Final Results - Correction
Amendment
This is a correction to the announcement that was released on 24 June 2002 at
15.43. The dividend payment date and record date are detailed below.
INVESCO Asia Trust plc
Preliminary Announcement of Unaudited Final Results
For the Financial Year Ended 30 April 2002
Chairman's Statement
In my statement at this time last year I suggested that we could look for
better performance, in both relative and absolute terms, from Asian markets in
the year ahead. This has proved to be the case and is reflected in an increase
of 13.6% in the Fund's net asset value during a period in which our benchmark
index, the MSCI (All Country) Far East ex Japan Free Index, rose by 10.5%.
The mid-market price of the Company's ordinary shares increased by 24.1% over
the period because of the portfolio's performance and the narrowing of the
discount on the share price from 19.4% at end April 2001 to 11.9% at 30 April
2002.
There are now continuing signs of decoupling of Asian markets from other global
markets. Increasingly, investors are recognising the Asian-specific positives
of growing domestic demand, continuing corporate restructuring, increasing
global outsourcing trends and highly competitive export performance.
Authoritative economic commentators are forecasting that the Region's economies
could grow by 5.2% this year, with China and South Korea as the star
performers. As an aside, however, we remain cautious of exposure to China where
significant governance issues remain unresolved.
It must be acknowledged, of course, that the global environment remains
challenging following the bursting of the technology bubble and weak capital
expenditure in Western economies; and that, despite the decoupling of markets
mentioned above, Asian economies will continue to be affected - through the
export link - by the volatility of the global cycle.
While caution will therefore remain the watchword, the Managers will continue
their emphasis on bottom-up stock selection, with rigorous valuation
disciplines designed to add value to the portfolio.
Dividends
Higher income and lower management expenses and interest charges contributed to
an increase in distributable revenue from £338,000 last year to £524,000 for
the year under review. In accordance with our policy of considering only the
net revenue of the year as available for distribution, the Board is
recommending a dividend of 0.4 pence per ordinary share (2001: 0.3p). If that
is approved, the balance of £100,000 remaining will be carried to reserves. The
dividend will be payable on 2 August 2002 to shareholders on the register on 5
July 2002.
Annual General Meeting
The Board is proposing two items of Special Business at the Annual General
Meeting. The first seeks renewal of the authority to issue new ordinary shares,
and the second for renewed authority to buy back the Company's ordinary shares
- in both cases within prescribed limits as set out in the Notice of the
Meeting. Neither of these authorities has been exercised in the year under
review, but the Board considers it prudent to have the flexibility to issue new
shares and to buy back shares as and when they consider it appropriate to do
so. Approval of the relevant resolutions will enable the Board to act within a
much shorter time scale than would otherwise be the case. No new shares would
be issued at prices below prevailing net asset values, nor would shares be
repurchased at prices higher than prevailing net asset values.
Outlook
Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and South Korea, the five
countries most affected by 1997's financial crisis, have repaid more than
US$100 billion of external debt since 1997, and they continue to rebuild their
foreign exchange reserves. In 1995, Asia's emerging economies had a combined
current account deficit of US$37 billion. This had been converted to a US$90
billion surplus by the end of 2000. These factors, taken together with the
positive trends which I have referred to above, suggest to us that there is a
real prospect of East Asia regaining its former status as the fastest growing
region in the world. The process will not be complete this year or next and
there will doubtless be thrills and spills along the way, but the Board looks
forward to a continuing, if gradual, improvement in investor sentiment in the
markets in which we invest and further advances in your Company's fortunes.
Alfred Ho, our manager based in Hong Kong, will make a short presentation on
performance and prospects at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting,
after which the Board will look forward to meeting shareholders over
refreshments.
I would like to conclude this year's statement with a note of thanks to Sir
Michael Richardson who retired at the Annual General Meeting last year. He had
been associated with the Company and its predecessor for many years and he
served them well. He was the most courteous and congenial of colleagues and the
other members of the Board join me in wishing him good health, long life and
happiness in his retirement.
Robin Baillie
Chairman
20 June 2002
Statement of Total Return (incorporating the revenue account)
for the year ended 30 April
2002 2001
Unaudited
Notes Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Gains/(losses) on 1 - 9,572 9,572 - (26,536) (26,536)
investments
(Losses)/gains on foreign - (191) (191) - 122 122
currency revaluation
Income 2 1,245 - 1,245 1,216 - 1,216
Investment management fee 3 (123) (370) (493) (147) (441) (588)
Other expenses 4 (383) (14) (397) (393) (14) (407)
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . .
Net return before finance 739 8,997 9,736 676 (26,869) (26,193)
costs and taxation
Interest payable and 5 (24) (72) (96) (81) (244) (325)
similar charges
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . .
Return on ordinary 715 8,925 9,640 595 (27,113) (26,518)
activities before tax
Tax on ordinary 6 (191) 74 (117) (257) 181 (76)
activities
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. . .
Return on ordinary 524 8,999 9,523 338 (26,932) (26,594)
activities after tax for
the financial year
Dividend in respect of 7 (424) - (424) (318) - (318)
equity shares
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . .
Transfer to/(from) 100 8,999 9,099 20 (26,932) (26,912)
reserves
Return per ordinary
share:
Basic 8 0.50p 8.49p 8.99p 0.32p (25.19)p (24.87)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 year.
Reconciliation of Movement in Shareholders' Funds
for the year ended 30 April
2002 2001
Unaudited
£'000 £'000
Revenue return for the year 100 20
Capital return for the year 8,999 (26,932)
Shares purchased for cancellation - (3,132)
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
Net movement in Shareholders' funds 9,099 (30,044)
Opening Shareholders' funds 67,010 97,054
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. . . . . . .
