Preliminary Results

Hansa Trust PLC 14 June 2002 HANSA TRUST PLC Preliminary Announcement of Results for the year ended 31 March 2002 * Final dividend 3.2p per share * NAV fell by 10.2% compared with a fall of 5.7% in the FTSE All Share Index Hansa Trust PLC today announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31 March 2002. Financial Highlights Year ended Year ended 31 March 2002 31 March 2001 (unaudited) (audited) Capital deficit per equity share (42.4p) (30.0p) Revenue return per equity share 4.9p 3.9p Net asset value per equity share 371.5p 413.9p Total dividend per equity share for the year 5.0p 5.0p Total income (£000's) 2,584 2,490 Revenue before taxation (£000's) 1,144 950 The following are attached: * Chairman's Statement * Consolidated Statement of Total Return * Balance Sheet for the Group and Company * Reconciliation of Operating Results to Net Cash Flow from operating Activities * Reconciliation of Net Cash Flow Movements in Net Funds/(Debt) * Notes For further information please contact: Peter Gardner Hansa Capital Limited 020 7647 5750 David Haggie Haggie Financial Limited 020 7417 8989 HANSA TRUST PLC CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT PERFORMANCE During the year under review the Net Asset Value per Ordinary and 'A' Ordinary shares fell from 413.9p to 371.5p, a drop of 10.2% as against a fall in the Company's benchmark, the FTSE All Share Index, of 5.7%. The comparative figures for the medium and long term are as follows: over three years the Company's Net Asset Value rose by 31.78% compared to a fall of 11.60% in the FTSE All Share, over five years the Company's Net Asset Value rose by 43.85% compared to a rise of 21.8% in the FTSE All Share, and over ten years the Company's Net Asset Value rose by 232.89% compared to a rise of 118.26% in the FTSE All Share. Whilst the short term performance has been disappointing, and an extensive explanation of this is set out in the Manager's Report which follows, the long term return on the Company's assets has been more than satisfactory. As a consequence of this recent underperformance there has been considerable widening in the discount at which your shares trade on the Stock Exchange; for the Ordinary shares the discount has widened from a premium of 18.4% to a discount of 17.2% and for the 'A' Ordinary shares from a discount of 5.8% to 17.9%. Perhaps the focus on short-term returns by the financial press had led to the obscuring of longer-term value generated by the Company and consequently a reduced level of retail interest. REVENUE AND DIVIDENDS Total income in the year rose from £2.490m to £2.584m, and this generated a revenue return on ordinary activities before taxation of £1.144m as opposed to £0.950m. Regrettably the Company's trading subsidiary Consolidated Investment Funds Limited produced a loss of £396,000 (2001: loss £368,000). This has naturally had an impact on the surplus available for distribution by way of dividend compared with that of two years ago where there was a profit of £670,000. An interim dividend of 1.8p per share (2001: 1.8p) was paid to shareholders in December 2001. The Directors have decided to maintain the total level of dividend payable for the year of 5p and are now recommending a final dividend of 3.2p per Ordinary and 'A' Ordinary share. This final dividend will be payable, on 10 August 2002, subject to shareholders approval at the AGM on 31 July 2002, to shareholders on the register at 15 June 2002. As I have previously mentioned, the level of dividend will of course vary both with the success of the Company's trading subsidiary Consolidated Investment Funds Limited and with the strategy being pursued in respect of the Company's main funds. The Company's focus is on total return and the balance between income and capital and will vary depending on market conditions. There is therefore no guarantee that the level of dividend will be maintained from year to year. TRADING COMPANIES Of the two strategic investments within our portfolio, Adam & Harvey has effectively become a cash shell having disposed of its entire African steel operations in December 2001. The Board of that Company has indicated that it is considering the strategy for the future of that company and we await further news during the course of the current year. Ocean Wilson Holdings Limited, the Bermuda based investment and shipping group in which we have a significant stake, managed to increase both its turnover and operating profit despite further erosion in the value of the Brazilian currency, the Real. Nevertheless, the net profit was impacted by significant exchange losses on the foreign currency value of the long-term debt. Although the after tax profit fell by some 26%, the company maintained its dividend. INVESTMENT TRUSTS Within the Company's portfolio of investments, both Finsbury Growth Trust PLC and Finsbury Smaller Quoted Companies Trust PLC had a satisfactory year. The Net Asset Value of the trusts outperformed their respective benchmarks i.e. FTSE All-Share Index and FTSE Small Cap Index (ex IT). Finsbury Growth Trust lost 2.08% against a loss of 5.67% and Finsbury Smaller Quoted lost 7.38% against a loss of 11.63% and the discounts did vary significantly during the year, however they did begin and end the year at approximately the same levels. SHARE REPURCHASES At the Annual General Meeting in 2001 shareholders authorised the repurchase for cancellation of up to 14.99% of the 'A' non-voting Ordinary shares, although no purchases were made during the year. However, the Board intends to keep the matter under review and a renewal of the authority will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. ADMINISTRATION Since the transfer at the end of last September of the management contract from Close Finsbury Asset Management Limited to Hansa Capital Limited, a number of administrative changes have been made. The Company's registered office is now 17a Curzon Street, London, W1J 5HS, where shareholders can write to me. The Company has retained Cogent Investment Operations Limited as administrators of the PEP, ISA and Savings Schemes and Close Finsbury Asset Management Limited to manage these schemes and information on the Company is available on their website www.closefinsbury.com. Hansa Capital Limited has retained the services of Artemis Investment Management Limited. Consequently John Dodd continues to manage the portfolio on a day-to-day basis. Lastly, the Company has engaged Cogent directly to provide it with accounting and administrative services. THE BOARD This year, both Michael Reeve and Jocelin Harris would have come up for re-election at the AGM, but they will retire from the board at that time instead. Michael, in addition to serving for 12 years with the Company, has undertaken the onerous task of steering Finsbury Growth Trust PLC through difficult times into its recent success. Jocelin joined our group 11 years ago, but has been a friend of the Company for even longer, and his independent wisdom obtained through long experience of investments in smaller companies has been invaluable. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held on 31 July 2002 in the Curzon Suite, at the Mayfair Intercontinental Hotel, Stratton Street, London, W1A 2AN. I do hope that as many shareholders as are able will attend. This will be an opportunity not just to meet with the Board of Directors, but also with John Dodd, the Investment Adviser, who will make a short presentation and be available to answer questions. Jamie Borwick Chairman 12 June 2002 HANSA TRUST PLC CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURNS Incorporating the revenue account for the year ended 31 March (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) (audited) (audited) Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total 2002 2002 2002 2001 2001 2001 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Losses on investments - (10,141) (10,141) - (7,224) (7,224) Exchange (losses)/ gains on currency balances - (29) (29) - 21 21 Income 2,584 - 2,584 2,490 - 2,490 Investment management fees (641) - (641) (727) - (727) Other expenses (484) - (484) (412) - (412) Net return/(loss) before finance costs and taxation 1,459 (10,170) (8,711) 1,351 (7,203) (5,852) Interest payable and similar charges (315) - (315) (401) - (401) Return/(loss) on ordinary activities before taxation 1,144 (10,710) (9,026) 950 (7,203) (6,253) Taxation charge on ordinary activities 23 - 23 (10) - (10) Return/(loss) on ordinary activities after taxation 1,167 (10,710) (9,003) 940 (7,203) (6.263) Dividend on Ordinary and 'A' Ordinary shares (equity) (1,165) - (1,165) (1,200) - (1,200) Transfer to/(from) reserves 2 (10,170) (10,168) (260) (7,203) (7,463) Return/(deficit) per Ordinary share 4.9p (42.4p) (37.5p) 3.9p (30.0p) (26.1p) The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account for the Group. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. HANSA TRUST PLC BALANCE SHEET OF THE GROUP AND COMPANY as at 31 March (unaudited) (audited) (unaudited) (audited) Group Group Company Company 2002 2001 2002 2001 £000 £000 £000 £000 Fixed assets - investments Group undertakings - - 123 496 Other investments 89,345 103,010 89,345 103,010 89,345 103,010 89,468 103,506 Current assets Debtors 231 861 221 5,264 Investments 43 870 - - Cash at bank 488 4,031 417 - 762 5,762 638 5,264 Creditors Amounts falling due within one year (950) (9,447) (949) (9,445) Net current liabilities (188) 3,685) (311) (4,181) Net Assets 89,157 99,325 89,157 99,325 Capital and reserves Called up share capital 1,200 1,200 1,200 1,200 Capital reserve - realised 81,800 76,605 81,800 76,505 Capital reserve - unrealised 4,374 19,839 4,494 20,332 Revenue reserve 1,783 1,781 1,663 1,288 Total equity shareholders funds 89,157 99,325 89,157 99,325 Net asset value per Ordinary share 371.5p 413.9p 371.5p 413.9p HANSA TRUST PLC CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT for the year ended 31 March (Unaudited) (Audited) 2002 2001 £000 £000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 2,055 5,802 Service of finance Interest paid (325) (390) Net cash outflow from service finance (325) (390) Taxation Taxation recovered/(paid) 71 (22) Financial investments Purchase of investments (72,459) (50,652) Sales of investments 76,625 47,179 Net cash inflow/(outflow)) from financial investment 4,166 (3,473) Equity dividends paid (1,200) (1,200) Unclaimed dividends 35 - (1,165) (1,200) Financing Repayments of loans (5,500) - (Decrease)/increase in cash (698) 717 HANSA TRUST PLC RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING RESULTS TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES (unaudited) (audited) 2002 2001 £000 £000 Net revenue return before finance costs and taxation 1,459 1,351 (Increase)/decrease in prepayments and accrued income (60) 100 Decrease in other debtors - 2,676 Decrease in current asset investments 827 3,783 Decrease in other creditors and accruals (171) (2,055) UK Income tax deducted at source - (53) Net cash inflow from operating activities 2,055 5,802 RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH FLOW MOVEMENT TO MOVEMENT IN NET FUNDS/(DEBT) (unaudited) (audited) 2002 2001 £000 £000 Movement in net funds resulting from cashflows 4,802 717 Exchange (losses)/gains (29) 21 Movement in net funds in the year 4,773 738 Net debt at the start of year (4,285) (5,023) Net funds/(debt) at end of year 488 (4,285) Represented by: (audited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) At 31 March Exchange At 31 March 2001 Cashflows Movements 2002 £000 £000 £000 £000 Cash at bank 4,031 (3,514) (29) 488 Overdraft (2,816) 2,816 - - Short-term bank loans (5,500) 5,500 - - Net (debt)/funds (4,285) 4,802 (29) 488 Notes: 1. This Preliminary Announcement is not the Company's statutory accounts. It has been agreed by the auditors and is an abridged version of the Company's full draft accounts, which have not yet been signed or filed with the Registrar of Companies. 2. Statutory accounts for the 12 months ended 31 March 2001 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and received an audit report which was unqualified and did not contain statements under Section 237 (2) and (3) of the Companies Act 1985. Hansa Capital Limited - Company Secretary 13 June 2002 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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