Annual Financial Report

Jupiter European Opportunities trust Plc Annual Financial Report for the year ended 31 May 2009 The following is an extract from the Company's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 May 2009. The full Annual Report will shortly be available to be viewed on or downloaded from the Company's website at www.jupiteronline.co.uk. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT The year under review was probably the most testing, and certainly the least successful, in your Company's short history. Not only did our benchmark, the FTSE World Europe ex UK Total Return Index, fall by a quarter, but the Net Asset Value of your shares dropped by no less than 30 per cent. Worse, the discount between the price of your shares and their underlying value widened considerably, from 4.9 per cent at the start of your Company's financial year to 14.9 per cent at its close. The high level of borrowings - albeit reduced during the year in absolute terms-- which had served so well in the past, vitiated performance. However it was a year of two halves: in the second six months of your Company's financial year the Net Asset Value per share recovered by 28.2 per cent, whereas our benchmark Index rose by 12.3 per cent. During the year a total of 795,200 shares were bought back for cancellation at an average discount of over 15 per cent. Once again we are seeking shareholders' permission at the Annual General Meeting to buy back shares, either to place in treasury for later reissue or for outright cancellation. Gearing The Company has a revolving bank loan facility with the Bank of Ireland for a maximum of £60 million. At the start of our financial year your Company's net gearing (total borrowings less cash held) was entirely drawn in euros and was equivalent to £55.1 million compared with total gross assets of £248 million, giving a gearing ratio of 22.2 per cent. By the end of the year net gearing had fallen to £42.4 million, but so also had total gross assets to £181 million, giving a gearing ratio of 23.4 per cent-marginally higher than at the start of the year. As of 28 July 2009 net borrowings-by now drawn in a mix of sterling and euros-less cash held stood at £38.3 million and total gross assets at £186.07 million, giving a gearing ratio of 20.6 per cent. With hindsight we should have reduced borrowings far earlier, and to a greater extent, than we did. By and large the profits of the companies in which we had invested your money held up well; what we had not anticipated was the degree of forced selling, notably by hedge funds which themselves were faced with calls from investors-some of them under financial pressure-demanding some or all of their money back. In consequence the slide in share prices often bore little relationship to the health and prospects of the underlying investments. Having by then realised what we ought to have done, we did not wish to risk compounding the error by selling shares at what we believed to be low prices into an unwilling market. To date, that decision appears to have been justified. However you may rest assured that your Board will monitor the gearing position with vigilance. The Board Sir Marrack Goulding retires at the Annual General Meeting and is not seeking re-election. Sir Marrack's knowledge of international politics, economics and diplomacy has been immensely valuable and we shall greatly miss his wise counsel. Earlier in the year the Board was strengthened by the appointment of Philip Best, an experienced European specialist fund manager based in Switzerland. Quite apart from any other consideration, the average age of your Board has fallen somewhat since his arrival. His extensive knowledge of the European investment scene will be of great benefit. VAT Recovery Refunds of Value Added Tax on management expenses were received last November, equivalent to 1.37p per share. Refunds have been treated partly as capital and partly as income. Special Interim Dividend A Special Interim Dividend was declared on 18 August 2009 of 0.85p (net) per Ordinary share payable on 25 September 2009 to those shareholders who appear on the register of shareholders on 28 August 2009. This special interim dividend is being paid in order to ensure the Company's continuing status with HM Revenue and Customs as an investment trust. Section 842 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 prohibits the Company from retaining more than 15 per cent. of its eligible investment income from one financial year to the next. The Directors' stated dividend policy is to manage the Company's affairs in order to achieve shareholder returns through capital growth rather than through the generation of income. It is therefore not expected that the Company will pay a regular dividend in future financial years. Outlook We are cautiously optimistic as regards the economic and market outlook. It will not be plain sailing; rising oil prices and higher costs of capital give cause for concern. But private client fund managers are taught that investors will tolerate losing money when markets are falling; what they cannot accept is for a fund to be excessively liquid in a rising market. That is unlikely to be a complaint in the case of your Company; but we will endeavour not to go too far in the other direction. H.M. Priestley Chairman 24 August 2009 