Interim Management Statement
HgCapital Trust plc - Interim Management Statement 7th November 2008
HgCapital Trust plc ("the Company"), today issues its Interim Management
Statement in accordance with FSA Disclosure and Transparency Rule 4.3. This
statement relates to the period from 1 July 2008 to 5 November 2008 and
incorporates the Company's calculation of its net asset value at 31 October
2008, in the same form as is issued following the end of each month. The Net
Asset Value (NAV) at October is based on the valuations of unquoted investments
as at 30 June, as set out in the half yearly report issued in August, but is
adjusted for realisations, exchange rates, changes in value of quoted
securities, and net revenues during the period.
Investment activity during the period
Since the 30 June 2008 the Company has completed the realisation of Addison and
sold its quoted shares in Clinphone plc, in addition to completing the
realisation of Rolfe and Nolan as described in the half yearly report and
accounts. Including deferred proceeds, a total of £23.1 million cash proceeds
has been received by the Company. Two acquisitions, of Achilles Group Holdings
Limited and King Luxembourg SARL (KVT), have been completed, with the Company
investing a total of £10.7 million.
Performance since the 30 June 2008
Since 30 June the total return (NAV plus dividend) was 5.3%, compared with the
negative total return of -22.6% of the FTSE All-Share Index. The Company's
share price at the end of October was 725.0 pence, a discount of 33.3% against
the NAV of 1,086.80 pence. The Company's share price (on a total return basis)
fell by 15.4% over the four months to 31 October, in a period when the FTSE
All-Share Index and FTSE SmallCap Index declined by 22.6% and 31.6%
respectively.
Performance year to date (1 January - 31 October 2008)
The total return (NAV plus dividend) since 1 January was 17.5%, compared with
the negative total return of -31.3% of the FTSE All-Share Index. The Company's
share price (on a total return basis) decreased by 4.6% over the ten months to
31 October while the FTSE All-Share Index and FTSE SmallCap Index declined by
31.3% and 41.8% respectively.
Current trading
The Company's manager, HgCapital, is represented on the board of every material
investment in the portfolio and receives monthly management accounts from all
the businesses in which the Company is invested. These are regularly discussed
with the Board, together with other information about the strategy and
prospects of each business. The latest available trading figures, to the end of
September, show some minor slowing in sales growth in a few of the businesses
most exposed to a general economic downturn.
Share price and valuation
The discount of the Company's share price against published Net Asset Value has
widened, but the discount is lower than that of most other private equity
investment trusts. This may reflect the Company's holdings of cash and other
liquid assets which, following recent realisations, represent 45.3% of the net
assets. The book value of the unquoted portfolio will next be reviewed, as
usual, at 31 December in accordance with IPEVCA guidelines.
Investment objective
HgCapital Trust plc gives the investor access to a private equity portfolio run
by an experienced and well-resourced Manager that makes investments in fast
growing companies over a number of geographies and sectors.
The objective of the Company is to provide shareholders with long-term capital
appreciation in excess of the FTSE All-Share Index by investing in unquoted
companies. The Company provides investors with exposure to a diversified
portfolio of private equity investments primarily in the UK and Continental
Europe.
The Company's Benchmark is the FTSE All-Share Index.
Performance
All information is at 31 October 2008 and is unaudited.
Performance at month end with net income reinvested
One Three One year Three Five
month months years years
Net asset value 3.2% 4.7% 31.1% 100.3% 224.9%
Share price -8.3% -15.0% -10.0% 31.8% 198.2%
FTSE All-Share Index -11.9% -19.7% -34.4% -9.3% 21.3%
Sources: HgCapital, Capital Economics
Results
At 31 October 2008
Net asset value:* 1,086.80p
Share price: 725.0p
Discount 33.3%
Total assets: £273.7m
Net yield: 3.4%
Gearing: Nil%
Ordinary shares in issue: 25,186,755
* includes 10 months net revenue of 50.4p.
Unaudited Net Asset Value per Share
The investment portfolio has not been revalued at 31 October 2008. The
unaudited Net Asset Value at 31 October is based on the Net Asset Value at 30
June 2008 adjusted to reflect purchases and sales of investments, currency
movements and bid values in respect of listed investments. The unaudited Net
Asset Value at 31 October 2008 was 1,086.80 pence per share by comparison with
1,032.2 pence at 30 June 2008, an increase of 5.3%. This is after making
provision for a carried interest liability of 24.9 pence.
Net revenue for the ten months to 31 October 2008 was 50.4p.
Balance Sheet
At 31 October 2008, the Company's summary balance sheet was as follows:
£m %
Unquoted investments 136,340 49.8
----------- ------
Total investment portfolio 136,340 49.8
Cash/Gilts 123,973 45.3
Other net assets 13,416 4.9
----------- ------
Net Asset Value 273,729 100.0
Investments
Two new investments were completed during the period.
The Company invested £5.2 million in Achilles Group Holdings Limited, a global
leader in services for sustainable procurement focusing on buyer-sponsored
supplier data management and validation services, with an enterprise value of £
75 million.
King Luxembourg SARL (KVT), the Swiss fastenings and sealing technology
products group, was jointly acquired with Capvis for an enterprise value of £
260 million. The Company invested £5.5 million.
Realisations
During the period, the Manager completed the sales of Rolfe & Nolan and Addison
and sold its quoted shares in Clinphone, returning a total of £23.1 million to
the Company, including deferred proceeds. This represents an uplift of over
60.0% of the carrying value as at 30 June 2008.
Portfolio
Ten Largest Investments
Company Total Assets % Sector
VISMA 5.5 TMT
Voyage Healthcare 3.2 Healthcare
Casa Reha 3.1 Healthcare
BMFCO UA t/a Fabory 3.0 Services
Atlas t/a Atlas 3.0 Services
Interactive
Mondo Minerals Co-op 2.9 Industrials
Elite 2.8 TMT
Sporting Index 2.6 Consumer & Leisure
Pulse Staffing 2.5 Services
SHL 2.5 Services
Total 31.1
Sector Total Assets %
TMT 9.9
Industrials 10.0
Consumer & Leisure 8.2
Healthcare 6.5
Services 13.0
Renewable Energy 1.4
Other 0.8
Fixed Interest 45.3
Net current assets 4.9
Total 100.0
This statement is a general description of the financial position and
performance of the Company for the period from 1 July 2008 to 31 October 2008.
It does not contain any profit forecast or forward looking information. Future
performance and share price is likely to be affected by a number of factors,
including (but not limited to) general economic and market conditions and
specific factors affecting the financial performance or prospects of individual
investments within the Company's portfolio.