Monthly Update December 2003

Lindsell Train Investment Trust PLC 20 January 2004 The Lindsell Train Investment Trust PLC As at 31st December 2003 Fund Objective To maximise long-term total returns subject to the avoidance of loss of absolute value and with a minimum objective to maintain the real purchasing power of Sterling capital, as measured by the annual average yield on the 2.5% Consolidated Loan Stock. Share Price GBP 85.50 Net Asset Value GBP 94.82 Premium (Discount) (9.8%) Market Capitalisation GBP 17.1mn Source: Bloomberg; NAV - LTL Performance (based in GBP) Dec YTD Since Launch NAV +0.9% +1.6% -5.2% Share Price +6.2% -10.0% -14.5% Monthly Benchmark (21/2% Con Ann +0.4% Avg Yield +5.0%) Source: Bloomberg. Based in GBP. Top 10 Holdings % NAV US Gov Treasury 6.25% 17.8 Lindsell Train Global Media (Dist) 11.1 Lindsell Train Japan (Dist) 10.1 HBOS 9.25% Non Cum 9.2 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock 8.9 Barr AG 8.4 Glenmorangie plc A&B 7.2 UK Treasury 2.5% 6.9 Cadbury Schweppes 6.4 HBOS 6.125% Non Cum 5.2 Industry Breakdown % NAV Bonds 33.5 Preference Shares 14.4 Equity - Media 10.0 Equity - Banks & Investment Co. 4.7 Equity - Leisure & Entertainment 11.4 Equity - Food & Beverage 24.1 Investment Fund 21.2 Cash & Equivalent (19.3) Total 100.0 Geographical Breakdown % NAV Bonds 33.5 UK 15.7 US 17.8 Preference 14.4 Shares 50.2 Equities UK 38.2 US 5.1 Japan 4.7 Europe 2.2 21.2 Funds LT Japan 10.1 LT Global Media 11.1 (19.3) Cash & Equivalent Total 100.0 Currency Exposure % NAV USD 48.2 JPY 1.3 EUR 0.2 GBP 50.3 Total 100.0 Fund Manager's Comments It proved to be another month where positive returns achieved in both bonds and stocks were largely offset by the continued weakness in the US Dollar. It is surprising that the best performing share during the month was Cadbury Schweppes a business with a particularly large proportion of US dollar earnings. Cadbury's rally, it turns out was due to US 'value' house, Templeton building a 6.0% stake in the company. We agree with Templeton that Cadbury is one of the best value major companies we know anywhere in the world. We made one change to the portfolio last month. We bought the beginnings of a position in Reed Elsevier, a share that we have been monitoring for some time. Reed is a publisher with four distinct business areas. It sells educational publications to schools and universities, mainly in the USA. As well as organising trade exhibitions, it has a series of specialist industry publications, again mainly sold in the USA. These two businesses have been under pressure because of the squeeze on state funding and the advertising recession respectively, although the pressures should wane through 2004/5. But the majority of Reed's business is focussed on scientific and legal publications worldwide. The users of these publications, lawyers and scientists, are heavily reliant on them, as an integral part of their affairs, meaning these earnings are not cyclical. Reed's market share is high in both areas, having the leading global position with Science Direct of 25% more than the size of its nearest competitor, and a duopoly with Thomson in legal. Margins are good, as well, averaging 25.0% at the operating level. We regard Reed's collection of businesses, most based on subscriptions, as wonderful franchises to participate in. What makes them especially appealing today is the enhancement that new technology brings to the distribution and utility of the publications. Clearly, distributing them over the internet is a major cost saving and increase in efficiency for Reed, but the access that customers gain to the database of past publications and relevant material is another wholly new utility that the company can offer its customers. Reed Elsevier has made big investments in technology over the last 5 years, to improve its product offering to its customers and this is already having a material effect on revenues and costs. Indeed we cannot think of another European business where the use of the internet has such scope to transform revenues and profits. What is ironic is that the market has been prepared to pay ludicrous prices to access the equity of other businesses which claim similar reliance on the internet, yet in most cases, profits derived from these opportunities are but a distant dream. Reed announced earlier this month a five year deal with the University of California that delivers 3.6mn articles and 59mn abstracts to graduates and faculty. No other company in the world could deliver this service. The reason we bought Reed last month and not before was price. Aside from three days in mid-March, when the price traded below £4.00, the shares spent most of 2003, trading just under £5.00 with a high of £5.50. Reed's recent trading statement, when profits undershot market expectations, caused the price to fall in December. Profits will grow at c7.0% this year because of continued slow trading conditions in the educational and business publication divisions and greater than expected investment costs in new technology, rather than the 10.0% expected. To our mind, 7.0% growth in a zero inflation world is still highly attractive, especially given the earnings yield we access the shares on, 6.5%. In buying Reed we are also signalling intent to focus our publishing investments on this one company to the exclusion of Wolters Kluwer, which we intend to sell into strength. We funded the purchase though, by selling an equivalent amount of our US Treasury position, which should not be interpreted a loss of enthusiasm for fixed interest, nor capitulation about the dollar, after all the majority of Reed's revenue arise from the US, helping explain recent share price weakness. Although this purchase of Reed amounted to c1.9% of net assets, shareholders should be aware that when adjusting for our effective holding in securities, including those held indirectly by the Lindsell Train Funds, we have higher 'look though' weightings to some shares and in the case of Manchester United a not unsubstantial 'look though' holding in a stock not owned by the Trust at all. We have listed below all of these, including any 'look through' holding above 1% not held directly by the Trust. US Treasury 19.7% Nintendo 6.8% Dow Jones 5.1% Reuters 4.2% Reed Elsevier 3.0% Wolters Kluwer 1.9% Manchester United 1.9% Short position in Japanese Government Bond Futures (2.0)% Fund Manager Launch Date Denominated Currency Nick Train 22 January 2001 GBP Year End Dividend Benchmark 31st March Ex-date: June The annual average yield Payment: August on the 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock. The Board Management Fees Registered Address Rhoddy Swire Standard Fee: 0.65% p.a. Lindsell Train Investment Michael Mackenzie Performance Fee: 10% of annual Trust Donald Adamson increase in the share price, plus 77A High Street Michael Lindsell dividend, Brentwood above the gross annual yield of ESSEX CM14 4RR the 21/2% Consolidated Loan Stock. Sedol No Bloomberg 3197794 LTI LN Disclaimer This document is intended for use by persons who are authorised by the UK Financial Services Authority ('FSA ') and those who are permitted to receive such information in the UK. The information contained in this document does not constitute an offer or invitation to buy or sell any investments. Nothing in this document constitutes investment, legal, tax or other advice. Lindsell Train and/or persons connected with it may have an interest in this investment. The value of any investment in securities or funds and the income generated from them may go down as well as up and are not guaranteed. Past performance cannot be used as a guide or guarantee of future performance. You may not get back the original amount you have invested. Changes in foreign exchange rates may cause the value of your investment to go up or down. Some funds with higher gearing may be subject to higher volatility and the investment value may change substantially. The net asset value (NAV) performance of an investment trust is not the same as its market share price performance. Issued and approved by Lindsell Train Limited Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority 16 January 2004 LTL 000-012-0 Lindsell Train Limited 35 Thurloe Street, London SW7 2LQ Tel. +44 20 7225 6400 Fax. +44 20 7225 6499 info@lindselltrain.com www.lindselltrain.com Lindsell Train Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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