Final Results
BARING EMERGING EUROPE PLC
Preliminary unaudited announcement
in respect of the year ended 30 September 2007
INCOME STATEMENT
Year ended 30 September 2007
Revenue Capital Total
£000 £000 £000
Gains on investments held at fair
value through profit or loss - 104,815 104,815
Income 5,220 - 5,220
Investment management fee (3,222 ) - (3,222 )
Other expenses (1,246 ) - (1,246 )
Return before finance charges and taxation 752 104,815 105,567
Finance charges (10 ) - (10 )
Return before taxation 742 104,815 105,557
Taxation (524 ) - (524 )
Return attributable to ordinary shareholders 218 104,815 105,033
Total
Return per ordinary share 245.80 p
Dividend per ordinary share 0.50 p
INCOME STATEMENT
Year ended 30 September 2006
Revenue Capital Total
£000 £000 £000
Gains on investments held at fair
value through profit of loss - 37,493 37,493
Income 5,838 - 5,838
Investment management fee (2,661 ) 21 (2,640 )
Other expenses (1,142 ) - (1,142 )
Return before finance charges and taxation 2,035 37,514 39,549
Finance charges (5 ) - (5 )
Return before taxation 2,030 37,514 39,544
Taxation (731 ) - (731 )
Return attributable to ordinary shareholders 1,299 37,514 38,813
Total
Return per ordinary share 89.45 p
Dividend per ordinary share 2.70 p
BALANCE SHEET
30 September 30 September
2007 2006
£000 £000
Fixed assets
Investments at fair value through 370,406 285,415
profit or loss
Current assets
Debtors 7,741 1,901
Cash at bank and in hand 13,549 5,326
21,290 7,227
Creditors: Amounts falling due within
one year (9,508 ) (606 )
Net current assets 11,782 6,621
Net assets 382,188 292,036
Capital and reserves
Called-up share capital 4,436 4,436
Share premium account 1,411 1,411
Special Reserve 79,917 79,917
Redemption reserve 352 352
Capital reserve-realised 157,723 84,187
Capital reserve-unrealised 154,516 123,237
Revenue reserve 1,084 2,034
Own shares held (17,251 ) (3,538 )
Total equity shareholders' funds 382,188 292,036
Net asset value per share 921.43 p 675.07 p
RECONCILIATION OF MOVEMENT IN SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS
For the year ended 30 September 2007
Called-up Share Capital Capital Own
share premium Special Redemption reserve reserve Revenue shares
capital account reserve reserve realised unrealised reserve held Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Beginning of year 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 84,187 123,237 2,034 (3,538)292,036
Net gain on realisation of investments - - - - 73,536 - - - 73,536
Unrealised appreciation on investments - - - - - 31,279 - - 1,279
Net revenue for the year - - - - - - 218 - 218
Buy back of own shares held in
treasury - - - - - - - (13,713)(13,713)
Dividends paid - - - - - - (1,168) - (1,168)
Balance at 30 September 2007 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 157,723 154,516 1,084 (17,251)382,188
For the year ended 30 September 2006
Called-up Share Capital Capital Own
share premium Special Redemption reserve reserve Revenue shares
capital account reserve reserve realised unrealised reserve held Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Beginning of year 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 41,794 128,116 1,384 (3,538) 253,872
Net gain on realisation of investments - - - - 42,372 - - - 42,372
Unrealised depreciation on investments - - - - - (4,879) - - (4,879)
Capital management charges - - - - 21 - - - 21
Net revenue for
the year - - - - - - 1,299 - 1,299
Dividends paid - - - - - - (649) - (649)
Balance at
30 September 2006 4,436 1,411 79,917 352 84,187 123,237 2,034 (3,538) 292,036
CASHFLOW STATEMENT
Year Year
ended ended
30 September 30 September
2007 2006
£000 £000
Operating activities
Income received from investments 5,541 4,848
Interest received 108 53
Investment management fees paid (3,169 ) (3,288 )
Other cash payments (1,237 ) (1,045 )
Net cash inflow from operating activities 1,243 568
Servicing of finance
Interest paid (10 ) (5 )
Taxation
Overseas tax paid (524 ) (731 )
Capital expenditure and financial investment
Purchases of investments (178,857 ) (101,037 )
Sales of investments 201,252 103,736
Net cash inflow from capital expenditure
and financial investment
22,395 2,699
Equity dividends paid (1,168 ) (649 )
Net cash inflow before financing 21,936 1,882
Financing
Buyback of ordinary shares (13,713 ) -
Net cash outflow from financing (13,713 ) -
Increase in cash 8,223 1,882
NOTES
1. Current year's information
These accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by
the revaluation of fixed asset investments and in accordance with applicable
accounting standards and with the Statement of Recommended Practice 2003
(revised 2005) regarding the Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies
("SORP"). The abridged figures for 2007 are an extract from the latest
financial statements and do not constitute statutory financial statements. The
financial statements have not yet been delivered to the Registrar of Companies,
nor have the Auditors yet reported on them.
