Preliminary Announcement
Atlantis Japan Growth Fund Ld
06 July 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASED BY HSBC SECURITIES SERVICES (GUERNSEY) LIMITED
ATLANTIS JAPAN GROWTH FUND LIMITED
PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT
APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON 6TH JULY, 2007.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ATLANTIS JAPAN GROWTH FUND LIMITED ANNOUNCE UNAUDITED RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH
APRIL, 2007.
BALANCE SHEET
As at 30th April 2007
(Expressed in United States Dollars)
2007 2006
Unaudited Audited
$'000 $'000
Non Current Assets
Investments held at fair value 515,814 659,024
Current Assets
Due from brokers 798 1,748
Dividends and interest receivable 3,340 3,150
Other receivables 29 2
Cash and cash equivalents 2,813 2,550
6,980 7,450
Current Liabilities
Due to brokers (2,634) (1,828)
Payables and accrued expenses (820) (941)
Loans payable - (26,340)
(3,454) (29,109)
Net Current Assets/(Liabilities) 3,526 (21,659)
Non Current Liabilities
Loans payable (54,359) (30,730)
Net Assets 464,981 606,635
Equity
Ordinary share capital 204 204
Share premium 192,650 192,650
Revenue reserve (20,788) (18,178)
Capital reserve 292,915 431,959
Net Assets Attributable to Equity Shareholders 464,981 606,635
Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share* $22.75 $29.69
*Based on the Net Asset Value of $464,980,738 (2006 - $606,634,813) divided by the number of ordinary shares in
issue: 20,435,627 (2006 - 20,435,627).
INCOME STATEMENT
For the year ended 30th April 2007
(Expressed in United States Dollars)
2007 2006
Unaudited Audited
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
$'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000
Income
(Losses)/gains on investments - (140,569) (140,569) - 184,360 184,360
held at fair value
Exchange (loss)/gain (67) 2,440 2,373 (72) 3,081 3,009
Investment income 7,219 - 7,219 5,984 - 5,984
Deposit interest - - - - - -
7,152 (138,129) (130,977) 5,912 187,441 193,353
Expenses
Investment management fee 7,467 - 7,467 7,536 - 7,536
Custodian fees 256 - 256 331 - 331
Administration fees 274 - 274 278 - 278
Registrar and transfer agent 27 - 27 45 - 45
fees
Directors' fees and expenses 197 - 197 141 - 141
Interest expense and bank 824 - 824 566 - 566
charges
Transaction costs - 915 915 - 1,113 1,113
Insurance fees 49 - 49 43 - 43
Audit fee 27 - 27 30 - 30
Printing and advertising fees 37 - 37 30 - 30
Legal and professional fees 43 - 43 43 - 43
Listing fees 29 - 29 33 - 33
Miscellaneous expenses 27 - 27 7 - 7
9,257 915 10,172 9,083 1,113 10,196
(Loss)/Profit before tax (2,105) (139,044) (141,149) (3,171) 186,328 183,157
Taxation (505) - (505) (419) - (419)
(Loss)/Profit for the year (2,610) (139,044) (141,654) (3,590) 186,328 182,738
Return per ordinary share $(6.932) $8.941
STATEMENT OF CHANGES OF EQUITY
For the year ended 30th April 2007
(Expressed in United States Dollars)
For the year ended 30th April 2007
Unaudited
Ordinary Share Share Revenue Capital
Capital Premium Reserve Reserve Total
$'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000
Balance at 1st May 2006 204 192,650 (18,178) 431,959 606,635
Loss for the year - - (141,654) - (141,654)
Transfer to capital reserve - - 139,044 (139,044) -
Balance at 30th April 2007 204 192,650 (20,788) 292,915 464,981
For the year ended 30th April 2006
Audited
Ordinary Share Share Revenue Capital
Capital Premium Reserve Reserve Total
$'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000
Balance at 1st May 2005 204 192,650 (14,588) 245,631 423,897
Profit for the year - - 182,738 - 182,738
Transfer to capital reserve - - (186,328) 186,328 -
Balance at 30th April 2006 204 192,650 (18,178) 431,959 606,635
CASH FLOW STATEMENT
For the year ended 30th April 2007
(Expressed in United States Dollars)
2007 2006
Unaudited Audited
$'000 $'000
Cash outflow from operating activities (3,007) (4,317)
Investing Activities
Purchase of investments (201,319) (260,435)
Sale of investments 205,716 248,300
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from investing activities 4,397 (12,135)
Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing 1,390 (16,452)
Cash flows from financing activities
Interest paid (789) (563)
Net loans drawn-down - 17,425
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing activities (789) 16,862
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 601 410
Exchange movements (338) (291)
Movement in cash and cash equivalents in the year 263 119
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 2,550 2,431
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 2,813 2,550
Reconciliation of profit for year to net cash outflow
from operating activities
Net (loss)/profit before taxation (141,149) 183,157
Losses/(gains) on investments held at fair value 140,569 (184,360)
Exchange gain (2,373) (3,009)
Interest expense 824 566
Increase in debtors and accrued income (217) (486)
(Decrease)/increase in creditors (156) 234
Taxation (505) (419)
(3,007) (4,317)
ATLANTIS JAPAN GROWTH FUND LIMITED
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
For the year ended 30th April 2007
The year to April 2007 saw lacklustre performance from the Japanese stock
market, despite a relatively good economy and solid growth in corporate
earnings. This was especially true in the case of smaller stocks and stocks
outside of favoured areas such as manufacturing, commodities and export-related
businesses.
