experience 

12   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   13

STRATEGIC REPORT
Chief Executive’s Statement continued

STRATEGIC REPORT
Chief Executive’s Statement continued

Annual estate agents’ fees in Australia total in excess of

£3.3bn

and use our services for lettings. Valuations were 521% up 
in the year, instructions were 492% up, applications 535% 
up, move-ins 479% up and we increased our occupied 
portfolio by 400%. Whilst lettings remains a smaller part 
of our revenues and overall activity we are seeking to 
grow the department through the strategic acquisition of 
managed properties and increased organic activity.

Customer reviews

We continue to be the most customer reviewed estate 
agent in the UK on independent review site Trustpilot.  
We are very proud of the feedback we receive which is 
testament to the culture, commitment and widespread 
appeal of our full service hybrid model, demonstrating 
that we offer not just a competitive flat fee but also 
superior customer service. We are rated Excellent, 
averaging 9.4 out of 10 from over 5,700 customer reviews.  
We recognise that from time to time we will receive a 
small proportion of negative reviews and as a result we 
ensure that every customer is contacted and we do 
everything we can to provide them with a swift resolution 
and an excellent customer experience thereafter. 

We request a review from a customer once a sale is 
agreed but they are free to choose to leave reviews at any 
stage of the selling process. This is carried out via a link 
with Trustpilot. We do not offer any form of incentive, we 
merely provide a link and request the customer 
completes a review. We receive 8.9 times more reviews  
than any other estate agent (traditional, online or hybrid) 
because we give our customers the opportunity to share 
their experience publicly and immediately. I am  
extremely grateful to everyone in the business for this 

fantastic achievement and for the brand advocacy they 
are creating.

Growing the Purplebricks brand across Australia

We have always been open in our desire to investigate 
international markets but only when we believe a 
sufficiently attractive opportunity exists, which we have 
confidence in realising. Planning and execution has 
enabled the UK business to scale quickly and that is why 
we put in place a first class management team who will 
continue to concentrate their efforts on the UK growth 
strategy. We have implemented a similar local team and 
structure for Australia, where we believe market dynamics 
are similar and well suited for the Purplebricks model.

The size of the market opportunity is similar to that of the 
UK despite the number of transactions being around half.  
Annual real estate agents fees total in excess of £3.3bn 
($6.7bn AUD), with an average customer paying over 
£5,900 ($12,000 AUD) plus marketing fees of £2,450 
($5,000 AUD). The marketing fees are usually payable on 
instruction. We see this as a perfect opportunity for the 
Purplebricks hybrid model to readdress the balance for 
the consumer and to build a strong sustainable business 
with significant market share. Purplebricks Group plc has 
undertaken considerable research on the Australian 
market and has completed independent market research 
with sellers and those intending to sell in the near future.  
The worries, concerns, needs and requirements of the 
seller and landlords are very much aligned with the UK. 

Our research tells us that finding an agent who will work 
for the seller rather than serve their own interests can be 

tough. Only a few people feel in control of the process 
whilst many more felt at the mercy of the agent. The 
Purplebricks proposition was very appealing to the vast 
majority of Australian consumers that took part in the 
research. Once they understood the offering they were 
even more vocal than those in the UK about embracing a 
new way and found the cost-effective flat fee very 
attractive.  

We have engaged a Chief Executive Officer in Australia 
and together we have recruited a strong management 
team who we are confident can grow the Purplebricks 
brand and market share alongside a strong UK 
management team who will build upon our success to 
date in the UK.

Thank you

I would like to thank all of our people for their hard work, 
dedication, commitment and absolute belief in our 
customers and our brand. They have created thousands 
of brand advocates in an industry that is often talked 
about, criticised and disliked. I would also like to thank 
our customers who have embraced what we are trying to 
achieve and have actively helped and supported us in our 
journey to date. Without your belief in what we promise 
to deliver (and do deliver) we could not grow our business 
in quite the same way. Your advocacy of our products, 
services and brand is truly remarkable.

for the better. We are working tirelessly to deliver 
enduring returns for our shareholders.

The future

There has been a significant amount of debate around 
the property market and what the future holds with 
uncertainty over BREXIT, a lack of supply of sellers and tax 
changes impacting the higher end of the market and 
second home buyers. Whilst we continue to monitor 
trends in the market we have seen no slowdown in 
activity and our strategy is predicated on winning market 
share rather than market growth. However, our business 
model was purposely built with low fixed overheads and 
a focus on variable costs to provide greater flexibility and 
agility to protect against any changes in the market.

During the year we invested in all areas of the business, 
providing us with strong foundations to continue to build 
upon what has been an extraordinary journey for our 
young, fast growing business. We have established a 
national agency, increased the number of our Local 
Property Experts, introduced new product innovation 
through our on-going focus on technology and further 
raised our brand profile and customer satisfaction scores.  
We approach the future with confidence. 

Finally I would like to thank our shareholders for the 
support and encouragement we receive from them. They 
have invested in creating a strong and thriving business 
that is changing the estate agency industry forever and 

Michael Bruce
Chief Executive Officer
15 June 2016

14   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   15

STRATEGIC REPORT
Continued

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

The following KPIs are the tools used by management to 
monitor the performance of the Company, in addition to 
the more traditional income statement, statement of 
financial position and cash flow analysis reviewed at 
regular Board meetings. 

Financial KPIs 

Revenue growth 

Operating loss* as a percentage
of revenue 

Non financial KPIs 

Number of Local Property Experts 

Monthly website visits 

2016 

2015

448% 

28,283%

(52%) 

(155%)

205 

1.23m 

79

0.4m

*pre amortisation of intangibles and share based payment charges

Revenue growth is closely monitored to ensure we grow 
so as to cover our fixed costs as quickly and as efficiently 
as possible and consume as little capital as possible, 
whilst pursuing a high growth strategy.

The regular monitoring of the operating margin 
percentage helps us ensure that the focus on growth is 
not at the expense of profitability in the short and 
medium term.

Principal risks and uncertainties

Risk management is an important part of the 
management process for the Company. Regular reviews 
are undertaken to assess the nature of risks faced, the 
magnitude of the risk presented to business performance 
and the manner in which the risk may be mitigated. Where 
controls are in place, their adequacy is regularly monitored. 

The risks considered to be particularly important at the 
current time are set out below:

Economic

Potential impact: As an estate agency the Company’s 
fortunes are closely intertwined with those of the housing 
market and the broader economy as a whole.

flexible and able to react quickly and effectively to 
changes in market conditions.

People

Potential impact: An experienced and knowledgeable 
workforce is required to service clients’ needs. The market 
for skilled staff remains competitive and a failure to 
recruit and retain experienced staff could impact on the 
Company’s ability to develop and deliver solutions.

Mitigation: Providing existing staff with relevant training, 
great rewards, effective marketing and an effective 
software platform is a key priority for the business.  
Recruiting and developing new employees, when 
required, is undertaken by experienced staff to ensure the 
correct calibre of individual is identified.

Reputational and quality

Potential impact: The quality of references obtained from 
existing users of Purplebricks’ platform is an important 
part of the decision making process for a potential client 
seeking to instruct the Company. 

Mitigation: The Company strives to maintain its 
reputation as the best estate agency combined with great 
value for money and monitors its Trustpilot reviews on a 
real time daily basis.  

Availability of funding

Potential impact: In order to grow the business and 
become profitable the Company needs access to funding. 
Without sufficient capital the Company will be unable to 
meet its ambitious targets.

Mitigation: The Company has continued fundraising 
activities as a result of the flotation and prior investment 
rounds and has sufficient headroom in respect of its 
working capital requirements and its forecasts, even 
when applying lower case sensitivities to the forecast.

Financial

Potential impact: Inaccurate financial information may 
result in sub-optimal decisions being taken by 
management and staff. Inadequate internal controls may 
fail to prevent the Company suffering a financial loss.

Mitigation:  The Company keeps a close eye on market 
conditions and the broader economy.  Our cost base is 

Mitigation: The systems of internal controls deployed 
within the Company are designed to prevent financial loss. 

STRATEGIC REPORT
Continued

Controls are strongest in areas where management 
considers the potential exposure to the Company of 
material loss or misstatement to be at its greatest, such 
as revenue recognition and cash collection. The 
adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls are 
reviewed regularly.

New entrants to market

Potential impact: The Company operates in a sector 
where there are a number of competitors. 

Mitigation: To counter the threat of competitors seeking 
to win business from us the Company aims to invest in 
the development of technology and branding to ensure 
that the Company becomes the market leader in the 
estate agency sector.

Future developments

We expect future developments in estate agency to see a 
migration away from the high street as a highly 
fragmented market consolidates by virtue of the ease and 
simplicity that Purplebricks and its technology brings. We 
expect Purplebricks Group plc to remain at the forefront 
of this change in the industry landscape, creating and 
building on a market leadership position.

Today we have announced our intention to launch the 
Purplebricks proposition in Australia, a £3.3bn market.  
Our market research suggests that our compelling 
customer proposition of high quality service and a 
competitive flat fee structure will appeal in a market 

205 Local Property Experts recruited and trained since launch

where sellers are currently charged £5,900 ($12,000 
Australian Dollars) in addition to an average of £2,450 
($5,000) for the cost of listing on portals and other related 
advertising. 

We have recruited an Australian management team who 
will execute on our plans and report directly into the UK 
Board. Similarly to the UK we will launch regionally and 
adapt our offering should the need arise. The 
conservatively estimated maximum investment will take 
place over the next two years of £10m, to be funded from 
current cash resources, provides an attractive entry, 
where the downside/risk is managed whilst the 
opportunity is compelling compared to the size of the 
market opportunity.

