Interim Management Statement

Close IHT AIM VCT PLC 18 April 2008 Close IHT AIM VCT PLC Interim Management Statement Introduction I am pleased to present your Company's first interim management statement for the period from 1st December 2007 to 18 April 2008 as required by the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rule 4.3. Performance Since we last reported, market volatility has continued, against a background of concerns over credit markets and a weaker global economy. Smaller company shares have continued to be hit particularly over the last few months as investor appetite for smaller company stocks and liquidity has markedly reduced. Your Company has, not surprisingly, seen its Net Asset Value ('NAV') fall over the period to 86.18 pence per share (unaudited) as at 16 April 2008. This compares with 94.15 pence per share (audited) reported in the Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 November 2007, and represents a drop of 8.5 per cent (after allowing for the 1 pence per share dividend). By way of comparison, the FTSE AIM Index has fallen by 7.5 per cent over the same period. Portfolio Your Company's Investment Manager has continued to make investments in the period to 18 April 2008 and a total of £2.7 m has been invested. Your Fund has realised £0.4m from share disposals in the period. As at 31 March 2008 the Fund is 57% invested in qualifying investments. The Fund has until 30 November 2008 to reach the minimum 70% level required by HMRC regulations. The following new qualifying investments were made in the period from 1 December 2007 to 18 April 2008: Company £000s Maelor PLC 1,000 Research Now PLC 750 Animalcare Group PLC 600 Lombard Medical Technologies PLC 375 Top Ten Qualifying Holdings (as at 16 April 2008) Company Market Value £'000 Maelor PLC 1,000 Melorio PLC 673 Research Now PLC 650 Animalcare Group PLC 600 Mount Engineering PLC 600 Pressure Technology PLC 574 Neuropharm Group PLC 553 Hexagon Human Capital PLC 480 Claimar Care Group PLC 453 Plastics Capital Group PLC 444 All of the top ten qualifying holdings are quoted and valued at bid price as at 16 April 2008. Dividends In the Report and Financial Statement for the year ended 30 November 2007, the Board declared a dividend of 1 pence per share to all shareholders. This dividend will be paid on 22 April 2008 to shareholders on the register on 25 March 2008. Share buybacks During the period to 18 April 2008, there were no share buybacks. Your Company will continue to make investments in qualifying investments to reach the required minimum HMRC 70% VCT level. Although the number of new issues on AIM has slowed down as a result of more difficult market conditions, there are still VCT qualifying companies seeking growth capital and valuations are more attractive. Part of the reasoning for this view is that there are now fewer investors seeking to invest in growing AIM companies, but there remains a steady flow of companies raising capital on AIM. Though the environment for small company share prices may remain difficult in the short term, it still remains the case that well managed smaller companies can grow and we are confident that they will continue to do so in the longer term. 18 April 2008 For further information please contact Andrew Buchanan/Kate Tidbury of Close Investments Limited Tel: 0207 426 4139 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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