Interim Results
Murray International Trust PLC
08 August 2006
MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC
INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
The Directors of Murray International Trust PLC report the unaudited results of
the company for the six months ended 30 June 2006.
• Net Asset Value Total Return, with net income reinvested, for the
six months ended 30 June 2006 was 2.5% compared with a return of 1.2% on the
composite benchmark.
• The Board intends to recommend a final dividend of not less than
6.65p in respect of the year ending 31 December 2006, payable in May 2007.
• The discount at which the shares traded to their Net Asset Value contracted
slightly during the six months from 5.9% at 31 December 2005 to 5.5%
at 30 June 2006.
• Equity asset allocation remains overweight in high-growth Asian and
Emerging Markets and underweight in developed markets such as the UK and
United States.
Background
Financial markets struggled to make much progress over the past six months. The
optimism that led to steady upward progression through the early part of the
year dissipated during the second quarter as investors became increasingly
concerned about the future path of interest rates and corporate earnings. As
usual, across the global spectrum, the response of equity markets to rising risk
aversion was not uniform in magnitude. Over the whole period in sterling terms,
the most notable returns came from Continental Europe, the UK and Brazil, up
6.3%, 5.9% and 11.5% respectively. Conversely, currency weakness in the US
dollar and the Yen against Sterling compounded negative returns from the United
States and Japan, down 4.6% and 5.3% respectively. Asia ex Japan in aggregate
was virtually flat over the period, although this masked some divergent returns
at the individual country level.
Performance
The Net Asset Value total return, with net income reinvested for the six months
to 30 June 2006 was 2.5% compared with a return of 1.2% on the composite
benchmark (40% of the FTSE World-UK and 60% of the FTSE World ex UK Indices).
Asset allocation towards equities was positive for the period. The negative
effect of being overweight in Japan was completely offset by the positive impact
of being underweight in the USA. Relative asset allocations towards the UK and
Europe had virtually no overall impact. The aggregate impact of being
overweight in Asia was marginally negative, the strength of developed Asian
markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore being offset by weakness in emerging
Asian markets such as India, Korea and Taiwan. Not for the first time in recent
years, it was the overweight exposure to Latin America that accounted for the
majority of relative outperformance.
Dividends
At last year's Annual General Meeting shareholders approved three interim
dividends of 3.80p per share in respect of the year ending 31 December 2006,
payable on 14 August and 15 November 2006, and 14 February 2007. As indicated
at the year end, the Board intends to recommend that the final dividend in
respect of the year ending 31 December 2006, payable in May 2007, will not be
less than 6.65p.
Outlook
The virtually flat six month return from global equity markets contradicts the
general perception that the period was characterised by an overall 'stock market
correction'. What was deflated, and encouragingly so, was a degree of
complacency that had been building up in equity markets over the past eighteen
months.
Economic policies, required to resolve some of the long-standing imbalances
prevalent in the United States and the UK, are unlikely to be pleasant but
expectations should adjust accordingly, hopefully without too much pain to
respective equity markets. Once markets have fully digested the currently
prevailing negative economic and geo-political sentiment and extended their
outlook into next year, the gloom should lift. Elsewhere in the World, the
outlook still looks bright. Countries that have been financing the United
States twin deficits, such as Japan, India, China and Brazil, remain in a
structurally strong position which will enable constant pro-growth domestic
economic policies to provide the platform for solid earnings and dividend growth
at the corporate level. These are the types of opportunity that will continue
to be capitalised on by your Company through investment in high quality
companies where valuations relative to growth prospects are the most attractive.
