Preliminary Results

Baring Emerging Europe PLC 19 November 2003 19 November 2003 Baring Emerging Europe PLC Preliminary unaudited announcement in respect of the period ended 30 September 2003 STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURN Revenue Capital Total £000 £000 £000 Gains on investments - 30,384 30,384 Gains on foreign exchange - 7 7 Income 2,283 - 2,283 Investment management fee (714) (329) (1,043) Other expenses (507) - (507) Net return before interest payable and 1,062 30,062 31,124 taxation Interest payable (1) - (1) Net return before taxation 1,061 30,062 31,123 Taxation (307) - (307) Return attributable to ordinary 754 30,062 30,816 shareholders Dividend (488) - (488) Transfers to reserves 266 30,062 30,328 Revenue Capital Total Return per ordinary share 1.68p 67.01p 68.69p Dividend per ordinary share 1.10p 1.10p BALANCE SHEET 30 September 2003 £000 Fixed assets Investments 116,548 Current assets Debtors 3,396 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year (3,500) Net current liabilities (104) Net assets 116,444 Capital and reserves Called-up share capital 4,436 Share premium account 1,411 Special reserve 79,917 Redemption reserve 352 Capital reserve - realised 5,867 Capital reserve - unrealised 24,195 Revenue reserve 266 Total equity shareholders' funds 116,444 Net asset value per share 262.50p CASHFLOW STATEMENT Period ended 30 September 2003 £000 Operating activities Income received from investments 1,227 Interest received 1 Investment management fees paid (638) Other cash payments (348) Net cash inflow from operating activities 242 Taxation Overseas tax paid (307) Financial investment Purchases of investments (65,953) Sales of investments 66,420 Net cash inflow from financial investment 467 Net cash inflow before financing 402 Financing Issue of shares 4,585 Buyback of shares (6,708) Net cash outflow from financing (2,123) Decrease in cash (1,721) NOTES (1) The Company was incorporated in England and Wales under the Companies Act 1985, as amended, and registered, as a public limited company on 11 October 2002. The Company is a new United Kingdom investment trust company with an unlimited life which will take advantage of investment opportunities associated with Emerging Europe and which was established in connection with a scheme of reconstruction for The Baring Emerging Europe Trust PLC (in liquidation) ('BEET'). The Company issued shares to BEET shareholders and BEET warrantholders who elected to roll-over their investment into the Company. The Company is a closed-end investment company which will direct its affairs to enable it to seek approval from the Inland Revenue as an investment trust under section 842 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 in respect of its current and future accounting periods. (2) The abridged figures for 2003 are an extract from the Company's first Financial Statements which cover the period from 11 October 2002 to 30 September 2003. These Financial Statements have not yet been delivered to the Registrar of Companies, nor have the Auditors yet reported on them. (3) As part of the scheme of reconstruction of BEET (see note 1 above) the Company allotted 47,112,697 ordinary shares of 10p each to BEET shareholders on 17 December 2002 for a consideration consisting mainly of portfolio assets and cash amounting in total to £91,336,251. On 18 December 2002 a further 766,574 ordinary shares of 10p each were allotted to former BEET warrantholders for a cash consideration of £1,487,080. During the period 3,519,367 ordinary shares were bought back for cancellation at a cost of £6,708,000. This includes the repurchase of 3,004,376 ordinary shares on 9 January 2003 that were over-allotted in error on 17 December 2002 to three shareholders following the scheme of reconstruction of BEET. As at 30 September 2003 there were 44,359,906 ordinary shares of £0.10 each in issue. (1) Pursuant to a special resolution passed on 8 November 2002, the Company's application to reduce its share premium account was approved by the High Court and registered with the Registrar of Companies on 18 December 2002. The amount of the reduction was £86,624,982 representing the share premium arising on the issue of shares by the Company on 17 December 2002. This amount was transferred to a special reserve which is available for the repurchase by the Company of its shares. Share premium amounting to £1,410,423 was created on the issue 766,574 shares to BEET warrantholders (see note 3 above). (2) The Directors' Report and Statement of Accounts will be posted on Monday 15 December 2003. (3) The Annual General Meeting will be held at 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2 on Monday 26 January 2004 at 11.30 am. (4) Subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting, the annual dividend will be paid on 20 February 2004 to Members on the Register at the close of business on 23 January 2004. The shares will be marked ex-dividend on 21 January 2004. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT COMPANY PERFORMANCE The Company was launched on 17 December 2002 as part of the scheme of reconstruction of The Baring Emerging Europe Trust PLC ('BEET') which is now in liquidation. The Company's net asset value per share increased by 35.0% during the period under review compared with an increase in the benchmark of 32.6% in the same period. The first part of the period was dominated by the uncertainty surrounding military action in Iraq and deteriorating economic news. This resulted in the 3.1% decline in the Company's net asset value that was reported in the interim report. The fiscal and monetary stimulus introduced by the US to support economic growth following the end of the war in Iraq triggered a sustained rally in global equity markets. The markets in Central Europe performed well relative to world markets led by the Russian market which rose by 59% (in sterling terms) driven by the strong oil price and progress on the restructuring of UES, the largest Russian electricity Company. It is also encouraging to see the emergence of a significant dividend stream from companies in the region. This has enabled the Company to report a net return on the revenue account per ordinary share of 1.68p and the Directors have therefore decided to recommend a dividend of 1.1p per share. SHARE REPURCHASE AUTHORITY As envisaged in the Company's prospectus we successfully applied to Court for the reduction of the Company's share premium account to provide a distributable reserve, with restrictions, to allow the operation of the share repurchase authority. As I reported in the interim report, the Company announced on 9 January 2003 that it had repurchased 3,004,367 shares that were over-allotted in error on 17 December 2002. A further 515,000 shares were repurchased during the period in order to maintain the market rating of the Company's shares. The Board seeks to limit the discount to NAV at which the Company's shares trade at a level significantly below 12%. Should the average discount exceed 12% in the period of ninety days prior to the publication of the Company's annual report the Company will offer to repurchase, by way of a tender, up to 15% of the then outstanding share capital at 95% of NAV. During the period under review, the average discount to NAV has been below 10% despite the volatility in stock markets and exchange rates. THE BOARD As shareholders will be aware three members of the Board, namely Prince Abbas Hilmi, John Cousins and I, were previously Directors of BEET. On 27 January 2003 we appointed Steve Bates as a Director of the Company. Steve has extensive experience of both emerging and developed equity markets and spent eighteen years with Flemings and successor companies until 2002. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting is being held on Monday 26 January 2004 at 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2 commencing at 11.30 am. The formal business will be followed by a presentation from the Investment Manager, after which there will be an opportunity for you to raise any specific issues with them or any member of the Board. OUTLOOK The Board believe that the prospects for the region remain attractive and that it will continue to generate above average long-term returns. Iain Saunders Chairman 19 November 2003 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3XY Tel: 020 7628 6000 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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