Interim Results
SchroderJapan Growth Fund PLC
30 March 2006
30 March 2006
Press Release
Unaudited Interim Results
The Directors of Schroder Japan Growth Fund plc announce the unaudited interim
results for the six months ended 31 January 2006.
For the six months ended For the six months ended
31 January 2006 31 January 2005
(Restated)
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Gains on investments - 37,541 37,541 - 3,036 3,036
Realised exchange rate (losses)/gains - (135) (135) - 135 135
Unrealised exchange gains/(losses) on - 1,287 1,287 - (765) (765)
the loan facility
Income 844 - 844 680 - 680
Investment management fee (849) - (849) (644) - (644)
Administrative expenses (170) - (170) (225) - (225)
Net (loss)/return before finance (175) 38,693 38,518 (189) 2,406 2,217
costs, taxation and gain on expiry of
warrants
Interest payable (56) - (56) (77) - (77)
Net (loss)/return on ordinary (231) 38,693 38,462 (266) 2,406 2,140
activities before taxation
Tax on ordinary activities (58) - (58) (47) - (47)
Net (loss)/return attributable to (289) 38,693 38,404 (313) 2,406 2,093
equity shareholders
Net (loss)/return per ordinary (0.23)p 30.95p 30.72p (0.25)p 1.93p 1.68p
share-pence
Reconciliation of Movements in Shareholders' Funds
Share Share Share Warrant Capital Revenue
capital premium purchase exercise reserve reserve
account reserve reserve
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Balance at 31 July 2005 12,501 7 97,205 3 17,108 (7,381)
Net profit from operating - - - - 38,693 (289)
activities
Realised gain on expiry of - - - - - -
warrants
Issue of shares on exercise - - - - - -
of warrants
Balance at 31 January 2006 12,501 7 97,205 3 55,801 (7,670)
Share Share Share Warrant Warrant Capital Revenue
capital premium purchase exercise reserve reserve reserve
account reserve reserve
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Balance at 31 July 2004 12,500 3 97,205 1 9,639 (907) (7,182)
Net profit from operating - - - - - 2,406 (313)
activities
Realised gain on expiry of - - - - (9.637) 9,637 -
warrants
Issue of shares on 1 4 - 2 (2) - -
exercise of warrants
Balance at 31 January 2005 12,501 7 97,205 3 - 11,136 (7,495)
Share Share Share Warrant Warrant Capital Revenue
capital premium purchase exercise reserve reserve reserve
account reserve reserve
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Balance at 31 July 2004 12,500 3 97,205 1 9,639 (907) (7,182)
Net profit from operating - - - - - 8,378 (199)
activities
Realised gain on expiry of - - - - (9,637) 9,637 -
warrants
Issue of shares on 1 4 - 2 (2) - -
exercise of warrants
Balance at 31 July 2005 12,501 7 97,205 3 - 17,108 (7,381)
Six months ended Six months ended
31 January 2006 31 January 2005
restated
Abridged Cash Flow Statement £'000 £'000
Net cash outflow from operating activities (158) (335)
Net cash outflow from investing activities (4,776) 48
Net cash outflow before financing (4,934) (287)
Net cash inflow from financing 4,918 0
Net cash outflow (16) (287)
Net debt at beginning of period (18,554) (15,727)
Realised exchange gains/(losses) on currency balances (135) 135
Movement in bank loan to finance investments (4,918) 0
Exchange movement on loan facility 1,287 (768)
Net debt at period end (22,336) (16,647)
As at 31 January 2006 As at 31 July 2005
Assets £'000 £'000
Listed investments 180,581 139,144
Net current liabilities (22,734) (19,701)
Creditors: amounts falling due after one year - -
Net Assets 157,847 119,443
Net asset value per share - undiluted pence 126.27p 95.55p
The Board of Directors approved this statement on 30 March 2006.
Notes
1.The above financial information is unaudited and does not amount to statutory
accounts under Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended). The
information given for the financial year ended 31 July 2005 does not constitute
the Company's statutory accounts for that financial year. Statutory accounts
for the financial year ended 31 July 2005 have been reported on by the Company's
auditors and delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The report of the
auditors was unqualified and did not contain a statement under Section 237(2) or
(3) of the Companies Act 1985.
2. This announcement is prepared on the basis of the accounting policies as set
out in the most recent published set of annual financial statements with the
following exceptions, which have arisen from the adoption of new accounting
standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Financial Statements of
Investment Trust Companies' ('SORP') issued in January 2003 and revised in
December 2005.
a) FRS26 (Financial Instruments: Measurement) - The Company has designated its
assets and liabilities as being measured at 'fair value through profit or
loss'. The fair value of listed investments is deemed to be the bid value of
those investments at the close of business on the relevant date. Previously,
listed investments were valued at last traded price basis. There was no
difference between the last traded price basis and the bid value of the
investments at 31 January 2006, 31 January 2005 and 31 July 2005.
Transaction costs have been included within capital account. Purchase
transaction costs amounted to £21,000 for the period to 31 January 2006 and
sales transaction costs amounted to £16,000.
b) FRS25 (Financial Disclosure and Presentation) - Warrants issued by an
Investment Trust Company (ITC) should be classified as equity and the net
proceeds shown as a warrant reserve and included as part of equity holders'
funds. If warrants issued by an ITC lapse unexercised then the amount previously
recognised in respect of the warrant should be reclassified as a realised gain.
