Final Results

BARING EMERGING EUROPE PLC Preliminary unaudited announcement in respect of the year ended 30 September 2006 INCOME STATEMENT Six months ended 30 September 2006 Revenue Capital Total £000 £000 £000 Gains on investments - 37,493 37,493 Gains on foreign exchange - - - Income 5,838 - 5,838 Investment management fee (2,661 ) 21 (2,640 ) Other expenses (1,142 ) - (1,142 ) Net return before interest payable and taxation 2,035 37,514 39,549 Interest payable (5 ) - (5 ) Net return before taxation 2,030 37,514 39,544 Taxation (731 ) - (731 ) Return attributable to ordinary shareholders 1,299 37,514 38,813 Revenue Capital Total Return per ordinary share 3.00 p 86.45 p 89.45 p Dividend per ordinary share 2.70 p - 2.70 p INCOME STATEMENT Restated Year ended 30 September 2005 Revenue Capital Total £000 £000 £000 Gains on investments - 110,690 110,690 Gains on foreign exchange - 169 169 Income 4,102 - 4,102 Investment management fee (1,593 ) (678 ) (2,271 ) Other expenses (1,016 ) - (1,016 ) Net return before interest payable and taxation 1,493 110,181 111,674 Interest payable (23 ) - (23 ) Net return before taxation 1,470 110,181 111,651 Taxation (572 ) - (572 ) Return attributable to ordinary shareholders 898 110,181 111,079 Revenue Capital Total Return per ordinary share 2.07 p 253.90 p 255.97 p Dividend per ordinary share 1.50 p - 1.50 p BALANCE SHEET Restated 30 September 30 September 2006 2005 £000 £000 Fixed assets Investments 285,415 253,549 Current assets Debtors 1,901 656 Cash at bank and in hand 5,326 3,444 7,227 4,100 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year (606 ) (3,777 ) Net current assets 6,621 323 Net assets 292,036 253,872 Capital and reserves Called-up share capital 4,436 4,436 Share premium account 1,411 1,411 Special Reserve 79,917 79,917 Redemption reserve 352 352 Capital reserve-realised 84,187 41,794 Capital reserve-unrealised 123,237 128,116 Revenue reserve 2,034 1,384 Own shares held (3,538 ) (3,538 ) Total equity shareholders' funds 292,036 253,872 Net asset value per share 675.07 p 586.85 p RECONCILIATION OF MOVEMENT IN SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS For the year ended 30 September 2006 Called-up Share Capital Capital Own share premium Special Redemption reserve reserve Revenue shares capital account reserve reserve realised unrealised reserve held Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Balance at 30 September 2005 as originally reported 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 41,794 128,782 735 (3,538) 253,889 Restatements - - - - - (666) 649 - (17) Balance at 30 September 2005 (restated) 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 41,794 128,116 1,384 (3,538) 253,872 Net gain on realisation of investments - - - - 42,372 - - - 42,372 Unrealised movement on investments - - - - - (4,879) - - (4,879) Capital management charges - - - - 21 - - - 21 Net revenue retained for the year - - - - - - 1,299 - 1,299 Dividends paid - - - - - - (649) - (649) Balance at 30 September 2006 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 84,187 123,237 2,034 (3,538) 292,036 For the year ended 30 September 2005 Called-up Share Capital Capital Own share premium Special Redemption reserve reserve Revenue shares capital account reserve reserve realised unrealised reserve held Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Beginning of year 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 29,904 29,825 464 - 146,309 Net gain on realisation of investments - - - - 12,399 - - - 12,399 Unrealised appreciation on investments (restated) - - - - - 98,291 - - 98,291 Net gain on realisation of foreign currency - - - - 169 - - - 169 Capital management charges - - - - (678) - - - (678) Dividends not paid due to repurchase of shares held in treasury - - - - - - 22 - 22 Net revenue retained for the year - - - - - - 898 - 898 Buy back of own shares held in treasury - - - - - - - (3,538) (3,538) Balance at 30 September 2005 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 41,794 128,116 1,384 (3,538) 253,872 CASHFLOW STATEMENT Year Year ended ended 30 September 30 September 2006 2005 £000 £000 Operating activities Income received from investment 4,848 4,174 Interest received 53 5 Investment management fees paid (3,288 ) (1,622 ) Other cash payments (1,045 ) (955 ) Net cash inflow from operating activities 568 1,602 Servicing of finance Interest paid (5 ) (23 ) Taxation Overseas tax paid (731 ) (572 ) Financial investment Purchases of investments (101,037 ) (75,649 ) Sales of investments 103,736 82,035 Net cash inflow from financial investments 2,699 6,386 Equity dividends paid (649 ) (865 ) Financing Buyback of ordinary shares - (3,538 ) Net cash outflow from financing - (3,538 ) Increase in cash 1,882 2,990 NOTES 1. Current year's information These accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of fixed asset investments and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and with the Statement of Recommended Practice 2003 (revised 2005) regarding the Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies ("SORP"). The company has adopted FRS 21 "Events after the Balance Sheet Date", FRS 25 "Financial Instruments: Disclosure and Presentation" and FRS 26 "Financial Instruments: Measurement". The abridged figures for 2006 are an extract from the latest financial statements and do not constitute statutory financial statements. The financial statements have not yet been delivered to the Registrar of Companies, nor have the Auditors yet reported on them. 2. Comparative information The figures and financial information for the year ended 30 September 2005 are an extract from the latest published accounts and do not constitute statutory accounts. Full accounts for that period have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and included the report of the auditors which was unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 237 of the Companies Act 1985. 