Listed Company Information
 

UPBEST GROUP<00335> - Results Announcement

Upbest Group Limited announced on  19/7/2004:
(stock code: 00335 )
Year end date: 31/3/2004
Currency: HKD
Auditors' Report: Unqualified

                                                        (Audited   )
                                     (Audited   )       Last
                                     Current            Corresponding
                                     Period             Period
                                     from 1/4/2003      from 1/4/2002  
                                     to 31/3/2004       to 31/3/2003  
                               Note  ('000      )       ('000      )
Turnover                           : 74,185             50,790            
Profit/(Loss) from Operations      : 49,500             19,200            
Finance cost                       : (3,178)            (3,195)           
Share of Profit/(Loss) of 
  Associates                       : 119                N/A               
Share of Profit/(Loss) of
  Jointly Controlled Entities      : N/A                N/A               
Profit/(Loss) after Tax & MI       : 38,144             13,123            
% Change over Last Period          : +190.67   %
EPS/(LPS)-Basic (in dollars)       : 0.034              0.012             
         -Diluted (in dollars)     : N/A                N/A               
Extraordinary (ETD) Gain/(Loss)    : N/A                N/A               
Profit/(Loss) after ETD Items      : 38,144             13,123            
Final Dividend                     : 1 cent             0.48 cent         
  per Share                                                               
(Specify if with other             : N/A                N/A               
  options)                                                                
                                                                          
B/C Dates for 
  Final Dividend                   : 16/8/2004          to 30/8/2004 bdi.
Payable Date                       : 30/9/2004 
B/C Dates for Annual         
  General Meeting                  : 16/8/2004          to 30/8/2004 bdi.
Other Distribution for             : N/A           
  Current Period                     
                                     
B/C Dates for Other 
  Distribution                     : N/A          

Remarks:

1.      The Group is principally engaged in the provision of a wide range 
of financial services including four core business segments, namely 
Broking, Securities Margin Financing and Money Lending, Corporate Finance 
Advisory and Assets Management.  

An analysis of the turnover and contribution to profit before taxation by 
principal activities for the years ended March 31, 2004 and 2003 are as 
follows:


                            2004                       2003
                 Turnover       Contribution   Turnover    Contribution
                                to profit                  to profit
                                before taxation            before taxation
                ---------------------------------------------------------- 
                (audited)       (audited)      (audited)  (audited)
                HK$'000         HK$'000         HK$'000    HK$'000
                                        
 Securities brokerage and futures brokerage     
                19,362          9,688           11,392           3,421 
 Securities margin financing and money lending  
                38,591          34,193          30,414          24,108 
 Corporate finance advisory     
                13,799          12,290           6,083           4,150 
 Assets management      
                 2,433             952           2,901             492 
                --------------------------------------------------------
                74,185          57,123          50,790          32,171
                ======                          =======

 Net investment income (losses)         
                                 2,585                          (1,867)
 Provision for doubtful debts           
                               (13,644)                        (14,246)
 Bad debts written off             (61)                           (182) 
 Other income                      319                             129 
 Share of results of an associate               
                                   119                               - 
                                --------                        --------
 Profit before taxation         46,441                          16,005 
 Taxation                       (8,297)                         (2,882)
                                --------                        --------
 Profit after taxation          38,144                          13,123 
                                ========                        ========


2.      Dividends                       
                                        2004            2003
                                        HK$'000         HK$'000
Final dividend proposed of HK1 cent (2003: HK0.48                       
  cent) per ordinary share              11,200          5,376
                                        -------------------------

3.       Basic earnings per share

The calculation of basic earnings per share for the year is based on the 
net profit attributable to shareholders of HK$38,144,000 (2003: 
HK$13,123,000) and the weighted average number of 1,120,000,000 shares 
(2003: 1,120,000,000 shares) in issue during the year. 

There is no diluted earnings per share for the years ended March 31, 2004 
and 2003 presented since the Company has no dilutive potential ordinary 
shares.