Interim / Quarterly Report • Sep 30, 2015
Interim / Quarterly Report
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"Long term capital growth from investments in smaller UK companies. Its aim is to outperform the IA UK All Companies Sector Average Index on a total return basis"
| Total Return Performance to 30 September 2015 |
6 months | 3 years | 5 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Asset Value | +6.0% | +66.9% | +15.4% |
| Share Price | +2.5% | +51.3% | +23.5% |
| Benchmark Index (IA UK All Companies Sector Average Index) |
-5.0% | +22.1% | +11.9% |
Stockmarkets fell during the six months under review. With concern about a weakening outlook for emerging economies, global growth forecasts were revised down. Over the six months to 30 September 2015, the Company's net asset value increased by 6.0% to 79.9p per share, compared to a loss of 5.0% in the benchmark index, the IA UK All Companies Sector Average Index. (Total return).
The Company proved resilient throughout this stockmarket volatility, supported by good progress in most of the portfolio businesses. This was assisted by a background of UK real wage growth helping consumer confidence. Although the UK continued to grow more strongly than the Eurozone economies, growth has become almost entirely dependent on services, with manufacturing and construction weak. Disinflation has continued, although low energy and commodity prices help consumer sectors. The Company has a balance between cyclical exposure and investments in more defensive sectors. Many of the companies have business strategies that should assist their growth via self-help.
Economic data points to a marked slowdown in the Chinese economy, and a growing number of emerging economies are moving into recession. Against this background, it was the major mining and oil groups that were hit hardest. The largest FTSE 100 companies are more exposed to the weakness in emerging economies and deflationary pressures. Your Company has low exposure to this group.
There were positive contributions over the period from retailers, Supergroup and Ted Baker. Marketing group, Four Imprint also gained, as did Hutchison China Meditech (Chi-Med). Chi-Med is now one of the ten largest portfolio investments, and is the 3rd largest capitalised company listed on the Alternative Investment Market. Portfolio holding, Betfair gained as it announced a merger with Paddy Power, which will create a £6bn betting business.
New investments were made in information technology firm, Kainos Group, and in the beverage licensing company, Fevertree Drinks. There was an addition to portfolio exposure to property, with a new investment in Palace Capital.
Despite the Bank of England talking of a UK rate rise, there is little sign that inflation is progressing towards its 2% target. A rate rise may be 12 months away. The portfolio emphasises consumer sectors, healthcare, property and business services. Many of these have a specialisation or business strategy that affords some margin protection.
Your Company was fully invested over the six months, and remains so. This reflects the potential in many portfolio companies for dividend growth and share re-ratings.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Company on 11 September 2015, shareholders voted to approve continuation of the Company for a further five years. I thank shareholders for this support which follows good performance over the past three years. This performance appears to be encouraging interest in our shares, but the Board notes that liquidity in our shares is currently low. We are considering measures to improve ease of dealing and will report to shareholders on progress.
Peter Dicks Chairman 24 November 2015
The investment objective of SVM UK Emerging Fund PLC (the "Fund") is long term capital growth from investments in smaller UK companies. Its aim is to outperform the IA UK All Companies Sector Average Index on a total return basis
The Fund aims to achieve its objective and to diversify risk by investing in shares and related instruments, controlled by a number of limits on exposures. Appropriate guidelines for the management of the investments, gearing and financial instruments have been established by the Board. This is an abridged version of the Fund's investment policy. The full investment policy can be found in the Strategic Report within the Fund's latest Annual Report & Accounts.
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Half Yearly Report in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
The Directors confirm that to the best of their knowledge:
The Directors consider that the Half Year Report, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable and provides the information necessary for shareholders to assess the Fund's performance and strategy,
The Half Yearly Report has not been audited or reviewed by the Fund's auditors.
By Order of the Board Peter Dicks Chairman 24 November 2015
| Six months to 30 September 2015 |
Six months to 30 September 2014 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Total £'000 |
Revenue £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Total £'000 |
|
| Net gain/(loss) on investments at fair value through profit or loss |
- | 234 | 234 | - | (547) | (547) |
| Income | 81 | - | 81 | 55 | - | 55 |
| Investment management fees | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenses | (29) | (4) | (33) | (28) | (5) | (33) |
| Gain/(loss) before finance costs and taxation |
52 | 230 | 282 | 27 | (552) | (525) |
| Finance costs | (11) | - | (11) | (4) | - | (4) |
| Gain/(loss) on ordinary activities before taxation |
41 | 230 | 271 | 23 | (552) | (529) |
| Taxation | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gain/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders |
41 | 230 | 271 | 23 | (552) | (529) |
| Gain/(loss) per Ordinary Share | 0.68p | 3.82p | 4.50p | 0.38p | (9.19p) | (8.81p) |
| Year ended 31 March 2015 (audited) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Total £'000 |
|||
| Net gain/(loss) on investments at fair value through profit or loss |
- | 35 | 35 | ||
| Income | 109 | - | 109 | ||
| Investment management fees | - | - | - | ||
| Other expenses | (37) | (9) | (46) | ||
| Gain/(loss) before finance costs and taxation |
72 | 26 | 98 | ||
| Finance costs | (11) | - | (11) | ||
| Gain/(loss) on ordinary activities before taxation |
61 | 26 | 87 | ||
| Taxation | - | - | - | ||
| Gain/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders |
61 | 26 | 87 | ||
| Gain/(loss) per Ordinary Share | 1.02p | 0.43p | 1.45p |
The total of this statement is the Statement of Total Comprehensive Income of the Company prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standards ('FRS'). The supplementary revenue return and capital return columns are prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice issued by the Association of Investment Companies ('SORP').
All revenue and capital items in this statement derive from continuing operations.
| As at 30 September 2015 (unaudited) £'000 |
As at 31 March 2015 (audited) £'000 |
As at 30 September 2014 (unaudited) £'000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Assets | |||
| Investments at fair value through profit or loss | 4,517 | 4,571 | 3,690 |
| Total Current Assets | 321 | 151 | 283 |
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | (41) | (196) | (63) |
| Net current assets/(liabilities) | 280 | (45) | 220 |
| Total assets less current liabilities | 4,797 | 4,526 | 3,910 |
| Capital and Reserves | 4,797 | 4,526 | 3,910 |
| Equity shareholders' funds | 4,797 | 4,526 | 3,910 |
| Net asset value per Ordinary Share | 79.88p | 75.38p | 65.12p |
| Capital | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share | Share | Special | redemption | Capital | Revenue | |
| capital | premium | reserve | reserve | reserve | reserve | |
| £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | |
| As at 1 April 2015 | 300 | 314 | 5,144 | 27 | (707) | (552) |
| Gain/(loss) attributable to shareholders |
- | - | - | - | 230 | 41 |
| As at 30 September 2015 | 300 | 314 | 5,144 | 27 | (477) | (511) |
| Capital | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share | Share | Special | redemption | Capital | Revenue | |
| capital | premium | reserve | reserve | reserve | reserve | |
| £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | |
| As at 1 April 2014 | 300 | 314 | 5,144 | 27 | (733) | (613) |
| Gain/(loss) attributable to shareholders |
- | - | - | - | 26 | 61 |
| As at 31 March 2015 | 300 | 314 | 5,144 | 27 | (707) | (552) |
| Share | Share | Special | Capital redemption |
Capital | Revenue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| capital | premium | reserve | reserve | reserve | reserve | |
| £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | |
| As at 1 April 2014 | 300 | 314 | 5,144 | 27 | (733) | (613) |
| Gain/(loss) attributable to shareholders |
- | - | - | - | (552) | 23 |
| As at 30 September 2014 | 300 | 314 | 5,144 | 27 | (1,285) | (590) |
| Six months to 30 September 2015 £'000 (unaudited) |
Year to 31 March 2015 £'000 (audited) |
Six months to 30 September 2014 £'000 (unaudited) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Activities Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities |
(191) | 54 | (7) |
| Taxation | - | 7 | 7 |
| Investing Activities Purchases and sales of fixed asset investments |
141 | 23 | 119 |
| Financing Activities Finance costs |
(11) | (11) | (4) |
| Movement in cash in the period | (61) | 73 | 115 |
| Cash at start of period | 131 | 58 | 58 |
| Cash at end of period | 70 | 131 | 173 |
| Twenty largest investments as at 30 September 2015 |
Valuation £000 |
% of Net Assets |
Sector analysis as at 30 September 2015 |
% of Gross Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Sector | |||
| 1 Unite Group |
268 | 5.6 | Basic Materials | 0.9 |
| 2 Workspace Group |
230 | 4.8 | Industrials | 13.3 |
| 3 Johnson Service Group |
213 | 4.4 | Oil and Gas | 0.0 |
| 4 4imprint Group |
191 | 4.0 | Consumer Goods | 14.8 |
| 5 Ted Baker |
167 | 3.5 | Consumer Services | 33.0 |
| 6 SSP Group |
155 | 3.2 | Healthcare | 10.5 |
| 7 ITV Television |
143 | 3.0 | Telecoms | 0.0 |
| 8 Ryanair |
118 | 2.5 | Technology | 2.8 |
| 9 Playtech |
116 | 2.4 | Financials | 24.7 |
| 10 St James Place |
102 | 2.1 | Utilities | 0.0 |
| Ten largest investments | 1,703 | 35.5 | Total | 100.0 |
| 11 Restaurant Group |
101 | 2.1 | ||
| 12 Hutchison China Meditech |
101 | 2.1 | ||
| 13 Tui Travel |
100 | 2.1 | ||
| 14 P2P Global Investments |
94 | 2.0 | ||
| 15 St Modwen Properties |
93 | 1.9 | ||
| 16 Shire Pharmaceuticals |
90 | 1.9 | ||
| 17 Crest Nicholson |
89 | 1.9 | ||
| 18 Betfair Group |
89 | 1.9 | ||
| 19 M&C Saatchi |
89 | 1.9 | ||
| 20 Greggs |
87 | 1.8 | ||
| Twenty largest investments | 2,636 | 55.1 | ||
| Other investments (56 holdings) | 1,881 | 39.1 | ||
| Total investments | 4,517 | 94.2 | ||
| Net current assets/(liabilities) | 280 | 5.8 | ||
| Net Assets | 4,797 | 100.0 |
| Basic Materials | 0.9 |
|---|---|
| Industrials | 13.3 |
| Oil and Gas | 0.0 |
| Consumer Goods | 14.8 |
| Consumer Services | 33.0 |
| Healthcare | 10.5 |
| Telecoms | 0.0 |
| Technology | 2.8 |
| Financials | 24.7 |
| Utilities | ი ი |
| Total | |
The principal risks facing the Fund relate to the investment in financial instruments and include market, liquidity, credit and interest rate risk. Additional risks faced by the Fund are investment strategy, share price discount, accounting, legal and regulatory, operational, corporate governance and shareholder relations, and financial. The Board seeks to mitigate and manage these risks through continuous review, policy setting and enforcement of contractual obligations. The Board receives both formal and informal reports from the Managers and third party service providers addressing these risks. An explanation of these risks and how they are mitigated is explained in the 2015 Annual Report, which is available on the Manager's website: www.svmonline.co.uk. These principal risks and uncertainties have not changed from those disclosed in the 2015 Annual Report.
The Board, having made appropriate enquiries, has a reasonable expectation that the Fund has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, a period of not less than 12 months from the date of this report. Accordingly, it continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards 102 and 104 ('FRS 104') and the 2014 Statement of Recommended Practice ('SORP') issued by the Association of Investment Companies. FRS 104 applies to interim periods commencing on or after 1 January 2015. The transition to FRS 104 has had no impact on the previous reported financial position and presentation formats have been amended where required. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies used for the year ended 31 March 2015. The last financial statements prepared under the previous UK GAAP were for the year ended 31 March 2015. All investments are held at fair value. At 30 September 2015 one unlisted investment was held with value attributed of £19,000 (31 March 2015: £30,000, 30 September 2014: £106,000)
Return per share is based on a weighted average of 6,005,000 (2014 – 6,005,000) ordinary shares in issue during the period. Total return per share is based on the total gain for the period of £271,000 (2014 – loss of £529,000). Capital return per share is based on the capital gain for the period of £230,000 (2014 – loss of £552,000). Revenue return per share is based on the revenue gain after taxation for the period of £41,000 (2014 gain of £23,000).
The number of shares in issue at 30 September 2015 was 6,005,000 (2014 – 6,005,000).
Number of CFD holdings at 30 September 2015: 18 (31 March 2015: 16)
| CFD positions | As at 30 September 2015 | As at 31 March 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| £000 | £000 | |
| Gross exposure | 1,427 | 1,370 |
| Net exposure | 1,427 | 1,370 |
| Unrealised gains | 10 | 202 |
| Unrealised losses | 33 | 23 |
Peter Dicks (Chairman) Richard Bernstein Anthony Puckridge
SVM Asset Management Limited 6th Floor 7 Castle Street Edinburgh EH2 3AH Telephone: +44 (0) 0131 226 6699 Facsimile: +44 (0) 131 226 7799 Email: [email protected] Web: www.svmonline.co.uk
Computershare Investor Services plc Leven House, 10 Lochside Place Edinburgh Park Edinburgh EH12 9RG Telephone: +44 (0) 370 702 0003
Scott-Moncrieff Exchange Place 3 Semple Street Edinburgh EH3 8BL
Custodians State Street Bank & Trust Company
Registered Number SC211841
Company Website www.svmonline.co.uk
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