Final Results

Scottish American Investment Co PLC 10 February 2005 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. Results for the year to 31 December 2004 SAINTS had an encouraging year, with a share price total return of 16.5%. • The dividend (fully covered by earnings) is to be increased by 6.2% setting a new base for the progressive dividend policy. • Investment performance improved with NAV total return, including the cost of the portfolio reorganisation, in line with the Benchmark. • The discount narrowed. • The transition to the new managers, Baillie Gifford & Co., went well. The level of absolute returns reflect the generally healthy performance of equity, bond and property markets during 2004. The UK equity portfolio benefited from good stock selection while there was a robust contribution from the directly held commercial property investments. Setting a new base for the progressive dividend policy, a final dividend of 1.59p is proposed (1.42p) to give a total of 6.00p (5.65p), substantially ahead of inflation. Earnings per share were 6.37p (5.82p) and revenue reserves per share stand at 8.4p (8.0p). With the debenture valued at its market price, the discount narrowed from 17.9% to 14.6% during the period. In the second half the NAV total return was 10.3% with the debenture priced at market, while the Benchmark total return was 8.4%. The total return for the year, with the debenture valued at its market price, was 11.3% (while at the lower book value, it was 13.8%). These figures compare to an 11.3% total return on the Benchmark (70% FTSE All-Share Index and 30% FTSE World Ex-UK Index) and include the cost of reorganising the portfolio at the start of the year, estimated at 0.64% of net asset value. While economic growth is unlikely to be as rapid this year as last year, the Managers are confident that profits and dividends will rise faster than inflation. The Chairman, Brian Ivory CBE CA, said: 'I am pleased to report that the three objectives of better investment performance, progressive growth in the dividend and narrowing the discount of share price to net asset value were achieved in 2004. The Board looks forward to seeing further improvement in 2005.' SAINTS offers private investors a diversified portfolio invested predominantly in the UK. It includes property holdings and a spread of international equities. It aims to provide a valuable income stream that should grow steadily over time together with long-term capital growth. SAINTS is managed by Baillie Gifford & Co., the Edinburgh based fund management group with around £33 billion under management and advice. - ends - For further information please contact: Patrick Edwardson, Manager, The Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C. 0131 275 2133 07812 537316 Robert O'Riordan, Baillie Gifford & Co. 07730 412007 Mike Lord, Director, Broadgate Marketing 020 7726 6111 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. The following is the unaudited preliminary statement for the year to 31 December 2004 which was approved by the Board on 9 February 2005. The Board of The Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C. is recommending to the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held on 24 March 2005 the payment of a final dividend of 1.59p (1.42p last year) per ordinary share making a total of 6.00p (5.65p last year) for the year ended 31 December 2004. STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURN (unaudited and incorporating the revenue account*) for the year ended for the year ended 31 December 2004 31 December 2003 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Gains on investments - 27,151 27,151 - 34,029 34,029 Currency gains/(losses) - 388 388 - (88) (88) Income (note 2) 13,739 - 13,739 11,412 - 11,412 Management fees (812) (813) (1,625) (14) 550 536 Other administrative expenses (887) - (887) (839) - (839) Net return before finance costs and taxation 12,040 26,726 38,766 10,559 34,491 45,050 Finance costs of borrowings (2,947) (2,946) (5,893) (1,473) (4,420) (5,893) Return on ordinary activities before taxation 9,093 23,780 32,873 9,086 30,071 39,157 Tax on ordinary activities (623) 480 (143) (1,173) 1,064 (109) Return on ordinary activities after taxation 8,470 24,260 32,730 7,913 31,135 39,048 Dividends in respect of equity (7,918) - (7,918) (7,643) - (7,643) shares Transfer to reserves 552 24,260 24,812 270 31,135 31,405 Return per ordinary share (note 3) 6.37p 18.23p 24.60p 5.82p 22.90p 28.72p Dividends per ordinary share (note 4) 6.00p 5.65p * The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the Company. All revenue and capital items in this statement derive from continuing operations. THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. SUMMARISED BALANCE SHEET at 31 December 2004 (unaudited) 31 December 2004 31 December 2003 £'000 £'000 FIXED ASSETS Investments 360,666 298,383 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 2,076 1,266 Cash and deposits 3,912 46,721 5,988 47,987 CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year (6,235) (5,824) NET CURRENT (LIABILITIES)/ASSETS (247) 42,163 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 360,419 340,546 Debenture stock (note 5) (88,753) (89,260) 271,666 251,286 SHARE CAPITAL AND RESERVES Called-up share capital 33,121 33,818 Capital Redemption reserve 22,781 22,084 Capital reserve - realised 166,731 171,622 Capital reserve - unrealised 37,900 13,181 Revenue reserve 11,133 10,581 Equity shareholders' funds 271,666 251,286 NET ASSET VALUE PER ORDINARY SHARE: After deduction of debenture at book value 205.1p 185.8p After deduction of debenture at market value 196.1p 181.9p Ordinary shares in issue (note 6) 132,485,943 135,270,943 ASSET ALLOCATION at 31 December 2004 (unaudited) 31 December 31 December 2004 2003 % % UK Quoted Equities 56.5 51.9 Global (Ex UK) Quoted Equities 22.5 23.4 Unquoted 