Interim Results

RIT Capital Partners PLC 16 November 2006 PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2006 The following is derived from the Chairman's Statement which will appear in the Interim Report CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT Although stock market conditions have improved since your Company's half year ended on 30 September, it is disappointing to report for the period under review a reduction in your Company's net asset value per share of 6.9% from 982.7p to 914.5p, while the Morgan Stanley Capital International Index (in Sterling) and the Investment Trust Net Assets Index decreased by 4.5% and 2.1%, with the FTSE All-Share Index rising marginally by 0.1%. RITCP's net asset value per share at 10 November, the latest available date, had increased to 932.4p. My Chairman's Statement in the Annual Report commented on the sharp setback in markets which occurred in May and the clear accumulation of risk in a number of areas and I went on to say that shareholders should not expect returns comparable to last year, when your Company's net asset value per share increased by 37.9%. Although we somewhat reduced exposure ahead of the market turbulence, both the internally managed and externally managed portfolios were affected by stock market declines during this period. Since the market trough in June, we have raised market exposure again slightly. With the equity bull market well into its fourth year and with appetite for risk in global equity markets again on the rise, we remain somewhat cautious. We continue, however, to find interesting investment opportunities both in the quoted and unquoted sectors. QUOTED PORTFOLIO At 30 September, £785.7 million, or 52.1% of the portfolio, was held directly in quoted investments, compared with 62% at 31 March. A further £307.1 million, or 20.4% of the portfolio, was held in hedge and long equity funds which invest mainly in quoted securities. Taking these two categories together, some 72% of the portfolio was invested in quoted or other marketable securities, compared with 78% at 31 March. UNQUOTED PORTFOLIO There has been an increase in your Company's allocation to unquoted investments, which were valued at some £344.2 million, or 22.8% of the portfolio, compared with an exposure of £282 million, representing 16.1% of the portfolio, at 31st March 2006. Of the £344.2 million, £230.6 million, or 15.3%, represents investments made directly by management and £113.6 million, or 7.5%, represents investments in limited partnerships managed by third parties. We benefited from a number of realisations and upward revaluations during the period. In particular, the sale of Eclipse Scientific, the flotation of GAGFAH (a company investing in German residential properties) and the excellent performance of Harbourmaster have contributed. We have made a commitment to support an initiative in the private equity sector through becoming cornerstone investors in the creation of a new firm, founded by three talented individuals from two leading private equity companies. Their focus will be on the lower to middle market buyout sector in the U.K. and Ireland. Your Company has committed to invest up to £50 million over time in this new venture. Additional funds will be raised from outside investors in early 2007. INVESTMENT AND CURRENCY EXPOSURE At the half year-end, your Company's net assets stood at £1,428.2 million and its portfolio of investments at £1,507.5 million. The difference of £79.3 million, or 5.6% of our net assets, represents the extent to which we have deployed our borrowings to make investments. During the period, we increased our exposure to Sterling from 26.4% to 48.8% and reduced our exposure to the US dollar from 21.0% to 8.1%. Rothschild 16 November 2006 Enquiries: David Haysey, Chief Investment Officer - 020 7514 1926 Duncan Budge, Chief Operating Officer - 020 7514 1928 Consolidated Income Statement Six months ended 30 September 2006 Revenue Capital Total return return Notes £m £m £m ________________________________________________________________________________ Income Investment Income 18.7 - 18.7 Other income 0.3 - 0.3 Losses on dealing investments held at fair value (31.3) - (31.3) ________________________________________________________________________________ Total income (12.3) - (12.3) Losses on portfolio investments held at fair value - (83.3) (83.3) Other capital items - 8.9 8.9 ________________________________________________________________________________ (12.3) (74.4) (86.7) Expenses Administrative expenses (5.2) (0.2) (5.4) Investment management fees (3.1) - (3.1) ________________________________________________________________________________ Loss before finance costs and tax (20.6) (74.6) (95.2) Finance costs (4.1) - (4.1) ________________________________________________________________________________ Loss before tax (24.7) (74.6) (99.3) Taxation (1.2) (0.6) (1.8) ________________________________________________________________________________ Loss for the period (25.9) (75.2) (101.1) ________________________________________________________________________________ Loss attributable to minority interests - - - Loss attributable to equity shareholders (25.9) (75.2) (101.1) ________________________________________________________________________________ (25.9) (75.2) (101.1) ________________________________________________________________________________ Earnings per ordinary share 2 (16.6)p (48.1)p (64.7)p The total column of this statement represents the Group's Income Statement, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. The supplementary revenue return and capital return columns are both prepared under guidance published by the Association of Investment Companies. All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. Consolidated Income Statement (continued) Six months ended 30 September 2005 Year ended 31 March 2006 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total return return return return Notes £m £m £m £m £m £m __________________________________________________________________________________ Income Investment income 13.6 - 13.6 27.0 - 27.0 Other income 0.8 - 0.8 1.1 - 1.1 Losses on dealing investments held at fair value (7.8) - (7.8) (20.8) - (20.8) __________________________________________________________________________________ Total income 6.6 - 6.6 7.3 - 7.3 Gains on portfolio investments held at fair value - 197.5 197.5 - 461.8 461.8 Other capital items - (11.1) (11.1) - 1.9 1.9 __________________________________________________________________________________ 6.6 186.4 193.0 7.3 463.7 471.0 Expenses Administrative expenses (3.7) (4.3) (8.0) (11.0) (8.4) (19.4) Investment management fees (3.5) (2.8) (6.3) (5.7) (8.6) (14.3) ___________________________________________________________________________________ Profit before finance costs and tax (0.6) 179.3 178.7 (9.4) 446.7 437.3 Finance costs (2.5) - (2.5) (7.3) - (7.3) __________________________________________________________________________________ Profit before tax (3.1) 179.3 176.2 (16.7) 446.7 430.0 Taxation (0.9) (5.9) (6.8) 0.1 (7.9) (7.8) __________________________________________________________________________________ Profit for the period (4.0) 173.4 169.4 (16.6) 438.8 422.2 Profit attributable to - - - - - - minority interests Profit attributable to equity shareholders (4.0) 173.4 169.4 (16.6) 438.8 422.2 __________________________________________________________________________________ (4.0) 173.4 169.4 (16.6) 438.8 422.2 __________________________________________________________________________________ Earnings per ordinary share 2 (2.6)p 111.1p 108.5p (10.6)p 280.9p 270.3p The total column of this statement represents the Group's Income Statement, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. The supplementary revenue return and capital return columns are both prepared under guidance published by the Association of Investment Companies. All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity Share Capital Cash Foreign Capital Revenue Minority Total capital redemption flow currency reserve reserve interests reserve hedging translation Six months ended reserve reserve 30 September 2006 £m £m £m £m £m £m £m £m _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Balance at 31 March 2006 156.2 34.0 4.1 0.1 1,352.9 (12.6) - 1,534.7 Loss for the period - - - - (75.2) (25.9) - (101.1) Cash flow hedges Gains/(losses) taken to equity - - (0.5) - - - - (0.5) Transferred to the income statement for the period - - 0.1 - - - - 0.1 Exchange movements arising on consolidation - - - (0.2) - - - (0.2) Ordinary dividend paid - - - - - (4.8) - (4.8) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Balance at 30 September 2006 156.2 34.0 3.7 (0.1) 1,277.7 (43.3) - 1,428.2 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Share Capital Cash Foreign Capital Revenue Minority Total capital redemption flow currency reserve reserve interests reserve hedging translation Six months ended reserve reserve 30 September 2005 £m £m £m £m £m £m £m £m _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Balance at 31 March 2005 156.2 34.0 - - 914.2 8.8 0.1 1,113.3 Profit for the period - - - - 173.4 (4.1) - 169.3 Cash flow hedges Gains/(losses) taken to equity - - (0.9) - - - - (0.9) Transferred to the income statement for the period - - 0.2 - - - - 0.2 Exchange movements arising on consolidation - - - 0.7 - - - 0.7 Ordinary dividend paid - - - - - (4.8) - (4.8) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Balance at 30 September 2005 156.2 34.0 (0.7) 0.7 1,087.6 (0.1) 0.1 1,277.8 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Share Capital Cash Foreign Capital Revenue Minority Total capital redemption flow currency reserve reserve interests reserve hedging translation Year ended reserve reserve 31 March 2006 £m £m £m £m £m £m £m £m _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Balance at 31 March 2005 156.2 34.0 - - 