Final Results

Temple Bar Investment Trust PLC 12 February 2002 Temple Bar Chairman's Statement Results and Dividend Despite the fact that 2001 was a difficult year for equity investors I am pleased to be able to report that post tax earnings for the year were £14.2m an increase of 5.7% on 2000. The board proposes a final dividend of 16.86p making 24.84p for the year, a rise of 6%. This will result in a small call on reserves of £175,000 and represents a further progression of Temple Bar's dividend against its sector and the wider equity market, as well as being usefully ahead of inflation. The board is always mindful of the need to achieve a reasonable balance between income and capital growth, and we remain convinced that by securing a growing level of income from a carefully constructed higher yielding portfolio we can attain a good degree of capital performance. While we are obviously disappointed to have to report a fall in total assets this year, it is pleasing to report a further period of outperformance compared to the FT All Share Index. During the year the Trust's total assets fell by 7.0% which compares with a fall in the FT All Share of 15.4%. The Higher Yield index did however outperform us marginally falling by only 5.6% - its characteristic defensiveness showing through. The shares saw a narrowing of the discount during the year, resulting in a small rise in the share price. The year 2001 was always destined to be a difficult one, but the problems were exacerbated by the terrorist attacks on the United States and their aftermath. Many hoped that the technology bubble might unwind in a controlled fashion, and without damaging prospects elsewhere but this was bound to be a test of hope against experience. When coupled with a slowdown in investment spending, a lack of international demand and some major companies being caught with unsustainably high levels of borrowings, the effects had the potential to cause a much more serious downturn. A policy of aggressive interest rate cuts on the part of the US Federal Reserve backed by other central banks, has done much to ease these concerns, but confidence has remained fragile, and the bond markets are indicating that rates cannot be held at such low levels for much longer. New Directors Turning to other matters I am delighted to welcome onto the board Gary Allen, Chairman and former Chief Executive of IMI plc, and Richard Jewson, Chairman of Savills plc, who will add experience and perspective to the board and have already made substantial contributions to our deliberations. Outlook Some of the building blocks for an economic recovery are being put in place, including greater capital discipline on the part of companies, restructuring of weak balance sheets and more realistic earnings projections. It is unlikely, however, that these positive factors are strong enough at the moment to protect investors if recovery comes through more slowly than expected. For our own part, we are not convinced that all the pieces are yet in place for a sustainable improvement in the equity market and consequently aim to retain the Trust's defensive positioning for the time being. With the reduction in the level of inflation and the worldwide economic recession, the rate of increase in dividends from our underlying investments has slowed. This will affect our capacity to increase the Temple Bar dividend which for five years rose by 10% per annum and by 6% in the year just concluded. Our objective is to continue to increase the dividend to shareholders at a rate greater than that of inflation. Ronald Scott Brown 12 February 2002 Twenty Largest Equity Investments as at 31 December 2001 Company Valuation Total Assets £'000 % Lloyds TSB 19,183 4.46 BP 18,928 4.40 GlaxoSmithKline 18,311 4.26 Shell Transport & Trading 15,740 3.66 Scottish Power 12,569 2.92 Safeway 12,321 2.86 Boots 10,789 2.51 Rank 10,215 2.37 BT 9,737 2.26 British Sky Broadcasting 9,669 2.25 HBOS 9,279 2.16 Cable & Wireless 9,183 2.13 Lattice 8,854 2.06 HSBC 8,815 2.05 Prudential 8,411 1.96 Gallaher 8,401 1.95 AstraZeneca 8,318 1.93 Investec UK Smaller Companies Fund 8,287 1.93 Six Continents 8,011 1.86 Rio Tinto 7,802 1.81 222,823 51.79 Convertibles and all classes of equity in any one company are treated as one investment. Statement of total return (incorporating the revenue account) of the group for the year ended 31 December 2001 2001 2000 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 (Losses)/gains on investments - (30,341) (30,341) - 22,223 