Interim Management Statement
Introduction
I am pleased to present the Crown Place VCT PLC's interim management statement
for the period from 1 January to 11 May 2010 as required by the UK Listing
Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rule 4.3.
Performance and dividends
The Company's unaudited net asset value (NAV), based on management accounts, as
at 31 March 2010 was £24.1 million (31 December 2009: £24.8 million) or 33.5
pence per share (excluding treasury shares) (31 December 2009: 34.2 pence per
share). This is after accounting for the second dividend for the year to 30 June
2010 of 1.25 pence per share (total cost: £902,000), paid on 9 April 2010 to
shareholders on the register as at 12 March 2010.
After adding back the second dividend for the financial year, the net asset
value has risen by 0.6 pence or 2 per cent. since 31 December 2009, mainly as a
result of an increase in the valuation of the Company's unquoted investments.
Share issues, buybacks and discount management
On 9 April 2010, the Company issued 110,944 Ordinary shares of 10 pence each at
a price of 32.93 pence per share under the Dividend Reinvestment Scheme.
During the period from 1 January 2010 to 11 May 2010, the Company purchased
554,546 shares for cancellation at an average price of 29 pence per share.
It remains the Board's policy to buy back shares in the market, subject to the
overall constraint that such purchases are in the Company's interest, including
the maintenance of sufficient resources for investment in existing and new
investee companies and the continued payment of dividends to shareholders.
It is the Company's intention that, subject to the sufficiency of cash resources
and any market constraints, share buy-backs will take place at a discount of
around 10 per cent. to the prevailing net asset value.
Portfolio
The following investments have been made during the period from 1 January 2010
to 11 May 2010:
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Name |£000's|  |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Orchard Portman Hospital Limited |384 |The two portfolio companies are |
|(new investment) |Â |invested in a project which is |
|Â |Â |converting a nursing home in |
|Taunton Nursing Home Limited (new |100 |Taunton, Somerset into a mental |
|investment) | |health hospital |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Forth Photonics Limited (further |140 |Developer, manufacturer and seller |
|investment) | |of medical devices for the |
| | |detection of epithelial cancers |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Prime Care Holdings Limited |120 |Provider of domiciliary care |
|(further investment) | |services |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|The Stanwell Hotel Limited (further|54 |Owner and operator of the Stanwell |
|investment) | |Hotel at Heathrow airport |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Oxsensis Limited (further |47 |Developer and producer of |
|investment) | |industrial sensors used in |
| | |super-high temperature environments|
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Mi-Pay Limited (further investment)|43 |Provider of mobile payment services|
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|Rostima Limited (further |21 |Provider of workforce management |
|investment) | |solutions software |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
|GB Pub Company VCT Limited (further|4 |Freehold pub owner and operator |
|investment) | | |
+-----------------------------------+------+-----------------------------------+
Disposal of a material investment
On 9 March 2010, the Board noted it was in advanced discussions to sell its
interest in one of its investee companies. Discussions to sell its interest in
this investee company are ongoing and if the investee company were sold it is
likely to result in a material uplift in Crown Place VCT PLC NAV per share but
there remains no certainty as to whether any transaction will complete. Further
announcements will be made as appropriate.
Other disposals
During the period from 1 January 2010 to 11 May 2010, the Dunedin Pub Company
VCT Limited repaid £120,000 of loan stock, and River Bourne Limited repaid
£4,000 of loan stock. In addition, proceeds of £229,000 were received in
relation to the part disposal of Avanti Communications plc.
Top ten qualifying holdings (as at 31 March 2010)
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Investment | Carrying/fair value |
| | £000's |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| The Crown Hotel Harrogate Limited | 2,111 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| ELE Advanced Technologies Limited | 1,712 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| The Stanwell Hotel Limited | 1,169 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| The Charnwood Pub Company Limited | 1,133 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Kensington Health Club Limited | 1,065 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Kew Green VCT (Stansted) Limited | 942 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Geronimo Inns VCT I Limited | 824 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Geronimo Inns VCT II Limited | 824 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Avanti Communications plc | 771 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
| Blackbay Limited | 627 |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------+
There have been no further significant events or transactions that the Board are
aware of which would have a material impact on the financial position of the
Company between 1 January 2010 and 11 May 2010.
Further information regarding historic and current financial performance and
other useful shareholder information can be found on the Fund's website
underwww.albion-ventures.co.uk <
http://www.albion-ventures.co.uk/>/Our
Funds/Crown Place VCT PLC.
Patrick Crosthwaite, Chairman
11 May 2010
For further information please contact:
Patrick Reeve, Albion Ventures LLP - tel: 020 7601 1850
[HUG#1414943]
*A Private Investor is a recipient of the information who meets all of the conditions set out below, the recipient:
Obtains access to the information in a personal capacity;
Is not required to be regulated or supervised by a body concerned with the regulation or supervision of investment or financial services;
Is not currently registered or qualified as a professional securities trader or investment adviser with any national or state exchange, regulatory authority, professional association or recognised professional body;
Does not currently act in any capacity as an investment adviser, whether or not they have at some time been qualified to do so;
Uses the information solely in relation to the management of their personal funds and not as a trader to the public or for the investment of corporate funds;
Does not distribute, republish or otherwise provide any information or derived works to any third party in any manner or use or process information or derived works for any commercial purposes.
Please note, this site uses cookies. Some of the cookies are essential for parts of the site to operate and have already been set. You may delete and block all cookies from this site, but if you do, parts of the site may not work. To find out more about the cookies used on Investegate and how you can manage them, see our Privacy and Cookie Policy
To continue using Investegate, please confirm that you are a private investor as well as agreeing to our Privacy and Cookie Policy & Terms.