Approved and signed on behalf of the Board 

Michael Patrick 
Douglas Bruce 
Director 
15 June 2016

Neil Richard
Cartwright 
Director

Purplebricks Group plc, Suite 7, Cranmore Place, 
Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4RZ

16   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   17

 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE STUDY 1
James Humphries-Stone - Territory Owner and Local Property Expert, Basingstoke and surrounding area

CASE STUDY 2
Daren Cridge - Territory Owner and Local Property Expert, SW and SM postcodes

For the last 10 months I have 
consistently been the No. 1 estate 
agent in Basingstoke and I now 
have five members in my team. 

The technology and the 
infrastructure is amazing and 
permits me to concentrate on my 
customers, helping and supporting 
them with things that matter.

I joined Purplebricks on the very first training 
course. I was on the Southampton course run 
by Michael, while Kenny was running the course 
for the other group in Brighton.

It was really positive for me to see two founders taking 
such an interest in our progression and mindset when 
they had such enormous expectations for Purplebricks. 
Looking back though that was the foundation that set 
Purplebricks on the road to the growth it has experienced 
to date. We thought we knew everything about what was 
important to sellers but learned so much more on the 
course.

Prior to joining Purplebricks I was a Senior Branch 
Manager for the then No. 1 independent estate agent in 
Basingstoke, earning around £50,000 per annum 
including commission. At that time I had amassed 10 
years of experience, five of which was as a branch 
manager. I had done every aspect of estate agency.

The reason I chose to leave the high street estate agent 
was entirely down to the fact that I believed the “single 
minded, get as much as you can at any cost, culture” was 
not the environment I wanted to work in. I knew I could 
build a great business off the back of my dedication to 
people, my detailed knowledge of the area and working 
in an environment that promoted a better customer 
experience. I made the right choice with Purplebricks.  

After only six months in the Basingstoke area I became 
the No. 3 estate agent and for the last 10 months I have 
consistently been No.1. I was one of the first to engage more 
people in my business. I now have five members in my team, 
two Local Property Experts, two focused on viewings and 
an administrator. As a result of valuations having doubled 
this year I am recruiting a third Local Property Expert and 
planning to have five by the end of the year.

I am earning considerably more than I did when I was a 
high street estate agent and I am genuinely giving a more 
dedicated and productive service to my customers. I am 
selling more houses and I have a better balance in my life.  
I couldn’t be more pleased that I took the plunge to join 
Purplebricks. It is a breath of fresh air in an uncertain 
traditional estate agency market.

No. 1
for new listings

out of 79 agents
in Basingstoke

I have been in the property industry for over 27 
years and have worked for two of the three 
largest estate agents in the UK. I was one of the 
first Local Property Experts in London. I was 
trained by Andrew Vass although Kenny and 
Michael did play a part and were always 
involved throughout. 

What has amazed me about the Purplebricks proposition 
is how much more productive I can be as opposed to how 
I operated on the high street. The technology and the 
infrastructure is amazing and permits me to concentrate 
on my customers, helping and supporting them with 
things that matter to them. I am very proud how successful 
we have become selling properties and the amount of 
excellent reviews and feedback we get from customers.

When you attend the training course you can, after 27 
years, think you have seen and heard it all before. You can 
think that there is not much Purplebricks can teach you, I 
was pleasantly surprised. Their methodology is very 
deliberate and creates a camaraderie amongst everyone 
that I have never witnessed before in a training 
environment. It puts in place the foundations for a strong 
culture and how we don’t push the Purplebricks 
proposition in a traditional estate agency sales way. I 
learned a lot over that 11 day period.

I was able to hit the ground running the moment that I 
came off the training programme. I have built my territory 
and we are now number 2 for new listings out of 855 
estate agents operating in the SW postcodes of London.  
We are 4th for new listings out of 158 agents in the SM 
postcodes. I have now recruited three Local Property 
Experts and two viewings assistants to help build upon 
our early success. I suspect I will require a further four 
Local Property Experts over the next year. 

I am earning more money than I did on the high street, 
running my own business, without having to do some of 
the more difficult aspects like creating technology and 
producing interesting marketing. It leaves me free to do 
what I am good at.  

No. 2
for new listings

out of 855 agents
in SW postcode

18   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   19

CASE STUDY 3
Roxsamme Wilson - Data Sales Manager

CASE STUDY 4
Shirein Famili - Sub-licencee for Daren Cridge

Because we all take part in 
recruitment events and in the 
selection process we have a 
strong connection and culture 
from day one.

Prior to joining Purplebricks I had been in estate 
agency for a number of years. I joined 
Purplebricks because it represents for me a new 
start for the industry, a way of demonstrating 
that there are great people out there who want 
to do a fantastic job for customers.

These are not just words spoken by management at 
Purplebricks, it is ingrained in the culture. We are all on 
the same page.  

Being given the opportunity to manage part of the Data 
Sales Unit was amazing for me because I am able to 
shape how people interact with the customer and ensure 
that the experience they get fits our ethos and creates a 
brand advocate.

Our team speak to buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants 
to help and support them and to introduce them to 
Purplebricks and the services we have to offer. 

I was one of the first people to join the unit and due to 
demand we are growing every month. I work alongside 
the team with Stephanie and Rebecca who are the senior 
management.

The team work well together and because we all take
part in recruitment events and in the selection process
we have a strong connection and culture from day one.

I am confident that we are adding to the overall 
Purplebricks experience and we will continue to play
a large part in supporting customers and the business.
I look forward to an exciting future with Purplebricks.

“I received a call from a lovely gentleman called 
Lewis. He assisted me to book a viewing and 
explained everything fully.
He didn’t pressure me when I wasn’t ready yet 
which made me feel more comfortable and I 
feel like I would definitely use them if I do sell 
my property.”

Sabrina Patel

I have a more balanced lifestyle 
and I tend to have contact with 
customers when it is more 
convenient for them, rather than 
during rigid office hours. 

I have had the pleasure of working as an estate 
agent for more than 10 years in the London 
area. I have worked for some of the strongest 
estate agents in the capital and I believe that 
the Purplebricks ethos and culture is having an 
enormously positive impact on sellers and 
buyers in our territory.

The Purplebricks proposition enables me to be part of a 
new and exciting business, grow our market share, and 
increase our profile in the local market and to be 
successful through selling our customers’ homes and 
saving them thousands in London. I have a personal pride 
that we are achieving this and it is nice that I am also 
earning considerably more than I did in my previous 
management role.  

Working with Daren and the team is a privilege. We are all 
highly motivated to deliver an excellent customer 
experience across all areas of our local business. I am 
excited to be given the opportunity to represent 
Purplebricks as they build awareness for what is a 
fantastic service.

I find that I am much more productive at Purplebricks 
because of the technology and the way in which we work. 
I am not travelling to an office in the morning during rush 
hour, I am not sat in an unproductive morning meeting 

and part of a rigid corporate structure. I have a more 
balanced lifestyle although I do tend to have contact with 
customers when it is more convenient for them rather 
than during office hours.

I am a firm believer that success breeds success and the 
rate of growth that Purplebricks has experienced shows 
no sign of abating. When I am out on valuations, more 
and more people are saying “This is the way forward for 
estate agency”, a sentiment I totally agree with.

“Shirein was our Expert and offered an amazing 
service - extremely helpful, extensive knowledge 
of the market and area, and took time to 
understand our needs. The whole process was 
easy and affordable and encourages both buyer 
and seller to communicate. The platform is 
straightforward and user friendly, and email 
updates are very useful.”

Stephen

20   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   21

CASE STUDY 5
Paul Brown - Territory Owner and Local Property Expert, Sheffield and Doncaster

CASE STUDY 5
Paul Brown - Territory Owner and Local Property Expert, Sheffield and Doncaster

“The help and advice provided by Paul Brown 
is second to none and nothing seems to be too 
much trouble. Paul has provided me with 
guidance on the online sales process and a 
rapid response to all of my questions.”

Michelle Boughton

Paul Brown
Age: 47

Area: Sheffield and Doncaster

Previously: 14 years at Countrywide

My growing, profitable estate agency territory

Joining Purplebricks has been one of the best decisions I 
have ever made. It has given me the opportunity to build 
an amazing business in a short space of time. I have 
recruited a further two Local Property Experts due to the 
demand and this enables me to concentrate on building 
a substantial lettings side to our business. I am recruiting 
a Local Lettings Expert presently.

Paul’s Territory Team

Jemma Harris
Age: 29
Joined: May 2016
Previously: William H Brown (Sequence)
Industry experience: 9 years

Josh Carline
Age: 27
Joined: July 2015
Previously: William H Brown (Sequence)
Industry experience: 5 years

Chris Evans
Age: 29
Joined: April 2016
Previously: Independent agent
Industry experience: 7 years

Paul Salkeld
Age: 48
Joined: February 2016
Previously: Independent agent
Industry experience: 16 years

Kerry Neal
Age: 32
Joined: April 2016
Previously: Haart
Industry experience: 11 years

James Williams
Age: 28
Joined: May 2016
Previously: Countrywide
Industry experience: 4 years

Paul Brown’s Instructions in 2016

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

No. 1
for new listings

out of 564 agents
for all ‘S’ postcodes

1. Purplebricks
2. Wilkins Vardy Residential
3. 2Roost
4. emoov
5. William H Brown

January

February

March

April

May

Source: Rightmove Plus, period 15/05/16 to 18/06/16

Our Local Property Experts are much more productive:

No commute to work

No morning meeting

No corporate structure

No canvassing

No booking valuations

No registering applicants

No arranging viewings

No chasing instructions

No chasing approval of property  
particulars

No getting properties live onto the 
internet

No ordering boards or EPCs

No seeking feedback or distributing  
feedback after viewings

No impact from high industry staff 
turnover rates

No sending property particulars

No window dressing

A Local Property Expert and technology makes for
the perfect estate agency experience

22   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   23

 
SAMPLE INDEPENDENT SOLD SIGN ANALYSIS

SAMPLE INDEPENDENT SOLD SIGN ANALYSIS

Research independently produced by For Sale Sign Analysis.