22,223 Income 18,140 - 18,140 17,357 - 17,357 Investment management fee (869) (869) (1,738) (687) (687) (1,374) Other expenses (378) - (378) (574) - (574) NET RETURN BEFORE FINANCE COSTS AND TAXATION 16,893 (31,210) (14,317) 16,096 21,536 37,632 Interest payable (2,279) (2,280) (4,559) (2,279) (2,280) (4,559) RETURN ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE TAXATION 14,614 (33,490) (18,876) 13,817 19,256 33,073 Taxation (416) 416 - (389) 383 (6) RETURN ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES AFTER TAXATION 14,198 (33,074) (18,876) 13,428 19,639 33,067 Ordinary dividends (14,373) - (14,373) (13,541) - (13,541) TRANSFER (FROM)/TO RESERVES (175) (33,074) (33,249) (113) 19,639 19,526 RETURN PER ORDINARY SHARE 24.56p (57.21)p (32.65)p 23.24p 33.98p 57.22p DIVIDENDS PER ORDINARY SHARE 24.84p 23.43p The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the Group. All principal activities of the Group are continuing operations as defined by Financial Reporting Standard 3. No operations were acquired or discontinued in the period. Consolidated balance sheet 31 December 2001 31 December 2000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 FIXED ASSETS Investments 407,556 424,437 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 3,174 6,414 Cash at bank 19,532 31,773 22,706 38,187 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 10,970 10,707 NET CURRENT ASSETS 11,736 27,480 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 419,292 451,917 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year 63,000 63,000 NET ASSETS 356,292 388,917 CAPITAL AND RESERVES Called up share capital 14,473 14,448 Share premium account 2,092 1,493 Other reserves Capital reserve - realised 279,420 246,759 Capital reserve - unrealised 48,717 114,452 Revenue reserves 11,590 11,765 TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 356,292 388,917 Consolidated cash flow statement 2001 2000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 NET CASH INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 16,587 14,279 RETURN ON INVESTMENTS AND SERVICING OF FINANCE Interest paid (4,559) (4,559) Net cash outflow from return on investments and servicing of finance (4,559) (4,559) TAXATION UK tax (paid)/recovered (111) 268 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT Purchases of investments (193,069) (123,048) Sales of investments 182,088 140,785 Net cash (outflow)/inflow from capital expenditure and financial investment (10,981) 17,737 EQUITY DIVIDENDS PAID (13,801) (12,703) CASH (OUTFLOW)/INFLOW BEFORE MANAGEMENT OF LIQUID RESOURCES AND FINANCING (12,865) 15,022 MANAGEMENT OF LIQUID RESOURCES Short term money market deposits withdrawn/ (placed) 3,430 (7,430) (9,435) 7,592 FINANCING Gross proceeds from issue of shares 624 - (DECREASE)/INCREASE IN CASH (8,811) 7,592 RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH FLOW TO MOVEMENT IN NET DEBT (Decrease)/increase in cash (8,811) 7,592 Short term money market deposits (withdrawn) (3,430) 7,430 /placed Change in net debt (12,241) 15,022 Net debt at 1 January (31,227) (46,249) Net debt at 31 December (43,468) (31,227) Dividend The directors will recommend to shareholders at the annual general meeting to be held on 25 March 2002 that a final dividend of 16.86 pence per ordinary share be paid on 28 March 2002 to shareholders on the Register at the close of business on 15 March 2002. Net Assets 2001 2000 (audited) (audited) Net asset value per ordinary share 615.43p 672.95p Notes i) The figures set out above are derived from the audited consolidated accounts of Temple Bar Investment Trust Plc and its subsidiaries for the years ended 31 December 2000 and 31 December 2001. The 2001 accounts will be sent to shareholders shortly. ii) The financial information contained in this announcement does not constitute full accounts within the meaning of section 254 of the Companies Act 1985. The 2001 accounts, on which the report of the auditors is unqualified, will be filed with the Registrar of Companies in due course. The audited accounts for the year ended 31 December 2000, on which the report of the auditors was unqualified and did not contain a statement under either Section 237(2) or 237(3) of the Companies Act 1985, have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. 12 February 2002 Contact: Chris Burvill Telephone: 020 7597 2187 Investec Investment Management Limited This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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