Interim Management Statement

Octopus Second AIM VCT plc ("the Company") (Formerly Octopus IHT AIM VCT plc) 8 October 2010 Interim Management Statement For the period from 1 June 2010 to 4 October 2010 In accordance with Rule 4.3 of the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure and Transparency rules, Octopus Second AIM VCT plc presents an Interim Management Statement for the period 1 June 2010 to 4 October 2010. The statement also includes relevant financial information between the end of the period and the date of this statement. Financial Summary As at 4th October As at 30 November   2010 As at 31 May 2010 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total net assets (£'000s) 23,421 10,043 10,783 Net asset value per share ("NAV") 65.7p 65.1p 69.5p Cumulative dividend - paid and proposed since launch 9.9p 8.4p 7.4p Investment performance The NAV at 31 May 2010 was 65.1p.  This compares with an NAV of 65.7p on 4 October 2010, which has been calculated after the proposed 1.5p dividend, to be paid in October.  Adding this back, the NAV rose by 3.2% in the period.  It is encouraging that share prices in September finally began to respond to the generally better newsflow and upgrades to forecasts that have been a feature of the reporting season this time around.  A further indication of value in smaller companies is the steady stream of takeovers that have materialised over the period.  Melorio, Innovision and Win have all disappeared from the portfolio as a result of bids and the bid by Netcall for Telephonetics completed, with the fund making a further investment in Netcall shares to finance the deal.  In the portfolio, both Clapham House and Mount Engineering are currently targets of takeover bids, and the latter has been raised as a result of a competing offer from the US. There are signs that  the new issue market is beginning to revive and there have been more follow-on investment opportunities in existing companies over the summer. EKF Diagnostics and Breedon were both examples of experienced management teams using AIM to raise money to acquire and grow businesses.  There is no real sign that banks have an appetite for increased lending, and so we expect the demand for equity to fund growth as companies emerge from recession to provide us with some good investment opportunities. Investment Activity The following new investments have been completed since 31 May 2010:    · 1 July 2010, investment of £294,750 into EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc    · 27 July 2010, investment of £161,500 into Netcall plc    · 26 August 2010, investment of £600,000 into Breedon Aggregates ltd    · 6 October 2010, investment of £282,245 into Hargreaves Services plc (non- qualifying) Unless otherwise stated, all investments were qualifying for HMRC purposes. With regards to disposals, Melorio, Innovision Research and Technology, Telephonetics and WIN were all subject to cash, or partial cash, takeovers, resulting in combined profit of £283,000. Pressure Technologies was also disposed of in full, resulting in a profit of £21,000. Ten largest equity holdings as at 4 October 2010: Carrying value Carrying value as a % of total Investee Company Sector £'000 net assets --------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Animalcare Group plc Food Producers 1,163 5.0 Advanced Computer Software & Computer Software plc Services 1,092 4.7  EKF Diagnostics plc Healthcare 1,083 4.6 Pharmaceuticals & IS Pharma plc Biotechnology 1,072 4.6 Managed Support Services plc Support services 897 3.8 Brulines Holdings plc Support services 862 3.7 Breedon Aggregates ltd Construction 775 3.3 Craneware plc Healthcare 739 3.2 Chime Communications Advertising and plc Communications 720 3.1 Brooks Macdonald plc Financial Consultants 655 2.8 Dividends On 15 September 2010 the Board declared an interim dividend of 1.5 pence per Ordinary share, payable on 29 October 2010 to those shareholders on the register on 24 September 2010. Buybacks    · On 21 July 2010 the Company purchased for cancellation 64,805 'A' Ordinary shares at a price of 57.8p per share.    · On 16 September 2010 the Company purchased for cancellation 164,095 Ordinary shares at a price of 56.3p per share. Merger On 11 August 2010 the Company issued 20,489,637 shares to shareholders of Octopus Third AIM VCT plc in return for the Net Assets of that company. This completed the resolution of the merger that was proposed at the general meeting and was duly passed. Following the merger the company has launched a further issue of shares to raise up to £10 million. Material events and transactions An allotment of 508,175 Ordinary shares was made on Wednesday 6 October 2010 at a price of 69.54 pence per share. The Fund's Board is not aware of any other significant event or transaction which has occurred between the 4 October 2010 and the date of publication of this statement which would have a material impact on the financial position of the Fund. For further information please contact: Kate Tidbury / Andrew Buchanan - Fund Managers Octopus Investments Limited - 0800 316 2347 ENDS [HUG#1450339] This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Octopus Second AIM VCT plc via Thomson Reuters ONE
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