Half Yearly Report

RNS Number : 4940V

Value and Income Trust plc

03 November 2010

 



VALUE AND INCOME TRUST PLC

UNAUDITED HALF-YEARLY FINANCIAL REPORT

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2010

SUMMARY

	30 September 2010	31 March 2010	30 September 2009
Net asset value per share	215.48p	218.29p	195.57p
(valuing debt at market)
Net asset value per share	235.86p	231.76p	212.49p
(valuing debt at par)
Share price (mid)	163.00p	169.00p	149.50p
Dividend per share	3.80p	7.60p	3.80p
	(interim)	(total)	(interim)

Summary of Portfolio
	30 September 2010		31 March 2010		30 September 2009
	£m	%	£m	%	£m	%
UK Equities	91.7	65	88.6	63	83.1	63
UK Property	47.6	34	48.8	34	46.9	36
Cash	1.0	1	4.4	3	1.0	1
	________	________	________	________	________	________
	140.3	100	141.8	100	131.0	100
	________	________	________	________	________	________

Value and Income Trust ('VIT') is a specialist investment trust whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. VIT invests in higher yielding, less fashionable areas of the UK commercial property and equity markets, particularly in medium and smaller sized companies. VIT aims for long term real growth in dividends and capital values without undue risk. Figures for net asset values and net current assets shown in the table above are calculated after deducting dividends declared but not yet paid, as in previous years.

Over the six months ended 30 September 2010, VIT's share price fell by 3.6% while the net asset value, valuing debt at par, increased by 1.8%. The FTSE All-Share Index fell by 1.5% over the half-year, in capital terms. VIT's property portfolio was revalued independently at 30 September 2010.

An interim dividend of 3.80p per share has been declared payable on 7 January 2011 to those shareholders on the register on 10 December 2010. The ex-dividend date will be 8 December 2010.

ENQUIRIES:

Matthew Oakeshott / Angela Lascelles OLIM Limited, Investment Managers Tel:  [phone] / Fax:  [phone] Website: www.olim.co.uk

INTERIM BOARD REPORT

Events during the period

At the Company's Annual General Meeting on 9 July 2010, all resolutions were passed.

At the period end the following shareholder had notified the Company of its holding:

Shareholder	Number of Ordinary shares held	% of Ordinary Shares held
Legal & General Group PLC	1,475,777	3.2

Risks and Uncertainties

The Board regularly reviews, and agrees policies for managing, each of the principal risks and uncertainties which it has identified as affecting the Company's business.

These risks and uncertainties are summarised below and are considered equally applicable to the second half of the financial year as for the period under review.

·      Discount volatility risk: The Company's shares may trade at a price which represents a discount to its underlying net asset value. The Board reviews regularly the level of the discount and considers what action, if any, to take in relation to minimising the discount.

·      Regulatory risk: The Company operates in a complex regulatory environment and therefore faces a number of regulatory risks. Breaches of regulations, such as Sections 1158 - 1159 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 (formerly 842 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988), the UKLA Listing Rules or the Companies Act, could lead to a number of detrimental outcomes and reputational damage.

·      Market price risk: The fair value of, or future cash flows from, a financial instrument held by the Company may fluctuate because of changes in market prices. This market price risk comprises three elements - interest rate risk, currency risk and other price risk.

Interest rate risk: Interest rate movements may affect the fair value of the investments in property and the level of income receivable on cash deposits. The possible effects on fair value and cash flows that could arise as a result of changes in interest rates are taken into account when making investment and borrowing decisions. The Board imposes borrowing limits to ensure gearing levels are appropriate to market conditions and reviews these on a regular basis. Borrowings comprise debenture stock, providing secure long term funding. It is the Board's policy to maintain a gearing level, measured on the most stringent basis of calculation after netting off cash equivalents, of between 25% and 40%.

