Final Results
British & American Inv Trust PLC
30 April 2002
Directors Registered office
Jonathan C Woolf (Chairman and Managing Director) Wessex House
Dominic G Dreyfus (Non-executive) 1 Chesham Street
J Anthony V Townsend (Non-executive) London SW1X 8ND
Ronald G Paterson (Non-executive) Telephone: 020 7201 3100
Registered in England
No.433137
29 April 2002
Financial Highlights
For the year ended 31 December 2001
2001 2000
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Return before taxation 2,066 (10,422) (8,356) 1,729 (3,253) (1,524)
__________ __________ __________ __________ _________ __________
Earnings per £1 ordinary
share - basic 6.58p (41.69)p (35.11)p 5.38p (13.01)p (7.63)p
__________ __________ __________ __________ _________ __________
Earnings per £1 ordinary
share - diluted 5.70p (29.78)p (24.08)p 4.84p (9.29)p (4.45)p
__________ _________ __________ __________ _________ __________
Net asset value 38,802 49,416
__________ __________
Net assets per ordinary
share
- deducting preference
shares at par 115p 158p
__________ __________
- diluted 111p 141p
__________ __________
Diluted net asset value per 112p
ordinary share at 24 April
2002 (2000: 20 April 2001)
138p
__________ __________
Chairman's Statement
I report our results for the year ended 31 December 2001.
The return on revenue account before tax amounted to £2.1 million (2000: £1.7
million). Gross income amounted to £2.5 million (£2.2 million), of which £2.2
million (2000: £2.0 million) represented income from investments and £0.3
million (2000: £0.2 million) film and other income. Total return before tax,
including realised and unrealised capital appreciation, amounted to a loss of
£8.4 million (2000: loss of £1.5 million).
The return on revenue account per ordinary share was 6.6p (5.4p) on an undiluted
basis and 5.7p (4.8p) on a diluted basis.
Group net assets were £38.8 million (£49.4 million), a decrease of 21.4 percent.
This compares to a decrease over the same period of 16.2 percent in the FT-SE
100 share index and 15.4 percent in the All Share index. After adding back the
dividends paid and proposed for the year, which reduced net assets by £2.2
million, the decline in group net assets over the year was 17.0 percent. By
comparison, the total return over the year in the FT-SE index was a decline of
14.1 percent and in the All Share Index was a decline of 13.1 percent. The net
asset value per ordinary share decreased to 111p (141p) on a diluted basis.
Deducting preference shares at par, the net asset value per ordinary share
decreased to 115p (158p).
We are pleased to recommend a final dividend of 3.0p per ordinary share.
Together with the interim dividend this makes a total payment for the year,
excluding special dividends, of 4.845p (1999: 4.675p) per ordinary share,
representing an increase of 3.6 percent over the previous year's dividend. In
addition, a special dividend of 2.5p per ordinary share was paid on 30 January
2002, being the last of the special dividends amounting to 10 pence per share
paid over the last two years. A dividend of 1.75p will be paid to preference
shareholders resulting in a total payment for the year of 3.5p per share.
The declines in global equity prices reported at the interim stage continued
through to the third quarter of 2001, culminating in declines of over 25 percent
in most leading markets in the immediate aftermath of the events in the USA on
11 September. These declines were broadly based over all sectors, but were more
pronounced in high tech stocks as investors sought refuge in defensive stocks.
By the end of the year, however, a significant recovery had taken place as fears
for a significant recession in the US eased and support for cyclical stocks
emerged, allowing equity values to regain their pre 11 September levels. This
nevertheless represented substantial declines for the year with broader market
indices in the US and the UK retreating by approximately 15 percent.
Chairman's Statement (continued)
This was also the second consecutive year of declines in absolute equity values,
a phenomenon which had not occurred since the oil price shocks of the early
1980's.
As noted above, our portfolio tracked the UK market indices on a total return
basis for the most part; however, net assets were in addition adversely affected
by the significant declines in valuations in the split capital investment trust
market which occurred in the third quarter of 2001 and have continued into 2002.
There were substantial price declines in those trusts with high levels of
gearing and exposure to other similarly structured trusts. This resulted in a
lack of confidence in the split capital sector generally, including those trusts
with more conventional capital structures and little or no exposure to the
highly geared trusts. At the year end, our equity holdings in investment trusts
amounted to £19.2 million, of which £1.6 million was in split capital trusts and
£200,000 in those trusts with high gearing and investments in similarly
structured trusts with a further £1.2 million in loan stocks in such investment
trusts.