Closing Shareholders' funds 76,109 67,010
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement
Balance Sheet
at 30 April
2002 2001
Unaudited
£'000 £'000
Fixed assets
Investments 78,437 60,226
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .
Current assets
Debtors 4,265 1,211
Cash at bank 1,058 6,197
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. . . . .
5,323 7,408
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. . . . .
Creditors: amounts falling due 7,651 624
within one year
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. . . . .
Net current (liabilities)/assets (2,328) 6,784
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. . . . .
Total assets less current 76,109 67,010
liabilities
Capital and reserves
Called-up share capital 10,596 10,596
Share premium account 74,588 74,588
Other reserves
Capital redemption reserve 650 650
Special reserve 25,796 25,796
Capital reserve - realised (33,965) (41,547)
Capital reserve - unrealised (2,184) (3,601)
Revenue reserve 628 528
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. . . . .
Equity Shareholders' funds 76,109 67,010
Net asset value per ordinary share
Basic 71.8p 63.2p
Cash Flow Statement
for the year ended 30 April
2002 2001
Unaudited
£'000 £'000
Cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 227 (18)
Servicing of finance (94) (331)
Taxation 154 204
Capital expenditure and financial investment (11,817) 7,654
Equity dividends paid (318) (695)
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. . . . . . .
Net cash (outflow)/inflow before management of liquid (11,848) 6,814
resources and financing
Management of liquid resources 1,640 (1,640)
Financing 6,900 (6,192)
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. . . . . . .
Decrease in cash (3,308) (1,018)
Reconciliation of cash flow to movement in net (debt)/
funds
2002 2001
Unaudited
£'000 £'000
Decrease in cash (3,308) (1,018)
Cash (inflow)/outflow from (increase)/decrease in debt (6,900) 3,060
Cash (inflow)/outflow from (decrease)/increase in (1,640) 1,640
liquid resources
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. . . . . . .
Change in net (debt)/funds resulting from cash flows (11,848) 3,682
Translation difference (191) 124
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. . . . . . .
Movement in net (debt)/funds in the year (12,039) 3,806
Net funds at beginning of year 6,197 2,391
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. . . . . . .
Net funds at end of year (5,842) 6,197
The financial information set out above does not constitute the Company's
statutory accounts for the years ended 30 April 2002 or 2001. The financial
information for 2001 is derived from the statutory accounts for 2001 which have
been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The Auditors have reported on the
2001 statutory accounts and 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 2002 will be finalised on the basis of the information presented
by the Directors in this preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the
Registrar of Companies following the Company's Annual General Meeting.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement
Notes to the Financial Statements
1. Gains on Investments
2002 2001
£'000 £'000
Realised gains/(losses) on sales 8,155 (3,946)
Movement in unrealised depreciation 1,417 (22,590)
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. . . . . . .
Gains/(losses) on investments 9,572 (26,536)
2. Income
2002 2001
£'000 £'000
Income from investments
Overseas dividends 1,105 1,044
Scrip dividends 53 -
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. . . . .
1,158 1,044
Other income
Deposit interest 87 172
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. . . . .
Total income 1,245 1,216
Total income comprises:
Dividends 1,158 1,044
Interest 87 172
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. . . . .
1,245 1,216
3. Investment management fee
2002 2001
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Investment 123 370 493 147 441 588
management fee
4. Other expenses
2002 2001
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
General expenses 292 - 292 300 - 300
Directors' fees (see below) 60 - 60 68 - 68
Auditors' remuneration - for 18 - 18 17 - 17
audit services
Auditors' remuneration - for 13 - 13 8 - 8
other services
Transaction charges - 14 14 - 14 14
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. . . . . . .
383 14 397 393 14 407
Directors' emoluments are authorised by the Articles of Association in a total
amount of £100,000 per annum. Of the Directors' emoluments disclosed above, £
5,000 (2001: £5,000) was payable to a third party in respect of making
available the services of a Director. The fee was assigned to INVESCO Asset
Management Limited.
5. Interest payable and similar charges
2002 2001
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Overdraft interest 2 5 7 10 30 40
Term loan repayable 22 67 89 71 214 285
within
1 year, not by instalment
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. . . . . . .
24 72 96 81 244 325
6. Tax on net revenue from ordinary activities
2002 2001
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
United Kingdom tax:
Corporation tax at 20% (2001: nil) 33 - 33 - - -
Tax relief attributable to 74 (74) - 181 (181) -
management fee and interest,
allocated to capital reserve -
realised
Relief on overseas tax (33) - (33) - - -
Prior year adjustment (2) - (2) (8) - (8)
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. . . . .
72 (74) (2) 173 (181) (8)
Overseas tax 119 - 119 84 - 84
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. . . . .
191 (74) 117 257 (181) 76
7. Dividends
2002 2001
£'000 £'000
Dividend on equity shares
Ordinary - proposed dividend of 0.4p per share (2001: 0.3p) 424 318
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424 318
8. Return per ordinary share
Basic revenue return per ordinary share is based on the net revenue return on
ordinary activities after taxation and on 105,962,136 (2001: 106,915,417)
ordinary shares, being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue
throughout the year.
Basic capital return per ordinary share is based on the net capital return on
ordinary activities after taxation and on 105,962,136 (2001: 106,915,417)
ordinary shares, being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue
throughout the year.
As the ordinary share price remained under the warrant exercise price, the
warrants are not dilutive and therefore no diluted or fully-diluted return per
ordinary share has been calculated.
The audited Report and Accounts will be posted to shareholders shortly. Copies
may be obtained during normal business from the Company's Registered Office, 11
Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4YR.
The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Company's Registered Office on
Thursday, 1 August 2002 at 12.00 noon.
By order of the Board
INVESCO Asset Management Limited - Secretaries
20 June 2002