Income Statement
Six months ended
30 June 2006
(unaudited)
Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000
Gains on investments - 6,124 6,124
Income from investments 13,794 - 13,794
Other income 35 - 35
Investment management fees (437) (1,020) (1,457)
Performance fees - (477) (477)
Other expenses (617) - (617)
Currency losses - (1,884) (1,884)
_______ _______ _______
Net return before finance costs and taxation 12,775 2,743 15,518
Finance costs of borrowing (311) (726) (1,037)
_______ _______ _______
Return on ordinary activities before tax 12,464 2,017 14,481
Tax on ordinary activities (2,473) 1,567 (906)
_______ _______ _______
Return attributable to equity Shareholders 9,991 3,584 13,575
_______ _______ _______
Return per Ordinary share (pence) 11.5 4.1 15.6
Return per Ordinary share assuming full _______ _______ _______
conversion of the B Ordinary shares (pence) 11.4 4.1 15.5
_______ _______ _______
The total column of the statement represents the profit and loss of the Company.
All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing
operations.
No operations were acquired or discontinued during the year.
The Company has no other gains or losses other than those recognised in the
Income Statement above.
Ordinary dividends on equity shares (£'000) 15,623 - 15,623
_______ _______ _______
Income Statement
Six months
ended 30 June 2005
(unaudited)
Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000
Gains on investments - 33,024 33,024
Income from investments 12,170 - 12,170
Other income 63 - 63
Investment management fees (374) (872) (1,246)
Performance fees - (562) (562)
Other expenses (513) - (513)
Currency losses - (1,999) (1,999)
_______ _______ _______
Net return before finance costs and taxation 11,346 29,591 40,937
Finance costs of borrowing (375) (875) (1,250)
_______ _______ _______
Return on ordinary activities before tax 10,971 28,716 39,687
Tax on ordinary activities (2,278) 1,563 (715)
_______ _______ _______
Return attributable to equity Shareholders 8,693 30,279 38,972
_______ _______ _______
Return per Ordinary share (pence) 10.0 35.0 45.0
_______ _______ _______
Return per Ordinary share assuming full
conversion of the B Ordinary shares (pence) 9.9 34.6 44.5
_______ _______ _______
The total column of the statement represents the profit and loss of the Company.
All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing
operations.
No operations were acquired or discontinued during the year.
The Company has no other gains or losses other than those recognised in the
Income Statement above.
Ordinary dividends on equity shares (£'000) 14,364 - 14,364
_______ _______ _______
Income Statement Year ended
31 December 2005
(audited)
Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000
Gains on investments - 116,018 116,018
Income from investments 21,792 - 21,792
Other income 130 - 130
Investment management fees (771) (1,798) (2,569)
Performance fees - (2,374) (2,374)
Other expenses (1,097) - (1,097)
Currency losses - (3,562) (3,562)
_______ _______ _______
Net return before finance costs and taxation 20,054 108,284 128,338
Finance costs of borrowing (744) (1,735) (2,479)
_______ _______ _______
Return on ordinary activities before tax 19,310 106,549 125,859
Tax on ordinary activities (4,035) 2,844 (1,191)
_______ _______ _______
Return attributable to equity Shareholders 15,275 109,393 124,668
_______ _______ _______
Return per Ordinary share (pence) 17.7 126.4 144.1
_______ _______ _______
Return per Ordinary share assuming full
conversion of the B Ordinary shares (pence) 17.4 124.8 142.2
_______ _______ _______
The total column of the statement represents the profit and loss of the Company.
All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing
operations.
No operations were acquired or discontinued during the year.
The Company has no other gains or losses other than those recognised in the
Income Statement above.
