Final Results

Dunedin Income Growth Inv Tst PLC 15 March 2001 15 March 2001 DUNEDIN INCOME GROWTH INVESTMENT TRUST PLC PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31 JANUARY 2001 Highlights * Net asset value total return was 14.1%, outperforming the FTSE All Share Index which produced a total return of 4.1% * Share price total return 20.9% * Revenue per share up from 5.93p to 7.18p reflecting the portfolio's greater focus on higher yielding shares and careful cost controls. * Dividend for the year increased by 3.1%, making the total dividend for the year 6.55p * The trust is ranked 5th out of 20 in the UK Income Growth Investment Trust Sector over 5 years - END - For further information, please contact:- Ewan Brown, Chairman Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust PLC 0131 226 7011 Mike Balfour, Director Edinburgh Fund Managers plc 0131 313 1000 Chairman's Review The past twelve months has been a very successful period for the company. The net asset value total return was 14.1% compared with a total return of 4.1% for the FTSE All Share Index, our benchmark. With a narrowing of the discount at which the company's shares trade, the share price total return was a creditable 20.9%. Over three years the net asset value total return was 36.8% compared to the benchmark's total return of 28.0%. Over five years the returns were 100.4% and 86.7% respectively and the company ranked 5th out of 20 comparable investment trusts included in the UK Income Growth Investment Trust sector as defined by the Association of Investment Trust Companies. Revenue return and dividends The revenue return per share has risen from 5.93p to 7.18p. The increase reflects the portfolio's greater focus on higher yielding shares during the year and on the careful control of costs. The total expense ratio as a percentage of shareholders funds has fallen from 0.70% to 0.64% during the year. The proposed final dividend of 4.45p per share will make the total dividend for the year 6.55p, a rise of 3.1% which compares with the core inflation rate of 1.8% over the same period and a headline rate of 2.7%. Over the last few years we have dipped into the revenue reserves in order to maintain a steady increase in dividends. As the company has a covered dividend this year, your board believes it prudent to rebuild the revenue reserves once again. Performance I mentioned in my last annual report that a dose of reality within equity markets was likely to be seen. The technology bubble duly burst shortly after our year began and fundamentals have reasserted themselves over the last twelve months. Enthusiasm for blue sky projects, so evident a year ago, has waned almost to the point of extinction. During the year under review, in contrast to the situation the previous year, we benefited from the dramatic outperformance of higher yielding UK equities. This, combined with good stock selection, resulted in the company's investments outperforming the FTSE All Share Index. The purchase of Robert Fleming by Chase Manhattan Bank in April 2000 also added to performance, accounting for 3.7% of the net asset value increase. The board I have served as Chairman of the company for over five years. It has been a successful period for the company as evidenced by the good performance and the increase in the number of private individual shareholders. I have greatly enjoyed being part of a strong and independently minded board which has been well served by its investment manager. Because of other business commitments, I have decided to step down from the board and the Chairmanship of the company and therefore I shall not stand for re-election at the forthcoming annual general meeting. Val Fleming, who has been on the board for 22 years and has been a wonderful servant of the company, retired from the board on 13 March 2001. Max Ward, who has many years of investment experience particularly in the investment trust field and who joined the board on 25 January 2000, will take over from me as Chairman. John Scott, who has developed a wide financial experience from a long career at Lazards, joined the board on 13 March 2001 and will stand for election at the annual general meeting. Change of portfolio manager Graham Campbell, who has been the portfolio manager of the company for over five years, will shortly be leaving Edinburgh Fund Managers. He has done a fine job with his team in repositioning the portfolio and achieving sustained good performance. There is a strong team behind Graham and his successor as portfolio manager will be announced in the near future. Discount The gap between the company's share price and the underlying value of its investments stood at 16.8% at the beginning of the year. As investors rushed to buy technology stocks this rose to a high of 23.3%. Since then the discount has narrowed and stood at 12.2% at the year end. When we value our debt to market rates, the discount reduces to approximately 6.8%. The discount is a function of the number of buyers and sellers of the company's shares in the market. The board has taken a number of steps which it hopes will encourage ongoing demand for the shares in the longer term. At the last annual general meeting approval was granted for the company to buy back its own shares. As a result of the narrowing of the discount shortly after that approval was granted, the board has so far not considered it desirable to purchase any shares. We keep this situation under constant review and will use the power when we believe that it would be in the interests of shareholders. For the second year, the company provided financial support to the AITC 'its' campaign. This campaign is aimed at increasing the awareness of savers to investment trusts. Our managers spend a considerable amount of time promoting the company's merits, visiting financial advisors and potential investors around the country. The company also contributes to the promotion of the manager's range of investment trust savings products which includes ways of purchasing shares at low cost either as a lump sum or by regular savings. There is also an ISA and a pension product. We have developed our