15 March 2013
ALPHA PYRENEES TRUST LIMITED
("ALPHA PYRENEES TRUST" OR THE "TRUST" OR THE "COMPANY")
ALPHA PYRENEES TRUST POSTS RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012:
52,525 SQUARE METRES OF NEW LEASES AND LEASE EXTENSIONS
WEIGHTED AVERAGE LEASE LENGTH MAINTAINED OVER THE YEAR
NET ASSET VALUE 34.0p PER SHARE (ADJUSTED)
Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited, the property company investing primarily in commercial real estate in France, today posts its results for the year from 1 January to 31 December 2012.
The Trust announced adjusted earnings of £2.2 million for the year, representing adjusted earnings per share of 1.9p. The Trust has paid dividends totalling 1.8p per share for the year to 31 December 2012. The Trust does not intend to pay further dividends prior to the currency hedges' settlement date in October this year.
Highlights of the year to 31 December 2012 include:
· New leases and lease extensions covering 52,525 square metres (20% of the Trust's portfolio by area) achieved since 1 January 2012
· Weighted average lease length of 8.9 years to expiry and 4.9 years to next break maintained
· 83% of rental income derives from Grade A tenants
· Lease rentals are subject to annual indexation; rental indexation remains positive
· 92% of the Trust's portfolio by value is in France; 83% is in the Paris region
· Current portfolio valuation yield of 8.2%
· 99% of borrowings are fixed at a weighted average interest rate of 5.26% per annum to maturity in February 2015
· NAV (adjusted) of 34.0p per share as at 31 December 2012 (31 December 2011: 37.0p)
· Adjusted earnings of £2.2 million for the twelve months to 31 December 2012 (adjusted earnings per share of 1.9p)
Dick Kingston, Chairman of Alpha Pyrenees Trust, commented:
"Management emphasis during the year has continued to focus on active asset management within the existing portfolio with particular emphasis on the extension of lease terms and the letting of vacant units to secure the Trust's income. The Board is pleased to note the important progress achieved on this front, most notably at the Evreux, Athis Mons, Aubergenville and Aubervilliers properties. During the year new leases or lease extensions were achieved on a total of 52,525 square metres representing around 20% of the portfolio by area. Despite the levelling off in growth in the French economy, vacancy levels in our principal occupational markets have been stable and leasing take-up has been sustained. The Board has taken into consideration a number of factors in its decision to not to pay any dividend prior to the currency hedges' settlement date later this year and those include the current economic conditions and progress on leasing; the current level of occupancy within the portfolio; the requirement to settle any currency hedges' liability that exists in October 2013 and the need to maximise the Trust's future flexibility. The Trust is evaluating a number of potential strategies for settling the currency hedges and as part of this process, the Trust is evaluating selective asset sales, utilising existing cash resources and collateral held against the hedges' liability and the potential for alternative financing strategies for the hedges' balance."
Paul Cable, Fund Manager, Alpha Real Capital LLP, commented:
"The Trust owns a diversified portfolio of properties focused primarily on the French property market which represents 92% of the total portfolio by value with 83% by value located in the Ile-de-France region which remains one of Europe's most economically important and stable markets. The properties are generally well let, well located and offer good value accommodation to the Trust's occupiers and 83% of the Trust's current rent roll is secured by leases to Grade A tenants. The Trust's leases are subject to annual index-linked rent reviews and indexation remains positive in the Trust's markets. The Investment Manager will continue to concentrate on active asset management and property management initiatives, to secure the Trust's income and add value."
Contact:
Dick Kingston
Chairman, Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited
01481 231100
Paul Cable
Fund Manager, Alpha Real Capital LLP
020 7268 0300
For more information on the Trust please visit www.alphapyreneestrust.com.
For more information on the Trust's Investment Manager please visit www.alpharealcapital.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
These results contain forward-looking statements which are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the Board's current view and information known to them at the date of this statement. The Board does not make any undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Nothing in these results should be construed as a profit forecast.
About the Trust
Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited ("the Trust" or "the Company" or "Alpha Pyrenees") primarily invests in higher-yielding properties in France, particularly in the Ile-de-France region around Paris, focusing on commercial property in the office, industrial, logistics and retail sectors let to tenants with strong covenants.
The Trust seeks to provide shareholders with a regular earnings and dividend stream whilst also having the potential for capital growth in the long term from a combination of rent increases (leases are typically indexed to increase in line with inflation) and active asset management.
The Trust seeks to diversify risk by investing in a portfolio of properties spread across different property sectors with a variety of tenants.
Dividends
The total dividend paid for the year to 31 December 2012 is 1.8p per share. The Trust does not intend to pay further dividends prior to the currency hedges' settlement date in October this year.
Listing
The Trust is a closed-ended Guernsey registered investment company which has been declared under the relevant legislation to be an Authorised Closed-Ended Collective Investment Scheme. Its shares are listed on the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and traded on the London Stock Exchange.
Management
The Trust's Investment Manager is Alpha Real Capital LLP ("the Investment Manager"). Control of the Trust rests with the non-executive Guernsey-based Board of Directors.
ISA/SIPP status
The Trust's shares are eligible for Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs).
Website
Financial highlights
|
Year ending 31 December 2012 |
Half year ending 30 June 2012 |
Year ending 31 December 2011 |
Half year ending 30 June 2011 |
Net asset value (adjusted) (£'000)* |
39,939 |
43,718 |
43,481 |
33,740 |
Net asset value per ordinary share (adjusted)* |
34.0p |
37.2p |
37.0p |
28.7p |
Net asset value per ordinary share |
17.5p |
20.5p |
18.5p |
15.0p |
Earnings per share (adjusted - basic & diluted)** |
1.9p |
1.1p |
3.0p |
1.8p |
Earnings per share (basic & diluted) |
2.2p |
4.8p |
5.3p |
(0.1)p |
Dividend per share (paid) |
3.0p |
2.4p |
3.6p |
2.7p |
*The net asset value and net asset value per ordinary share have been adjusted for the fair value mark-to-market revaluation of the interest component of the currency swap, the interest rate swap derivatives and 50% of the deferred tax provisions; full analysis is given in note 10 to the accounts.
**The adjusted earnings per share includes adjustments for the effect of the fair value mark-to-market revaluation of the properties, currency swap and interest rate swap derivatives, deferred tax provisions, capital element of investment managers fee, rental guarantee income and foreign exchange gains and losses. A full analysis is given in note 9 to the accounts.
Chairman's Statement
During the period, the Investment Manager has continued to focus on active asset management within the existing portfolio with particular emphasis on the extension of lease terms and the letting of vacant units to secure the Trust's income. The Board is pleased to note the important progress achieved on this front, most notably at the Athis Mons, Aubergenville, Aubervilliers, Evreux and Goussainville properties. Since 1 January 2012 new leases or lease extensions were achieved on a total of 52,525 square metres representing around 20% of the portfolio by area. Further detail on asset management progress appears in the Property Review section. The Investment Manager is also investigating selective opportunities to add value within the Trust's portfolio.
Despite the levelling off in growth in the French economy, vacancy levels in our principal occupational markets have been stable and against the backdrop of the economic climate, leasing take-up has been at encouraging levels.
Results and dividend
Results for the period show adjusted earnings of £2.2 million and adjusted earnings per share of 1.9p (note 9).
The challenging business climate has created an environment where generally the corporate decision making process has been extended and hence the leasing environment is characterised by longer periods to complete new leasing agreements. The Trust currently has vacant space with an estimated annual rental value of approximately £3.4 million (€4.2 million) and against this backdrop it is difficult to predict the timing and level of re-leasing that will be achieved. The Trust's earnings have also been constrained by the strategic decision to retain substantial cash reserves (£8.4 million), which earn a low rate of return at present.
The Board evaluates a number of factors when considering dividends. These include the current economic conditions and progress on leasing; the current level of occupancy within the portfolio; the requirement to settle any currency hedges' liability that exists in October 2013 and the need to maximise the Trust's future flexibility.
The total dividend paid for the year to 31 December 2012 is 1.8p per share. The Trust does not intend to pay further dividends prior to the hedges' settlement date in October this year.
Revaluation and Net Asset Value
Investment properties are included in the balance sheet at an independent valuation of £249.0 million (€304.3 million) providing an average valuation yield across the portfolio of 8.2% as at 31 December 2012. The next revaluation will take place as at 30 June 2013.
The portfolio totals approximately 262,100 square metres (approximately 2.8 million square feet) and many of the tenants are well known companies belonging to large groups with strong covenants such as: Alcatel-Lucent, Aldi, Aviva, BNP Paribas, Dia, Etanco, Husqvarna, Klöckner Group, La Poste, MediaMarkt, McDonalds, Norauto, OCP, Plastic Omnium and Vinci Group. Grade A tenants also include government or quasi-government bodies and together the rent from such tenants accounts for 83% of the Trust's rental income.
The weighted average lease length within the portfolio is currently 8.9 years to expiry and 4.9 years to the next break.
As at 31 December 2012, the adjusted net asset value per ordinary share is 34.0p (31 December 2011: 37.0p per share) (note 10). The decrease in the year is primarily due to the fair value change in investment properties and the increase of deferred tax provisions.
Portfolio Summary
Country |
Property |
Sqm |
|
Description |
Valuation £m |
Valuation €m |
France |
Villarceaux-Nozay |
78,800 |
|
Business park |
109.5 |
133.8 |
France |
Aubervilliers |
8,750 |
|
Offices |
18.8 |
23.0 |
France |
Goussainville |
20,500 |
|
Warehouse and offices |
12.5 |
15.3 |
France |
Champs sur Marne |
5,930 |
|
Offices |
10.6 |
13.0 |
France |
Aubergenville |
27,700 |
|
Logistics |
9.6 |
11.7 |
France |
Athis Mons |
23,280 |
|
Logistics with offices |
9.3 |
11.3 |
France |
St Cyr L'Ecole |
6,340 |
|
Offices |
8.3 |
10.2 |
France |
Gennevilliers |
3,330 |
|
Offices with light industrial |
7.8 |
9.6 |
France |
Mulhouse |
5,250 |
|
Offices |
7.5 |
9.1 |
France |
Roissy-en-France |
7,800 |
|
Offices and warehouse |
6.8 |
8.3 |
France |
Nimes |
3,100 |
|
Offices and retail |
6.7 |
8.2 |
France |
Evreux |
14,130 |
|
Logistics with offices |
6.6 |
8.0 |
France |
Ivry-sur-Seine |
7,420 |
|
Warehouse and offices |
5.0 |
6.1 |
France |
Fresnes |
6,540 |
|
Warehouse and offices |
4.7 |
5.8 |
France |
Vitry-sur-Seine |
5,180 |
|
Warehouse and offices |
4.4 |
5.4 |
Spain |
Córdoba |
16,880 |
|
Retail park |
13.8 |
16.9 |
Spain |
Écija |
5,950 |
|
Shopping centre |
2.4 |
2.9 |
Spain |
Zaragoza |
9,520 |
|
Warehouses |
2.4 |
2.9 |
Spain |
Alcalá de Guadaíra |
5,700 |
|
Shopping centre |
2.3 |
2.8 |
Total |
|
262,100 |
|
|
249.0 |
304.3 |
Finance
The Trust has total borrowings of £198.7 million (€242.8 million) as at 31 December 2012 under its facilities with Barclays Bank Plc.
The key features of the Trust's borrowings are:
· No loan to value ("LTV") covenant test until February 2014 on any of the Trust's properties.
· The French (€221.1 million) and Spanish (€21.7 million) borrowings mature in February 2015.
· 99% of borrowings have interest rates that are fixed to maturity at a weighted average rate of 5.26% per annum.
· Interest cover ratio ("ICR") covenant is set at 115% - the Trust's weighted average ICR over the year to 31 December 2012 was 158%.
· On the LTV test date in February 2014, the Trust's LTV should not exceed 87.5% on a country portfolio basis - as at 31 December 2012 the Trust has net leverage of 76.4% (taking into account cash of £8.4 million).
· The French and Spanish borrowings are independent and are not cross-collateralised.
The Trust holds £8.4 million of cash and un-mortgaged property with a value of £6.7 million (€8.2 million) as at 31 December 2012.
The Group has used currency derivatives to hedge its planned net invested equity. A total of €163.1 million was hedged under derivatives entered into in 2006 and 2007 and priced at market rates at that time. The fair value of the currency hedges as at 31 December 2012 is a liability of £23.8 million (€29.1 million). The bank held £7.5 million (€9.2 million) at year end, recognised within other debtors in the consolidated balance sheet, as collateral against the hedges' liability under existing arrangements. The Group is evaluating a number of potential strategies for settling the currency hedges in October 2013. As part of this process, the Group is evaluating selective asset sales (including the potential sale of its un-mortgaged Nimes property), utilising existing cash resources (which will increase as a result of net earnings and the Trust's intention to not pay future dividends prior to the hedges' settlement date in October this year) and the potential for alternative financing strategies for the hedges' balance.
Extension of management agreement
As reported in the November 2012 interim management statement, the Trust and the Investment Manager have extended the current management agreement from the expiry of the original eight year term on 29 November 2013 pursuant to which the Trust appoints the Investment Manager to provide advisory services to the Trust and potentially other members of its corporate group. The term will continue until terminated by either the Trust or the Investment Manager giving the other party not less than 36 months' notice. This arrangement supersedes the provision for a further eight year term as set out in the original management agreement. The annual management fee and performance fee arrangements remain unchanged as detailed in note 19.
Board
In May 2012 we were pleased to welcome David Rowlinson to the Board bringing with him a wealth of experience in the fiduciary and investment management sectors. Christopher Bennett retired from the Board on 16 August 2012 and we thank him for his considerable contribution to the Trust since its formation.
Market outlook
· Overall leasing activity in the French and Spanish markets has been subdued over the period reflecting economic conditions but despite this backdrop the Trust has achieved lease extensions and new leases on 52,525 square metres (20% of its portfolio) since 1 January 2012.
· Take-up in our principal occupational markets has been encouraging in a difficult business climate. In the Paris region (Ile-de-France), where 83%of the Trust's portfolio is situated, office vacancy remains stable and significant oversupply appears unlikely in the medium term.
· In France, the annualised construction cost index showed growth for the eleventh consecutive quarter, running at approximately 1.5% in the third quarter of 2012. In Spain, CPI was running at an annualised rate of 2.9% at the end of December 2012.
· Valuation yields have been stable and investment confidence in our principal market continues.
Summary
· The Trust owns a diversified freehold portfolio of properties totalling £249.0 million (€304.3 million) with an average valuation yield of 8.2% at the December valuation.
