Interim / Quarterly Report • Nov 20, 2024
Interim / Quarterly Report
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INCORPORATED IN SCOTLAND. COMPANY NUMBER: SC1836 THE COMPANY IS AN INVESTMENT COMPANY WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 833 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2006

| OVERVIEW | |
|---|---|
| Investment Objective | 1 |
| Nature of the Company | 1 |
| STRATEGIC REPORT | |
| Financial Information and Performance Statistics | 3 |
| Chair's Statement | 4 |
| Portfolio Manager's Report | 6 |
| Interim Management Report | 8 |
| Principal and Emerging Risks and Uncertainties | 9 |
| Investments in Order of Valuation | 10 |
| GOVERNANCE | |
| Going Concern | 13 |
| Related Party Transactions | 13 |
| Statement of Directors' Responsibilities | 13 |
| FINANCIAL REVIEW | |
| Condensed Income Statement | 15 |
| Condensed Statement of Changes in Equity | 16 |
| Condensed Balance Sheet | 17 |
| Condensed Cash Flow Statement | 18 |
| Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements | 19 |
| OTHER INFORMATION FOR SHAREHOLDERS | |
| Directors, Advisors and Principal Service Providers | 24 |
| Glossary of Terms and Alternative Performance Measures | 25 |
If you wish to contact members of the Edinburgh Investment Trust Board then please get in touch with the Company Secretary on +44 (0)20 3327 9720. If you have any enquiries for the Manager, please contact them on +44 (0)20 7412 1700. If you wish to contact members of the Edinburgh Investment Trust Board then please get in touch via the Company Secretary on +44 (0)20 3697 5770 or [email protected]. If you have any enquiries for the Manager, please contact them on +44 (0)20 7412 1700.
The Company is a member of
member of
£1,186m NET ASSETS
(2023: £1,122M)
SHARE PRICE (2023: 668.00P)
(9.7)% DISCOUNT* (2023: (8.7)%)
2.1%
GEARING (NET)* (2023: 4.1%)
*Alternative Performance Measures as defined on pages 25 to 28
The Edinburgh Investment Trust plc ('The Company') is an investment trust whose investment objective is to invest primarily in UK securities with the long-term objective of achieving:
The Company will generally invest in companies quoted on a recognised stock exchange in the UK. The Company may also invest up to 20% of the portfolio in securities listed on stock exchanges outside the UK. The portfolio is selected on the basis of assessment of fundamental value of individual securities and is not structured on the basis of industry weightings.
The Company is a public listed Investment Company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange ('LSE'). The business of the Company consists of investing the pooled funds of its shareholders, according to a specified investment objective and policy (set out on page 15 of the Company's 2024 Annual Financial Report), with the aim of spreading investment risk and generating a return for shareholders.
The Company uses borrowing to enhance returns to shareholders. This increases the risk to shareholders should the value of investments fall.
The Company has contracted an external manager, Liontrust Fund Partners LLP ('LFP' or the 'Manager'), as Alternative Investment Fund Manager ('AIFM') to manage its investments. Other administrative functions are contracted to external services providers. The Company has a Board of non-executive directors who oversee and monitor the activities of the Manager and other service providers on behalf of shareholders and ensure that the investment objective and policy are adhered to. The Company has no employees.
The Company's ordinary shares qualify as mainstream investment products suitable for promotion to retail investors. The Company's ordinary shares are eligible for investment in an ISA.
2 / OVERVIEW / THE EDINBURGH INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
| Total Return(1)(3)(4) (all with dividends reinvested) | Six months to 30 September 2024 % Change |
|
|---|---|---|
| Net asset value(1) (NAV) - debt at fair value | +8.3 | |
| Share price(2) | +10.8 | |
| FTSE All-Share Index(2) | +6.1 |
The Company's benchmark is the FTSE All-Share Index.
| At 30 September | At 31 March | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Return(1)(4) | 2024 | 2024 | % Change | |
| Net asset value - debt at fair value | 830.39p | 779.97p | +6.5 | |
| Share price(2) | 750.00p | 690.00p | +8.7 | |
| FTSE All-Share Index(2) | 4,511.00 | 4,338.05 | +4.0 | |
| Discount(1)(3)(4) – debt at fair value | (9.7)% | (11.5)% | ||
| Gearing (debt at fair value)(1)(3)(4) | – gross gearing | 5.9% | 6.2% | |
| – net gearing | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Revenue Return and Dividends(3) | Six months to 30 September 2024 |
Six months to 30 September 2023 |
% Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue return per ordinary share | 13.08p | 11.54p | +13.3 |
| First interim dividend(5) | 6.90p | 6.70p | +3.0 |
| Consumer Price Index(2)(4) – annual change | 1.7% | 6.7% |
Rebased to 100 at 30 September 2014 Recent Dividend History



ELISABETH STHEEMAN CHAIR
Your Company has delivered a Net Asset Value ("NAV") total return of 8.3% over the period and a share price return of 10.8%. These compare with 6.1% for the comparator FTSE All-Share Index. The share price return was higher than the NAV return, as the discount narrowed. I discuss the discount, and how we are addressing it, below. The Board declared a first interim dividend of 6.90p per share in October this year, up 3.0% from 6.70p at the equivalent point last year and exceeding CPI inflation of 1.7%.
The majority of the NAV outperformance has come, as we would expect, from stock selection. The most significant contributions came from NatWest, Tesco, Baltic Classifieds and Auto Trader, all of which produced returns in excess of 20% over the period. The latter two are particularly welcome as they were bought as part of the portfolio changes that Imran Sattar made upon becoming your Portfolio Manager in February. Imran and the Deputy Portfolio Manager, Emily Barnard, expand on the market backdrop and performance in their section of this report.
Longer-term performance should be assessed since March 2020, the point at which Liontrust's Global Fundamental team (led by Imran, and before him his colleague James de Uphaugh) began managing the Company. Over these four and a half years, the cumulative NAV total return is 103.8%, versus a rise in the FTSE All-Share Index of 69.5%. The share price total return is 111.7%, ahead of the NAV return as the discount has narrowed since March 2020. More generally, over one, three, five and ten years, the financial performance of your Company has been strong: both in absolute terms and compared against the FTSE All-Share Index, and both in NAV and share price terms.
As outlined above, the Board declared a first interim dividend of 6.90p per share in October this year, up 3.0% from 6.70p at the equivalent point last year. Underlying this, these interim accounts record six-month income comprising dividends and interest of £21.5m. This compares with £20.9m over the same period last year. After deducting an allocation for expenses (mainly investment management fees, interest on debt and other costs), net income for this period is £19.6m (2023: £18.9m). As was the case last year, we expect the level of dividends to shareholders to modestly exceed this level of income – and we expect a similar outcome for the financial year as a whole. As a Board we are comfortable with this position which will result in a small reduction to our very substantial balance sheet reserves.
There have not been any changes to the debt profile of the Company. We continue to operate with £120m of debt in nominal terms which is c.10% of NAV. Net gearing measured at fair value is a more modest 2.1% of NAV – this is a function of the fair value of the debt being lower than the par value, and of the portfolio's cash balance. The Company's debt has an average of 23 years to run and a blended cost of a fixed 2.4% per annum. This debt remains a source of long-term competitive advantage, and helped boost NAV returns in this period as the value of the portfolio rose.
The Company's shares continue to trade at a discount. This narrowed slightly over the period, moving from 11.5% to 9.7%. At the time of writing, it is 10.9%. In addition to the absolute level of the discount, we also monitor the discount relative to peers, as well as against the Company's own history. Over the period we bought back 2% of the Company's shares, buybacks should help manage the volatility of the discount, and will enhance NAV for remaining shareholders. In addition to share buybacks, we have other tools to help us "crack the discount nut". These include further raising the profile of the management team and their investment results and promotion of the Company through a range of marketing initiatives.
We have recently hosted two important shareholder events: the Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh in July and a popular presentation to retail investors in central London in October. Thank you to all of our shareholders who took the trouble to attend one or both of these events. Videos of these presentations have since been posted to the Company's website. We will flag other events and presentations on the website and via other media such as LinkedIn. Shareholders can also subscribe to updates via the website, which is a quick and easy way to ensure that you are up to date on all the Company's different activities.
Other promotional activities are also underway. For example, some may have seen our stand at an Association of Investment Companies ("AIC") showcase event in London in October, seen one of several national press articles, or heard me speaking about your Company on the Money Makers podcast this month.
With Imran and Emily's feet firmly under their Edinburgh Investment Trust desks, and with investment returns remaining among the best in the Company's sector, we believe we are building on the Company's reputation as a 'core' equity investment for savers in the UK and beyond. Stock markets and investment performance have been helpful of late, and the future will not always be as rosy as the current environment. Despite the pattern of recent years, strong long-term investment returns are not typically associated with the fairly straight 'bottom left to top right' lines on the Company's current performance charts. Nonetheless, with a strong management team and a repeatable investment process, together with the Board's other initiatives noted above, we are confident that we can make further strides forward in the years ahead.
Chair
18 NOVEMBER 2024

IMRAN SATTAR PORTFOLIO MANAGER
As Emily and I complete our first full year as portfolio managers of your Company, we would like to write a brief reminder of the process that remains in place to meet the Company's investment objectives. In short, we take a total return approach. To do this, we identify and invest in businesses that we expect to deliver a combination of capital and income growth. We apply a flexible investment process, with an open-minded approach to the 'type' of investments held – for example, 'growth', 'value' and 'recovery' stocks. Within the Company's investment portfolio, we aim to deliver a well-diversified portfolio, both economically and thematically.
The UK market performed solidly over the period, with UK consumer exposed names generally performing strongly. Behind these moves, UK consumers are in much better shape than a few years ago and with the Budget out of the way can plan their finances accordingly. The trajectory of interest rates also helps the UK economy: there was a cut of a quarter point back in July, to which we can now add another cut earlier this month. Perhaps even more importantly, the inflation genie appears back in the bottle and businesses can plan for investment and spending with greater certainty. This is critical.
The total return for the portfolio over the six-month reporting period was pleasingly positive, with the NAV rising by 8.3% and the share price up 10.8% - both ahead of our benchmark FTSE All-Share Index.
After strong performances from stalwart holdings NatWest and Tesco – both benefitting from the improved consumer and interest rate positions noted above – the most significant stock contributor to relative performance was the position in Baltic Classifieds, the leading online classifieds platform in eastern Europe. It delivered a strong set of results for the past year and reported a strong growth outlook for the next.