914.2 8.8 0.1 1,113.3 Profit for the period - - - - 438.7 (16.6) - 422.1 Cash flow hedges Gains/(losses) taken to equity - - 3.5 - - - - 3.5 Transferred to the income statement for the period - - 0.6 - - - - 0.6 Disposal of subsidiaries - - - - - - (0.1) (0.1) Exchange movements arising on consolidation - - - 0.1 - - - 0.1 Ordinary dividend paid - - - - - (4.8) - (4.8) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Balance at 31 March 2006 156.2 34.0 4.1 0.1 1,352.9 (12.6) - 1,534.7 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Consolidated Balance Sheet Notes 30 September 31 March 30 September 2006 2006 2005 £m £m £m ________________________________________________________________________________________ Non-current assets Investments held at fair value 4 1,476.8 1,720.8 1,409.9 Investment property 30.7 28.9 27.5 Property, plant and equipment 0.3 0.2 0.2 Derivative financial instruments 3.7 4.1 - Retirement benefit asset 1.1 1.4 0.6 Deferred tax asset 1.6 2.4 2.6 ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1,514.2 1,757.8 1,440.8 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Current assets Dealing investments held at fair value 0.9 2.7 2.0 Sales for future settlement 46.6 10.9 65.3 Other receivables 11.3 11.9 12.1 Tax receivable 0.5 0.2 0.1 Cash at bank 89.5 65.1 80.4 ________________________________________________________________________________________ 148.8 90.8 159.9 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Total assets 1,663.0 1,848.6 1,600.7 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Current liabilities Bank loans and overdrafts (1.2) (67.2) (63.8) Securities sold short (13.3) (9.5) (10.0) Purchases for future settlement (17.1) (21.5) (38.0) Tax payable (0.3) (0.3) - Other payables (8.4) (10.1) (3.9) ________________________________________________________________________________________ (40.3) (108.6) (115.7) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Net current assets/(liabilities) 108.5 (17.8) 44.2 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Total assets less current liabilities 1,622.7 1,740.0 1,485.0 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Non-current liabilities Bank loans (181.9) (191.0) (186.8) Provisions (12.6) (14.3) (20.4) ________________________________________________________________________________________ (194.5) (205.3) (207.2) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Net assets 1,428.2 1,534.7 1,277.8 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Consolidated Balance Sheet, continued Notes 30 September 31 March 30 September 2006 2006 2005 £m £m £m ________________________________________________________________________________________ Equity attributable to equity holders Called up share capital 156.2 156.2 156.2 Capital redemption reserve 34.0 34.0 34.0 Cash flow hedging reserve 3.7 4.1 (0.7) Foreign currency translation reserve (0.1) 0.1 0.7 Capital reserve-realised 1,019.5 932.1 809.7 Capital reserve-unrealised 258.2 420.8 277.9 Revenue reserve (43.3) (12.6) (0.1) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Total shareholders' equity 1,482.2 1,534.7 1,277.7 Minority interest in equity - - 0.1 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Total equity 1,428.2 1,534.7 1,277.8 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Net asset value per ordinary share 914.5p 982.7p 818.1p ________________________________________________________________________________________ Consolidated Cash Flow Statement Six months Six months Year ended ended 30 September ended 30 September 31 March 2006 2006 2005 £m £m £m _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Cash inflow/(outflow) from Operating Activities 89.2 (141.2) (145.5) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Investing Activities Purchase of property, plant and equipment (0.2) (0.1) (0.2) Sale of property, plant and equipment - - 0.1 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Net cash outflow from Investing Activities (0.2) (0.1) (0.1) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Financing Activities Increase in term loan - 103.4 103.4 Equity dividend paid (4.8) (4.8) (4.8) Minority interests - - (0.1) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Net cash inflow/(outflow) from Financing Activities (4.8) 98.6 98.5 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the period 84.2 (42.7) (47.1) Cash and cash equivalents at the start of the period 27.0 77.4 77.4 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes (1.2) (3.5) (3.3) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Cash and cash equivalents at the period end 110.0 31.2 27.0 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Reconciliation: Cash at bank 89.5 80.4 65.1 Money market funds (included in portfolio investments) 21.7 14.6 29.1 Bank loans and overdrafts (1.2) (63.8) (67.2) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Cash and cash equivalents at period end 110.0 31.2 27.0 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Notes to the Financial Statements 1. BASIS OF ACCOUNTING These financial statements are the interim consolidated financial statements of RIT Capital Partners plc and its subsidiaries for the six months ended 30 September 2006. They are prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard IAS 34, Interim Financial Reporting, and were approved on 15 November 2006. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2006 as they provide an update of previously reported information. The interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2006. 2. EARNINGS PER ORDINARY SHARE The earnings per ordinary share for the six months ended 30 September 2006 is based on the net loss of £101.1 million (six months ended 30 September 2005: net gain of £169.4; year ended 31 March 2006: net gain of £422.2 million) and the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period of 156.2 million (six months ended 30 September 2005: 156.2 million; year ended 31 March 2006: 156.2 million). The earnings per ordinary share figure detailed above can be further analysed between revenue and capital as set out below: Six months ended 30 Six months ended 30 Year ended September 2006 September 2005 31 March 2006 £m £m £m _______________________________________________________________________________ Net revenue loss (25.9) (4.0) (16.6) Net capital (loss)/profit (75.2) 173.4 438.8 _______________________________________________________________________________ (101.1) 169.4 422.2 _______________________________________________________________________________ Pence per share Pence per share Pence per share _______________________________________________________________________________ Revenue loss per ordinary share (16.6) (2.6) (10.6) Capital (loss)/earnings per ordinary share (48.1) 111.1 280.9 _______________________________________________________________________________ (64.7) 108.5 270.3 _______________________________________________________________________________ 3. NET ASSET VALUE PER ORDINARY SHARE The net asset value per ordinary share as at 30 September 2006 is based on the net assets attributable to equity shareholders of £1,428.2 million (30 September 2005: £1,277.7 million; 31 March 2006: £1,534.7 million) and the number of ordinary shares in issue at 30 September 2006 of 156.2 million (30 September 2005: 156.2 million; 31 March 2006: 156.2 million). 4. MOVEMENTS IN INVESTMENTS Quoted Unquoted Funds and Other Total and partnerships securities property £m £m £m £m £m _______________________________________________________________________________ At 31 March 2006 1,084.1 210.8 379.4 75.4 1,749.7 Additions 404.4 49.2 116.5 114.9 685.0 Disposals (639.2) (25.3) (64.1) (150.5) (879.1) Revaluation (63.6) 26.6 (11.1) - (48.1) _______________________________________________________________________________ At 30 September 2006 785.7 261.3 420.7 39.8 1,507.5 _______________________________________________________________________________ 5. TAXATION Six months Six months Year ended ended 30 September ended 30 September 31 March 2006 2005 2006 £m £m £m _______________________________________________________________________________ UK corporation tax - - 0.3 Adjustments in respect of - - (0.1) prior years Overseas taxation 1.0 0.7 1.6 Double taxation relief - - (0.3) _______________________________________________________________________________ Current tax charge 1.0 0.7 1.5 Deferred tax 0.4 6.1 6.5 Adjustments in respect of prior years 0.4 - (0.2) _______________________________________________________________________________ 1.8 6.8 7.8 _______________________________________________________________________________ 6. DIVIDENDS PAID Six months Six months Year ended ended 30 September ended 30 September 31 March 2006 2005 2006 £m £m £m _______________________________________________________________________________ Dividends paid 4.8 4.8 4.8 _______________________________________________________________________________ Pence per share 3.1p 3.1p 3.1p _______________________________________________________________________________ 7. LITIGATION The litigation involving H-G Holdings Inc was discontinued and dismissed with prejudice in October 2006 and the Company did not incur any material costs in respect of these proceedings. 8. COMPARATIVE INFORMATION The financial information contained in this interim report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information for the half years ended 30 September 2006 and 30 September 2005 has not been audited. The information for the year ended 31 March 2006 has been extracted from the latest published audited financial statements. The audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2006 have been filed with the Registrar of Companies and the report of the auditors on those accounts contained no qualification or statement under section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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