Hygea VCT plc : Update for the quarter ended 30...

For immediate release                                                                                                                  4 December 2015

HYGEA VCT PLC

UPDATE FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2015

The Board of Hygea vct plc ('the company') announces that at 30th September 2015 the unaudited Net Asset Value per Ordinary Share ('NAV') was 75.3p (30th June 2015: 85.7p) principally due to the reduction in the valuation of its AIM listed portfolio. The Board also notes the subsequent further reduction in the bid prices of Scancell plc and EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc shares since that date and which were 12.25p (30th September: 23.0p) and 10.50p (30th September: 20.0p) as at close of business on 1st December 2015 respectively. Adjusting only for the decrease in the value of these two investments, the NAV at 2nd December 2015, based on those bid prices (net of performance fee), would have been 60.1p.

In arriving at this NAV the Board has not reviewed the valuation of the unquoted portfolio but is not aware of any significant facts which would have had a material influence to those valuations. The unquoted portfolio will be reviewed in detail at the year-end.

At 30th September 2015 the company had used £78,842 of its overdraft facility, which has subsequently been increased from £100,000 to £200,000.

Since 30th September 2015, the company has invested a further £48,774 into Fuel 3D Technologies Limited.

As detailed in the half year announcement, the Board is reviewing the cost base of the company and the performance fee arrangements. To date the Board has agreed that the salaries of all Directors  be reduced to £12,000 per annum from £20,000 and £17,500 for the Chairman and Non-Executive Directors respectively with effect from 1st July 2015. This reduction will reduce the annual cost for Directors' salaries by £19,000 (plus employer's national insurance contributions).

The Board has revised the performance fee arrangements from those approved at the 2014 Annual General Meeting and set out in the 2015 Annual Report. The new arrangements have frozen the sum due to those Directors serving up to 7th October 2015 at £702,000 (the accrued liability as disclosed in the 2014 audited accounts) and which will only be payable once shareholders have received 80p in dividends. This liability will be paid at the rate of 20% of subsequent dividends until the liability of £702,000 has been satisfied, and is in keeping with the original approved arrangement.  Following the payment of this liability the future performance fee will be payable at the reduced rate of 10% of dividends payable above the audited total return at 31st December 2014, with the outstanding balance subject to a hurdle rate of 6 per cent. Fuller details will be included in the 2015 Annual Report and Accounts, which will be published in April 2016. The Board is advised that these changes do not require formal shareholder approval since there is no consideration or benefit to any related parties. However the Board intends to seek approval to this revision to the Directors' Remuneration policy at the 2016 Annual General Meeting.

The Board announces that, following John Hustler's appointment as Chairman,  Richard Roth has been appointed to the company's Audit Committee as Chairman. The Audit Committee now consists of Richard Roth, Charles Breese and John Hustler.

Enquiries:      John Hustler, Chairman on 01428 727985

                        Roland Cornish, Beaumont Cornish Limited on 020 7628 3396

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This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Hygea VCT plc via Globenewswire

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