Currency risk: A small proportion of the investment portfolio may be invested in securities whose fair value and dividend stream are affected by movements in foreign exchange rates. It is not the Board's policy to hedge this risk.

Other price risk: Other price risks (i.e. changes in market prices other than those arising from interest rate or currency risk) may affect the value of the Company's investments. It is the Board's policy to hold an appropriate spread of investments in the portfolio in order to reduce the risk arising from factors specific to a particular sector. Asset allocation and stock selection both act to reduce market risk. The Manager actively monitors market prices throughout the year and reports to the Board, which meets regularly in order to review investment strategy. The investments held by the Company are listed on the London Stock Exchange and all investment properties are commercial properties located in UK with long strong income streams.

·      Liquidity risk: This is the risk that the Company will encounter difficulty in meeting obligations associated with financial liabilities. The Company's assets comprise of readily realisable securities which can be sold to meet commitments if required and investment properties which, by their nature, are less readily realisable.

·      Credit risk: This is the failure of a counterparty to a transaction to discharge its obligations under that transaction which could result in the Company suffering a loss.

The risk is not significant and is managed as follows:

-      investment transactions are carried out with a large number of brokers, whose credit-standing            is  reviewed periodically by the Manager and limits are set on the amount that may be due from any one broker;

-         the risk of counterparty exposure due to failed trades causing a loss to the Company is mitigated by the review of            failed trade reports on a daily basis. In addition, a stock reconciliation to third party administrators' records is            carried out on a daily basis to ensure that discrepancies are picked up on a timely fashion. The Manager's            Compliance Officer carries out periodic reviews of the Custodian's operations and reports its findings to the            Manager's Risk Management Committee. This review will also include checks on the maintenance and security            of investments held; and

-         cash is held only with reputable banks.

None of the Company's assets are secured by collateral or other credit enhancements.

·      Property risk: The Company's commercial property portfolio is subject to both market and specific property risk. Since the UK commercial property market has been markedly cyclical for many years, it is prudent to expect that to continue. The price and availability of credit, real economic growth and the constraints on the development of new property are the main influences on the property investment market. Against that background, the specific risks to the income from the portfolio are tenants being unable to pay their rents and other charges, or leaving their properties at the end of their leases. All leases are on full repairing and insuring terms, with upward only rent reviews. None of the Company's financial assets is past due or impaired.

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities

The Directors confirm that to the best of their knowledge:

·      the condensed set of financial statements within the Half-Yearly Financial Report has been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard 34 'Interim Financial Reporting'; and

·      the Interim Board Report includes a fair review of the information required by 4.2.7R and 4.2.8R of the FSA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of the Board of Value and Income Trust PLC

