Interim Results

Manchester & London Inv Tst PLC 12 March 2001 Manchester & London Investment Trust plc Announcement of the interim group results The Directors announce the unaudited interim figures For the six months ended 31st January 2001 Consolidated Statement of Total Return (incorporating the revenue account) For the six months ended 31st January 2001 (unaudited) Six months ended Six months ended 31st January 2001 31st January 2000 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Loss)/profit on sale of investments - (190) (190) - 107 107 (Decrease) in unrealised appreciation - (6,223) (6,223) - (3,028) (3,028) Negative goodwill realised 307 307 - - - Investment income 318 - 318 257 - 257 Investment management fee (31) (57) (88) (27) (51) (78) Other expenses (114) - (114) (62) - (62) Net return before finance costs 173 (6,163) (5,990) 168 (2,972) (2,804) Interest payable and similar charges (4) (8) (12) (4) (6) (10) Return on ordinary activities 169 (6,171) (6,002) 164 (2,978) (2,814) Dividends in respect of non-equity shares - preference shares (28) (28) (28) (28) - (28) Return attributable to equity shareholders 141 (6,171) (6,030) 136 (2,978) (2,842) Dividends in respect of equity shares (45) - (45) (38) - (38) Transfer to (from) reserves 96 (6,171) (6,075) 98 (2,978) (2,880) Return per ordinary share (pence) Basic 1.88 (82.28) (80.40) 1.81 (39.71) (37.90) Fully diluted 1.61 (58.90) (57.29) 1.57 (28.42) (26.85) The revenue column of this statement is the consolidated profit and loss account of the group. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. The statement for the period ended 31st January 2001 is unaudited and is not the Company's statutory statement. Dividends per preference share accrue at the rate of 7.6% p.a. Interim dividend proposed per 25p ordinary share 0.6p (2000: 0.5p) The ordinary interim dividend is payable on 17th May 2001 to shareholders on the Register at the close of business on 23rd March 2001. Consolidated Balance Sheet At 31st January 2001 (unaudited) As at 31st January 2001 As at 31st January 2000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed Assets Investments 29,080 26,285 Current Assets Debtors 88 451 Cash at bank 3 17 91 468 Creditors Amounts falling due within one year (1,914) (1,497) Net Current Liabilities (1,823) (1,029) Total assets less current liabilities 27,257 25,256 Creditors Amounts falling due after more than one year (5,413) - Net Assets 21,844 25,256 Capital and Reserves Called-up Share Capital 2,619 2,619 Capital reserves 16,983 20,428 Revenue reserve 2,242 2,209 Total shareholders' funds 21,844 25,256 Equity interests - Ordinary shares 21,100 24,512 Non-equity interests - Preference shares 744 744 21,844 25,256 Net Asset Value per share Ordinary shares - basic 281.3p 326.8p Ordinary shares - fully diluted 208.5p 241.0p Notes: The accounts at 31st January are unaudited and are not the Company's statutory accounts. The information for the period ended 31st January 2000 does not constitute statutory accounts but has been extracted from the latest published audited accounts which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The report of the auditors on those accounts contained no qualification or statement under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. Consolidated Cash Flow Statement For the six months ended 31st January 2001 (unaudited) Six months ended Six months ended 31st January 2001 31st January 2000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Operating activities Net dividends and interest received from investments 265 286 Deposit interest received 59 - Other income 23 - Investment management fees paid (94) (69) Other cash payments (50) (91) Net cash inflow operating activities 203 126 Servicing of finance Interest paid (8) (21) Preference dividend paid (28) (28) Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (36) (49) Taxation UK taxes recovered - 261 Financial investment Purchase of investments (8,135) (5,494) Sale of investments - including redemption of Toronto - Dominion Bank loan notes acquired with the purchase of Galleon Securities Limited 11,298 7,037 Net cash inflow from financial investment 3,163 1,543 Acquisition of subsidiary undertaking Purchase of Galleon Securities Limited - repayment of indebtedness to Manchester & Metropolitan investment Limited and acquisition costs (5,997) - Overdraft acquired with subsidiary (480) - (6,477) - Equity dividend paid (112) (75) (Decrease) increase in cash (3,259) 1,806 Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt (Decrease) increase in cash in period (3,259) 1,806 Non cash loan transaction - loan note issued on acquisition of Galleon Securities Limited (5,413) - Net funds (debt) at beginning of the period 1,512 (2,762) Net debt at end of the period (7,160) (956) Manchester & London Investment Trust plc Major Holdings At 31st January 2001 Market Value £'000 % of Portfolio BAE SYSTEMS Ordinary 2.5p 12,065 41.49 Pearson Ordinary 25p 4,147 14.26 TDG Ordinary lp 4,041 13.90 Andrews Sykes Group Ordinary 20p 4,035 13.88 AEA Technology Ordinary 10p 2,592 8.91 Paterson Zochonis Ordinary and 'A' Ordinary l0p 1,143 3.93 Largest 6 Holdings 28,023 96.37 Manchester & London Investment Trust plc CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT The main feature of both UK and US stock markets during the six months ended 31st January 2001 was the continued retreat in the prices of TMT stocks, and growing