3. Posting of Annual Report The Annual Report will be posted to shareholders on or around 12 December 2006. It will not be advertised in newspapers, but copies will be available from that date at the Company's Registered Office at 155 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3XY. 4. Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting will be held at 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2 on Tuesday 16 January 2007 at 2.30pm. 5. Dividend Subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting, the annual dividend will be paid on 7 February 2007 to members on the register at the close of business on 12 January 2007. The shares will be marked ex-dividend on 10 January 2007. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Company Performance The year to 30 September 2006 was another positive year for your Company. Regional markets performed well and your Company's net asset value rose by 15.0%. This compared favourably with the competition, though it was short of the 17.4% increase in the benchmark. For shareholders this return was reduced to 3.1% because the discount as at 30 September 2006 was 11.6% as compared with 0.4% at the 30 September 2005. The Board has an active discount management policy and it so happens that the former was close to the upper limit and the latter close to the lower limit that the Board considers to be satisfactory. For the year as a whole the discount averaged 5%. The dividend income from the underlying portfolio rose by over 40% compared to the previous year so that the income available for distribution increased from 2.07p per share in the year to 30 September 2005 to 3.00p per share out of which the Directors are recommending a dividend of 2.70p per share. Investment Manager On 26 April 2006 we announced that Stuart Richards, the Fund's portfolio manager would be leaving Baring Asset Management ("Barings") in October 2006. On 26 September 2006 we announced that Barings had appointed Martin Majdaniuk as Investment Manager within its Emerging European Equities team. Mr Majdaniuk joins from Nordea Investment Management in Copenhagen where he has been a portfolio manager for the last eight years. He will report to Dr Ghadir Abu Leil-Cooper, Head of Emerging Europe Equities at Barings, and will take responsibility for the Company's portfolio from January. In the meantime Dr Ghadir Abu Leil-Cooper has assumed responsibility for the Company's portfolio. Adoption of New Financial Reporting Standards UK GAAP is converging with International Reporting Standards and from 1 October 2005 the Company has adopted FRS 25 "Financial Instruments: Disclosure and Presentation", FRS 26 "Financial Instrument: Measurement" and FRS 21 "Events after the balance sheet date". The main impacts on the financial statements are firstly that the portfolio is valued at bid market prices whereas in prior periods it was valued at middle-market prices and secondly that the provision for the Company's final dividend is only recognised in the financial statements when it has been approved by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting. Benchmark Review The primary objective of the Company as set by the Board is to outperform the competition. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the Company's benchmark remains close to the average asset allocation of competitors' portfolios. A review of the benchmark was undertaken during the year by the Investment Manager and changes made from the end of March 2006. The weighting in Russia was increased to 70% (previously 50%) and in Turkey to 30% (previously 15%) of actual market weightings and a cap was placed on the largest stocks to restrict their weight to 10%. The Board will continue to monitor the appropriateness of the benchmark closely. Annual General Meeting The next Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 16 January 2007 at 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2 commencing at 2.30pm. The formal business will be followed by a presentation from the Investment Manager, after which there will be an opportunity for shareholders to raise any specific issues with the Investment Manager or with any member of the Board. Outlook Your Board continues to see value in the region and remain enthusiastic by the longer term opportunities as the markets develop. Iain Saunders Chairman 30 November 2006 For enquiries please contact: Ronald Watt at Baring Asset Management Limited on 020 7628 6000
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