Half-yearly report

GENESIS EMERGING MARKETS FUND LIMITED (the "Company"; the "Fund") STOCK EXCHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT Half Yearly Report The Company has today, in accordance with DTR 6.3.5, released its Half Year Report for the six months ended 31st December 2009. The Report will shortly be available from the Company's website www.giml.co.uk and will shortly be available for inspection at the UK Listing Authority's Document Viewing Facility, which is located at: Financial Services Authority 25 The North Colonnade Canary Wharf London E14 5HS Investment Objective To achieve long-term capital growth, primarily through investment in equity markets of developing countries. Benchmark MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Total Return). Material Events 31st December 2009 31st December 2008 US$ US$ Total net assets 994,493,032 529,520,554 Net assets per Participating Share * 7.40 3.97 Total income/(deficit)per Participating Share * 1.93 (3.44) * Adjusted for the November 2009 ten for one share split Commenting on the results the Chairman has made the following statement: Emerging market investors have seen strong returns over the last six months. Shareholders of the Fund have seen the net asset value per share rise 38% over the period, with the return over the whole calendar year 66%. Both these figures were in excess of the 34% and 59% return achieved by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, the most appropriate benchmark, over these respective periods. The period has seen some significant changes to the Fund's structure. As I noted in my statement in the Annual Report six months ago, the Board took the decision to propose to shareholders, firstly a redenomination of the Fund's share capital so as to permit the shares to be quoted in Sterling rather than US dollars, and secondly a division of each existing share into ten, thereby reducing the market price of each share. Our intention was to improve the marketability and liquidity of the Fund's shares. At the Extraordinary General Meeting at the end of October these proposals were duly passed, and the Fund's shares commenced trading in their redenominated form on 2nd November. The initial indications are that there has indeed been a positive effect both in terms of the narrowing of the Fund's discount, and of the trading volume in the shares. We anticipate that the Fund's shares will now be more attractive to a wider range of shareholders, particularly in the UK. In my previous statement, I also announced the approaching retirement of Jeremy Paulson-Ellis as a Director of the Fund, noting his exceptional contribution to the Fund over many years. His retirement was effective from the Annual General Meeting in October. It is with great pleasure, meanwhile, that I am able to announce the appointment of John Llewellyn to the Board. Dr Llewellyn has had a long and distinguished career as an international economist in both the public and financial sectors, and in academia. We are confident that his expertise and experience will make him a valuable source of advice to the Fund. The Fund held its annual Information Meeting in London in October, enabling shareholders to discuss the proposed restructuring, and hear presentations from representatives of the Manager. Topics covered included the Fund's current strategy, factors behind recent performance and the Manager's outlook for the asset class. The Manager's Review on the following pages outlines for shareholders some current thoughts on the investment environment in emerging markets, and highlights some of the changes made to the Fund's holdings in the last six months. As has been observed after previous periods of stellar emerging markets performance, it seems somewhat unlikely that the returns over the short term from the asset class will match recent experience, and the Manager's Review provides details on the current environment for companies in developing countries. Fundamentally, however, your Board share with the Manager the view that the positive growth dynamics in emerging economies (combined with the expansion of the investment universe) will continue to provide attractive opportunities for long-term investors in emerging markets. Coen Teulings February 2010 Board Report Capital Values At 31st December 2009 the value of net assets available to shareholders was US$994,493,032 (30th June 2009: US$734,260,089) and the Equity per Participating Preference Share was US$7.37 (30th June 2009: US$5.44). Principal Risks and Uncertainties The investment objective of the Fund is to achieve capital growth over the medium to long term, primarily through investment in equity securities quoted on emerging markets. The main risks to the value of its assets arising from the Fund's investment in financial instruments are unanticipated adverse changes in market prices and foreign currency exchange rates and an absence of liquidity. The Board reviews and agrees with the Manager policies for managing each of these risks and they are summarised below. These policies have remained unchanged since the beginning of the period to which these financial statements relate. The economies, the currencies and the financial markets of a number of developing countries in which the Fund invests may be extremely volatile. To manage the risks posed by adverse price fluctuations the Fund's investments are geographically diversified, and will continue to be so. The Fund will not normally invest more than 25% of its assets (at the time the investment is made) in any one country. Further, the exposure to any one company or group (other than an investment company, unit trust or mutual fund) is unlikely to exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets at the time the investment is made. The Fund's assets will be invested in securities of companies in various countries and income will be received by the Fund in a variety of currencies. However, the Fund will compute its net asset value and make any distributions in dollars. The value of the assets of the Fund as measured in dollars, may be affected favourably or unfavourably by fluctuations in currency rates and exchange control regulations. Further, the Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. Trading volumes on the stock exchanges of developing countries can be substantially less than in the leading stock markets of the developed world. This lower level of liquidity exaggerates the fluctuations in the value of investments described previously. The restrictions on concentration and the diversification requirements detailed above also serve normally to protect the overall value of the Fund from the risks created by the lower level of liquidity in the markets in which the Fund operates. Manager In the opinion of the Directors, in order to achieve the investment objective of the Fund, and having taken into consideration the performance of the Fund, the continuing appointment of the Manager is in the interests of the shareholders as a whole. A more detailed commentary of important events that have occurred during the period and their impact on these accounts and a description of the principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the financial year is contained in the Manager's Review. Directors' Interests The following Directors served throughout the period under review, except where noted otherwise. Beneficial interest in Participating Preference Shares Directors at 31st December 2009 Coen Teulings 40,000 Jeremy Paulson-Ellis (resigned on 30th October 2009) 119,460 The Hon. John Train 20,510 Christian Baillet - Michael Hamson - John Llewellyn (appointed 30th October 2009) - Related Party Transactions During the first six months of the current financial year, no transactions with related parties have taken place which have materially affected the financial position or performance of the Fund during the period. Details of related party transactions are disclosed in the annual report for the year ended 30th June 2009. Responsibility Statement The Directors confirm that to the best of their knowledge: · the condensed set of financial statements has been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 'Interim Financial Reporting'; · as required by DTR 4.2.7R of the FSA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the interim management report includes a fair review of important events that have occurred during the first six months of the financial year and their impact on the condensed set of financial statements, and a description of the principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the financial year; and · the interim management report includes a fair review of the information concerning related party transactions required by DTR 4.2.8R. Manager's Review The Fund ended the six months to 31st December 2009 up some 38%, continuing the strong rebound seen during the first half of the calendar year. Emerging market companies have generally seen resilient profitability through the global financial crisis and the outlook for economic growth and for corporate earnings remains good. The most obvious clouds on the horizon would appear to be macro in nature. One concern is that domestic demand may fall in some countries when governments withdraw their fiscal stimulus - which could prompt a reversal of the very favourable terms of trade in commodity exporters like Russia or Brazil. Yet for long term development, poorer countries need to invest in infrastructure to improve competitiveness, and the focus on short-term economic stimulus may have diverted funding from these long term capital projects. Normalisation also implies a recovery in private sector investment spending that was largely deferred over the past 18 months. We should also remember that emerging markets are fundamentally underpinned by low sovereign and corporate debt, having learnt the hard way in the 1990s. Of course too much of a good thing could lead to inflation or prompt a hawkish policy reaction. Easy money combined with further capital inflows into emerging markets may push demand to levels that create supply bottlenecks and asset price bubbles, particularly in countries that link their currencies to the US dollar and involuntarily adopt US monetary policy (e.g. the pressure is building in Chinese residential property). If so we may see more restrictions on capital movements like those recently invoked in Brazil. At a micro level some pressures are starting to appear in operating costs. After a year of wage freezes some increase is reasonable, particularly in view of higher CPI inflation - although in many countries sizeable output gaps mean it is difficult for labour to argue the case. Raw material costs are also rising due to higher commodity prices, many of which have already exceeded our long term equilibrium price assumptions. The pressure is mainly from supply factors (especially in food). In some cases higher input prices are offset by domestic currency strength, but for countries like China whose currencies shadow the US dollar they will directly affect costs. Companies may also face higher funding costs; the tightening cycle has already started in Asia. However the strong demand environment should mean that most cost increases can be passed on, thus protecting earnings. Pricing discipline has been good, and the stronger companies have seen their competitive positions enhanced through the downturn as the weaker companies have struggled for funding. The dramatic rises in markets throughout the period provided us with opportunities to reduce positions in Fund holdings that had performed relatively well. These included Infosys Technology (India), which was sold outright, a reduction of the position in First Quantum (Zambia), and the trimming of exposure to a number of bank stocks, for example Banco do Brasil and Garanti Bank (Turkey), as well as some of the Fund's Russian holdings. Major new stocks added during the period included a number in China, including China Life Insurance and China Merchants Bank, as well as Banco Santander Brazil. The allocations to China and Brazil correspondingly increased. Outlook for the Company Valuations are generally back to normal for most of our markets, having been at distressed levels a year ago. At this point the outlook for economic growth and for corporate earnings remains positive for emerging markets and any revisions to our estimates still tend to be up rather than down. Genesis Asset Managers, LLP February 2010 UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION as at 31st December 2009 (Audited) 31st December 2009 30th June 2009 US$ US$ ASSETS Current Assets Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 992,286,299 721,944,912 Amounts due from brokers 78,297 - Dividends and interest receivable 772,855 1,957,186 Other receivables and prepayments 156,240 165,392 Cash and cash equivalents 5,386,767 12,291,308 TOTAL ASSETS 998,680,458 736,358,798 LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Amounts due to brokers 2,618,071 850,498 Payables and accrued expenses 1,534,746 1,248,086 Bank overdraft 34,609 125 TOTAL LIABILITIES 4,187,426 2,098,709 TOTAL NET ASSETS 994,493,032 734,260,089 EQUITY Called-up share capital - 270,633 Share premium 135,509,473 135,238,840 Capital reserve 822,540,644 559,694,846 Revenue account 37,603,415 40,216,270 Purchase of own shares (1,160,500) (1,160,500) TOTAL EQUITY 994,493,032 734,260,089 EQUITY PER PARTICIPATING PREFERENCE SHARE* US$7.37 US$5.44 * Calculated on an average number of 134,963,060 Participating Preference Shares outstanding (30th June 2009: 134,963,060, adjusted for the November 2009 ten for one share split). UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME for the six months ended 31st December 2009 2009 2008 US$ US$ INCOME Net change in financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 262,918,866 (465,534,583) Net exchange losses (73,068) (870,391) Dividend income 7,242,270 9,932,434 Deposit interest 14,841 21,520 270,102,909 (456,451,020) EXPENSES Management fees (6,784,210) (5,288,146) Administration fees (64,624) (109,355) Audit fees (16,870) (33,359) Custodian fees (582,969) (553,873) 3 Transaction costs (642,145) (671,251) Directors' fees and expenses (183,496) (143,835) Other expenses (242,693) (224,420) TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES (8,517,007) (7,024,239) OPERATING PROFIT/(LOSS) 261,585,902 (463,475,259) FINANCE COSTS Bank charges (633) (1,938) Interest expense (2,878) (49,484) TOTAL FINANCE COSTS (3,511) (51,422) Withholding taxes (1,349,448) (1,157,701) PROFIT/(LOSS) FOR THE PERIOD 260,232,943 (464,684,382) 2009 2008 RETURN/(DEFICIT) PER PARTICIPATING PREFERENCE SHARE* US$1.93 US$(3.44) * Calculated on an average number of 134,963,060 Participating Preference Shares outstanding (31st December 2008: 134,963,060, adjusted for the November 2009 ten for one share split). UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY for the six months ended 31st December 2009 2009 Share Share Capital Revenue Purchase of Own Capital Premium Reserve Account Shares Total US$ US$ US$ US$ US$ US$ Net assets at the beginning of the period 270,633 135,238,840 559,694,846 40,216,270 (1,160,500) 