Ordinary dividends on equity shares (£'000) 14,357 - 14,357
_______ _______ _______
Balance Sheet
As at As at As at
30 June 2006 30 June 2005 31 December 2005
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£'000 £'000 £'000
Fixed assets
Investments at fair value through profit or loss 609,231 541,867 603,103
Current assets
Debtors 4,637 4,593 4,270
Cash and short-term deposits 998 5,200 6,816
_______ _______ _______
5,635 9,793 11,086
_______ _______ _______
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Bank loans - (8,056) (7,896)
Other creditors (11,821) (27,921) (5,007)
_______ _______ _______
(11,821) (35,977) (12,903)
_______ _______ _______
Net current liabilities (6,186) (26,184) (1,817)
_______ _______ _______
Total assets less current liabilities 603,045 515,683 601,286
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year
Bank loans (79,423) (76,385) (74,907)
Other creditors (2,037) (1,369) (2,746)
_______ _______ _______
(81,460) (77,754) (77,653)
_______ _______ _______
Net assets 521,585 437,929 523,633
_______ _______ _______
Capital and reserves
Equity Shareholders' interests:
Called-up share capital 21,919 21,911 21,911
Share premium account 23 23 23
Capital redemption reserve 8,230 8,230 8,230
Capital reserve - realised 299,758 286,072 286,597
Capital reserve - unrealised 165,142 96,137 174,727
Revenue reserve 26,513 25,556 32,145
_______ _______ _______
Equity Shareholders' funds 521,585 437,929 523,633
_______ _______ _______
Net Asset Value per Ordinary and 'B' Ordinary share 594.9 499.7 597.5
(pence) _______ _______ _______
Reconciliation of Movements in Shareholders' Funds
As at 30 June 2006
Six months ended 30 June 2006
(unaudited)
Share Capital Capital Capital
Share premium redemption reserve - reserve - Revenue
capital account reserve realised unrealised reserve Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Balance at 31 December 2005 21,911 23 8,230 286,597 174,727 32,145 523,633
Return on ordinary activities after - - - 13,169 (9,585) 9,991 13,575
taxation
Dividends on Ordinary shares - - - - - (15,623) (15,623)
Issue of new shares 8 - - (8) - - -
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______
Balance at 30 June 2006 21,919 23 8,230 299,758 165,142 26,513 521,585
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______
Six months ended 30 June 2005
(unaudited)
Share Capital Capital Capital
Share premium redemption reserve - reserve - Revenue
capital account reserve realised unrealised reserve Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Balance at 31 December 2004 21,901 23 8,230 284,112 67,829 31,227 413,322
Return on ordinary activities after - - - 1,970 28,308 8,693 38,971
taxation
Dividends on Ordinary shares - - - - - (14,364) (14,364)
Issue of new shares 10 - - (10) - - -
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______
Balance at 30 June 2005 21,911 23 8,230 286,072 96,137 25,556 437,929
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______
Year ended 31 December 2005
(audited)
Share Capital Capital Capital
Share premium redemption reserve - reserve - Revenue
capital account reserve realised unrealised reserve Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Balance at 31 December 2004 21,901 23 8,230 284,112 67,829 31,227 413,322
Return on ordinary activities after - - - 2,495 106,898 15,275 124,668
taxation
Dividends on Ordinary shares - - - - - (14,357) (14,357)
Issue of new shares 10 - - (10) - - -
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______
Balance at 31 December 2005 21,911 23 8,230 286,597 174,727 32,145 523,633
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______
Cash Flow Statement
Six months ended Six months ended Year ended
30 June 2006 30 June 2005 31 December 2005
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
£'000 £'000 £'000
Net return before finance costs and taxation 15,518 40,937 128,338
Adjustments for:
Realised gains on investments (17,470) (4,716) (5,822)
Unrealised losses/ (gains) on investments 11,346 (28,308) (110,196)
Amortisation of fixed interest securities 265 335 612
Overseas tax suffered (1,048) (847) (1,291)
(Increase)/decrease in accrued income (1,252) (798) 170
Decrease/(increase) in other debtors 28 (62) 20
(Increase)/decrease in other creditors (557) (15) 1,933
Effect of foreign exchange losses 1,884 1,999 3,562
_____________ _____________ _____________
Net cash inflow from operating activities 8,714 8,525 17,326
Returns on investment and servicing of finance
Interest paid (1,170) (1,212) (2,421)
_____________ _____________ _____________
Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (1,170) (1,212) (2,421)
Financial investment
Purchases of investments (54,612) (59,850) (105,819)
Movement in futures - 1,238 (15,501)
Sales of investments 54,343 58,905 126,614
_____________ _____________ _____________
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financial investment (269) 293 5,294
Equity dividends paid (8,826) (8,121) (14,268)
_____________ _____________ _____________
Net cash (outflow)/inflow before financing (1,551) (515) 5,931
Financing
Loans repaid 7,707 - -
Loans received (7,707) - -
_____________ _____________ _____________
Net cash flow from financing - - -
_____________ _____________ _____________
(Decrease)/increase in cash (1,551) (515) 5,931
_____________ _____________ _____________
Analysis of changes in cash during the period
Opening balance 6,816 9,591 9,591
(Decrease)/increase in cash above (1,551) (515) 5,931
Currency differences (4,267) (3,876) (8,706)
_____________ _____________ _____________
Closing balances 998 5,200 6,816
_____________ _____________ _____________
MURRAY INTERNATIONAL TRUST PLC
Six months ended 30 June 2006
Supplementary Information
Note 1. Transaction Costs
During the six months ended 30 June 2006 expenses were incurred in acquiring or
disposing of investments classified as fair value through profit or loss. These
have been expensed through capital and are included within gains on investments
in the income statement. The total costs were as follows:
Six months Six months Year
ended ended ended
30 June 2006 30 June 2005 31 December 2005
£'000 £'000 £'000
Purchases 80 139 293
Sales 95 85 212
__________ __________ __________
175 224 505
_____________ _____________ _____________
Note 2. Ordinary dividends on equity shares
Six months Six months Year
ended ended ended
30 June 2006 30 June 2005 31 December 2005
£'000 £'000 £'000
2005 final dividend of 6.65p (2004 - 5.95p) 5,756 5,147 5,147
First interim of 3.80p (2005 - 3.55p) 3,289 3,072 3,070
Second interim of 3.80p (2005 - 3.55p) 3,289 3,072 3,070
Third interim of 3.80p (2005 - 3.55p) 3,289 3,073 3,070
__________ __________ __________
15,623 14,364 14,357
_____________ _____________ _____________
Note 3. Returns per share
Six months Six months Year
ended ended ended
30 June 30 June 31 December
2006 2005 2005
£'000 £'000 £'000
The returns per share have been based on the following
figures:
Revenue return £9,991 £8,693 £15,275
Capital return £3,584 £30,279 £109,393
__________ __________ __________
Total return £13,575 £38,972 £124,668
____________ ____________ _____________
Weighted average number of Ordinary shares 86,556,277 86,491,961 86,524,129
Weighted average number of B Ordinary shares 1,094,729 1,120,893 1,104,278
Note 4. Diluted net asset value
The diluted net asset value per share at the period end has been calculated in
accordance with the Articles of Association using the following net asset value
attributable and the total number of Ordinary shares (including conversion of
the B Ordinary shares).
As at As at As at
30 June 30 June 31 December
2006 2005 2005
£'000 £'000 £'000
Attributable net assets 521,585 437,929 523,633
__________ __________ __________
Number of shares in issue:
Ordinary shares 86,583,992 86,556,123 86,556,123
B Ordinary shares 1,092,806 1,087,799 1,087,799
__________ __________ __________
87,676,798 87,643,922 87,643,922
__________ __________ __________
Note 5
The financial information above comprises non-statutory accounts within the
meaning of Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information for
the year ended 31 December 2005 has been abridged from published accounts that
have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and on which the report of the
Auditors was unqualified. The interim accounts have been prepared using the same
accounting policies as the preceding annual accounts.
Note 6
A summary of investment changes for the six months to 30 June 2006, a summary of
net assets as at 30 June 2006 and a schedule of the twenty largest equity
investments and the ten largest fixed income investments as at 30 June 2006 are
attached.
By order of the Board
ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLC, SECRETARY
8 August 2006
Copies of this announcement will be printed and issued to shareholders and will
be available to the public at the registered office of the Company, 123 St
Vincent Street, Glasgow.
