Interim Results

Foresight Technology VCT PLC 26 June 2001 PART 1 CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT I have pleasure in enclosing the Interim Report of Foresight Technology VCT plc for the period from 1 October 2000 to 31 March 2001. The results are set out below: The return (after tax) attributable to Ordinary Shareholders was a loss of 144.51 pence per Ordinary Share and the net asset value as at 31 March 2001 was 65.96 pence per Ordinary Share. Shareholders will recall that Foresight paid a dividend equivalent to the starting capital of the Ordinary Shares fund, 100 pence per share, to Ordinary Shareholders in May 2000. With regard to the holders of 'C' Shares the attributable return was a loss of 4.06 pence and the net asset value, after the interim dividend referred to below, as at 31 March 2001 was 87.47 pence per 'C' Share, which compares with an opening net asset value of 94 pence per 'C' Share after allowing for issue costs. Set out on the following pages are brief details of the investments within the Ordinary Shares fund and the 'C' Shares fund. Your managers are continuing to find attractive qualifying investments to add to the portfolio. During the six month period to 31 March 2001, the Company made two investments in the Ordinary Shares fund at a cost of £250,000 and seven investments in the 'C' Shares fund at a cost of £4.8 million. Recent months have seen a well publicised worldwide slowing in technology spending and, while a number of the companies in the two funds continue to make progress, some have begun to feel an adverse affect from this slow down. In particular KeepAhead Limited, a 'C' Shares fund investment, has been making slower than anticipated progress and a 50% provision on cost, as at 31 March 2001, has been made. FFastFill plc, also a 'C' Shares fund investment, announced in April 2001 that its sales roll out had been delayed by a technical issue. While this is believed to have been resolved the FFastFill plc share price fell following this announcement and the current valuation is £215,000 below the figure contained in this report. Quoted company investments (UK Directory (Holdings) Limited and themutual.net plc) are at a lower value than the year end. The current earnings outlook for technology companies remains at best unclear and until this situation changes markets may not improve much. The new issue market has also slowed dramatically and companies needing equity finance have had to consider other avenues of fund raising. While this outlook may seem to be an unattractive one, a natural result is that valuations for companies contemplating fund raisings have fallen. This development is to Foresight's benefit and it is thus encouraging to note that the Company is seeing a strong flow of investment opportunities at the current time. Barring any unseen adverse circumstances your advisers are therefore confident that the 'C' Shares fund should reach a fully invested position by September 2002. On 14 March 2001 shareholders and warrrantholders were sent a circular giving an update on the Ordinary Shares fund investment in e-district.net plc following the discovery of certain financial irregularities in the company and its shares being suspended from trading. The Board, taking a conservative view, as no further information was then available, wrote down the investment in e-district.net plc by 100% as at 31 March 2001. Foresight noted the announcements released by e-district.net plc on 18 June 2001 in which e-district.net plc announced their preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2000. The suspension from dealings of e-district.net plc's shares on AIM was also lifted on 18 June 2001. Foresight's remaining investment of 14,245,954 ordinary shares in e-district.net plc is part of the Ordinary Shares fund portfolio. The mid-market price of the ordinary shares in e-district.net plc was 10p per share at the close of business on 25 June 2001, which equated to a net asset value per Foresight Ordinary Share of 10.6p in respect of this holding. Shareholders will recall that the 100 pence per Ordinary Share dividend paid in May 2000 referred to above was entirely attributable to the partial realisation of the original investment. No shares in e-district.net plc are held in the 'C' Shares fund. As previously announced, the public offer for subscription of new 'C' Shares raised £859,466 (before expenses). In addition 493,600 Ordinary Warrants and 60,600 'C' Warrants were exercised in January 2001 raising a further £493,600 (before expenses) for the Ordinary Shares fund and £60,600 (before expenses) for the 'C' Shares fund. The next warrant exercise date will be in January 2002 and details for this will be contained in the report and financial statements for the year to 30 September 2001. Shareholders and warrantholders approved a £10 million reduction of the share premium account of the Company on 31 January 2001. This reduction was sanctioned by the court on 7 March 2001 and the reduction became effective on 14 March 2001. A special reserve, the cancelled share premium account, has been created by the reduction to which existing and future losses can be written off. I am pleased to report that this will result in the Company being able to pay a dividend of 2p per 'C' Share to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 6 July 2001. This payment should be received on 26 July 2001. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all shareholders and warrantholders for their continuing support of the Company. Peter Dicks Chairman 26 June 2001 Investment Summary THE VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS VCF Partners advise the Company in respect of investments made within the Ordinary Shares fund and the 'C' Shares fund. The full investment portfolio of both funds as at 31 March 2001 is detailed below. ORDINARY SHARES FUND Sapphire International Limited Owns the established 'DataEase' family of computer database software products and has a worldwide base of several hundred thousand users. The company is now introducing new technology that allows existing DataEase users to update their applications for client/server operation and the internet. Results from the latest audited accounts for the year ended 31 December 1999: profit before tax £251,000, net assets £1,761,000. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan Stock % of investment invested Equity/Voting Ordinary including Rights Shares Loan Stock Portfolio July 1998 £1,170,000* Cost 18.6% £420,000 14.40% & July 10% 2000 Unsecured Loan Stock** * including a further £150,000 equity investment completed in October 2000. ** A decision to capitalise unpaid interest of £20,000 on Loan Stock as further Loan Stock made during the 6 month period to 31 March 2001 but relates to interest due in July 2000. Actimax plc Supplies digital telecommunications systems to small and medium sized customers. The company installs complex computer and telephone combined systems using components from suppliers such as Ascom, Lucent and Intertel. The company has also recently won the Comms dealer of the year award and is now trading profitably. Results from the latest audited accounts for the period ended 31 December 1999: loss before tax £235,411, net liabilities £412,509. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan Stock % of investment invested Equity/Voting Ordinary including Rights Shares Loan Stock Portfolio November £600,000 Cost 42% £120,000 7.30% 1998 & (plus 6% 10% March 2000 warrants) Unsecured Loan Stock Survey and Development Services Limited Is a specialist geo-spatial data software products and services company. It serves the growing market for digital mapping and the building of geographical information system databases. The products include a software system which creates digital maps and a system that uses satellite positioning in conjunction with video for recording facilities for utilities. The company converts existing maps into digital format. The company has secured a further funding in which Foresight invested a £100,000 in loan stock in December 2000 and a further £100,000 in loan stock in April 2001. The provision of 50% made against the cost of the original investment of £500,000 continues. Results from the latest audited accounts for the year ended 30 June 2000: loss before tax £79,773, net assets £837,152. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan Stock % of investment invested Equity/Voting Ordinary including Rights Shares Loan Stock Portfolio December £600,000* £350,000 29.3% £100,000 4.26% 1998 Redeemable *including a further investment of £100,000 loan stock made in December 2000 but excluding a further investment of £100,000 loan stock made in April 2001. Creature Labs Limited Is a leading artificial intelligence software company. The range of products under development covers entertainment software (such as the computer game 'Creatures') and productivity tools. The technology also relates to new platforms such as toys, mobile phones and digital television. The valuation has been adjusted to reflect the further round of fundraising in September 2000. Results from the latest draft accounts for the 16 months ended 31 December 2000: loss before tax £3,956,143, net liabilities £772,426. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan Stock % of investment invested Equity/Voting Ordinary including Rights Shares Loan Stock Portfolio January £1,500,000 £746,375 11.1% £500,000 9.19% 1999 & Convertable September 2000 Advanced Composites Group Limited Is a well established manufacturer of high technology carbon fibre composite material, with factories in Heanor north of Derby, and Tulsa USA. Successful markets include F1 racing cars, sports equipment, and aerospace applications. The valuation has been adjusted to reflect the most recent round of fundraising in July 2000. Results from the latest consolidated audited accounts of the subsidiary undertakings for the year ended 31 August 2000: profit before tax £1,522,000, net assets £5,095,000. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of investment invested Rights Ordinary including Shares Loan Stock Portfolio March & £1,622,978 £2,372,978 27.5% 29.22% October 1999 & July 2000 e-district.net plc (AIM listed) Operates an internet portal site which provides a number of facilities including online games, e-mail, personal home pages and chat and more recently focusing on interactive television. The company was floated on the AIM market in March 2000 at a valuation of £149.7 million. Foresight sold 6,623,030 shares (approximately one third of its initial investment of £500,000) in the flotation at a placing price of 195p per share to raise £12.39 million net of expenses. The company's shares were suspended from trading on 16 February 2001 and the Board, taking a conservative view, wrote down the investment by 100% as at 31 March 2001 pending the outcome of the investigations following the discovery of financial irregularities. Since the end of the period the suspension of the company's shares from trading has been lifted and the results for the year ended 31 December 2000 announced. Foresight currently holds 14,245,954 ordinary shares in the company. Results from the latest audited accounts for the year ended 31 December 2000: loss before tax £2,192,853, net assets £12,744,786. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of Ordinary investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock March 1999 £341,319 £Nil 18.6% Nil Telecom plus plc (listed on the London Stock Exchange) Offers low cost telephone services to private subscribers using relationship marketing as a means of obtaining new customers. Services currently offered include the provision of fixed wire and cellular phone services with the company acting as a switchless reseller. This business is now growing rapidly and Telecom plus is currently running gas and electricity trials that will result in allowing its customers to buy all major utilities from one source. Foresight currently holds 1,250,000 ordinary shares in the company. Foresight converted £250,000 of loan stock, part of it's original investment of £475,000, into ordinary shares in December 2000. Results from the latest unaudited accounts for the nine months ended 31 December 2000: profit before tax £1,632,000, net assets £7,155,000. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of Ordinary investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock June 1999 £475,000 £1,687,500 2.5% 20.78% Clarity Commerce Solutions plc (AIM listed) Is part of a group of companies that provide EPOS solutions, CRM products and services to the buoyant UK hospitality and leisure markets including the pub market place and the restaurant and nightclub sector. The company successfully completed a placing in July 2000 in which Foresight invested £500,000. Foresight currently holds 400,000 ordinary shares in the company. Results from the latest interim accounts for the period 24 January 2000 to 30 September 2000: loss before tax £502,000, net assets £5,007,000 Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of Ordinary investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock July 2000 £500,000 £536,000 4.2% 6.60% THE 'C' SHARES FUND Travelstore.com plc Provides an online service for making business travel arrangements. It offers a range of features for corporate and small business travellers including 24 hour telephone support. The valuation of the investment has been adjusted to reflect the most recent round of fundraising in November 2000. Results from the latest audited accounts for the period ended 31 March 2000: loss before tax £13,283,227, net assets £10,999,142. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Loan Portfolio Stock December 1999 £1,339,000* £853,000 3.5% 4.84% * includes further investment of £339,000 in November 2000. KeepAhead Limited Despatches lifestyle email services (e.g. current affairs, astrology, sport) which 200,000 registered users receive free of charge. Revenue is generated from targeted e-mail advertising. The board believe it is prudent to write down this investment by 50% due to the downturn in the internet sector. No audited accounts produced since incorporation in May 1999. Audited accounts for the period ending 31 March 2001 are expected shortly. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock April 2000 £1,000,000 £500,000 15% 1.81% UK Directory (Holdings) Limited (OFEX Listed) Offers over 45,000 hand-vetted UK web site listings on an internet directory with a search engine and in a magazine which circulates copies each month through distributors such as W.H.Smith, John Menzies, and J Sainsburys. Revenue is generated from advertising and magazine sales. Foresight currently holds 2,000,000 ordinary shares in the company. Results from the latest audited accounts for the period ended 31 August 2000: loss before tax £346,956, net assets £2,375,671. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock April 2000 £1,000,000 £310,000 10% 1.12% themutual.net plc (AIM listed) Operates a financial information website and sells targeted advertising by email aimed at their online investors. Revenue is also generated from members connectivity to the company's virtual ISP service. themutual.net's shares were listed on the AIM market in June 2000 and all members receive Free Shares on registration. There were approximately 190,000 registered users as at 31 March 2001. Foresight currently holds 342,730,249 ordinary shares in the company. Results from the latest interim report for 6 months to 31 October 2000: loss before tax £1,098,282, net assets £684,619. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock June 2000 £500,000 £445,549 9.3% 1.61% FFastFill plc (AIM Listed) Is a software company that develops sophisticated trading solutions for futures and options traders, brokers and risk managers. Its system has three key features; firstly, Windows NT trading screen with sophisticated proprietary pricing calculation and strategy functions; secondly, N&K management software allowing management to monitor, limit and even reverse positions in real time; and thirdly, connectivity to exchanges. FFastFill was listed on the AIM in November 2000. Foresight currently holds 914,070 ordinary shares in the company. Results from the latest interim report for 6 months to 30 September 2000: loss before tax £1,225,540, net assets £2,112,604. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock July 2000 £500,000 £379,339 2% 1.37% Sarantel Limited Seeks to become a market leader in the design and manufacture of a range of mobility antenna products which include GPS antennas, BlueToothTM antennas and 3 rd Generation UMTS antennas. Sarantel has technology for mobile phones that reduces the amount of energy absorbed by body tissue. No audited accounts produced since incorporation in September 2000. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan % of 'C' investment invested Equity/Voting Stock Shares including Rights Portfolio Loan Stock September £500,000* Cost 7.5% £400,000 1.81% 2000 *excluding a further investment of £166,667 in April 2001. Mondas plc (AIM Listed) Has developed e-Business technologies to allow Securities and Investment houses to deploy new front and back office applications to facilitate straight through processing. Customers benefit from improved content management, document management, business process software and service solutions. Foresight currently holds 200,000 ordinary shares in the company. Results from the latest unaudited accounts for the six month interim period ended 31 October 2000: loss before tax £23,877, net assets £4,480,095. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan Stock % of investment invested Equity/Voting Ordinary including Rights Shares Loan Stock Portfolio October £1,000,000 £997,500 7.7% £900,000 3.61% 2000 Convertible Callserve Communications plc Is a PC-to-phone telecoms network and service provider which enables telephone calls to be made from a PC via the internet to any other phone worldwide. Results from the latest audited accounts for the period from 11 June 1999 to 31 March 2000: loss before tax £1,324,624, net assets £1,598,303. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock October 2000 £500,000 Cost 1.27% 1.81% iDesk plc Provides telcos, ISPs and other blue chip customers with outsourced technical help desks, operated from a call centre in London. iDesk has recently launched complementary new ASP services based on its proprietary and licensed CRM and electronic billing software. Results from the latest audited accounts for the period from 1 August 1998 to 31 December 1999: loss before tax £1,398,464, net liabilities £989,723 Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock November 2000 £500,000 Cost 1.47% 1.81% iCore Limited Provides management, technology skills and training to support mission critical applications. iCore aims to take particular advantage of the opportunity presented by the convergence of mobile wireless technology and the internet. Results from the latest audited accounts for the year ended 30 June 2000: loss before tax £270,217, net liabilities £10,781. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock December 2000 £750,000 Cost 16.7% 2.71% Heritage Image Partnerships Limited Is creating a library of images available to customers over the internet and has exclusive access to the content from 5 heritage institutions including The British Library and the Science Museum. The images will be sold to media companies and to advertising and design companies. No audited accounts produced since incorporation in May 2000. Dates of Amount Valuation % Equity/Voting % of 'C' investment invested Rights Shares including Portfolio Loan Stock March 2001 £950,000 Cost 18.7% 3.43% Xpert Client Systems Limited Is a provider of software asset management tools with over 100 customers. The company has developed software usage on a PC and compares this with the inventory of software installed on each PC and the licences owned. As a result, savings are achieved on licence costs by removing the unused software, administration costs and IT support. Results from the latest audited accounts for the year ended 31 July 2000: loss before tax £320,800, net liabilities £287,249. Dates of Amount Valuation % Loan Stock % of investment invested Equity/Voting Ordinary including Rights Shares Loan Stock Portfolio March 2001 £750,000 Cost 12.3% £375,000 2.71% Unsecured Administrative costs for Telecom Plus plc, themutual.net plc and FFastFill plc