Final Results-Amendment

Murray International Trust PLC 25 February 2002 The issuer advises that the following replaces the final results announcement released on 15 February 2002 at 7.00 a.m. under RNS No. 5117R. In the Preliminary Announcement of Final Results for the year ended 31 December 2001 announced on 15 February 2002, the third interim dividend for the year to 31 December 2002 of 3.45p was stated twice, once as 18 February 2003 and once as 17 February 2003. Please note the third interim dividend payment date is 17 February 2003 to shareholders on the register on 17 January 2003. All other details remain unchanged and the full amended text appears below: MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC Results for the Year to 31 December 2001 The Directors announce the results, subject to final audit, of Murray International Trust PLC for the year ended 31 December 2001. Key Facts • NAV total return of -15.5% compared with benchmark return of -13.6%. • Final dividend of 5.95p per share proposed for the year ended 31 December 2001. • Three interim dividends, each of 3.45 pence per share, proposed for the year ended 31 December 2002. • Dividend cover strong at 2.15 times • Substantial revenue reserves Background Investors enter 2002 following the worst bear market in global stock markets for thirty years and one that has run, albeit with considerable volatility, for more than two years. From its high point at the end of December 1999 the US equity market lost around 22% of its value over the two-year period to the end of 2001. Of the major market areas the US, rather surprisingly perhaps given the extent to which consensus forecasts of economic and profits growth were wide of the mark, fared best with the FTSE World North American Index returning -10.5%, ahead of the UK at -13.7% which has relatively defensive characteristics by virtue of the heavy weightings in that index of energy, utilities and financials. Europe, at -20.0%, did rather worse than might reasonably have been expected given the relative economic performance of the zone, compounded by some further (limited) weakness in the Euro. Financial markets remain distrustful of the single currency initiative and essentially suspicious of the socio-political European economic model. Much literary effort has been expended on these topics but one thing is certain which is that there is very little economic cost from a weaker currency at a time of global pricing pressures and generalised disinflation. Sadly, the domestic euphoria which greeted Mr Koizumi's election as prime minister in Japan has dissipated along with the realisation that structural change remains as difficult to implement in Japan as ever. That said, without a much more vigorous external economic environment than seems likely, time is running out and it may be that we shall see some surprises from Japan in the coming year. Performance The Net Asset Value showed a total return for the year to 31 December 2001, with net dividends reinvested, of -15.5% compared with a return on the benchmark index of -13.6%. The main negatives from an asset allocation standpoint were an underweight position in the United States and an overweight position in Japan. These were substantially cancelled out by overweight positions in Latin America and Pacific ex Japan, together with a positive return from the fixed interest portfolio net of related borrowings costs. Under performance, relative to benchmark, therefore stemmed from stock selection largely related to the US equity portfolio, and cost of hedging the company's yen liabilities in the wake of the terrorist attacks in September. Share buybacks The Company continued to buy back its shares in the market during the year. At the last Annual General Meeting on 30 April 2001, Shareholders renewed the authorisation of the Company to buyback up to 14.99% of its own shares in the market. During the year ended 31 December 2001, share repurchases totalling 15,270,000 Ordinary shares (14.73% of the issued Ordinary share capital at 31 December 2000) took place at an average share price of 499.53p and this benefited the net asset value by 1.8%. From the date of renewal of the authority at the Annual General Meeting on 30 April 2001 to 11 February 2002, 2,330,000 Ordinary shares (2.57% of the issued Ordinary share capital at 30 April 2001 and 2.25% of the issued Ordinary share capital at 31 December 2000) were bought back at an average share price of 422.35p. In addition, during the year ended 31 December 2001, 54,899 B Ordinary shares (4.27% of the issued B Ordinary share capital at 31 December 2000) were bought back at an average share price of 468.80p and 4.32% of the issued B Ordinary share capital at 30 April 2001, (the date of the renewal of the authority). At the Annual General Meeting on 13 May 2002 Shareholders will be asked to approve additional powers for the following twelve months. Dividends The Directors are proposing, as forecast, a final dividend of 5.95p per share for the year ended 31 December 2001, payable on 24 May 2002 to Shareholders on the register on 26 April 2002. With three interims each of 3.45p already paid, this makes a total for the year of 16.3p compared with 15.9p for the previous year. The equity earnings of the Company do not wholly cover this payment but the revenue reserve built up from earlier undistributed earnings is substantial, being 2.15 times the current annual dividend cost and at the present level of shortfall there would be cover for more than twelve years. Your Board now proposes three interim dividends of 3.45p per share will be