Listed Company Information
 

AEON STORES<00984> - Results Announcement

AEON Stores (Hong Kong) Co. Limited announced on 24/03/2005:
(stock code: 00984 )
Year end date: 31/12/2004
Currency: HKD
Auditors' Report: Unqualified

                                                        (Audited   )
                                     (Audited   )       Last
                                     Current            Corresponding
                                     Period             Period
                                     from 01/03/2004    from 01/03/2003
                                     to 31/12/2004      to 29/02/2004
                               Note  ('000      )       ('000      )
Turnover                           : 3,981,000          4,608,801         
Profit/(Loss) from Operations      : 106,606            111,036           
Finance cost                       : (9)                (25)              
Share of Profit/(Loss) of 
  Associates                       : N/A                N/A               
Share of Profit/(Loss) of
  Jointly Controlled Entities      : N/A                N/A               
Profit/(Loss) after Tax & MI       : 79,461             85,844            
% Change over Last Period          : N/A       %
EPS/(LPS)-Basic (in dollars)       : 0.3056             0.3302            
         -Diluted (in dollars)     : N/A                N/A               
Extraordinary (ETD) Gain/(Loss)    : N/A                N/A               
Profit/(Loss) after ETD Items      : 79,461             85,844            
Final Dividend                     : 8.5 cents          13 cents
  per Share                                              
(Specify if with other             : N/A                N/A
  options)                                               
                                                         
B/C Dates for 
  Final Dividend                   : 03/05/2005         to 06/05/2005 bdi.
Payable Date                       : 16/06/2005
B/C Dates for Annual         
  General Meeting                  : 03/05/2005         to 06/05/2005 bdi.
Other Distribution for             : N/A
  Current Period                     
                                     
B/C Dates for Other 
  Distribution                     : N/A   
  
Remarks:

1.      CHANGE OF YEAR END DATE

During the period, the Company has changed its year end date from 28 
February to 31 December. The financial statements presented therefore 
cover the 10 months period from 1 March 2004 to 31 December 2004.

2.      BASIS OF PREPARATION

The financial statements for the current period cover the ten months 
period ended 31 December 2004. The corresponding amounts shown for the 
income statement, statement of changes in equity, cash flows and related 
notes covered a twelve-month period from 1 March 2003 to 29 February 2004 
and therefore may not be comparable with amounts shown for the current 
period. 

3.      INCOME TAX EXPENSES      

  
                                1.3.2004        1.3.2003
                                     to         to
                                31.12.2004      29.2.2004
                                HK$'000         HK$'000
The charge comprises:                   
                        
Current period/year
  Hong Kong                     22,500          20,748
Other regions in the PRC        4,247            3,437
                                -------------------------                       
                                26,747           24,185
(Over) under provision in prior years                   
  Other regions in the PRC      (521)            584
                                -------------------------                       
                                26,226           24,769
Deferred tax (credit) charge                    
   Current period/year          (1,796)          1,643
   Attributable to a change in 
        tax rate                --                  (923)
                                -------------------------                       
                                (1,796)             720
Income tax expenses for the 
  period/year                   24,430            25,489
                                ========================
                                                                                
                                

Hong Kong Profits Tax is calculated at 17.5% of the estimated assessable 
profit for the period/year.

PRC income tax is calculated at 33% of the estimated assessable profits of 
the subsidiaries.


4.      DIVIDENDS


                                        THE GROUP   
                                1.3.2004        1.3.2003
                                     to         to
                                31.12.2004      29.2.2004
                                HK$'000         HK$'000
Final dividend in respect of the year ended 29.2.2004 
  of 13 HK cents (1.3.2002 to 28.2.2003:9 HK cents) per share   
                                33,800          23,400
Interim dividend paid of 4 HK cents 
(1.3.2003 to 29.2.2004:1 HK cent) per share
                                10,400          2,600
                                -----------------------------           
                                44,200          26,000
                                =============================                   
                        
The final dividend of 8.5 HK cents per ordinary share has been proposed by 
the directors and is subject to approval by the Company's shareholders in 
general meeting. 

5.      EARNINGS PER SHARE

The calculation of earnings per share is based on the Group's net profit 
for the current period of HK$79,461,000 (1.3.2003 to 29.2.2004: HK$85,844
,000) and on 260,000,000 (1.3.2003 to 29.2.2004: 260,000,000) ordinary 
shares in issue during the period/year.