were previously included in the amount invested. We believe it is more accurate to show the investment as the figures shown in the investment agreements. The differences shown in the amount invested to those within the Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2000 are £758, £2,938 and £6,116 respectively, totalling £9,812. THE FIXED INTEREST FUNDS The Ordinary Shares fixed interest portfolio and the 'C' Shares fixed interest portfolio contain the remainder of the net proceeds from the issues of Ordinary Shares and 'C' Shares which are invested in fixed interest securities and cash deposits and are managed by Cazenove Fund Management Limited. Unaudited Statement of Total Return (incorporating the Revenue Account of the Company for the six months ended 31 March 2001) Six months to 31 March 2001 Six months to 31 March 2000 (unauditied) (unauditied) Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £ £ £ £ £ £ Net gains - (20,281,600) (20,281,600) - 30,181,102 30,181,102 and losses on investments Income 959,671 - 959,671 589,152 - 589,152 Investment(169,893) (509,678) (679,571) (77,801) (233,405) (311,206) management fees Other (271,847) - (271,847) (184,967) - (184,967) expenses --------- --------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Return ordinary 517,931 (20,791,278) (20,273,347) 326,384 29,947,697 30,274,081 activities before taxation Tax on (101,936) - (97,916) 70,022 (27,894) ordinary 101,936 activities --------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------Return Attri- 415,995 (20,689,342) (20,273,347) 228,468 30,017,719 30,246,187 butable to equity Share holders Dividends in (656,927) - (656,927) - (11,889,529)(11,889,529) respect of equity shares ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Transfer (240,932) (20,689,342) (20,930,274) 228,468 18,128,190 18,356,658 to reserves ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Return per Share: Ordinary Shares (0.19)p (144.32)p (144.51)p 0.84p 271.24p 272.08p ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ 'C' 1.36p (5.42)p (4.06)p 0.94p (0.78)p 0.16p Shares ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Year ended 30 September 2000 (auditied) Revenue Capital Total £ £ £ Net gains and losses on - 28,011,715 28,011,715 investments Income 1,632,302 - 1,632,302 Investment management (248,723) (746,169) (994,892) fees Other expenses (344,714) - (344,714) --------------- -------------- -------------- Return on ordinary activities before 1,038,865 27,265,546 28,304,411 taxation Tax on ordinary (207,773) 149,233 (58,540) activities ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- Return Attributable to equity 831,092 27,414,779 28,245,871 Shareholders Dividends in respect of - (11,889,553) (11,889,533) equity shares ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- Transfer to 831,092 15,525,226 16,356,318 reserves ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- Return per Share: Ordinary 1.07p 236.17p 237.24p Shares ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- 'C' Shares 2.73p (3.08)p (0.35)p ---------------- ---------------- ---------------- Analysis Between the Ordinary Shares and 'C' Shares funds (unaudited) Six months to 31 March 2001 Six months to 31 March 2000 Ordinary Shares Fund 'C' Shares Fund Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £ £ £ £ £ £ Unrealised - (18,745,253) (18,745,253) - (1,536,347) (1,536,347) gains and losses on investments Income 87,355 - 87,355 872,316 - 872,316 Investment (75,302) (225,905) (301,207) (94,591) (283,773) (378,364) management fees Other (43,787) - (43,787) (228,060) - (228,060) expenses ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Return on (31,734) (18,971,158)(19,002,892) 549,665 (1,820,120) (1,270,455) ordinary activities before taxation Tax on 6,347 45,181 51,528 (108,283) 56,755 (51,528) ordinary activities ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ----- Return (25,387) (18,925,977) (18,951,364) 441,382 (1,763,365) (1,321,983) attributable to equity share holders Dividends - - - (656,927) - (656,927) in respect of equity shares ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Transfer (25,387) (18,925,977) (18,951,364) (215,545) (1,763,365) (1,978,910 to reserves ------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ Unaudited Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2001 31 March 2001 31 March 2000 (unaudited) (unaudited) £ £ £ £ Fixed Assets Investments 29,664,991 46,753,157 Monies 6,113,859 10,180,399 held on deposit pending investment ---------------- ---------------- 35,778,850 56,933,556 Current assets Debtors and 745,547 1,127,888 prepayments Cash at bank 1,980,039 12,001,680 at bank ---------------- ---------------- 2,725,586 13,129,568 Creditors: amounts falling due with in one year (899,566) (12,260,006) ---------------- ---------------- Net current assets 1,826,020 869,562 -------------- ---------------- Net assets 37,604,870 57,803,118 ---------------- ---------------- Capital and reserves Called up 462,988 413,700 share capital Share 31,168,442 38,485,364 premium account Cancelled 6,540,000 - share premium account Capital reserves (1,177,509) 