Octopus IHT AIM VCT plc ("the Company")
15 April 2010
Interim Management Statement
For the period from 1 December 2009 to 12 April 2010
In accordance with Rule 4.3 of the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure and
Transparency rules, Octopus IHT AIM VCT plc presents an Interim Management
Statement for the period 1 December 2009 to 12 April 2010. The statement also
includes relevant financial information between the end of the period and the
date of this statement.
Financial Summary
As at 12 April As at 30 November As at 30 November
 2010 2009 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total net assets
(£'000s) 10,369 10,783 16,049
Net asset value per
share ("NAV") 67.1p 69.5p 64.6p
Cumulative dividend -
paid and proposed
since launch 8.4p 7.4p 6.4p
Investment performance
The NAV at the 31(st) March 2010 was 66.9p. After adding back the 1p dividend
paid in the period, the NAV fell by 2.3% in the first four months of the
financial year compared with a rise in the AIM Index of 7.5% and in the Small
Cap ex investment trust index of 0.7%, a disappointing start to the financial
year. The performance of AIM owes much to resource stocks whilst the Small Cap
reflects the general unease in the market about the effect of the impending
General Election on companies exposed to the domestic economy. This seems at
variance with the results which have been reported by many companies in the last
six weeks or so and also with the progress that several holdings have reported
in terms of their business growth. There have also been some signs that other
corporates are recognising the value still available in smaller company shares.
In the period an all share offer has been received from Chime for Essentially
Group, and cash offers have been received for Claimar and Research Now.
Disappointingly, there has been no real flow of new issues onto AIM and with the
General Election now announced officially, it seems unlikely that there will be
any number in the immediate future. The reinvestment of sale proceeds will
therefore be a slow process for the time being and it remains most probable that
it will be existing AIM companies, which will be raising new capital in the next
few months.  However, the company remains comfortably above the 70% investment
threshold, set by HMRC, for qualifying investments.
Investment Activity
The following new investments have been completed since 30 November 2009:
18 December 2009, investment of £112,000 in SnackTime plc
18 December 2009, investment of £35,000 in RWS Holdings plc (non-qualifying)
24 February 2010, investment of £230,000 was made in Access Intelligence plc
25 February 2010, investment of £574 in Brooks Macdonald plc (non-qualifying)
Unless otherwise stated, all investments were qualifying for HMRC purposes.
With regard to disposals, during the period the investment in Research Now was
fully disposed of resulting in a profit of £200,000. Partial disposals also took
place with profits being realised in Advanced Computer Software, Animalcare
Group, Brulines and Pressure Technologies totaling £174,000.
Ten largest equity holdings as at 31 March 2010:
Carrying value
Carrying value as a % of total
Investee Company Sector £'000 net assets
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Advanced Computer Software & Computer
Software plc Services 531 5.1
Animalcare Group plc Food Producers 480 4.6
Melorio plc Support services 467 4.5
Pharmaceuticals &
IS Pharma plc Biotechnology 393 3.8
Brulines Holdings plc Support services 366 3.5
Craneware plc Healthcare 335 3.2
Chime Communications Advertising and
plc Communications 334 3.2
Clarity Commerce plc Software 326 3.2
Praesepe plc Travel & Leisure 322 3.1
Managed Support
Services plc Support services 322 3.1
Dividends
It is your Board's policy to strive to maintain a regular dividend flow where
possible and this primarily relies on the level of profitable realisations and
available cash reserves. For the year ended 30 November 2009, the Board declared
an interim dividend of 1.0 pence per A Ordinary Share, payable from capital
reserves. This dividend has now received clearance from HMRC and will be paid on
7 May 2010 to those shareholders on the register on 16 April 2010.
Buybacks
During the period 65,125 A Ordinary shares were bought back at a weighted
average price of 61.0p.
Merger
On 13 January the board announced that it was in preliminary discussions with
Octopus Second AIM VCT PLC about the terms of a possible merger between the two
companies. That remains the case and upon a successful conclusion, details will
be sent to shareholders for their consideration.
Material events and transactions
The Fund's Board is not aware of any other significant event or transaction
which has occurred between the 1 December 2009 and the date of publication of
this statement which would have a material impact on the financial position of
the Fund.
For further information please contact:
Kate Tidbury / Andrew Buchanan - Fund Managers
Octopus Investments Limited - 0800 316 2347
ENDS
[HUG#1404052]
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