This is not reflected in the profit or loss but reported as a movement in the
Reconciliation of Movement in Shareholders' Funds. The accounts for the period
ended 31 January 2005 and the year ended 31 July 2005 have been restated to
reflect these changes.
c) FRS 23 (The effects of changes in Foreign Exchange Rates) - The financial
statements of a company are presented in currency of the primary economic
environment in which it operates (its functional currency). The functional and
presentational currency of this Company is deemed to be sterling and the
financial statements presented accordingly.
Chairman's Statement
Performance
I am very pleased to report that your Company has experienced a strong period of
growth over the six months ended 31 January 2006. The Company's net asset value
increased by 32.2%, whilst the share price increased by 38.4%. The Tokyo Stock
Exchange ('TSE') First Section produced a Total Return in sterling terms of
35.3% over the same period.
An analysis of the performance of the portfolio can be found in the following
Investment Manager's Review.
Director Changes
Mr. Yoshindo Takahashi has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the
Company with effect from 19 December 2005.
Mr. Takahashi, aged 65, is currently Director of the Office of Pharmaceutical
Industry Research, a research arm of Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
Association. He is also a member of the Management Committee of Executive
Partners Inc, a consulting firm for small and emerging companies and a statutory
auditor (Independent) of Netprice Corp, an internet shopping company based in
Japan. He was previously Executive Director and Dean of Nomura School of
Advanced Management (1996 - 2000) and Executive Vice President of Nomura
Research Institute Ltd (1994 - 1996). He served as President and then Chairman
of Nomura Research Institute Europe Ltd and Nomura Research Institute America
Inc. between 1980 and 1991.
Mr. Takahashi will be proposed for election at the 2006 Annual General Meeting.
Mr. Keisuke Egashira retired as a Director of the Company on 19 December 2005 on
accepting the Chairmanship of a major motor-vehicle manufacturer in Japan. He
served as a Director of the Company since its launch in 1994 and has made an
invaluable contribution to the deliberations of the Board. He leaves with the
thanks and best wishes of all the Directors.
Accounting Standards
The Accounting Standards Body has implemented a convergence programme with
International Accounting Standards and has introduced a number of new and
revised Accounting Standards, which have been adopted in these interim accounts.
In addition the Company has also complied with the revised Statement of
Recommended Practice issued by the AITC in December 2005. These changes have had
no financial impact in our interim accounts other than presentational changes
and additional disclosures.
Gearing
During the six-month period ended 31 January 2006, the Company increased total
borrowings to Yen 5.5 billion (from Yen 4.5 billion) in line with the increase
in asset values. All of the borrowings continue to be obtained via a revolving
credit facility with variable draw-down periods, providing flexibility to the
Board and the Manager.
Jonathan Taylor
Chairman
Investment Manager's Review
Performance
The Company's net asset value rose 32.2% in sterling terms during the six months
to 31st January 2006.
Over this period, the benchmark Index rose strongly in local currency terms, by
42.6% and slightly less so in sterling terms, by 35.3%. Rising expectations for
economic growth and corporate earnings and a resounding victory for Prime
Minister Koizumi in parliamentary elections provided a positive impetus to the
market.
Commodity-related sectors, such as steels, metals and resources, performed
strongly against a backdrop of strong global and, in particular, regional demand
and pricing. At the same time, high-beta domestic stocks, such as real estate,
brokers, banks and insurance warmed to the prospect of asset inflation. Toward
the end of 2005, the market became increasingly momentum - and thematically
driven, throwing out exceptional value in some neglected stocks at the end of
the period.
Underperformance came from an underweight position in commodity sectors, with
the exception of trading companies, and in higher-beta domestic sectors, such as
banks, where valuations look stretched.
Outlook
We are expecting real GDP growth above 2% for the third successive fiscal year.
Indeed, real GDP growth is likely to grow at this rate again in the next fiscal
year ending March 2007. The outlook for next year is dependent on inflation and
interest rates. The core CPI turned positive in November (+0.1%) and is likely
to continue rising for the next few months. Although we do not expect higher
interest rates until the beginning of 2007, the Bank of Japan may feel obliged
to act earlier if inflation rises above 1%. Overall, we expect a relatively
positive environment for companies with profits growth of around 10%. A greater
focus on improving return on equity by using excess capital appropriately would
lead to higher valuation multiples.
The chief threats to this scenario are premature tightening of fiscal/monetary
policy by the authorities and potential political upheaval as Prime Minster
Koizumi steps down.
Investment Policy
The market has maintained a strong focus on domestic reflation. Whilst trends in
nominal GDP have been supportive, an important medium term driver of the market
will be a further rise in return on equity driven more by balance sheet
restructuring. This will benefit cash-generative companies able to use excess
cash to reinvest or return to shareholders. The portfolio continues to include
exposure to such situations, for example Takeda Pharmaceutical and Nissan Motor.
There is growing evidence that profits momentum is beginning to peak,
particularly if one isolates from market earnings those segments which have
enjoyed strongly favourable tailwinds, such as trading companies, or banks,
where provisions have been written back. Having said that, nominal growth should
be sufficiently strong to sustain reasonable levels of profits growth. A concern
would be that this proves insufficient to sustain multiples in many segments of
the market and we believe, therefore, that stock selection, rather than the
sector themes, which have driven the market forward over recent periods, will be
increasingly important. We are particularly positive on stocks like Astellas
Pharmaceutical, Omron and T&D Holdings and would add to positions on any
weakness. Effective net gearing at the end of January was 14.1%.
Schroder Investment Management Limited
Interim Report
The Interim Report will be mailed to registered shareholders at their registered
addresses. Copies of the Interim Report will be made available from the date of
release at the Company's registered office, 31 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7QA.
Enquiries: Schroder Investment Management Limited
John Spedding (020 7658 3206)
30 March 2006
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