The most significant stock detractor from relative performance was in Rentokil, the pest control company, followed by Spirax, a steam and fluids engineering company. Both are high quality businesses with strong long-term growth potential and both have suffered, we believe, temporary setbacks in growth and execution.
Rentokil is in the midst of integrating its largest acquisition to date – the leading US termite company Terminix. This is a complex task. With Rentokil's focus on the integration, this has enabled competitor Rollins to gain market share. The highly experienced Rentokil management team are implementing an improvement strategy, and we viewed the recent share price weakness as a good opportunity to increase the position in a company with attractive long-term growth potential, after being hampered by some short-term execution issues.
The biggest transactions over the period were additions to some of the most attractive long-term growth opportunities in the portfolio, including London Stock Exchange Group, Compass (outsourced catering) and Verisk (data and analytics supplier to the insurance sector). We also added to Rentokil as noted above.
Elsewhere, notable transactions included new positions in Sage – a global leader in accounting software – and Grainger, a UK leader in the growing build to rent property sector. Sage has experienced a recent dip in organic revenue growth. This 'miss' in growth has resulted in a much more reasonable valuation multiple at which we have initiated a position. For Grainger, with consistently strong demand for rental properties, alongside new energy efficiency regulations coming into force, we think private rental landlords will struggle and operators like Grainger stand to benefit.
Funding for these purchases has come mainly from reductions in stocks that have performed well over extended periods, including Marks & Spencer, Centrica and BAE Systems.
Across global markets, risks remain high. Multiple volatile geopolitical situations exist, with one of the biggest uncertainties being whether the recently announced stimulus measures in China will be sufficient to reignite growth. The re-election of Donald Trump also increases the risk of global trade wars. Closer to home things appear more sanguine. With Chancellor Reeves' inaugural budget now in the past, UK consumers can plan their finances with greater certainty and, in any event, they are in better shape compared with a few years ago. We are also considering the increase in employer National Insurance rates, which are a modest headwind for the more domestically orientated holdings in the portfolio. That said, political stability combined with lower levels of inflation should promote higher levels of corporate investment. We are finding many opportunities to invest in high quality businesses in the UK market at attractive valuations – both more UK focused companies like Dunelm and Rightmove, and more global UK listed companies such as Haleon and Compass. While keeping an eye on the macroeconomic outlook, we remain focused on bottom-up stock selection and constructing a diversified portfolio.
IMRAN SATTAR PORTFOLIO MANAGER EMILY BARNARD DEPUTY PORTFOLIO MANAGER 18 NOVEMBER 2024
The Directors are required to provide an Interim Management Report in accordance with the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules ("DTR"). The Directors consider that the Chair's Statement on pages 4 and 5 and the Portfolio Manager's Report on pages 6 and 7 of this Half-Yearly Financial Report provide details of the important events which have occurred during the six months ended 30 September 2024 (the 'Period') and their impact on the financial statements.
The following statements on principal and emerging risks and uncertainties, related party transactions, going concern and the Directors' Statement of Responsibility, together constitute the Interim Management Report of the Company for the six months ended 30 September 2024. The outlook for the Company for the remaining six months of the year to 31 March 2025 is discussed in the Chair's Statement and the Portfolio Manager's Report.
The Board is responsible for the management of risks faced by the Company and delegates this role to the Audit Committee (the "Committee"). The Committee, with the assistance from the Manager, carries out, at least annually, a robust assessment of principal and emerging risks and uncertainties and monitors the risks on an ongoing basis.
The Company has a dynamic risk control summary in place, which includes a description of each identified risk, the mitigating action taken, reporting and disclosure to the Committee and an impact and risk likelihood rating. The rating is given both pre and post mitigation. The information is then displayed in matrix form which allows identification of key risks and oversight of the effectiveness of internal processes and controls. A detailed explanation of the principal and emerging risks and uncertainties facing the Company can be found in the Company's most recent Annual Financial Report for the year ended 31 March 2024, which is available on the Company's website at www.edinburgh-investment-trust.co.uk
Since the publication of the 2024 Annual Financial Report on 28 May 2024, there continues to be increased risk levels within the global economy as a result of emerging geopolitical factors that may translate into greater stock market risk, as well as heightened macro-economic changes in inflation and interest rates, the ever-evolving global regulatory and trade environments and a risk of re-emergence of a global pandemic. Geopolitical factors include the continuing war in Ukraine, the conflict in Israel and Gaza, political elections in many countries and global supply chain issues.
The Board continues to monitor these situations closely and has been in regular contact with the Manager and the Company's other service providers to assess and mitigate the impact on the Company's investment objectives, investment portfolio and shareholders.
