Interim Management Statement
Jupiter European Opportunities Trust PLC
Interim Management Review for the three months ended 31 August 2011
The Board of Jupiter European Opportunities Trust PLC (the "Company") is pleased
to announce its interim management review for the quarter ended 31 August 2011.
During the period from 1 June 2011 to 31 August 2011, the Company's net asset
value per share excluding income and expenses declined by 15.1 per cent. to
269.03p, which compares with a decline of 16.3 per cent. for the Company's
benchmark, the FTSE World Europe ex UK Total Return Index, over the same period.
Investment Manager's Report for the Quarter Ended 31 August 2011
European markets endured a turbulent summer that saw the FTSE World Europe ex UK
Total Return Index retreat by 16.3 per cent. The European debt crisis continued
to take centre stage. In July, eurozone leaders agreed to a second bailout for
Greece, but markets and rating agencies were unconvinced that a default had been
averted. Concerns over the sustainability of high sovereign debt levels spread
to Italy and Spain and prompted the European Central Bank ('ECB') to intervene
in an effort to reduce yields. The financials sector led the fall due to fears
over European banks' exposure to Greek government debt. A second set of stress
tests struggled to allay fears that further bank recapitalisations were
unwarranted. Economic data pointing to a slowing global economy also weighed on
markets.
Second quarter results were more mixed and there were fewer earnings surprises
than in the recent past. Shares in Grenkeleasing, Germany's largest provider of
B2B small ticket leasing of IT equipment, performed well in anticipation of
strong new business figures. Dassault Systèmes, a provider of 3D design software
to the aerospace and automotive industries, produced another quarter of results
well above expectations. Its Q2 results showed strong growth in new licences and
recurring revenues. Wirecard, the electronic payments business, won two
substantial new contracts with Air Berlin and a Singaporean airline. Ingenico,
maker of electronic payment terminals, reported strong growth in emerging
markets, which accounted for 43% of sales. Oriflame Cosmetics delivered stable
Q2 results driven by an improvement in profit margins.
Shares in Marine Harvest slipped after interim results in which the salmon
farmer said it expected a near-term increase in supply to lower fish prices.
Aixtron, a maker of equipment for the manufacture of light emitting diodes, also
reported disappointing results and lowered 2011 guidance. Shares in Fugro
slipped slightly on weak interim results caused by the cancellation of an
offshore project in Asia.
Portfolio activity was modest. We added Amadeus IT to the portfolio, a global
leader in the provision of cost-saving transaction processing solutions to the
airline industry. We also bought back into Ingenico, a maker of electronic
payment terminals. We added to our position in Edenred, the world's leading
vouchers business. We also added to our position in Tomra, the leader in the
sale of reverse vending machines. We sold our holdings in Kudelski, De La Rue,
Nokian Tyres and Qiagen for portfolio management reasons.
The problems of the West - high levels of debt, inflexible labour markets and
anaemic growth - remain and may yet worsen. But this should not overshadow the
bigger picture. Europe is a massive region and we can be sure that there are
companies capable of making good returns there. When putting your money to work,
our focus is on identifying dominant operators in niche areas that can prosper
in different macroeconomic scenarios. For example, the rationale for your
Company's holding in Johnson Matthey, the catalysis specialist, is the
tightening of emissions regulations globally. As an established leader in
catalytic converters, Johnson Matthey can benefit from this trend over the
medium term. We spend little time forecasting truck volumes and focus instead on
understanding Johnson Matthey's technological developments and its ability to
gain market share worldwide. Today, more than ever, the fate of thriving, world-
class companies does not depend on the economic prospects of their country of
listing. Their exposure to economies around the world should continue to prove
beneficial in helping to sustain their profitability.
Alexander Darwall
Fund Manager, Jupiter Asset Management Limited
Total Assets as at 31 August 2011: £214,066,021
Shares in Issue on 31 August 2011: 79,569,523
+------------+----------------------+----------------------+----------+--------+
|Â |Net Asset Value per |Net Asset Value per |Market |Discount|
| |share excluding |share including |Price (p) | |
| |income/expenses(p) |income/expenses(p) | | |
+------------+----------------------+----------------------+----------+--------+
|Ordinary |269.03 |265.47 |235.00 |(13)% |
|Shares* | | | | |
+------------+----------------------+----------------------+----------+--------+
Portfolio Distribution on 31 August 2011 Percentage of Total Assets
Country %
United Kingdom 35
Germany 14
France 14
Denmark 14
Norway 12
The Netherlands 11
Switzerland 8
Sweden 6
Others 4
Cash and fixed interest (18)
 100
The Company's exposure to other UK listed investment companies was nil on 31
August 2011.
Top Ten Holdings on 31 August 2011
Company Country of Listing %
Novozymes Denmark 6.8
Croda International United Kingdom 6.4
Experian United Kingdom  6.1
Syngenta Switzerland 5.8
Johnson Matthey United Kingdom  5.2
Intertek Group United Kingdom 5.1
Novo-Nordisk Denmark 5.0
Elsevier The Netherlands 4.2
Marine Harvest The Netherlands 3.7
Koninklijke Vopak Netherlands 3.7
  _____
52.0
Comparative Performance to 31 August 2011
+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+---------+
|Â |1 Month %| 3 Months| 1 Year| 3 Years| 5 Years| Since| Since|
| | | %| %| %| %| Launch %| Last|
| | | | | | | | Annual|
| | | | | | | | Report %|
+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+---------+
|Total | (7.6)| (15.1)| 11.7| 28.7| 53.9| 147.7| (15.1)|
|Assets* | | | | | | | |
+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+---------+
|FTSE World | | | | | | | |
|Europe ex UK| Â | Â | Â | | | | Â |
|Index | (10.8)| (16.3)| 3.4| (2.8)| 11.6| 33.6| (16.3)|
+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+---------+
|Ordinary | | | | | | | |
|Share NAV | (7.6)| (15.1)| 11.7| 28.7| 55.4| 184.2| (15.1)|
+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+---------+
|Ordinary | | | | | | | |
|Share Price | (11.9)| (19.0)| 9.0| 26.3| 42.0| 131.5| (19.0)|
+------------+---------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+---------+
*Adjusted for changes to share capital and amounts borrowed.
OBJECTIVE OF THE COMPANY
The objective of the Company is to invest in securities of European companies
and in sectors or geographical areas which are considered by the Investment
Manager to offer good prospects for capital growth, taking into account economic
trends and business development.
INVESTMENT POLICY
The Investment Manager adopts a stock picking approach in the belief that a
thorough analysis and understanding of a company is the best way to identify
long-term superior growth prospects. This understanding begins with identifying
those companies where the ownership structure and incumbent management are
conducive to the realisation of the aim of achieving superior long-term earnings
growth. The Investment Manager will seek to identify companies which enjoy
certain key business characteristics including some or all of the following:
* a strong management record and team, and the confidence that the Investment
Manager has in that management's ability to explain and account for its
actions;
* proprietary technology and other factors which indicate a sustainable
competitive advantage;
* a reasonable expectation that demand for their products or services will
enjoy long-term growth; and
* an understanding that structural changes are likely to benefit rather than
negatively impact that company's prospects.
There may be sectors which do not enjoy the business characteristics described
above and in such circumstances the Investment Manager will seek to identify
companies that are expected to generate superior earnings growth within that
sector.
In analysing potential investments, the Investment Manager will employ differing
valuation techniques depending on their relevance to the business
characteristics of a particular company. However, the underlying feature will be
the sustainability and growth of free cashflow in the long-term.
Material Events
During the period under review 250,000 of the Company's Ordinary shares were
bought back for cancellation at 273.97p per share.
Availability of Monthly Fact Sheets
Monthly fact sheets for the Company are available for download
fromwww.jupiteronline.co.uk and by post or fax on request from the company
secretarial department.
The Company's Ordinary shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the
prices are published in the Financial Times and The Times under `Investment
Companies'.
The Net Asset Values of the Company's ordinary shares are calculated weekly and
can be viewed on the London Stock Exchange website atwww.londonstockexchange.com
(under the heading 'Market News').
For further information, please contact:
Richard Pavry
Director of Investment Trusts
Jupiter Asset Management Limited
rpavry@jupiter-group.co.uk
020 7314 4822
Jenny Thompson
Company Secretarial Department
Jupiter Asset Management Limited
jthompson@jupiter-group.co.uk
020 7314 5565
The Company's Registered office is at 1 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7JJ.
This interim management statement has been prepared solely to provide
information to meet the requirements of the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure
and Transparency Rules.
This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of
Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and
other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and
originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Jupiter European Opportunities Trust PLC via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1555423]