2. Comparative information
The figures and financial information for the year ended 30 September 2006 are
an extract from the latest published accounts and do not constitute statutory
accounts. Full accounts for that period have been delivered to the Registrar of
Companies and included the report of the auditors which was unqualified and did
not contain a statement under section 237 of the Companies Act 1985.
3. Posting of Annual Report
The Annual Report will be posted to shareholders on or around 12 December 2007.
It will not be advertised in newspapers, but copies will be available from that
date at the Company's Registered Office at 155 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3XY.
4. Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting will be held at 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2 on
Tuesday, 15 January 2008 at 2.30pm.
5. Dividend
Subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting, the annual dividend of
0.5p per share will be paid on 6 February 2008 to members on the register at
the close of business on 11 January 2008. The shares will be marked ex-dividend
on 9 January 2008.
6. Return per Ordinary Share
The return per ordinary share is based on the weighted average of 42,732,444
ordinary shares in issue during the year (2006: 43,395,523 shares).
7. Ordinary Shares in Issue
At 30 September 2007 there were 41,477,707 ordinary shares in issue which
excludes 2,882,199 ordinary shares held in treasury.
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
Company Performance
The year to 30 September 2007 was another good year for your Company with the
share price rising by 38.1%. The performance of the net asset value (NAV)
relative to the blended benchmark (see below) was less satisfactory at 36.5%
versus 42.2%. The Company's NAV has now increased every year since the launch
of the Company on 17 December 2002 and from that date has increased by 475.9%.
The main components of the Company's total expenditure are proportionate to the
capital value of the portfolio. During the year this increased significantly
while the dividend income from the underlying investments actually fell
modestly. As a result the income available for distribution declined from 3.00p
per share for the year to 30th September 2006 to 0.51p per share for the
current year out of which the Directors are recommending a dividend of 0.5p per
share.
Discount Management
The Board believes that shareholders' interests are best served by containing
the volatility of the discount and the Board has been willing to repurchase
shares when the discount persistently exceeds the target set by the Board. At
the year-end the discount was 9.3% and for the year as a whole it averaged
9.8%. During the year ended 30 September 2007 1,782,199 shares were repurchased
at a cost of £13.7 million. Subsequent to the year-end a further 805,539 shares
have been repurchased.
The Board prefers to have the flexibility to hold any shares repurchased in
Treasury so that they can be reissued at a later date. The Board understands
the concerns about a dilution of NAV by issuing shares at a discount. Therefore
at the AGM the Board will again be putting forward resolutions to repurchase
shares for cancellation or to be held in Treasury but to be reissued only at
NAV or above. The Board hopes that shareholders will support these resolutions.
Investment Manager
Mr Martin Majdaniuk joined Baring Asset Management's Emerging European Equities
team in January 2007 and assumed full responsibility for the Company's
portfolio in May 2007. The Board looks forward to continue to work with him.
Benchmark
As I reported in my statement with the interim report we have carried out a
review of the Company's investment benchmark and have now agreed with Baring
Asset Management that the MSCI EM Europe 10/40 Index should be adopted with
effect from 1 April 2007. This benchmark is considered to be more suitable for
the investment mandate and should allow for more effective performance
comparison against the peer group. The previous benchmark was affected by
concentration issues which made it difficult for the investment manager to
reflect his market views in the portfolio weightings. For this reason we have
agreed that the cumulative performance should be set at zero in calculating any
performance fee from 1 April 2007 onwards. Prior to 1 April 2007 the Company's
benchmark was the FTSE Custom All World Emerging Europe Index with Russia
weighted at 70% and Turkey at 30% of actual market weightings. For reporting
purposes for the year to 30 September 2007 the benchmark is a combination of
the two indices which we refer to as the "blended benchmark".
Investment Policy
The United Kingdom Listing Authority (UKLA) now requires investment companies
to publish a detailed investment policy containing information about the
policies relating to asset allocation, risk diversification and gearing. The
Company's investment policy was contained in the prospectus issued for the
launch of the Company in 2002 and we have not sought to change this policy. The
Company's detailed investment policy can be found in the Report of the
Directors.
Annual General Meeting
The next Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 15 January 2008 at 155
Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3XY commencing at 2.30pm. The formal business will be
preceded by a presentation from the Investment Manager, after which there will
be an opportunity for shareholders to raise any specific issues with the
Investment Manager or with any member of the Board.
Outlook
Despite the continued high returns during the year under review we share the
confidence expressed by the Investment Manager in its report about the
Company's prospects.
Iain Saunders
Chairman
29 November 2007
For enquiries please contact:
Brian Corris at Baring Asset Management Limited on 020 7628 6000