Nevertheless, at this time we remain encouraged by continued growth in the
economy and corporate earnings, and by the benign trends on the consumer price
front that have allowed Japan's central bank to limit interest rate hikes. We
also remain confident that consumer spending will pick up momentum going
forward, and will strongly underpin continued growth in the economy in the
months and years ahead.
As long-time investors in Japan well know, consumer spending has been under
pressure since the early 1990s as a result of a prolonged period of deflation.
The extended drop in asset prices not only reduced the store of wealth of
households, through pulling down real estate and stock market prices, it also
led to heightened anxiety on the income front, as corporations were forced to
restructure, putting more into unemployment and capping income gains for those
remaining in work.
Only recently have we started to see the light at the end of the tunnel for the
Japanese consumer. The prolonged downtrend in asset prices finally appears to be
coming to an end, with property prices in major cities now stabilising or moving
higher, and stock market prices well above their lows recorded in 2003.
Households are also starting to see improvements on the income side, as
consecutive years of earnings growth has put corporations in a position to
increase the hiring of full-time employees and increase wages, overtime hours
and bonuses for existing employees. To be sure, these favourable turns have not
yet been enough to bring about a full-fledged recovery in consumer spending.
However, we believe these supportive trends will lead to higher consumer
spending going forward, which will in turn bolster overall growth and confidence
in the economy.
In the stock market, we note that local retail investors currently account for
about 40-50% of daily trading volume. On balance, Japanese retail investors were
net sellers again during the past year, as they have been for many years. Even
so, we are finding signs of a growing interest in equity investments, a
reflection of a slow, but steady recovery in investor confidence following
recent years of sustained growth in corporate earnings and ongoing increases in
stock dividend payouts. In addition to net buying by local investment trusts,
which represent buying by retail investors, we also find domestic institutional
investors such as pension funds showing a greater inclination towards increased
exposure to domestic equities, including smaller stocks.
The Company remains heavily weighted in small and medium-sized stocks,
reflecting our adviser Ed Merner's view that most of the best investment
opportunities are still found in this area of the market. These smaller
companies, some of which are listed on the newer markets or regional stock
exchanges, are seen as offering good value for long-term investors. In many
cases, the holdings in which the Company has invested are insulated from swings
in the overall economy because they operate in fast growing niche businesses
such as generic drugs, temporary worker dispatch services, internet advertising,
software and IT services.
Regardless of trends in individual company fundamentals, however, there are
times when small cap stocks will move sideways or down even as large cap issues
continue to rise, and this is precisely what has happened during the past year.
This short-term setback notwithstanding, we remain confident that most of the
companies in which the Company has invested will continue to grow as expected
and, thus, will turn out to reward long-term investors.
ATLANTIS JAPAN GROWTH FUND LIMITED
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
For the year ended 30th April 2007
During the past year, while many major world stock markets moved to new highs,
the Japanese market was left behind. With Japanese corporate earnings continuing
to rise during this timeframe, share price valuations in Japan have thus
remained at their lowest levels since the mid- to early-1980s. Based on
prospects for continued growth in the domestic economy and corporate earnings
coupled with near-zero inflation, we believe the stage is set for the Japanese
stock market to begin moving higher once again and, in particular, think the
Company is well positioned to benefit from the recovery.
Mr Itai who has served on the board of your Company since its inception has
notified the Directors that he does not wish to stand for re-election at the
next Annual General Meeting. I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mr Itai
for his valuable and insightful contribution over the life of the fund. We
will miss his wise counsel.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange