Interim Results

Fidelity Japanese Values PLC 1 August 2001 FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Preliminary Announcement of Unaudited Results For the six months ended 30 June 2001 Comment from the Chairman Performance The first half of the year has been a rather better period for your Company with its net asset value rising by 9.2% to 76.20p per ordinary share. Despite a fall of 1.7% in the value of the yen, our total assets rose 5.0% to £105.5 million (and that despite spending £0.9 million on buying back our own shares); our gearing accounted for the extra increase at the net asset value level. It has not been an easy period for investors anywhere in the world, particularly in Japan. The three indices that we use as reference points, against which we judge our performance (all three of which include smaller companies in their make-up) had quite varying experiences with the TSE First Section Index declining 1.3%, while the TSE Second Section Index and the Nikkei OTC indices rose 7.4% and 4.8% respectively (all figures expressed in pounds sterling). We have investments quoted on each of these exchanges. The individual stocks in our portfolio have changed quite considerably in the period with a much lower emphasis on shares involved in the so-called 'Technology, Media and Telecommunications' sector. This has helped us produce what I believe to be a reasonably good result in this first half year. Purchase of Our Own Shares for Cancellation The volatility of our own share price in relation to its underlying net asset value, the discount, provided opportunities for us to by in our own shares at attractive levels. We bought 1,450,000 shares during the six months at discounts varying between 15% and 20%, costing us £864,000 net of stamp duty - or an average of 60.0p per share - and providing a small uplift in the net asset value. Full details of these transactions are provided on page 15 of this report. The Outlook The outlook for the economy of Japan would appear to be a little like the curate's egg, there being some good and some bad things to be said about it. The aftermath of the technology boom and the deterioration of the American economy have dented confidence and it is widely expected that Japan will suffer an economic recession which could send share prices lower in the shorter term. Business confidence is low, export growth is slowing and consumers appear to be reluctant to spend. However the appointment of Mr Junichiro Koizumi as Prime Minister has given cause to believe that some of the long awaited and much needed series of macro economic and political reforms may well now proceed, although it would be foolish not to recognise that there will be considerable political and business resistance to change. However the Prime Minister would appear to have popular backing for reform and he has been honest enough to point out that it will not be easy and that it will involve hardship. Your Board of Directors and your Manager have long recognised that there has already been considerable reform and reorganisation of individual businesses and that the pace of it continues to grow. It is that which provides the opportunity to find and invest in those companies undertaking reorganisation and committed to promoting shareholder value and that which makes the longer term prospects for capital growth for your Company encouraging. If, and it is an open question, it were to be accompanied by some real economic and political reforms, especially those dealing with Japan's beleaguered banking industry, then Japan could easily be one of the best places to invest in the world over the next ten or so years. Alex Hammond-Chambers Chairman 1 August 2001 Enquiries: Barbara Powley Fidelity Investment International 01737 836883 FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Statement of Total Return (incorporating the revenue account) For the six months ended 30 June 2001 for the six months ended for the year ended for the six months ended 30.06.01 31.12.00 30.06.00 unaudited audited unaudited revenue capital total revenue capital total revenue capital total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Gains/ - 6,666 6,666 - (110,348)(110,348) - (35,705) (35,705) (losses) on investments Income 479 - 479 810 - 810 486 - 486 Investment (504) - (504)(1,607) - (1,607) (982) - (982) management fee Other (170) - (170) (426) - (426) (267) - (267) expenses Exchange - (158) (158) - (384) (384) - 384 384 (losses)/ gains Repurchase of - - - - (76) (76) - (76) (76) warrants Net (loss)/(195) 6,508 6,313 (1,223) (110,808)(112,031) (763)(35,397)(36,160) return before finance costs and taxation Interest (332) - (332) (758) - (758) (368) - (368) payable Exchange - 481 481 - 1,026 1,026 - (1,200) (1,200) gains/ (losses) on loans (Loss)/ return (527) 6,989 6,462 (1,981)(109,782)(111,763)(1,131)(36,597)(37,728) on ordinary activities before tax Tax on (70) - (70) (119) - (119) (71) - (71) ordinary activities (Loss)/ return (597) 6,989 6,392 (2,100)(109,782)(111,882)(1,202)(36,597)(37,799) on ordinary activities after tax for the period, transfer to reserves (Loss)/return per ordinary share Basic (0.58p) 6.79p 6.21p (2.01p)(104.98p) (106.99p) (1.14p)(34.85p) (35.99p) Fully- diluted (0.48p) 5.68p 5.20p - - - - - - These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the AITC Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) issued in December 1995. FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Balance Sheet As at 30 June 2001 30.06.01 31.12.00 30.06.00 unaudited audited unaudited £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Investments 101,376 93,602 171,096 Current assets Debtors 232 293 412 Cash at bank 5,246 7,368 7,405 5,478 7,661 7,817 Creditors- amounts falling due within one year Fixed rate unsecured loan - (9,307) (10,051) Other creditors (1,380) (840) (1,244) (1,380) (10,147) (11,295) Net current assets/(liabilities) 4,098 (2,486) (3,478) Total assets less current liabilities 105,474 91,116 167,618 Creditors- amounts falling due after more than one year Fixed rate unsecured loans (27,388) (18,563) (20,046) Total net assets 78,086 72,553 147,572 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 25,619 25,980 26,230 Capital redemption reserve 713 350 100 Share premium account 40 37 - Other reserves Other reserve 62,263 63,125 64,098 Warrant reserve 10,198 10,200 10,200 Capital reserve - realised 12,688 16,564 10,741 Capital reserve - unrealised (26,079) (36,944) 42,064 Revenue reserve (7,356) (6,759) (5,861) Total equity shareholders' funds 78,086 72,553 147,572 Net asset value per ordinary share Basic 76.20p 69.81p 140.65p Fully-diluted - - 134.03p The balance sheet as at 31 December 2000 has been extracted from the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2000 which have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and on which the auditors gave an unqualified report. FIDELITY JAPANESE VALUES PLC Cash Flow Statement For the six months ended 30 June 2001 30.06.01 31.12.00 30.06.00 unaudited audited unaudited £'000 £'000 £'000 Operating activities Investment income 390 677 391 Deposit interest 10 20 12 Investment management fee (498) (1,929) (985) Directors' fees (29) (47) (33) Other cash payments (286) (200) (431) Net cash outflow from operating (413) (1,479) (1,046) activities Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest paid (361) (761) (368) Net cash outflow from returns on (361) (761) (368) investments and servicing of finance Taxation UK income tax recovered - 1 1 Tax recovered - 1 1 Financial investment Purchase of investments (23,804) (83,557) (40,713) Exchange gains 241 127 266 Disposal of investments 23,476 88,172 42,835 Net cash (outflow)/inflow from (87) 4,742 2,388 financial investment Net cash (outflow)/inflow before (861) 2,503 975 financing Financing Repurchase of ordinary shares (864) (1,519) (583) Repurchase of warrants - (376) (376) Exercise of warrants 4 49 49 Net cash outflow) from financing (860) (1,846) (910) (Decrease)/increase in cash (1,721) 657 65 Copies of the interim report will be posted to shareholders as soon as practicable. Copies will also be available to the public at the Company's registered office Beech Gate, Millfield Lane, Lower Kingswood, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 6RP
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