Winding up proposals

Second Advance Value Realisation Company Limited Proposal for voluntary winding up The Company has today posted a circular to Ordinary Shareholders convening an Extraordinary General Meeting, to be held at 10.30 a.m. on 22 June 2005, at which Ordinary Shareholders will be asked to approve a resolution to wind up the Company and to appoint Jeremy Simon Spratt and Finbarr O'Connell, both of KPMG LLP, as the Liquidators to liquidate the Company and settle the Company's liabilities Background The Company was launched in April 2003 with the objective of providing value and liquidity for shareholders from a portfolio of investments which were acquired in exchange for 13,745,997 Ordinary Shares and 32,073,993 Preference Shares, in each case issued at £1 per share. The Company acquired 138 investments with a mid-market value at acquisition of £45.8 million. Since its launch the Company has realised its investments and progressively returned the proceeds to Shareholders through purchases (including the tender offer last June), redemptions of shares and dividends. The redemption or purchase and cancellation of the Preference Shares was completed on 12 January 2004. In aggregate the Company has returned £53.8 million to Shareholders since launch. The Company has one remaining investment which is fully written down. The Directors expect that this investment will be disposed of before the date of the Extraordinary General Meeting. At 20 May 2005 (the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this document) the Company had net assets of £5.8 million (comprising cash and UK Treasury Bills less provisions for the remaining expenses of the Company and liquidation costs). This is equivalent to 218.93p per Ordinary Share. The aggregate of the amount returned to Shareholders and the latest net asset value is £59.6 million. This is equivalent to 130.1 per cent. of the initial gross assets of the Company. At the time of the Company's launch the Directors stated that, at the annual general meeting to be held in 2006, Shareholders would be invited to consider the future of the Company. In June 2004 the Directors announced new management arrangements to incentivise the Progressive Value Management Limited, the Manager, to liquidate the portfolio by 30 June 2005. The Directors consider that the most effective way of returning the remaining net assets of the Company to Shareholders is for the Company to be wound up. The Directors recommend that Ordinary Shareholders vote in favour of the Proposal to put the Company into liquidation. Voluntary winding up The liquidation of the Company, which will be a solvent liquidation in which all creditors will be paid in full, will involve the passing of the Resolution to approve the liquidation of the Company and to appoint the Liquidators. If the Resolution is passed, the appointment of the Liquidators will become effective immediately upon the filing of the Resolution with the Greffier in Guernsey. At this point, the powers of the Directors would cease and the Liquidators would assume responsibility for the liquidation of the Company, including the payment of fees, costs and expenses, the discharging of the liabilities of the Company and the distribution of the remaining assets. Since 23 June 2004 the Manager's basic fee has been reduced from 1 per cent. per annum of net assets to 0.5 per cent. If the Proposal is approved the Manager will be entitled under the terms of the management arrangements to an early termination fee of £285,000 plus VAT, to a basic fee in respect of the period to 30 September 2005 and to an equity appreciation fee estimated to amount to £359,000 plus VAT based on the net asset value at 20 May 2005. The Directors have served notice to terminate all material contracts. The net asset value of £5.8 million as at 20 May 2005 is stated after provision for costs (including the fees due to the Manager described above) arising under such contracts and in respect of their termination. The Directors propose that Jeremy Simon Spratt and Finbarr O'Connell, both of KPMG LLP, be appointed as Liquidators. They have agreed to accept the appointments in the event that the Resolution is passed. Estimated net proceeds of the liquidation As stated above, the net asset value per Ordinary Share on 20 May 2005 was 218.93p. This is calculated after providing for the estimated net expenses to be incurred by the Company prior to liquidation and for the estimated costs of the liquidation. Accordingly, if the Company had been wound up on that day, an Ordinary Shareholder could have expected to receive a distribution of 218.93p per Ordinary Share, subject to any adjustments made by the Liquidators in confirming the assets and liabilities of the Company. The Liquidators will begin the process of settling the Company's liabilities as soon as practicable after the Resolution has been passed. Subject to the passing of the Resolution, it is expected that the Liquidators will make a distribution equal to the net assets once all the Company's affairs, including the tax affairs, have been settled and all its liabilities paid. It is expected that such distribution will be made by 30 September 2005. As stated in the interim report for the six months ended 30 September 2004, the Directors are aware of the legal test case that JP Morgan Fleming Claverhouse Investment Trust plc has initiated in conjunction with the AITC against HM Customs & Excise and are aware of the potential consequences of the case. A contingent gain exists in the form of a possible VAT repayment from the Company's investment manager. At the present time there is no certainty regarding the outcome of the case. The total VAT that the Company has paid and will pay on investment management fees from the Company's launch to the appointment of the Liquidators is estimated to be £494,000. It is not clear how much of this sum, if any, may become recoverable or when any amount would be received. Therefore the Company has not recognised any such gain in its accounts nor is any amount reflected in the net asset value described above. Under the terms of appointment the Liquidators will be paid at their normal rates until all surplus funds (other than any potential amounts from the recovery of VAT) have been realised and distributed to Shareholders. After this point the Liquidators have undertaken to keep the liquidation open until the VAT issue is resolved (which could take several years) and will be entitled only to a fee equal to 20 per cent. of the amount of VAT recovered, if any. Dealings and Settlement It is expected that the register of Ordinary Shareholders will close for transfers of Ordinary Shares at the start of business on 22 June 2005. Transfers lodged with the UK Registration Agent before this time, accompanied by documents of title, will be registered in the normal way. Transfers received after that time will be returned to the person lodging them and, if the Proposal is sanctioned by Ordinary Shareholders, the original holder will receive any proceeds from distributions made by the Liquidators. The Company has made an application to the UK Listing Authority and the London Stock Exchange for the listing of Ordinary Shares on the Official List and dealings on the London Stock Exchange to be cancelled, subject to approval of the Proposal, with effect from 30 June 2005. It is expected that the listing of Ordinary Shares on the Official List and dealings on the London Stock Exchange will be suspended at the start of business on 22 June 2005 and, provided the Resolution is passed, will be cancelled with effect from the start of business on 30 June 2005. The last date for dealings on the London Stock Exchange on a normal settlement basis is expected to be 16 June 2005. Expected timetable 2005 Last day for dealings on the London Stock Exchange on a normal settlement basis 16 June Last time and date for receipt of Forms of 10.30 a.m. on Proxy 20 June Dealings in Ordinary Shares suspended 7.30 a.m. on 22 June pending the result of the Extraordinary General Meeting Register closes 22 June Extraordinary General Meeting of the 10.30 a.m. on Company 22 June Proposed cancellation of listing on the 30 June Official List and dealings on the London Stock Exchange Distribution to Ordinary Shareholders By 30 September For further information please contact: Robert Legget/Simon Toynbee 020 7566 5550 Progressive Value Management Limited John Webb/Gary Pinkerton 020 7490 3788 Marshall Securities Limited 23 May 2005 Note: Capitalised words have the same meanings as in the circular. ---END OF MESSAGE---
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