Summary of Investment Changes
Valuation Appreciation/ Valuation
31 December 2005 Transactions (depreciation) 30 June 2006
£'000 % £'000 £'000 £'000 %
Equities
United Kingdom 150,828 24.8 (7,807) 7,149 150,170 24.9
North America 47,782 7.8 (2,131) (2,132) 43,519 7.2
Europe & Africa 97,932 16.1 293 2,968 101,193 16.8
Japan 72,010 11.8 2,820 (5,499) 69,331 11.5
Asia Pacific Ex Japan 89,325 14.7 9,917 (6,041) 93,201 15.4
Emerging Europe, Middle East & Latin 59,927 9.8 (15,007) 13,382 58,302 9.7
America
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
517,804 85.0 (11,915) 9,827 515,716 85.5
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
Fixed income
United Kingdom 56,998 9.4 14,004 (1,336) 69,666 11.5
North America 9,521 1.6 1,886 (1,127) 10,280 1.7
Europe & Africa 8,755 1.4 (3,922) (557) 4,276 0.7
Asia Pacific Ex Japan 5,448 0.9 (12) (204) 5,232 0.9
Latin America 4,577 0.7 (37) (479) 4,061 0.7
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
85,299 14.0 11,919 (3,703) 93,515 15.5
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
Other net assets/(liabilities) 6,079 1.0 (7,001) (5,264) (6,186) (1.0)
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
Total assets 609,182 100.0 (6,997) 860 603,045 100.0
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
Summary of Net Assets
Valuation
30 June 2006
£'000 %
Equities 515,716 98.9
Fixed income 93,515 17.9
Other net liabilities (6,186) (1.2)
Prior charges (79,423) (15.2)
Other long term liabilities (2,037) (0.4)
_________ _________
Equity Shareholders' funds 521,585 100.0
_________ _________
Twenty Largest Equity Investments
As at 30 June 2006
Valuation % of total
Security Investment area £'000 assets
Atrium Underwriting United Kingdom 18,338 3.0
Petrobras Brazil & Argentina 17,727 2.9
Tenaris ADR Mexico 17,475 2.9
Resolution United Kingdom 17,147 2.8
GlaxoSmithKline United Kingdom 13,523 2.2
British American Tobacco* United Kingdom & Malaysia 10,397 1.7
AstraZeneca United Kingdom 8,160 1.4
Royal Dutch Shell* United Kingdom 8,124 1.4
Petrochina China 7,466 1.3
Vodafone Group United Kingdom 7,376 1.2
Aeropuertos del Sureste ADS Mexico 7,256 1.2
Orix Corporation Japan 6,850 1.1
Hyundai Motor 2nd Pref South Korea 6,768 1.1
PTT Exploration & Production Thailand 6,759 1.1
Samsung Electronics Pref South Korea 6,582 1.1
Daito Trust Construction Japan 6,555 1.1
Aviva United Kingdom 6,415 1.1
Deutsche Postbank Germany 6,223 1.0
Souza Cruz Brazil 6,035 1.0
Reynolds American USA 5,917 1.0
________ ________
Top twenty investments 191,093 31.6
________ ________
* Consolidates all equity holdings from same issuer
Ten Largest Fixed Income Investments
As at 30 June 2006
Security Currency Valuation % of total
Denomination £'000 assets
UK Treasury 7.25% 07/12/2007 Sterling 5,516 0.9
UK Treasury 5% 07/03/2012 Sterling 5,499 0.9
UK Treasury 7.5% 07/12/2006 Sterling 5,475 0.9
UK Treasury 5% 07/03/2008 Sterling 5,447 0.9
UK Treasury 4% 07/03/2009 Sterling 5,444 0.9
UK Treasury 6.25% 25/11/2010 Sterling 5,362 0.9
UK Treasury 9% Conversion 12/07/2011 Sterling 5,338 0.9
Pemex Project Funding Master 7.75% 29/09/2049 U.S. Dollar 4,720 0.8
Government of Hungary 6.5% 12/08/2008 Hungarian Forint 4,276 0.7
Government of Mexico 10.5% 14/07/2011 Mexican Peso 4,061 0.7
________ ________
Top ten investments 51,138 8.5
________ ________
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange