Interim Results

Scottish American Investment Co PLC 01 August 2005 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. (SAINTS) Results for the six months to 30 June 2005 SAINTS' share price total return+ exceeds benchmark while earnings rise by 13%. Share price total return+ of 12.4% • A share price total return+ of 12.4% was achieved in the six months, ahead of the 7.9% total return+ recorded by SAINTS' composite benchmark index (70% FTSE All-Share Index and 30% FTSE World Ex-UK Index in Sterling terms). At interim stage dividend up 9.2% • A second interim dividend of 1.62p is to be paid making a total for the half-year to date of 3.21p, an increase of 9.2% compared to the same period last year. This is in line with SAINTS' stated commitment to maintain a progressive dividend policy. Earnings of 4.06p were 13.1% higher than in the same period last year. NAV Performance • The net asset value total return+ with the debentures priced at book value was 8.1%, while with the debentures priced at market value it was 6.4%. Mixed Equity Performance • Operational performance of the UK holdings was, on the whole good, but this was not always reflected in share price performance. The total return+ on the UK equity investments was 6.3% and behind an 8.2% rise in the UK element of the benchmark. In contrast, in the overseas portfolio positive developments within many of the businesses held were rewarded with strong share price gains: the total return+ on the overseas equity portfolio was 12.7% well ahead of the 7.2% return in the overseas benchmark element. Relatively Optimistic Outlook • Exposure to equities was increased towards the end of the six month period when quoted equity exposure was equivalent to 110% of shareholders' funds. Equity purchases were funded by bond sales. The Manager remains relatively optimistic about the outlook for shares: in the UK it is likely that any serious downturn in consumer demand will be offset by interest rate cuts while globally there are few indications that high oil and commodity prices are restraining demand. + Total returns are calculated on the basis that net income is reinvested. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance The value of an investment and any income from it is not guaranteed and may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amount invested. This is because the share price is determined by the changing conditions in the relevant stockmarkets in which the Company invests and by the supply and demand for the Company's shares. Investment in investment trusts should be regarded as medium to long-term. You can find up to date performance information about SAINTS on the Baillie Gifford website at www.bailliegifford.com. The Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C. (SAINTS) aims to provide a valuable income that should grow steadily over time and at a faster rate than inflation, together with capital growth. It invests predominantly in the UK, including holdings in property, but also has a spread of international equities. Baillie Gifford & Co, the Edinburgh based fund management group with around £36 billion under management and advice, is appointed as investment managers and secretaries to SAINTS. 29 July 2005 - ends - For further information please contact: Patrick Edwardson, Manager, The Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C. 0131 275 2133 07812 537316 Robert O'Riordan, Marketing Manager Baillie Gifford & Co. 07730 412007 Mike Lord, Director, Broadgate Marketing 020 7726 6111 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. Interim Report Stockmarkets delivered good returns in the first half of 2005. In the UK, the total return on the FTSE All-Share Index was 8.2% whilst overseas markets, as measured by the FTSE World Ex UK index, returned 7.2%. The total return on the Company's shares over the period was 12.4%. The particularly strong performance from the Company's shares is in part explained by a narrowing of the gap between the share price and the net asset value per share. Total returns based on NAV were 8.1% if calculated using the book value of the Company's debenture and 6.4% if calculated using market value (the difference being explained by an upwards move in the price at which the debenture trades in the open market). These numbers for NAV total return compare to 7.9% for the Company's benchmark index. Throughout the period, we had a generally positive view on earnings growth and equity valuations and, reflecting this, the Company was geared into equity markets. On average through the first half, the value of the quoted equity investments was equivalent to 106% of shareholders' funds though net purchases had taken this figure to 110% by the end of the period. This use of gearing added approximately 0.5% points to total return. The return on the UK holdings lagged that on the FTSE All-Share by 1.9% points. This was a frustrating outcome given that their operational performance was, on the whole, good. We believe continued growth in profits at these companies will in due course be translated into strong share price performance. Fortunately, the performance of our overseas holdings offset the disappointing UK contribution. The overseas equity investments are