paid for the year to 31 December 2002, payable on 16 August 2002, 15 November 2002 and 17 February 2003. B ordinary shareholders will receive a capitalisation in B ordinary shares on 24 May 2002 amounting to 3.47805 B Ordinary shares for every hundred held at the close of business on 26 April 2002, which is equivalent in Net Asset Value to the recommended final dividend and three interim dividends for the current year. As noted in the interim report there has been a tendency recently for companies to engage in share buybacks rather than to increase dividends and the Board will continue to monitor this trend closely. It is therefore the Board's current intention to maintain dividends at their present level. The Board Adam Fergusson, who has been a Director since 1995, retired from the Board on 27 July 2001. The Board has greatly valued his contributions to the deliberations. On 1 December 2000 the merger between Murray Johnstone and Aberdeen Asset Management PLC was completed. The investment teams have now been integrated and are benefiting from the greater resources available from the combination of two leading Scottish investment managers. As part of this process, Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited have been appointed as Manager to the Trust and Aberdeen Asset Management has been appointed Company Secretary both in place of Murray Johnstone Limited. Outlook The monetary easing undertaken by the US Federal Reserve in 2001 has been unprecedented both in terms of scale and the rapidity of execution with eleven rate cuts during the year from 6.5% to 1.75%. This in itself perhaps tells a story but aided to varying degrees by the other major central banks it would be surprising, indeed very concerning, if some sort of economic recovery did not ensue. Currently a variety of indicators are suggesting that the worst of the slowdown is behind us giving rise to a presumption by some observers that the growth rates both of the global economy and in corporate profits will rapidly return to the very high levels of the 1990s. There are however structural issues which make this unlikely and it will be important not to confuse the rate of growth associated with the end of an inventory de-stocking cycle with that sustainable by the outlook for real final demand. We should not forget that the US economy had in fact entered recession even before the appalling events of September 11th and that the root causes thereof, to the extent at any rate that they relate to an extraordinary capital spending phase and massive dissaving by the private sector, will take time to work off. Market returns for the year are likely to correlate closely to the outcome for corporate profits and may 'only' thus lie in single figures. Provided there is no relapse into recession in the United States, it seems on balance that markets are more likely to rise than to fall over 2002. MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURN (INCORPORATING THE REVENUE ACCOUNT*) for the year ended 31 December 2001 Year ended Year ended 31 December 2001 31 December 2000 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total (restated) (restated) ** £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Losses on investments - (103,398) (103,398) - (3,738) (3,738) Income from investments 18,027 - 18,027 20,357 - 20,357 Other income 274 - 274 818 - 818 Investment management fees (1,376) (3,211) (4,587) (1,455) (3,397) (4,852) Currency gains (losses) - 6,426 6,426 - (4,950) (4,950) Other expenses (1,344) - (1,344) (1,587) (9) (1,596) Net return before finance costs and taxation 15,581 (100,183) (84,602) 18,133 (12,094) 6,039 Finance costs of borrowing (1,404) (3,276) (4,680) (2,118) (4,941) (7,059) Return on ordinary activities 14,177 (103,459) (89,282) 16,015 (17,035) (1,020) before tax Tax on ordinary activities (1,914) 1,372 (542) (1,710) 1,157 (553) Return attributable to equity 12,263 (102,087) (89,824) 14,305 (15,878) (1,573) shareholders Ordinary dividends on equity (14,839) - (14,839) (15,228) - (15,228) shares Transfer from reserves (2,576) (102,087) (104,663) (923) (15,878) (16,801) Return per ordinary share 13.6 (113.6) (100.0) 13.5 (15.0) (1.5) (pence) Return per ordinary share assuming full conversion of the B ordinary shares (pence) 13.5 (112.1) (98.6) 13.3 (14.8) (1.5) * The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the company. ** The comparatives have been restated and details are included in the attached notes. MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC BALANCE SHEET as at 31 December 2001 31 December 2001 31 December 2000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Investments 533,708 720,777 Current assets Debtors 4,823 8,343 Cash and short term deposits 1,374 10,075 6,197 18,418 Creditors Amounts falling due within one year 14,565 29,983 Net current liabilities (8,368) (11,565) Total assets less current liabilities 525,340 709,212 Creditors Amounts falling due after more than one year 105,861 108,049 419,479 601,163 Capital and reserves Equity shareholders' interest: Ordinary called up share capital 22,402 26,225 Share premium 23 23 Capital redemption reserve 7,694 3,863 Capital reserve - realised 378,404 499,555 Capital reserve - unrealised (20,141) 37,824 Revenue reserve 31,097 33,673 419,479 601,163 Net asset value per ordinary and B ordinary share (pence) 468.1 573.1 MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC CASH FLOW STATEMENT for the year ended 31 December 2001 31 December 2001 31 December 2000 (restated) (restated) ** £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Operating