· The Trust's leases are subject to annual index-linked rent reviews and rental indexation remains positive.
· 83% of the Trust's rental income derives from Grade A tenants with a strong capacity to pay.
· The Trust's current average lease length is 8.9 years to expiry and 4.9 years to the next break.
· 99% of borrowings are fixed at a weighted average interest rate of 5.26% per annum to maturity in February 2015.
· There are no LTV covenant tests on any of the Trust's properties before February 2014.
· The total dividend paid for the year to 31 December 2012 is 1.8p per share. The Trust does not intend to pay further dividends prior to the hedges' settlement date in October this year.
Dick Kingston
Chairman
14 March 2013
Property review
Portfolio overview
The Trust owns a portfolio of fifteen properties in France and four properties in Spain totalling approximately 262,100 square metres (approximately 2.8 million square feet) of commercial real estate. The properties are generally well let, well located and offer good value accommodation to occupiers. Of the total property portfolio, 92% is invested in France and 8% in Spain in terms of capital value.
The valuation of the portfolio as at 31 December 2012 was approximately £249.0 million (€304.3 million) giving an average valuation yield of 8.2% with the French portfolio producing an average valuation yield of 8.2% and the Spanish portfolio 8.5% respectively. The portfolio as a whole showed a small valuation increase of 0.10% on a Euro like-for-like basis compared to 31 December 2011. This consisted of an increase of 0.6% in the French portfolio and a decline of 4.8% in the Spanish portfolio. The average capital value of the portfolio is approximately £950 (€1,161) per square metre (equivalent to £88 per square foot) and the average rental value is approximately £82 (€101) per square metre per annum (equivalent to £7.6 per square foot). Of the overall portfolio, 83% by value is located within the Ile-de-France region around Paris. The portfolio has 68% exposure to the French office and business park sector of which 62% of the total portfolio is in the Ile-de-France region. The reinstatement cost of the portfolio buildings has been assessed at £224 million (€274 million) representing approximately 90% of current value.
The Trust's portfolio is diversified across business sectors with 68% in offices and business park property, 25% in warehouses and 7% in retail.
The portfolio benefits from strong credit tenants with 83% of its current rent roll secured by leases to Grade A tenants (large international/national companies or public sector). Examples of those categorised as Grade A are given in the Chairman's Statement.
The portfolio has an overall level of average occupancy of 84% (87% at 30 June 2012) measured by rental income as a percentage of potential total income with vacancy representing 16%. Despite the progress that has been made during the year in letting vacant property and extending the lease terms on existing leases the vacancy rate has increased from 13% to 16% during the year primarily due to the expiry of the lease to Credit-Lyonnais at Champs-sur-Marne.
The weighted average lease length is 8.9 years to expiry and 4.9 years to next break and 68% of the portfolio income derives from leases with more than five years until their first break option.
Asset management review
The Investment Manager maintains close contact with the Trust's tenants to understand their needs and wherever possible to produce solutions which deliver value to both the tenants and investors. We constantly seek to improve the income from each of the Trust's assets and look for opportunities to create income through value-adding refurbishment, extension and reconfiguration.
Over the period we have continued to concentrate on active asset management and property management initiatives, including investment within the existing portfolio, to secure the Trust's income and we are pleased to report a number of important achievements since 1 January 2012 in the following areas:
· extending the lease maturity profile of the property portfolio through lease extensions and
· letting of vacant units.
Since 1 January 2012, new leases and lease extensions covering approximately 52,525 square metres (20% of the Trust's portfolio by area) have been achieved. Major new leases have been signed with MSL Quadralog at Evreux (9,640 square metres), Jacquotte at Goussainville (1,800 square metres), Furnotel at Athis Mons (11,380 square metres) and Etanco at Aubergenville (6,395 square metres) and these were detailed in the half year report which together with other new leases and lease extensions covered a total of approximately 42,435 square metres. In addition to this, new leases, re-gearings and lease extensions covering approximately 10,090 square metres, have been completed since the half year report as detailed below.
At the Trust's Champs-sur-Marne property Credit-Lyonnais' lease expired at the end of December 2012 on 4,310 square metres of office accommodation. The Trust's Investment Manager is actively involved in the campaign to re-let the premises at the earliest opportunity.
FRANCE
Aubervilliers - in line with the asset management strategy to extend lease maturity, the Trust has signed a new fixed 9 year lease without break from January 2013 with the main office tenant, Klöckner Distribution Industrielle ("KDI") a major international metal distribution company. KDI occupy 5,500 square metres of office space, which represents approximately two thirds of the building, and their previous lease was due to expire in May 2013. KDI will reconfigure part of their space to optimise their occupation within the building and the Trust will contribute to a part of these works.
Vitry - a re-gearing was signed with Venticom on a 360 square metre light industrial unit, extending their lease to August 2015.
Goussainville - existing tenant Durag extended their lease until February 2015 on their 170 square metre office unit. Two new 3/6/9 year leases from January 2013 have been signed with PLTC, a mail order company, on two vacant warehouse units of 1,450 square metres and 840 square metres respectively.
Mulhouse - Aviva Vie have taken a new 3/6/9 year lease from March 2013 on 210 square metres of vacant offices.
SPAIN
Cordoba - a new lease was signed with Juguetilandia, a national toy retailer, on a 1,030 sqm retail unit until February 2014.
Ecija - new leases were signed with a caterer and a novelties and gifts retailer on two small retail units totalling 100 square metres. Two existing leases to the sports retailers, Balmont and Imagina, were extended to December 2013 on units of 100 and 260 square metres respectively.
Alcala - a new 3 year lease was signed on a 70 square metre retail unit to a café operator, La Calita, from September 2012.
GENERAL
The Investment Manager remains vigilant to ensuring service charges are spent effectively, the annual level of property costs is closely monitored and additional sources of income are identified. With this in mind, a short term lease with Vodafone for a phone mast at the Trust's Cordoba property was converted to a fixed lease commitment until October 2014.
Market overview
France
The French economy has remained flat in 2012 with no growth in gross domestic product. The economy is expected to remain generally subdued in 2013 as a result of fiscal tightening in France and its key European trading partners, and continued uncertainty affecting the wider eurozone. The unemployment rate for mainland France has risen to 9.9% and linked to this and the wider economic context, household spending remains muted. Inflation has moderated further with the growth rate of the Consumer Prices Index standing at 1.3% per annum at the end of December 2012.
Against a challenging economic background, over €14.5 billion was invested in commercial real estate in France over the course of 2012. Although it was anticipated that the overall investment levels for 2012 would be lower than 2011, this result bettered expectations as the decrease in investment volumes was limited to 10%. This resulted from a strong first half of the year and a very strong final quarter when some €5.4 billion was invested making this the most active quarter since 2008. Traditional French investors represented 52% of the market with the next largest group being Middle Eastern investors representing 15%. Office investment remained the highest volume sector and accounted for €9.9 billion representing 69% of total investment in France. Logistics and industrial investment recovered to total more than €1.3 billion, an increase of 33% on 2011 due to the level of transactions in portfolios of logistics property transacted.
Of the Trust's total property portfolio, 92% is in France, 83% is in the Ile-de-France and 62% is in Ile-de-France office and business park space.
The Economy of Ile de France
Paris and the surrounding region, better known as Ile-de-France, accounts for 19% of the French population but contributes 29% of French GDP. It is one of the main players in the global economy and is the largest European region by GDP. By population the Ile-de-France metropolis ranks twentieth globally, but ranked by GDP it is the fifth major metropolis in the world after the metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Greater New York, Los Angeles and Osaka.
In Europe, the only city that can compare to Paris is London and taking the wider metropolitan areas these two regions can be considered broadly similar in GDP terms. However it should be noted that the GDP of these two metropolitan areas far exceeds those of all other European cities, whether considering the Dutch Randstad, the conurbation Rhine-Ruhr and Rhine-Main, Brussels or Berlin.
With over 5.3 million jobs, Ile-de-France holds a prominent place in the national economy and many national and international companies have their headquarters in the region because of its high quality as a business location. The Ile-de-France has the world's third largest concentration of Fortune 500 head offices.
The Ile-de-France economy remains extremely diverse compared to other cities of its size with a large industrial base and one of the most important agricultural areas in France as well as being a pre-eminent global tourist destination.
Its economy is more diversified than London (with its emphasis on financial markets) or Los Angeles (film and entertainment) and Paris is not overly dependent on any one sector. Even categorizing Ile-de-France as predominantly a services-based economy, its industrial base which accounts for 16% of the region's GDP, remains very important as the region is a major European production centre, which has preserved its competitiveness by increasing its proportion of investment in research and development where it ranks as Europe's number one region for R&D expenditure and personnel. All of these activities are supported by an integrated freight and transport network.
The Paris region remains one of Europe's more stable office markets with office take-up in the Ile-de-France for 2012 reaching close to 2.4 million square metres which represents a good level of take-up in a difficult business climate. The most active business sectors were the industrial sector (31% of take-up by volume), the public sector (20%) and the transport-logistics-distribution sector (16%) together accounting for 67% of the take-up in 2012.
The average office rent in Ile-de-France was broadly stable over the year at €295 per square metre per annum. The office vacancy rate for the Paris region remains low at 6.5% and is expected to remain stable since there is relatively little in the way of speculative new development taking place at present.
Take-up in the logistics sector was affected by the business climate with national take up reaching just under 2.0 million square metres in 2012, 34% below the same period in 2011. The largest share of transaction volume took place in Ile-de-France with take-up of 0.47 million square metres representing 24% of national take-up compared to 39% in 2011 which represented an exceptional year.
Spain
Gross domestic product shrank by 1.8% in 2012 as the Spanish economy remained in recession. Spain has continued the process of fiscal consolidation through the enactment of austerity measures and these have suppressed domestic demand. In addition, despite the government's efforts to reform the labour market, the unemployment rate has increased to 26% in the fourth quarter of 2012. The near term outlook for the Spanish economy remains subdued.
Rental indexation
Rental indexation remains positive for both France and Spain. The INSEE Construction Cost Index, applicable to the Trust's leases in France, has shown annualised growth for the last eleven published quarters and the annual indexation base as at Q3 2012 stood at 1.48% (4.58% Q2 2012). The Spanish Consumer Price Index, applicable to the Trust's leases in Spain, was running at an annualised rate of increase of 2.9% as at the end of December 2012.
Paul Cable
For and on behalf of the Investment Manager
14 March 2013
Directors
Dick Kingston (aged 65)
Chairman
Dick Kingston qualified as a Chartered Accountant and was, until December 2006, an executive director of Slough Estates Plc (now SEGRO Plc) ("Slough"), one of the largest London Stock Exchange listed property companies. He was chairman of their continental European real estate activities for his last three years at Slough and Group Finance Director there for nine years up to December 2005. Previously he was Group Financial Controller at Slough for nine years and prior to that was responsible for group financial control at Hawker Siddeley Group.
He was non-executive chairman of listed company Sirius Real Estate Limited and was a non-executive director of Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.
David Rowlinson (aged 50)
Director
David has 30 years' experience in the financial services industry. The majority of David's experience has been gained from working in the fiduciary sector in Guernsey. However, he has also worked in Gibraltar and Switzerland and served in a key role working for an investment management company in Guernsey.
After playing a major part in establishing a large trust company in Guernsey in 1997 which he left in June 2006, David established Liberation Management Limited ("LML") in 2007. David is the Managing Director of LML.
David has been a full member of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners since 1994.
David Jeffreys (aged 53)
Director
David Jeffreys qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte Haskins and Sells in 1985. He works as an independent non-executive director to a number of Guernsey based investment fund companies and managers and is a Guernsey resident.
From 2007 until 2009 David was the Managing Director of EQT Funds Management Limited, the Guernsey management office of the EQT group of private equity funds. He was previously the Managing Director of Abacus Fund Managers (Guernsey) Limited between 1993 and 2004, a third party administration service provider to primarily corporate and fund clients.
In addition to the Company, David is a director of the following listed companies: Alpha Real Trust Limited, Ingenious Media Active Capital Limited, PFB Data Centre Fund Limited and Tetragon Financial Group Limited.
Phillip Rose (aged 53)
Director
Phillip Rose is a Fellow of the Securities Institute and holds a Master of Law degree. He has over 30 years' experience in the real estate, funds management and banking industries in Europe, the USA and Australasia. He has been the Head of Real Estate for ABN AMRO Bank, Chief Operating Officer of European shopping centre investor and developer TrizecHahn Europe, Managing Director of retail and commercial property developer and investor Lend Lease Global Investment and Executive Manager of listed fund General Property Trust.
Phillip is currently CEO of Alpha Real Capital LLP and is a member of the Management Committee of the Hermes Property Unit Trust and its Audit Committee.
Serena Tremlett (aged 48)
Director
Serena has over 25 years' experience in financial services, specialising in closed-ended property and private equity funds and fund administration over the last 15 years.
She is a non-executive director on the listed company boards of Alpha Pyrenees Trust, Alpha Real Trust, Ingenious Media Active Capital and those of Stenham Property, in addition to various unlisted property and private funds and general partners. Serena was previously company secretary (and a director) of Assura Group, at that time a FTSE 250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange, investing in primary healthcare property and ran Assura's Guernsey head office.
Prior to working for Assura, Serena was head of Guernsey property funds at Mourant International Finance Administration (now State Street) for two years and worked for Guernsey International Fund Managers (now Northern Trust) for seven years where she sat on a number of listed and unlisted fund boards. Since 2008, Serena has been co-founder and managing director of Morgan Sharpe Administration, a specialist closed-ended fund administrator.
.
Directors' and Corporate Governance report
The Directors present their report and financial statements of the Company and the Group for the year ended 31 December 2012.
Principal activities and status
Since its incorporation on 16 November 2005, the Company, an authorised closed-ended Guernsey registered investment company, has carried on the business of a property investment company, investing in commercial property in France and Spain.
Its shares are listed on the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and have been traded on the London Stock Exchange since 29 November 2005.
Business review, results and dividends
The Chairman's statement contains a review of the Group business for the year.
The results for the year are set out in the financial statements below.
Quarterly dividends have been paid during the year under review as follows:
|
Payment date |
Amount per share |
Third interim for the prior year |
9 January 2012 |
0.9p |
Fourth interim for the prior year |
23 April 2012 |
0.9p |
First interim |
18 June 2012 |
0.6p |
Second interim |
8 October 2012 |
0.6p |
All dividends are paid as interim dividends under the policy adopted by the Directors and therefore no final dividend payment has been recommended.
