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Registration number: 01381243

MA Agriculture Limited

Annual Report and Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Contents

Company Information

1

Strategic Report

2

Directors' Report

3

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities

4

Independent Auditor's Report

5 to 8

Profit and Loss Account

9

Balance Sheet

10

Statement of Changes in Equity

11

Notes to the Financial Statements

12 to 22

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Company Information

Directors

M Allen

E Morgan

K Toumba

K Gapp

S Allen

P S Rigby

A Hill

D Smith

B W Goodridge

N Ferrin

J Benson

B Allen

T Willoughby

A J Meredith

Company secretary

K Toumba

Registered office

St Judes Church
Dulwich Road
London
SE24 0PB

Auditors

Sterlings Ltd
Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors
Lawford House
Albert Place
London
N3 1QA

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

The directors present their strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Fair review of the business

The principal activity of the company continued to be the publishing of the Farmers Weekly journal together with small niche conferences and the five specialist Agriculture titles purchased in November 2023 from Lewis Business Media Ltd.

MA Agriculture Limited’s revenue increased from £11.85 million to £12.3 million with profit before tax going down from £2.22 million to £1.98 million due to increased production costs.

At the year end, the company had a strong net asset balance of £8.07 million, compared to a net asset balance of £6.62 million at the prior year end.

The company's key financial and other performance indicators during the year were as follows:

Financial KPIs

Unit

2024

2023

Revenue

£

12,311,722

11,851,123

Gross profit

£

4,625,250

4,768,974

EBITDA

£

2,787,773

2,944,211

Principal risks and uncertainties

The financial instruments used by the company, which comprise debtors, cash at bank and creditors, arise wholly and directly from its activities. The company manages the financial risks relating thereto by means of the following measures:

1. The company regularly monitors the level of its debtors and follows up on any overdue balances;
2. The company maintains monthly management accounts and monitors its cash flow daily; and
3. The possible risk of the withdrawal of credit by suppliers is managed by paying promptly within agreed credit terms and regular monitoring of the level of trade creditors.

Future developments

The directors intend to continue growing the business both organically and by further acquisition when the opportunity arises.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 13 February 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
 

.........................................
M Allen
Director

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Directors' Report for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

The directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Results and dividends

The profit for the year, after taxation, amounted to £1,450,137 (2023: £1,760,744). The directors do not recommend payment of a dividend.

Directors of the company

The directors who held office during the year were as follows:

M Allen

E Morgan

K Toumba - Company secretary and director

K Gapp

S Allen

P S Rigby

A Hill

D Smith

B W Goodridge

N Ferrin

J Benson

B Allen

T Willoughby

A J Meredith

Information included in the Strategic Report

As permitted by s414c(11) of the Companies Act 2006, the directors have elected to disclose information, required to be in the directors' report by Schedule 7 of the 'Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008', in the strategic report.

Disclosure of information to the auditors

Each director has taken steps that they ought to have taken as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company's auditors are aware of that information. The directors confirm that there is no relevant information that they know of and of which they know the auditors are unaware.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 13 February 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
 

.........................................
M Allen
Director

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities 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 United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

state whether applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

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.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of MA Agriculture Limited

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of MA Agriculture Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 March 2024, which comprise the Profit and Loss Account, Balance Sheet, Statement of Changes in Equity, and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of its profit for the year then ended;

have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

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

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the original financial statements were authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of MA Agriculture Limited

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the Strategic Report and Directors' Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

the Strategic Report and Directors' Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic Report and the Directors' Report.

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.

Responsibilities of directors

As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors' Responsibilities set out on page 4, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of MA Agriculture Limited

Auditor Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

• the Senior Statutory Auditor ensured that the audit team collectively had the appropriate competence, skills, and capabilities to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
• we identified the laws and regulations applicable to the company through discussions with directors and other management, and from our commercial knowledge and experience of the relevant industry;
• we focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the company, including the Companies Act 2006, taxation legislation, and other legislation;
• we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and inspecting legal correspondence where relevant; and
• identified laws and regulations were communicated within the audit team regularly and the team remained alert to instances of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:
• making enquiries of management as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and
• considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations.

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls we:
• performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships;
• tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions;
• assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates were indicative of potential bias; and
• investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:
• agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;
• reading the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;
• enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims; and
• reviewing correspondence with HM Revenue & Customs.

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more remote that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of MA Agriculture Limited

Use of our report

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.

......................................
Stephen Fenton FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of Sterlings Ltd, Statutory Auditor

Lawford House
Albert Place
London
N3 1QA

25 February 2025

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Profit and Loss Account for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Note

2024
£

2023
£

Turnover

3

12,311,722

11,851,123

Cost of sales

 

(7,686,472)

(7,082,149)

Gross profit

 

4,625,250

4,768,974

Administrative expenses

 

(2,662,768)

(2,524,759)

Operating profit

4

1,962,482

2,244,215

Other interest receivable and similar income

5

13,266

-

Interest payable and similar expenses

6

-

(22,107)

   

13,266

(22,107)

Profit before tax

 

1,975,748

2,222,108

Tax on profit

10

(525,611)

(461,364)

Profit for the financial year

 

1,450,137

1,760,744

The above results were derived from continuing operations.

The company has no recognised gains or losses for the year other than the results above.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

(Registration number: 01381243)
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024

Note

2024
£

2023
£

Fixed assets

 

Intangible assets

11

13,867,697

11,685,907

Investments

12

343,900

50

 

14,211,597

11,685,957

Current assets

 

Debtors

13

5,109,302

5,351,680

Cash at bank and in hand

 

1,009,326

959,691

 

6,118,628

6,311,371

Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

15

(12,262,283)

(11,379,523)

Net current liabilities

 

(6,143,655)

(5,068,152)

Net assets

 

8,067,942

6,617,805

Capital and reserves

 

Called up share capital

70,840

70,840

Profit and loss account

7,997,102

6,546,965

Shareholders' funds

 

8,067,942

6,617,805

Approved and authorised by the Board on 13 February 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
 

.........................................
M Allen
Director

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Statement of Changes in Equity for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Share capital
£

Profit and loss account
£

Total
£

At 1 April 2023

70,840

6,546,965

6,617,805

Profit for the year

-

1,450,137

1,450,137

At 31 March 2024

70,840

7,997,102

8,067,942

Share capital
£

Profit and loss account
£

Total
£

At 1 April 2022

70,840

4,786,221

4,857,061

Profit for the year

-

1,760,744

1,760,744

At 31 March 2023

70,840

6,546,965

6,617,805

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

1

General information

The principal activity of the company is publishing and organisation of conferences and exhibitions.
 

The company is a private company limited by share capital, incorporated in England and Wales.

The address of its registered office is:
St Judes Church
Dulwich Road
London
SE24 0PB
England

During the year, the principal place of business was: Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS England.

Since May 2024, the principal place of business is:
1st Floor
Chancery House
St Nicolas Way
Sutton
Surrey
SM1 1JB
England

The financial statements are presented in Sterling (£), which is also the company's functional currency. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

These financial statements were authorised for issue by the Board on 13 February 2025.

2

Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

These financial statements were prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006.

Basis of preparation

These financial statements have been prepared using the historical cost convention except that as disclosed in the accounting policies certain items are shown at fair value.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Summary of disclosure exemptions

The company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemptions in preparing these financial statements, as permitted by FRS 102:
• Section 3 Financial Statement Presentation paragraph 3.17(d) (inclusion of statement of cash flows);
• Section 7 Statement of Cash Flows (inclusion of statement of cash flows);
• Section 11 Financial Instruments paragraph 11.42, 11.44, 11.45, 11.47, 11.48(a)(iii), 11.48(a)(iv), 11.48(b) and 11.48(c) (disclosures relating to financial instruments);
• Section 26 Share based payments (disclosures of share based payments);
• Section 33 Related Party Disclosures paragraph 33.7 (disclosures of key management personnel compensation).

Name of parent of group

These financial statements are consolidated in the financial statements of Mark Allen Holdings Limited.

The financial statements of Mark Allen Holdings Limited may be obtained from St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB.

Group accounts not prepared

The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mark Allen Holdings Limited, a company incorporated in the UK, whose registered address is St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, London, SE24 0PB. In accordance with the exemption given in Section 400 of the Companies Act 2006, the company is not required to produce, and has not published, consolidated accounts. The accounts present information about the company as an individual undertaking and not about its group.

Going concern

Having considered the company’s forecasts, latest results and cash reserves, and after making enquiries, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence and meet its liabilities as they fall due for the foreseeable future, being a period of at least twelve months from the date these financial statements were approved. Accordingly they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

Revenue recognition

Turnover represents amounts receivable for goods and services net of VAT and trade discounts. Subscription income is taken to the profit and loss account over the period to which the subscription relates. Advertising income is taken to the profit and loss account in the month of issue of the related publication. Event income is recognised on the first day of the event. Subscriptions and fees received in advance at the balance sheet date are carried forward in creditors.

Finance income and costs policy

Interest income is recognised in profit or loss using the effective interest method.

Finance costs are charged to profit or loss over the term of the debt using the effective interest method so that the amount charged is at a constant rate on the carrying amount.

Foreign currency transactions and balances

Transactions in foreign currencies are initially recorded at the functional currency rate prevailing at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated into the respective functional currency of the entity at the rates prevailing on the reporting period date. Non-monetary items carried at fair value that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rate on the date when the fair value is re-measured.

Non-monetary items measured in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are not retranslated.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Tax

The tax expense for the period comprises current tax. Tax is recognised in profit or loss, except that a change attributable to an item of income or expense recognised as other comprehensive income is also recognised directly in other comprehensive income.

The current corporation tax charge is calculated on the basis of tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date in the countries where the company operates and generates taxable income.

Business combinations

Business combinations are accounted for using the purchase method. The consideration for each acquisition is measured at the aggregate of the fair values at acquisition date of assets given, liabilities incurred or assumed, and equity instruments issued by the group in exchange for control of the acquired, plus any costs directly attributable to the business combination. When a business combination agreement provides for an adjustment to the cost of the combination contingent on future events, the group includes the estimated amount of that adjustment in the cost of the combination at the acquisition date if the adjustment is probable and can be measured reliably.

Goodwill

Goodwill arising on the acquisition of an entity represents the excess of the cost of acquisition over the company’s interest in the net fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities of the entity recognised at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is initially recognised as an asset at cost and is subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is held in the currency of the acquired entity and revalued to the closing rate at each reporting period date. Goodwill is amortised over its useful life, which shall not exceed ten years if a reliable estimate of the useful life cannot be made.

Amortisation

Amortisation is provided on intangible assets so as to write off the cost, less any estimated residual value, over their useful life as follows:

Asset class

Amortisation method and rate

Goodwill

Over its useful economic life of 10 to 20 years

Investments

Investments in joint ventures are measured at cost less impairment.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

Trade debtors

Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business.

Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Trade creditors

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the company does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.

Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Share capital

Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Equity instruments are measured at the fair value of the cash or other resources received or receivable, net of the direct costs of issuing the equity instruments. If payment is deferred and the time value of money is material, the initial measurement is on a present value basis.

Defined contribution pension obligation

A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the company has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods. Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due.

Judgements in applying accounting policies and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the company's accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Intangible assets are amortised over their estimated useful economic lives. Future results are impacted by the amortisation periods adopted and, potentially, any differences between estimated and actual circumstances related to individual intangible assets.

The 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 where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

3

Turnover

An analysis of turnover by class of business is as follows:

2024
 £

2023
£

Advertising

6,359,760

6,279,552

Conferences

1,071,444

439,966

Royalties

79,204

55,311

Other income

11,716

7,896

Subscriptions and bookstall sales

4,789,598

5,068,398

12,311,722

11,851,123

Analysis of turnover by country of destination:

2024
 £

2023
£

Within the UK

11,936,850

11,650,979

Outside the UK

374,872

200,144

12,311,722

11,851,123

4

Operating profit

Arrived at after charging/(crediting)

2024
 £

2023
 £

Amortisation expense

825,291

699,996

Foreign exchange (gains)/losses

(731)

11,556

Operating lease expense - property

199,871

187,584

5

Other interest receivable and similar income

2024
 £

2023
 £

Other finance income

13,266

-

6

Interest payable and similar expenses

2024
 £

2023
 £

Interest expense on other finance liabilities

-

22,107

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

7

Employees

Staff costs, including directors' remuneration, were as follows:

2024
 £

2023
£

Wages and salaries

3,424,828

3,135,473

Social security costs

382,151

375,885

Cost of defined contribution scheme

135,841

115,926

3,942,820

3,627,284

The average number of persons employed by the company (including directors) during the year, analysed by category was as follows:

2024
No.

2023
No.

Editorial

18

19

Sales

16

11

Administration and support

36

37

70

67

8

Directors' remuneration

2024
 £

2023
£

Directors' emoluments

382,110

371,620

Company contributions to defined contribution pension schemes

36,382

54,618

418,492

426,238

During the year retirement benefits were accruing to 4 directors (2023: 4) in respect of defined contribution pension schemes.

In respect of the highest paid director:

2024
 £

2023
 £

Remuneration

135,796

130,960

Company contributions to money purchase pension schemes

11,507

15,480

9

Auditors' remuneration

2024
 £

2023
 £

Audit of the financial statements

27,000

27,000


 

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

10

Taxation

Tax charged/(credited) in the profit and loss account

2024
£

2023
£

Current taxation

UK corporation tax

525,611

461,364

The tax on profit before tax for the year is higher than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK (2023 - higher than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK) of 25% (2023 - 19%).

The differences are reconciled below:

2024
£

2023
£

Profit before tax

1,975,748

2,222,108

Corporation tax at standard rate

493,937

422,201

Tax increase from effect of capital allowances and depreciation

206,323

132,999

Tax increase/(decrease) from other short-term timing differences

520

(1,651)

Effect of expense not deductible in determining taxable profit (tax loss)

3,031

(4,851)

Tax decrease arising from group relief

(178,200)

(87,334)

Total tax charge

525,611

461,364

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

11

Intangible assets

Goodwill
 £

Total
£

Cost or valuation

At 1 April 2023

13,901,954

13,901,954

Acquired through business combinations

3,007,081

3,007,081

At 31 March 2024

16,909,035

16,909,035

Amortisation

At 1 April 2023

2,216,047

2,216,047

Amortisation charge

825,291

825,291

At 31 March 2024

3,041,338

3,041,338

Carrying amount

At 31 March 2024

13,867,697

13,867,697

At 31 March 2023

11,685,907

11,685,907

12

Investments

2024
 £

2023
 £

Investments in subsidiaries

343,850

-

Investments in joint ventures

50

50

343,900

50

Subsidiaries

£

Cost or valuation

Additions

343,850

At 31 March 2024

343,850

The investment in subsidiaries comprises of an immediate hive up of the trade and assets from a subsidiary following its acquisition during the year. The relevant portion of the company’s investment costs have been recognised in this company with a portion of the investment carrying value recognised in goodwill.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Joint ventures

£

Cost

At 1 April 2023

50

Carrying amount

At 31 March 2024

50

At 31 March 2023

50

Details of undertakings

Details of the investments in which the company holds 20% or more of the nominal value of any class of share capital are as follows:

Undertaking

Registered office

Holding

Proportion of voting rights and shares held

     

2024

2023

Subsidiary undertakings

Lewis Business Media Ltd

St Judes Church, Dulwich Road, London, England, SE24 0PB

Ordinary

100%

0%

Joint ventures

Farm Technologies UK Limited

St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London, UK SE24 0PB

Ordinary

50%

50%

 

     

Subsidiary undertakings

Lewis Business Media Ltd

The principal activity of Lewis Business Media Ltd is that of publishing consumer and business journals.

The company was acquired by MA Agriculture Limited on 1 November 2023. On the same day, the trade and assets of the subsidiary, Lewis Business Media Ltd, were transferred into MA Agriculture Limited.

Joint ventures

Farm Technologies UK Limited

The principal activity of Farm Technologies UK Limited is non-trading.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

13

Debtors

Current

Note

2024
£

2023
£

Trade debtors

 

1,525,608

1,127,527

Amounts owed by related parties

19

3,108,966

3,936,784

Other debtors

 

169,307

65,946

Prepayments

 

305,421

188,971

Corporation tax refund

10

-

32,452

   

5,109,302

5,351,680

Amounts owed by group undertakings are interest free, have no fixed repayment date and are repayable on demand.

14

Cash and cash equivalents

2024
 £

2023
 £

Cash at bank

1,009,326

959,691

15

Creditors

Note

2024
 £

2023
 £

Due within one year

 

Trade creditors

 

437,828

265,560

Amounts due to related parties

19

8,582,737

8,741,732

Social security and other taxes

 

379,098

250,556

Other payables

 

64,122

58,058

Accrued expenses

 

2,438,998

2,063,617

Income tax liability

10

359,500

-

 

12,262,283

11,379,523

Amounts owed to group undertakings are interest free, have no fixed repayment date and are repayable on demand.

 

MA Agriculture Limited

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

16

Share capital

Allotted, called up and fully paid shares

2024

2023

No.

£

No.

£

Ordinary shares of £1 each

70,840

70,840

70,840

70,840

       

There is a single class of ordinary shares. There are no restrictions on the distribution of dividends and repayment of capital.

17

Commitments under operating leases

At 31 March 2024 the company had future minimum lease payments due under non-cancellable operating leases for each of the following periods:

2024
 £

2023
£

Not later than 1 year

10,450

125,400

Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years

-

31,350

10,450

156,750

18

Commitments

Pension commitments

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for the directors and employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company. At the balance sheet date, unpaid contributions of £25,949 (2023: £22,476) were payable and included in creditors.

Other financial commitments

There is a debenture in favour of HSBC Bank plc including fixed and floating charges over all present and future assets of the company.

19

Related party transactions

The company has taken advantage of the exemption contained in FRS 102 section 33 "Related Party Disclosures" from disclosing transactions with the entities which are wholly owned part of the group.

20

Parent and ultimate parent undertaking

The company's immediate parent is MA Healthcare Limited, incorporated in England and Wales.

 The ultimate parent is Mark Allen Holdings Limited, incorporated in England and Wales.

 The most senior parent entity producing publicly available financial statements is Mark Allen Holdings Limited. These financial statements are available upon request from St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB.

 The ultimate controlling party is M Allen.