Final Results

Fidelity Japanese Values PLC 27 February 2001 Preliminary Announcement of Unaudited Results For the year ended 31 December 2000 Comment from the Chairman Performance: NAV - 60.5% It was a dreadful year for growth stock investors in the Japanese stock markets, particularly those investing in smaller companies and more particularly those exposed to the so-called new economy companies. I am afraid that our performance in this particularly difficult environment was not good. In my statement last year I cautioned that the previous year, when the net asset value had risen no less than 340%, would be difficult to follow and indeed that there might be some profit taking in the technology, media and telecommunications sectors (known jointly as the 'TMT' sectors) to which we were well exposed and which had contributed so much to our success in 1999. That happened with a vengeance. The year started with much more optimism about Japan, its economy and its stock markets but this gradually gave way to quite some pessimism as America's NASDAQ Composite Index, popularly regarded as a bellwether for its TMT sectors, collapsed, raising concerns about the United States' economic growth and thence about Japan's own more fragile economy. International investors, whose funds had helped drive up Japan's TMT sectors, disinvested in a big way, concerned as they were about Japan's economy and particularly the export sector, given the possibility of a recession in the United States, about the apparent lack of follow through in company restructuring, about the continuing ill health of the banking and insurance sectors, about the enormous deficits being run by the Japanese Government and the indebtedness it is building up and perhaps most of all about the political drift and indecision that appears to grip the Japanese Government. The decline in our net asset value can be attributed largely to our exposure to the shares of TMT companies in that much of the general market decline was caused by their performance and our own exposure exaggerated even that. The gearing and the decline of the Yen had much smaller impacts. That we outstayed our welcome in these sectors is clear but it is worth saying that the seesaw of these shares over the last two years has taken our net asset value from 40p to 70p per share, a better performance than most international markets produced. Corporate Matters: Dividends - Given that we invest in low or even nil yielding shares, we have not earned a surplus and consequently we are not proposing to pay a dividend. Buying in our own shares - The Company's authority to buy in up to 15 million of its own shares was renewed at the AGM and we are seeking shareholders approval to buy them in during the year following this year's AGM in April. Last year we bought in 1.4 million shares for cancellation at a discount to net asset value, thus enhancing it by 0.25p per share. Share Plan and ISAs - Fidelity International, our Manager, promotes and manages two investment plans which in turn help promote the demand for the Company's shares: the Fidelity Investment Trust Share Plan and the Fidelity Investment Trust Savings Account. They provide a simple and cost effective way to invest in our shares and, along with buying in our own shares, they help to create demand for them and thereby reduce the discount at which they sell to the underlying net asset value. During the year 2000 1,399 new accounts were opened and I would like to welcome these new shareholders to the Company. The Board of Directors - It is with much pleasure that I can report that Nicholas Barber agreed to join the Board and was duly appointed in December 2000. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in business, including that gained in the financial sector from his directorships of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group and Bristol & West and in Japan from his time spent there in his capacity as an executive of the shipping company, the Ocean Group, of which he later became its chief executive. Also standing for re-election this year are Sir John Stanley, William Thomson and John Morrell. John Morrell, being over the age of 70, submits himself for re-election every year; he continues to play an important and constructive role on the Board. He has however intimated to his colleagues that this will be his last year in office and that he will not submit himself for re-election next year. Annual General Meeting - As we emphasise in our report on corporate governance, your Directors believe that the AGM is the pivotal point in the communication between shareholders and the Board and the Manager. It is the occasion when shareholders can come and ask questions of and make recommendations to the Board and Manager and can share each others' views. It is also the occasion when Asako Kibe, our investment manager in Tokyo, will make a presentation of the past year and review the prospects for the coming one. I do urge all those shareholders, both individual and institutional, to attend the meeting. Continuation Vote and the Outlook for the Future: Having launched the Company in the spring of 1994, the Board committed to bring a resolution concerning the Company's future to shareholders in 2004. However in 1999 we reported that, rather than wait the full ten years, in future a resolution would be brought forward every three years and so we are including a proposal in this year's set of AGM resolutions. Are the prospects from here such that we can reasonably be expected to achieve our original aspirations in the future? We believe so and for this reason we are recommending to Shareholders that the Company continues in existence with its remit to invest in smaller Japanese companies with a view to achieving above average capital growth. What are the prospects? There is no doubt that there is a great deal of gloom concerning the immediate future for the Japanese economy and its stock markets, as I outlined earlier in my statement. As a consequence its markets are very depressed; however, as history shows, depressed markets provide the opportunity to make money. There are a number of aspects about Japan and its corporate