Monthly Update November 2002

Lindsell Train Investment Trust PLC 10 December 2002 The Lindsell Train Investment Trust PLC As at 30th November 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 93.50 Net Asset Value GBP 94.51 Discount (Premium) (1.1%) Market Capitalisation GBP 18.7mn Source: Bloomberg; NAV - LTL Performance (based in GBP) Nov Oct Sep YTD Since Launch NAV +0.4% -1.7% -1.1% -8.4% -5.5% Share Price +0.5% +4.5% -2.7% -21.1% -6.5% Source: Bloomberg. Based in GBP. Top 10 Holdings % NAV US Gov Treasury 6.25% 15.3 Lindsell Train Japan (Dist) 12.9 Lindsell Train Global Media (Dist) 12.1 US Gov Treasury IL 3.875% 9.2 HBOS 6.125% Non Cum 7.4 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock 6.9 Cadbury Schweppes 5.9 UK Treasury 2.5% 5.4 Glenmorangie plc A&B 5.4 HBOS 9.25% Non Cum 5.3 Industry Breakdown % NAV Bonds 36.7 Preference Shares 12.7 Media 8.7 Banks & Investment Co. 7.0 Leisure & Entertainment 7.7 Food & Beverage 16.4 Investment Fund 24.9 Cash & Equivalent (14.1) Total 100.0 Geographical Breakdown % NAV Bonds 36.7 UK 12.2 US 24.5 Preference 12.7 Shares 39.8 Equities UK 29.0 US 4.6 Japan 3.9 Europe 2.3 24.9 Funds LT Japan 12.9 LT Global Media 12.0 (14.1) Cash & Equivalent Total 100.0 Currency Exposure % NAV USD 54.7 JPY 0.2 EUR 2.3 GBP 42.8 Total 100.0 Fund Manager's Comments The balanced nature of the Company's portfolio, with its various asset and currency exposures and mix of both 'defensive' and higher beta (higher octane) equities worked against the progression of the NAV in November, it rose by a modest 0.4%. Over the month our fixed interest stocks declined somewhat, our exposure to the US Dollar benefited us somewhat, our defensive stocks tended to underperform, or even decline in a rallying stock market, while our market proxies, Dow Jones et al, rose satisfactorily. The net result was frustrating. Nonetheless, there were no events in November that encourage us to alter the mix and, in particular, we do not find our appetite for risk whetted. The effect of the Fed's reduction in US short rates was mixed for us. October saw the second sharpest decline in US consumer confidence on record, doubtless informing the Fed's decision. We might have expected our US government bonds to rally on such news, but in fact they sold off, as investors anticipate faster economic growth, resulting from the rate cut. On the other hand, the US Dollar recovered as the month progressed, in part because the outlook for US growth does indeed seem superior to Europe and Japan. Specifically, though, Sterling weakened against the Dollar, as Chancellor Brown was forced to reveal the extent of the UK's public revenue shortfall and the ambition of his resultant funding programme. The Pound is not yet a basket case, but if UK economic growth, which appears largely based on aggressive public sector borrowing and the release of equity from a spiralling real estate market, falters, then, at the very least, we see no reason why the currency should appreciate further. Our gilts drifted over the month, not surprising given the anticipated additional supply. However, we think gilts will only enter a sustained bear market either if the Chancellor pursues overtly inflationary policies, or if other asset classes self-evidently offer compelling value. Our view is that neither Gordon Brown, nor an independent Bank of England, with a new, hawkish governor appointed, will countenance risks with inflation. Moreover, many UK financial institutions will prove ready purchasers of gilts, with the outlook for stocks so cloudy. Turning to our equities, we were disappointed by the drab performance of some of our holdings, indeed falls. Clearly stock specific risk remains exceptionally high in the current environment. In the UK alone corporate profits across the whole economy have fallen for 13 consecutive quarters and one assumes that companies are running out of rabbits to pull out of the hat. However, our poorer performers were not the obvious economically sensitive horrors, such as Corus and Brambles, two FTSE stocks, both of which fell 30.0% in the month, but neither of which we own. We lost value in defensive names, like Cadbury, where the imminence of a possible US deal has unnerved investors, or Wolverhampton & Dudley, which has been implicated in a profit warning by its peer, JD Wetherspoon, we think unfairly. Wolters Kluwer, the European-based professional publisher has also delivered a flat performance, as investors decided that its resilient business model lacks the oomph that they now seek. On the other hand, some of the shares that have given us most grief in 2002 snapped back. Dow Jones, for instance, put on 15.0% in November as investors digested the fact that general advertising lineage at the Wall Street Journal rose in October, for the first time since May 2000. Instinet, whose shares we own, but which is also an important partially-owned subsidiary of Reuters, rallied 20.0% in the month, in part as it announced that its share of the number of shares traded on NASDAQ's new transaction platform, SuperMontage, has been maintained at circa 30.0%, in line with its overall share of that market. So far, then, a major perceived threat to Instinet's liquidity pool has proven toothless. Reuters itself has rebounded, up nearly 28.0% in November, in part assisted by a 50.0% bounce in the shares of another of its US quoted subsidiaries, TIBCO. Such gains are not trivial for Reuters overall, because its holding in TIBCO, for instance, represents nearly 15.0% of group value. Finally, Nintendo has recovered 30.0% from its lows of early November. One reason was its announcement that it had bought back 2.5% of its equity for cancellation over the previous four weeks. We have always thought that Nintendo is an exceptionally rationally managed business and its success in holding off from buying back its stock until the recent lows has done nothing but enhance our admiration. In truth, though, we are more excited by the news that Nintendo's new, first party game, Metroid Prime, sold 250,000 copies in the US over its first week of release and that the handheld console, Gameboy Advance, confirmed its monopoly position by selling a million units in ten days running up to Thanksgiving, taking the US population alone to approaching 10 million. Nintendo is close, we believe, to recreating the virtuous cycle, which has marked earlier phases of its share price appreciation, when release of desirable, proprietary software stimulates sales of Nintendo hardware, which in turn feeds demand for more software. Nintendo's shares have risen five-fold since 1984, nearly nine-fold to the 2000 peak, admittedly not in a straight line. We hope it can do the same for us again over the next 16 years. That sentiment allows us to conclude this note with a brief and heartfelt platitude. We would love all the constituents of our portfolio to move in the same direction all at once, so long as that is upward. However, such is the mix, this is unlikely. Nonetheless, over the sort of horizon required to judge whether Nintendo proved a good investment, five years or more, we expect all our assets to appreciate, to differing degrees and at differing junctures and trust that this will drive value for the Company. 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 the 2 Payment: August 1/2% Consolidated Loan Stock. The Board Management Fees Registered Address Rhoddy Swire Standard Fee: 0.65% p.a. Lindsell Train Investment Trust Michael Mackenzie Performance Fee: 10% of annual 77A High Street Donald Adamson increase in the share price, plus dividend, Brentwood Michael Lindsell above the gross annual yield of ESSEX DM14 4RR the 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock. Sedol No Bloomberg 3001710 LTI LN 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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