Trading Statement

Braemar Group PLC 29 March 2006 Braemar Group plc Trading update for the period ending 31 March 2006 Braemar Group plc ('Braemar'), the manager of tax efficient residential property funds, provides the following update on the performance and activities of the group since completion of the reverse takeover of The Braemar Group Limited by MetroCapital plc. The directors are pleased to report that good progress has been made in line with the stated strategy at the time of the reverse takeover. • New residential property fund launches • Final closing of Coronation III • Deferred consideration conditions satisfied • Continued support from Tchenguiz family • Acquisitions strategy • Annual General Meeting New residential property fund launches The directors are preparing for the launch of a £25 million residential property fund that will be suitable for SIPP investment early in the new financial year and are also monitoring the developments in the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) legislation with the view to launching a REIT once the rules have been finalised. Coronation IV will also be launched in the autumn, continuing the series of tax driven residential property funds. Final closing of Coronation III The final close of the Coronation III Limited Partnership will take place on 31 March 2006. Coronation III has completed the purchase of a property in Tunbridge Wells. Braemar will manage this £3.5 million project to create 17 apartments during 2006, the largest single transaction by a Coronation fund to date providing the group with significant fee income. Coronation III is the third fund launched and managed by Braemar to invest in residential property carrying capital allowances and affording investors a blend of exposure to the residential sector and tax reliefs. Deferred consideration conditions satisfied Three of the five deferred payment conditions for the acquisition of The Braemar Group Limited have now been met. Accordingly, deferred consideration of £375,000 has been paid to two of the vendors, Marc Duschenes, the Managing Director of Braemar, and his wife Jennie Duschenes. Marc and Jennie Duschenes have elected to receive this deferred consideration in convertible loan notes rather than in cash. Braemar will update shareholders when the remaining two conditions are met. Continued support from Tchenguiz family As previously announced on 1 February 2006, Braemar raised an additional £450,000 (before expenses) by way of a placing of 15,000,000 new ordinary shares of 1p each at 3p per share. The funds raised are being used to provide additional working capital for the group. Wheddon Limited subscribed for 3,333,333 in this placing, taking their total holding to 23,999,999 shares representing 21.09 per cent of the issued share capital. Wheddon Limited is ultimately owned by Investec Trust (Guernsey) Limited as trustees for the Tchenguiz Family Trust. The directors of Braemar meet on a regular basis with other property related businesses in which Wheddon and Vincent Tchenguiz holds stakes. The directors believe that this will create growth opportunities for cross-selling Braemar's services amongst those businesses. Acquisitions strategy At the time of the reverse takeover, the directors stated their intention to seek acquisitions in the property investment management and property services sectors, and to develop or acquire a corporate finance business to act as sponsor to its own fund launches and to provide advice to similar growing companies. The directors continue to pursue this strategy and have identified a number of possible acquisitions. Discussions with the vendors of these businesses are at an early stage, but the directors hope to conclude at least one transaction in 2006. Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of Braemar will be held at 10.00 a.m. on 26 April 2006, at the head office of the company, Richmond House, Heath Road, Hale, Cheshire WA14 2XP. A notice convening that meeting has been sent to shareholders today. For further information please contact: Martin Robinson, Chairman, Braemar Group plc 0161 929 4969 Marc Duschenes, Managing Director, Braemar Group plc 0161 929 4969 Charles Ryland or Isabel Podda, Buchanan 020 7466 5000 Alex Clarkson, Zeus Capital 0161 831 1512 Note to editors Braemar Group plc ('Braemar') creates and manages residential property investment funds, via collective and tax efficient investment schemes, targeted at the high net worth individual community. Braemar launched its first unregulated collective investment scheme in April 2003. Coronation Limited Partnership was set up to invest in residential property carrying capital allowances affording its investors a blend of exposure to the residential sector and tax relief. A second fund, The Coronation II Limited Partnership closed for new investment in December 2004 and a third fund, The Coronation III Limited Partnership, was launched in September 2005. Braemar's income streams can be broadly divided into three categories: 1. Fund Management. Braemar receives an annual management fee plus a carried interest or performance fee, which may be linked to an index. 2. Property Management. Once a fund is put in place, Braemar either manages it in-house or sources all property management functions, including overseeing development and project management, arranging finance and insurances, tenancy management and rent collection. Whilst project driven fees typically generate a high margin up front, the longer term management activity provides Braemar with a trail of recurring fee income. 3. Property Trading and Development. Braemar also trades reversionary residential property, acting as agent or principal and from time to time is involved in property development on its own account. Following pension deregulation, the UK market for collective investment schemes, particularly those in residential property, is expected to grow. Most funds have been targeted at the pensions market and have, under current legislation, been restricted to investment in commercial property. The pensions market had been expecting a relaxation of the rules to permit individuals to hold residential property in their personal pension funds from 6th April 2006, known as A-day. However, the Chancellor, in his pre-Budget statement in December 2005, announced that individuals will only be permitted to hold an interest in residential property in their pension funds via investments in residential property funds. Braemar intends to create a range of collective property funds that will be suitable for investment by individuals via their personal pension funds to be launched after A-day. Convertible loan notes: The loan notes carry interest at 2 per cent. above base rate. This interest is payable on conversion or redemption. The loan notes are convertible into ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of Braemar at 3 pence per share at any time or before the 5th anniversary of issue, provided that the holders of the loan notes and any person forming part of a concert party with them (as defined in the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers) do not hold more than 29.99 per cent. of the entire issued share capital of Braemar. The loan notes are also redeemable by Braemar, at the election of the loan note holders, as long as Braemar has sufficient working capital to enable payment. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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