Final Results
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
The total return on the net assets of Temple Bar during 2007 was -4.3%, which
compares with a total return for the FTSE All-Share Index of 5.3%. This is a
disappointing outcome, due mainly to the fund manager's reluctance to invest in
the mining sector, the underperformance of a number of retailers and the poor
performance of the small part of the portfolio invested in smaller companies.
In contrast a very satisfactory performance was achieved in relation to income
from the portfolio and the Board is recommending a final dividend of 21.07p, to
produce a total increase for the year of 6.0%. This dividend will be payable
on 31 March 2008 to shareholders on the register at 14 March 2008. This is the
24th consecutive year in which the dividend has been increased. The revenue
reserve, which, after adjusting for the proposed final dividend for 2007,
amounts to £15.6m, should provide shareholders with additional comfort
regarding the security of the dividend.
Post-tax earnings increased by 9.9%. The proposed dividend was more than
covered by net earnings generated on the portfolio during the year.
Discount to Net Asset Value
In recent years the Temple Bar share price has traded reasonably closely to its
net asset value. However, the price of Temple Bar shares ended the year at a
12.5% discount to their underlying asset value adjusted for the market value of
the Company's debt. It is perhaps more relevant that the average discount at
which the shares traded during the year rose from 3.5% to 6.6%. While this
undoubtedly reflects the underlying performance of the assets, discounts
widened in 2007 both for the UK Income & Growth sector and for investment
trusts as a whole. The Board monitors the discount position on a regular basis
and, in conjunction with its brokers, is prepared to undertake share buy backs
in order to contain the level of the discount. With the assistance of its
broker, the Manager continues to communicate closely with our largest
shareholders and investment intermediaries. The Manager also seeks to keep our
smaller investors fully informed with the production of monthly factsheets and
detailed manager commentaries. These can be found on the Company's website,
www.templebarinvestments.com.
Investment Policies - International Investment
It is a new requirement of the UK Listing Authority's Listing Rules that
companies should provide more details on the investment policies and strategies
that are put in place to facilitate achievement of their stated investment
objectives.
The only material development from the policies that have been in place for
some years is the flexibility now afforded to the investment manager to invest
up to 10% of the portfolio in companies whose shares are listed on the stock
exchanges of developed countries other than the UK. The rationale for this
change is a recognition that, increasingly, the jurisdiction in which a company
lists its shares bears no relation to the location of its business activities.
I should emphasise that it is not expected that this additional flexibility
will be significantly utilised in the immediate future.
VAT
In June 2007 the European Court of Justice ruled that investment trust
management fees should be exempt from VAT. This decision has now been accepted
in principle by HM Revenue & Customs, although some procedural matters remain
to be resolved. The result is that future management fees will not be subject
to VAT. The Company has taken appropriate steps to reclaim the relevant VAT
that has been paid on past management fees, although the actual amount remains
uncertain. Accordingly we have not recognised any asset in the financial
statements.
Board
In September 2007 Gary Allen retired from the Board for health considerations.
He had been a valued director since his appointment in 2001, bringing much
knowledge and experience to board deliberations. I am particularly grateful
for his services as Chairman of the audit committee and as Senior Independent
Director. Richard Jewson has succeeded him in both of these roles.
We wish Gary a speedy recovery from his illness. In due course the Board will
seek to appoint an additional director.
Outlook
The dislocation in banking markets, although highly publicised, had a limited
effect on stock markets in 2007. It clearly impacted on the valuation of bank
shares and in the UK market precipitated investor flight from smaller
companies. However, the FTSE 100 ended the year just 6.8% from its all-time
peak.
This rather paradoxical outcome reflects investors' belief that the developing
economies can continue to grow strongly almost regardless of the outcome for
the more mature economies. This theme of 'emerging market decoupling' is
likely to be severely tested during 2008 and may generate significant market
volatility.
Our manager, as always, favours investment in the areas of the market which are
more out of favour in the belief they will recover strongly. His contrarian
beliefs have been challenged by the experiences of 2007 but he remains
confident in the underlying integrity of value investing.
Annual General Meeting
The annual general meeting will be held at 2 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QP on
Monday 31 March 2008 at 11 a.m. In addition to the formal business of the
meeting our portfolio manager, Alastair Mundy, will provide a review of the
past year and comment on the outlook. There will also be an opportunity for
shareholders to meet informally with the directors at the conclusion of the
AGM. I look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible. Shareholders who
are unable to attend the meeting are encouraged to use their proxy votes.
12 February 2008
John Reeve
TWENTY LARGEST INVESTMENTS
as at 31 December 2007
Total assets
Valuation less current liabilities
COMPANY £'000 %
Royal Dutch Shell 54,424 9.76
BP 48,813 8.75
Vodafone 47,654 8.54
HSBC 39,857 7.15
GlaxoSmithKline 35,302 6.33
Unilever 33,158 5.95
UK Treasury 4% 2009 27,159 4.87
BT 19,207 3.44
AstraZeneca 17,578 3.15
HBOS 14,542 2.61
Reuters 12,039 2.16
Wolseley 12,023 2.16
Legal & General 11,754 2.11
Aviva 11,306 2.03
Signet 10,796 1.94
Centrica 9,033 1.62
ITV 8,284 1.49
British American Tobacco 8,084 1.45
Lloyds TSB 7,866 1.41
Daily Mail & General Trust 7,306 1.31
436,185 78.23
Consolidated income statement
for the year ended 31 December 2007
2007 2006
Revenue Capital Revenue Capital
return return Total return return Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Investment income 20,989 - 20,989 20,410 - 20,410
Other operating income 1,535 - 1,535 390 - 390
Total income 22,524 - 22,524 20,800 - 20,800
(Losses)/gains on
investments
(Losses)/gains on fair
value through profit
or loss assets - (37,522) (37,522) - 69,689 69,689
22,524 (37,522) (14,998) 20,800 69,689 90,489
Expenses
Management fees (890) (1,335) (2,225) (921) (1,382) (2,303)
Other expenses (442) (1,165) (1,607) (426) (1,172) (1,598)
Profit before finance
costs and tax
21,192 (40,022) (18,830) 19,453 67,135 86,588
Finance costs (1,831) (2,747) (4,578) (1,833) (2,749) (4,582)
Profit before tax 19,361 (42,769) (23,408) 17,620 64,386 82,006
Tax - - - - - -
Profit for the year 19,361 (42,769) (23,408) 17,620 64,386 82,006
EARNINGS PER SHARE
(BASIC & DILUTED)
33.19p (73.31)p (40.12)p 30.20p 110.36p 140.56p
The total column of this statement represents the Group's Income Statement
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. No operations were acquired or discontinued during the year.
There are no minority interests.
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
for the year ended 31 December 2007
Ordinary Share Capital Capital
share premium reserve reserve Retained Total
capital account realised unrealised earnings equity
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
BALANCE AT 1 JANUARY 14,585 5,083 333,041 92,083 24,829 469,621
2006
CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR
2006
Profit for the year - - 49,441 14,945 17,620 82,006
14,585 5,083 382,482 107,028 42,449 551,627
Dividends paid to equity - - - - (16,499) (16,499)
shareholders
BALANCE AT 31 DECEMBER 14,585 5,083 382,482 107,028 25,950 535,128
2006
CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR
2007
Profit for the year - - 28,551 (71,320) 19,361 (23,408)
14,585 5,083 411,033 35,708 45,311 511,720
Dividends paid to equity - - - - (17,380) (17,380)
shareholders
BALANCE AT 31 DECEMBER 14,585 5,083 411,033 35,708 27,931 494,340
2007
Consolidated balance sheet
as at 31 December 2007
31 December 2007 31 December 2006
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
NON-CURRENT ASSETS
Investment held at fair value through 554,576 579,105
profit or loss
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents 3,412 15,750
Other receivables 2,808 4,335
6,220 20,085
TOTAL ASSETS 560,796 599,190
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Other payables (3,084) (705)
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 557,712 598,485
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
Interest bearing borrowings (63,372) (63,357)
NET ASSETS 494,340 535,128
EQUITY ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY HOLDERS
Ordinary share capital 14,585 14,585
Share premium 5,083 5,083
Capital reserve - realised 411,033 382,482
Capital reserve - unrealised 35,708 107,028
Retained earnings 27,931 25,950
494,340 535,128
TOTAL EQUITY 494,340 535,128
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE 847.33p 917.25p
Consolidated cash flow statement
for the year ended 31 December 2007
2007 2006
£'000 £'000
£'000 £'000
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING
ACTIVITIES
(Loss)/profit before tax (23,408) 82,006
Adjustments for:
Purchases of investments¹ (182,309) (168,918)
Sales of investments¹ 169,316 172,514
(12,993) 3,596
(Losses)/gains on investments 37,522 (69,689)
Financing costs 4,578 4,582
Operating cash flows before 5,699 20,495
movements in working capital
Increase/(decrease) in accrued (222) 505
income and prepayments
Decrease in receivables 1,749 4,113
Increase/(decrease) in 2,379 (14,958)
payables
NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING 9,605 10,155
ACTIVITIES BEFORE AND AFTER
INCOME TAX
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING
ACTIVITES
Interest paid on borrowings (4,559) (4,559)
Bank interest paid (4) (10)
Equity dividends paid (17,380) (16,499)
NET CASH USED IN FINANCING (21,943) (21,068)
ACTIVITIES
NET DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH (12,338) (10,913)
EQUIVALENTS
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT
THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR
15,750 26,663
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT
THE END OF THE YEAR
3,412 15,750
¹ Purchases and sales of investments are considered to be operating
activities of the Company, given its purpose, rather than investing activities.
Dividend
The directors will recommend to shareholders at the annual general meeting to
be held on 31 March 2008 that a final dividend of 21.07p per ordinary share be
paid on 31 March 2008 to shareholders on the Register at the close of business
on 14 March 2008.
Notes
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 2006 and 31 December 2007. The 2007 accounts will be sent to
shareholders shortly.
The financial information contained in this announcement does not constitute
full accounts within the meaning of section 254 of the Companies Act 1985. The
2007 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 2006 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 2008
Contact: Alastair Mundy Telephone 020 7597 2000
Investec Investment Management Limited