Interim Results
New City High Yield Fund Limited
13 September 2007
To: RNS
Date: 13 September 2007
From: New City High Yield Fund Limited
Unaudited results for the six months ended 17 July 2007
• Net asset value total return of 1.5 per cent since launch on 7 March 2007.
• Ordinary share price total return of 0.5 per cent since launch on 7 March
2007.
• Ordinary share price at a premium of 1.7 per cent to published net asset
value at 17 July 2007.
• £15 million raised in March 2007 through a Placing and Offer for Subscription
(the 'Placing'), in addition to the rollover of New City High Yield Trust plc
shareholders' interests of £52.9m into the Company.
Jimmy West, the Chairman said:
'I am pleased to present the Company's first Interim Report. As required by law
this is for the six month period from incorporation on 17 January 2007 to 17
July 2007 and will be followed by a second Interim Report to 31 December 2007
and an 'Annual Report' to 30 June 2008.
Launch of the Company
The Company was launched on 7 March 2007 following the voluntary winding up of
New City High Yield Trust plc and the rollover of its shareholders' interests
(£52.9m) into the Company. A further £15m was raised from new and existing
shareholders pursuant to the Placing.
We are particularly pleased with the diversity of the share register which
includes investors in Asia, Australasia, Europe and the British Isles.
The objective of New City High Yield Fund Limited is to provide investors with a
high dividend yield and the potential for capital growth by investing mainly in
high yielding fixed interest securities.
Investment Performance
The Company's Investment Manager is New City Investment Managers Limited which
was established by Richard Lockwood in April 2005. Richard managed New City
High Yield Trust plc since 1 November 2004 and is supported in managing the
Company's investment portfolio by Andrew Ferguson.
Since launch, the Manager has been investing the additional funds raised and
carefully selecting a range of investments at the high yield end of the market.
While the share price has fluctuated slightly, it is pleasing that despite
difficult markets the Company's net asset value rose by 1.5 per cent to 54.22
pence per share at 17 July 2007. At the period end, the yield to shareholders
was approximately 6.3%.
Dividend
The first interim dividend in respect of the period ending 30 June 2008 of 0.85p
per share was announced on 17 July 2007 and was paid on 24 August 2007. In the
absence of unforeseen circumstances a second interim dividend in respect of the
current period is expected to be announced in October and paid in November 2007.
Outlook
New City High Yield Fund Limited has started encouragingly in this first period.
The Placing has further increased the Company's critical mass and helped to
reduce the running costs as a percentage of net asset value. The Manager will
continue to focus on generating sustainable income and the potential for capital
appreciation.'
Enquiries:
Richard Lockwood, New City Investment Managers: 020 7557 4370
Graeme Ross, Company Secretary: 01534 825 236
Unaudited Income Statement
Six month period from 17 January 2007 (date of incorporation) to 17 July 2007
Six months to 17 July 2007
Revenue Capital Total
£'000 £'000 £'000
Realised losses on disposal of investments - (23) (23)
Unrealised losses on investments - (476) (476)
Exchange gains - 7 7
Income 2,544 - 2,544
Investment management fee (184) (61) (245)
Other expenses (117) - (117)
Net return before finance costs and taxation 2,243 (553) 1,690
Interest payable and similar charges (270) (90) (360)
Return on ordinary activities before taxation 1,973 (643) 1,330
Irrecoverable withholding tax (25) - (25)
Return on ordinary activities after taxation 1,948 (643) 1,305
Return per ordinary share (pence) 1.54p (0.51p) 1.03p
Unaudited Balance Sheet as at 17 July 2007
As at
17 July 2007
£'000
Fixed assets
Investments 83,231
Current assets
Debtors 1,694
Cash at bank 1,126
2,820
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (17,361)
Net current liabilities (14,541)
Net Assets 68,690
Share capital and reserves
Stated capital account 16,998
Special distributable reserve 50,387
Capital reserves:
- realised (167)
- unrealised (476)
Revenue reserve 1,948
Equity shareholders' funds 68,690
Net asset value per ordinary share (pence) 54.22p
Unaudited Reconciliation of Movements in Shareholders' Funds
Six month period from 17 January 2007 (date of incorporation) to 17 July 2007
Six months to
17 July 2007
£'000
Equity shareholders' funds at 17 January 2007 (date of incorporation) -
Return on ordinary activities after taxation 1,305
Increase in share capital in issue attributable to rollover
from New City High Yield Trust plc
52,964
Increase in share capital in issue attributable to Placing
15,027
Launch costs (594)
Cost of reduction in stated capital account (12)
Equity shareholders' funds at 17 July 2007 68,690
Summarised Unaudited Cash Flow Statement
Six month period from 17 January 2007 (date of incorporation) to 17 July 2007
Six months to
17 July 2007
£'000
Net cash inflow from operating activities 1,905
Net cash outflow from servicing of finance (239)
Irrecoverable withholding tax paid (25)
Net cash outflow from financial investments (17,475)
Net cash outflow before financing (15,384)
Net cash inflow from financing 16,421
Increase in cash 587
Reconciliation of new cash flow to movement in net debt
Increase in cash as above 587
Cash inflow from transfer of cash from New City High Yield Trust plc+
532
Cash inflow from drawdown of loan (2,000)
Exchange gains 7
Change in net debt resulting from cash flows (874)
Opening net debt at 17 January 2007 -
Transfer of loan from New City High Yield Trust+ (14,000)
Closing net debt at 17 July 2007 (14,874)
Represented by:
Cash at bank 1,126
Debt falling due within one year (16,000)
(14,874)
Reconciliation of net return before finance costs and taxation to net cash
inflow from operating activities
Net return before finance costs and taxation 1,690
Realised losses on disposal of investments 23
Unrealised gains on investments 476
Exchange gains (7)
Increase in prepayments and accrued income (329)
Increase in other creditors 52
Net cash inflow from operating activities 1,905
+ On 6 March 2007 the net assets of New City High Yield Trust plc which
totalled £52,964,000 were transferred in specie to New City High Yield Fund
Limited. Cash of £532,000 and investments with a market value of £66,432,000
were received, and a loan of £14m to Allied Irish Bank was also novated and
transferred to the Company.
Notes
1. The unaudited interim results which cover the six months from
incorporation on 17 January 2007 to 17 July 2007 have been prepared in
accordance with applicable United Kingdom accounting standards and
adopting the accounting policies which will be set out in the statutory
accounts of the Company for the period ended 30 June 2008.
The Company's year end is 30 June and the first accounting period will end on 30
June 2008.
2. A first interim dividend of 0.85p per share was paid on 24 August 2007.
In accordance with revised UK GAAP this dividend has not been included as
a liability in these accounts.
3. The breakdown of income for the six months to 17 July 2007 was as follows:
17 July 2007
£'000
Income from investments
Dividend income 347
Interest on fixed interest securities 2,136
2,483
Other income
Deposit interest 61
Total Income 2,544
4. The return per Ordinary share is based on the net return on ordinary
activities after taxation of £1,305,000 and on a weighted average of
126,696,828 Ordinary shares in issue throughout the period.
5. On 6 March 2007 99,022,414 Ordinary shares were issued pursuant to the
Scheme for the voluntary winding up of New City High Yield Trust plc and
rollover of its shareholders interests into the Company. A further
27,674,414 Ordinary shares were issued pursuant to a Placing and Offer for
Subscription which raised £15m. Dealings in these shares commenced on 7
March 2007.
6. On 24 May 2007 the Royal Court of the Island of Jersey confirmed that the
amount standing to the credit of the Company's stated capital account be
reduced by 75 per cent. This amount, being £50,993,244 has been used to
create a distributable reserve in the Company's accounts. This reserve
shall be treated as distributable profits available to be used for all
purposes permitted by Jersey Company law including the buying back of
ordinary shares, the payment of dividends and the payment of preliminary
expenses. Launch costs of £594,000 and legal costs of £12,000 have been
written off against this reserve.
7. The financial information for the six months ended 17 July 2007 comprise
non-statutory accounts. The first full audited accounts for the period
ended 30 June 2008, will be lodged with the Registrar of Companies
following the Annual General Meeting in 2008.
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