The third interim dividend of 0.6p per share was paid on 7 January 2013. In accordance with IAS 10 this dividend has not been included in these financial statements.
Corporate governance
As a Guernsey registered company, the Company is not required to comply with The UK Corporate Governance Code ('UK Code'). However, the Directors take appropriate measures to ensure that the Company complies with the Code to the extent appropriate, taking into account the size of the Company, the nature of its business and its entirely non-executive board.
The Company is authorised by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission ('GFSC') and for this reason is required to follow the principles and guidance set out in the Finance Sector Code of Corporate Governance issued by the GFSC and effective from 1 January 2012 ('Guernsey Code'). Compliance with the Guernsey Code and consideration of matters raised by the UK Code are reviewed by the Board annually.
The Board
Biographies of the Directors are set out above. During the year, David Rowlinson was appointed on 1 May 2012 and Christopher Bennett stepped down from the Board on 16 August 2012.
The Directors' interests in shares of the Company as at 31 December 2012 are set out below and there have been no changes in such interests up to the current date:
|
Number of ordinary shares 2012 |
Number of ordinary shares 2011 |
Dick Kingston |
199,125 |
5,145 |
Christopher Bennett * |
- |
- |
David Jeffreys |
250,000 |
250,000 |
Phillip Rose |
1,290,079 |
1,290,079 |
David Rowlinson ** |
- |
- |
Serena Tremlett |
23,486 |
23,486 |
*Christopher Bennett resigned on 16 August 2012.
**David Rowlinson was appointed on 1 May 2012.
The UK Code recommends that non-executive directors are appointed for specified terms. The Company has chosen not to comply with this recommendation but confirms that appointments of its members can be terminated at any time without penalty and the Company's Articles of Association ("Articles") require each Director to retire and submit himself to re-election by the shareholders at every third year. In addition, the Board believes that continuity and experience adds to its strength.
The Annual General Meeting of the Company will take place on 26 April 2013. At this meeting, Phillip Rose and David Rowlinson will retire and submit themselves for re-election. The remainder of the Board recommend their re-appointment and confirm the independence of David Rowlinson. Phillip Rose is a member of the Investment Manager and, under the terms of the Company's Prospectus dated 23 November 2005, submits himself for annual re-election.
Individual Directors may seek independent legal advice in relation to their duties on behalf of the Company.
Senior Independent Director
The Board has appointed David Jeffreys as its Senior Independent Director and has agreed that he will be available for discussions with shareholders independently of his peers, to the extent appropriate.
Operations of the Board
The Board's primary role is to review matters which are of strategic importance to the Company, including the following:
1) setting, and continuing to review, the objectives and strategy of the Company, taking into account market conditions.
2) reviewing the capital structure of the Company including gearing.
3) appointing the Investment Manager, Administrator and other appropriately skilled service providers; monitoring their effectiveness and performance through regular reports and meetings.
4) reviewing the Company's performance including Net Asset Value, Earnings per share and payment of dividends.
The Board considers these matters at its quarterly meetings and also at an additional annual strategy session.
The Board meets at least four times per annum and also on an ad-hoc basis to consider specific issues reserved for decision by the Board including all potential acquisitions and disposals, significant capital expenditure and leasing matters and decisions relating to the Company's financial gearing.
Certain matters relating to the implementation of strategy are delegated either to the Investment Manager or the Administrator but the performance of such delegation by these independent agents is regularly monitored by the Board.
At the Board's quarterly meetings it considers papers circulated in advance including reports provided by the Investment Manager and the Administrator in its capacity as Company Secretary. The Investment Manager's report comments on:
· The French and Spanish property markets including recommendations for any changes in strategy that the Investment Manager considers may be appropriate.
· Performance of the Group's portfolio and key asset management initiatives.
· Transactional activity undertaken over the previous quarter and being contemplated for the future.
· The Group's financial position including relationships with bankers and lenders.
The Administrator provides a quarterly compliance, company secretarial and regulatory report.
Together, these reports enable the Board to assess the success with which the Group's strategy is being implemented, consider any relevant risks (such as the general economic climate) and to consider how they should be properly managed.
Board and Director Appraisals
The Board carries out an annual review of its composition and performance (including the performance of individual Directors) and that of its standing committees. Such appraisal includes reviewing the performance and composition of the Board (and whether it has an appropriate mix of knowledge, skills and experience), the relationships between the Board and the Investment Manager and Administrator, the processes in place and the information provided to the Board and communication between Board members.
Board Meeting Attendance
The table below shows the attendance at quarterly Board and meetings during the year to 31 December 2012:
Director |
No of meetings attended |
No of meetings eligible to attend |
Dick Kingston |
4 |
4 |
Christopher Bennett |
2 |
3 |
David Jeffreys |
4 |
4 |
Phillip Rose |
3 |
4 |
David Rowlinson |
3 |
3 |
Serena Tremlett |
4 |
4 |
Directors' and Officers' Insurance
An appropriate level of Directors' and Officers' insurance is maintained whereby Directors are indemnified against liabilities to third parties to the extent permitted by Guernsey Company Law.
Board Committees
The Board has established three standing committees, all of which operate under detailed terms of reference, copies of which are available on request from the Company Secretary.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee consists of David Jeffreys (Chairman), Dick Kingston, David Rowlinson and Serena Tremlett. The Board is satisfied that David Jeffreys continues to have the requisite recent and relevant financial experience to fulfil his role as Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Role of the Committee
The role of the Audit Committee, which meets at least twice a year, includes:
· The engagement, review of the work carried out by and the performance of the Company's external auditors.
· To monitor and review the independence, objectivity and effectiveness of the external auditors.
· To develop and apply a policy for the engagement of the external audit firm to provide non-audit services.
· To assist the Board in discharging its duty to ensure that financial statements comply with all legal requirements.
· To review the Company's financial reporting and internal control policies and to ensure that the procedures for the identification, assessment and reporting of risks are adequate.
· To review regularly the need for an internal audit function.
· To monitor the integrity of the Company's financial statements, including its annual and half-yearly reports and announcements relating to its financial performance, reviewing the significant financial reporting issues and judgements which they contain.
· To review the consistency of accounting policies and practices.
· To review and challenge where necessary the financial results of the Company before submission to the Board.
The Audit Committee makes recommendations to the Board which are within its terms of reference and considers any other matters as the Board may from time to time refer to it.
Committee Meeting Attendance
Director |
No of meetings attended |
No of meetings eligible to attend |
David Jeffreys |
4 |
4 |
Dick Kingston |
4 |
4 |
David Rowlinson |
0 |
0 |
Serena Tremlett |
4 |
4 |
Policy for Non Audit Services
The Committee has adopted a policy for the provision of non-audit services by its external auditors, BDO Limited and reviews and approves all material non-audit related services in accordance with the need to ensure the independence and objectivity of the external auditors. No services, other than audit-related ones, were carried out by BDO Limited during 2012.
Internal Audit
The Board relies upon the systems and procedures employed by the Investment Manager and the Administrator which are regularly reviewed and are considered to be sufficient to provide it with the required degree of comfort. Resulting from this and the fact that the Group only has one employee, the Board continues to believe that there is no need for an internal audit function, although the Audit Committee considers this annually, reporting its findings to the Board.
Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee consists of Serena Tremlett (Chairman), David Jeffreys, Dick Kingston, Phillip Rose and David Rowlinson.
The Committee's principal task is to review the structure, size and composition of the Board in relation to its size and position in the market and to make recommendations to fill Board vacancies as they arise and it meets at least annually. In the year under review, the Committee also met to consider the appointment of David Rowlinson to the Board.
Committee Meeting Attendance
Director |
No of meetings attended |
No of meetings eligible to attend |
Serena Tremlett |
2 |
2 |
Christopher Bennett |
1 |
1 |
David Jeffreys |
2 |
2 |
Dick Kingston |
2 |
2 |
Phillip Rose |
1 |
2 |
David Rowlinson |
1 |
1 |
Remuneration Committee and Attendance
The Remuneration Committee consists of the independent non-executive Directors being David Jeffreys (Chairman), Dick Kingston, David Rowlinson and Serena Tremlett.
The Board has approved formal terms of reference for the Committee and a copy of these is available on request from the Company Secretary.
As the Company comprises only non-executive directors, the Committee's main role is to determine their remuneration within the cap set out in the Company's Articles. It met once during 2012 and all Committee members were present.
Remuneration Report
The aggregate fees payable to the Directors are limited to £200,000 per annum under the Company's Articles and the annual fees payable to each Director have not changed since the Company's shares were listed in 2005. The fees payable to the Directors are expected to reflect their expertise, responsibilities and time spent on the business of the Company, taking into account market equivalents, the activities, the size of the Company and market conditions. Under their respective appointment letters, each director is entitled to an annual fee together with a provision for reimbursement for any reasonable out of pocket expenses.
During the year the Directors received the following emoluments in the form of fees from the Company:
|
Year ending 31 December 2012 £ |
Year ending 31 December 2011 £ |
Dick Kingston |
30,000 |
30,000 |
Christopher Bennett |
12,554 |
20,000 |
David Jeffreys |
23,000 |
23,000 |
Phillip Rose |
20,000 |
20,000 |
David Rowlinson |
13,333 |
- |
Serena Tremlett |
20,000 |
20,000 |
Total |
118,887 |
113,000 |
Internal Control and Risk Management
The Board understands its responsibility for ensuring that there are sufficient, appropriate and effective systems, procedures, policies and processes for internal control of financial, operational, compliance and risk management matters in place in order to manage the risks which are an inherent part of business. Such risks are managed rather than eliminated in order to permit the Company to meet its financial and other objectives.
As the Company has only one employee, the Board reviews the internal procedures of both its Investment Manager and its Administrator upon which it is reliant. The Investment Manager has a schedule of matters which have been delegated to it by the Board and upon which it reports to the Board on a quarterly basis. These matters include quarterly management accounts and reporting both against key financial performance indicators and its peer group. Further, a compliance report is produced by the Administrator for the Board on a quarterly basis.
The Company maintains a risk management framework which considers the non-financial as well as financial risks and this is reviewed by the Audit Committee prior to submission to the Board.
Investment management agreement
The Company has an agreement with the Investment Manager. This sets out the Investment Manager's key responsibilities, which include proposing a property investment strategy to the Board, identifying property investments to recommend for acquisition and arranging appropriate lending facilities. The Investment Manager is also responsible to the Board for all issues relating to property asset management.
Substantial shareholding
Shareholders with holdings of more than 3 per cent of the issued ordinary shares of the Company as at 15 February 2013 were as follows:
Name of investor |
No. of ordinary shares |
% held |
Antler Investment Holdings Limited |
21,437,393 |
18.22 |
Barclays Stockbrokers |
6,789,975 |
5.77 |
Henderson Volantis Capital |
5,932,374 |
5.04 |
Charles Stanley |
5,797,899 |
4.93 |
Selftrade |
5,229,181 |
4.45 |
M&G Investment Management |
5,000,000 |
4.25 |
Hargreaves Lansdown |
4,728,028 |
4.02 |
Alpha Real Capital LLP |
4,400,000 |
3.74 |
Baring Asset Management |
4,313,172 |
3.67 |
TD Waterhouse |
4,083,040 |
3.47 |
Investec Wealth & Investment |
3,798,693 |
3.23 |
Rathbone Investment Management |
3,644,535 |
3.10 |
Shareholder relations
The Board places high importance on its relationship with its shareholders, with members of the Investment Manager's Investment Committee making themselves available for meetings with key shareholders and sector analysts. Reporting of these meetings and market commentary is received by the Board on a quarterly basis to ensure that shareholder communication fulfils the needs of being useful, timely and effective. One or more members of the Board and the Investment Manager will be available at the Annual General Meeting to answer any questions that shareholders attending may wish to raise.
Directors' Responsibility Statement
Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company and of the Group at the end of the year and of the profit or loss of the Company and the Group for that year.
In preparing those financial statements, the Directors are required to:
(1) select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
(2) make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
(3) state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
(4) prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is appropriate to assume that the Company and Group will not continue in business.
So far as each of the Directors are aware, there is no relevant information of which the Company's auditor is unaware, and they have taken all the steps they ought to have taken as Directors to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the Company's auditor is aware of that information.
The Directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and of the Group and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Directors confirm that they have complied with the above requirements in preparing the financial statements.
Going concern
The currency hedge contracts, used to hedge the Group's planned net invested equity, terminate on 16 October 2013. At current exchange rates this represents a significant short-term liability.
A total of €163.1 million was hedged under derivatives entered into in 2006 and 2007 and priced at market rates at that time. The fair value of the currency hedges as at 31 December 2012 is a liability of £23.8 million (€29.1 million). The bank held £7.5 million (€9.2 million) at year end, recognised within other debtors in the consolidated balance sheet, as collateral against the hedges' liability under existing arrangements. The Group is evaluating a number of potential strategies for settling the currency hedges in October 2013. As part of this process, the Group is evaluating selective asset sales (including the potential sale of its un-mortgaged Nimes property), utilising existing cash resources (which will increase as a result of net earnings and the Trust's intention to not pay future dividends prior to the hedges' settlement date in October this year) and the potential for alternative financing strategies for the hedges' balance.
Given the circumstance outlined above material uncertainty exists that could cast significant doubt about the Group and Company's ability to continue as a going concern. However, whilst recognising these uncertainties, the Board has reasonable expectation that a combination of realising equity in selective asset sales, combined with the potential availability of alternative financing options, will support the settlement of the currency hedges as they mature in October. Therefore, the Board believes it is appropriate to continue to prepare the Group and Company financial statements on a going concern basis.
Annual General Meeting
The AGM will be held in Guernsey at 9 a.m. on 26 April 2013 at Old Bank Chambers, La Grande Rue, St Martin's, Guernsey. The meeting will be held to receive the Annual Report and Financial Statements, re-elect Directors and propose the reappointment of the auditor and that the Directors be authorised to determine the auditor's remuneration.
Auditor
BDO Limited has expressed its willingness to continue in office as auditor of the Company.
By order of the Board,
David Jeffreys Serena Tremlett
Director Director
Directors' statement pursuant to the Disclosure and Transparency Rules
Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed in the Directors Report confirm that, to the best of each person's knowledge and belief:
· The financial statements, prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Group and Company, and
· The Chairman's Statement and the Property Review includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company and Group and note 20 to the financial statements provides a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.
By order of the Board,
David Jeffreys Serena Tremlett
Director Director
.
