Herald Investment Trust PLC
04 April 2008
HERALD INVESTMENT TRUST plc
Interim Management Statement - 3 months to 31 March 2008
Herald's objective is to achieve capital appreciation through investments in
smaller quoted companies, in the areas of telecommunications, multi-media and
technology (TMT). Investments may be made across the world. The business
activities of investee companies will include information technology,
broadcasting, printing and publishing and the supply of equipment and services
to these companies.
Review of the Period
• Over the period, the Company's net asset value fell by 11.8% compared to a fall in the benchmark of
11.0% while the share price fell by 11.2% All figures are total return.
• During the period 934,487 shares were repurchased at a cost of £2.7million.
• A final dividend of 0.50p per share is proposed and, subject to approval at the Annual General
Meeting on 22 April 2008, will be paid on 1 May 2008.
• Following the onset of the credit crunch in September 2007 the Manager repositioned the portfolio to
eliminate borrowings and accumulate cash. Cash and Government securities peaked at £41m towards the
end of January, since when there has been modest net purchases of c£12m as compelling valuations have
more than offset macro concerns. There has been a continuous stream of takeover bids the most
significant of which has been Icos Vision in Belgium. This will realise a further £4m in cash in due
course.
• There were no borrowings drawn down at the end of March 2008. A facility of £50 million remains
available.
Geographic Analysis of Total Assets Top Ten Equity Holdings
Name % of % of total Name % of
total assets at total
assets at 31/12/07 assets at
31/03/08 31/03/08
UK 60.2 62.3 SDL 4.5
Americas 18.4 19.0 Detica Group 3.0
Asia Pacific 8.6 7.8 Imagination Technologies Group 2.7
Continental Europe 7.9 7.2 Telecom plus 2.3
Net Liquid Assets 4.9 3.7 Phoenix IT Group 2.1
Diploma 1.7
SQS Software Quality Systems 1.6
Wilmington Group 1.6
IBS OPENSystems 1.5
Euromoney Institutional 1.5
Investor
Total 100.0 100.0 Total 22.5
Performance
%
Capital 3 Months 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years
Share Price+ -11.2 -30.4 -18.2 71.5
NAV+ -11.8 -22.6 -9.3 80.5
Benchmark* -11.2 -19.1 15.0 84.9
Total Return
Share Price+ -11.2 -30.2 -17.8 72.6
NAV+ -11.8 -22.4 -8.9 84.9
Benchmark* -11.0 -18.1 20.0 100.8
+ Source: Thomson Financial Datastream
* Source: HSBC. The benchmark was changed on 1 January 2006 from 2/3 Hoare
Govett Smaller Companies Index (extended capital gains ex. Investment companies)
and 1/3 Russell 2000 (small cap) Technology Index (in sterling terms) to 2/3
Hoare Govett Smaller Companies Index plus AIM (capital gains ex. Investment
companies) and 1/3 Russell 2000 (small cap) Technology Index (in sterling
terms).
Past performance is not a guide to future performance
General Information
31/03/08 31/12/07
Total assets (before deduction of bank loans) £299.4m £343.5m
Bank loans - -
Equity shareholders' funds £299.4m £343.5m
Net asset value per ordinary share 348.0p 395.0p
Share Price 277.0p 312.0p
Discount 20.4% 21.0%
Net (Borrowings)/cash as a % of Shareholders Funds 9.5% 7.3%
The Company's Net Asset Value is calculated daily and can be viewed on the
London Stock Exchange website at www.londonstockexchange.com
The Share Price is published daily in the Financial Times.
The interim management statement is available on the Companys' website
www.heralduk.com
For further information contact:- Katie Potts on 020 7553 6300
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
*A Private Investor is a recipient of the information who meets all of the conditions set out below, the recipient:
Obtains access to the information in a personal capacity;
Is not required to be regulated or supervised by a body concerned with the regulation or supervision of investment or financial services;
Is not currently registered or qualified as a professional securities trader or investment adviser with any national or state exchange, regulatory authority, professional association or recognised professional body;
Does not currently act in any capacity as an investment adviser, whether or not they have at some time been qualified to do so;
Uses the information solely in relation to the management of their personal funds and not as a trader to the public or for the investment of corporate funds;
Does not distribute, republish or otherwise provide any information or derived works to any third party in any manner or use or process information or derived works for any commercial purposes.
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