Correction : Interim Results
The issuer wishes to notify you that an error was made in this announcement
made on 18 December 2002. The title was incorrect and should have read 'FOR THE
YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2003'. This has now been amended.
INVESCO Asia Trust plc
Preliminary Announcement of Unaudited Interim Results
For the Financial Year Ended 30 April 2003
Chairman's Statement
The period under review was characterised by volatility in global markets as
investors' fears over the threat of war, subdued economic activity in the US
and indiscriminate selling of equities by insurance companies and mutual funds
countered the positives of low interest rates and low inflation environments.
In these difficult conditions, the Company's net asset value fell by 30.2% over
the six month period by comparison with a fall of 24.8%, adjusted for sterling,
in the benchmark index (the MSCI (All Country) Far East ex Japan Free Index).
Performance had shown some improvement at the start of the period, before a
steady decline between June and September as the tensions referred to earlier
fuelled investor unease.
Borrowing was reduced during the period from £6.9 million to £4.3 million.
Gearing increased from 3% to 5% as a result of the decline in the portfolio
value.
No dividend will be declared in respect of the interim period.
Looking ahead, it is hard to be optimistic of any significant improvement in
global markets while there continues the possibility of war in Iraq and further
terrorist activity. However, the portfolio is well placed to benefit from a
return in investor confidence which would follow resolution - one way or
another - of current global tensions.
Statement of Total Return
(Incorporating the Revenue Account)
Six Months to
31 October
2002
(Unaudited)
Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000
Losses/(gains) on investments-realised - (1,103) (1,103)
-unrealised - (21,747) (21,747)
Exchange losses/(gains) - (96) (96)
Income
Unfranked investment income-dividends 568 - 568
Stock dividends 27 - 27
Deposit interest 5 - 5
Other income - - -
Gross return 600 (22,946) (22,346)
Investment management fee-note 1 (57) (171) (228)
Other expenses (174) (1) (175)
Net return before finance costs and
taxation 369 (23,118) (22,749)
Interest payable and similar charges - note (38) (113) (151)
1
Return on ordinary activities before
Taxation 331 (23,231) (22,900)
Tax on ordinary activities (142) 66 (76)
Return on ordinary activities after tax for
the financial period (attributable to
equity shareholders) 189 (23,165) (22,976)
Dividends in respect of equity
shares-note 2 - - -
Transfer to/(from) reserves 189 (23,165) (22,976)
Return/(loss) per ordinary share:-note 3
Basic 0.18p (21.86)p (21.68)p
The Revenue column of this statement is the Revenue account of the Company. All
revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing
operations. No operations were acquired or discontinued in the period.
Statement of Total Return
(Incorporating the Revenue
Account)
Six Months to 31 Year to 30
October 2001 April 2002
(Unaudited) (Audited)
Revenue Capital Total Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Gains/(losses) on investments - 1,980 1,980 8,155
-realised
-unrealised - (16,861) (16,861) 1,417
Exchange losses - (119) (119) (191)
Income
Unfranked investment income 546 - 546 1,105
-dividends
Scrip dividends 35 - 35 53
Deposit interest 51 - 51 87
Other income 28 - 28 -
Gross return 660 (15,000) (14,340) 10,626
Investment management fee-note 1 (52) (155) (207) (493)
Other expenses (176) (9) (185) (397)
Net return before finance costs
and
Taxation 432 (15,164) (14,732) 9,736
Interest payable and similar (2) (5) (7) (96)
charges - note 1
Return on ordinary activities
before
Taxation 430 (15,169) (14,739) 9,640
Tax on ordinary activities (137) 68 (69) (117)
Return on ordinary activities 293 (15,101) (14,808) 9,523
after tax for the financial
period (attributable to
equity shareholders)
Dividends in respect of equity
shares-note 2 - - - (424)
Transfer to/(from) reserves 293 (15,101) (14,808) 9,099
Return/(loss) per ordinary
share:-note 3
Basic 0.28p (14.25)p (13.97)p 8.99p
Balance Sheet
At At At
31 October 30 April 31 October
2002 2002 2001
(Unaudited) (Audited) (Unaudited)
£'000 £'000 £'000
Fixed assets
Investments 56,016 78,437 47,313
Current assets
Amounts due from brokers 179 4,105 -
Tax recoverable - 6 74
VAT recoverable 27 30 26
Prepayments and accrued 48 124 53
income
Cash at bank 1,636 1,058 4,982