Corporate responsibility - benefits, risks and controls
The Board has reviewed the Company's Corporate Responsibility Policy and considers this to be appropriate for the Company. The Company's policy is as follows:
Alpha Pyrenees is committed to delivering sustainable investment returns in a way that delivers positive environmental, social and economic benefits. The Company recognises that the way in which buildings are designed, built, managed and occupied, significantly influences their impact on the environment and affected communities and it seeks to manage these issues.
The Company believes that through the implementation of socially responsible policies the Company can manage effectively our sustainability related risks, associated with, for example, climate change (more severe and regular floods, increasing storm damage costs and rising energy prices), site contamination and remediation, use of hazardous materials, waste management (rising landfill and disposal costs) and local community relations.
The Company's standard business process ensures that appropriate environmental reports are obtained as part of the due diligence process for property acquisitions and the Company assesses the accessibility of each property acquisition to public transportation.
The Company's managers and appointed agents are required to comply with all relevant laws and regulations affecting the Company's business, and managers are expected to be aware of the environmental issues associated with property investment including environmental health and safety legislation, energy use, pollution and waste management.
Independent auditors' report
To the members of Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited
We have audited the financial statements of Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited for the year ended 31 December 2012 which comprise the Group and Parent Company Statements of Comprehensive Income, Group and Parent Company Balance Sheets, the Group and Parent Company Cash Flow Statements, the Group and Parent Company Statements of Changes in Equity and the related notes 1 to 20. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union.
This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Section 262 of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008. Our audit work is undertaken so that we might state to the group's and parent company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the group and parent company and the group's and parent company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Respective responsibilities of the directors and auditor
As explained more fully in the Directors' Responsibilities Statement within the Directors' Report, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view.
Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us to comply with the Auditing Practices Board's (APB's) Ethical Standards for Auditors.
Scope of the audit of the financial statements
An audit involves obtaining evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements sufficient to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or error. This includes an assessment of: whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the group's and parent company's circumstances and have been consistently applied and adequately disclosed; the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by the directors; and the overall presentation of the financial statements. In addition, we read all the financial and non‑financial information in the annual report to identify material inconsistencies with the audited financial statements. If we become aware of any apparent misstatements or inconsistencies we consider the implications for our report.
Opinion on the financial statements
In our opinion the financial statements:
· give a true and fair view of the state of the group's and of the parent company's affairs as at 31 December 2012 and of group's profit and the parent company's profit for the year then ended;
· have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union; and
· have been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008.
Emphasis of matter ‑ going concern
In forming our opinion on the financial statements, which is not qualified, we have considered the adequacy of the disclosure made in note 2 to the financial statements concerning the group and parent company's ability to continue as a going concern. As disclosed in note 2 the group has currency hedge contracts, with a fair value at 31 December 2012 of £23.8 million, which are due to terminate on 16 October 2013. The conditions disclosed in note 2 to the financial statements indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which, in the event of a strategy not being realised to settle the currency swap derivatives in October 2013, may cast doubt about the group and parent company's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include the adjustments that would result if the group and parent company were unable to continue as a going concern.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
· proper accounting records have not been kept by the parent company; or
· the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records; or
· we have failed to obtain all the information and explanations, which, to the best of our knowledge and belief, are necessary for the purposes of our audit.
.......................................................
Richard Michael Searle FCA
For and on behalf of BDO Limited
Chartered Accountants and Recognised Auditor
Place du Pré
Rue du Pré
St Peter Port
Guernsey
Date: 14 March 2013
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
|
For the year ended 31 December 2012 |
For the year ended 31 December 2011 |
|||||
|
|
Revenue £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Total £'000 |
Revenue |
Capital |
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
3 |
22,909 |
- |
22,909 |
25,597 |
- |
25,597 |
Property operating expenses |
|
(6,143) |
- |
(6,143) |
(6,258) |
- |
(6,258) |
Net Rental income |
|
16,766 |
- |
16,766 |
19,339 |
- |
19,339 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net change in gains on revaluation of investment properties |
12 |
- |
(1,366) |
(1,366) |
- |
3,689 |
3,689 |
Investment Manager's fee |
|
(1,879) |
(805) |
(2,684) |
(2,035) |
(872) |
(2,907) |
Other administration costs |
5 |
(1,316) |
- |
(1,316) |
(1,215) |
- |
(1,215) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating profit/(loss) |
|
13,571 |
(2,171) |
11,400 |
16,089 |
2,817 |
18,906 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finance income |
4 |
88 |
8,146 |
8,234 |
219 |
2,319 |
2,538 |
Finance costs |
6 |
(11,461) |
(862) |
(12,323) |
(12,770) |
(2,392) |
(15,162) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit before taxation |
|
2,198 |
5,113 |
7,311 |
3,538 |
2,744 |
6,282 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxation |
7 |
- |
(4,714) |
(4,714) |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit for the year |
|
2,198 |
399 |
2,597 |
3,538 |
2,744 |
6,282 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign exchange losses on translation of foreign operations (translation reserve) |
|
- |
(289) |
(289) |
- |
(324) |
(324) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive expense for the year |
|
- |
(289) |
(289) |
- |
(324) |
(324) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive income for the year |
|
2,198 |
110 |
2,308 |
3,538 |
2,420 |
5,958 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per share - basic & diluted |
9 |
|
|
2.2p |
|
|
5.3p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted earnings per share - basic & diluted |
9 |
|
|
1.9p |
|
|
3.0p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The total column of this statement represents the Group's statement of comprehensive income, prepared in accordance with IFRS. The revenue and capital columns are supplied as supplementary information permitted under IFRS. All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. All income is attributable to the equity holders of the parent company. There are no non-controlling interests.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Consolidated balance sheet
|
Notes |
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
|
|
|
|
Non-current assets |
|
|
|
Investment properties |
12 |
249,043 |
254,853 |
|
|
249,043 |
254,853 |
Current assets |
|
|
|
Trade and other receivables |
13 |
11,832 |
13,917 |
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
8,400 |
12,773 |
|
|
20,232 |
26,690 |
Total assets |
|
269,275 |
281,543 |
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities |
|
|
|
Trade and other payables |
14 |
(2,350) |
(4,330) |
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss |
20 |
(23,809) |
- |
Bank borrowings |
15 |
(1,459) |
(1,633) |
Rent deposits |
|
(905) |
(1,112) |
|
|
(28,523) |
(7,075) |
|
|
|
|
Total assets less current liabilities |
|
240,752 |
274,468 |
|
|
|
|
Non-current liabilities |
|
|
|
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss |
20 |
(16,683) |
(49,131) |
Bank borrowings |
15 |
(197,393) |
(201,818) |
Rent deposits |
|
(1,386) |
(1,722) |
Deferred taxation |
7 |
(4,714) |
- |
|
|
(220,176) |
(252,671) |
Total liabilities |
|
(248,699) |
(259,746) |
|
|
|
|
Net assets |
|
20,576 |
21,797 |
|
|
|
|
Equity |
|
|
|
Share capital |
16 |
- |
- |
Special reserve |
17 |
113,131 |
113,131 |
Translation reserve |
17 |
22,048 |
22,337 |
Capital reserve |
17 |
(116,445) |
(116,844) |
Revenue reserve |
17 |
1,842 |
3,173 |
|
|
|
|
Total equity |
|
20,576 |
21,797 |
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share |
10 |
17.5p |
18.5p |
Net asset value per share (adjusted) |
10 |
34.0p |
37.0p |
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 14 March 2013. They were signed on its behalf by:
David Jeffreys Serena Tremlett
Director Director
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Consolidated cash flow statement
|
For the year ended 31 December 2012 £'000 |
For the year ended 31 December 2011 £'000 |
|
|
|
Operating activities |
|
|
Profit for the year |
2,597 |
6,282 |
|
|
|
Adjustments for : |
|
|
Net change in gains on revaluation of investment properties |
1,366 |
(3,689) |
Deferred taxation |
4,714 |
|
Finance income |
(8,234) |
(2,538) |
Finance costs |
12,323 |
15,162 |
|
|
|
Operating cash flows before movements in working capital |
12,766 |
15,217 |
|
|
|
Movements in working capital: |
|
|
Decrease in operating trade and other receivables |
(85) |
(1,252) |
(Decrease)/ increase in operating trade and other payables |
(1,315) |
1,518 |
|
|
|
Cash generated from operations |
11,366 |
15,483 |
|
|
|
Interest received |
92 |
214 |
Currency swap interest paid |
(361) |
(908) |
Bank loan interest paid and costs |
(10,586) |
(11,263) |
Taxation |
- |
- |
|
|
|
Cash flows from operating activities |
511 |
3,526 |
|
|
|
Investing activities |
|
|
Capital expenditure |
(1,277) |
(1,282) |
Tenant incentive contribution |
(1,207) |
- |
|
|
|
Cash flows from investing activities |
(2,484) |
(1,282) |
|
|
|
Financing activities |
|
|
Currency swap collateral (paid)/received |
1,587 |
(340) |
Repayment of borrowings |
(278) |
(298) |
Dividends paid |
(3,529) |
(4,194) |
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities |
(2,220) |
(4,832) |
|
|
|
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents |
(4,193) |
(2,588) |
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |
12,773 |
15,541 |
Exchange translation movement |
(180) |
(180) |
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |
8,400 |
12,773 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
For the year ended 31 December 2011 |
Share capital £'000 |
Share |
Special £'000 |
Warrant reserve £'000 |
Translation reserve £'000 |
Capital reserve £'000 |
Revenue reserve £'000 |
Total equity £'000 |
At 1 January 2011 |
- |
2,500 |
110,592 |
- |
22,661 |
(119,588) |
3,868 |
20,033 |
Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(324) |
2,744 |
3,538 |
5,958 |
Share premium transfer |
- |
(2,500) |
2,500 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Dividends |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(4,233) |
(4,233) |
Scrip dividend |
- |
- |
39 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
39 |
At 31 December 2011 |
- |
- |
113,131 |
- |
22,337 |
(116,844) |
3,173 |
21,797 |
Note 16, 17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ended 31 December 2012 |
Share capital £'000 |
Share |
Special £'000 |
Warrant reserve £'000 |
Translation reserve £'000 |
Capital reserve £'000 |
Revenue reserve £'000 |
Total equity £'000 |
At 1 January 2012 |
- |
- |
113,131 |
- |
22,337 |
(116,844) |
3,173 |
21,797 |
Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(289) |
399 |
2,198 |
2,308 |
Dividends |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(3,529) |
(3,529) |
At 31 December 2012 |
- |
- |
113,131 |
- |
22,048 |
(116,445) |
1,842 |
20,576 |
Note 16, 17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Company statement of comprehensive income
|
Notes |
For the year ended 31 December 2012 |
For the year ended 31 December 2011 |
||||
Revenue |
Capital |
Total |
Revenue |
Capital |
Total |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
3 |
8,139 |
- |
8,139 |
9,185 |
- |
9,185 |
Total income |
|
8,139 |
- |
8,139 |
9,185 |
- |
9,185 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Manager's fee |
|
(619) |
(265) |
(884) |
(729) |
(312) |
(1,041) |
Other administration costs |
5 |
(472) |
- |
(472) |
(492) |
- |
(492) |
Total expenses |
|
(1,091) |
(265) |
(1,356) |
(1,221) |
(312) |
(1,533) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating profit/(loss) |
|
7,048 |
(265) |
6,783 |
7,964 |
(312) |
7,652 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finance income |
4 |
65 |
- |
65 |
97 |
- |
97 |
Finance costs |
6 |
(2) |
(3,305) |
(3,307) |
(1) |
(2,719) |
(2,720) |
Movement in impairment of amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings |
20 |
- |
(1,233) |
(1,233) |
- |
929 |
929 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation |
|
7,111 |
(4,803) |
2,308 |
8,060 |
(2,102) |
5,958 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxation |
7 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) for the year |
|
7,111 |
(4,803) |
2,308 |
8,060 |
(2,102) |
5,958 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income for the year |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year |
|
7,111 |
(4,803) |
2,308 |
8,060 |
(2,102) |
5,958 |
The total column of this statement represents the Company's statement of comprehensive income, prepared in accordance with IFRS. The revenue and capital columns are supplied as supplementary information permitted under IFRS. All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Company balance sheet
|
Notes |
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
|
|
|
|
Non-current assets |
|
|
|
Investments in subsidiary undertakings |
11 |
141 |
141 |
Amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings |
11 |
10,727 |
10,032 |
|
|
10,868 |
10,173 |
|
|
|
|
Current assets |
|
|
|
Trade and other receivables |
13 |
18 |
- |
Amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings |
11 |
3,858 |
3,022 |
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
6,128 |
8,893 |
|
|
10,004 |
11,915 |
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
20,872 |
22,088 |
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities |
|
|
|
Trade and other payables |
14 |
(296) |
(291) |
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
|
(296) |
(291) |
Net assets |
|
20,576 |
21,797 |
|
|
|
|
Equity |
|
|
|
Share capital |
16 |
- |
- |
Special reserve |
17 |
113,131 |
113,131 |
Capital reserve |
17 |
(105,939) |
(101,136) |
Revenue reserve |
17 |
13,384 |
9,802 |
|
|
|
|
Total equity |
|
20,576 |
21,797 |
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 14 March 2013. They were signed on its behalf by:
David Jeffreys Serena Tremlett
Director Director
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Company cash flow statement
|
For the year ended 31 December 2012 £'000 |
For the year ended 31 December 2011 £'000 |
|
|
|
Cash flows from operating activities |
|
|
|
|
|
Profit for the year |
2,308 |
5,958 |
|
|
|
Adjustments for : |
|
|
Finance costs |
3,307 |
2,720 |
Finance income |
(65) |
(97) |
Interest from subsidiary undertakings |
(8,139) |
(9,185) |
Movement in impairment of amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings |
1,233 |
(929) |
|
|
|
Operating cash flows before movements in working capital |
(1,356) |
(1,533) |
|
|
|
(Increase)/decrease in operating trade and other receivables |
(18) |
53 |
Increase/(decrease) in operating trade and other payables |
5 |
(49) |
|
|
|
Cash generated from operations |
(1,369) |
(1,529) |
|
|
|
Interest paid |
(2) |
(1) |
Interest received |
1,308 |
5,241 |
Taxation |
- |
- |
|
|
|
Cash-flows from operating activities |
(63) |
3,711 |
|
|
|
Investing activities |
|
|
Loans repaid |
980 |
189 |
|
|
|
Cash-flows from investing activities |
980 |
189 |
|
|
|
Financing activities |
|
|
Dividend payments |
(3,529) |
(4,194) |
|
|
|
Cash-flows from financing activities |
(3,529) |
(4,194) |
|
|
|
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents |
(2,612) |
(294) |
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |
8,893 |
9,248 |
Exchange translation movement |
(153) |
(61) |
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |
6,128 |
8,893 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
Company statement of changes in equity
For the year ending 31 December 2011 |
Share |
Share |
Special |
Warrant reserve £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Revenue reserve £'000 |
Total £'000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1 January 2011 |
- |
2,500 |
110,592 |
- |
(99,034) |
5,975 |
20,033 |
Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(2,102) |
8,060 |
5,958 |
Share premium transfer |
- |
(2,500) |
2,500 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Dividends |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(4,233) |
(4,233) |
Scrip dividend |
- |
- |
39 |
- |
- |
- |
39 |
At 31 December 2011 |
- |
- |
113,131 |
- |
(101,136) |
9,802 |
21,797 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 16, 17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ending 31 December 2012 |
Share |
Share |
Special |
Warrant reserve £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Revenue reserve £'000 |
Total £'000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1 January 2012 |
- |
- |
113,131 |
- |
(101,136) |
9,802 |
21,797 |
Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(4,803) |
7,111 |
2,308 |
Dividends |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(3,529) |
(3,529) |
At 31 December 2012 |
- |
- |
113,131 |
- |
(105,939) |
13,384 |
20,576 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 16, 17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.
1. General information
The Company is a limited liability, closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey. The address of the registered office is given below. The nature of the Group's operations and its principal activities are set out in the Chairman's statement. The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue on 14 March 2013 and signed by David Jeffreys and Serena Tremlett on behalf of the Board.
2. Significant accounting policies
A summary of the principal accounting policies is set out below. The policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying the accounting policies. The areas involving a high degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where the assumptions and estimates are significant to the financial statements are disclosed in this note.
Going concern
The currency hedge contracts, used to hedge the Group's planned net invested equity, terminate on 16 October 2013. At current exchange rates this represents a significant short-term liability.
A total of €163.1 million was hedged under derivatives entered into in 2006 and 2007 and priced at market rates at that time. The fair value of the currency hedges as at 31 December 2012 is a liability of £23.8 million (€29.1 million). The bank held £7.5 million (€9.2 million) at year end, recognised within other debtors in the consolidated balance sheet, as collateral against the hedges' liability under existing arrangements. The Group is evaluating a number of potential strategies for settling the currency hedges in October 2013. As part of this process, the Group is evaluating selective asset sales (including the potential sale of its un-mortgaged Nimes property), utilising existing cash resources (which will increase as a result of net earnings and the Trust's intention to not pay future dividends prior to the hedges' settlement date in October this year) and the potential for alternative financing strategies for the hedges' balance.
Given the circumstance outlined above material uncertainty exists that could cast significant doubt about the Group and Company's ability to continue as a going concern. However, whilst recognising these uncertainties, the Board has reasonable expectation that a combination of realising equity in selective asset sales, combined with the potential availability of alternative financing options, will support the settlement of the currency hedges as they mature in October. Therefore, the Board believes it is appropriate to continue to prepare the Group and Company financial statements on a going concern basis.
Basis of preparation
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS, which comprise standards and interpretations approved by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB"), and International Accounting Standards and Standards Interpretations Committee's interpretations approved by the International Accounting Standards Committee ("IASC") that remain in effect, and to the extent that they have been adopted by the European Union.
a) Adoption of new and revised Standards
A number of standards and interpretations issued by the IASB and the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee are effective for the current year. These were:
Revised and amended Standards
IFRS 1: First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards - Replacement of 'fixed dates' for certain exceptions with 'the date of transition' to IFRS - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 July 2011
IFRS 1: First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards - Additional exemptions for entities ceasing to suffer from severe hyperinflation - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 July 2011
IFRS 7: Financial Instruments: Disclosures- Amendments enhancing disclosures about transfers of financial assets - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 July 2011
IAS 12: Income taxes - Limited scope amendment (recovery of underlying assets) - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2012
Interpretations
No new interpretations on existing standards are effective for the current year.
The adoption of these standards and interpretations has not led to any changes in the Group's accounting policies.
b) Standards and Interpretations in issue and not yet effective
At the date of authorisation of these financial statements, the following standards and interpretations, which have not been applied in these financial statements, were in issue but not yet effective:-
IFRS 9: Financial Instruments - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2015*
IFRS 10: Consolidated Financial Statements - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
IFRS 11: Joint Arrangements - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
IFRS 12: Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
IFRS 13: Fair Value Measurement - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
Revised and amended Standards
IFRS 1: First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards - Amendments for government loan with a below-market rate of interest when transitioning to IFRSs - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013*
IFRS 7: Financial Instruments: Disclosures- Amendments enhancing disclosures about offsetting of financial assets and financial liabilities - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013 and interim periods within those periods
IFRS 7: Financial Instruments: Disclosures- Amendments requiring disclosures about the initial application of IFRS 9 - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2015* (or otherwise when IFRS 9 is first applied)
IAS 1: Presentation of Financial Statements - Amendments to revise the way other comprehensive income is presented - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 July 2012
IAS 19: Employee Benefits - Amended Standard resulting from the Post-Employment Benefits and Termination Benefits projects - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
IAS 27: Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements - Reissued as IAS 27 Separate Financial Statements (as amended in 2011) - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
IAS 27: Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements - Amendments for investment entities - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2014*
IAS 28: Investments in Associates - Reissued as IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures (as amended in 2011) - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013
IAS 32: Financial Instruments: Presentation - Amendments to application guidance on the offsetting of financial assets and financial liabilities - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2014
In May 2012, the IASB issued improvements to IFRS, which became effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013. These covered amendments to five standards.
Interpretations
IFRIC 20 Stripping Costs in the Production Phase of a Surface Mine - for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 July 2013
*Still to be endorsed by the EU
The Directors anticipate that, with the exception of IFRS 9, the adoption of these standards and interpretations in future periods will not have a material impact on the financial statements of the Group.
IFRS 9 aims to replace those parts of IAS 39, which relate to the classification and measurement of financial instruments. The main requirement of IFRS 9 is the classification of financial assets into two separate categories: 1) financial assets measured at fair value and 2) financial assets measured at amortised cost. The assessment to establish the most appropriate category is performed at initial recognition. Main parameters that management should consider for this assessment are the Company and Group's business model for managing financial instruments and the related cash flows' characteristics. With regards to financial liabilities IFRS 9 stays broadly in line with IAS 39. IFRS 9 requires one impairment method which would replace the various different methods indicated by IAS 39 that arise from the different categories' classification. At the time of adoption of the new standard only the Company's intercompany loans and the Company and Group's receivables will be classified under the two categories explained above and there is no expectation of changes in measurement for those financial instruments.
The new standard is mandatory for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015 (mandatory application date, originally 1 January 2013, amended in December 2011).
The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements incorporate the financial statements of the Company and the subsidiary undertakings controlled by the Company, made up to 31 December each year. Control is achieved where the Company has the power to govern the financial and operating policies of an investee entity so as to obtain benefit from its activities.
The results of subsidiary undertakings acquired or disposed of during the year are included in the consolidated income statement from the effective date of acquisitions or up to the effective date of disposal as appropriate.
When necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements of subsidiary undertakings to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by the Group.
All intra-group transactions, balances, income and expenses are eliminated on consolidation.
Presentation of income statement
In order to better reflect the activities of an investment company and in accordance with guidance issued by the Association of Investment Companies ("AIC"), supplementary information, which analyses the income statement between items of a revenue and capital nature, has been presented alongside the statement of comprehensive income.
Revenue recognition
Rental income from investment property leased out under an operating lease is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. Lease incentives granted are recognised as an integral part of the net consideration for the use of the property and are therefore also recognised on the same straight line basis. Rental revenues are accounted for on an accruals basis. Therefore, deferred revenue generally represents advance payments from tenants. Revenue is recognised when it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the Group and the amount of revenue can be measured reliably. Upon early termination of a lease by the lessee, the receipt of a surrender premium, net of dilapidations and non-recoverable outgoings relating to the lease concerned, is immediately recognised as revenue.
Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal outstanding and the effective interest rate applicable.
Leasing
Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessee. All other leases are classified as operating leases.
Foreign currencies
a) Functional and presentational currency
Items included in the financial statements of each of the Group entities are measured in the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (the "functional currency"). The consolidated financial statements are presented in Sterling, which is the Company's functional and presentational currency.
b) Transactions and balances
Transactions in currencies other than Sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the dates of the transactions. At each balance sheet date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the balance sheet date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are carried at fair value and denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rates prevailing at the date when the fair value was determined. Gains and losses arising on retranslation are included in net profit or loss for the year, except for exchange differences arising on non-monetary assets and liabilities where the changes in fair value are recognised directly in equity.
c) Group companies
The results and financial position of all the Group entities that have a functional currency which differs from the presentational currency are translated into the presentational currency as follows:
(i) assets and liabilities for each balance sheet presented are translated at the closing rate at the date of the balance sheet;
(ii) income and expenses for each statement of comprehensive income are translated at the average exchange rate prevailing in the period; and;
(iii) all resulting exchange differences are recognised as a separate component of equity.
On consolidation, the exchange differences arising from the translation of the net investment in foreign entities are taken to equity. When a foreign operation is sold, such exchange differences are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income as part of the gain or loss on sale.
The year-end exchange rate used is £1:€1.222 (2011: £1:€ 1.193) and the average rate for the year used is £1:€1.233 (2011: £1:€1.152).
Operating profit
a) Company
Operating profit includes interest income from subsidiary entities, as reduced by administrative expenses and excludes the movement on impairment of loans from subsidiaries, finance costs and finance income.
b) Group
Operating profit includes net gains or losses on revaluation of investment properties, as reduced by administrative expenses and property operating costs and excludes finance costs and income.
Expenses
All expenses are accounted for on an accruals basis and include fees and other expenses paid to the Administrator, the Investment Manager and the Directors. In respect of the analysis between revenue and capital items presented within the statement of comprehensive income, all expenses have been presented as revenue items except as follows:
Expenses which are incidental to the acquisition of an investment property or development property are included within the cost of that property. A proportion of the Investment Manager's fee is charged to the capital column in the statement of comprehensive income in order to reflect the Directors' estimated long-term view of the nature of the investment return of the Group.
Borrowing costs
Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition or construction of property are added to the costs of those assets until such time as the assets are substantially ready for their intended use. The capitalisation rate is arrived at by reference to the actual rate payable on borrowing acquired for a targeted property, or with regard to an acquisition financed out of general borrowings to the average rate. All other borrowing costs are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income in the period in which they are incurred.
Taxation
The Company is exempt from Guernsey taxation on income derived outside of Guernsey and bank interest earned in Guernsey. A fixed annual fee of £600 is payable to the States of Guernsey in respect of this exemption. No charge to Guernsey taxation arises on capital gains. The Group is liable to foreign tax arising on activities in the overseas subsidiaries. The company has subsidiary operations in Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Spain.
The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.
The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the statement of comprehensive income because it excludes items of income and expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The Group's liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantially enacted by the balance sheet date.
Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the financial statements and the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable profit, and is accounted for using the balance sheet liability method. Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible timing differences can be utilised.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the year when the liability is settled or the asset realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the statement of comprehensive income, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt within equity.
Dividends
Dividends are recognised as a liability in the Group's financial statements in the period in which they become obligations of the Company.
Investment property
Investment property, which is property held to earn rentals and/or for capital appreciation, is initially recognised at cost being the fair value of consideration given including related transaction costs. After initial recognition at cost, investment properties are carried at their fair values based on half yearly professional valuations made by Knight Frank LLP. The valuations are in accordance with standards complying with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Approval and Valuation manual and the International Valuation Standards Committee.
Gains or losses arising from changes in fair value of investment property are included in the statement of comprehensive income in the period in which they arise. Properties are treated as acquired when the Group assumes the significant risks and returns of ownership and as disposed of when these are transferred to the buyer.
Transfers are made from investment property when, and only when, there is a change in use, evidenced by commencement of owner occupation or commencement of development with a view to sale.
Rental guarantees
Rental guarantees received for vacant space acquired in a property acquisition are shown as debtors from the date of the acquisition of the relevant property and are excluded from the acquisition cost. Income received in relation to the guarantees is credited against the debtor. The debtor is impaired for any subsequent letting of the vacant space during the rental guarantee period.
Segmental reporting
Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision-maker. The chief operating decision-maker, which is responsible for allocating resources and assessing performance of the operating segments, has been identified as the Board of Directors of the Company.
For management purposes, the Group is organised into one main operating segment, which invests in commercial property located in Europe. All of the Group's activities are interrelated, and each activity is dependent on the others. Accordingly, all significant operating decisions are based upon analysis of the Group as one segment. The financial results from this segment are equivalent to the financial statements of the Group as a whole.
All of the Group's revenue is from entities that are incorporated in Europe.
All of the Group's non-current assets are located in Europe.
Revenue from one tenant, Alcatel-Lucent, amounted to £8.9 million in 2012 (2011: £9.2 million). Please refer to note 20 for further details.
Investment in subsidiaries
Investments in subsidiaries are initially recognised and subsequently carried at cost in the Company's financial statements less, where appropriate, provisions for impairment.
Financial instruments
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised on the Group's balance sheet when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. The Group shall offset financial assets and financial liabilities if the Group has a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and interests and intends to settle on a net basis.
(a) Financial assets
The Group's financial assets fall into the categories discussed below, with the allocation depending to an extent on the purpose for which the asset was acquired. Although the Group uses derivative financial instruments in economic hedges of currency and interest rate risk, it does not hedge account for these transactions. The Group has not classified any of its financial assets as held to maturity or as available for sale.
Unless otherwise indicated, the carrying amounts of the Group's financial assets are a reasonable approximation of their fair values.
(a) (i) Loans and receivables
These assets are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. They arise principally through rental leases with tenants (e.g. trade receivables and cash and cash equivalents), but also incorporate other types of contractual monetary assets. They are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition or issue and subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, less provision for impairment.
The effect of discounting on these financial instruments is not considered to be material.
Impairment provisions are recognised when there is objective evidence (such as significant financial difficulties on the part of the counterparty or default or significant delay in payment) that the Group will be unable to collect all of the amounts due under the terms of the receivable, the amount of such a provision being the difference between the net carrying amount and the present value of the future expected cash flows associated with the impaired receivable. For trade receivables, such impairments directly reduce the carrying amount of the impaired asset and are recognised against the relevant income category in the statement of comprehensive income.
Cash and cash equivalents are carried at cost and consist of cash in hand and short term deposits in banks with an original maturity of three months or less.
(a) (ii) Fair value through profit or loss
This category comprises only 'in the money' financial derivatives. They are carried in the balance sheet at fair value with changes in fair value recognised in the statement of comprehensive income.
The fair value of the Group's derivatives is based on valuations as described in note 20.
(a) (iii) Derecognition of financial assets
A financial asset (in whole or in part) is derecognised either:
· when the group has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership; or
· when it has neither transferred nor retained substantially all the risks and rewards and when it no longer has control over the asset or a portion of the asset; or
· when the contractual right to receive cash flow has expired.
(b) Financial liabilities
The Group classifies its financial liabilities into one of two categories, depending on the purpose for which the liability was issued and its characteristics. Although the Group uses derivative financial instruments in economic hedges of currency and interest rate risk, it does not hedge account for these transactions.
Unless otherwise indicated, the carrying amounts of the Group's financial liabilities are a reasonable approximation of their fair values.
(b) (i) Fair value through profit or loss
This category comprises only 'out-of-the-money' financial derivatives. They are carried in the balance sheet at fair value with changes in fair value recognised in the statement of comprehensive income.
The fair value of the Group's derivatives is based on the valuations as described in note 20.
(b) (ii) Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost
Other financial liabilities include the following items:
· Trade payables and other short-term monetary liabilities, which are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
· Bank borrowings are initially recognised at fair value net of attributable transaction costs incurred. Such interest bearing liabilities are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method.
(b) (iii) Derecognition of financial liabilities
A financial liability (in whole or in part) is derecognised when the Company or Group has extinguished its contractual obligations, it expires or is cancelled. Any gain or loss on derecognition is taken to the statement of comprehensive income.
(c) Share capital
Financial instruments issued by the Group are treated as equity only to the extent that they do not meet the definition of a financial liability. The Company's ordinary shares are classified as equity instruments. For the purposes of the disclosures given in note 20 the Group considers all its share capital, share premium and all other reserves as equity. The Company is not subject to any externally imposed capital requirements.
(d) Effective interest method
The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial asset or liability and of allocating interest income or expense over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts or payments (including all fees on amounts paid or received that form an integral part of the effective interest rate, transaction costs and other premiums or discounts) through the expected life of the financial asset or liability, or, where appropriate, a shorter period.
(e) Fair value measurement hierarchy
IFRS 7 requires disclosure of fair value measurements by level of the following fair value measurement hierarchy:
· Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1).
· Inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (that is, as prices) or indirectly (that is, derived from prices) (level 2).
· Inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (that is, unobservable inputs) (level 3).
The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the financial asset or financial liability is categorised is determined on the basis of the lowest input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Financial assets and financial liabilities are classified in their entirety into one of the three levels.
Significant accounting estimates and judgements
The Group makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimate will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.
Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
(a) Investment property
The gross property value is the price that would be received to sell an asset, or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Transaction costs normally borne by the seller are not deducted in arriving at gross property value, in accordance with IAS 40. The fair value is calculated by deducting the costs normally borne by the purchaser from the gross property value. Fair value is not intended to represent the liquidation value of the property, which would be dependent upon the price negotiated at the time of sale less any associated selling costs. The fair value is largely based on estimates using property appraisal techniques and other valuation methods as outlined below. Such estimates are inherently subjective and actual values can only be determined in a sales transaction.
The Group's valuers derive the fair value by applying the methodology and valuation guidelines as set out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the United Kingdom in accordance with IAS 40. This approach is based on discounting the future net income receivable from properties to arrive at the net present value of that future income stream. Future net income comprises the rent secured under existing leases, less any known or expected non-recoverable costs and the current market rent attributable to vacant units. The consideration basis for this calculation excludes the effects of any taxes. The discount factors used to calculate fair value are consistent with those used to value similar properties, with comparable leases in each of the respective markets.
The fair value of the investment property as at 31 December 2012 was £249.0 million (2011: £254.9 million). Refer to note 12 for further details.
(b) Income and deferred taxes
The Group is subject to income and capital gains taxes in numerous jurisdictions. Significant judgement is required in determining the total provision for income and deferred taxes. There are many transactions and calculations for which the ultimate tax determination and timing of payment is uncertain during the ordinary course of business. The Group recognises liabilities for anticipated tax issues based on estimates of whether additional taxes will be due. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the amounts that were initially recorded such differences will impact the income and deferred tax provisions in the period in which the determination is made.
The deferred tax liability as at 31 December 2012 was £4.7 million (2011: £nil). See note 7 for further details.
(c) Fair value of derivative contracts
The Group estimates fair values of derivative contracts based on valuation techniques. These techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including discount rates and estimates of future cash flows. The fair value of derivative contracts at the balance sheet date was £40.5 million liability (2011: £49.1 million liability). See note 20 for further details.
3. Revenue
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Rental Income |
18,649 |
- |
21,099 |
- |
Service and management charges |
4,260 |
- |
4,498 |
- |
Interest from subsidiary undertakings (note 20) |
- |
8,139 |
- |
9,185 |
Total |
22,909 |
8,139 |
25,597 |
9,185 |
The above interest income arises from financial assets classified as loans and receivables and has been calculated using the effective interest rate method.
The interest from subsidiary companies arises on loans that have been impaired as detailed in note 11.
No contingent rent is included in the total above (2011: £nil).
The Group leases out its investment property solely under operating leases. Leases are typically for terms of standard institutional 3/6/9 years in France and 5 + 5 years in Spain. At the balance sheet date, using the exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date, the Group had contracted with tenants for the following future minimum lease payments:
|
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
Within one year |
17,519 |
18,549 |
In the second to fifth years inclusive |
53,267 |
53,361 |
After five years |
17,152 |
25,850 |
Total |
87,938 |
97,760 |
4. Finance Income
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Bank interest income |
88 |
65 |
219 |
97 |
Net gains on financial assets and liabilities held at fair value through profit or loss (note 20) |
8,146 |
- |
2,319 |
- |
Total |
8,234 |
65 |
2,538 |
97 |
5. Other administration costs
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Accounts and administrative fees |
333 |
143 |
332 |
134 |
Non-executive Directors fees |
119 |
116 |
113 |
113 |
Auditors' remuneration for audit services |
102 |
48 |
110 |
55 |
Other professional fees |
726 |
165 |
622 |
190 |
Staff costs |
36 |
- |
38 |
- |
Total |
1,316 |
472 |
1,215 |
492 |
The Group has one employee. The Directors are the only key management personnel of the Group.
6. Finance costs
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Interest on bank borrowings |
10,500 |
- |
11,229 |
- |
Loan fee amortisation |
569 |
- |
601 |
- |
Foreign exchange loss |
862 |
3,305 |
758 |
2,719 |
Net losses on financial liabilities held at fair value through profit or loss (note 20) |
361 |
- |
2,542 |
- |
Other charges |
31 |
2 |
32 |
1 |
Total |
12,323 |
3,307 |
15,162 |
2,720 |
The above finance costs arise on financial liabilities measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. No other losses have been recognised in respect of financial liabilities at amortised cost other than those disclosed above.
7. Taxation
(a) Taxation on profit on ordinary activities
Company
The Company is exempt from Guernsey taxation on income derived outside of Guernsey and bank interest earned in Guernsey. A fixed annual fee of £600 is payable to the States of Guernsey in respect of this exemption. No charge to Guernsey taxation arises on capital gains. The Group is liable to foreign tax arising on activities in the overseas subsidiaries. The company has subsidiary operations in Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Spain.
Group
The Group's tax expense for the year comprises:
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Deferred taxation |
|
|
France |
(4,714) |
- |
Spain |
- |
- |
Total |
(4,714) |
- |
|
|
|
Tax expense reconciliation |
|
|
Profit for the year |
7,311 |
6,282 |
Less: income not taxable |
(20,268) |
(19,230) |
Add: expenditure not taxable |
11,662 |
12,312 |
Add: un-provided deferred tax asset movement |
15,439 |
636 |
Total |
14,144 |
- |
Tax at domestic rates applicable to profits in the country concerned
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
French taxation at 33.33% |
(4,714) |
- |
Spanish taxation at 30% |
- |
- |
(b) Deferred taxation
The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the Group and movements thereon.
|
Revaluation of Investment Properties
£'000 |
Accelerated tax depreciation
£'000 |
Tax Losses
£'000 |
Interest rate swap
£'000 |
Total
£'000 |
At 31 December 2010 |
(4,169) |
22,562 |
(18,393) |
- |
- |
Release to income |
(3,089) |
7,246 |
(4,157) |
- |
- |
At 31 December 2011 |
(7,258) |
29,808 |
(22,550) |
- |
- |
Release to income |
10,052 |
(10,435) |
16,424 |
(1,897) |
14,144 |
At 31 December 2012 |
2,794 |
19,373 |
(6,126) |
(1,897) |
14,144 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Certain deferred tax assets and liabilities have been offset. The following is the analysis of the deferred tax balances (after offset) for financial reporting purposes available for offset against future profits.
|
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
Deferred tax liabilities |
22,167 |
29,808 |
Deferred tax assets |
(8,023) |
(29,808) |
Total |
14,144 |
- |
At the balance sheet date the Company has unused tax losses of £97.8 million (2011: £69.6 million). A deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of £6.1 million of such losses (2011: £22.6 million). Due to the unpredictability of future taxable profits, the Directors believe it is not prudent to recognise deferred tax assets in respect of the revaluation of investment properties and the interest rate swap.
The French unused tax losses can be carried forward indefinitely. The Spanish unused tax losses can be carried forward for 18 years.
8. Dividends
Dividend reference period |
Shares |
Dividend |
Paid |
Date |
'000 |
per share |
£ |
|
|
Quarter ending 30 September 2011 |
117,627 |
0.9p |
1,058,644 |
9 January 2012 |
Quarter ending 31 December 2011 |
117,627 |
0.9p |
1,058,644 |
23 April 2012 |
Quarter ending 31 March 2012 |
117,627 |
0.6p |
705,762 |
18 June 2012 |
Quarter ending 30 June 2012 |
117,627 |
0.6p |
705,762 |
8 October 2012 |
Total |
|
|
3,528,812 |
|
A quarterly dividend of £705,762 (0.6p per share), for the quarter ended 30 September 2012, was paid on 7 January 2013. In accordance with IAS 10, this dividend has not been included in these financial statements.
9. Earnings per share
The calculation of the basic and diluted earnings per share is based on the following data:
|
1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012 |
1 January 2012 to 30 June 2012 |
1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011 |
1 January 2011 to 30 June 2011 |
Earnings after tax per income statement (£'000) |
2,597 |
5,606 |
6,282 |
(88) |
Basic and diluted earnings per share |
2.2p |
4.8p |
5.3p |
(0.1)p |
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings after tax per income statement (£'000) |
2,597 |
5,606 |
6,282 |
(88) |
Revaluation (gains)/losses in investment properties (note 12) |
1,366 |
598 |
(3,689) |
924 |
Mark to market of currency swaps (note 20) |
(5,524) |
(5,569) |
(2,319) |
6,670 |
Mark to market of interest rate swaps (note 20) |
(2,622) |
(1,502) |
1,634 |
(4,499) |
Investment Manager's fee (capital) |
805 |
413 |
872 |
439 |
Deferred taxation |
4,714 |
340 |
- |
185 |
Foreign exchange losses/(gains) (note 6) |
862 |
1,390 |
758 |
(1,552) |
Adjusted earnings |
2,198 |
1,276 |
3,538 |
2,079 |
Adjusted earnings per share |
1.9p |
1.1p |
3.0p |
1.8p |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average number of ordinary shares (000's) |
117,627 |
117,627 |
117,624 |
117,620 |
The adjusted earnings are presented to provide what the Company believes is a more appropriate assessment of the operational income accruing to the Group's activities. Hence, the Company adjusts basic earnings for income and costs which are not of a recurrent nature or which may be more of a capital nature.
10. Net asset value per share
|
31 December 2012 |
30 June 2012 |
31 December 2011 |
30 June 2011 |
Net asset value (£'000) |
20,576 |
24,118 |
21,797 |
17,635 |
Net asset value per share |
17.5p |
20.5p |
18.5p |
15.0p |
|
|
|
|
|
Net asset value (£'000) |
20,576 |
24,118 |
21,797 |
17,635 |
Mark to market of currency hedges* |
323 |
1,711 |
1,885 |
1,046 |
Mark to market of interest rate swaps |
16,683 |
17,549 |
19,799 |
14,874 |
Deferred taxation** |
2,357 |
340 |
- |
185 |
Adjusted net asset value |
39,939 |
43,718 |
43,481 |
33,740 |
Net asset value per share (adjusted) |
34.0p |
37.2p |
37.0p |
28.7p |
|
|
|
|
|
Number of ordinary shares (000's) |
117,627 |
117,627 |
117,627 |
117,627 |
* The mark to market of the currency hedges necessarily includes both a movement in relation to currency fluctuation and a movement due to relative future interest rates. For the purpose of providing an adjusted net asset value the element of valuation in relation to the interest rates is included as an adjustment; the intention is to hold the instruments to maturity at which point this element will have unwound.
**The net asset value and net asset value per ordinary share have been adjusted by 50% of the deferred tax provision. A property exit could potentially include the sale of an SPV with latent deferred tax for which a potential purchaser would expect some form of discount from the purchase price of the property.
The adjusted net assets are presented to provide what the Company believes is a more relevant assessment of the Group's net asset position. The Company has determined that certain fair value and accounting adjustments may not be realisable in the longer term.
11. Investment in subsidiary undertakings
A list of the significant investments in subsidiaries, including the name, country of incorporation and the proportion of ownership interest is given below.
Name of subsidiary undertaking |
Class of share |
% of class held with voting rights |
Country of |
Principal |
|
|
|
|
|
Alpha Pyrenees Luxembourg SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
Luxembourg |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Luxembourg No 2 SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
Luxembourg |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Belgium SA |
Ordinary |
100% |
Belgium |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Trust Finance Company Limited |
Ordinary |
100% |
Guernsey |
Finance company |
Alpha Pyrenees Evreux SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Evreux SCI |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Athis Mons SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Athis Mons SCI |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Offices SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Offices SCI |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Nozay SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Holding company |
Alpha Pyrenees Nozay SCI |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Nîmes SARL |
Ordinary |
100% |
France |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Spain SLU |
Ordinary |
100% |
Spain |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Alcalá SLU |
Ordinary |
100% |
Spain |
Property investment |
Alpha Pyrenees Ècija SLU |
Ordinary |
100% |
Spain |
Property investment |
|
|
|
|
|
The Group's investment properties are held by its subsidiary undertakings.