MANAGER'S REVIEW The Net Asset Value of the Company's Ordinary shares fell by 29.6 per cent. during the twelve months to 31 May 2009. This compares with a 25.3 per cent. decline, in sterling, of the FTSE World Europe ex UK Total Return Index. The level of the Company's borrowings decreased to £48.6m from £57.2m over the period under review. The Company's trading subsidiary, JEOT Securities Limited, made a £952,000 loss. The FTSE World All World (total return) Index fell by 22.2 per cent.; the Company's benchmark, the FTSE World Europe ex UK Total Return Index fell by 25.3 per cent.. Europe's relatively poor performance probably reflects its banks' exposure to US subprime loans and the weakness of the region's export markets. A further explanation is the severe slowdown in the Baltic countries and other Eastern European economies to which the West European banks are exposed. The policy response to the credit crisis in Continental Europe, however, has often been better than that in the Anglo Saxon economies. This was a period of extraordinary, even unprecedented volatility. The index fell from a high in the period by 51 per cent. and then rallied 35 per cent. by the end of May. The oil price was similarly volatile. Western Texas Intermediate peaked at $146 in July 2008 and hit a low of $30.5 before rallying: at the time of writing it is $71. This volatility was fuelled by the seemingly synchronised way in which economies contracted and stock markets fell. This is symptomatic of the increasingly global nature of business (world trade has been increasing as a proportion of the world economy for years) and the way that digital technology has speeded up the flow of information. Although our stockpicking was relatively good your Company's gearing in weak markets resulted in a poor relative performance. Nevertheless, it should be noted that over a longer period gearing has increased returns. At a stock level Halfords, Syngenta, NovoNordisk, Novozymes and Intertek all contributed positively to returns. Our underweight positions in financials and commodities helped. Our main bank investment, the Norwegian DNB, nevertheless performed relatively well vindicating our long standing confidence that DNB was well positioned. On the negative side the notable detractors to performance were the oil services company CGG Veritas, Fugro, the Dutch oil services company and Nokian Tyres; this company's principal market is Russia and therefore it is indirectly affected by the oil price. Other poor performers included Johnson Matthey, a company that suffered from its large exposure to the car market. The sharp recovery in the Carphone Warehouse price vindicated our decision to increase our holding 'at the bottom'. Amongst the new purchases, two merit particular comment. Experian (the world leader in credit and marketing services) continues to grow despite the difficult market background, a sign of a strong business. Oriflame Cosmetics (direct seller of cosmetics) too is flourishing as many retailers founder. Other new positions were taken in the French electricals group Schneider, SGS (the world's leading testing and inspection business), Bayer (the agrochemicals and pharmaceutical company), Croda (the UK based oleochemicals business), and Saft (a French world leader in industrial batteries). These companies are all leaders in their particular businesses and enjoy, we believe, good structural growth prospects. We increased holdings in CGG Veritas, Halfords, Johnson Matthey, Tomra, BioMerieux and Takkt. All of these face short term challenges but fit our criterion of being long term structural winners. We sold the holding in Nokian Tyres on concerns about that company's robustness in the face of a sharp slowdown in its principal market, Russia. The shares in Wellstream were sold following a warning about its prospects. Other notable sales included Dexia (a casualty of subprime lending), Sartorius (poor sales), Imerys (European building materials) and K+S (potash and salt). The holding in SE Banken was also sold as its prospects have not improved as we expected. We reduced holdings in NovoNordisk, Essilor, Euler Hermes and Novozymes on valuation grounds and for portfolio management reasons. Investment Outlook The markets still face significant challenges: the European economy is expected to contract by 4-5 per cent. this year; a figure of around 2-3 per cent. contraction is expected for the world economy; public finances in the Anglo Saxon economies are in a poor state. But there are positive factors: protectionism has not developed as many had feared; the immediate banking crisis that threatened to melt the whole system appears to have passed; and emerging economies are proving resilient. There has been at least a degree of decoupling. Commentators expect China and India to grow their economies by around 7.5 per cent. and 5.8 per cent. respectively this year, signifying a shift in economic power to some key emerging markets. This trend chimes with our view, and the companies in which your Company invests are beneficiaries of this. As well as this 'global' character there are other features of the portfolio which underpin our confidence. Debt levels in 'our' companies are lower than average, reflecting both the low capital intensity of the companies we select and their self financing (as opposed to acquisition led) growth. In many areas there is too much capacity so capital goods and cyclical companies are likely to struggle for some time to come. Our emphasis, on the other hand, has been to select companies that, in many cases, provide relatively low cost productivity and cost saving products and services. Demand in these cases remains robust. The current economic backdrop is an excellent test of business models. We remain hopeful that your Company's portfolio of investments will pass this test relatively well. Alex Darwall Jupiter Asset Management Limited 24 August 2009 The objective of the Company is to invest in securities of European companies and in sectors or geographical areas which are considered by the investment manager to offer good prospects for capital growth, taking into account economic trends and business development. INVESTMENT POLICY The Investment Manager adopts a stock picking approach in the belief that a thorough analysis and understanding of a company is the best way to identify long-term superior growth prospects. This understanding begins with identifying those companies where the ownership structure and incumbent management are conducive to the realisation of the aim of achieving superior long-term earnings growth. The Investment Manager will seek to identify companies which enjoy certain key business characteristics including some or all of the following: * a strong management record and team, and the confidence that the Portfolio Manager has in that management's ability to explain and account for its actions; * proprietary technology and other factors which indicate a sustainable competitive advantage; * a reasonable expectation that demand for their products or services will enjoy long-term growth; and * an understanding that structural changes are likely to benefit rather than negatively impact that company's prospects. There may be sectors which do not enjoy the business characteristics described above and in such circumstances the Investment Manager will seek to identify companies that are expected to generate superior earnings growth within that sector. In analysing potential investments, the Investment Manager will employ differing valuation techniques depending on their relevance to the business characteristics of a particular company. However, the underlying feature will be the sustainability and growth of free cashflow in the long-term. Any material change in the investment policy of the Company described above may only be made with the approval of Shareholders by an ordinary resolution. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES The principal risks the Group faces in its portfolio management activities are: (a) Foreign currency risk (b) Market price risk i.e. movements in value of investment holdings caused by factors other than interest rate or currency movement (c) Interest rate risk (d) Liquidity risk (e) Credit and counterparty risk The investment Manager's policies for managing these risks are summarized below and have been applied throughout the year. Policy (a) Foreign Currency Risk The Group may hedge against foreign currency movements affecting the value of the investment portfolio where adverse movements are anticipated otherwise takes account of this risk when making investment decisions. (b) Market Price Risk By the very nature of its activities, the Group's investments are exposed to market price fluctuations. Further information on the investment portfolio and investment policy is set out in the Manger's Review. (c) Interest Rate Risk Interest rate movements may affect the fair value of investments of fixed interest securities and the level of income receivable from interest-bearing securities and cash at bank and on deposit. (d) Liquidity Risk The Group's assets comprise mainly readily realizable securities which can be sold to meet funding requirements if necessary. Short term flexibility is achieved through the use of short term borrowings and overdraft facilities. (e) Credit and Counterparty Risk The failure of the counterparty to a transaction to discharge its obligations under that transaction could result in the Company suffering a loss. A detailed explanation of principal risks and uncertainties can be found in the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 May 2009, which will be available on the Company's website shortly. Consolidated Income Statement for the year ended 31 May 2009 31 May 2009 31 May 2008 Revenue Capital Revenue Capital Return Return Total Return Return Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Losses) / gains on investments at - (48,358) (48,358) - 11,596 11,596 fair value through profit or loss Foreign exchange - (9,498) (9,498) - (6,868) (6,868) losses on loans Other exchange gain 149 769 918 - 73 73 Investment income 5,050 - 5,050 5,338 - 5,338 Other Income 286 - 286 30 - 30 Dealing (losses) / (952) - (952) 162 - 162 profits of subsidiary Foreign exchange gain /(loss) by 3 - 3 (12) - (12) Subsidiary Total income 4,536 (57,087) (52,551) 5,518 4,801 10,319 Investment (510) - (510) (1,734) - (1,734) management fee Investment - 280 280 - - - performance fee Other expenses (349) - (349) (464) - (464) Total expenses (859) 280 (579) (2,198) - (2,198) Return before 3,677 (56,807) (53,130) 3,320 4,801 8,121 finance costs and tax Finance costs (2,538) - (2,538) (2,643) - (2,643) Return before (56,807) 4,801 taxation 1,139 (55,668) 677 5,478 Taxation (473) - (473) (617) - (617) Return after (56,807) 4,801 taxation 666 (56,141) 60 4,861 Return per Ordinary share 0.82p (69.85)p (69.03)p 0.07p 5.88p 5.95p The total column of this statement is the income statement of the Group prepared in accordance with IFRS. The supplementary revenue return and capital return columns are both prepared under guidance published by the Association of Investment Companies ('AIC'). All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. No operations were acquired or discontinued during the year. Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 May 2009 2009 2008 £'000 £'000 Non current assets Investments held at fair value through profit or loss 174,492 231,506 Current assets Investments held at fair value through profit or loss - 12,182 Receivables 1,107 2,276 Cash at bank 6,280 2,149 7,387 16,607 Total assets 181,879 248,113 Current liabilities (50,422) (59,594) Total assets less current liabilities 131,457 188,519 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 810 818 Share premium 41,286 41,286 Special reserve 36,676 37,597 Capital redemption reserve 30 22 Retained earnings 52,655 108,796 Total equity 131,457 188,519 Net Asset Value per Ordinary share 162.35p 230.56p Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity Capital Share Share Special Redemption Retained For the year Capital Premium Reserve Reserve Earnings Total ended 31 May 2009 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 31 May 2008 818 41,286 37,597 22 108,796 188,519 Net profit for - - - - (56,141) (56,141) the year Ordinary share (8) - (921) 8 (921) cancellation Balance at 31 810 41,286 36,676 30 52,655 131,457 May 2009 Capital Share Share Special Redemption Retained For the year Capital Premium Reserve Reserve Earnings Total ended 31 May 2008 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 31 May 2007 812 39,912 37,597 22 103,935 182,278 Ordinary share 6 1,385 - - - 1,391 issue Share issue costs - (11) - - - (11) Net profit for - - - - 4,861 4,861 the year Balance at 31 May 818 41,286 37,597 22 108,796 188,519 2008 Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 May 2009 2009 2008 £'000 £'000 Cash flows from operating activities Purchases of investments (80,991) (90,229) Sales of investments 91,243 98,250 Realised gains on foreign currency 921 61 Investment income received 4,787 5,527 Interest received 287 30 Other cash receipts 340 466 Investment management fee paid (1,470) (1,676) VAT recovery on investment management fee 837 - Investment performance fee paid - (1,611) VAT recovery on investment performance fee 280 - Purchases by dealing subsidiary (5,402) (26,800) Sales by dealing subsidiary 16,149 19,918 Other cash expenses (326) (502) Cash inflow from operating activities before finance costs and taxation 26,655 3,434 Finance costs (2,859) (2,509) Taxation (688) (774) Net cash inflow from operating activities 23,108 151 Financing activities Ordinary shares issued - 1,391 Ordinary shares cancelled (921) - Share issue costs - (11) Short term loans received 28,500 91,168 Short term loans repaid (46,556) (85,482) Increase in cash 4,131 7,217 Cash and cash equivalents at start of year 2,149 (5,068) Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 6,280 2,149 NOTES: 1. Income 2009 2008 Group Group £'000 £'000 Income from investments Dividends from United Kingdom companies 1,320 649 Dividends from overseas companies 3,730 4,689 5,050 5,338 Other income Interest on VAT recovery 131 - Deposit interest 155 30 Foreign exchange gains 149 - (Loss) / profit on dealings by subsidiary (952) 162 Foreign exchange gains / (losses) by subsidiary 3 (12) (514) 180 Total income 4,536 5,518 Total income comprises Dividends 5,050 5,338 Interest 286 30 Other income (800) 150 4,536 5,518 Income from investments Listed in the UK 1,320 649 Listed overseas 3,730 4,689 5,050 5,338 2 Reconciliation of profit before finance costs and taxation to net cash inflow from operating activities 2009 2008 Group Group £'000 £'000 Profit before finance costs and taxation (53,130) 8,121 Loss / (gain) on non current asset investments 48,358 (11,596) Foreign exchange loss on loans 9,498 6,868 Purchases of non current asset investments (80,991) (90,229) Sales of non current asset investments 91,243 98,250 Decrease in prepayments and accrued income 57 123 Decrease / (increase) in current asset investments 12,182 (6,784) Decrease in subsidiary purchases awaiting (450) (106) settlement Decrease in subsidiary sales awaiting settlement - 366 Decrease in other creditors and accruals (112) (1,579) Net cash inflow from operating activities before interest and taxation 26,655 3,434 3 Related parties Mr. Darwall is a Director of Jupiter Asset Management Limited and Jupiter Investment Management Group Limited whose subsidiaries Jupiter Asset Management Limited and Jupiter Administration Services Limited receive investment management and administration fees as set out below. Jupiter Asset Management Limited is contracted to provide investment management services to the Company (subject to termination by not less than one years notice by either party) for a quarterly fee of 0.1875 per cent. of the net assets of the Group excluding the value of any Jupiter managed investments payable in arrears on 31 May, 31 August, 30 November and the last calendar day of February. Management fees of £335,617 were outstanding as at 31 May 2009 (2008: £459,381). Jupiter Asset Management Limited is also entitled to an investment performance fee which is based on the out-performance of the lower of the price of an Ordinary share or the Net Asset Value per Ordinary share over the total return on the Benchmark Index, the FTSE World Europe ex UK total return index in an accounting period. Any performance fee payable will equal 15 per cent. of the amount by which the increase in the lower of the price of an Ordinary share (plus any dividends per Ordinary share paid during the period) or the Net Asset Value per Ordinary share (plus any dividends per Ordinary share paid or payable and any accrual for unpaid performance fees for the period) exceeds the higher of (a) the closing price of an Ordinary share or the Net Asset Value per Ordinary share on the last business day of the previous accounting period (whichever is the lower); (b) the lower of the price of an Ordinary share or the Net Asset Value per Ordinary share (as the case may be) on the last day of a period in respect of which a performance fee was last paid: and (c) 100p. In each case the values of (a), (b) and (c) are increased by the percentage by which the total return of the Benchmark Index increases or decreases during the calculation period. The total amount of any performance fee payable in respect of one accounting period is limited to 7.5 per cent. of the Total Assets of the Company. No performance fee was payable for the year ended 31 May 2009 (2008: Nil). Jupiter Administration Services Limited is contracted to provide secretarial, accounting and administrative services to the Company for an annual fee of £62,977 adjusted each year in line with the Retail Price Index payable quarterly (2008: £60,381). None of the fee payable for the year ended 31 May 2009 was outstanding at the year end (2008: Nil). The Company has invested from time to time in funds managed by Jupiter Investment Management Group Limited or its subsidiaries. The only such holding as at 31 May 2009 was East European Food Fund representing 0.3 per cent. of total investments. 4. Going Concern The Articles of Association provide that at the annual general meeting of the Company to be held in 2011, and at every third annual general meeting thereafter, an ordinary resolution shall be proposed that the Company shall continue in existence as an investment trust. After making enquiries the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts. 5. Directors' Responsibilities For The Financial Statements The Directors are responsible for preparing the Directors' Report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and those International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') as adopted by the European Union. The Directors are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year which present fairly the financial position of the Company and of the Group and the financial performance and cash flows of the Company and of the Group for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Directors are required to: (i) select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; (ii) present information, including accounting policies, in a manner that provides relevant, reliable, comparable and understandable information; (iii) provide additional disclosures when compliance with the specific requirements in IFRSs is insufficient to enable users to understand the impact of particular transactions, other events and conditions on the entity's financial position and financial performance; and (iv) state that the Group has complied with IFRS, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and of the Group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and Article 4 of the IAS Regulation. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. So far as each Director is aware at the time the report is approved, there is no relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware and that each Director has taken all reasonable steps to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information. The Directors, who are listed on page 4 of the Report and Accounts for the year to 31 May 2009, confirm to the best of their knowledge that: (i) the financial statements, prepared in accordance with the applicable set of accounting standards, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company; and (ii) the Management Report includes a fair view of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that the Company faces. By Order of the Board H M Priestley Chairman 24 August 2009 The annual report will be sent to all registered shareholders and copies may be obtained from the registered office of the Company at 1 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7JJ. The Annual General Meeting of the Company is scheduled to take place at 12.00 noon on 25 September 2009 at the Company's registered office. By order of the Board Jupiter Asset Management Limited Secretaries Enquiries: Jenny Thompson Jupiter Asset Management Limited 020 7412 0703 Richard Pavry Jupiter Asset Management Limited 020 7412 0703 ---END OF MESSAGE--- This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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