1,890 5,323 5,135
Creditors: amount falling
due
within one year
Amounts owed to brokers 211 - -
Short-term loan 4,340 6,900 -
Accruals and deferred income 222 327 246
Proposed dividend - 424 -
4,773 7,651 246
Net current (liabilities)/ (2,883) (2,328) 4,889
assets
Total assets less current 53,133 76,109 52,202
liabilities
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital 10,596 10,596 10,596
Share premium account 74,588 74,588 74,588
Other reserves
Capital redemption reserve 650 650 650
Special reserve 25,796 25,796 25,796
Capital reserve-realised (35,383) (33,965) (39,787)
Capital reserve-unrealised (23,931) (2,184) (20,462)
Revenue reserve 817 628 821
Equity Shareholder's funds 53,133 76,109 52,202
Net asset value per ordinary
share-note 4
Basic 50.1p 71.8p 49.3p
Cash Flow Statement
Six months Year to Six months
to to
31 October 30 April 31 October
2002 2002 2001
(Unaudited) (Audited) (Unaudited)
£'000 £'000 £'000
Cash flow from operating 80 227 152
activities
Servicing of finance (137) (94) (7)
Taxation 7 154 85
Capital expenditure and financial
investment
Purchase of investments (8,066) (51,498) (15,859)
Sale of investments 11,774 39,681 14,187
Equity dividends paid (424) (318) (282)
Net cash inflow/(outflow)inflow
before
management of liquid resources
and
financing 3,234 (11,848) (1,094)
Management of liquid resources (603) 1,640
Financing (2,560) 6,900 -
Increase/(decrease) in cash in 71 (3,308) (546)
the period
Cash outflow/(inflow) from
increase/(decrease) in liquid 2,560 (1,640) (1,640)
resources
Cash outflow/(inflow) from
decrease/(increase)
in debt 603 (6,900) -
Translation difference (96) (191) (121)
Movement in net funds/(debt) in 3,138 (12,039) (1,215)
the period
Net (debt)/funds at beginning of (5,842) 6,197 6,197
period
Net (debt)/funds at end of period (2,704) (5,842) 4,982
Reconciliation of Movement in Shareholders' Funds
Six Six
Months to Year to Months to
31 October 30 April 31 October
2002 2002 2001
(Unaudited) (Audited) (Unaudited)
£'000 £'000 £'000
Revenue return for the 189 100 293
period
Capital return for the (23,165) 8,999 (15,101)
period
Net movement in (22,976) 9,099 (14,808)
Shareholders' funds
Opening Shareholders' 76,109 67,010 67,010
funds
Closing Shareholders' 53,133 76,109 52,202
funds
Notes to the interim accounts
1. Investment management fees and interest payable on borrowings are allocated
75% to the capital reserve-realised and 25% to the revenue account.
2. No interim dividend has been declared in respect of the year ending 30 April
2003 (2002-nil).
3. Basic revenue return per ordinary share is based on the net revenue on
ordinary activities after taxation and on 105,962,217 (30 April 2002:
105,962,136; 31 October 2001: 105,962,059) ordinary shares, being the weighted
average number of shares in issue during the period.
Basic capital return per ordinary share is based on net capital gains on
ordinary activities after taxation and on 105,962,217 (30 April 2002:
105,962,136; 31 October 2001: 105,962,059) ordinary shares, being the weighted
average number of shares in issue during the period.
4. The basic net asset value per ordinary share of 10p has been calculated on
net assets at the period end and on 105,962,225 ordinary shares (30 April 2002:
105,962,215; 31 October 2001: 105,962,215), being the number of ordinary shares
in issue at the period end. On this basis the net asset value is calculated as
50.1p (71.8p: 30 April 2002, 49.3p: 31 October 2002). This compares to the net
asset value reported to the AITC of 49.9p (71.7p; 30 April 2002, 48.9p: 31
October 2002) which takes no account of the undistributed net revenue of the
period. On 24 October 2002, 10 warrants were exercised for £1 each and
converted into 10 ordinary shares of 10p each, leaving a balance of 22,157,684
warrants at the period end.
5. It is the intention of the Directors to conduct the affairs of the Company
so that it satisfies the conditions for approval as an investment trust company
set out in section 842 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.
6. The foregoing information at 30 April 2002 is an abridged version of the
Company's full accounts which carry an unqualified Auditor's Report and which
have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.
7. On 25 November 2002 the registered office of the Company and of INVESCO
Asset Management Limited changed to 30 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AG.
By order of the Board
INVESCO Asset Management Limited
Secretaries
16 December 2002