18,654,797 Revenue reserves 610,949 249,257 -------- -------- Equity shareholders' funds 37,604,870 57,803,118 ---------------- ---------------- For ordinary shares of 1p each: Net asset value per share Ordinary Shares 65.96p 264.08p 'C' Shares 87.47p 94.07p 30 September 2000 (audited) £ £ Fixed Assets Investments 49,299,291 Monies held on deposit pending 7,187,245 investment ------------------------ 56,486,536 Current assets Debtors and 1,350,245 prepayments Cash at bank 237,690 ------------------------ 1,587,935 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (182,322) ---------------- Net current assets 1,405,613 ------------------- Net assets 57,892,149 ------------------- Capital and reserves Called up share 455,653 capital Share premium 40,532,782 account Cancelled share - premium account Capital reserves 16,051,833 Revenue reserves 851,881 ------------------------ Equity shareholders' funds 57,892,149 ------------------------ For ordinary shares of 1p each: Net asset value per share Ordinary Shares 210.71p 'C' Shares 93.50p Analysis Between the Ordinary Shares and 'C' Shares funds (unaudited) 31 March 2001 31 March 2000 Ordinary Shares Funds 'C' Shares Fund £ £ £ £ Fixed Assets Investments 7,948,503 21,716,488 Monies held on 173,796 5,940,063 deposit pending investment -------- -------- 8,122,299 27,656,551 Current assets Debtors 416,400 476,495 and prepayments Cash 524,442 1,455,597 at bank -------- -------- 940,842 1,932,092 Creditors: amounts falling due with in one year (190,523) (856,391) -------- -------- Net 750,319 1,075,701 current assets -------- -------- Net assets 8,872,618 28,732,252 -------- -------- Capital and reserves Called up share 134,524 328,464 capital Share premium 5,695,887 25,472,555 account Cancelled 2,285,921 4,254,079 share premium account Capital reserves 632,498 (1,810,007) Revenue 123,788 487,161 reservess -------- -------- Equity 8,872,618 28,732,252 shareholders' funds -------- -------- Shares in issue 13,452,424 32,846,353 Net 65.96p 87.47p asset value per share The financial statements were approved by the Directors on 26 June 2001 and are signed on their behalf by: Peter Dicks ) Nigel Horne ) Directors These interim accounts for the six months ended 31 March 2001 have been prepared to confirm that the Company has sufficient distributable reserves to support the interim dividend declared on 26 June 2001 which is payable on 26 July 2001. They are interim accounts as required by section 272 of the Companies Act 1985 and are unaudited. Unaudited Cash Flow Statement for the six months to 31 March 2001 Six months to Six months to 31 March 2001 31 March 2000 (unaudited) (unaudited) £ £ £ £ Operating activities Deposit 1,407,545 192,532 and similar interest Investment management fees paid (592,593) (377,534) Other (215,409) (294,444) cash payments --------- -------- Net cash inflow 599,543 (479,446) /(outflow) from operating activities Servicing of finance Net - - dividends paid Taxation Tax 73,725 - refund Investing activities Purchase (14,859,279) (17,303,222) of fixed income investments Purchase (5,066,094) (3,985,520) of other investments Sale 19,278,073 2,001,574 of fixed income investments Sale - 12,751,918 of other investments --------------- ---------------- Net cash (647,300) (6,535,250) outflow from investing activities --------------- ---------------- Net cash inflow /(outflow) 25,968 (7,014,696) before financing and liquid resource management Management of liquid resources Movement in 1,073,386 (9,461,367) money market and other deposits Financing Purchase (218,863) - of own shares Issue of 861,858 28,445,806 ordinary shares net of expenses --------------- ---------------- 642,995 28,445,806 --------------- ---------------- Increase 1,742,349 11,969,743 in cash --------------- ---------------- Year ended 30 September 2000 (audited) £ £ Operating activities Deposit and similar 1,199,374 interest Investment management fees (1,245,699) paid Other cash payments (628,198) ------------------------ Net cash inflow/(outflow) from (674,523) operating activities Servicing of finance Net dividends paid (11,889,553) Taxation Tax refund - Investing activities Purchase of fixed income investments (25,368,955) Purchase of other investments (7,714,447) Sale of fixed income investments 9,030,712 Sale of other 12,801,919 investments ------------------------ Net cash outflow from investing (11,250,771) activities ------------------------ Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing and liquid resource management (23,814,847) Management of liquid resources Movement in money market and (6,468,213) other deposits Financing Purchase of own (62,499) shares Issue of ordinary shares net of 30,551,312 expenses ------------------------ 30,488,813 ------------------------ Increase in cash 205,753 ------------------------ The Company holds gilts and bonds primarily as investments and not as liquid resources. Accordingly, movements in the holdings of these investments are shown within investing activities in the above statement rather than within management of liquid resources. MORE TO FOLLOW
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