Final Results

Capital Gearing Trust PLC 5 June 2002 CAPITAL GEARING TRUST plc PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT 5 April 2002 Chairman's Statement I am pleased to report another satisfactory result for Capital Gearing Trust in the year to 5th April, 2002. The Net Asset Value per share on an AITC basis (ex-dividend) rose by 9.7% to 1208p. This may be compared with a fall in the FTSE Investment Companies Index of 12.4%, a fall in the FTSE All Share Index of 5.9% and a fall of 3.7% in the FTSE All Stocks Gilt Index. In a difficult year for markets and for investment trusts in particular this may be considered a creditable performance. Over the course of the year we have been running down the Trust's exposure to zero dividend preference shares as stocks mature and increasing holdings of sovereign backed index linked issues. One of the effects of this switch in emphasis has been to enhance earnings per share. Accordingly, the Directors recommend a dividend for the year of 9p (2001 - 8p) from available earnings of 11.30p. Having taken a notably cautious stance towards markets over the last few years, it is reasonable to ask whether and when it may be appropriate to take a more positive line. Certainly within the investment trust sector value is becoming more visible as trusts are marked down indiscriminately in the wake of the rout in the split capital market. Our concern is that the pumping of money into the system by central bankers and governments to stave off fears of recession and the after-effects of 11th September has yet to rekindle a convincing broad-based economic recovery and the necessary improvement in corporate profitability to justify a significant change in policy. The opportunity arose in early October 2001 to issue a further 55,000 shares to meet market demand at a premium to Net Asset Value to the benefit of existing shareholders. As in previous years, the Board wishes to renew the powers granted by shareholders to buy in (or sell out) small amounts of stock on advantageous terms. Resolutions to this effect are set out in the notice of meeting. Investment Manager's Report and Portfolio Analysis In the year to 5th April 2002, the NAV per share rose by 9.7%, this compares to falls in the FT All Share Index of 5.9% and in the Investment Trust Index of 12.4%. As a result of the events of September 11th, the market was volatile as well as weak. The defensive asset allocation of the trust contributed to this performance, but chief features were the successful reconstruction of the Asia High Yield Bond Fund and the outperformace of the All Share Index by our equity holdings. Other positive factors include the growth in value of our holdings in Zero Coupon Preference shares in investment trusts, despite the problems of the sector generally. On the negative side, the European bonds were slightly down in sterling terms with the Euro Index Linked Bonds and the U.S. TIPS breaking even in capital terms. The sale of our holdings in the Asia High Yield Bond Fund, after its capital reconstruction had eliminated its discount and with good underlying performance, crystallized a gain of over 70% since April 2001. This accounted for about 4% of the 9.7% gain on the portfolio. Within the equity holdings, the portfolio benefitted from a bias away from TMT and towards smaller companies and a holding in Merrill Lynch World Mining, whose exposure to gold gave good asset performance and a narrower discount. That same combination led to a 16% return in Aberforth Split Capital shares, where good management continued to give outperformance of the asset class. The largest holding last year was Investors Capital and this trust reconstructed in an efficient manner last summer, again providing strong gains for our portfolio. Group Trust was taken over by Dunedin Enterprise, but the latter remains on a large discount. London and St. Lawrence marked time but remains interesting at its current large discount and its defensive portfolio accords with our view of the outlook. Turning to the outlook for the future, the imbalances that characterise the U.S. economy still suggest caution. Excessive consumer spending, supported by a buoyant housing market, has led to dangerously high levels of debt in private households. Corporate debt too, following a splurge of capital expenditure (much of it now revealed to be misallocated) is far too high for comfort, whether on or off balance sheets. Allied to these, the current account deficit shows signs of deteriorating even further. That gives rise to the fear that a weak U.S. dollar could be a catalyst to further weakness both in the economies of Europe and Asia and in the equity markets. Unfortunately, equity markets are in general still richly valued. The ratings of the S & P 500 look high relative to history whether judged on dividend yields, book values or p/e ratios. The p/e ratio is expensive even on announced earnings, but in fact, the failure to account for options, the write-offs, the aggressive taking of pension funds into profits even when the funds have fallen, all combine to overstate earnings by 25%-30%. Luckily not all markets are as stretched as the S & P 500 and smaller companies in particular look better value, not least in the UK. More importantly, though monetary policy is likely to be stimulative in the face of any problems. The tremendous bias towards ease demonstrated by the Federal Reserve will eventually aggravate the problems for the U.S. economy but it will also defer them. So, as ever with problematic balance sheets, timing remains uncertain. The Trust, though, remains very defensive in its posture on equities and maintains an emphasis on smaller companies and venture capital. Bond markets should do well where central banks remain conservative; index-linked government bonds look attractive on real rates of interest that still range from 3.1% to 3.7% outside the U.K. Allied to good returns from our zero coupon preference shares, we hope to produce another modest but satisfactory year for the trust. Statement of Total Return (incorporating the Revenue Account) for the year ended 5 April 2002 2002 2001 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Realised gains on investments - 3,266 3,266 - 2,249 2,249 Net change in unrealised - (707) (707) - 146 146 appreciation Income 500 - 500 425 - 425 GROSS RETURN 500 2,559 3,059 425 2,395 2,820 Investment management fees (43) (165) (208) (44) (178) (222) Other expenses (185) - (185) (141) (4) (145) RETURN ON ORDINARY ACTIVITES BEFORE 272 2,394 2,666 240 2,213 2,453 TAXATION Tax on ordinary activities (13) 13 - (12) 12 - RETURN ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY 259 2,407 2,666 228 2,225 2,453 SHAREHOLDERS Dividend on ordinary shares: Dividend payable 9p per ordinary (209) - (209) (181) - (181) share (2001-8p) TRANSFER TO RESERVES 50 2,407 2,457 47 2,225 2,272 RETURN PER ORDINARY SHARE* 11.30p 104.97p 116.27p 9.92p 96.82p 106.74p The revenue column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the company. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. * There was no dilution in either year. Balance Sheet - 5 April 2002 2002 2001 FIXED ASSETS £'000 £'000 Investments: Listed investments 26,793 24,980 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 1,455 572 Cash at bank 159 172 1,614 744 CREDITORS: amounts falling due within one year (366) (773) NET CURRENT LIABILITIES 1,248 (29) NET ASSETS 28,041 24,951 CAPITAL AND RESERVES Called up share capital 580 566 Share premium account 1,610 991 Capital redemption reserve 16 16 Capital reserve - unrealised 3,087 3,794 Capital reserve - realised 22,524 19,410 Revenue reserve 224 174 TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS - EQUITY 28,041 24,951 NET ASSET VALUE PER ORDINARY SHARE* 1208.2p 1101.1p * There was no dilution of the above net asset value at either date. Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 5 April 2002 2002 2001 £'000 £'000 NET CASH (OUTFLOW)/INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 14 103 TAXATION Income tax recovered - 40 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT Payments to acquire investments (13,518) (11,455) Receipts from sale of investments 14,239 12,147 721 692 EQUITY DIVIDENDS PAID (181) (163) MANAGEMENT OF LIQUID RESOURCES Cash paid to brokers deposit (1,199) - FINANCING Issue of new shares 632 - Purchase of own shares - (605) (DECREASE)/INCREASE IN CASH (13) 67 The financial information set out above does not constitute the company's statutory accounts for the years ended 5 April 2001 and 2002 but is derived from those accounts. Statutory accounts for 2001 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and those for 2002 will be delivered following the company's Annual General Meeting. The auditors have reported on those accounts; their reports were unqualified and did not contain statements under Article 245 (2) or (3) of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. Dividend The dividend will be paid on 10th July 2002 to shareholders on the register as at 21st June 2002. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange R BKPKKKBKDNAK
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