James Ferguson

Chairman

2 November 2010

VALUE AND INCOME TRUST PLC

GROUP STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2010

		6 months ended			6 months ended			Year ended
		30 September 2010			30 September 2009			31 March 2010
		(Unaudited)			(Unaudited)			(Audited)
		Revenue	Capital	Total	Revenue	Capital	Total	Revenue	Capital	Total
		£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
	Notes
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividend income		2,309	-	2,309	2,250	-	2,250	3,867	-	3,867
OTHER OPERATING INCOME	2	1,765	-	1,765	1,914	-	1,914	3,971	-	3,971
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Unrealised (losses)/gains on investment properties		-	(176)	(176)	-	1,838	1,838	-	3,009	3,009
		_______	______	______	______	______	______	______	______	______
		4,074	(176)	3,898	4,164	1,838	6,002	7,838	3,009	10,847
GAINS AND LOSSES ON INVESTMENTS
Realised gains/(losses) on held-at-fair-value investments		-	2,744	2,744	-	(3,469)	(3,469)	-	1,014	1,014
Unrealised (losses)/gains on held-at-fair-value investments		-	(712)	(712)	-	22,549	22,549	-	26,053	26,053
		_________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
TOTAL INCOME		4,074	1,856	5,930	4,164	20,918	25,082	7,838	30,076	37,914
		_________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
EXPENSES
Investment management fees		(137)	(319)	(456)	(108)	(252)	(360)	(250)	(582)	(832)
Other operating expenses		(174)	-	(174)	(560)	-	(560)	(852)	-	(852)
VAT recoverable on management fees		-	-	-	316	484	800	562	432	994
FINANCE COSTS		(1,751)	-	(1,751)	(1,751)	-	(1,751)	(3,501)	-	(3,501)
		_________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
TOTAL EXPENSES		(2,062)	(319)	(2,381)	(2,103)	232	(1,871)	(4,041)	(150)	(4,191)
		_________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
PROFIT BEFORE TAX		2,012	1,537	3,549	2,061	21,150	23,211	3,797	29,926	33,723
TAXATION		-	51	51	-	(141)	(141)	-	(149)	(149)
		_________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD		2,012	1,588	3,600	2,061	21,009	23,070	3,797	29,777	33,574
		_________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
EARNINGS PER ORDINARY SHARE (Pence)	3	4.42	3.48	7.90	4.52	46.12	50.64	8.34	65.37	73.71
The total column of this statement represents the Group's Statement of Comprehensive Income prepared in accordance with IFRS. The supplementary revenue return and capital return columns are both prepared under guidance issued by the Association of Investment Companies. All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations.
All income is attributable to the equity holders of the parent company. There are no minority interests.

VALUE AND INCOME TRUST PLC

GROUP STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2010

		6 months ended 30 September 2010				Year ended 31 March 2010
		(Unaudited)				(Audited)
		Share	Share	Retained	Total	Share	Share	Retained	Total
		capital	premium	earnings		capital	premium	earnings
	Notes	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Net assets at 31 March 2010		4,555	18,446	82,564	105,565	4,555	18,446	52,405	75,406
Net profit for the period		-	-	3,600	3,600	-	-	33,574	33,574
Dividends paid	4	-	-	(1,731)	(1,731)	-	-	(3,415)	(3,415)
		________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______
NET ASSETS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2010		4,555	18,446	84,433	107,434	4,555	18,446	82,564	105,565
		________	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______	_______

		6 months ended 30 September 2009
		(Unaudited)
		Share	Share	Retained	Total
		capital	premium	earnings
	Notes	£000	£000	£000	£000
Net assets at 31 March 2010		4,555	18,446	52,405	75,406
Net profit for the period		-	-	23,070	23,070
Dividends paid	4	-	-	(1,685)	(1,685)
		______	_______	_______	_______
NET ASSETS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2010		4,555	18,446	73,790	96,791
		______	_______	_______	_______

VALUE AND INCOME TRUST PLC

GROUP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2010

		As at		As at		As at
		30 September 2010		31 March 2010		30 September 2009
		(Unaudited)		(Audited)		(Unaudited)
		£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
ASSETS	Notes
NON CURRENT ASSETS
Investments held at fair value through			91,658		88,638		83,148
profit or loss
Investment properties held at fair value			47,600		48,750		46,875
through profit or loss
			_________		_________		_________
			139,258		137,388		130,023
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		5,399		5,670		3,990
Other receivables		449		325		399
		_________		_________		_________
			5,848		5,995		4,389
			_________		_________		_________
TOTAL ASSETS			145,106		143,383		134,412
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Other payables			(1,545)		(1,629)		(1,428)
			_________		_________		_________
			143,561		141,754		132,984
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
Debenture stock		(35,385)		(35,396)		(35,408)
Deferred tax		(742)		(793)		(785)
		_________		_________		_________
			(36,127)		(36,189)		(36,193)
			_________		_________		_________
			107,434		105,565		96,791
			_________		_________		_________
EQUITY ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY HOLDERS
Ordinary called up share capital			4,555		4,555		4,555
Share premium			18,446		18,446		18,446
Retained earnings	6		84,433		82,564		73,790
			_________		_________		_________
			107,434		105,565		96,791
			_________		_________		_________
NET ASSET VALUE PER ORDINARY SHARE			235.86p		231.76p		212.49p

VALUE AND INCOME TRUST PLC

GROUP STATEMENT OF CASH FLOW

FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2010

	6 months ended		6 months ended		Year ended
	30 September 2010		30 September 2009		31 March 2010
	(Unaudited)		(Unaudited)		(Audited)
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Dividend income received		2,146		2,218		3,873
Rental received		1,641		1,904		3,892
Interest received		139		60		177
Other income		-		24		24
VAT recovered on management fees		-		800		994
Operating expenses paid		(689)		(660)		(1,234)
		_________		_________		_________
NET CASH INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES		3,237		4,346		7,726
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of investments	(7,799)		(11,420)		(18,426)
Sale of investments	7,785		9,609		18,407
	_________		_________		_________
NET CASH OUTFLOW FROM
INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(14)		(1,811)		(19)
CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Interest paid	(1,763)		(1,763)		(3,525)
Dividends paid	(1,731)		(1,685)		(3,415)
	_________		_________		_________
NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(3,494)		(3,448)		(6,940)
		_________		_________		_________
NET (DECREASE)/INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS		(271)		(913)		767
Cash and cash equivalents at the start of the period		5,670		4,903		4,903
		_________		_________		_________
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE PERIOD		5,399		3,990		5,670
		_________		_________		_________

VALUE AND INCOME TRUST PLC

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1	Accounting policies
	(a)	The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) which comprise standards and interpretations approved by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) together with interpretations of the International Accounting Standards and Standing Interpretations Committee approved by the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) that remain in effect, and to the extent that they have been adopted by the European Union.
		The functional and reporting currency of the Group is pounds sterling because that is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the Group operates.
		The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis and on the historical cost basis, except for the revaluation of certain financial assets. Where presentational guidance set out in the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies and Venture Capital Trusts' (the SORP) issued by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) in January 2009 is consistent with the requirements of IFRSs, the directors have sought to prepare the financial statements on a basis compliant with the recommendations of the SORP.
		The Directors are of the opinion that the Group is engaged in a single segment of business, being investment business.
	(b)	Dividends payable
		Interim dividends are recognised as a liability in the period in which they are declared by the board of directors and paid as no further approval is required in respect of such dividends.  Final dividends are recognised as a liability only after they have been approved by shareholders.
	(c)	Investments
		All investments have been designated upon initial recognition as fair value though profit or loss. Investments are recognised and derecognised on the trade date where a purchase or sale is under a contract whose terms require delivery within the timeframe established by the market concerned, and are initially measured at fair value. Subsequent to initial recognition, investments are recognised at fair value through profit or loss. For listed investments, this is deemed to be bid market prices or closing prices for SETS stocks sourced from the London Stock Exchange. SETS is the London Stock Exchange electronic trading service covering most of the market including all FTSE 100 constituents and most liquid FTSE 250 constituents along with some other securities. Gains and losses arising from changes in fair value are included in net profit or loss for the period as a capital item in the income statement and are ultimately recognised in the retained earnings.
		In respect of property investments, fair value is established by a half-yearly professional valuation on an open market basis by King Sturge and Co, Chartered Surveyors and Valuers and in accordance with the RICS Valuation Standards. Gains and losses arising from changes in fair value are included in net profit or loss for the period as a capital item in the income statement and are ultimately recognised in the retained earnings.