734,260,089 Redenomination of shares (270,633) 270,633 - - - - Movement in the period - - 262,845,798 (2,612,855) - 260,232,943 Net assets at the end of the period - 135,509,473 822,540,644 37,603,415 (1,160,500) 994,493,032 2008 Share Share Capital Revenue Purchase of Own Capital Premium Reserve Account Shares Total US$ US$ US$ US$ US$ US$ Net assets at the beginning of the period 270,633 135,238,840 821,937,433 37,918,530 (1,160,500) 994,204,936 Movement in the period - - (466,404,974) 1,720,592 - (464,684,382) Net assets at the end of the period 270,633 135,238,840 355,532,459 39,639,122 (1,160,500) 529,520,554 UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS for the six months ended 31st December 2009 2009 2008 US$ US$ OPERATING ACTIVITIES Investment income received 8,426,022 11,018,212 Taxation paid (1,349,448) (1,157,701) Interest received 15,420 19,446 Operating expenses paid (8,224,706) (7,607,258) Foreign exchange loss (32) (6,011) NET CASH (OUTFLOW)/INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES (1,132,744) 2,266,688 INVESTING ACTIVITIES Purchase of investments (110,824,359)(115,768,965) Proceeds from sale of investments 105,091,114 120,362,955 NET CASH (OUTFLOW)/INFLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES (5,733,245) 4,593,990 NET (DECREASE)/INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (6,865,989) 6,860,678 Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents (73,036) (864,380) (6,939,025) 5,996,298 Net cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period 12,291,183 (3,419,118) NET CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE PERIOD 5,352,158 2,577,180 Comprising: Cash and cash equivalents 5,386,767 2,577,180 Bank overdraft (34,609) - NET CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE PERIOD 5,352,158 2,577,180 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for the six months ended 31st December 2009 1. BASIS OF PREPARATION The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all periods presented, unless otherwise stated. The interim financial information for the six months ended 31st December 2009 has been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard 34, 'Interim Financial Reporting'. The interim financial information should be read in conjunction with the annual financial statements for the year ended 30th June 2009, which have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the valuation of financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss. In October 2009, the shareholders approved a ten for one Share Split as described in the Chairman's Statement. Any price that was expressed per share in the prior period has been restated to the ten for one subdivision. 2. RECONCILIATION OF PUBLISHED NET ASSET VALUE ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS TO THE IFRS EQUIVALENT 31st December 2009 Per Participating Total Preference Share US$ US$ Published Net Asset Value 999,145,932 7.40 Change from mid market pricing to bid pricing for investments (4,787,670) (0.03) Net Asset Value under IFRS 994,358,262 7.37 Non distributable reserves 134,770 Equity shareholders'funds 994,493,032 30th June 2009 Per Participating Total Preference Share US$ US$ Published Net Asset Value 737,694,747 5.47 Change from mid market pricing to bid pricing for investments (3,569,428) (0.03) Net Asset Value under IFRS 734,125,319 5.44 Non distributable reserves 134,770 Equity shareholders' funds 734,260,089 3. COSTS OF INVESTMENTS TRANSACTIONS During the period, expenses were incurred in acquiring or disposing of investments. For the six For the six For the year months to months to ended 31st December 31st December 30th June 2009 2008 2009 US$000 US$000 US$000 Purchases 362 335 615 Sales 280 336 597 642 671 1,212 4. SEGMENT INFORMATION The Fund has elected to treat all of its operations, for management purposes, as a single operating segment as it does not aim at controlling or having any significant influence over the entities in which it holds its investments. The Fund is invested in equity securities. All of the Funds' activities are interrelated, and each activity is dependant on the others. Accordingly, all significant operating decisions are based upon analysis of the Fund as one segment. The financial positions and results from this segment are equivalent to the financial statements of the Fund as a whole, as internal reports are prepared on a consistent basis with the measurement and recognition principles of IFRS. The table below analyses the Fund's operating income per investment type. Six months to Six months to 31st December 31st December 2009 2008 US$ US$ Equity Securities 270,102,909 (456,451,020) Total 270,102,909 (456,451,020) As at 31st December 2009 and 30th June 2009, the Fund has no assets classified as non-current assets. For the breakdown of the Fund's financial assets carried at fair value through profit or loss. For Genesis Emerging Markets Fund Limited HSBC Securities Services (Guernsey) Limited, Secretary 24th February 2010 END
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