24   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   25

DIRECTORS’ REPORT
The directors present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2016

DIRECTORS’ REPORT
Continued

Business review

A comprehensive analysis of the Company’s 
development, performance and KPIs is contained in the 
Strategic report. Information on the financial risk 
management strategy of the Company and of the 
exposure of the Company to currency risk, interest rate 
risk, credit risk, capital risk and liquidity risk is set out in 
note 17 to the accounts.

The company reregistered as a plc on 10 December 2015. 
On 19 November 2015, the Company reduced its share 
premium account from £22,296,928 to £3,296,928 by the 
cancellation of £19,000,000 of the amount standing to the 
credit of such account, in order to create distributable 
reserves to ensure that the Company satisfied the net 
asset requirement for a public Company that its nets 
assets are more than its paid up share capital and 
non-distributable reserves. The Company listed on the 
Alternative Investment Market on 17 December 2015.

Post Balance Sheet events

There were no post Balance Sheet events.

Dividend

No dividends were paid in the year and there are none 
recommended. (2015: £nil)

Employees

The Company’s policy of providing employees with 
information about the Company has continued and regular 
meetings are held between management and employees 
to allow exchanges of information and ideas. The Company 
continues to consider ways to encourage the involvement 
of employees in the Company’s performance.

The Company gives every consideration to applications 
for employment by disabled persons where the 
requirements of the job may be adequately filled by a 
disabled person. Where existing employees become 
disabled, it is the Company’s policy wherever practicable 
to provide continuing employment under similar terms 
and conditions and to provide training, career 
development and promotion wherever appropriate.

been notified of the following interests amounting to 3% 
or more of the voting rights in the issued share capital of 
the Company.

Shareholder name 

Number of shares  % holding

Woodford Investment
Management LLP 

72,065,887 

29.99%

M P D Bruce and wife 

43,851,843 

18.25%

Old Mutual Global
Investors (UK) Ltd 

K F C Bruce 

P R M Pindar and wife 

19,359,878 

12,137,303 

7,939,865 

8.06%

5.05%

3.3%

Paul Pindar purchased 300,000 Ordinary shares in the 
Company on 26 January 2016 at 78.16p per share and 
Michael Bruce purchased 320,000 Ordinary shares in the 
Company on 26 January 2016 at 78.00p per share.

In addition to this, the following Directors held shares in 
the Company:

Shareholder name 

Number of shares  % holding

Nick Discombe and wife 

Will Whitehorn 

6,412,788 

1,088,269 

2.67%

0.45%

Directors and directors’ interests

The directors who held office during the financial year are 
set out below:

M P D Bruce

N R Cartwright

W E Whitehorn*

P R M Pindar*

N S Discombe*

K F C Bruce (resigned 19 November 2015)

J R Kydd (resigned 19 November 2015)

M J Farrow (resigned 19 November 2015)

N J Marovac* (resigned 5 November 2015)

*Denotes non-executive directors

Substantial shareholdings

Founder & Chief Executive Officer - Michael Bruce

At 13 June 2016, being the latest practicable date prior to 
the publication of this annual report, the Company had 

Michael has been the driving force behind the 
development of Purplebricks alongside his brother 

while working for 3i Group plc. When he joined Capita, it 
had 33 employees and annual revenue of £1.3 million. 
When he left the business in February 2014, Capita had 
more than 62,000 employees and a market capitalisation 
of £7.5 billion. Since July 2012, Paul has served as 
Chairman of Integrated Dental Holdings, the UK’s largest 
chain of dental surgeries, which is owned by Carlyle.  
Since June 2014 he has served as Chairman of 
Independent Clinical Services following its acquisition by 
TowerBrook. He backed the MBO of International Travel 
Connections, a luxury travel business, and became 
Chairman in August 2014, a role he continues in. Paul has 
also been a non-executive director of retailer Debenhams 
Plc, Chairman of the NSPCC’s Corporate Development 
Board and Chairman of Great Ormond Street Hospital’s 
Corporate Partnerships Board. Paul was also an early 
investor in Purplebricks.

Senior Non-Executive Director - Nick Discombe

Nick acts as Chairman/advisor with portfolio companies 
for a small number of private equity or growth capital 
backed businesses around the world. His current 
commitments include portfolio companies for Hg Capital 
and Towergate. Nick’s last executive position was as Chief 
Executive Officer of Witness Systems Inc (NASDAQ – WITS) 
which was sold for just over US$1 billion in cash in June 
2007. Since this time, he has, as Chairman, worked with 
seven companies leading them to successful exits. Prior 
to his role at Witness Systems, Nick spent five years with 
Apax backed Eyretel which in 2003 was merged with 
Witness Systems. At Eyretel as Chief Executive Officer, 
Nick led the expansion of the global organisation and in 
2000 the successful initial public offering on the London 
Stock Exchange. He has been an investor in Purplebricks 
Group plc since early 2014. Nick acted as chairman of 
Purplebricks Group plc from October 2014 but, with effect 
from Admission, he became the Senior Non-Executive 
Director of the Company. 

Kenny.  He is a qualified solicitor who has owned and run 
his own law firms before acquiring Burchell Edwards 
Estate Agents in 2006. The business was grown to include 
estate agency, lettings, mortgages and their own 
dedicated law firm. Michael was Chief Executive until 
2010 whereupon he became Chairman of the business. 
The business, including the law firm, was sold to Connells 
Group (part of Skipton Building Society) in November 
2011 as a result of Michael and Kenny Bruce, his brother, 
wishing to pursue the Purplebricks Group plc model.  As 
founder of the business and initial major investor, Michael 
has been the Chief Executive Officer of Purplebricks 
Group plc since its inception, working alongside Kenny 
who, as Sales Director, heads the Company’s sales efforts.

Chief Financial Officer - Neil Cartwright

Neil joined Purplebricks Group plc in January 2015 from 
Capita Plc, having been Chief Financial Officer at a division 
of Capita Plc for eight years. A Chartered Accountant, Neil 
has previously held a number of senior financial positions 
at Anite Plc, Transco and Albright & Wilson Plc. In August 
1999 he was involved in the AIM admission of IFTE Plc and 
a year later the reverse takeover of Symtron Systems Inc 
based in Fairlawn, New Jersey.

Independent Non-Executive Director - William 
Whitehorn

Will is a highly experienced director. For many years he 
held a number of senior board roles within the Virgin 
Group. For over 20 years he was the Brand Development 
and Corporate Affairs Director and helped grow the Virgin 
brand globally, acting as spokesman for Sir Richard 
Branson and co-ordinating branding, marketing PR and 
current affairs across the whole group of investments and 
businesses. He was also President of Virgin Galactic for 
nearly five years. He is currently Chairman of Speed 
Communications (a PR Company), and Deputy Chairman 
of Stagecoach Group plc having been a Non-Executive 
Director for the previous 4 years. He has been an investor 
in and Non-Executive Director of Purplebricks since  
March 2013.

Non-executive Chairman - Paul Pindar

Paul joined Capita plc in 1987, initially as Finance 
Director, then Managing Director in 1991 and Chief 
Executive in 1999. He was the third-longest serving FTSE 
100 CEO when he stood down in 2014. He joined Capita 
after advising on the £0.3m management buyout (MBO) 

26   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   27

DIRECTORS’ REPORT
Continued

Details of options to purchase Ordinary shares in the Company granted to the executive directors are set out below.

M P D Bruce 

N R Cartwright 

Class of 
share 

Ordinary 

Ordinary 

Interest at 
end of year 

2,430,551 

2,858,994 

Class of 
share 

 Interest at
start of year

A Ordinary  

A Ordinary 

-

14,128

Details of share based payments are included in the notes to the accounts. During the year, the Company issued bonus 
shares prior to admission to the Alternative Investment Market on a one for 108.2747 basis.

Scheme interests and Outstanding Share awards

Date of 
grant 

Interest 
1 May 
2015 

  Restated
Interest 
at the 
start of 
the year 

Bonus 
issue 
effect 

Director name  Description 

M P D Bruce 

EMI and unapproved
options 

06/11/2015 

M P D Bruce 

EMI Options 

07/08/2015 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Options

Options 
granted 

the year 

during  during the 

exercised  Outstanding
interest at
year  30 April 2016

2,430,551 

- 

2,430,551

4,041,678 

(4,041,678) 

N R Cartwright  EMI Options 

09/01/2015 

14,128  1,515,577  1,529,705 

- 

(833,715) 

N R Cartwright  EMI Options 

10/07/2015 

N R Cartwright  EMI and unapproved

Options 

06/11/2015 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1,245,159 

917,845 

- 

- 

-

695,990

1,245,159

917,845

The share price was 172.50p on 30 April 2016.

Research and development
The Company undertakes a continuous programme of 
development expenditure, as part of its commitment to 
lead change in estate agency.  Development expenditure 
is capitalised only when the end product is technically 
and commercially feasible and when sufficient resource is 
available to complete the development, as disclosed in 
note 11 to the accounts.  All other development 
expenditure is recognised in the Statement of 
Comprehensive Income as an expense as disclosed in 
note 7 to the accounts.   

The Company has a qualifying indemnity insurance policy 
in respect of Directors’ and Officers’ liability. 

Statement of 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 financial statements 
in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRSs).  
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 and profit or 
loss of the Company for the period. In preparing these 
financial statements, the directors are required to:

•  select suitable accounting policies and then apply them  
  consistently;

•  make judgments and accounting estimates that are  
  reasonable and prudent;

•  state whether applicable IFRSs have been followed,   
  subject to any material departures disclosed and  
  explained in the financial statements; and

DIRECTORS’ REPORT
Continued

•  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 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.

The directors confirm that:

•  so far as each director is aware, there is no relevant   
  audit information of which the Company’s auditor is  
  unaware; and

•  the directors have taken all steps that they ought to   
  have taken as directors in order to make themselves  
  aware of any relevant audit information and to establish  
  that the Company’s auditor is aware of that information.

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and 
integrity of the corporate and financial information 
included on the Company’s website. Legislation in the 
United Kingdom governing the preparation and 
dissemination of financial statements may differ from 
legislation in other jurisdictions.

Auditor

Grant Thornton UK LLP were appointed as auditors on 
the 13 May 2015 and are willing to continue in office. In 
accordance with s489(4) of the Companies Act 2006 a 
resolution for their reappointment will be proposed at the 
forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

Corporate Governance

The Board is committed to achieving high standards of 
corporate governance, integrity and business ethics.  
Under the AIM Rules the Company is not required to 
comply and has not complied with the provisions of the 
new edition of UK Corporate Governance Code issued by 
the Financial Reporting Council in 2014 (the Code).

Whilst the Code has not been applied, the Board has 
taken into consideration the QCA Corporate Governance 

Code for Small and Mid-Size Quoted Companies 
produced by the Quoted Companies Alliance, and taken 
steps to apply the principles of the Code in so far as it can 
be applied practically, given the size of the Company and 
the nature of its operations.

The Board has established an audit committee (the Audit 
Committee), a remuneration committee (the 
Remuneration Committee) and a nomination committee 
(the Nomination Committee).

The Audit Committee is chaired by Paul Pindar, its other 
member is Nick Discombe. Neil Cartwright will be entitled 
to attend and observe meetings of the Audit Committee. 
The Audit Committee has primary responsibility for 
monitoring the quality of internal controls and ensuring 
that the financial performance of the Company is 
properly measured and reported on. It receives and 
reviews reports from the Company’s management and 
auditors relating to the interim and annual accounts and 
the accounting and internal control systems in use 
throughout the Company. The Audit Committee meets at 
least three times a year and has unrestricted access to the 
Company’s auditors.

The Remuneration Committee is chaired by Nick 
Discombe, its other member is William Whitehorn. The 
Remuneration Committee reviews the performance of the 
Executive Directors and makes recommendations to the 
Board on matters relating to their remuneration and 
terms of employment. The Remuneration Committee 
also makes recommendations to the Board on proposals 
for the granting of share options and other equity 
incentives pursuant to any share option scheme or equity 
incentive scheme in operation from time to time. The 
remuneration and terms and conditions of appointment 
of the Non-executive Directors of the Company are set by 
the Board.

The Nomination Committee is chaired by Paul Pindar, its 
other member is Nick Discombe. Michael Bruce is entitled 
to attend and observe meetings of that committee. The 
Nomination Committee assists the Board in discharging 
its responsibilities relating to the composition of the 
Board, performance of Board members, induction of new 
directors, appointment of committee members and 
succession planning for senior management. The 
Nomination Committee is responsible for evaluating the 

28   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   29

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT
Continued

balance of skills, knowledge, diversity and experience on 
the Board, the size, structure and composition of the 
Board, retirements and appointments of additional and 
replacement directors and makes appropriate 
recommendations to the Board on such matters. The 
Nomination Committee prepares a description of the role 
and capabilities required for a particular appointment.  
The Nomination Committee meets formally at least twice 
a year and otherwise as required.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Equality, Diversity and Rights

Purplebricks Group plc maintains a strong commitment 
to equality and opportunity in our employment policies 
and practices in the workplace. Through our recruitment 
and selection processes we seek to attract and retain a 
diverse and talented workforce. As prescribed by law, we 
commit that no existing or potential employee will 
receive less favourable treatment due to their race, creed, 
nationality, colour, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, 
gender, gender reassignment, marital status, membership 
of a trade union, disability, or any other criteria. Whilst the 
Company does not have a specific human rights policy, it 
does have policies such as Equal Opportunities and 
Anti-bribery that adhere to internationally agreed human 
rights principles.

Environment

Purplebricks Group plc is committed to minimising the 
environmental impact of its business operations and 
seeks to actively manage its carbon footprint. As an 
online business with very limited physical infrastructure 
and a marketing model that is largely paperless, the 
Company has a much reduced environmental impact as 
compared to traditional real estate agencies. As a 
relatively new and fast-growing Company we will be 
constantly reviewing our business model and operations 
to limit the impact we and our customers make in the 
course of our business in areas such as energy efficiency, 
waste, recycling, emissions, transport and printing.

Health and Safety

The effective management of health and safety across our 
business is an integral part of our broader business 
administration requirements. As the business grows we 
are committed to ensuring appropriate assessment and 

suitable control of the health and safety risks arising from 
our work activities for our employees, our customers and 
our partners.

Charitable and Philanthropic activity

An important part of the Purplebricks Group plc culture 
and ethos is to give back to the public and local 
communities through the commitment of time, resources 
and fundraising activities. Our employees are active in 
raising money or supporting fundraising activities for a 
wide range of causes both local and national. 

During 2016 we will set up the Purplebricks Foundation.  
The purpose of the foundation is to consolidate all our 
charitable activity in one place and provide top up funds 
where appropriate for local community projects.

Any member of staff can nominate a local project for the 
foundation to support. The final projects will be chosen 
by the Foundation Committee, made up of members of 
the management team and chaired by James Kydd.  The 
Foundation Committee will meet periodically.

Approved and signed on behalf of the Board 

Michael Patrick 
Douglas Bruce 
Director 
15 June 2016

Neil Richard
Cartwright 
Director

Purplebricks Group plc, Suite 7, Cranmore Place, 
Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4RZ

DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION REPORT
The Directors present their first Directors’ Remuneration Report (the “Remuneration Report”) for the 
financial year ended 30 April 2016

Service contracts and letters of appointment

The Company’s policy is for all of the Executive Directors 
to have twelve month rolling service contracts. All 
Non-Executive Directors are salaried and are appointed 
for an initial term of three years from Admission to AIM 
which took place on 17 December 2015. They are not 
eligible for bonuses, pension benefits, share options or 
other benefits, save where compulsory by law. The 
Directors are indemnified to the full extent permitted by 
statute. Executive and Non-Executive Directors 
Remuneration is detailed in note 8 to these financial 
statements.

Long term equity incentive plan

It is expected that some grants shall be made to the 
Executive Directors, staff, and a number of Local Property 
Experts’ companies in the coming year to align theirs and 
shareholders’ interests ever more closely.

Approval

The Directors’ Remuneration Report was approved by the 
Board on 15 June 2016 and signed on its behalf by 

Nick Discombe
Chair of the Remuneration Committee
15 June 2016

As an AIM listed Company, Purplebricks Group plc is not 
required to prepare this Remuneration Report in 
accordance with the Directors’ Remuneration Report 
Regulations 2002 or the recently enacted Large and 
Medium-sized companies and Group (Accounts and 
Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (together the 
Regulations). However, the Directors recognise the 
importance, and support the principles, of the 
Regulations and will seek to follow them to the extent 
considered relevant for an AIM listed Company. The 
Remuneration Committee will continue to monitor 
market practice to ensure that, in future, this report will 
include disclosures for at least as good as market practice 
for AIM companies. The Auditor is not required to report 
to the Shareholders on the Directors’ Remuneration Report.

Remuneration Committee

Nick Discombe chairs the Remuneration Committee 
which also comprises William Whitehorn. The committee 
held two meetings before the end of the financial year, 
primarily to ratify awards and sanction invitations made 
prior to the AIM admission under the share options 
schemes.

The Non-Executive directors do not have any personal 
interest in the matters to be decided by the committee, or 
any potential conflicts of interest arising from cross-
directorships or day to day involvement in the running of 
the Company. The Executive directors and other senior 
personnel may be invited to attend meetings when 
appropriate to provide advice. However, no director will 
be present or take part in discussions concerning their 
remuneration. 

Remuneration policy

The Company’s policy is that the remuneration package 
of the Executive Directors should be sufficiently 
competitive to attract, retain and motivate those directors 
to achieve the Company’s objectives without making 
excessive payments. The Board determines the terms and 
conditions of the Non-Executive directors. 

Basic salary and benefits

Base salaries will be reviewed annually by the 
Remuneration Committee, and adjusted where appropriate 
to reflect performance, changed responsibilities and/or 
market conditions.

30   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   31

 
 
 
 
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
to the members of Purplebricks Group plc

STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
for the year ended 30 April 2016

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

Opinion on other matter 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, or  
  returns adequate for our audit have not been received  
  from branches not visited by us; or

•  the 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.

David White
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants, Birmingham
15 June 2016

We have audited the financial statements of Purplebricks 
Group plc for the year ended 30 April 2016 which 
comprise the statement of comprehensive income, 
statement of financial position, statement of changes in 
equity, statement of cash flows and the related notes.  
The financial reporting framework that has been applied 
in their preparation is applicable law and International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the 
European Union.

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 set out on page 20, 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 Auditing Practices Board’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 Financial Reporting 
Council’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 Company’s  
  affairs as at 30 April 2016 and of its loss for the year then  
  ended; 

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

Revenue 

Cost of sales 

Gross profit 

Note 

2016 

£ 

2015

£

18,603,679 

3,394,464

(8,011,976) 

(1,383,337)

10,591,703 

2,011,127

Administrative and establishment expenses 

Sales and marketing costs 

7 

(9,604,541) 

(3,965,412)

(12,924,002) 

(3,473,028)

Loss from operating activities 

(11,936,840) 

(5,427,313)

Loss from operating activities before adjustments: 

(9,777,815) 

(5,282,234)

Amortisation of intangibles 

Share based payment charge 

Fund raising costs including Initial Public Offering 

Loss from operating activities 

Finance income 

Finance expenses 

Loss before taxation 

Taxation 

11 

6 

(101,309) 

(40,063)

(596,647) 

(105,016)

(1,461,069) 

-

(11,936,840) 

(5,427,313)

35,009 

-

- 

(8,467)

(11,901,831) 

(5,435,780)

9 

- 

-

Loss for the year and total comprehensive loss 

(11,901,831) 

(5,435,780)

Basic and diluted EPS Loss per share 

21 

(12p) 

(357p)

All operations are continuing.

The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

32   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   33

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
at 30 April 2016

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
for the year ended 30 April 2016

Non-current assets 

Property, plant and equipment 

Intangible assets 

Current assets

Trade and other receivables 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables 

Deferred income 

Net current assets 

Total assets less current liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity

Share capital 

Share premium account 

Share based payment reserve 

Retained earnings 

Total equity 

Notes 

10 

11 

2016 

£ 

217,386 

370,847 

2015

£

63,207

137,893

588,233 

201,100

13 

2,970,258 

746,083

30,476,386 

4,609,771

33,446,644 

5,355,854

14 

14 

(5,211,353) 

(1,052,739)

(760,358) 

(109,930)

(5,971,711) 

(1,162,669)

27,474,933 

4,193,185

28,063,166 

4,394,285

28,063,166 

4,394,285

Share 
capital 
£ 

Share 
premium 
account 
£ 

Retained 
earnings 
£ 

Share
based
payment 
reserve 
£ 

Total
equity
£

17,658 

12,298,268 

(8,026,657) 

105,016 

4,394,285

At 1 May 2015 

Issue of shares 

Exercise of options 

Exercise of warrants 

Redemption of shares 

Share premium cancellation 

Costs of IPO charged to share premium 

Share-based payment charge 

Transfer on exercise of options 

252,051 

34,748,659 

138 

123 

(89) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

25,056 

91,947 

- 

(143,820) 

- 

- 

(19,000,000) 

19,000,000 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

35,000,710

25,194

92,070

(89)

-

(143,820)

596,647 

596,647

Bonus share issue 

2,132,710 

(2,132,710) 

- 

- 

Transactions with owners 

2,384,933 

13,589,132 

19,370,695 

225,952 

35,570,712

Loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(11,901,831) 

(11,901,831) 

- 

- 

(11,901,831)

(11,901,831)

At 30 April 2016 

2,402,591 

25,887,400 

(557,793) 

330,968 

28,063,166

370,695 

(370,695) 

-

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

15 

2,402,591 

17,658

for the year ended 30 April 2015

25,887,400 

12,298,268

330,968 

105,016

(557,793) 

(8,026,657)

28,063,166 

4,394,285

At 1 May 2014 

Issue of shares 

Share 
capital 
£ 

10,350 

Share 
premium 
account 
£ 

Retained 
earnings 
£ 

4,163,618 

(2,590,877) 

7,308 

8,134,650 

Share
based
payments 
reserve 
£ 

- 

- 

105,016 

105,016 

Total
equity
£

1,583,091

8,141,958

105,016

8,246,974

These financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of directors on the 15 June 2016 and were 
signed on its behalf by:

Share-based payment charge 

- 

- 

Transactions with owners 

7,308 

8,134,650 

Michael Patrick Douglas Bruce 
Director 

Company Registration Number 08047368

Neil Richard Cartwright
Director

Loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(5,435,780) 

(5,435,780) 

- 

- 

(5,435,780)

(5,435,780)

At 30 April 2015 

17,658 

12,298,268 

(8,026,657) 

105,016 

4,394,285

The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

34   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   35

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
for the year ended 30 April 2016

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
forming part of the financial statements

Cash flows from operating activities

Loss for the year after taxation 

Adjustments for:

  Amortisation of intangible assets 

  Depreciation 

  Share-based payment charge 

  Fund raising costs 

  Tax refund 

Operating cash outflow before changes in working capital 

  Movement in trade and other receivables 

  Movement in trade and other payables 

  Movement in deferred income 

Net cash outflow from operating activities 

Cash flow from investing activities

  Purchase of property, plant and equipment 

  Development expenditure capitalised 

Net cash outflow from investing activities 

Cash flow from financing activities

Issue of shares 

  Cost of issue of shares 

Net cash flow from financing activities 

  Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 

  Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 

2016 

£ 

2015

£

(11,901,831) 

(5,435,780)

101,309 

61,159 

596,647 

1,461,069 

40,063

15,757

105,016

-

- 

265,884

(9,681,647) 

(5,009,060)

(2,224,175) 

(205,271)

4,158,614 

650,428 

368,640

109,930

(7,096,780) 

(4,735,761)

(215,338) 

(334,263) 

(42,650)

(123,229)

(549,601) 

(165,879)

35,117,885 

8,141,958

(1,604,889) 

-

33,512,996 

8,141,958

25,866,615 

4,609,771 

3,240,318

1,369,453

30,476,386 

4,609,771

The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

1. Reporting entity

Purplebricks Group plc is a Company domiciled in the United Kingdom. The address of the Company’s registered office is 
Purplebricks Group plc, Suite 7, First Floor, Cranmore Place, Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4RZ. The 
Company is primarily involved in the estate agency business. 

2. Basis of preparation

The Company’s financial statements have been prepared and approved by the directors in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union and those parts of the Companies Act 2006 that 
apply to companies reporting under IFRS.

On 29 March 2016 Purplebricks Group plc incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Purple B PTY Ltd, a Company registered 
in Australia. This Company is dormant with share capital of AUD $1. A consolidated set of financial statements has not been 
prepared on the grounds that this is immaterial to the Group.

Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Company’s forecasts and projections, taking 
account of reasonably possible changes in trading performance that may arise as a result of current economic conditions 
and other risks faced by the Company show that the UK Company is likely to become profitable and cash generative during 
the year ended April 2017. The Company achieving profitability and cash generation is likely to be delayed by virtue of 
international expansion in Australia but this will not adversely affect the UK Company. At the financial year-end the 
Company reported cash balances of £30.5 million. The directors have performed sufficient sensitivity analysis to be satisfied 
that the going concern basis of preparation is appropriate. The operational gearing of the Company is such that it only 
reinforces the confidence of the directors.

The directors have prepared a monthly forecast to 30 April 2018 on the basis that the growth aspirations are achieved which 
show that the Company can operate with its existing resources.

Accordingly, the directors believe that it is appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the 
financial statements.

Basis of measurement

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Functional and presentation currency

The financial statements are presented in Sterling, which is the functional and presentational currency of the Company.

Use of estimates and judgments

The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that 
affect the application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Actual 
results may differ from these estimates. Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions 
to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised. Information about significant areas of 
estimation and critical judgments that have the most significant impact on the financial statements are described in the 
following notes:

Estimates

Note 11:  Measurement of intangible assets: In testing for impairment of intangible assets, management has made certain 

36   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   37

 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

assumptions concerning the future development of the business that are consistent with the annual budget and business 
plan. Should these assumptions regarding the growth in profitability be unfounded then it is possible that intangible assets 
included in the statement of financial position could be impaired. Management is confident that this will not be the case 
and conservatively amortises the intangible asset over three years, a realistic timescale for software code to become 
superseded by future releases. Accordingly, when assessing the recoverable value attributable to intangible assets, 
management has estimated cash flows attributable to existing businesses and extrapolated forward budgets for the 
financial year ending 30 April 2018.  

Note 13:  Measurement of trade receivables: Management assess the likely recoverability of amounts invoiced to customers 
on the creditworthiness of its credit partners and the age of debts at the period end. The directors consider the carrying 
amount of trade receivables approximates to their fair value. 

Note 6: Share based payments: The fair value of services received in return for share options granted is measured by 
reference to the fair value of share options granted. The estimate of fair value is measured using the Black-Scholes model.  
The use of a valuation model such as this involves making certain assumptions around the inputs into the model. There is 
also uncertainty around the number of shares likely to vest and the model therefore takes into accounts management’s best 
estimate of this.  

Judgments

Note 11:  Intangible assets: Development expenditure is recognised on the statement of financial position when certain 
criteria are met, as described more fully in the accounting policy on the treatment of research and development 
expenditure. Management uses its judgment in assessing development against the criteria. After capitalisation, 
management monitors whether the recognition requirements continue to be met and whether there are any indicators that 
the asset may be impaired, as discussed above.

Note 12:  Deferred tax: The extent to which deferred tax assets can be recognised is based on an assessment of the 
probability of the Company’s future taxable income against which the deferred tax assets can be utilised. In addition, 
significant judgment is required in assessing the impact of any legal or economic limits or uncertainties. The Company has 
significant tax losses but does not anticipate sufficient taxable profits to arise in the foreseeable future in order to utilise 
these losses, and as a result the directors’ judgment is that no deferred tax asset should be recognised.  

3. Accounting policies

Adopted IFRS not yet applied

At the date of authorisation of these financial statements, certain new standards, amendments and interpretations to 
existing standards have been issued but are not yet effective and have not been applied early by the Company. Management 
anticipates that the following pronouncements relevant to the Company’s operations will be adopted in the Company’s 
accounting policies for the first period beginning after the effective date of the pronouncement, once adopted by the EU:

•  IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (IASB effective date 1 January 2018)

•  IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (effective 1 January 2018)

•  IFRS 16 Leases (effective 1 January 2019)

•  Clarification of Acceptable Methods of Depreciation and Amortisation – Amendments to IAS 16 and IAS 38 (IASB effective  
  date 1 January 2016) (Endorsed)

•  Amendments to IFRS 10, IFRS 12 and IAS 28: Investment Entities: Applying the Consolidation Exception (effective
  1 January 2016)

•  Disclosure Initiative: Amendments to IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements (effective 1 January 2016) (Endorsed)

•  Disclosure Initiative: Amendments to IAS 7 Statement of Cash Flows  (effective 1 January 2017)

•  Amendments to IAS 12: Recognition of Deferred Tax assets for Unrealised Losses (effective 1 January 2017)

There are other standards in issue which are not considered applicable and are not expected to have an impact on the 
Company and have therefore not been included in the list above. The directors anticipate that the adoption of these 
Standards and Interpretations in future periods will have no material impact on the financial statements of the Company. 

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment is held at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment charges.

Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost of property, plant and equipment less the estimated residual value on a 
straight-line basis over the expected useful economic life of the assets concerned. Estimated residual values are revised 
annually.

The annual rates used are:

•  computer equipment – over 3 years

•  fixtures and fittings – over 5 years

Equity instruments

An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the Company after deducting all of its 
liabilities. Equity instruments issued by the Company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs. The 
only equity instrument applicable to the Company is its issued share capital.

Accounting for financial assets

The Company has financial assets in the loans and receivables category. Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial 
assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. After initial recognition these are 
measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. Any change in their value is 
recognised in profit or loss. The Company’s trade and other receivables fall into this category of financial instruments.  

Receivables are considered for impairment on a case-by-case basis when they are past due at the year-end date or when 
objective evidence is received that a credit partner will default or that a receivable will be impaired.  

Accounting for financial liabilities

The Company’s financial liabilities include trade and other payables which, subsequent to initial recognition at fair value, are 
measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method.

Dividends

Dividends are recorded in the Company’s financial statements in the period in which they are approved or paid.

•  Annual Improvements to IFRSs 2010-2012 Cycle (IASB effective date generally 1 July 2014) (Endorsed)

Revenue

•  Annual Improvements to IFRSs 2012-2014 Cycle (effective 1 January 2016) (Endorsed)

•  Amendments to IAS 27: Equity Method in Separate Financial Statements (effective 1 January 2016) (Endorsed)

Revenue comprises the fair value of consideration received or receivable in respect of services provided relating to the sale 
of property, net of discounts, rebates and any sales taxes. 

38   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   39

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

Revenues are recognised on the basis of the performance of contractual obligations and to the extent that the right to 
consideration has been earned and the flow of economic resources is probable.

Fees earned on instruction of residential property are accounted for at the point of publication of advert to property portals, 
the point at which the Company’s obligations are complete. Where property particulars have not yet been published to 
property portals, the fees are recognised as deferred income and presented within liabilities. 

Conveyancing fees are accounted for on completion of the service being provided, being legal completion of the transaction. 
This may lead to the recognition of accrued income.

Fees earned under lettings contracts are recognised on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement and/or at the 
point of delivery of the service as appropriate.

Accompanied viewings revenue is recognised when its receipt is assured over the period in which the Company fulfils its 
obligations.

Internally developed intangible assets

Expenditure on research activities is recognised as an expense in the period in which it is incurred.

Impairment
The carrying amount of the Company’s assets is reviewed at each year end date to determine whether there is any indication 
of impairment. If any such indication exists, the asset’s recoverable amount is estimated.

An impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of an asset or its cash-generating unit exceeds its 
recoverable amount. Impairment losses are recognised in profit or loss. Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, 
the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, but 
so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no 
impairment loss been recognised for the asset (or cash-generating unit) in prior years. A reversal of an impairment loss is 
recognised in profit or loss where it relates to an amount charged to profit or loss. 

Share based payments
The equity settled share option programme allows employees to acquire shares of the Company. The fair value of options 
granted is recognised as an employee expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The fair value is measured using the 
Black-Scholes model at grant date and spread over the period during which the employees become unconditionally entitled 
to the options. The expense is allocated over the vesting period based on the best available estimate of the number of share 
options expected to vest. Non-market vesting conditions are included in assumptions about the number of options that are 
expected to become exercisable. Deferred taxation is recognised over the vesting period.

An internally generated intangible asset arising from the Company’s development activity is recognised in the statement of 
financial position when the Company can demonstrate the following:

•  the technical feasibility of completing the intangible asset so that it will be available for use or sale

Share based payments reserve
This comprises the cumulative share-based payment charge recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income in 
relation to equity-settled options and share rights issued but not yet exercised. 

•  its intention to complete the intangible asset and use or sell it

•  its ability to use or sell the intangible asset

•  how the intangible asset will generate probable future economic benefits

•  the availability of adequate technical, financial and other resources to complete the development and to use or sell the  

intangible asset

•  its ability to measure reliably the expenditure attributable to the intangible asset during its development

Internally generated intangible assets are amortised over their useful economic life, on a straight line basis over three years.  
Where no internally generated intangible asset can be recognised, development expenditure is recognised as an expense in 
the period in which it is incurred.

Leases

In accordance with IAS 17, the economic ownership of a leased asset is transferred to the lessee if the lessee bears 
substantially all the risks and rewards related to the ownership of the leased asset. The related asset is recognised at the 
time of the inception of the lease at the fair value of the leased asset or, if lower, the present value of the lease payments plus 
incidental payments, if any to be borne by the lessee. 

All other leases are treated as operating leases. Payments under operating lease agreements are recognised as an expense 
on a straight line basis over the period of the lease. Associated costs, such as maintenance and insurance, are expensed as 
incurred. The Company does not act as a lessor.

Taxation
Tax expense recognised in profit or loss comprises the sum of deferred tax and current tax not recognised in other 
comprehensive income or directly in equity. Current income tax assets and liabilities comprise those obligations to, or 
claims from, fiscal authorities relating to the current or prior reporting periods that remain unpaid at the reporting date. 
Current tax is payable on taxable profit, which differs from profit or loss in the financial statements. Calculation of current tax 
is based on tax rates and tax laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the end of the reporting period.

Deferred income taxes are calculated using the liability method on temporary differences between the carrying amounts of 
assets and liabilities and their tax bases. However, deferred tax is not provided on the initial recognition of goodwill or on the 
initial recognition of an asset or liability unless the related transaction is a business combination or affects tax or accounting 
profit. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated, without discounting, at tax rates that are expected to apply to their 
respective period of realisation, provided those rates are enacted or substantively enacted by the end of the reporting period.

Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that the underlying tax loss or deductible temporary 
difference will be able to be utilised against future taxable income. This is assessed based on the Company’s forecast of 
future operating results, adjusted for significant non-taxable income and expenses and specific limits on the use of any 
unused tax loss or credit. Deferred tax liabilities are always provided for in full, deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset 
only when the Company has a right and intention to set off current tax assets and liabilities from the same taxation 
authority. Changes in deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognised as a component of tax income or expense in profit or 
loss, except where they relate to items that are recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity, in which 
case the related deferred tax is also recognised in other comprehensive income or equity, respectively.

Pension benefits

The Company does not operate a pension scheme nor is it required to implement a contributory pension scheme under 
auto enrolment until April 2017.

4. Segmental reporting

The Company is managed as a single division, providing services relating to the sale of properties. The financial information 
reviewed by the board is materially the same as that reported under IFRS. The Company only operates in the United Kingdom.

40   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   41

 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

During the year, no one customer contributed greater than 10% of the Company’s revenues. (2015: none)

9,000,660 share options were exercised during the year (2015:Nil). The number and weighted average exercise price of share 
options are as follows:

5. Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions in the year (2015: nil).

Directors’ remuneration and key management personnel disclosures can be found in note 8.

Paul Pindar purchased 300,000 Ordinary shares in the Company on 26 January 2016 at 78.16p per share and Michael Bruce 
purchased 320,000 Ordinary shares in the Company on 26 January 2016 at 78.00p per share.

6. Share based payments

During the year, the Company made a bonus issue of shares prior to admission to the Alternative Investment Market 
whereby each existing class of share became 108.2747 new Ordinary shares.

2016 
Weighted average 
exercise price 

2016 

2015 
Number of options  Weighted average  Number of options
exercise price 

(number)

(number) 

2015

Granted during the year 

Exercised during the year 

Lapsed during the year 

Outstanding at end of the year 

Exercisable at end of the year 

£0.09 

£0.11 

£0.13 

£0.04 

£0.06 

18,802,984 
(9,000,660) 
(162,405) 

10,952,712 

3,141,298 

£0.01p 

- 

£0.01p 

£0.01p 

£0.01p 

44,937

-

(2,300)

42,637

13,800

The Company operates a number of HMRC approved executive management incentive plans (EMI).

The weighted average remaining contractual life of the options is 9.2 years (2015: 10 years).

The vesting conditions are based on length of service with 25% of the options vesting on or after the 12 month anniversary 
of the employee’s start date and a further 6.25% vesting every three months thereafter so that options vest in full on the 48 
month anniversary of the employee’s start date.

Details of the total number of shares under option at the year end and conditions on qualification and exercise under EMI 
are set out below:

Grant 
Date 

Employees 
entitled 

Number of 
options 

Performance 
conditions 

Exercise 
price (p) 

Earliest 
exercise date 

Expiry
date

09/01/2015 

10/07/2015 

07/08/2015 

10/08/2015 

14 

11 

2 

11 

4,616,510 

4,742,542 

7,506,471 

Length of service 

Length of service 

Length of service 

682,131 

Length of service 

£0.01 

£0.13 

£0.13 

£0.13 

09/01/2015 

10/07/2015 

07/08/2015 

23/09/2015 

09/01/2025

10/07/2025

07/08/2025

10/08/2025

The Company operates an unapproved executive incentive plan. The vesting conditions are based on length of service with 
25% of the options vesting on or after the 12 month anniversary of the employee’s start date and a further 6.25% vesting 
every three months thereafter so that options vest in full on the 48 month anniversary of the employee’s start date. Details of 
the total number of shares under option at the year end and conditions on qualification and exercise under unapproved 
rules are set out below and on the following page:

Grant 
Date 

Employees 
entitled 

Number of 
options 

Performance 
conditions 

Exercise 
price (p) 

Earliest 
exercise date 

Expiry
date

06/11/2015 

8 

5,709,435 

Length of service 

£0.01 

06/11/2016 

06/11/2025

Fair value assumptions of share based payments

The fair value of services received in return for share options granted is measured by reference to the fair value of share 
options granted. The estimate of fair value is measured using the Black-Scholes model. Details of the fair value of share 
options granted in the period and the prior period, together with the assumptions used in determining the fair value are 
summarised below: 

Weighted average share price at date of grant 

Weighted average exercise price 

Weighted average contractual life (years) 

Weighted average expected volatility 

Weighted average risk free interest rate 

30 April 2016 
£0.15 
£0.09 
10 
27% 
1.5% 

30 April 2015

£14.00

£0.01

10

27%

1.5%

Total weighted average fair value of options granted 

£1,664,100 

£596,510

The volatility assumption, measured at the standard deviation of expected share price movements, is based on a review of 
volatility used by listed companies in the same sector.

Charge to the income statement

The charge to the income statement, included with administrative expenses, comprises:

Share-based payment charges 

2016 
£ 

2015
£

596,647 

105,016

42   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   43

 
 
 
   
   
   
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

7. Expenses and auditor’s remuneration

Included in the income statement are the following items:

Auditor’s remuneration:

  Audit of these financial statements 

Amounts received by auditors and their associates in respect of:

  Taxation compliance 

  Taxation advisory services 

Depreciation and other amounts written off property, plant & equipment:

  Owned, in respect of continuing activities 

Amortisation of development costs 

Aggregate charge against income in respect of research and development

costs not eligible for capitalisation 

Rentals payable under plant and machinery operating leases 

Leasehold property rentals 

2016 
£ 

2015
£

32,000 

12,000

2,500 
97,825 

61,159 

101,309 

520,786 

15,108 

74,209 

2,000

-

15,757

40,063

352,083

1,093

49,328

The following table provides details of remuneration paid to directors:

Salaries or fees, including bonuses 

Employer’s national insurance 

Share based payment charge 

2016 
£ 

625,791 
80,959 
468,135 

1,174,885 

2015
£

538,379

74,296

-

612,675

The highest paid director received remuneration of £383,188 (2015:£182,712) during the year.

No director had a material interest in any contract in relation to the business of the Company.

In addition to the 5 directors (2015: 9), 6 senior management (2015: 2) are also considered to be key management personnel. 

The following table provides details of remuneration paid to key management personnel, being 11 individuals (2015: 11 
individuals). 

2016 
£ 

1,105,412 
596,647 

1,702,059 

2015
£

697,347

105,016

802,363

The aggregate charge in respect of research and development represents the total cost incurred during the year, less 
amounts capitalised in accordance with IAS38: Intangible Assets. 

Salaries or fees, including bonuses and employer’s national insurance 

Share based payment charge 

8. Personnel expenses

The average number of persons employed by the Company during the period was as follows:

The remuneration of the Directors for the years ended 2016 and 2015 was as follows:

Sales and marketing 

Technical 

Administration 

The aggregate payroll costs of the persons employed, including directors, were as follows:

Wages and salaries 

Social security costs 

Share based payment charge 

2016 
No. 

81 
18 
4 

103 

2016 
£ 

2015
No.

38

8

2

48

2015
£

3,983,829 
435,478 
596,647 

5,015,954 

2,059,983

211,189

105,016

2,376,188

Salary 
and fees 
2016 
£000s 

Taxable 
benefits 
2016 
£000s 

Annual 
bonuses 
2016 
£000s 

Long term
incentives 
2016 
£000s 

Pension 
2016 
£000s 

Total
2016 
£000s

163 

125 

59 

40 

52 

18 

18 

36 

511 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

75 

- 

7 

32 

- 

- 

- 

- 

145 

133 

102 

6 

82 

- 

- 

- 

114 

468 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

383

258

168

78

134

18

18

36

1,093

Executive directors

M P D Bruce 

N R Cartwright 

K F C Bruce 

J R Kydd 

M J Farrow 

Non-executive directors

P R M Pindar 

N S Discombe 

W E Whitehorn 

Total 

44   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   45

   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

Salary 
and fees 
2015 
£000s 

Taxable 
benefits 
2015 
£000s 

Annual 
bonuses 
2015 
£000s 

Long term
incentives 
2015 
£000s 

Pension 
2015 
£000s 

Total
2015 
£000s

Loss before taxation from continuing operations 

2016 
£ 
(11,901,831) 

2015
£

(5,435,780)

Tax using the average UK Corporation tax rate of 20.00% (2015: 20.92%) 

(2,380,366) 

(1,137,165)

Executive directors

M P D Bruce 

N R Cartwright 

K F C Bruce 

J R Kydd 

M J Farrow 

Non-executive directors

P R M Pindar 

N S Discombe 

W E Whitehorn 

Total 

9. Taxation

Current tax expense 

UK corporation tax for the current year 

Total current tax 

Deferred tax

Deferred tax for the current year 

Total deferred tax 

Taxation charged to the income statement 

Reconciliation of effective tax rate

93 

42 

83 

58 

48 

6 

6 

27 

363 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

75 

- 

100 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

175 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2016 
£ 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

168

42

183

58

48

6

6

27

538

2015
£

-

-

-

-

-

The current tax charge for the period is higher than (2015: higher than) than the average standard rate of corporation tax in 
the UK during the period of 20.00% (2015: 20.92%). The differences are explained on the next page.

Effects of:

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 

Tax losses for which no deferred tax asset was recognised 

Other permanent differences 

Total tax in income statement 

10. Property, plant and equipment

Cost 

Balance at 1 May 2014 

Additions 

Balance at 30 April 2015 

Additions 

Disposals 

Balance at 30 April 2016 

Depreciation 

Balance at 1 May 2014 

Charge for the year 

Balance at 30 April 2015 

Charge for the year 

Accumulated depreciation on disposal 

498,144 
1,882,222 
- 

- 

66,024

1,070,991

150

-

Computer  Furniture and 
fittings
equipment 

£ 

41,264 

40,486 

81,750 

£ 

- 

2,164 

2,164 

Total

£

41,264

42,650

83,914

130,673 

84,665 

215,338

(63) 

- 

(63)

212,360 

86,829 

299,189

(4,950) 

(15,558) 

(20,508) 

(48,927) 

63 

- 

(4,950)

(199) 

(199) 

(15,757)

(20,707)

(12,232) 

(61,159)

- 

63

Balance at 30 April 2016 

(69,372) 

(12,431) 

(81,803)

Net book value 

At 30 April 2016 

At 30 April 2015 

142,988 

74,398 

217,386

61,242 

1,965 

63,207

46   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   47

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

11. Intangible assets

Cost

Balance at 1 May 2014 

Internally developed 

Balance at 30 April 2015 

Internally developed 

Balance at 30 April 2016 

Amortisation and impairment 

Balance at 1 May 2014 

Amortisation for the year 

Balance at 30 April 2015 

Amortisation for the year 

Balance at 30 April 2016 

Net carrying value 

Balance at 30 April 2016 

Balance at 30 April 2015 

Internally generated
intangible asset
£

12. Deferred tax assets and liabilities

Movement in unprovided deferred tax for the year ended 30 April 2016

Share-based payment expense 
Tax losses 

As at 1 May 
2015 
£ 
21,003 
1,411,119 

Movement in 
the year 
£ 
119,329 
1,882,222 

As at 30 April
2016
£
140,332
3,293,341

1,432,122 

2,001,551 

3,433,673

56,291

123,229

179,520

334,263

513,783

(1,564)

(40,063)

(41,627)

(101,309)

(142,936)

370,847

137,893

The gross value of losses in respect of which the unrecognised deferred tax asset relates is £16,632,846 (2015: £7,055,596).

The provision of a deferred tax asset is based on the future trading forecasts for the Company. A deferred tax asset has not 
been recognised in respect of trading losses and other temporary differences as the Company does not anticipate sufficient 
taxable profits to arise within the foreseeable future. 

13. Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables 
Prepayments 
Accrued income 
Accrued interest 

2016 
£ 
1,016,815 
1,555,644 
362,790 
35,009 

2,970,258 

2015
£
238,059
450,006
58,018
-

746,083

All trade and other receivables are short-term and due in less than one month. The directors consider that the carrying 
amount of trade receivables approximates to their fair value. All trade and other receivables have been reviewed for 
indications of impairment.

Of the total trade receivables shown above, no amounts (2015: £nil) are past due and none are impaired.

The internally generated intangible asset relates to capitalised development costs in respect of the customer facing 
Purplebricks software platform.

The amortisation charges are recognised in the following line items in the income statement:

Administrative and establishment expenses 

Amortisation and impairment

2016 
£ 
101,309 

2015
£

40,063

Intangible assets are amortised over their useful economic lives. In the case of the internally developed intangible asset, 
amortisation is charged on a straight line basis over three years. 

14. Trade and other payables

Trade payables 
Other taxation and social security 
Accruals 

Deferred income  

2016 
£ 
2,728,709 
427,514 
2,055,130 

5,211,353 
760,358 

5,971,711 

2015
£
552,862
48,278
451,599

1,052,739
109,930

1,162,669

48   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   49

All trade and other payables are short-term. The directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other payables 
approximates to their fair value.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

15. Share capital

Allotted, issued and fully paid:

Class: 

Ordinary shares 

A Ordinary 

B Ordinary 

C Ordinary 

Series Seed shares 

Number 

Nominal Value: 

240,259,152 

656,537 

255,930 

141,120 

712,261 

£0.01p 

£0.01p 

£0.01p 

£0.01p 

£0.01p 

2016 
£ 
2,402,591 
- 
- 
- 
- 

2015
£

-

6,565

2,559

1,411

7,123

2,402,591 

17,658

The table below summarises the movements in the number of the shares at the beginning and end of the period:

Ordinary 
shares 

Deferred 
shares 

D Ordinary 
shares 

A Ordinary 
shares 

B Ordinary  C Ordinary  Series Seed
shares

shares 

shares 

656,537 

255,930 

141,120 

712,261

- 

- 

60,363 

- 

- 

13,800 

12,276 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

135,796

-

-

-

-

-

-

- 

- 

69,328 

(60,363) 

(8,965) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Ordinary shares 
at 1 May 2015 

Series Seed Shares allotted 

D Shares allotted 

Conversion to A shares 

Conversion of deferred shares 

Redemption of deferred shares 

Exercise of options 

Exercise of warrants 

Shares prior to bonus issue 

Bonus issue effect 

Post bonus issue 

Conversion to A shares 

Conversion to Ordinary
shares 

Shares allotted on
admission 

Ordinary shares at
30 April 2016 

215,259,152 

25,000,000 

240,259,152 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

8,965 

(8,965) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

The following fully paid shares were allotted during the year at a premium as shown below:

On 8 July 2015, 135,796 Series Seed Shares of £0.01 each were allotted with £73.64 paid up on each Series Seed Share.

On 6 November 2015, 69,328 D Ordinary shares were allotted following exercise of options over D Ordinary shares; and on 
19 November 2015, the Company reduced its share premium account from £22,296,928 to £3,296,928 by the cancellation 
of £19,000,000 of the amount standing to the credit of such account, in order to create distributable reserves to ensure that 
the Company satisfied the net asset requirement for a public Company that its nets assets are more than its paid up share 
capital and non-distributable reserves.

The Company issued 213,271,069 bonus shares on 9 December 2015 to meet the minimum nominal share capital 
requirements in order for it to be re-registered as a public Company and to reduce the value of an individual share to £1. 
Prior to the bonus issue, the 69,328 D Ordinary shares were converted into 60,363 A Ordinary shares and 8,965 deferred 
shares of £0.01 each, which were subsequently redeemed and cancelled by the Company. At the same time, 13,800 options 
over A Ordinary shares were exercised and 12,276 Company warrants over A Ordinary shares were exercised.

The Company was re-registered as a public limited Company on 10 December 2015 and by a special resolution changed its 
name from New Broom Limited to Purplebricks Group plc.

Immediately prior to Admission, all shares in the Company will automatically convert into A Ordinary shares in accordance 
with Article 8 of the Company’s articles of association in force at the relevant time. The A Ordinary shares were re-designated 
as Ordinary shares on 9 December 2015. Following the conversion and re-designation, the issued share capital of the 
Company was 215,259,152 Ordinary shares.

The Company’s issued share capital prior to admission to AIM was 215,259,152 Ordinary shares (with an aggregate nominal 
value of £2,152,591.52) and became 240,259,152 Ordinary shares (with an aggregate nominal value of £2,402,591.52) by 
virtue of the £25,000,000 of the new placing shares.

All shares carry the same rights.

16. Capital and reserves

742,976 

255,930 

141,120 

848,057

Reconciliation of movements in capital and reserves

79,702,551 

27,454,822 

15,138,610 

90,975,086

Movements in capital and reserves are set out in the statement of changes in equity on page 35.

80,445,527 

27,710,752 

15,279,730 

91,823,143

Share capital

134,813,625 

(27,710,752) 

(15,279,730) 

(91,823,143)

Share capital represents the nominal value of shares that have been issued.

- 

(215,259,152) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-

-

-

Share premium

Share premium represents the excess of consideration received for shares over the nominal value.

Share based payment reserve

Share based payment reserve represents all current and prior period share based payment charges less the effect of the 
exercise of share options.

Retained earnings

Retained earnings includes all current and prior period retained profit and losses.

50   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   51

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

17. Financial instruments disclosure

Capital risk management 

Capital management objectives are to ensure the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide a return 
to shareholders.

The capital structure of the Company currently consists of cash and equity attributable to equity holders of the Company, 
comprising issued capital, reserves and retained earnings as disclosed in the statement of changes in equity. The Company’s 
Audit Committee reviews the capital structure as part of its risk analysis.  As part of this review, the Committee considers the 
cost of capital and the risks associated with each class of capital.  

Interest rate sensitivity analysis

At the year end date there was no material exposure to movements in interest rates as the Company has no borrowings or 
other financial assets or liabilities linked to interest rates. 

Other financial assets and liabilities

There are no financial assets or liabilities measured at fair value.

Foreign currency risk management

The Company has no material currency exposure. The Company’s financial instruments are denominated in Sterling.

The Company is not subject to externally imposed capital requirements.

Credit risk management

Categories of financial assets and financial liabilities

The Company held the following categories of financial instruments:

The Company’s credit risk is primarily attributable to its trade receivables. Credit risk is managed by monitoring the 
aggregate amount and duration of exposure to any one customer depending upon their credit rating. The Company has an 
excellent history with no trade receivables written off as irrecoverable.

2016 
£ 

2015
£

The credit risk on liquid funds is minimised because the counterparties are UK banks with high credit-ratings assigned by 
international credit-rating agencies.

Financial assets 
Loans and receivables (including trade and other receivables,
cash and cash equivalents) 

Financial liabilities held at amortised cost  
Trade payables and accruals  

31,528,210 

4,847,830

4,783,839 

1,004,459

18. Contingent liabilities

The Company has no contingent liabilities (2015: £nil).

19. Commitments

Capital commitments, approved by the Board and existing at 30 April 2016 amounted to £ nil (2015: £nil).

The fair value of the financial instruments set out above is not materially different to the book value.

Total commitments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Liquidity risk management

The Company manages liquidity risk by maintaining adequate cash reserves and by continuously monitoring both forecast 
as well as actual cash flows to enable matching of the maturity profiles of financial assets and liabilities. Sufficient cash 
is retained to service short-term financing needs. Liquidity risk is managed through regular senior review of performance 
versus an integrated profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow model. Sensitivities are applied to this model to ensure the 
Company has early warning of any manifestation of liquidity risk and communicate any such risk to investors in a timely and 
accurate manner so as to manage liquidity risk comprehensively and effectively.

The following is an analysis of the contractual undiscounted cash flows payable under financial liabilities. The table includes 
principal only cash flows in respect of trade and other payables. 

Payable:

  Within one year 

In the second to fifth years inclusive 

Land and 
buildings 
£ 

100,700 

302,742 

403,442 

2016 

2015

Other 

£ 

20,237 
28,246 

48,483 

Land and 
buildings
£ 

12,709 

- 

Other

£

4,373

8,382

12,709 

12,755

Trade payables and accruals due within one month 

Trade payables and accruals due within three months 

     2016 
£ 

3,826,803 
1,384,550 

2015
             £

824,195

228,544

Operating leases relate to land, buildings and other assets, such as IT equipment, used to support the operational 
requirements of the Company.

20. Ultimate controlling party

Trade and other payables 

5,211,353 

1,052,739

There is no ultimate controlling party as no one investor has a majority shareholding.

52   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016   /   53

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
continued

21. Loss per share

Loss £ 
Weighted average number of shares 

Loss per share (£) 

Basic and 
diluted 
2016 
(11,901,831) 
101,194,640 

Basic and 
diluted (rebased) 
2015 

Basic and
diluted
2015

(5,435,780) 

(5,435,780)

164,817,806 

1,522,219

(0.12) 

(0.03) 

(3.57)

During the year the Company issued bonus shares prior to its admission to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) on a 
108.2747 for 1 basis. Rebased loss per share reflects the effect of the bonus issue and the additional equity raised as part of 
the admission to AIM and is provided in the interests of further and better disclosure.

Diluted loss per share is equal to the basic loss per share as a result of the Company recording a loss for the period, which 
cannot be diluted.

54   /   Purplebricks Group plc Annual Report 2016

 
 
 
Purplebricks Group Plc
Registered number 08047368
Cranmore Place, Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4RZ
Head office: 0121 296 4848

www.purplebricks.com