chosen for their long run growth prospects and form a relatively concentrated portfolio of our best stock ideas from around the world. As such, short term performance is likely to be more variable than the Company's overall result. However, on this occasion, we are pleased that the very positive developments in the businesses we chose to invest in were rewarded with strong share price gains. The return on the overseas holdings was also boosted by a fall in the value of sterling against most major currencies, an unexpected move which prompted us to remove the dollar hedge taken out towards the end of 2004. The geared position in equities was financed by selling down the fixed income portfolio. The return on these holdings was 5.3%, consisting of six months worth of interest payments and some capital appreciation. The capital gain was consistent with general developments in bond markets which saw yields fall and prices rise. This buoyant tone to bond markets contributed to the rise in the market price of the Company's debenture. Aside from a small incremental investment at one site, the property portfolio was unchanged. These investments are re-valued annually at the end of the Company's financial year and, consequently, the 3.6% return shown in the performance attribution reflects income alone. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. In summary then, the first half of 2005 saw good use of gearing and strong results from the overseas equity investments, offset by a return on the UK holdings that lagged the market. Both the UK and overseas portfolios are delivering strong income growth in addition to capital appreciation and the bond and property portfolios have again made a very useful contribution to the revenue account. The health of the revenue account puts the Company in a strong position to grow its own dividend and the second interim payment has been set at 1.62p, giving a total dividend for the first half of 3.21p, a rise of 9.2% on the same period a year ago. We believe these results demonstrate the advantages of an investment approach that tries to balance immediate income with capital growth and that seeks to invest across a range of different asset classes. The period under review has also seen the introduction of a number of new Financial Reporting Standards in the UK. The adoption of these Standards has changed the basis of valuation of investments and the treatment of dividends and has therefore required a restatement of prior year figures. The calculation of finance costs has also been amended. Note 1 to the accounts explains these changes in accounting treatment and the impact upon the prior year's reported figures in more detail. Looking forward, continued growth in the UK and world economies and in corporate profits will be key to ensuring our investments maintain their current rate of dividend growth. Consumer demand in the UK has clearly slowed but we do not anticipate a more serious downturn and, if such a risk emerged, we would expect the Bank of England to cut interest rates. As for the world economy, there is little sign as yet that high oil and commodity prices are restraining demand and monetary policy is still relatively loose despite recent US interest rate hikes. Whilst acknowledging the need to stay vigilant, we enter the second half happy with geared exposure to equities and confident as to the health of the Company's revenue position. By order of the Board Baillie Gifford & Co 29 July 2005 Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. The following is the interim statement for the six months ended 30 June 2005 which has been neither reviewed nor audited by the auditors. This statement is being printed and will be sent to all shareholders on 16 August 2005. Copies will be available for inspection at the Registered Office of the Company or may be obtained on request from the Managers and Secretaries after that date. STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURN (unaudited and incorporating the revenue account*) Restated+ Restated+ For the six months ended For the six months ended For the year ended 30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004 Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 Realised gains on investments - 2,740 2,740 - 3,046 3,046 - 2,779 2,779 Unrealised gains/(losses) on investments - 16,146 16,146 - (4,604) (4,604) - 24,226 24,226 Currency (losses)/gains - (763) (763) - 36 36 - 388 388 Income 7,980 - 7,980 7,506 - 7,506 13,707 - 13,707 Management fees (401) (401) (802) (384) (384) (768) (812) (813) (1,625) Other administrative expenses (387) - (387) (511) - (511) (887) - (887) Net return before finance costs and taxation 7,192 17,722 24,914 6,611 (1,906) 4,705 12,008 26,580 38,588 Finance costs of borrowings (1,520) (1,519) (3,039) (1,525) (1,524) (3,049) (3,045) (3,045) (6,090) Return on ordinary activities before taxation 5,672 16,203 21,875 5,086 (3,430) 1,656 8,963 23,535 32,498 Tax on ordinary activities (290) 190 (100) (287) 217 (70) (584) 441 (143) Return on ordinary activities 5,382 16,393 21,775 4,799 (3,213) 1,586 8,379 23,976 32,355 after taxation Return per ordinary share (note 2) 4.06p 12.38p 16.44p 3.59p (2.40p) 1.19p 6.30p 18.01p 24.31p Note: Dividends paid