Final Results-Replacement

British Empire Sec & Gen Tst PLC 15 November 2002 This is a replacement to the announcement made earlier today at 11.54 a.m. under RNS number 8538D. The announcement earlier states an incorrect Record Date of 30 November 2002 on bullet point 3 and note 1: 'The Board proposes a final dividend of 1.1p per Ordinary share plus a special dividend of 0.4p per share which if approved will be paid on 9 January 2003 to shareholders on the register on the record date of 30 November 2002.' The correct text should state a Record Date of 29 November 2002 as below: 'The Board proposes a final dividend of 1.1p per Ordinary share plus a special dividend of 0.4p per share which if approved will be paid on 9 January 2003 to shareholders on the register on the record date of 29 November 2002.' The full-amended text appears below. BRITISH EMPIRE SECURITIES AND GENERAL TRUST P.L.C. PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL RESULTS for the year ended 30 September 2002 • Net asset value showed a significant out performance of the major indices, falling 7% compared to the MSCI World Index and the FTSE All-Share, down 26% and 23%. • Over 3 years the net asset value per share is up 9% while the aforementioned indices are down 37% and 36% respectively. • The Board proposes a final dividend of 1.1p per Ordinary share plus a special dividend of 0.4p per share which if approved will be paid on 9 January 2003 to shareholders on the register on the record date of 29 November 2002. • The Company purchased 15 million of its Ordinary Shares in accordance with its commitment for the year enhancing the net asset per share by 0.7%. • This has had the effect of reducing liquidity which peaked at nearly 50% of assets. We are reinvesting gradually. We have bought back stocks sold substantially higher up. In many cases underlying assets are now much more attractive and discounts remain wide. • The Company was first out of 25 Global Growth trusts over 5 years and first out of 29 Global Growth trusts over 3 years (source Cazenove/ Datastream, periods to 30 September 2002). The Company also won a number of awards: Money Observer Best Global Trust, winner Standard and Poors Global Growth Trust over 1 year (both for the second year running) and over 3 years, and Bloomberg Magazine Best International Trust. • Immediately following the AGM on 19 December 2002 the Company will be appointing Mrs. Rosamund Blomfield-Smith, Mr. Peter Allen and Mr. Strone MacPherson as non-executive independent Directors. William Fossick will retire from the Board at the conclusion of the AGM after 35 years as a Director and 14 years as Chairman. Iain Robertson will succeed William Fossick as Chairman. Clive Gilchrist will also retire from the Board at the AGM. • John Walton has managed the Company for 181/2 years and for the past year jointly with John Pennink. John Pennink has made a major contribution to the Company over that period and is now sole manager. John Walton works closely with John as Managing Director of Asset Value Investors and remains a Director of British Empire Securities. Enquiries to - John Pennink, Director, Asset Value Investors Limited - 020 7463 6424 John Walton, Managing Director, Asset Value Investors Limited - 020 7463 6426 William Fossick, Chairman, British Empire Securities and General Trust p.l.c. - 020 7814 8000 British Empire Securities and General Trust p.l.c. New Independent Non-Executive Directors - Biographies Peter Allen (59) - Peter has spent the last eight years as Finance Director of Royal Bank of Scotland's Corporate Banking and Financial Markets business, retiring earlier this year. He is a Director of Lombard and a Director and Chairman of Greenwich Capital. His earlier career included positions at Peat Marwick, National Bank of Detroit, First National Bank of Dallas and Westpac. Rosamund Blomfield-Smith (53) - Rosamund is currently a Director with Arbuthnot Latham focusing on corporate finance activities. She was previously an Executive Director of N M Rothschild and Sons and a Non-Executive Director of the National Rivers Authority. Her earlier banking career included positions at Morgan Grenfell, Schroders and ING Barings. Strone Macpherson (54) - After gaining an MBA from INSEAD, Strone joined Flemings in 1975. He became a Director in 1979 and worked in London and New York till 1989 when he joined the Board of Misys plc. He became Executive Deputy Chairman in 1991 and stepped down from this role earlier this summer. He remains Chairman of the Misys Charitable Foundation, is Chairman of the Fleming Smaller Companies Trust plc, a non-executive Director of AXA UK plc and on the Investment Committee and General Council of the King's Fund. Statement of Total Return of the Group Year ended Year ended 30 September 2002 30 September 2001 (unaudited) (audited) Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Losses on investments - (22,307) (22,307) - (31,593) (31,593) Realised exchange losses - (281) (281) - (736) (736) Depreciation of loan stock - 1,839 1,839 - 2,756 2,756 Income 10,241 - 10,241 12,716 44 12,760 Investment management fee (incl. irrecoverable VAT) (1,649) (1,447) (3,096) (1,715) (1,715) (3,430) Other expenses (incl. irrecoverable VAT) (909) (121) (1,030) (603) - (603) Net return before finance costs and taxation 7,683 (22,317) (14,634) 10,398 (31,244) (20,846) Finance costs (2,644) (7) (2,651) (2,730) (7) (2,737) Return on ordinary activities before taxation 5,039 (22,324) (17,285) 7,668 (31,251) (23,583) Taxation on ordinary activities (1,171) 434 (737) (1,726) 514 (1,212) Return attributable to equity shareholders 3,868 (21,890) (18,022) 5,942 (30,737) (24,795) Dividend in