activities Investment income received 18,438 20,099 Deposit interest received 227 824 Underwriting commission received - 8 Investment management fees paid (4,365) (4,403) Secretarial fees paid (92) (100) Cash paid to and on behalf of directors (62) (54) Other cash payments (885) (1,961) Net cash inflow from operating activities 13,261 14,413 Returns on investments and servicing of finance Interest paid (4,713) (7,138) Financial investment Purchase of investments (331,680) (450,464) Sale of investments 415,371 507,624 Net cash inflow from financial investment 83,691 57,160 Equity dividends paid (14,750) (16,506) Net cash inflow before use of financing 77,489 47,929 Financing Loans repaid (146,110) (126,026) Loans drawn down 144,110 89,157 Repurchase of ordinary shares (77,021) (35,806) Net cash outflow from financing (79,021) (72,675) Decrease in cash (1,532) (24,746) ** The comparisons have been restated to omit forward currency contract gains which are a non-cash item. The results stated above for the year ended 31 December 2000 are abridged from the full accounts for that year, which received an unqualified report from the auditors and have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The comparatives have been restated to reflect currency losses of £1,368,000 which, although reflected in balance sheet reserves, have been omitted from the Statement of Total Return. The effect is to decrease prior year capital return by £1,368,000 and reduce capital return per ordinary share in the prior year from (13.7p) to (15.0p). The Net Asset Value is not affected by this item. A summary of the investment changes during the year and the twenty largest investments at 31 December 2001 are attached. The issued share capital at 31 December 2001 was 88,412,877 ordinary shares of 25p each and 1,195,152 B ordinary shares of 25p each. Returns per share have been based on the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during each year. Net asset value per ordinary and B ordinary share have been calculated after deducting prior charges at nominal values. The number of B ordinary shares at 31 December 2000 has been restated to include the capitalisation issue of 31,128 B ordinary shares on 25 May 2001. The next date for conversion of the B ordinary shares to ordinary shares is 30 June 2002. The last date for receipt of certificates with the conversion notice signed on the reverse is 23 June 2002. If approved: (1) the proposed final dividend of 5.95p per share will be paid on 24 May 2002 to holders of ordinary shares on the register at the close of business on 26 April 2002; (2) in respect of the year ending 31 December 2002, three interim dividends of 3.45p per share on the ordinary shares of the company in issue on 29 June 2002 will be paid on 16 August 2002, 15 November 2002, and 17 February 2003 to the persons who, at the close of business on 19 July 2002, 18 October 2002, and 17 January 2003 respectively, are the holders of such shares; and (3) definitive certificates in respect of the B ordinary capitalisation issue will be posted on 24 May 2002 to B ordinary shareholders on the register at the close of business on 26 April 2002. The Annual General Meeting will be held on 13 May 2002. Copies of this announcement will be available to the public at the registered office of the Company, 123 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5EA. ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLC SECRETARY 15 February 2002 MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC SUMMARY OF INVESTMENT CHANGES DURING THE PERIOD Appreciation Valuation Valuation (depreciation) 31 December 2001 Transactions 31 December 2000 £'000 % £'000 £'000 £'000 % Equities United Kingdom 254,091 35.4 (40,693) (41,670) 171,728 32.7 Americas 132,226 18.4 (6,148) (22,438) 103,640 19.7 Europe & Africa 111,692 15.5 (18,671) (18,608) 74,413 14.2 Japan 71,256 9.9 (7,255) (17,569) 46,432 8.8 Middle East, Far East & 28,777 4.0 (2) (2,809) 25,966 4.9 Australasia 598,042 83.2 (72,769) (103,094) 422,179 80.3 Fixed income United Kingdom 82,951 11.5 (12,773) (2,087) 68,091 13.0 Europe & Africa 39,085 5.4 2,538 1,815 43,438 8.3 Americas 699 0.1 (669) (30) - - 122,735 17.0 (10,904) (302) 111,529 21.3 Other net current liabilities (11,565) (0.2) (3,023) (3,780) (8,368) (1.6) Total Assets* 709,212 100.0 (86,696) (107,176) 525,340 100.0 * represents total assets less current liabilities Valuation Summary of Net Assets 31 December 2001 £000 % Equities 422,179 100.6 Fixed Income 111,529 26.6 Other net current liabilities (8,368) (2.0) Borrowings and prior capital (105,861) (25.2) Equity shareholders' interest 419,479 100.0 MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC TWENTY LARGEST INVESTMENTS as at 31 December 2001 Investment Valuation % of Investment Area £'000 Total Assets * BP Amoco UK 21,039 4.0 John Menzies 8.58% Cum Red Pref UK 20,795 4.0 Vodafone Group UK 17,975 3.4 GlaxoSmithKline UK 13,784 2.6 HSBC Holdings UK 10,478 2.0 * Lloyds TSB UK 8,907 1.7 Shell Transport & Trading UK 7,585 1.4 Atrium Underwriting UK 7,354 1.4 * Abbey National UK 6,624 1.3 * Royal Bank of Scotland Group UK 6,341 1.2 AstraZeneca UK 6,196 1.2 Petrobras ADR Brazil 6,100 1.2 Germany 6% 4/7/2007 Germany 4,459 0.8 Microsoft USA 4,220 0.8 * BT Group UK 4,120 0.8 Barclays UK 3,754 0.7 Diageo UK 3,539 0.7 General Accident 7.875% Cum Irrd Pref UK 3,496 0.7 Sunamerica Inst Funding 5.375% 07/12/2009 UK 3,394 0.6 IBM USA 3,216 0.6 163,376 31.1 NOTES * Holding comprises equity and fixed income securities. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
UK 100

Latest directors dealings