1.6 1.9 Quoted Fixed Interest 10.1 1.5 Properties 9.4 8.9 Net Liquid (Liabilities)/Assets (0.1) 12.4 100.0 100.0 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. SUMMARISED CASH FLOW STATEMENT (unaudited) Restated Year to Year to 31 December 2004 31 December 2003 £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 10,943 11,667 Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (6,400) (6,400) Total tax paid (142) (144) Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financial investment (35,085) 17,940 Equity dividends paid (7,693) (7,687) NET CASH (OUTFLOW)/INFLOW BEFORE USE OF LIQUID RESOURCES AND FINANCING (38,377) 15,376 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from use of liquid resources 40,000 (10,015) Net cash outflow from financing (4,432) (3,183) (DECREASE)/INCREASE IN CASH (2,809) 2,178 RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH FLOW TO MOVEMENT IN NET DEBT (Decrease)/increase in cash in the period (2,809) 2,178 (Decrease)/increase in short term deposits (40,000) 10,015 Other non-cash charges 507 507 MOVEMENT IN NET DEBT IN THE YEAR (42,302) 12,700 NET DEBT AT 1 JANUARY (42,539) (55,239) NET DEBT AT 31 DECEMBER (84,841) (42,539) RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING REVENUE TO NET CASH INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net revenue before finance costs and taxation 12,040 10,559 Management fees charged to capital (813) 550 Changes in debtors and creditors (284) 558 NET CASH INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 10,943 11,667 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTION for the year ended 31 December 2004 (in sterling terms) (unaudited) Average allocation Total return* Contribution SAINTS Benchmark SAINTS Benchmark to total return % % % % % UK Quoted Equities 73.1 70.0 16.0 12.8 11.7 Global (ex UK) Quoted Equities 30.6 30.0 5.0 7.9 1.5 Quoted Fixed Interest 15.0 - 6.9 - 1.0 Properties 12.0 - 18.8 - 2.3 Unquoted 2.4 - (1.2) - - Deposits and forward contracts 2.1 - 3.9 - 0.2 Portfolio Total Return 16.7 Finance costs (35.2) - (6.6) - (2.3) Management fees and other expenses - - - - (1.0) Share buy backs - - - - 0.3 Other - - - - 0.1 NAV Total Return (at book value) 13.8 Change in market value of debentures (2.5) NAV Total Return (at market value) 11.3 * The above returns are calculated on a total return basis with net income reinvested. TWENTY LARGEST HOLDINGS at 31 December 2004 (unaudited) Market % of value total Name Business £'000 assets Vodafone Telecommunication services 15,313 4.3 Royal Bank of Scotland Banks 13,055 3.6 GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology 12,477 3.5 Barclays Banks 11,613 3.2 HSBC Holdings Banks 9,962 2.8 British American Tobacco Tobacco 8,347 2.3 Imperial Tobacco Tobacco 7,306 2.0 Aviva Life assurance 7,178 2.0 Milton Keynes Property - hotel 6,500 1.8 Diageo Beverages 6,132 1.7 BOC Chemicals 5,190 1.4 Moody's Specialty and other finance 5,089 1.4 Hilton Group Leisure and hotels 4,788 1.3 Altria Tobacco 4,745 1.3 Allied Domeq Beverages 4,622 1.3 Man Group Specialty and other finance 4,507 1.2 BP Oil and gas 4,332 1.2 Nottingham Property - public house/restaurant 4,300 1.2 United Utilities Other utilities 4,171 1.2 Travis Perkins Construction and building materials 4,166 1.2 143,793 39.9 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. NOTES 1. The financial statements for the year to 31 December 2004 have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the Company's financial statements as at 31 December 2003. The format of the Cash Flow Statement has been changed to comply with FRS1 (Revised 1996): Cash Flow Statements; the comparative figures have been restated accordingly. With effect from 1 January 2004 the allocation method applying to investment and property management fees and finance costs has been changed to 50% revenue/50% capital. Previously, investment management fees and finance costs were allocated 25% revenue /75% capital and property management fees were allocated 100% revenue. None of the view expressed in this document should be construed as advice to buy or sell a particular investment. 31 December 2004 31 December 2003 £'000 £'000 2. Income Income from investments 11,082 8,146 Rental income 2,486 2,365 Other income 171 901 13,739 11,412 3. Return per ordinary share Revenue return 8,470 7,913 Capital return 24,260 31,135 Return per ordinary share is based on the above returns and on 133,075,233 (2003 - 135,955,116) ordinary shares, being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. 4. If approved the final dividend of 1.59p will be paid on 4 April 2005 to all shareholders on the register at the close of business on 11 March 2005. 5. The market value of the 8% Debenture Stock 2022 at 31 December 2004 was £100.6m (31 December 2003 - £94.6m) 6. During the year under review the Company bought back 2,785,000 ordinary shares with a nominal value of £696,250 for a total consideration of £4,432,000. At 31 December 2004 the Company had the authority to buy back a further 19,311,328 shares. 7. The financial information set out above does not constitute the Company's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2004. The financial information for 2003 is derived from the statutory accounts for 2003 which have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The Auditors have reported on the 2003 accounts, their report was unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. The statutory accounts for 2004 are unaudited, however it is expected that the Auditors will issue an unqualified opinion. The statutory accounts for 2004 will be finalised on the basis of the financial information presented in this preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the Company's Annual General Meeting. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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