Monthly Briefing June 2002

Lindsell Train Investment Trust PLC 10 July 2002 The Lindsell Train Investment Trust PLC As at 30th June 2002 Fund Objective To maximise long-term total returns subject to the avoidance of loss of absolute value and with a minimum objective to maintain the real purchasing power of Sterling capital, as measured by the annual average yield on the 2.5% Consolidated Loan Stock. Share Price GBP 103.50 Net Asset Value GBP 98.69 Discount (Premium) (4.2%) Market Capitalisation GBP 20.7mn June Fund Performance - NAV -3.6% - Price -8.0% Source: Bloomberg NAV - LT & Bloomberg Performance (based in GBP) Jun May Apr 1 Year Since Launch NAV -3.6 -0.4 -0.8 -2.9 -0.7 Share Price -8.0 -2.6 -4.9 -15.9 +3.5 2.5% Consol Loan Stock +5.1 Annual Average Yield Source: Bloomberg. Based in GBP. Top 10 Holdings % NAV US Gov Treasury 6.25% 13.3 Lindsell Train Japan (Dist) 12.4 Lindsell Train Global Media (Dist) 12.1 US Gov Treasury IL 3.875% 7.8 HBOS 6.125% Non Cum 6.9 Cadbury Schweppes 5.9 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock 5.7 Barr (AG) 5.1 UK Treasury 2.5% 4.9 Nintendo Co 4.6 Industry Breakdown % NAV Bonds 34.7 Preference Shares 10.9 Media 9.7 Banks & Investment Co. 6.9 Leisure & Tourism 8.9 Food & Beverage 16.4 Investment Fund 24.5 Cash & Equivalent (12.0) Total 100.0 Geographical Breakdown % NAV Bonds 34.7 UK* 13.6 US 21.1 Preference Shares 10.9 Equities 42.0 UK 29.8 US 5.2 Japan 4.6 Europe 2.4 Funds 24.5 LT Japan 12.4 LT Global Media 12.1 Cash & Equivalent (12.0) Total 100.0 * Including the Daily Mail 2.5% 2004 Convertible Bonds (3% of NAV) Currency Exposure % NAV USD 50.9 JPY 0.2 EUR 2.4 GBP 46.5 Total 100.0 Fund Manager's Comments The NAV has spent the first five months of 2002 fluctuating between £103 and £105. In June, though, it fell 4.2% to £98.67. Although this seems a creditable performance as compared to world markets that fell 10.2%, it was somewhat disappointing to us for two reasons. Firstly our bonds did not rise in price as much as we might have hoped and secondly most of the loss in value from the month was attributable to the depreciation of the dollar versus sterling. Our enthusiasm for bonds is based on a belief in the continued absence of inflation in the major world economies. The relative outperformance of our holding of the 27 year US inflation linked bond versus our 28 year conventional (4% so far this year) indicates that if investors require the certainly of real income they are prepared to sacrifice current yield to achieve it, which is another way of saying they fear inflation. At the beginning of the year when the US economy was showing less ambiguous signs of recovery and the stockmarket was rising it was understandable that some investors, harking back to experiences in previous cycles, might fear inflation. Now, with stockmarkets plummeting and deepening scepticism about the sustainability of economic activity it is surprising to us that bonds have only managed a rally to the prices at which they began the year. Maybe investors have an altogether more fundamental fear that in the face of sluggish or declining economies central bankers will pursue irresponsible monetary policies to force growth by whatever means. Time will tell, but so far we have the evidence on our side: reported inflation is less than expected with almost every successive release on both sides of the Atlantic. The strength of sterling is more of a frustration than anything else, as without it we would have done a far better job of protecting the NAV. Its rise has lead to quotational loss on 51% of the portfolio denominated in US dollars. Our judgement on the relative values of the currencies is that Sterling is somewhat overvalued versus the US dollar. The US is a more open and competitive economy with the inefficient government sector representing a smaller part of the whole, a combination which helps to limit the rise in price of many comparable goods and services and average wages. Today many of these 'comparables' are cheaper in the USA than in the UK which would tend to favour the US currency if geography was not an issue. However a more potent short-term influence on currencies is capital flows and in the last few months these have clearly demanded better prices (a lower US dollar) in recognition of the declining confidence in the quality and scale of returns of US dollar assets. This can change. Some of the longer-term problems that observers attribute to US dollar weakness are ones that are mirrored here but for whatever reason are not subject to the same extent of investor scrutiny today. What is worth remembering is that when capital flows act to change the value of Sterling the flows tend to be a greater proportion relative to GNP than in the USA, making for far more volatile exchange rate movements. The fall in the NAV has acted to increase our gearing marginally as have two minor additional purchases of Nintendo and Reuters as prices fell during the month. The gearing is now just over 12% and though we are prepared to accept that this will rise if the gross assets continue to move down, we would only want to add materially to positions if the assets we bought generated income sufficient to fund any extra borrowing. Fund Manager Launch Date Denominated Currency Nick Train 22 January 2001 GBP Year End Dividend Benchmark 31st March Ex-date: June The annual average yield on Payment: August the 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock. Sedol No Bloomberg 3001710 LTI LN The Board Management Fees Registered Address Rhoddy Swire Standard Fee: 0.65% p.a. Lindsell Train Investment Trust Michael Mackenzie Performance Fee: 77A High Street Donald Adamson 10% of annual increase in Brentwood Michael Lindsell the share price, plus ESSEX DM14 4RR dividend, above the gross annual yield of the 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock. Disclaimer The contents in this document is solely for information purposes only. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer or invitation to buy or subscribe any securities or funds in any jurisdiction in which such distribution is not authorised. Nothing in this document constitutes investment, legal, tax or other advice and cannot be relied upon in making any investment decision. Applications to invest in some of the funds must only be made on the basis of offer documents which may only be available for private circulation. The information contained in this document is published in good faith and neither Lindsell Train Limited nor any other person so connected assumes any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information as provided. No representation is made or assurance given that any statements made, views, projections or forecasts are correct or that objectives will be achieved. Lindsell Train and/or persons connected with it may have an interest in the Fund. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and are not guaranteed. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. You may not get back the amount you invested. Foreign exchange rates may cause the value of investments to go up or down. Investments may be subject to higher volatility in certain funds and the investment value may fall suddenly and substantially. Lindsell Train Limited 35 Thurloe Street, London SW7 2LQ Tel. +44 20 7225 6400 Fax. +44 20 7225 6499 info@lindselltrain.com www.lindselltrain.com Lindsell Train Limited is regulated by the FSA. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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