respect of equity shares (3,059) - (3,059) (3,331) - (3,331) Transfer to / (from) reserves 809 (21,890) (21,081) 2,611 (30,737) (28,126) Return per ordinary share : Basic 2.29p (12.94p) (10.65p) 3.37p (17.45p) (14.08p) The revenue column of this statement represents the profit and loss account of the Group. Balance Sheets as at 30 September 2002 Company Group 2002 2001 2002 2001 (unaudited) (audited) (unaudited) (audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed assets Investments - Securities 317,769 340,843 312,902 333,347 - Property - - - 7,300 317,769 340,843 312,902 340,647 Current assets Investments held by dealing subsidiary - - 6 9 Debtors 1,771 27,593 1,771 2,281 Cash at bank and on deposit 3,918 1,602 3,918 28,407 5,689 29,195 5,695 30,697 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (13,059) (9,012) (8,198) (9,681) Net current (liabilities) / assets (7,370) 20,183 (2,503) 21,016 Total assets less current liabilities 310,399 361,026 310,399 361,663 Creditors: 'amounts falling due after more than one year (32,911) (35,056) (32,911) (35,056) Provision for liabilities and charges (69) - (69) (637) 277,419 325,970 277,419 325,970 Capital and reserve Called-up share capital Ordinary shares 16,008 17,508 16,008 17,508 Reserves Capital redemption reserve 2,927 1,427 2,927 1,427 Share premium 28,078 28,078 28,078 28,078 Capital reserve - realised 228,974 252,503 228,701 255,086 - unrealised (47,394) (21,790) (50,774) (27,799) Merger reserve 41,406 41,406 41,406 41,406 Revenue reserve 7,420 6,838 11,073 10,264 Equity shareholders' funds 277,419 325,970 277,419 325,970 Net asset value per share 173.30p 186.18p 173.30p 186.18p Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Year ended Year ended 30 September 2002 30 September 2001 (unaudited) (audited) £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 5,592 8,526 Servicing of finance Interest paid (2,701) (3,009) Net cash outflow from returns on investment and servicing of finance (2,701) (3,009) Taxation UK tax paid less recovered (985) (539) WHT recovered/(paid) 117 (4) Tax paid (868) (543) Capital expenditure and financial investment Purchases of investments (205,061) (272,723) Sales of investments 200,513 223,391 Capital dividends - 44 Net cash outflow from investing activities (4,548) (49,288) Acquisitions and disposals Sale of subsidiary 6,553 - Expenses paid on sale of subsidiary (121) - Net cash inflow from disposals 6,432 - Equity dividends paid (3,284) (2,468) Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing 623 (46,782) Financing Share buybacks (25,281) (2,241) Buyback of index loan stock (313) (1,430) Net cash outflow from financing (25,594) (3,671) Decrease in cash (24,971) (50,453) Reconciliation of net cash flow to movements in net debt Decrease in cash as above (24,971) (50,453) Buyback of index loan stock 313 1,430 Changes in net debt resulting from cash flows (24,658) (49,023) Currency losses (281) (736) Amortisation of debenture issue expenses (7) (7) Decrease in value of index loan stock 1,839 2,756 Movement in net debt in year (23,107) (47,010) Net (debt)/funds at 1 October (6,649) 40,361 Net debt at 30 September (29,756) (6,649) Notes: 1.The Board proposes a final dividend of 1.1p and a special dividend of 0.4p per Ordinary share which, if approved will be paid on 9 January 2003 to shareholders on the register on the record date of 29 November 2002. 2.Basic revenue return per ordinary share is based on Group revenue after taxation of £3,868,000 (2001: £5,942,000) and on 169,144,747 (2001: 176,171,390) ordinary shares, being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. 3.Basic capital loss per ordinary share is based on net losses for the financial year of £21,890,000 (2001: £30,737,000) and on 169,144,747 (2001: 176,171,390) ordinary shares, being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. 4.Income 2002 2001 £'000 £'000 Income from investments Listed investments 9,527 7,737 Scrip dividend 94 - 9,621 7,737 Other income Deposit interest 384 4,335 Loss from dealing activities of subsidiaries (3) (11) Rental income 239 655 620 4,979 Total Income 10,241 12,716 5.Basic net asset value per ordinary share is based on net assets and on 160,080,089 (2001: 175,080,089) ordinary shares being the number of ordinary shares in issue at the year-end. At the year end the net asset value per share adjusted to include the Debenture Stocks at market value rather than par was 168.89p (2001:182.67p). 6.The financial information set out in the announcement does not constitute the Company's statutory accounts for the years ended 30 September 2002 or 2001. The financial information for the year ended 30 September 2001 is derived from the statutory accounts for that year which have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditors reported on those accounts; their report was unqualified and did not contain a statement under s237 (2) or (3) Companies Act 1985. The statutory accounts for the year ended 30 September 2002 will be finalised on the basis of the financial information presented by the Directors in the preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies in due course. The preliminary announced is prepared on the same basis as set out in the previous year's annual accounts. 7.Copies of the Annual Report will be posted to shareholders in due course and further copies may be obtained from the Registered Office, One Bow Churchyard, Cheapside, London EC4M 9HH. The Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 19 December 2002. Aberdeen Asset Management PLC Secretaries 15 November 2002 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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