Interim Management Statement
27 Abril 2010 - 3:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMNTX
RNS Number : 8222K
NXT PLC
27 April 2010
27 April 2010
NXT plc
Interim Management Statement
NXT plc ("NXT" or the "Company"), a provider of unique sound solutions, best
known for its flat panel loudspeaker and touch screen technologies, is today
issuing its Interim Management Statement for the period 1 January 2010 to 26
April 2010 in accordance with the requirements of the Disclosure and
Transparency Rules of the UK Listing Authority.
Highlights:
· Completion of GBP1 million placing in February 2010
· Strategic purchase of the intellectual property of Audium and associated
assets in April 2010
· Continued development of small screen multi-touch / multi-haptics samples
· Development of e-commerce sales for components and drive units
· Disappointing royalty income from portable speakers in the period
· As previously indicated satisfactory second half results are dependent on
signing additional licences
Placing:
The successful fundraising of approximately GBP1 million in February ensured
sufficient resources to exploit the momentum NXT has built in both the
TouchSound and BMR technologies.
In addition to adding more resource to the ongoing development of TouchSound at
an important stage in the path to commercialisation of the technology, the
additional funds have also enabled NXT to review its R&D roadmap.
Audium:
Audium semiconductor technology is an industry-leading, ultra-efficient audio
power amplifier that enables, for example, a longer play time for portable and
wireless battery-powered audio products.
NXT has been monitoring this technology for some time and after a review of the
current status of Audium's power-efficient chip and its synergy with Balanced
Mode Radiator technology ("BMR"), NXT secured the purchase of the intellectual
property and associated assets for a nominal amount.
The first application of the Audium silicon to complement BMR will be an
Audio-USB product. It can enable up to 25 watt peak-per-channel to be delivered
to a speaker when driven from the low power USB source without the need for an
additional external power supply and can result in louder, better quality
computer speakers. It is possible that future applications may include wireless
speakers for home entertainment.
James Lewis, Non-executive Director of NXT, will be utilising his extensive
experience in the semiconductor industry, including time as Audium Semiconductor
Ltd's Non-executive Director, to help integrate the acquired technology into NXT
under a consultancy agreement.
TouchSound update:
NXT continues to make positive progress with Nissha Printing Company Limited
("Nissha") on the development of small screen touch applications that generate
separate tactile feedback sensations at different locations through the use of
multi-touch screen functions.
The Company is in negotiation with a number of the major participants in the
large touch screen market and anticipates prototypes and technical feasibility
studies to generate licences in the near future. An example of the sorts of
prototypes being developed is a 42 inch infrared LCD touch screen exhibited at
the recent Hong Kong Electronics Fair. This was the first touch screen developed
by NXT that used the Company's proprietary Windows 7-based haptic drivers to
demonstrate that a touch screen could be both a speaker and give haptic feedback
in touch operations.
Component sales:
NXT has continued to test the principle of participating in the supply chain.
Selling exciters directly to customers with a "shrink-wrap" licence has been
successful and the Company has now secured Partsexpress.com as an online
distribution partner.
The Company will be launching its new website shortly, and this will enable
components to be sourced directly from NXT. Customers will be able to purchase
a range of exciters and BMR drivers.
Royalties:
NXT continues to see disappointing royalty returns for portable consumer
products. The portable speaker market has not delivered the upturn in revenues
anticipated at the beginning of 2010. Although many new products were launched
and a number of promotional orders have been received, the orders placed have
been for small quantities as buyers remain conservative. In addition certain
customers' new product launches, such as Tunebug, have been delayed by a few
months and have impacted on the revenue flow anticipated for the six months to
30 June 2010.
Growth in royalties will be generated in the television category where, in the
period under review, NXT announced two new models featuring BMR slim drive
units. The drive units are designed to fit into the latest slim-form televisions
and it is anticipated that in addition to the previously announced models, the
new 55 inch TV from Vizio and the new 32 inch TV from Insignia there will be
more than eight more models launched in the coming months.
Automotive royalties have recovered to pre-recession levels and there is
continued interest in new applications from different levels within the supply
chain.
Second half expectation:
Revenues for the period, so far, are below management expectations. However, a
better second half result is expected compared to the first half, although this
is dependent upon signing further new licences. Following the Hong Kong
Electronics Fair the target list of licensees is expanding but companies
continue to be cautious when considering new technology investment.
Impact on financial position:
Other than the impact of those items mentioned above there is no significant
change in the financial position of the Company since 31 December 2009.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Peter Thoms
Chief Executive Officer
NXT plc
t: +44 (0) 1223 597 840
Media contact:
Peter Curtain
Allerton Communications
t: +44 20 3137 2500
Singer Capital Markets
Shaun Dobson
Claes Spang
t: +44 20 3205 7500
About NXT
NXT's commitment to inventiveness in sound and touch has enabled it to deliver
new technologies already deployed in audio systems, TVs, PCs and laptops, mobile
phones, PA systems, cars, aircraft and in public buildings and facilities around
the world. With its unique portfolio of patented technologies and unparalleled
expertise in the field of bending wave physics, NXT helps its partners invent,
create and market innovative sound solutions that offer sustainable
differentiation.
NXT is fully listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol NTX) and has operations
in Hong Kong, Japan and the USA as well as the UK. Further information is
available from www.nxtsound.com.
Technical notes
NXT intends to use Audium integrated circuits to provide customers with complete
audio platforms incorporating its proven Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) technology
together with ultra-efficient power amplifiers. NXT customers should then be
able to create compact, USB-powered loudspeakers capable of delivering 25 Watts
peak-per-channel.
Balanced Mode Radiators combine NXT's flat panel expertise, and the desirable
attributes of conventional speaker technology, in a single drive unit. The
result is a wide bandwidth, wide directivity speaker where no crossover
components or frequency-specific drivers are required. Available in a range of
compact form factors, acoustic engineers and designers benefit from the esoteric
flexibility as the driver can be used as a cosmetic feature or hidden
completely, in addition to cost savings delivered through fewer components.
The Audium amplifier chip can be 20 times more efficient than competing devices,
thanks to patented techniques that minimise both fixed power losses and
output-dependent variable power losses. The chips use power rail switching so
that the amplifier operates efficiently from a low voltage supply most of the
time but an on-chip DC-DC boost converter drives its output transistors on audio
peaks. The amplifier chips include integral filtering, enabling them to be
optimised for each application.
The combination of technologies could enable rapid development of compact,
high-power, active loudspeakers. The audio signal and power can be driven from a
single USB port with no other power source required.
In the first instance the Company is developing a reference platform design
incorporating BMR drivers and the amplifier chips.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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