Interim Results

Foreign & Colonial Eurotrust PLC 14 May 2001 Date: 14 May 2001 Contact: Stephen White F&C Management Limited 020 7628 8000 Helen Murray-Wells Financial Dynamics 020 7831 3113 FOREIGN & COLONIAL EUROTRUST PLC Unaudited Preliminary Statement of Results for the half-year ended 31 March 2001 Highlights * Net asset value: In the six months to 31 March 2001, the net asset value per share fell by 13.8% compared with a fall of 11.0% in the FTSE World Europe Index, excluding the UK and adjusted to sterling. * During the period the Company has reduced further its exposure to the technology sector and further reduced its exposure to insurance companies. By contrast it has added to banks and maintained its overweight positions in the oil, foods and pharmaceutical sectors. * Outlook: There are grounds for optimism: inflationary pressures are modest, interest rates are moving down and the financial community has now cut back its expectations for corporate earnings, reflecting the slower pace of economic growth world-wide. SUMMARY OF RESULTS 31 March 31 March 30 Sept. 2001 2000 2000 Attributable to equity shareholders Net assets £448.10m £519.53m £519.60m Net asset value per share 595.52p 690.44p 690.54p Share price 572.50p 659.00p 653.50p 6 months 6 months 12 months ended ended ended 31 March 31 March 30 Sept. 2001 2000 2000 Earnings/(loss) per share (2.80)p (3.22)p 1.02p FOREIGN & COLONIAL EUROTRUST PLC Unaudited Preliminary Statement of Results for the half-year ended 31 March 2001 Chairman's Statement Between the year end at 30 September 2000 and 31 March 2001, the net assets per share fell from 690.5p to 595.5p, a decline of 13.8%. This compares with a fall of 11.0% over the same period in the FTSE World Europe Index, which excludes the United Kingdom and is adjusted for the movement in sterling against the European currencies. Review of Markets The past six months were an unrewarding period for investors in continental Europe, as in other parts of the world. Having appeared to find a floor in December and January following the surprise decision of the US Federal Reserve Board to cut interest rates by 50 basis points, the European stock markets headed lower again in February and March. The decline was largely in sympathy with trends seen elsewhere. Poor economic indicators in the US heightened fears as to the extent of the slowdown underway there and the impact this would have on growth in Europe. This prompted a further wave of profits' warnings, from both US and European companies, coming initially from the technology sector, but spreading subsequently to many other industries. Although the declines in share prices in many cases were significant, volumes were not high, suggesting that investors, both private and institutional, preferred to sit on their hands, rather than add money to the markets or change the structure of their portfolios. The worst performing sectors over the period were technology, media and telecoms, which suffered the greatest amount of earnings downgrades. By contrast, the better performers included, not surprisingly, many of the more defensive areas such as the oils, foods and pharmaceuticals. Portfolio Strategy We made some changes to the portfolio during the period, the principal aim being to reduce the risk profile in a period of volatility. The most important was to trim further our exposure to technology given the likelihood of further earnings downgrades as the outlook for capital spending, particularly for the telecom equipment suppliers, deteriorated, although we still remained marginally overweight. We also reduced further our exposure to insurance companies, concerned over the impact of the markets' decline on their investment portfolios. By contrast, we added to the banks, which we viewed as prime beneficiaries of the falls in short-term interest rates. We also maintained our overweight positions in the oil, foods and pharmaceutical sectors. Although we reduced our gearing, the fact we still had some borrowings had a negative influence and this, coupled with the slight overweighting of technology, was largely responsible for our underperformance against the benchmark over the period. FOREIGN & COLONIAL EUROTRUST PLC Unaudited Preliminary Statement of Results for the half-year ended 31 