ADT restates loss to increased 330m pounds

A scams warning has been issued by HMRC (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Archive)

ADT, the Bermuda-registered car auctions and security services combine run by Michael Ashcroft, restated its results for 1991 to show a loss before tax of dollars 461.4m ( pounds 330m), against the dollars 137.2m ( pounds 98m) it reported at the time.

The company said the results had been brought into line with accounting standards in the United States to reflect the predominantly North American shareholder base. That resulted in the amortisation of goodwill at the operating income level instead of it being written off against shareholders' funds in the balance sheet.

The change produced dollars 564.4m of unusual (exceptional) items in the restated 1991 figures.

The restated results were disclosed as ADT reported pre-tax profits of dollars 115.9m for 1992.

Mr Ashcroft, who is chairman and chief executive, said: 'Management's priorities remain to concentrate resources on growth opportunities in the core businesses and to implement a refinancing plan to address the company's syndicated bank debt maturities and preference share redemption obligations which arise in 1994 and 1995.'

He added: 'Trading has started satisfactorily in 1993.'

ADT shares closed 8p up at 638p.