own website, www.itsdigit.com. This includes a number of new features including an automatic monthly e-mail facility which will keep investors and potential investors up to date with the company's progress throughout the year. Prospects for the year ahead At present there is pervasive gloom within equity markets globally. Investors are concerned about the potential severity of the slowdown in the US economy and what impact that will have on economies and corporate earnings around the world. The market's return to the reality of favouring fundamentally sound companies with growing earnings and dividends is very much in tune with our approach. The fact that interest rates are coming down, that inflation is likely to remain under control, that the UK equity market seems attractively priced compared to bonds and that sentiment is so poor, all combine to make me rather optimistic. When investors' horizons rise above immediate judgments of economic news, I would expect that the appetite for good long term equity prospects will not be long in reviving. Ewan Brown Chairman 15 March 2001 STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURN (AUDITED) For the year ended 31 January 2001 2000 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Realised - 48,282 48,282 - 46,605 46,605 gains on investments Unrealised - 1,257 1,257 - (18,565) (18,565) gains/(losses) on investments Currency gains - 236 236 - - - TOTAL CAPITAL - 49,775 49,775 - 28,040 28,040 GAINS ON INVESTMENTS Income from 13,416 - 13,416 11,930 - 11,930 investments Interest 1,327 - 1,327 909 - 909 receivable on short term deposits Other income 26 - 26 17 - 17 Investment (624) (1,457) (2,081) (592) (1,381) (1,973) management fee Other expenses (563) - (563) (635) (55) (690) NET RETURN 13,582 48,318 61,900 11,629 26,604 38,233 BEFORE FINANCE COSTS AND TAXATION Interest (2,093) (4,883) (6,976) (2,108) (4,883) (6,991) payable and similar charges RETURN ON 11,489 43,435 54,924 9,521 21,721 31,242 ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE TAXATION Taxation - - - - - - RETURN ON 11,489 43,435 54,924 9,521 21,721 31,242 ORDINARY ACTIVITIES AFTER TAXATION Preference - - - (25) - (25) stock dividends - non equity RETURN 11,489 43,435 59,924 9,496 21,721 31,217 ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS Dividends in (10,484) - (10,484) (10,166) - (10,166) respect of equity shares 1,005 43,435 44,440 (670) 21,721 21,051 RETURN PER ORDINARY SHARE 7.18p 27.13p 34.31p 5.93p 13.57p 19.50p The revenue column of this statement represents the revenue account of the company All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations BALANCE SHEET (AUDITED) As at 31 January 2001 2000 £000 £000 FIXED ASSETS Investments 494,604 452,499 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 6,434 10,591 UK Treasury bills 9,899 - Cash and short term deposits 4,965 7,539 21,298 18,130 CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year 11,781 10,961 NET CURRENT ASSETS 9,517 7,169 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 504,121 459,668 CREDITORS: Amounts falling due after one year 69,752 69,739 434,369 389,929 CAPITAL AND RESERVES Called up share capital - equity 40,025 40,025 Share premium 4,543 4,543 Capital reserve - realised 307,177 264,999 Capital reserve - unrealised 75,871 74,614 Revenue reserve 6,753 5,748 TOTAL EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 434,369 389,929 Net asset value per ordinary 25p share 271.16p 243.39p CASHFLOW STATEMENT (AUDITED) For the year ended 31 January 2001 2001 2000 2000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Net cash inflow from operating 11,575 10,412 activities Servicing of finance Interest paid (6,963) (6,977) Preference dividends paid - (40) Net cash outflow from (6,963) (7,017) servicing of finance Taxation UK corporation tax recovered - 978 UK income tax (paid) recovered (47) 247 Total tax (paid)/ recovered (47) 1,225 Financial investment Purchase of investments (319,895) (320,379) Sales of investments 332,663 317,863 Net cash inflow/ (outflow) 12,768 (2,516) from financial investment Equity dividends paid (10,244) (9,974) Net cash inflow/ (outflow) 7,089 (7,870) before use of liquid resources and financing Net cash (outflow)/inflow from (9,899) 13,884 management of liquid resources Financing Repayment of preference stock - (895) and related expenses Net cash outflow from financing - (895) (Decrease)/Increase in cash (2,810) 5,119 Notes : 1. The directors recommend that a final dividend of 4.45p per ordinary share be paid, making a total of 6.55p for the year ended 31 January 2001 (2000 - 6.35p). The final dividend will be paid on 27 April 2001 to shareholders on the register at 30 March 2001. The ex-dividend date is 28 March 2001. 2. The accounts have been prepared under the same accounting policies used for the year to 31 January 2000. The statutory accounts for 2001 contain an unqualified audit report and will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the company's Annual General Meeting which will be held at Donaldson House, 97 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh on Thursday 26 April 2001 at 12 noon. 3. The financial information for the year ended 31 January 2000 has been extracted from the annual report and accounts of the company which has been filed with the Registrar of Companies and on which the auditors' report was unqualified. 4 The statement of total return (incorporating the revenue account), balance sheet and cash flow statement do not represent full accounts in accordance with Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice ' Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies'. 5. The annual report will be posted to shareholders on 24 March 2001 and copies will be available at the head office of the Secretary - Edinburgh Fund Managers plc, Donaldson House, 97 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5HD. Please note that past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future and that the value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Investors may not get back the amount they originally invested.
UK 100

Latest directors dealings