March 2001 Chairman's Statement (continued) Unaudited Figures The revenue account for the period, as is usually the case at the interim stage, shows a loss due to the fact that most European companies pay their annual dividend in the summer months, while costs are incurred throughout the year. The interim figures should thus not be taken as indicative of the revenue for the full year. The loss this year is slightly lower than that at the interim stage last year. Outlook There has been an improvement in markets since 31 March, since when our unaudited net asset value per share has risen by 5.6% to 628.9p at 9 May. There are grounds for optimism: inflationary pressures are modest, interest rates are moving down and the financial community has now cut back its expectations for corporate earnings, reflecting the slower pace of economic growth world-wide. Douglas McDougall May 2001 FOREIGN & COLONIAL EUROTRUST PLC Unaudited Preliminary Statement of Results for the half-year ended 31 March 2001 Statement of Total Return (incorporating the Revenue Account*) 6 months to 31 March 2001 6 months to 31 March 2000 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000s £'000s £'000s £'000s £'000s £'000s (Losses)/gains - (66,855) (66,855) - 128,420 128,420 on investments Exchange 20 (2,534) (2,514) (61) 3,522 3,461 gains/(losses) Income 1,577 - 1,577 1,126 - 1,126 Management (2,103) - (2,103) (2,239) - (2,239) fee Other (484) (10) (494) (487) (7) (494) expenses Net return (990) (69,399) (70,389) (1,661) 131,935 130,274 before finance costs and taxation Interest (976) - (976) (678) - (678) payable and similar charges Return on (1,966) (69,399) (71,365) (2,339) 131,935 129,596 ordinary Activities before taxation Taxation on (140) - (140) (85) - (85) ordinary activities Return (2,106) (69,399) (71,505) (2,424) 131,935 129,511 attributable to equity shareholders Dividends on - - - - - - ordinary shares (equity) Amount (2,106) (69,399) (71,505) (2,424) 131,935 129,511 transferred (from)/to reserves Return per (2.80) (92.23) (95.03) (3.22) 175.34 172.12 ordinary share - pence *The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the Company. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing activities. FOREIGN & COLONIAL EUROTRUST PLC Unaudited Preliminary Statement of Results for the half-year ended 31 March 2001 Balance Sheet at 31 March at 30 Sept. 2001 2000 £'000s £'000s Fixed assets Investments 474,013 561,976 Current assets Debtors 4,679 4,433 Taxation recoverable 773 1,080 Cash at bank and short-term deposits 12,562 1,024 18,014 6,537 Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Foreign currency loans (37,085) (44,370) Other (6,843) (4,539) (43,928) (48,909) Net current liabilities (25,914) (42,372) Net assets 448,099 519,604 Capital and reserves Called up equity share capital 18,811 18,811 Share premium 123,749 123,749 Capital reserves 305,351 374,750 Revenue reserve 188 2,294 Total equity shareholders' funds 448,099 519,604 Net asset value per ordinary share - pence 595.52 690.54 Geographical distribution of investments at 31 March 2001 was: France - 32.6%; Germany - 11.7%; Netherlands - 11.1%; Italy - 10.8%; Switzerland - 10.4%; Other - 23.4%. FOREIGN & COLONIAL EUROTRUST PLC Unaudited Preliminary Statement of Results the half-year ended 31 March 2001 Cash Flow Statement 6 months 6 months to to 31 March 31 March 2001 2000 £'000s £'000s Net cash outflow from operating activities (1,622) (1,631) Interest paid (1,035) (668) Total tax recovered 167 160 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from purchases and sales of investments 25,126 (15,641) Equity dividends paid (1,279) (1,279) Net cash inflow/(outflow) before use of liquid resources and financing 21,357 (19,059) (Increase)/decrease in short-term deposits (10,693) 4,277 Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing (8,598) 12,501 Increase/(decrease) in cash during the period 2,066 (2,281) Copies of the Interim Report will be posted to all shareholders on or around 24 May 2001. Copies may be obtained during normal business hours from the Company's Registered Office, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2NY. By order of the Board F&C Management Limited - Secretary 11 May 2001
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