The Company has made the following loans to its subsidiary undertakings as at 31 December 2012:
|
2012 Interest bearing |
2012 Non-interest bearing |
2012 Total |
2011 Interest bearing |
2011 Non-interest bearing |
2011 Total |
Loans |
102,040 |
36,693 |
138,733 |
104,495 |
31,474 |
135,969 |
Impairment |
(91,313) |
(32,835) |
(124,148) |
(94,463) |
(28,452) |
(122,915) |
Total |
10,727 |
3,858 |
14,585 |
10,032 |
3,022 |
13,054 |
|
2012 Interest bearing |
2012 Non-interest bearing |
2012 Total |
2011 Interest bearing |
2011 Non-interest bearing |
2011 Total |
|||||
|
Current |
- |
3,858 |
3,858 |
- |
3,022 |
3,022 |
||||
|
Non-current |
10,727 |
- |
10,727 |
10,032 |
- |
10,032 |
||||
|
Total |
10,727 |
3,858 |
14,585 |
10,032 |
3,022 |
13,054 |
||||
The loans are denominated in Euros, unsecured and are subject to a range of interest rates, fixed for the term of the relevant loan. At 31 December 2012 the weighted average interest rate was 5.47% (2011: 5.47%).
An impairment of £124.1 million (2011: £122.9 million) has been made against amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings to reflect the current mark to market impact of the currency and interest rate derivatives and property valuations which have arisen within the group subsidiaries.
12. Investment properties
|
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
Fair value of investment properties at 1 January |
254,853 |
253,502 |
Subsequent capital expenditure after acquisition |
1,277 |
1,282 |
Rent incentive movement |
324 |
1,820 |
Fair value adjustment in the year |
(1,366) |
3,689 |
Effect of foreign exchange |
(6,045) |
(5,440) |
Fair value of investment properties at 31 December |
249,043 |
254,853 |
The fair value of the Group's investment properties at 31 December 2012 and 31 December 2011 has been arrived at on the basis of valuations carried out at that date by Knight Frank LLP, independent valuers not connected to the Group. The portfolio has been valued on a fair value basis as defined by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Approval and Valuations Standards ("RICS").
The approved RICS definition of fair value is the "the price that would be received to sell an asset, or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date."
The Group has pledged investment properties valued at £242.3 million (€296.1 million) to secure borrowings (note 15).
At 31 December 2012, the Group had un-provided contractual obligations for future repairs and maintenance of £nil (2011: £nil) and £0.8 million (2011: £0.3 million) of future capital requirements.
13. Trade and other receivables
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Trade receivables |
1,118 |
- |
1,779 |
- |
Amounts receivable from Property Managing Agents |
1,884 |
- |
1,532 |
- |
Bank interest receivable |
- |
- |
5 |
- |
Prepayments |
737 |
- |
274 |
- |
Other debtors |
8,093 |
18 |
10,327 |
- |
Total |
11,832 |
18 |
13,917 |
- |
The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other receivables approximates to their fair value. Note 20 provides an ageing of trade receivables along with details of the provision against loans during the year.
Included in other debtors is collateral of £7.5 million (2011: £9.4 million) held with Barclays Bank PLC in relation to the currency swap (note 20).
14. Trade and other payables
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Trade creditors |
175 |
- |
1,762 |
- |
Deferred income |
527 |
- |
866 |
- |
Investment Manager's fee payable |
692 |
237 |
680 |
228 |
VAT payable |
288 |
- |
283 |
- |
Accruals |
668 |
59 |
739 |
63 |
Total |
2,350 |
296 |
4,330 |
291 |
Trade creditors and accruals primarily comprise amounts outstanding for trade purchases and ongoing costs. The Group has financial risk management policies in place to ensure that all payables are paid within the credit time frame.
The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade payables approximates to their fair value.
15. Bank borrowings
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Current liabilities: Interest payable and bank borrowing |
1,459 |
- |
1,633 |
- |
Non-current liabilities: bank borrowing |
197,393 |
- |
201,818 |
- |
Total liabilities |
198,852 |
- |
203,451 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
The borrowings are repayable as follows: |
|
|
|
|
Interest payable |
1,417 |
- |
1,511 |
- |
On demand or within one year |
42 |
- |
122 |
- |
In the second to fifth years inclusive |
197,393 |
- |
201,818 |
- |
After five years |
- |
- |
|
|
|
198,852 |
- |
203,451 |
- |
Movements in the Group's non-current bank borrowings is analysed as follows:
|
2012 |
2011 |
Opening balance |
201,818 |
205,854 |
Amortisation of finance costs |
569 |
601 |
Deferred finance cost adjustment |
- |
- |
Repayment of loan |
(156) |
(173) |
Loan repayable within one year |
(42) |
(122) |
Exchange differences on translation of foreign currencies |
(4,796) |
(4,342) |
Total |
197,393 |
201,818 |
At 31 December 2012, €221.1 million (2011: €221.1 million) was outstanding on the French borrowings. Borrowings are secured over the shares in the Company's operating subsidiaries and mortgages over properties with a total value of €270.6 million. The borrowings are to be repaid on 10 February 2015.
At 31 December 2012, €21.7 million (2011: €22.0 million) was outstanding on the Spanish borrowings, which comprises a balance of €1.7 million on a floating rate basis (at three month Euribor plus margin) and €20.0 million on a fixed rate. Borrowings are secured over the shares in the Company's operating subsidiaries and mortgages over properties with a total value of €25.5 million. The borrowings are to be repaid on 10 February 2015.
The lender, Barclays Bank PLC, has undertaken a variable to fixed rate swap with a third party to fix the interest rate paid by the Company (note 20). The weighted average rate of interest on all fixed rate loans is 5.26% (2011: 5.26%).
16. Share capital
Authorised share capital
The authorised share capital is unlimited.
Issued and fully paid
|
Number of shares |
At 1 January 2011 |
117,500,000 |
Shares cancelled during the year |
- |
Scrip dividend issue |
127,056 |
At 31 December 2011 |
117,627,056 |
Shares cancelled during the year |
- |
At 31 December 2012 |
117,627,056 |
|
|
The Company carries one class of shares which carry no right to fixed income. All ordinary shares have nil par value.
In January 2011, as a result of a scrip dividend offer, a number of shareholders opted for the alternative which resulted in the issue by the Company of 127,056 new shares at a price of 30.9p each.
17. Reserves
The movements in the reserves for the Group and the Company are shown above.
Special reserve
On 9 December 2005, the Royal Court of Guernsey confirmed the reduction of capital by way of cancellation of the amount standing to the credit of its share premium account on that date. The amount was transferred to the special reserve. The special reserve is a distributable reserve to be used for all purposes permitted under Guernsey company law, including the buyback of shares and payment of dividends.
Translation reserve
The translation reserve contains exchange differences arising on consolidation of the Group's overseas operations.
Capital reserve
The capital reserve contains gains and losses on the disposal of investment properties, and increases and decreases in the fair value of the Group's investment properties and currency swap derivative financial instruments, together with expenses allocated to capital.
Revenue reserve
Any surplus arising from net profit after tax is taken to this reserve, which may be utilised for the buy-back of shares and payment of dividends.
18. Events after the balance sheet date
There were no significant events after the balance sheet date.
19. Related party transactions
Parties are considered to be related if one party has the ability to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the other party in making financial or operational decisions. Alpha Real Capital LLP is the Investment Manager to the Company under the terms of the Investment Manager Agreement and is thus considered a related party of the Company.
Transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries, which are related parties, have been eliminated on consolidation and are not disclosed in this note.
The Investment Manager is entitled to receive a fee from the Group at an annual rate of 1 per cent of the gross assets of the Group, payable quarterly in arrears. The Investment Manager is also entitled to receive an annual performance fee calculated with reference to total shareholder return ("TSR"), whereby the fee is 20 per cent of any excess over an annualised TSR of 12 per cent and then a further 15 per cent of any excess over 20 per cent; the performance fee is subject to a three year high watermark with a minimum threshold of 100 pence. Details of the investment management fees for the current accounting period are shown on the face of the statement of comprehensive income and any balances outstanding are disclosed separately in note 14.
The Directors of the Company received fees for their services as detailed below.
Directors fees |
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
Dick Kingston (Chairman) |
30 |
30 |
Christopher Bennett* |
13 |
20 |
David Jeffreys |
23 |
23 |
Phillip Rose |
20 |
20 |
David Rowlinson** |
13 |
- |
Serena Tremlett |
20 |
20 |
Total |
119 |
113 |
*Christopher Bennett resigned on 16 August 2012.
**David Rowlinson was appointed on 1 May 2012; he is a director of Antler and the managing director of Liberation Management Limited, which is a trustee of the Rockmount Purpose Trust that indirectly owns 75.3% of Alpha Real Capital LLP.
Directors' shareholdings in the Company are detailed in the Director's report.
The following, being partners of the Investment Manager, hold or have an interest in the following shares in the Company at 31 December 2012:
|
2012 Number of shares held |
2011 Number of shares held |
Rockmount Ventures Limited and ARRCO Limited*** |
21,437,393 |
21,437,393 |
P. Rose**** |
1,290,079 |
1,290,079 |
B. Bauman |
544,809 |
459,289 |
Brian Frith***** |
229,078 |
- |
K. Devon-Lowe |
24,650 |
24,650 |
R. Armist |
7,450 |
7,450 |
***Rockmount Ventures Limited is the parent company of ARRCO Limited. The interest attributed to the two corporate partners represents 21,437,393 shares held by a fellow group company, Antler Investment Holdings Limited ("Antler").
****Phillip Rose is the CEO and a partner of the Investment Manager.
*****Brian Frith became a partner of ARC on 10 September 2012.
During the period, Alpha Real Capital LLP, the Investment Manager of the Company, purchased 4,400,000 shares in Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited (31 December 2011: nil).
Paul Cable, being the Investment Manager's Fund Manager responsible for the Trust's investments, holds 84,918 (2011: 84,918) shares in Alpha Pyrenees Trust Limited.
Serena Tremlett is also the Managing Director and a major shareholder of Morgan Sharpe Administration Limited, the Company's administrator and secretary. During the year the Company paid Morgan Sharpe Administration Limited fees of £83,540 (2011: £72,980).
20. Financial instruments risk exposure and management
In common with all other businesses, the Group is exposed to risks that arise from its use of financial instruments. This note describes the Group's objectives, policies and processes for managing those risks and the methods used to measure them. Further quantitative information in respect of these risks is presented throughout these financial statements.
There have been no substantive changes in the Group's exposure to financial instrument risks, its objectives, policies and processes for managing those risks or the methods used to measure them from previous periods unless otherwise stated in this note.
Principal financial instruments
The principal financial instruments used by the Group and Company, from which financial instrument risk arises, are as follows:
|
Financial assets and liabilities carrying value |
|||
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Current financial assets |
|
|
|
|
Trade and other receivables |
11,832 |
18 |
13,917 |
- |
Cash and cash equivalents |
8,400 |
6,128 |
12,773 |
8,893 |
Amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings |
- |
3,858 |
- |
3,022 |
Total current financial assets |
20,232 |
10,004 |
26,690 |
11,915 |
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current financial assets |
|
|
|
|
Amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings |
- |
10,727 |
- |
10,032 |
Total non-current financial assets |
- |
10,727 |
- |
10,032 |
Total financial assets |
20,232 |
20,731 |
26,690 |
21,947 |
|
|
|
|
|
Current financial liabilities |
|
|
|
|
Trade and other payables (excluding deferred income) |
1,823 |
296 |
3,464 |
291 |
Currency swaps |
23,809 |
- |
- |
- |
Bank borrowings |
1,459 |
- |
1,633 |
- |
Rent deposits |
905 |
- |
1,112 |
- |
Total current financial liabilities |
27,996 |
296 |
6,209 |
291 |
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current financial liabilities |
|
|
|
|
Currency swaps |
- |
- |
29,332 |
- |
Interest rate swap |
16,683 |
- |
19,799 |
- |
Bank borrowings |
197,393 |
- |
201,818 |
- |
Rent deposits |
1,386 |
- |
1,722 |
- |
Total non-current financial liabilities |
215,462 |
- |
252,671 |
- |
Total financial liabilities |
243,458 |
296 |
258,880 |
291 |
Net changes in realised and unrealised gains or losses on financial instruments can be summarised as follows:
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Net change in realised gains or losses on loans and receivables |
|
|
|
|
Interest from subsidiary companies (note 3) |
- |
8,139 |
- |
9,185 |
Bank interest income |
88 |
65 |
219 |
97 |
Impairment of trade and other receivables |
(133) |
- |
(151) |
- |
Movement in impairment of amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings (note 11) |
- |
(1,233) |
- |
929 |
Total |
(45) |
6,971 |
68 |
10,211 |
|
|
|
|
|
Net change in unrealised gains and losses on financial assets and liabilities held at fair value though profit or loss |
|
|
|
|
Currency swaps |
5,524 |
- |
2,319 |
- |
Interest rate swaps |
2,622 |
- |
(1,634) |
- |
Net realised gains and losses on financial assets and liabilities held at fair value through profit or loss |
|
|
|
|
Currency swaps - interest received |
7,637 |
- |
7,650 |
- |
Currency swaps - interest paid |
(7,998) |
- |
(8,558) |
- |
Net expense of currency swaps |
(361) |
- |
(908) |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
Net (loss)/gain on financial assets and liabilities held at fair value through profit or loss |
7,785 |
- |
(223) |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
Disclosed as: |
|
|
|
|
Finance costs (note 6) |
(361) |
- |
(2,542) |
- |
Finance income (note 4) |
8,146 |
- |
2,319 |
- |
Net (loss)/gain on financial assets and liabilities held at fair value through profit or loss |
7,785 |
- |
(223) |
- |
|
Group 2012 £'000 |
Company 2012 £'000 |
Group 2011 £'000 |
Company 2011 £'000 |
Interest from subsidiary companies |
- |
8,139 |
- |
9,185 |
Bank interest income |
88 |
65 |
219 |
97 |
Interest on bank borrowings |
(10,500) |
- |
(11,229) |
- |
Loan fee amortisation |
(569) |
- |
(601) |
- |
Total interest (expense)/income |
(10,981) |
8,204 |
(11,611) |
9,282 |
General objectives, policies and processes
The Board has overall responsibility for the determination of the Group's risk management objectives and policies and, whilst retaining ultimate responsibility for them, it has delegated the authority for designing and operating processes that ensure the effective implementation of the objectives and policies to the Group's finance function.