2	Other operating income
		6 months ended	6 months ended	Year ended
		September 2010	September 2009	March 2010
		Group	Group		Group
	Rental income	1,763	1,738		3,634
	Interest receivable on short term deposits	2	176		313
	Underwriting commission	-	-		24
		_______	_______		_______
		1,765	1,914		3,971
		_______	_______		_______

3	Earnings per ordinary share
	The return per ordinary share is based on the following figures:
		6 months ended	6 months ended	Year ended
		September 2010	September 2009	March 2010
		Group	Group	Group
		£000	£000	£000
	Revenue return	2,012	2,061	3,797
	Capital return	1,588	21,009	29,777
	Weighted average ordinary
	shares in issue	45,549,975	45,549,975	45,549,975
	Return per share - revenue	4.42p	4.52p	8.34p
	Return per share - capital	3.48p	46.12p	65.37p
		_______	_______	_______
	Total return per share	7.90p	50.64p	73.71p
		_______	_______	_______

		6 months ended 30 September 2010	6 months ended 30 September 2009	Year ended 31 March 2010
4	Dividends paid	£000	£000	£000
	Ordinary dividends on equity shares deducted from reserves are as follows:-
	Dividends on ordinary shares:
	Final dividend of 3.8p per share (2009 - 3.7p)	1,731	1,685	1,685
	paid 16 July 2010
	Interim dividend of 3.8p per share (2009 - 3.8p)	-	-	1,731
	paid 8 January 2010
	Unclaimed dividends refunded by Registrar	-	-	(1)
		__________	__________	__________
		1,731	1,685	3,415
		__________	__________	__________

5	Interim dividend
	The Directors have declared an interim dividend of 3.8p (2010 3.8p) per ordinary share, payable on 7 January 2011 to shareholders registered on 10 December 2010. The shares will be quoted ex dividend on 8 December 2010.

6	Retained earnings
	The table below shows the movement in retained earnings analysed between revenue (distributable) and capital (non-distributable) items.
		Group
		Revenue	Capital	Total
		£000	£000	£000
	At 31 March 2010	3,855	78,709	82,564
	Movement during the period:-
	Profit for the period	2,012	1,588	3,600
	Dividends paid on ordinary shares	(1,731)	-	(1,731)
		_______	_______	_______
	At 30 September 2010	4,136	80,297	84,433
		_______	_______	_______

7	Transaction costs
	During the period, expenses were incurred in acquiring and disposing of investments classified as fair value through profit or loss. These have been expensed through capital and are included within gains and losses on investments in the Income Statement.
		6 months ended 30 September 2010	6 months ended 30 September 2009	Year ended 31 March 2010
		£000	£000	£000
	The total costs are as follows:-
	Purchases	51	60	200
	Sales	6	17	33
		__________	__________	__________
		57	77	233
		__________	__________	__________

8	Related Party Transactions
	Angela Lascelles and Matthew Oakeshott, Directors of the Company, are directors of OLIM Limited ('OLIM') which has an agreement with the Group to provide investment management services. OLIM receives a quarterly fee of 1/6% of the Group's total assets less current liabilities. OLIM is also entitled to a performance fee, charged wholly to capital if the total positive returns to shareholders from their investment in the Company exceed the total return on the FTSE All-Share Index by more than 10 percentage points in any three year period.
	OLIM Limited received an investment management fee of £456,000 (half year to 30 September 2009: £360,000 and year to 31 March 2010: £832,000). At the period end, the balance owed by the Group to OLIM Limited was £74,000 (31 March 2010: £74,000) comprising management fees for the month of September 2010, subsequently paid in October 2010.
	Audax Properties plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and accordingly the Company is the ultimate controlling party.

9	Comparative information
	The financial information in this report does not constitute statutory financial statements as defined in sections 434 - 436 of the Companies Act 2006. The financial information for the six months ended 30 September 2010 and 2009 has not been audited. The information for the year ended 31 March 2010 has been extracted from latest published audited financial statements that have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The report of the auditors on those accounts contained no qualification under section 498 (2), (3) or (4) of the Companies Act 2006.
	The financial information for the six months ended 30 September 2010 and 2009 has not been audited.

10	Approval
	The Half-Yearly Report was approved by the Board on 2 November 2010.

 

END

 

 

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