Otherwise, in the view of the Board, the Company's principal risks and uncertainties are substantially unchanged from the previous year end and are as much applicable to the remaining six months of the financial year, as they were to the six months under review.
| Investment | Sector | Value £'000 |
% of Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | Oil, Gas and Coal | 86,746 | 6.9 |
| Unilever | Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 71,097 | 5.7 |
| Compass | Consumer Services | 61,801 | 4.9 |
| Tesco | Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 56,467 | 4.5 |
| Dunelm | Retailers | 52,449 | 4.2 |
| GSK | Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology | 49,185 | 3.9 |
| AstraZeneca | Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology | 45,959 | 3.7 |
| NatWest | Banks | 45,679 | 3.6 |
| Haleon | Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology | 45,544 | 3.6 |
| Whitbread | Travel and Leisure | 45,089 | 3.6 |
| TOP TEN HOLDINGS | 560,016 | 44.6 | |
| London Stock Exchange Group | Finance and Credit Services | 44,023 | 3.5 |
| Verisk - US Listed | Industrial Support Services | 40,501 | 3.2 |
| Auto Trader | Software and Computer Services | 40,333 | 3.2 |
| Anglo American | Industrial Metals and Mining | 34,517 | 2.8 |
| Spirax | Industrial Engineering | 33,756 | 2.7 |
| Rentokil | Industrial Support Services | 33,076 | 2.6 |
| Greggs | Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 32,606 | 2.6 |
| Admiral | Non-Life Insurance | 30,862 | 2.5 |
| Baltic Classifieds | Software and Computer Services | 26,119 | 2.1 |
| HSBC | Banks | 25,707 | 2.0 |
| TOP TWENTY HOLDINGS | 901,516 | 71.8 | |
| Rotork | Electronic and Electrical Equipment | 24,352 | 1.9 |
| ConvaTec | Medical Equipment and Services | 20,953 | 1.7 |
| BAE Systems | Aerospace and Defence | 20,800 | 1.7 |
| Lloyds Bank | Banks | 19,984 | 1.6 |
| Ashtead | Industrial Transportation | 19,969 | 1.6 |
| Diploma | Industrial Support Services | 19,885 | 1.6 |
| Centrica | Gas, Water and Multi-Utilities | 19,854 | 1.6 |
| Halma | Electronic and Electrical Equipment | 18,878 | 1.5 |
| BP | Oil, Gas and Coal | 17,686 | 1.4 |
| RELX | Media | 16,180 | 1.3 |
| TOP THIRTY HOLDINGS | 1,100,057 | 87.7 |
| Investment | Sector | Value £'000 |
% of Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howden Joinery | Retailers | 15,890 | 1.3 |
| AJ Bell | Investment Banking and Brokerage Services | 15,539 | 1.2 |
| Rightmove | Real Estate Investment and Services | 14,964 | 1.2 |
| KONE - Finnish Listed | Industrial Engineering | 14,823 | 1.2 |
| Sainsbury's | Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 14,240 | 1.1 |
| 3i | Investment Banking and Brokerage Services | 13,759 | 1.1 |
| Serco | Industrial Support Services | 11,238 | 0.9 |
| QinetiQ | Aerospace and Defence | 10,079 | 0.8 |
| easyJet | Travel and Leisure | 9,580 | 0.8 |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific - US Listed | Medical Equipment and Services | 7,218 | 0.6 |
| TOP FORTY HOLDINGS | 1,227,387 | 97.9 | |
| Sage | Software and Computer Services | 6,848 | 0.5 |
| SSE | Electricity | 6,253 | 0.5 |
| LondonMetric Property | Real Estate Investment Trusts | 5,673 | 0.5 |
| Grainger | Real Estate Investment and Services | 3,914 | 0.3 |
| Intel - US Listed | Technology Hardware and Equipment | 3,242 | 0.3 |
| Eurovestech (UQ) | Investment Banking and Brokerage Services | – | – |
| Raven Property (S) - Preference shares | Real Estate Investment and Services | – | – |
| TOTAL HOLDINGS 47 (31 March 2024: 52) | 1,253,317 | 100.0 |
UQ - Unquoted Investment
S - Delisted
12 / GOVERNANCE / THE EDINBURGH INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
This Half-Yearly Financial Report has been prepared on a going concern basis. The Directors consider that this is the appropriate basis as the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future being at least twelve months from the date of this report. In considering this, the Directors have reviewed the Company's investment objective and capital structure. The Directors considered the diversified portfolio of readily realisable securities which can be used to meet funding commitments, the long-term nature and obligations of the Unsecured Senior Loan Notes, and the ability of the Company to meet all its liabilities and ongoing expenses from its assets and revenue. The Directors also considered revenue forecasts for the forthcoming year and future dividend payments and accumulated revenue reserves in concluding that the going concern basis is appropriate.
Under UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK Accounting Standards and applicable law) and in accordance with the definition provided by Listing Rule 11.1.4, the Company has identified the Directors as related parties. No other related parties have been identified. No transactions with related parties have taken place which have materially affected the financial position or the performance of the Company.
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Half-Yearly Financial Report using accounting policies consistent with applicable law and UK Accounting Standards.
The Directors confirm that to the best of their knowledge:
This Half-Yearly Financial Report has not been audited or reviewed by the Company's auditor.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors
ELISABETH STHEEMAN CHAIR
18 NOVEMBER 2024
THE EDINBURGH INVESTMENT TRUST PLC / FINANCIAL REVIEW / 14
| Six Months to 30 September 2024 | (Unaudited) | Six Months to 30 September 2023 (Unaudited) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Total £'000 |
Revenue £'000 |
Capital £'000 |
Total £'000 |
||
| Gains on investments held at fair value | – | 75,896 | 75,896 | – | 21,802 | 21,802 | |
| Gains/(losses) on foreign exchange | – | 33 | 33 | – | (48) | (48) | |
| Income – note 2 | 21,481 | 702 | 22,183 | 20,883 | – | 20,883 | |
| 21,481 | 76,631 | 98,112 | 20,883 | 21,754 | 42,637 | ||
| Investment management fee – note 3 | (701) | (1,636) | (2,337) | (759) | (1,772) | (2,531) | |
| Other expenses | (637) | (10) | (647) | (611) | (5) | (616) | |
| Net return before finance costs and taxation |
20,143 | 74,985 | 95,128 | 19,513 | 19,977 | 39,490 | |
| Finance costs – note 3 | (454) | (1,030) | (1,484) | (472) | (1,006) | (1,478) | |
| Return on ordinary activities before taxation |
19,689 | 73,955 | 93,644 | 19,041 | 18,971 | 38,012 | |
| Taxation – note 4 | (56) | – | (56) | (144) | – | (144) | |
| Return on ordinary activities after taxation for the financial period |
19,633 | 73,955 | 93,588 | 18,897 | 18,971 | 37,868 | |
| Return per ordinary share: | |||||||
| Basic | 13.08p | 49.25p | 62.33p | 11.54p | 11.58p | 23.12p | |
| Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period |
150,146,579 | 163,782,164 |
The total column of this statement represents the Company's profit and loss account, prepared in accordance with UK Accounting Standards. The return after taxation is the total comprehensive income and therefore no additional statement of comprehensive income is presented. The supplementary revenue and capital columns are presented for information purposes in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice issued by the Association of Investment Companies. All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations of the Company. No operations were acquired or discontinued in the period.
| Share Capital £'000 |
Share Premium £'000 |
Capital Redemption Reserve £'000 |
Capital Reserve1 £'000 |
Revenue Reserve1 £'000 |
Total £'000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the six months ended 30 September 2024 (Unaudited) |
||||||
| At 31 March 2024 | 48,917 | 10,394 | 24,676 | 1,004,498 | 46,562 | 1,135,047 |
| Return on ordinary activities | – | – | – | 73,955 | 19,633 | 93,588 |
| Dividends paid – note 5 | – | – | – | – | (20,817) | (20,817) |
| Shares bought back and held in treasury | – | – | – | (22,192) | – | (22,192) |
| At 30 September 2024 | 48,917 | 10,394 | 24,676 | 1,056,261 | 45,378 | 1,185,626 |
| For the six months ended 30 September 2023 (Unaudited) |
||||||
| At 31 March 2023 | 48,917 | 10,394 | 24,676 | 1,003,989 | 51,368 | 1,139,344 |
| Return on ordinary activities | – | – | – | 18,971 | 18,897 | 37,868 |
| Dividends paid – note 5 | – | – | – | – | (22,086) | (22,086) |
| Shares bought back and held in treasury | – | – | – | (33,177) | – | (33,177) |
| At 30 September 2023 | 48,917 | 10,394 | 24,676 | 989,783 | 48,179 | 1,121,949 |
1 The revenue reserve and certain amounts of the capital reserve are distributable by way of dividend.
| 30 September 2024 (Unaudited) £'000 |
31 March 2024 (Audited) £'000 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Non current assets | ||
| Investments held at fair value through profit or loss - note 7 | 1,253,317 | 1,206,563 |
| Current assets | ||
| Debtors | 6,768 | 19,878 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 47,222 | 36,314 |
| Total assets | 1,307,307 | 1,262,755 |
| Non current liabilities | ||
| Unsecured Senior Loan Notes | (120,000) | (120,000) |
| Current liabilities | ||
| Other payables | (1,681) | (7,708) |
| Total liabilities | (121,681) | (127,708) |
| Net assets | 1,185,626 | 1,135,047 |
| Equity | ||
| Called up share capital – note 6 | 48,917 | 48,917 |
| Share premium account | 10,394 | 10,394 |
| Capital redemption reserve | 24,676 | 24,676 |
| Capital reserve | 1,056,261 | 1,004,498 |
| Revenue reserve | 45,378 | 46,562 |
| Total equity | 1,185,626 | 1,135,047 |
| Net asset value per ordinary share – note 8 | ||
| Basic and diluted - debt at par value | 798.41p | 749.25p |
| Basic and diluted - debt at fair value | 830.39p | 779.97p |
| Number of 25p ordinary shares (excluding treasury) in issue at the period end - note 6 | 148,499,025 | 151,491,525 |
18 NOVEMBER 2024
Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors
Company Number SC001836
The accompanying notes on pages 19 to 22 are an integral part of these financial statements.
| 2024 2023 £'000 £'000 Cash flow from operating activities Net return before finance costs and taxation 95,128 39,490 Tax on overseas income – note 4 (56) (144) Adjustments for: Purchase of investments (303,842) (89,511) Sale of investments 335,020 119,464 31,178 29,953 Gains on investments held at fair value (75,896) (21,802) Decrease in debtors 5,503 7,529 Decrease in creditors (30) (1,255) Net cash inflow from operating activities 55,827 53,771 Cash flow from financing activities Interest and commitment fees paid on bank facility (7) (3) Interest paid on Unsecured Senior Loan Notes (1,477) (1,494) Shares bought back and held in treasury (22,618) (32,243) Dividends paid – note 5 (20,817) (22,086) Net cash outflow from financing activities (44,919) (55,826) Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 10,908 (2,055) Cash and cash equivalents at start of the period 36,314 22,362 47,222 20,307 Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents to the Balance Sheet is as follows: Cash held at custodian 1,272 1,131 Goldman Sachs Sterling Liquid Reserves Fund 45,950 19,176 47,222 20,307 Cash and cash equivalents Cash flow from operating activities includes: Dividends received 26,617 27,237 |
Six months to 30 September | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interest received | 6 | 7 |
| At 1 April 2024 £'000 |
Cash flows £'000 |
Non-cash movement £'000 |
At 30 September 2024 £'000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reconciliation of net debt: | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 36,314 | 10,908 | – | 47,222 |
| Unsecured Senior Loan Notes | (120,000) | – | – | (120,000) |
| Total | (83,686) | 10,908 | – | (72,778) |
The condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law (UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland, FRS 104 Interim Financial Reporting and the Statement of Recommended Practice Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies and Venture Capital Trusts, issued by the Association of Investment Companies in July 2022. The financial statements are issued on a going concern basis.
The accounting policies applied to these condensed financial statements are consistent with those applied in the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
| Six Months to 30 September |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (Unaudited) £'000 |
2023 (Unaudited) £'000 |
||
| Income from investments: | |||
| UK dividends | - ordinary | 19,360 | 18,299 |
| - special | 732 | 147 | |
| Overseas dividends | - ordinary | 351 | 1,570 |
| - special | – | 318 | |
| Interest from money market funds | 1,032 | 542 | |
| 21,475 | 20,876 | ||
| Other income: | |||
| Deposit interest | 6 | 7 | |
| Total income | 21,481 | 20,883 |
Special dividends of £702,000 were recognised in capital during the period (2023: £nil)
The management fee arrangements are as reported in the Company's 2024 Annual Financial Report, being 0.03750% per month on the first £500 million, falling to 0.03333% on the next £500 million and 0.02917% on the remainder of the market capitalisation of the Company's ordinary shares at each month end and paid monthly in arrears (equivalent to an annualised fee of 0.45% on the first £500m, 0.40% on the next £500m and 0.35% on the remainder).
The management fee and finance costs are allocated 30% to revenue and 70% to capital.
Owing to the Company's status as an investment company no tax liability arises on capital gains. The tax charge represents withholding tax suffered on overseas income. A deferred tax asset is not recognised in respect of surplus management expenses since the Directors believe that there will be no taxable profits in the future against which these can be offset.
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS / CONTINUED
| Six Months to 30 September | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (Unaudited) |
2023 (Unaudited) |
||||
| Pence | £'000 | Pence | £'000 | ||
| Third interim | 6.90 | 10,429 | 6.70 | 11,050 | |
| Final | 6.90 | 10,388 | 6.70 | 11,036 | |
| Total paid | 13.80 | 20,817 | 13.40 | 22,086 |
The first interim dividend of 6.90p per ordinary share for the year ending 31 March 2025 (2024: 6.70p) will be paid on 22 November 2024 to shareholders on the register on 1 November 2024.
Share capital represents the total number of shares in issue, including treasury shares.
| Share capital | Six Months to 30 September 2024 (Unaudited) £'000 |
Year to 31 March 2024 (Audited) £'000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary shares of 25p each | 37,125 | 37,873 | |
| Treasury shares of 25p each | 11,792 | 11,044 | |
| Total called up share capital | 48,917 | 48,917 | |
| Six Months to | Year to |
| 30 September 2024 |
31 March 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Share capital | (Unaudited) | (Audited) |
| Number of ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury): | ||
| Brought forward | 151,491,525 | 165,476,525 |
| Shares bought back into treasury | (2,992,500) | (13,985,000) |
| Carried forward | 148,499,025 | 151,491,525 |
| Number of shares held in treasury: | ||
| Brought forward | 44,175,209 | 30,190,209 |
| Shares bought back into treasury | 2,992,500 | 13,985,000 |
| Carried forward | 47,167,709 | 44,175,209 |
| Total ordinary shares | 195,666,734 | 195,666,734 |
Subsequent to the period end, and as at 14 November 2024 (the latest practicable date before publication of this Half-Yearly Financial Report), 1,750,000 ordinary shares were bought back at an average price of 737.12p.
All except two of the Company's portfolio of investments are in the Level 1 category as defined in FRS 102 as amended for fair value hierarchy disclosures (March 16). The three levels set out in this follow.
Level 1 - The unadjusted quoted price in an active market for identical assets or liabilities that the entity can access at the measurement date.
Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable (i.e. developed using market data) for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Inputs are unobservable (i.e. for which market data is unavailable) for the asset or liability.
Categorisation within the hierarchy is determined on the basis of the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of each relevant asset/liability. The valuation techniques used by the Company are explained in the accounting policies note.
The fair value hierarchy analysis for investments and related forward currency contracts held at fair value at the period end is as follows:
| 30 September 2024 (Unaudited) £'000 |
31 March 2024 (Audited) £'000 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Financial assets designated at fair value through profit or loss: | ||
| Level 1 | 1,253,317 | 1,206,563 |
| Level 3 | – | – |
| Total for financial assets | 1,253,317 | 1,206,563 |
There were two investments in Level 3 at the period end (31 March 2024: two investments) totalling £nil (31 March 2024: £nil).
Eurovestech is an unquoted investment. The holding in Eurovestech did not change during the period and the fair value was unchanged at £nil (31 March 2024: £nil).
Raven Property is a delisted investment. The issued preference shares were suspended in March 2022 due to the sanctions on the company's Russian businesses. At the period end, the shares remain delisted and recorded a fair value of £nil (31 March 2024: £nil).