The overall objective of the Board is to set polices that seek to reduce risk as far as possible without unduly affecting the Group's competitiveness and flexibility. The above financial risk management policies apply equally to the Group and the Company. Further details regarding these policies are set out below:
Credit risk
Credit risk arises when a failure by counter parties to discharge their obligations could reduce the amount of future cash inflows from financial assets on hand at the balance sheet date.
a) Group
The Group's credit risk principally arises from cash and cash equivalents as well as credit exposures with respect to tenants including other receivables. In the event of a default by an occupational tenant, the Group will suffer a rental shortfall and incur additional costs in maintaining, insuring and re-letting the property until it is re-let. General economic conditions may affect the financial stability of tenants and prospective tenants and/or demand for and value of real estate assets. A property advisor monitors the tenants in order to anticipate and minimise the impact of default by occupational tenants. Where possible, tenants' risk is mitigated through rental guarantees.
Alcatel-Lucent is the largest tenant within the portfolio representing 52.8% (2011: 48.8%) of the annual contracted rent as at 31 December 2012. The tenant's next break option is in December 2018. The Group meets with the tenant frequently and monitors its financial performance closely.
The ageing of trade receivables is as follows:
|
2012 £'000 |
2011 £'000 |
0 to 6 months |
1,118 |
1,779 |
Over 6 months |
- |
- |
|
1,118 |
1,779 |
The movement in impairments to trade receivables of £0.1m (2011: £0.2m) is shown on the table above.
There are no other impairment losses on any other financial assets other than loans and receivables as mentioned above.
The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, which is net of impairment losses, represents the Group's maximum exposure to credit risk without taking into account of the value of rent deposits obtained. Details of the Group's receivables are summarised in note 13 of the financial statements.
The Group policy is to maintain its cash and cash equivalent balances with a reasonable diversity of banks. The Group monitors the placement of cash balances on an ongoing basis and has policies to limit the amount of credit exposure to any financial institution. As at 31 December 2012, the Group had spread its cash across seven financial institutions and had not placed more than 52% in any one bank.
b) Company
The Company's credit risk principally arises from cash and cash equivalents and amounts receivable from subsidiaries. The Company follows the same Group policy with regards to diversification of banking arrangements. Amounts receivable from subsidiaries are of mainly a long term nature and the loans are monitored on a regular basis.
An impairment of £124.1 million (2011: £122.9 million) has been made against amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings to reflect the current mark to market impact of the currency and interest rate derivatives and property valuations which have arisen within the group subsidiaries (note 11).
The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, which is net of impairment losses, represents the Company's maximum exposure to credit risk. Details of the Company's loans and receivables are summarised in notes 11 and 13 of the financial statements.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that arises when the maturity of assets and liabilities does not match. An unmatched position potentially enhances profitability, but can also increase the risk of losses. The Group and Company has procedures with the object of minimising such losses such as maintaining sufficient cash and other highly liquid current assets and by having in place an adequate amount of committed credit facilities. Cash and cash equivalents are placed with financial institutions on a short term basis reflecting the Group's and Company's desire to maintain a high level of liquidity in order to enable timely completion of investment transactions.
a) Group
The following table illustrates the contractual maturity analysis of the Group's financial liabilities and derivative financial assets and liabilities that must be settled gross based, where relevant, on balance sheet interest rates and exchange rates prevailing at the balance sheet date.
2012 |
Within 1 year £'000 |
1-2 years £'000 |
2-5 years £'000 |
Over 5 years £'000 |
Total |
Total carrying amount |
Trade and other payables (excluding deferred income) |
1,823 |
- |
- |
- |
1,823 |
1,823 |
Rent deposits |
905 |
446 |
309 |
631 |
2,291 |
2,291 |
Bank borrowings |
1,459 |
- |
197,393 |
- |
198,852 |
198,852 |
Derivative financial instruments at fair value through the profit or loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Cash outflows |
(139,910) |
- |
- |
- |
(139,910) |
(139,315) |
- Cash inflows |
115,341 |
- |
- |
- |
115,341 |
115,506 |
|
(20,382) |
446 |
197,702 |
631 |
178,397 |
179,157 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011 |
Within 1 year £'000 |
1-2 years £'000 |
2-5 years £'000 |
Over 5 years £'000 |
Total |
Total carrying amount |
Trade and other payables (excluding deferred income) |
3,464 |
- |
- |
- |
3,464 |
3,464 |
Rent deposits |
1,112 |
819 |
681 |
222 |
2,834 |
2,834 |
Bank borrowings |
1,633 |
- |
201,818 |
- |
203,451 |
203,451 |
Derivative financial instruments at fair value through the profit or loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Cash outflows |
6,745 |
144,899 |
- |
- |
151,644 |
149,510 |
- Cash inflows |
(6,207) |
(116,805) |
- |
- |
(123,012) |
(120,178) |
|
6,747 |
28,913 |
202,499 |
222 |
238,381 |
239,081 |
b) Company
The Company only has trade payables and other payables which are payable within one year.
Market risk
a) Foreign exchange risk
The Group operates in Europe and is exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from various currency exposures, primarily with respect to Sterling and Euros. Foreign exchange risk arises from future commercial transactions, recognised monetary assets and liabilities and net investments in foreign operations.
The Group has entered into currency swaps to hedge significant future foreign currency transactions and cash flows to safeguard the equity investments of shareholders against significant adverse movements between Sterling and Euros. Details of the currency swap are as disclosed below.
The Group's policy is, where possible, to allow Group entities to settle liabilities denominated in their functional currency (primarily Euros or Sterling) with the cash generated from their own operations in that currency.
On 13 October 2006, Alpha Pyrenees Trust Finance Company Limited ("Alpha Finance"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into a currency swap with Barclays Bank PLC. Under the terms of this agreement, Alpha Finance will pay Barclays Bank PLC €130.1 million and Barclays Bank PLC will pay Alpha Finance £87.6 million on 16 October 2013. In addition, there are quarterly periodic payments in February, May, August and October of each year starting on 16 February 2007 and ending 16 October 2013. On these dates Barclays Bank PLC will pay Alpha Finance an amount equal to 7 per cent per annum on £87.6 million and Alpha Finance will pay Barclays Bank PLC an amount equal to 6 per cent per annum on €130.1 million.
On 18 January 2007, Alpha Finance entered into a further currency swap with Barclays Bank PLC. Under the terms of this swap, Alpha Finance will pay Barclays Bank PLC €33.0 million and Barclays Bank PLC will pay Alpha Finance £21.6 million on 16 October 2013. In addition, there are quarterly periodic payments in February, May, August and November of each year starting on 16 February 2007 and ending on 16 October 2013. On these dates Barclays Bank PLC will pay Alpha Finance an amount equal to 7 per cent per annum on £21.6 million and Alpha Finance will pay Barclays Bank PLC an amount equal to 5.9725 per cent per annum on €33.0 million.
At 31 December 2012, a total amount of £7.5 million (€9.2 million) (2011: £9.4 million (€11.2 million)) had been deposited as collateral with Barclays Bank PLC to support both the 13 October 2006 and 18 January 2007 swaps.
The fair value of the currency swap contracts is determined by reference to an applicable valuation model.
As described above, currency swap derivatives have been entered into to protect, to an extent, the Sterling equity invested from fluctuations in the Euro exchange rate. As the property portfolio is acquired and mortgaged in Euros the swap is designed to provide some certainty on the net equity invested and provide some hedge on the Euro income generated on these properties, hence the Group considers it appropriate from a risk perspective to review currency exposure on a net assets basis. For illustrative purposes, therefore, the effect of a strengthening of the Euro by 5 cents would decrease Group net assets by £3.8 million (2011: £3.8 million). A weakening of the Euro by 5 cents would increase net assets by £3.5 million (2011: £3.5 million).
The Group is evaluating a number of potential strategies for settling the currency hedges in October 2013. As part of this process, the Group is evaluating selective asset sales (including the potential sale of its un-mortgaged Nimes property), utilising existing cash resources (which will increase as a result of net earnings and the Trust's intention to not pay future dividends prior to the hedges' settlement date in October this year) and the potential for alternative financing strategies for the hedges' balance.
As the Company impairs its large intercompany loan book to reflect the underlying net asset value of its Group companies, the overall net asset sensitivity of the Company to foreign currency movements is the same as the Group's above.
b) Cash flow and fair value interest rate risk
The Group's principal interest rate risk arises from long-term borrowings; the Group has interest rate swaps as disclosed below.
The Company was required under the financing agreements with Barclays Bank PLC to fix the rate at which it borrows over the duration of each loan. The Company has agreed a fixed interest rate with Barclays Bank PLC at each loan draw-down.
The bank has undertaken a variable to fixed rate swap with a third party. The Company is not party to the swap agreement but via the financing agreement the Company has all the risks and rewards of the swap as, should the loan be repaid early, the Company would be required to pay the swap break costs or, alternatively accrue a swap benefit as a capital reduction depending on the value of the underlying swap at that point in time.
On 16 December 2009, the Spanish bank loan with Barclays Bank PLC was amended and restated. As a result of the amendments, the interest rate swap was broken and a new interest swap agreed for the longer term of the revised loan. Of the loan principal of €22.7m, interest on €20.0m has been fixed using the new swap.
The interest rate swaps are valued by reference to the bank's redemption notice of amounts due if the Company repaid it's borrowings at the balance sheet date; the Directors consider this to represent its fair value.
The Group's cash flow is periodically monitored by the Group's management.
For the Group, an increase of 100 basis points in interest rates would result in a post-tax profit of £0.1 million (2011: £0.2 million). A decrease in 100 basis points in interest rates would result in a post tax loss for the period of £0.1 million (2011: £0.2 million).
For the Company, an increase of 100 basis points in interest rates would result in a post-tax profit of £0.1 million (2011: £0.1 million). A decrease in 100 basis points in interest rates would result in a post tax loss for the period of £0.1 million (2011:£0.1 million).
The sensitivity analyses above are based on a change in an assumption while holding all other assumptions constant. In practice, this is unlikely to occur, and changes in some of the assumptions may be correlated - for example, change in interest rate and change in market values.
c) Fair value estimation
The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate fair values:
· Cash and short-term deposits, trade receivables, trade payables, and other current liabilities approximate their carrying amounts due to the short-term maturities of these instruments.
· The fair value of floating rate borrowings is estimated by discounting future cash flows using rates currently available for debt of similar terms and remaining maturities.
· The fair value of fixed rate borrowings is calculated based on the present value of future principal and interest cash flows, discounted at the market rate of interest at the reporting date. The fair value approximates their carrying values gross of unamortised transaction costs.
· The fair value of the currency swap contracts is determined by reference to an applicable valuation model.
· The fair value of the derivative interest rate swap contracts are determined by reference to the bank's redemption notice of amounts due if the Company repaid its borrowings at the balance sheet date.
As a result the carrying values less impairment provision of loans and receivables and financial liabilities measured at amortised cost are approximate to their fair values.
The following table shows an analysis of the fair values of financial instruments recognised in the balance sheet by level of the fair value hierarchy (see note 2, financial instruments (e)):
As at 31 December 2012 |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
|
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss |
- |
(40,492) |
- |
(40,492) |
Total |
- |
(40,492) |
- |
(40,492) |
As at 31 December 2011 |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
|
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss |
- |
(49,131) |
- |
(49,131) |
Total |
- |
(49,131) |
- |
(49,131) |
Company
The Company did not have any financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss.
d) Growth in rental income and defaults
Income growth may not continue at a consistent rate. Future income is dependent on, amongst other things, the Group negotiating suitable rent levels when compared to associated financing costs.
e) Capital risk management
The Group's objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the Group's ability to continue as a going concern in order to provide returns for shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders and to maintain an optimal capital structure to reduce the cost of capital.
In order to maintain or adjust the capital structure, the Group may adjust the amount of dividends paid to shareholders, return capital to shareholders, issue new shares or sell assets to reduce debt.
Consistent with others in the industry, the Group monitors capital on the basis of the gearing ratio and takes action where appropriate. The key focus is the net leverage ratio which is shown below.
The net leverage ratios at 31 December 2012 and at 31 December 2011 were as follows:
|
Group 2012 €'000 |
Group 2011 €'000 |
Total borrowings |
242,746 |
243,086 |
Less: cash and cash equivalents |
(10,265) |
(15,238) |
Net debt |
232,481 |
227,848 |
|
|
|
Property valuation |
304,330 |
304,040 |
|
|
|
Net leverage ratio |
76.4% |
74.9% |
The Company has no borrowings; all borrowings are within the Group.
Directors and Trust information
Directors: Dick Kingston (Chairman)
|
Joint brokers: Numis Securities Limited 10 Paternoster Square
Peel Hunt LLP Moor House 120 London Wall London EC2Y 5ET
|
Legal advisors in Guernsey: Carey Olsen Carey House
|
Registered office: Old Bank Chambers La Grande Rue St Martin's Guernsey GY4 6RT
|
Independent valuers: Knight Frank LLP
|
Legal advisors in the UK: Norton Rose 3 More London Riverside London SE1 2AQ
|
Investment Manager: Alpha Real Capital LLP
|
Auditors: BDO Limited Rue du Pré
|
Registrar: Computershare Investor Services (Channel Islands) Limited |
Administrator and secretary: Morgan Sharpe Administration Limited Old Bank Chambers La Grande Rue St Martin's Guernsey GY4 6RT
|
Tax advisors: BDO LLP Deloitte LLP
|
|
Shareholder information
Dividends
Ordinary dividends, if declared, are paid quarterly. Shareholders who wish to have dividends paid directly into a bank account rather than by cheque to their registered address can complete a mandate form for this purpose. Mandates may be obtained from the Group's Registrar. Where dividends are paid directly to shareholders' bank accounts, dividend vouchers are sent directly to shareholders' registered addresses.
Share price
The Trust's Ordinary Shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Change of address
Communications with shareholders are mailed to the addresses held on the share register. In the event of a change of address or other amendment, please notify the Trust's Registrar under the signature of the registered holder.
Investment Manager
The Company is advised by Alpha Real Capital LLP which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the United Kingdom.
Financial Calendar
Financial reporting |
Reporting/Meeting dates |
Annual results announcement |
15 March 2013 |
Annual report published |
5 April 2013 |
Annual General Meeting |
26 April 2013 |
First Interim Management Statement (Qtr 1) |
17 May 2013 |
Half year report |
16 August 2013 |
Second Interim Management Statement (Qtr 3) |
15 November 2013 |