Interim Results - 6 Months to 31 January 2000
Henderson Eurotrust PLC
23 February 2000
HENDERSON EUROTRUST PLC
Unaudited Interim Results for half year ended 31 January 2000
Henderson EuroTrust plc today announces unaudited interim results
for the half year ended 31 January 2000.
Financial Highlights
(Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited)
Half year
ended Half year Year
31 January ended ended
2000 31 January 31 July
in pence 1999 1999
in pence in pence
Net asset value per
Ordinary share 377.0 279.6 281.2
Zero dividend preference 50.1 44.4 47.2
share
Unit 427.1 324.0 328.4
Dividends per ordinary 1.00 1.00 2.50
share/unit
Earnings per ordinary (0.45) 0.02 2.24
share/unit
Dividend
An interim dividend of 1.00p (1999:1.00p) per ordinary share/unit
has been declared payable on 14 April 2000 to shareholders on the
register of the Company on 17 March 2000. The Company's shares
will be quoted ex dividend on 13 March 2000.
Chairman's Statement
During the six months to 31 January 2000, the net asset value of
Henderson EuroTrust plc rose to £75.12m, representing an increase
of 30.1% since 31 July 1999 and an increase of 31.8% over the past
twelve months. Both of these figures are significantly higher
than the change in the FT/S&P Europe Ex UK Index which rose by
10.7% and 8.7% over the same periods.
Gross revenue for the six months amounted to £176,000. After
administrative expenses, interest payable and taxation, the net
loss amounted to £79,000 equivalent to a loss per share of 0.45p.
This compares with gross revenue of £176,000 and net revenue of
£4,000 for the corresponding period ended 31 January 1999. This
change reflects the rapid growth in the Trust's assets and, as a
result, a higher management fee, without a corresponding increase
in income from these assets. It is quite normal for the greater
part of revenue to accrue in the second half year.
Chairman's Statement:
The directors have declared an unchanged interim dividend of 1.0p
per ordinary share and expect to maintain a total dividend of 2.5p
for the full year.
Portfolio Review
In the annual report, I wrote that 'we expect European markets to
show a good return over the next twelve months'. At the time we
did not expect an increase of this magnitude to happen so quickly.
However, with the benefit of hindsight, it is entirely justifiable
for there to have been such a rise in the European markets over
this period. In particular, technology related companies have
performed very strongly and the Trust has continued to have a very
high weighting in this sector. At the end of January 2000,
approximately 54% of the portfolio was invested in what is now
regarded as the category 'Technology, Media and Telecoms'. Some
of these holdings have seen substantial gains in the six months
since the end of our financial year. Sonera, the Finnish
telephone operator, has risen by over 200% in sterling terms. ST
Microelectronics has more than doubled, as have KPN, Getronics
and Nokia. In some of these, we have taken part of the profit.
The valuation of many of these technology related (or 'New
Economy') companies has clearly risen significantly over the last
six to twelve months. As mentioned above, we have taken profits
in a number of these stocks, whilst continuing to buy quality
companies which trade at a lower rating compared with others in
their peer group. This has stood us in good stead and is a policy
which we shall continue to pursue. Given the level to which some
markets have risen, we expect to see some profit taking. However,
we believe it risky to be out of this sector and are inclined to
add to our holdings should there be a sell-off, rather than to
ignore companies which are involved in some of the most exciting
technologies in the world.
The counterweight to this policy has been a continuing underweight
position in the oil and heavy cyclical sectors, as well as in the
banking sector. Once again this is not a criticism of the
management in these companies, but a reflection of our caution
towards businesses which operate in an increasingly competitive
environment with limited benefit from new technologies.
Outlook
The economic growth to which we have referred a number of times
over the last twelve months is now clearly well established in the
European area. For this reason, the downward trend in short term
interest rates has been reversed and we have already seen the
European Central Bank make two rate increases. In spite of this,
we see nothing from the macro-economic field that should threaten
further progress for the European markets.
Valuation levels have clearly risen to worrying heights. However,
there is better visibility for future earnings, and from this
point of view we feel markets will be prepared to accept higher
valuation levels. Furthermore, there continues to be interest
from domestic investors keen to put more money into equities.
Merger and acquisition activity is the other main feature of the
European market and we expect this to continue. Following the
takeover of Mannesmann by Vodafone, further consolidation in the
telecoms area is expected. We are well exposed here, and indeed
to the technology and media sectors.
We would not be surprised to see profit-taking in European markets
at some stage over the next few months: we would consider this to
be a healthy correction. Overall we maintain a positive outlook
for the European markets over the coming year.
Statement of Total Return (incorporating the revenue account)
for the half year ended 31 January 2000
(unaudited) (unaudited)
Half year ended Half year ended
31 January 2000 31 January 1999
Reven Capit Total Reven Capit Total
ue al ue al
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Total capital gains from - 17,84 17,84 - 492 492
investments 6 6
Income from fixed asset 124 - 124 97 - 97
investments
Other interest receivable 52 - 52 79 - 79
and similar income ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Gross revenue and capital 176 17,846 18,022 176 492 668
gains
Management fee (173) (173) (346) (117) (117) (234)
Other administrative (47) (47) (94) (40) (40) (80)
expenses ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Net (loss)/return on
ordinary activities before (44) 17,626 17,582 19 335 354
interest payable and
taxation
Interest payable (1) - (1) (3) - (3)
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Net (loss)/return on
ordinary activities before (45) 17,626 17,581 16 335 351
taxation
Taxation on net return on
ordinary activities (34) - (34) (12) - (12)
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Net (loss)/return on
ordinary activities after (79) 17,626 17,547 4 335 339
taxation
Capital gain attributable
to zero dividend - (521) (521) - (460) (460)
preference shares ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Net (loss)/return
attributable to ordinary (79) 17,105 17,026 4 (125) (121)
shareholders
Dividend declared
Interim: 1.00p (1999: (176) - (176) (176) - (176)
1.00p) ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Transfer (from)/to (255) 17,105 16,850 (172) (125) (297)
reserves ----- ----- ----- ----- --- -----
(Loss)/return per ordinary (0.45)p 97.26p 96.81p 0.02p (0.71)p (0.69)p
share
The revenue columns of this statement represent the revenue
accounts of the Company
Summary of Net Assets
at 31 January 2000
(unaudited) (unaudited) (audited)
31 January 31 January 31 July
2000 1999 1999
£'000 £'000 £'000
--------------------- ------------ ------------ ---------
Investments at market 69,867 53,379 53,675
value
Net current assets 5,255 3,605 4,081
------------ ------------ ---------
75,122 56,984 57,756
Provision for - (1) (5)
liabilities and ------------ ------------ ---------
charges
Total net assets 75,122 56,983 57,751
------------ ------------ ---------
Attributable to :
Zero dividend 8,819 7,808 8,298
preference shares
Ordinary shares 66,303 49,175 49,453
------------ ------------ ---------
75,122 56,983 57,751
------------ ------------ ---------
Net asset value per
share :
Zero dividend 50.1p 44.4p 47.2p
preference
Ordinary 377.0p 279.6p 281.2p
Notes
1. Shares and Units
There are 17,587,348 shares of each class of share in issue.
Units comprise one ordinary share and one zero dividend
preference share and are listed on the London Stock Exchange.
2. Accounts for the year ended 31 July 1999
The figures and financial information for the year ended 31
July 1999 are extracted from the latest published accounts of
the Company and do not constitute statutory accounts for that
year. Those accounts have been delivered to the Registrar of
Companies and included the report of the auditors which was
unqualified and did not contain a statement either under
section 237(2) or 237(3) of the Companies Act 1985.
3. Year 2000
The directors of Henderson EuroTrust plc have been advised by
Henderson plc and its subsidiaries ('Henderson'), which
provide investment management, UK custodian, accounting,
administrative and company secretarial services to Henderson
EuroTrust plc that the corporate action programme initiated
by Henderson has been satisfactorily completed and that at
the date of this document no material or significant problems
affecting Henderson EuroTrust plc have arisen from the Year
2000 date change. Costs relating to this project were borne
by Henderson.
4. Interim Report
The interim report will be posted to shareholders in March
2000 and will be available thereafter from the Secretary at
the Registered Office, 3 Finsbury Avenue, London EC2M 2PA.
For further information please contact :
Tim Stevenson/Stephen Westwood Vicki Staveacre
Henderson EuroTrust plc Henderson Press Office
020 7410 4100 020 7410 4222