sector which are continuing to improve and these are those things that we have stressed before. There are plenty of companies that are restructuring and whose profits are growing in these difficult times. There is plenty of global leadership in certain industries, particularly in the new economy, which will help drive future Japanese economic growth. But above all, at a time when Japanese corporate profits in general have been growing quite strongly, the markets have been very weak with the result that the shares of many Japanese companies are now, by international standards, undervalued - nowhere more so, we believe, than in the 'smaller companies' area in which we invest. Despite general forecasts by stock market analysts that there will be little or no economic growth, and hence corporate sales growth, it is particularly interesting to note that corporate profits - on the back of continuing company restructuring - are forecast to continue to grow. Although I believe that the share prices of smaller companies in Japan will continue to be quite volatile, they probably offer as good opportunities to make money from astute stock selection as most markets in the world in the medium term. I believe that we have a strong fund management team in Tokyo and that, when there is a more confident global attitude to Japan's stock markets, our portfolio of shares will do well and make money for our Shareholders. Alex Hammond-Chambers Chairman Tuesday 27 February 2001 Enquiries: Barbara Powley Fidelity Investments International 01737 836883 FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Statement of Total Return (incorporating the revenue account1) of the Company - unaudited For the year ended 31 December 2000 2000 1999 revenue capital total revenue capital total notes £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Loss)/gain - (110,348) (110,348) - 147,310 147,310 on investments Income 810 - 810 539 - 539 Investment (1,607) - (1,607) (1,396) - (1,396) management fee Other (426) - (426) (293) - (293) expenses Exchange - (384) (384) - 558 558 (losses)/gains Repurchase - (76) (76) - - - of warrants Net (1,223) (110,808) (112,031) (1,150) 147,868 146,718 (loss)/return before finance costs and taxation Exchange - 1,026 1,026 - (2,249) (2,249) gain/(loss) on loans Interest (758) - (758) (500) - (500) payable (Loss)/return (1,981) (109,782) (111,763) (1,650) 145,619 143,969 on ordinary activities before tax Tax on (119) - (119) (81) - (81) ordinary activities (Loss)/return (2,100) (109,782) (111,882) (1,731) 145,619 143,888 on ordinary activities after tax for the year attributable to equity shareholders (Loss)/return per ordinary share Basic 2 (2.01p) (104.98p) (106.99p) (1.64p) 138.33p 136.69p 1. The revenue column on this statement represents the profit and loss account of the Company. Returns per ordinary share are based on the net loss on ordinary activities after taxation of £2,100,000 (1999 : £1,731,000), and the capital depreciation in the year of £109,782,000 (1999 : appreciation of £145,619,000) and on 104,577,344 ordinary shares (1999 : 105,272,951), being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. As the basic and fully-diluted returns, calculated according to the provisions of FRS 14, are identical, the fully-diluted return has not been disclosed. Since the effect of the warrants outstanding on the first day of the accounting period is not dilutive, they have not been included in the calculation of the fully-diluted return. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. No operations were acquired or discontinued in the year. FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Balance Sheet - unaudited As at 31 December 2000 2000 1999 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Investments 93,602 208,104 Current assets Debtors 293 839 Cash at bank 7,368 7,222 7,661 8,061 Creditors - amounts falling due within one year (10,147) (1,064) Net current (liabilities)/assets (2,486) 6,997 Total assets less current liabilities 91,116 215,101 Creditors - amounts falling due after more than one year (18,563) (28,896) Total net assets 72,553 186,205 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 25,980 26,318 Capital redemption reserve 350 - Share premium account 37 - Other reserves Other reserve 63,125 64,619 Warrant reserve 10,200 10,525 Capital reserve - realised 16,564 (10,693) Capital reserve - unrealised (36,944) 100,095 Revenue reserve (6,759) (4,659) Total equity shareholders' funds 72,553 186,205 Net asset value per ordinary share Basic 69.81p 176.88p Fully-diluted - 164.07p FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Cash Flow Statement - unaudited For the year ended 31 December 2000 2000 1999 £'000 £'000 Operating activities Investment income 677 477 Interest 20 7 Investment management fee (1,929) (1,101) Directors' fees (47) (33) Other cash payments (200) (284) Net cash outflow from operating activities (1,479) (934) Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest paid (761) (471) Net cash outflow from returns on investments and (761) (471) servicing of finance Taxation UK income tax recovered 1 43 Tax recovered 1 43 Financial investment Purchase of investments (83,557) (97,496) Realised currency gains 127 1,160 Disposal of investments 88,172 88,985 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financial 4,742 (7,351) investment Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing 2,503 (8,713) Financing Increase in borrowings - 10,269 Repurchase of ordinary shares (1,519) - Repurchase of warrants (376) - Exercise of warrants 49 - Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing (1,846) 10,269 Increase in cash 657 1,556 The above statements have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies as set out in the recently published set of annual financial statements. The figures for the year to 31.12.99 have been extracted from the accounts for the year ended 31.12.99 which have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and on which the Auditors gave an unqualified report. The annual report and accounts will be posted to shareholders as soon as is practicable.
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