Final Results

JPMorgan Fleming Smaller Cos IT PLC 03 October 2003 JPMorgan Fleming Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc Stock Exchange Announcement 3rd October 2003 The Board of JPMorgan Fleming Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc are pleased to announce the unaudited results of the Company for the year ended 31st July 2003. Commenting on the results the Chairman has made the following statement. Year Under Review Against a volatile economic and political background, your Company has produced a positive total return on net assets of 21.6%, and a strong performance against the total return of the FTSE Small Cap Index ex Investment Trusts of 14.2%. This outperformance is due in the main to stock selection, helped, in the last few months of the Company's financial year, by gearing. The sector weightings in the portfolio have been positioned gradually throughout the year for cyclical recovery, most notably in the move from under to over-weight in cyclical services (mainly retail, media and transport), and conversely the move from over to under-weight in non-cyclical consumer goods (a reduction in the food producers and pharmaceuticals sectors). The weighting in financials has also been significantly increased, as has non-cyclical services (telecommunications stocks) since the start of 2003. The rapid recovery enjoyed by the smaller company sector in the last quarter of the Company's financial year has continued into the new financial year. Since the year-end, performance has remained strong with the investment managers continuing to outperform the benchmark index by 0.9% over the one-month period to 31st August 2003. The share price at the date of this report is 205.5p and the net asset value per share at 264.2p. Gearing During the year the Board reviewed the Company's gearing facilities and replaced the £17.5m of facilities that were in place on 31st July 2002 with two new loans, which provide £12.5m of facilities. The reduction in available facilities better reflects the level of gearing which the Board believes could be used by the investment manager. Details of these loans will be given in the Annual Report & Accounts that are due to be published shortly but they incur floating rates of interest and could, if the Directors so wished, be cancelled in part or whole with no penalty costs. The Board continues to restrict the maximum gearing that the Investment Manager can use to the extent that if gearing is greater than 15% then the investment manager is restricted from making net purchases, and if gearing is above 20% then net sales must be made to reduce the gearing to less than 20%. At the year-end the Company was 14% geared, and at the date of this report 13%. Revenue and Dividends With earnings per share for the year at 2.85p, the Directors are recommending a final dividend of 2.85p per share (2002: 3.00p), a reduction of 5.0% which, if approved by shareholders, will be payable on 15th December 2003 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 31st October 2003. Governance and Retirement of a Director In response both to corporate excesses, and difficulties in the investment trust split capital sector, the past year has seen a plethora of publications and announcements on changes in corporate governance including the FSA's and others' reports. The Board has discussed the implications of these now that the relevant parties have stated their positions and considers that it has complied with the principles of the Association of Investment Trust Companies code of corporate governance. The Board has adopted a policy on the length of Directors' service whereby after 9 years Directors should submit themselves for re-election on an annual basis. The adoption of this policy requires a change in the Company's Articles of Association and this will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. Derek Pretty, who has been an immensely valued member of the Board since the Company's formation in 1990, has agreed not to stand for re-election as a Director at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting and is therefore stepping down with immediate effect. The Board has noted the FSA's changes to the Listing Rules and announces that it is the Company's policy to invest no more than 15% of its gross assets in other listed investment companies (including investment trusts). Accordingly the Company's shares continue to remain an eligible investment for as many buyers of investment trust shares as possible. Investment Philosophy The investment philosophy employed by the investment managers has remained unchanged over the whole period. The investment process is one of bottom up stock selection, combined with disciplined portfolio construction and risk controls. The investment managers look for securities that exhibit a combination of factors that are proven to outperform over time. Examples of these factors include value, high earnings growth rates, and stocks where earnings expectations are being upgraded. The investment managers validate that these factors exist for each stock through their own research, and that the companies they invest in are financially sound. Tight risk controls are maintained, and the final portfolio is diversified, with no single security or sector being allowed to rise to too great a proportion of the portfolio. An effect of this is that while less risk is represented by individual stocks, more is embodied by the style factors such as value, and earnings momentum. The average number of stocks in the portfolio over the period has been approximately 130. Authority to Repurchase or Issue the Company's Shares At last year's Annual General Meeting shareholders gave the Directors authority to repurchase the Company's shares for cancellation. During the year 1.25m shares were repurchased at an average discount of 26% and at an average price of 1.36p. The total cost of these purchases was £1.7m. This reduced the issued share capital by approximately 5% and had the effect of enhancing the net asset value of the remaining shares by 1.1%. The Board will continue to use this authority as and when appropriate, and is seeking approval from shareholders to renew the facility at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. At the Annual General Meeting of the