uncertainty over corporate profitability. Apart from an investment in Pearson, we have not been affected by the decline in TMT stocks, many of which have suffered falls of over 50%. Whilst Pearson has not been immune to the trend, our investment is still showing a profit over cost and the company remains an undisputed leader in the media and the educational industries which we continue to believe has sound long term prospects. The value of the portfolio continued to be adversely affected during the period under review, mainly because of uncertainties surrounding our main holdings. The BAE SYSTEMS share price remained relatively weak on uncertainty about the integration of the Marconi Electronic Systems acquisition, Pearson was undermined by the general malaise in the TMT sector, Andrews Sykes continued to be depressed by the irrational decision of the board to discontinue the payment of dividends and substitute a share buy back operation, AEA Technology suffered from a profits warning and TDG drifted downwards from our initial purchase price awaiting positive news from the new management team. In the meantime, however, our revenue has increased compared with last year, and your Board feels sufficiently confident to increase the interim dividend to 0.6p and expect to at least maintain the final dividend of 1.5p. The interim dividend will be paid on 17th May 2001 to shareholders on the Register as at 23rd March 2001. I think it is appropriate for me to elaborate on events since 31st January in view of the subsequent movement in share prices affecting the aforementioned stocks. Whilst the overall net asset value has been substantially maintained, there have been some material share price changes (within the portfolio) which I feel warrant some comment. BAE SYSTEMS, where we still held 4m shares at 31st January as a result of converting our holding of warrants (which expired in November 2000) suffered from a profits warning issued in January prior to the 2000 year end results. This unexpected setback resulted from a gap in the substantial order book (£41bn), but the consensus opinion seems to reflect a growing belief that the 24 month decline in the share price (from its peak of 540p) may now have reversed itself. Whilst we intend to reduce our overweight holding, it may pay to exercise continued patience. AEA Technology is a major disappointment within the portfolio, having recently issued a second profits warning which raises serious doubts about the management capabilities. The best assets within the group are its railway services and nuclear environment companies but, in the absence of an opportunistic bid, there seems to be little prospect of a worthwhile recovery. We believe the problems affecting AEA Technology are principally managerial as opposed to deteriorating market conditions and, for this reason, we are unlikely to retain this holding although we are awaiting the full year results. The price of Andrews Sykes has improved by 15% (to 78p) reflecting the fact that the company has raised the price it is prepared to pay in order to implement its share buyback programme. We continue to press the board to maximise shareholder value by seeking a buyer for the company and we are slightly more optimistic that our view will prevail as other hire service companies are succumbing to consolidation pressures within the sector. We have increased our holding in TDG to a level close to the maximum allowable for regaining Investment Trust status, which we intend to achieve next year. The transport business is polarising between carriers and information technology-led contract logistics operators of supply chain management. The transformation of TDG is now well under way and we believe that in three year's time the company will be one of the leading European contract logistics companies. The £6m acquisition of Galleon Securities Limited was completed in August 2000 for a consideration of £5.4m (a discount of 10%) funded by the issue of an interest free unsecured loan note repayable in August 2002. As previously explained to shareholders, in order to facilitate the acquisition of Galleon Securities Limited, we entered a period in which the Company will not qualify for investment Trust status. I wish to emphasise that this decision will not adversely affect the interests of shareholders whilst unused tax losses are available. Whilst the UK and US stock markets are undoubtedly in a 'bear' phase, we do not believe that the consequences will be cataclysmic although they could be protracted. There is no doubt that whilst many investors (both individual and institutional) have suffered severe losses on TMT stocks, there is unlikely to be a historic style liquidity crisis; monetary policy is now much more sophisticated and is likely to pre-empt such disasters. The problems ahead are more likely to be a continuation of intense pressure on profit margins, accompanied by volatility in the major currencies, particularly the dollar which could weaken sharply in order to correct the huge US trade deficit. Despite the current uncertainties, which may well continue to depress investor confidence for some time yet, we feel slightly more confident about the prospects for our portfolio, although we have not yet achieved our objective of re-balancing the asset into a hard core of selected equities. P.H.A. Stanley F.C.A. Chairman 12th March 2001
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