There was no change to the position size or fair value for either of the Level 3 holdings.
Refer to Alternative Performance Measures for definitions of 'NAV – debt at par' and 'NAV – debt at fair value'.
The shareholders' funds and NAV per share in the Condensed Balance Sheet on page 17 are accounted for in accordance with accounting standards. The Unsecured Senior Loan Notes were issued at and being recorded at their par value of £120m. A reconciliation showing the NAV per share and Shareholders' funds using debt at fair value is shown in the Alternative Performance Measures on page 27.
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS / CONTINUED
It is the intention of the Directors to conduct the affairs of the Company so that it satisfies the conditions for approval as an investment trust company within the meaning of section 1159 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010.
The financial information contained within the financial statements in this Half-Yearly Financial Report does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. The financial information for the half years ended 30 September 2024 and 30 September 2023 has not been audited. The figures and financial information for the year ended 31 March 2024 are extracted and abridged from the latest audited accounts and do not constitute the statutory accounts for that year. Those accounts have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and included the Independent Auditor's Report which was unqualified and did not contain a statement under section 498 of the Companies Act 2006.
By order of the Board
Company Secretary
18 November 2024
THE EDINBURGH INVESTMENT TRUST PLC / FINANCIAL REVIEW / 23
Elisabeth Stheeman, Chair Aidan Lisser, Senior Independent Director Steve Baldwin, Audit Committee Chair Patrick Edwardson, Management Engagement Committee Chair Annabel Tagoe-Bannerman
First Floor 9 Haymarket Square Edinburgh EH3 8RY
Registered in Scotland. Number: SC1836
Liontrust Fund Partners LLP 2 Savoy Court London WC2R 0EZ 020 7412 1700
NSM Funds (UK) Limited 4th Floor 46-48 James Street London W1U 1EZ 020 3697 5772
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 7 More London Riverside London SE1 2RT
The Bank of New York Mellon (International) Limited 160 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4LA
The Bank of New York Mellon 160 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4LA
Investec Bank plc 30 Gresham Street London EC2V 7QP
Dentons UK and Middle East LLP First Floor 9 Haymarket Square Edinburgh EH3 8RY
Link Group 10th Floor Central Square 29 Wellington Street Leeds LS1 4DL
The Company is a member of the Association of Investment Companies. Contact details are as follows: 020 7282 5555 Email: [email protected] Website: www.theaic.co.uk
If you hold your shares directly and not through a Savings Scheme or ISA, and have queries relating to your shareholding, you should contact the Registrars on:
Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider.
From outside the UK: +44 371 664 0300. Calls from outside the United Kingdom will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open from 9.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding UK Public Holidays).
Shareholders can also access their holding details via Link's website: www.signalshares.com.
Link Group provide an on-line and telephone share dealing service to existing shareholders who are not seeking advice on buying or selling. This service is available at www.linksharedeal.com or
Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider.
From outside the UK: +44 371 664 0445. Calls from outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open from 8.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding UK Public Holidays).
Link Group is the business name of Link Market Services Limited.
An APM is a measure of performance or financial position that is not defined in applicable accounting standards and cannot be directly derived from the financial statements. The calculations shown in the corresponding tables are for the interim period ended 30 September 2024 and the year ended 31 March 2024. The APMs listed here are widely used in reporting within the investment company sector and consequently aid comparability, providing useful additional information.
A standard against which performance can be measured, usually an index that averages the performance of companies in a stock market or a segment of the market. The benchmark most often referred to in this Half-Yearly Financial Report is the FTSE All-Share Index.
Total return on the benchmark is on a mid-market value basis, assuming all dividends received were reinvested, without transaction costs, into the shares of the underlying companies at the time the shares were quoted ex-dividend.
Discount is a measure of the amount by which the mid-market price of an investment company share is lower than the underlying net asset value of that share. Conversely, Premium is a measure of the amount by which the mid-market price of an investment company share is higher than the underlying net asset value of that share. In this Half-Yearly Financial Report, the discount is expressed as a percentage of the NAV per share with debt at fair value (see reconciliation of NAV per share with debt at fair value below on page 27) and is calculated according to the formula set out below. If the shares are trading at a premium the result of the below calculation will be positive and if they are trading at a discount, it will be negative.
| Page | 30 September 2024 |
31 March 2024 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share price | 3 | a | 750.00p | 690.00p |
| Net asset value per share – debt at market value | 3 | b | 830.39p | 779.97p |
| Discount | c = (a-b)/b | (9.7)% | (11.5)% |
The gearing percentage reflects the amount of borrowings that a company has invested. This figure indicates the extra amount by which net assets, or shareholders' funds, would move if the value of a company's investments were to rise or fall. A positive percentage indicates the extent to which net assets are geared; a nil gearing percentage, or 'nil', shows a company is ungeared. A negative percentage indicates that a company is not fully invested and is holding net cash as described below.
There are several methods of calculating gearing and the following has been used in this report:
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES / CONTINUED
This reflects the amount of gross borrowings in use by a company and takes no account of any cash balances. It is based on gross borrowings as a percentage of net assets.
| Page | 30 September 2024 £'000 |
31 March 2024 £'000 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured Senior Loan Notes – debt at fair value | 27 | a | 72,502 | 73,461 |
| Gross borrowings | 72,502 | 73,461 | ||
| Net asset value – debt at fair value | 3 | b | 1,233,124 | 1,181,091 |
| Gross gearing | c = a/b | 5.9% | 6.2% |
Net gearing reflects the amount of net borrowings invested, i.e. borrowings less cash and cash equivalents (incl. investments in money market funds). It is based on net borrowings as a percentage of net assets. Net cash reflects the net exposure to cash and cash equivalents, as a percentage of net assets, after any offset against total borrowings.
| Page | 30 September 2024 £'000 |
31 March 2024 £'000 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured Senior Loan Notes – debt at fair value | 72,502 | 73,461 | ||
| Less: cash and cash equivalents | 17 | (47,222) | (36,314) | |
| Net borrowings | a | 25,280 | 37,147 | |
| Net asset value – debt at fair value | 3 | b | 1,233,124 | 1,181,586 |
| Net gearing | c = a/b | 2.1% | 3.1% |
Leverage, for the purposes of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), is not synonymous with gearing as defined above. In addition to borrowings, it encompasses anything that increases the Company's exposure, including foreign currency and exposure gained through derivatives. Leverage expresses the Company's exposure as a ratio of the Company's net asset value. Accordingly, if a Company's exposure was equal to its net assets it would have leverage of 100%. Two methods of calculating such exposure are set out in the AIFMD, gross and commitment. Under the gross method, exposure represents the aggregate of all the Company's exposures other than cash balances held in base currency and without any offsetting. The commitment method takes into account hedging and other netting arrangements designed to limit risk, offsetting them against the underlying exposure.
Also described as shareholders' funds, the NAV is the aggregate value of all assets less all liabilities. Liabilities for this purpose include debt, deducted at either par value or fair value as described in more detail below. The NAV per share is calculated by dividing the net asset value by the number of ordinary shares in issue (excluding shares held in treasury).
The NAV with debt at par recognises the value of the debt liability as the nominal amount that will be repaid at maturity. For the £120m Unsecured Senior Loan Notes, this recognises a liability of £120m. This is the basis used in the preparation of the Condensed Balance Sheet on page 17.
The fair value of each tranche of the £120m Unsecured Senior Loan Notes is ascertained by the administrator by aggregating the discounted value of future cashflows, being the contractual interest payments and the repayment of capital at maturity as each falls due. The discount factor used for each tranche is based on the market yield of UK Treasuries with similar maturity dates adjusted to incorporate a credit spread.
The net asset value per share adjusted to include the Unsecured Senior Loan Notes at fair value rather than at par is as follows:
| 30 September 2024 (Unaudited) |
31 March 2024 (Audited) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAV per share pence |
Shareholders' funds £'000 |
NAV per share pence |
Shareholders' funds £'000 |
|
| NAV – debt at par | 798.41p | 1,185,626 | 749.25p | 1,135,047 |
| Unsecured Senior Loan Notes – at par | 80.81p | 120,000 | 79.21p | 120,000 |
| Unsecured Senior Loan Notes – at fair value | (48.83p) | (72,502) | (48.49p) | (73,461) |
| NAV- debt at fair value | 830.39p | 1,233,124 | 779.97p | 1,181,586 |
The return generated in a period from the investments.
Reflects the return on NAV, excluding any dividends reinvested.
Total return is the theoretical return to shareholders that measures the combined effect of any dividends paid together with the rise or fall in the share price or NAV. In this Half-Yearly Financial Report these return figures have been sourced from Refinitiv who calculate returns on an industry comparative basis.
Shares previously issued by a Company that have been bought back from shareholders to be held by the Company for potential sale or cancellation at a later date. Such shares are not capable of voting and carry no rights to dividends.
Total return on net asset value per share, with debt at fair value, assuming dividends paid by the Company were reinvested into the shares of the Company at the NAV per share at the time the shares were quoted ex-dividend.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES / CONTINUED
Total return to shareholders, on a mid-market price basis, assuming all dividends received were reinvested, without transaction costs, into the shares of the Company at the time the shares were quoted ex-dividend.
| Six Months Ended 30 September 2024 | Net Asset Value |
Share Price |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| As at 30 September 2024 | 830.39p | 750.00p | |
| As at 31 March 2024 | 779.97p | 690.00p | |
| Change in period | a | 6.5% | 8.7% |
| Impact of dividend reinvestments(1) | b | 1.8% | 2.1% |
| Total return for the period | c = a+b | 8.3% | 10.8% |
| Year Ended 31 March 2024 | Net Asset Value |
Share Price |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| As at 31 March 2024 | 779.97p | 690.00p | |
| As at 31 Mar 2023 | 713.75p | 660.00p | |
| Change in year | a | 9.3% | 4.5% |
| Impact of dividend reinvestments(1) | b | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Total return for the year | c = a+b | 13.4% | 8.9% |
(1) Total dividends paid during the period of 13.80p (31 March 2024: 26.80p) reinvested at the NAV or share price on the ex-dividend date. NAV or share price falls subsequent to the reinvestment date consequently further reduce the returns, vice versa if the NAV or share price rises.
First Floor 9 Haymarket Square, Edinburgh EH3 8RY
www.edinburgh-investment-trust.co.uk

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Vegetable based inks were used in the printing process.


The Edinburgh Investment Trust plc First Floor 9 Haymarket Square Edinburgh EH3 8RY
Telephone +44 (0)20 7412 1700 Email [email protected]

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