UPDATE 1-D1 Oils raises going concern doubts; has cash till 2010

Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:22am EDT
 
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* Says to remain cash positive till end of 2010

* Says additional fundraising will be needed in late 2010

* Says in talks with BP to dissolve Jatropha JV (Adds details)

June 23 (Reuters) - British biofuels technology company D1 Oils Plc (DOO.L) said on Tuesday there would be significant doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern if a fundraising in late 2010 was not successful.

"Developing the business beyond the end of 2010 will require a capital injection, which constitutes a material uncertainty," the company said in a statement.

However, D1 Oils, which reported a slimmer pretax loss for the year ended Dec. 31, said it expects to remain cash positive till the end of 2010.

The company also said it was in talks with BP Plc (BP.L) to dissolve the D1-BP Fuel Crops joint venture -- to develop a non-edible crop, jatropha, as a biofuels feedstock -- and bring planting and plant science operations together under full D1 Oils control.

D1 Oils, which has interests in 25 percent of the global planting of jatropha, said its attempt to market a substantial share in D1-BP Fuel Crops to third parties resulted in an insufficient level of interest from potential investors.

The company said it was looking to buy BP's interest "in the capital structure of D1-BP Fuel Crops for an interest in... D1 Oils".

D1 Oil's gross cash as at May 31 was 11.3 million pounds, excluding cash in D1-BP Fuel Crops of 7.1 million pounds ($11.6 million).

For the year ended Dec. 31, the company reported a pretax loss of 33.6 million pounds, compared with 46.1 million pounds year ago. Revenue slumped 33 percent to 7.1 million pounds.

D1 Oil shares closed at 8.75 pence on Monday on the London Stock Exchange. ($1=.6142 Pound) (Reporting by Ramkumar in Bangalore; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

 

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