and proposed 3.21p 2.94p 6.00p * The total column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the Company. + See note 1. All revenue and capital items in this statement derive from continuing operations. THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. SUMMARISED BALANCE SHEET At 30 June 2005 (unaudited) Restated+ Restated+ At 30 June At 30 June At 31 December 2005 2004 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 Fixed Assets Investments 376,293 330,643 359,832 Current Assets Debtors 7,140 6,133 2,076 Cash and deposits 4,474 2,307 3,912 11,614 8,440 5,988 Creditors Amounts falling due within one year (8,815) (4,109) (4,129) Net Current Assets 2,799 4,331 1,859 Total Assets (before deduction of debenture stock) 379,092 334,974 361,691 Debenture stock (note 3) (89,599) (89,918) (89,760) 289,493 245,056 271,931 Capital and Reserves Called-up share capital 33,121 33,121 33,121 Capital redemption reserve 22,781 22,781 22,781 Capital reserve - realised 166,506 167,898 165,912 Capital reserve - unrealised 52,897 7,922 37,098 Revenue reserve 14,188 13,334 13,019 Equity Shareholders' Funds 289,493 245,056 271,931 Net Asset Value Per Ordinary Share (Debentures at market value) 206.4p 181.8p 197.1p Net Asset Value Per Ordinary Share (Debentures at book value) 218.5p 185.0p 205.3p Ordinary Shares In Issue (note 4) 132,485,943 132,485,943 132,485,943 + See note 1. ASSET ALLOCATION At 30 June 2005 (unaudited) 30 June 2005 30 June 2004 31 December 2004 % % % UK Quoted Equities 59.1 53.5 56.1 Global (ex UK) Quoted Equities 24.9 23.3 22.4 Unquoted 1.3 1.8 1.6 Quoted Fixed Income 5.0 11.6 10.1 Properties 9.0 9.1 9.3 Net Liquid Assets 0.7 0.7 0.5 100.0 100.0 100.0 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. SUMMARISED CASH FLOW STATEMENT (unaudited) Restated+ Restated+ Six months to Six months to Year to 30 June 30 June 31 December 2004 2005 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 Net cash inflow from operating activities 6,612 5,191 10,943 Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (3,200) (3,200) (6,400) Overseas tax incurred (79) (62) (142) Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financial investment 1,283 (38,112) (35,085) Equity dividends paid (4,054) (3,798) (7,693) Net cash inflow/(outflow) before use of liquid resources and financing 562 (39,981) (38,377) Net cash inflow from use of liquid resources - 40,000 40,000 Net cash outflow from financing - (4,433) (4,432) Increase/(decrease) in cash 562 (4,414) (2,809) Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt Increase/(decrease) in cash in the period 562 (4,414) (2,809) Decrease in short term deposits - (40,000) (40,000) Other non-cash changes 161 152 310 Movement in net debt in the period 723 (44,262) (42,499) Net debt at start of the period (85,848) (43,349) (43,349) Net debt at end of the period (85,125) (87,611) (85,848) Reconciliation of operating revenue to net cash inflow from operating activities Net revenue before finance costs and taxation 7,192 6,611 12,008 Management fees charged to capital (401) (384) (813) Changes in debtors and creditors (209) (1,065) (284) Other non-cash changes 30 29 32 Net cash inflow from operating activities 6,612 5,191 10,943 + See note 1. THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTION For the six months to 30 June 2005 (unaudited) Average allocation Total return* Contribution SAINTS Benchmark SAINTS Benchmark to total return % % % % % UK Quoted Equities 75.3 70.0 6.3 8.2 4.8 Global (ex UK) Quoted Equities 30.4 30.0 12.7 7.2 3.9 Quoted Fixed Interest 9.6 - 5.3 - 0.5 Properties 12.0 - 3.6 - 0.4 Unquoted 1.8 - 9.4 - 0.2 Deposits 2.3 - 3.1 - 0.1 Forward contracts - - (4.0) - (0.3) Portfolio Total Return 9.6 Finance costs (31.4) - (3.4) - (1.1) Management fees and other expenses - - - - (0.4) NAV Total Return (debenture at 8.1 book value) Change in market value of debenture (1.7) NAV Total Return (debenture at market value) 6.4 * The above returns are calculated on a total return basis with net income reinvested. TWENTY LARGEST HOLDINGS At 30 June 2005 (unaudited) Market % of value total £'000 assets Name Business Vodafone Mobile telecommunications 15,764 4.2 GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals 13,794 3.6 Royal Bank of Scotland Banking 13,575 3.6 Barclays Banking 11,009 2.9 British American Tobacco Tobacco 10,007 2.6 HSBC Banking 9,050 2.4 Shell Transport & Trading Integrated oil 7,775 2.1 Imperial Tobacco Tobacco 7,670 2.0 Aviva Life assurance 7,104 1.9 Diageo Branded spirits 6,785 1.8 Milton Keynes - The Approach Property - hotel 6,500 1.7 Moody's Credit rating agency 5,642 1.5 Standard Chartered Banking 5,631 1.5 Altria Tobacco 5,378 1.4 BP Integrated oil 4,955 1.3 Hilton Group Hotel chain 4,813 1.3 International Mezzanine Unquoted 4,629 1.2 Friends Provident Life insurance 4,603 1.2 Petrobras Integrated oil 4,518 1.2 Man Group Hedge fund manager 4,424 1.2 153,626 40.6 THE SCOTTISH AMERICAN INVESTMENT COMPANY P.L.C. NOTES 1. A number of new UK Financial Reporting Standards have been introduced with which the Company must comply by its 31 December 2005 financial year end. These standards are part of the UK convergence programme with International Accounting Standards and as such have required most UK listed companies to restate prior year figures to reflect the new accounting treatment. The financial statements for the six months to 30 June 2005 have been prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the Company's Annual Financial Statements at 31 December 2004 except as detailed below: a) investments have been valued at fair value through profit and loss in accordance with FRS 26 'Financial Instruments: Measurement'. The effect is to move from a mid to a bid basis of valuation, resulting in a reduction in the value of investments and unrealised capital reserves of £716,000 (30 June 2004 - £387,000; 31 December 2004 - £834,000); b) debentures are held at amortised cost in accordance with FRS 25 'Financial Instruments: Disclosure and Presentation' and FRS 26 and finance costs have been charged 50:50 to capital and revenue using the effective interest rate method. The effect is to increase the carrying amount of the debenture by £1,100,000 (30 June 2004 - £912,000; 31 December 2004 - £1,007,000) and to reduce realised capital reserves by £764,000 (30 June 2004 - £670,000; 31 December 2004 - £718,000) and revenue reserves by £336,000 (30 June 2004 - £242,000; 31 December 2004 - £289,000) respectively; and c) in compliance with FRS 21 'Events after the Balance Sheet Date', dividends declared after the period end are no longer treated as a liability at the period end. The effect is to reduce creditors and increase revenue reserves by £2,146,000 (30 June 2004 - £1,948,000; 31 December 2004 - £2,106,000). The overall effect of these changes on shareholders' funds is detailed below: At 30 June At 30 June At 31 December 2005 2004 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 Investments (716) (387) (834) Creditors: dividends payable 2,146 1,948 2,106 Debenture stock (1,100) (912) (1,007) 330 649 265 In addition to finance costs, income from fixed interest securities has also been calculated using the effective interest rate method. The allocation of the tax charge between revenue and capital has been amended to reflect the revised income and capital returns. The effect of these changes is to reduce realised capital reserves by £115,000 (30 June 2004 - £86,000; 31 December 2004 - £101,000) and to increase unrealised capital reserves by £53,000 (30 June 2004 - £29,000; 31 December 2004 - £32,000) and revenue reserves by £62,000 (30 June 2004 - £57,000; 31 December 2004 - £69,000) respectively. The overall impact upon the Company's reserves as a result of the above changes is as follows: At 30 June At 30 June At 31 December 2005 2004 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 Capital reserve - realised (879) (756) (819) Capital reserve - unrealised (663) (358) (802) Revenue reserve 1,872 1,763 1,886 330 649 265 Under the new standards, dividends may no longer be charged through the Statement of Total Return. As a result, dividends paid and proposed have been presented as a note to the accounts. Restated+ Restated+ Six months to Six months to Year to 30 June 30 June 31 December 2005 2004 2004 £'000 £'000 £'000 2. Return per ordinary share Revenue return 5,382 4,799 8,379 Capital return 16,393 (3,213) 23,976 Return per ordinary share is based on the above totals of revenue and capital and on 132,485,943 (30 June 2004 - 133,670,998; 31 December 2004 - 133,075,233) ordinary shares, being the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period. 3. The market value of the 8% Debenture Stock 2022 at 30 June 2005 was £105.6m (30 June 2004 - £94.2m; 31 December 2004 - £100.6m). 4. At 30 June 2005, the Company had the authority to buy back 19,859,642 of its own shares. No shares were bought back during the period under review. Restated+ Six months to Six months to 31 30 June December 2005 2004 £'000 £'000 5. Dividends Amounts recognised as distributions in the period: Final dividend for the year ended 31 December 2004 of 1.59p (2003 - 1.42p), paid 4 April 2005 2,106 1,890 First interim dividend for the year ending 31 December 2005 of 1.59p (2004 - 1.47p), paid 1 July 2005 2,107 1,948 4,213 3,838 Second interim dividend for the year ending 31 December 2005 of 1.62p (2004 - 1.47p) 2,146 1,948 The second interim dividend was declared after the period end date and has therefore not been included as a liability in the balance sheet. It is payable on 3 October 2005 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 9 September 2005. The ex dividend date is 7 September 2005. 6. The financial information contained within this Interim Report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 240 of the Companies Act 1985. The financial information for the year ended 31 December 2004 has been extracted from the statutory accounts which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies and which contain an unqualified Auditors' Report and do not contain a statement under sections 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. 7. The Interim Report was approved by the board on 29 July 2005. None of the views expressed in this document should be construed as advice to buy or sell a particular investment. + See note 1. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange SEWFWUSISEDW
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