Company in 1998 shareholders granted Directors the authority to issue shares for cash should the shares trade at a premium to net asset value. This authority lasts until 16th November 2003. Although no such shares have been issued under this authority since it was granted the Board believes that it would be wise to renew the authority so that it could be used if circumstances changed. The proposed authority would, as in the initial case, enable 5% of the issued share capital to be issued in new shares. As such issues would only be made at prices which are at a premium to the net asset value, this would result in an enhancement of the Company's net asset value per share, and would be, therefore, to the benefit of existing shareholders. This authority would last until 8th December 2008. A resolution proposing the Directors be authorised to effect such issues will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. Management Changes In the interim report I explained that Georgina Brittain, who had been involved in the day-to-day management of the Company's assets since 1998, had been appointed by JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management (UK) Limited as lead investment manager of the Company's portfolio on 13th January 2003. She is being supported in this role by Mark Davids who has worked in the JPMFAM Smaller Companies team for the last three years. JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management During the year the Board conducted a thorough review of JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management's investment strategy and process. This covered not only the performance of the Manager but also their management processes, investment style, resources and risk control mechanisms. The Board was satisfied with the results of the review and therefore in the opinion of the Directors the continuing appointment of the investment manager is in the best interests of shareholders. Such a review will occur on an annual basis. Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting this year will be held at 10 Aldermanbury, London EC2 on 8th December 2003 at 12.00 noon. The format of the meeting will be similar to those of recent years and will include an investment manager's presentation from the representatives of the manager, Georgina Brittain and Mark Davids, as well as an opportunity for shareholders to meet and question the Directors. Outlook Despite the strong recent performance within the smaller companies asset class, the long-awaited recovery, while not assured, should provide opportunity for further good performance due to the cyclical bias of the companies within the smaller companies sector. While valuations have moved away from the extreme lows seen in March they are still not excessive and a recovery in earnings should see further progress in smaller companies' share prices. The Board believes that your Company is well positioned to enjoy the benefits of any further market progress. The investment process remains unchanged and the portfolio will continue to be run in a disciplined and risk-controlled manner. Strone Macpherson Chairman JPMorgan Fleming Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc Unaudited figures for the year ended 31 July 2003 Statement of Total Return Year ended 31 July 2003 Year ended 31 July 2002 Unaudited Audited Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Realised losses on investments - (83) (83) - (9,874) (9,874) Change in unrealised depreciation - 9,985 9,985 - (10,367) (10,367) Other capital charges - (26) (26) - (20) (20) Income from investments 1,432 - 1,432 1,664 - 1,664 Other Income 47 - 47 157 - 157 _______ ________ _______ _______ ________ _______ Gross return/(loss) 1,479 9,876 11,355 1,821 (20,261) (18,440) Management fee (265) (265) (530) (386) (386) (772) Other administrative expenses (280) - (280) (228) - (228) Interest payable (186) (186) (372) (359) (359) (718) _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ Net return/(loss) before taxation 748 9,425 10,173 848 (21,006) (20,158) Taxation (5) 5 - (21) 21 - _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ Total return/(loss) attributable to ordinary 743 9,430 10,173 827 (20,985) (20,158) shareholders Dividends payable (723) - (723) (800) - (800) _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ Transfer to/(from) reserves 20 9,430 9,450 27 (20,985) (20,958) _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ Return/(loss) per ordinary share 2.85p 36.10p 38.95p 3.10p (78.70)p (75.60)p JPMorgan Fleming Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc Unaudited figures for the year ended 31 July 2003 BALANCE SHEET 31 July 31 July 2003 2002 Unaudited Audited £'000 £'000 Investments at valuation 71,639 65,963 Net current liabilities (3,085) (5,759) Long term loan (5,600) (5,000) _______ _______ Total net assets 62,954 55,204 ======= ======= _______ _______ Ordinary shareholder funds 62,954 55,204 ======= ======= Net asset value per share Ordinary shares 247.7p 207.0p CASH FLOW STATEMENT Year ended 31 Year ended 31 July July 2003 2002 Unaudited Audited £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 575 719 Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (332) (780) Net cash inflow from capital expenditure and financial investment 3,968 6,037 Dividends paid (799) (613) Net cash outflow from financing (6,006) (5,000) _______ ______ (Decrease)/Increase in cash for the period (2,594) 363 ======= ======= The above financial information does not constitute statutory accounts for the years ended 31 July 2003 or 2002. The financial information for the year ended 31 July 2002 is derived from the statutory accounts for that year that have been delivered to the Registrars of Companies. The auditors reported on those accounts; their report was unqualified and did not contain a statement under s237(2) or (3) Companies 1985. The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 July 2003 will be finalised on the basis of the financial information presented by the directors in this preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the company's annual general meeting. J.P. MORGAN FLEMING ASSET MANAGEMENT (UK) LIMITED 3rd October 2003 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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