3rd Quarter Results
SMALL COMPANIES DIVIDEND TRUST PLC
PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF UNAUDITED RESULTS
The Directors announce the unaudited statement of consolidated results for the
nine months from 1 May 2004 to 31 January 2005 as follows:
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF TOTAL RETURN
(*incorporating the revenue account)
1 May 2004 to 1 May 2003 to
31 January 2005 31 January 2004
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Gains on investments - 6,819 6,819 - 11,095 11,095
Dividends and 1,706 - 1,706 1,615 - 1,615
interest
Investment (138) (206) (344) (121) (181) (302)
management fee
Investment - (2,029) (2,029) - (832) (832)
management
performance fee
Other expenses (165) - (165) (168) (5) (173)
Net return before
finance
costs and taxation 1,403 4,584 5,987 1,326 10,077 11,403
Interest payable (163) (244) (407) (122) (183) (305)
Appropriations in
respect of:
- Zero Dividend - (549) (549) - (508) (508)
Preference shares
- Preference shares - (3) (3) - (3) (3)
Issue costs of Zero
Dividend Preference - (24) (24) - (23) (23)
shares
Return on ordinary
activities
before and after 1,240 3,764 5,004 1,204 9,360 10,564
taxation
First interim (370) - (370) (354) - (354)
dividend paid of
2.35p
(2004: 2.25p)
Second interim (370) - (370) (354) - (354)
dividend paid of
2.35p
(2004: 2.25p)
Third interim (370) - (370) (355) - (355)
dividend proposed of
2.35p
(2004: 2.25p)
Transfer to reserves 130 3,764 3,894 141 9,360 9,501
Return per: pence pence pence pence pence pence
Ordinary share 7.87 23.90 31.77 7.65 59.43 67.08
Zero Dividend - 8.78 8.78 - 8.13 8.13
Preference share
Preference share - 8.78 8.78 - 8.13 8.13
* The revenue column of this statement is the revenue account of the Group.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
As at As at As at
(unaudited) (audited) (unaudited)
31 January 30 April 31 January
2005 2004 2004
£'000 £'000 £'000
Investments 49,856 44,265 43,307
Current assets
Debtors 125 514 93
Cash at bank 194 25 509
319 539 602
Current liabilities
Creditors 2,623 1,850 1,961
Bank overdraft 5,000 4,872 4,302
7,623 6,722 6,263
Net current liabilities (7,304) (6,183) (5,661)
Total assets less current 42,552 38,082 37,646
liabilities
Creditors - amounts falling due
after
more than one year 14,688 14,112 13,931
27,864 23,970 23,715
Share capital and reserves
Share capital 3,938 3,938 3,938
Share premium 11,126 11,126 11,126
Capital reserve 12,007 8,243 7,899
Revenue reserve 793 663 752
Shareholders funds 27,864 23,970 23,715
Net asset value per:
Ordinary share 175.64p 151.59p 149.02p
Zero Dividend Preference share 155.36p 146.58p 143.82p
Preference share 155.36p 146.58p 143.82p
Total net assets attributable
to:
Ordinary shares 27,663 23,875 23,471
Zero Dividend Preference shares 9,710 9,161 8,989
Preference shares 49 46 45
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASHFLOWS
1 May 2004 to 1 May 2003 to
31 January 2005 31 January 2004
£'000 £'000
Net cash inflow from operating activities 474 1,558
Servicing of finance
Interest paid (401) (297)
Net cash outflow from servicing of (401) (297)
finance
Taxation recovered - -
Capital expenditure and financial
investment
Purchase of investments (9,772) (10,779)
Sale of investments 11,047 9,151
Net cash inflow /(outflow) from capital 1,275 (1,628)
expenditure
and financial investment
Equity dividends paid (1,307) (1,244)
Financing
Loan drawdown - 5,000
Increase in cash 41 3,389
NOTE
1. The above unaudited financial information which does not constitute
statutory accounts as defined in Section 240 of the Companies Act 1985 has been
prepared on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the statutory
accounts of the Group for the year ended 30 April 2004. The auditors have
reported on those accounts; their reports were unqualified and did not contain
a statement under section 237 (2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985. Statutory
financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2004 were delivered to the
Registrar.
2. The Directors have declared a third interim dividend of 2.35p (2004: 2.25p)
per Ordinary share, payable on 31 March 2005 to the holders of Ordinary shares
on the Register at 4 March 2005. The total dividend for the year ended 30 April
2004 amounted to 10.35p per Ordinary share. Projected forecasts indicate that
the total dividend for the year ending 30 April 2005 should be at least
maintained at this amount.
3. The revenue return per Ordinary share is based on earnings of £1,240,000
(2004: £1,204,000) and on 15,750,000 (2004: 15,750,000) Ordinary shares, being
the weighted average number of Ordinary shares in issue during the period.
4. The capital return per Ordinary share is based on a net capital gain of £
3,764,000 (2004: £9,360,000) and on 15,750,000 (2004: 15,750,000) Ordinary
shares, being the weighted average number of Ordinary shares in issue during
the period.
5. An amount of £2,479,000 (2004: £1,201,000) has been charged to capital in
respect of management fees and interest in accordance with the Company's
accounting policy.
6. The Company has conducted its affairs so that it satisfies the conditions
for approval as an investment trust company set out in section 842 of the
Income and Corporation Tax Act 1988. It is the intention of the Directors that
the Company continues to meet these conditions.
7. There are 31,260 Preference and 6,250,000 Zero Dividend Preference shares in
issue. They each have an initial capital entitlement of 100p per share, growing
to 184.63p on 30 April 2007. The accrued entitlement as at 31 January 2005
calculated in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association, was
155.36p per Zero Dividend Preference share (2004: 143.82p) and 155.36p per
Preference share (2004: 143.82p). A total amount of £552,000 (2004: £511,000)
has been charged to capital during the period, in respect of their accrued
entitlement.
8. The net assets attributable and the net asset value per share are calculated
in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association, and exclude current
period revenue for the unaudited values at 31 January 2005 and 2004.
Shareholders funds shown in the balance sheet are in accordance with FRS4.
9. The Group's funds are invested principally in companies with a market
capitalisation of less than £100 million. The Group's portfolio comprises
companies listed on the Official List and companies admitted to trading on AIM.
The Group may also invest up to 5% of its portfolio in unquoted securities.
Whilst the majority of the Group's funds are invested in ordinary shares of
companies, up to 30% may be invested in convertible securities. The Group does
not invest in other investment trusts.