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Witan Investment Trust PLC Fund Information / Factsheet 2012

Feb 29, 2012

5244_rns_2012-02-29_9b23d1a1-a6a0-4219-a3ac-d29e3b8b2c9f.pdf

Fund Information / Factsheet

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Factsheet

Investment Objective

Witan's objective is to create wealth for its investors through stockmarket investment. Witan offers its shareholders a diverse investment in terms of Manager, geographical region, industrial sector and individual stock.

Witan's portfolio is managed with a multi-manager structure. The latest manager allocations as at 31.12.2011 can be found on our website at www.witan.com/portfolio-and-performance

Trust Information

Epic Code WTAN
Sector Global Growth
Trust Type Conventional
Launch Date 1909
Financial Year End 31 December
Dividend Payment Dates April, September
Last Ex Div Date 29 February 2012
AGM May
Shares in Issue 192,196,000

Geographic Breakdown (%)†

Sector Allocation (%)†

Financials 23.9
Consumer services 13.5
Industrials 12.3
Consumer goods 11.1
Oil & Gas 8.4
Technology 8.0
Health Care 6.2
Basic Materials 4.5
Other 5.0
Open Ended Funds 4.7
Equity Index Futures 1.6
Cash / Bonds 0.8

Source: BNP Paribas as at 29.02.12.

Trust Statistics†

Gross Assets £1,215m
NAV per ordinary share 549.35p
Share price 485.60p
Premium/(Discount) (11.6%)
Gearing 11%
Yield 2.24%
Total Expense Ratio (TER)* 0.87%

2012

† Source: BNP Paribas as at 29.02.12. *Includes performance fees (excluding performance fees: 0.71%). Data as at 31.12.11.

Monthly Commentary

Equity markets have in aggregate recovered last year's losses, with February building on the firm January performance. The pecking order for 2012 performance is almost exactly the reverse of 2011 but the relative ground lost in 2011 by out of favour areas (smaller companies, emerging markets, Japan and Europe) has only partly been made up. Despite this improvement in risk propensity, core government bond yields remain close to their multi-century lows. If confidence continues to recover, this appears unsustainable.

Looking ahead, the outlook for equity markets looks positive. The European Central Bank's efforts to provide long-term liquidity support have alleviated the default risk among the Euro-zone countries. It also appears that the Federal Reserve's money policy is beginning to have a positive impact on the US economy. However markets remain extremely nervous over the European debt situation, and a further twist would send markets downwards, the record-high oil price is also a worry.

During the month, Witan's NAV Total Return rose by 7.0%, ahead of the benchmark's return of 4.3%.

You can watch video and read regular comment on investment issues from our CEO, Andrew Bell, on our website www.witan.com

Ten Largest Holdings† **

Electra Private Equity 2.6%
3i 2.4%
BP 1.9%
Diageo 1.6%
Vodafone 1.6%
Unilever 1.5%
Pearson 1.5%
Reed Elsevier 1.2%
Schroders 1.2%
Sage 1.2%

† Source: BNP Paribas as at 29.02.12.

**On a look through basis across managers, excluding collective funds.

Please remember, past performance is not a guide to future performance, and the value of shares and the income from them can rise and fall, so investors may not get back the amount originally invested. This marketing communication is issued and approved by Witan Investment Services. Witan Investment Services Limited is registered in England no. 5272533 of 14 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9AA. Witan Investment Services Limited provides investment products and services and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Calls may be recorded for our mutual protection and to improve customer service.

Investment Performance

Share Price (Total Return) Vs Benchmark (Total Return)*

Share Price (Total Return) 11.2% 7.2% -0.1% 78.7% 21.8% 67.2%
Net Asset Value** (Total Return) 12.0% 9.3% -0.8% 78.2% 22.8% 69.0%
Benchmark* (Total Return) 9.1% 9.3% -0.3% 71.3% 19.0% 67.1%
Relative NAV Performance 2.9% 0.0% -0.5% 6.9% 3.8% 1.9%
Discrete performance Q4 2006
Q4 2007
Q4 2007
Q4 2008
Q4 2008
Q4 2009
Q4 2009
Q4 2010
Q4 2010
Q4 2011
Share Price (Total Return) 7.5% -24.9% 30.6% 18.9% -10.7%
Net Asset Value** (Total Return) 7.3% -24.1% 27.7% 19.5% -11.4%
Benchmark* (Total Return) 8.2% -23.8% 24.4% 15.4% -7.0%
Relative NAV Performance -0.9% -0.3% 3.3% 4.1% -4.4%

Source: FE Analytics and Datastream, percentage growth to 29.02.12. Total return includes the notional investment of dividends.

*Since 01.10.2007 the benchmark has been a composite of 40% FTSE All-Share/20% FTSE All-World North America/20% FTSE All-World Europe (ex UK) /20% FTSE All-World Asia Pacific. From 01.09.2004 to 30.09.2007 the benchmark comprised of 50% FTSE All-Share/50% FTSE World (ex UK) and prior to this 60% FTSE All-Share/40% FTSE World (ex UK).

**The Net Asset Value figures value debt at fair value except for 10 year figure where debt is valued at par value.

Important Information

The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and you may not get back your original investment. Investment trusts can borrow money to make additional investments on top of shareholders' funds (gearing). If the value of these investments falls, gearing will magnify the negative impact on performance. If an investment trust incorporates a large amount of gearing the value of its shares may be subject to sudden and large falls in value and you could get back nothing at all. Emerging markets tend to be more volatile than more established stock markets and therefore your money is at greater risk. Other risk factors such as political and economic conditions should also be considered. Funds which specialise in investing in a particular region or market sector are more risky than those which hold a very broad spread of investments. Funds investing in overseas securities are exposed to and can hold currencies other than Sterling. As a result, exchange rate movements may cause the value of investments to decrease or increase. Some, or all, of the annual management fee may be charged to the capital of the Fund. Whilst this increases the yield, it will restrict the potential for capital growth. Net Asset Value ("NAV") performance is not the same as share price performance and investors may not realise returns the same as NAV performance. Where a fund holds a limited number of investments and one or more of those investments declines or is otherwise adversely affected, it may have a more pronounced effect on the Fund's value than if a larger number of investments were held.

Please remember, past performance is not a guide to future performance, and the value of shares and the income from them can rise and fall, so investors may not get back the amount originally invested. This marketing communication is issued and approved by Witan Investment Services. Witan Investment Services Limited is registered in England no. 5272533 of 14 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9AA. Witan Investment Services Limited provides investment products and services and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Calls may be recorded for our mutual protection and to improve customer service.

Contact Details

0800 082 81 80 www.witan.com