As at 24 April 2002, group net assets had increased to £39.2 million, an
increase of 1.1 percent since the beginning of the calendar year. This is
equivalent to 117 pence per share (preference shares deducted at par) and 112
pence per share on a diluted basis. Over the same period the FTSE 100 remained
level and the All Share Index increased 0.5 percent.
Majority opinion on the outlook for the coming year for UK equities is modestly
encouraging following two years of absolute declines and clear indications of a
return to higher real levels of economic growth in the US and the UK. While any
sustained upturn will inevitably involve a tightening of monetary policy from
the substantial easing which occurred during 2001, interest rate rises, from
their current 30 year lows in the US, are not expected to occur until later in
the year. Any optimism must be gauged against the possibility of any further
international shocks. In addition, average annual returns on equities are not
expected to return to the high levels of well over 10 percent experienced in the
years prior to the recent declines. Our policy over the last two years has been
to return surplus cash to shareholders through special dividends and not to make
any significant net investments. This has resulted in a significant contraction
in the size of the trust. In the coming period, we will continue to pursue our
investment policy and will examine any new opportunities which may become
available as economic growth strengthens and confidence returns to the markets.
Jonathan C. Woolf
29 April 2002
Consolidated statement of total return (incorporating the revenue account)
For the year ended 31 December 2001
2001 2000
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Income
Dividends 1,914 - 1,914 1,609 - 1,609
Interest 219 - 219 387 - 387
Film revenues 248 - 248 202 - 202
Property units 83 - 83 23 - 23
Other income 6 - 6 1 - 1
Realised gains on investments - 267 267 - 4,184 4,184
(Decrease) in unrealised appreciation - (10,689) (10,689) - (7,437) (7,437)
________ ________ ________ _______ ________ ________
2,470 (10,422) (7,952) 2,222 (3,253) (1,031)
Administrative expenses (385) - (385) (408) - (408)
________ ________ ________ _______ ________ ________
Net return before finance costs and 2,085 (10,422) (8,337) 1,814 (3,253) (1,439)
taxation
Interest payable and similar charges (19) - (19) (85) - (85)
________ ________ ________ _______ ________ ________
Return on ordinary activities before tax
for the financial year 2,066 (10,422) (8,356) 1,729 (3,253) (1,524)
Tax on ordinary activities (72) - (72) (33) - (33)
________ ________ ________ _______ ________ ________
Return on ordinary activities after tax for
the financial year 1,994 (10,422) (8,428) 1,696 (3,253) (1,557)
Dividends and other appropriations in (350) - (350) (350) - (350)
respect of preference shares
________ ________ ________ _______ ________ ________
Return attributable to ordinary
shareholders 1,644 (10,422) (8,778) 1,346 (3,253) (1,907)
Dividends in respect of ordinary shares (1,836) - (1,836) (1,794) - (1,794)
________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
Transfer (from) reserves (192) (10,422) (10,614) (448) (3,253) (3,701)
________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
Return per ordinary share
Basic 6.58p (41.69)p (35.11)p 5.38p (13.01)p (7.63)p
________ ________ ________ ________ ________
________
Diluted 5.70p (29.78)p (24.08)p 4.84p (9.29)p (4.45)p
________ ________ ________ ________ ________
________
The revenue column of this statement is the consolidated profit and loss account
of the group.
All revenue and capital items in the above statement for the year ended 31
December 2001 and the year ended 31 December 2000 derive from continuing
operations. No operations were acquired in the year.
Consolidated Balance Sheet
For the year ended 31 December 2001
Group
2001 2000
£000 £000
Fixed assets
Investments 39,921 48,901
Current assets
Debtors 267 687
Cash at bank and in hand 675 1,964
__________ __________
942 2,651
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (2,061) (2,136)
__________ __________
Net current (liabilities)/assets (1,119) 515
__________ __________
Total assets less current liabilities 38,802 49,416
__________ __________
Net assets 38,802 49,416
__________ __________
Capital and reserves
Called-up share capital 35,000 35,000
Other reserves
- Capital reserve - realised 12,724 12,127
- Capital reserve - unrealised (11,035) (16)
Revenue reserve 2,113 2,305
__________ __________
Total shareholders' funds 38,802 49,416
__________ __________
Total shareholders' funds attributable to:
Equity shareholders 28,802 39,416
Preference shareholders 10,000 10,000
__________ __________
Net asset value per ordinary share:
- Basic 115p 158p
- Diluted 111p 141p
Consolidated cash flow statement
For the year ended 31 December 2001
2001 2001 2000 2000
£000 £000 £000 £000
Net cash inflow from operating activities 2,117 1,732
Servicing of finance
Interest paid (18) (91)
Preference dividends paid (350) (350)
__________ __________
Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (368) (441)
Taxation
UK tax recovered/(paid) 23 (10)
Financial investment
Purchases of investments (3,739) (5,502)
Sales of investments 2,154 7,821
__________ __________
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from capital expenditure (1,585) 2,319
and financial investment
Equity dividends paid (1,836) (2,356)
__________ __________
Cash (outflow)/inflow before management of
liquid resources and financing (1,649) 1,244
Financing - (1,250)
__________ __________
Decrease in cash (1,649) (6)
__________ __________
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in
net funds
Decrease in cash (1,649) (6)
__________ __________
Change in net funds (1,649) (6)
Net funds at 1 January 1,964 1,970
__________ __________
Net funds at 31 December 315 1,964
__________ __________
1 Accounting policies
All figures stated are based on the financial statements prepared under the
historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of investments and in
accordance with applicable Accounting Standards. The accounting policies adopted
are consistent with those in the most recently published set of annual financial
statements.
2 Return per ordinary share
2001 2000
Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total
Group:
Basic 6.58p (41.69)p (35.11)p 5.38p (13.01)p (7.63)p
__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________
Diluted 5.70p (29.78)p (24.08)p 4.84p (9.29)p (4.45)p
__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________
Basic revenue return per ordinary share is based on the net revenue on ordinary
activities after taxation and after deduction of dividends in respect of
preference shares of £1,644,000 (2000 - £1,346,000) and on 25 million (2000: 25
million) ordinary shares in issue.
Basic capital return per ordinary share is based on capital losses, both
realised and unrealised, for the financial year of £(10,422,000) (2000: capital
losses - £(3,253,000)) and on 25 million (2000: 25 million) ordinary shares in
issue.
The diluted return per share is based on capital losses, both realised and
unrealised, for the financial year of £(10,422,000) (2000: capital losses - £
(3,253,000)) on 35 million (2000: 35 million) ordinary and convertible
preference shares in issue.
3 Dividends
2001 2000
£000 £000
Dividends on ordinary shares:
Interim paid of 1.845p per £1 share (2000: 1.675p per share) 461 419
Special of 2.5p per £1 share (2000: 2.5p) 625 625
Final proposed of 3p per £1 share (2000: 3p per share) 750 750
__________ __________
1,836 1,794
__________ __________
Dividends on 3.5% cumulative convertible preference shares:
1.75p paid 175 175
1.75p payable 175 175
__________ __________
350 350
__________ __________
The dividends on ordinary shares are based on 25,000,000 (2000 -
25,000,000) ordinary £1 shares in the year to 31 December 2001. Dividends on
preference shares are based on 10,000,000 (2000 - 10,000,000) non-voting 3.5%
cumulative convertible preference shares of £1 in the year to
31 December 2001.
The holders of the 3.5% cumulative convertible preference shares will be paid a
dividend of £175,000 being 1.75p per share. The payment will be made on the same
date as the dividend to the ordinary shareholders.
4 Diluted net asset value per ordinary £1 share
The diluted net asset value per £1 ordinary share is based on net assets of
£38,802,000 (2000 - £49,416,000) and 35 million shares in issue.
5 Reconciliation of operating revenue to net cash inflow from operating
activities
Group
2001 2000
£000 £000
Net revenue before finance costs and taxation 2,085 1,814
Scrip dividends (3) (3)
Decrease in other creditors (14) (29)
Decrease/(increase) in debtors 86 (3)
Tax on unfranked investment income (20) (38)
Tax on film revenue (17) (9)
__________ __________
Net cash inflow from operating activities 2,117 1,732
__________ __________
6 Analysis of net funds
Balance Balance
1 January 31 December
2001 Cash flow 2001
£000 £000 £000
Cash at bank 1,964 (1,407) 557
Liquid resources - cash at brokers - 118 118
Bank overdraft - (360) (360)
__________ __________ ________
1,964 (1,649) 315
__________ __________ __________
Announcement based on draft accounts
The financial information set out in the announcement does not constitute the
company's statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2001 or 2000. The
financial information for the year ended 31 December 2000 is derived from the
statutory accounts for that year which have been delivered to the Registrar of
Companies. The auditors' report on those accounts was unqualified and did not
contain any statement under section 237(2) or (3) Companies Act 1985.
The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2001 will be finalised on
the basis of the financial information presented by the directors in this
preliminary announcement and will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies
following the company's annual general meeting.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange