RNS Number:6197H
Manchester & London Inv Tst PLC
18 February 2003


Manchester & London Investment Trust plc             
                                     
Announcement of the interim group results             
                                     
The Directors announce the unaudited interim figures             
For the six months ended 31st January 2003             
                                     


Consolidated Statement of Total return (incorporating the revenue account) 
For the six months ended 31st January 2003     (unaudited) 
 
 

                                                                                                                      
                                           Six months ended 31st January 2003      Six months ended 31st January 2002 
                                                Revenue    Capital      Total    Revenue    Capital             Total 
                                                  #'000      #'000      #'000      #'000      #'000             #'000 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
  Profit on sale of investments                       -      2,503      2,503          -        213               213 
  Decrease in unrealised                              -    (3,818)    (3,818)          -      (131)             (131) 
  appreciation                                                                                                        
  Investment income                                 546          -        546        482          -               482 
  Investment management fee                        (24)       (46)       (70)       (29)       (54)              (83) 
  Other expenses                                  (105)          -      (105)       (81)          -              (81) 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
  Return on ordinary activities                     417    (1,361)      (944)        372         28               400 
  before taxation                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                      
  Taxation                                          (6)          6          -          -          -                 - 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
  Return on ordinary activities                     411    (1,355)      (944)        372         28               400 
  after taxation                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
  Dividends in respect of non-equity               (28)          -       (28)       (28)          -              (28) 
  shares                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                      
  Return attributable to                                                                                              
  equity shareholders                               383    (1,355)      (972)        344         28               372 
                                                                                                                      
  Dividends in respect of equity                  (188)          -      (188)      (188)          -             (188) 
  shares                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                      
  Transfer to (from) reserves                       195    (1,355)    (1,160)        156         28               184 
                                                                                                                      
  Return per ordinary share (pence)                                                                                   
  Basic                                            5.11    (18.07)    (12.96)       4.59       0.37              4.96  
                                                                                                                      
  Fully diluted                                   3.92     (12.93)     (9.01)      3.55       0.27              3.82  
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
 
 
The revenue column of this statement is the consolidated profit and loss account
of the group.             

All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing 
operations.                   

The statement for the period ended 31st January 2003 is unaudited and is not the
Company's statutory statement.       

Dividends per preference share accrue at the rate of 7.6% p.a.                         

Interim dividend proposed per 25p ordinary share 2.5p (2002: 2.5p)                         

The ordinary interim dividend is payable on 17th April 2003 to shareholders on 
the Register at the close of business on 21st March 2003. 
 


Manchester & London Investment Trust plc 
Consolidated Balance Sheet 
At 31st January 2003  (unaudited) 
 

                                                                                                                      
                                                            As at 31st January 2003           As at 31st January 2002 
                                                                    #'000     #'000                   #'000     #'000 
  Fixed Assets                                                                                                        
  Investments                                                                14,169                            20,622 
                                                                                                                      
  Current Assets                                                                                                      
  Debtors                                                             134                               358           
  Cash and short term deposits                                     13,697                             9,269           
                                                                                                                    
                                                                   13,831                             9,627           
  Creditors                                                                                                           
  Amounts falling due within one year                             (5,981)                           (5,953)           
                                                                                                                      
  Net Current Assets                                                          7,850                             3,674 
                                                                                                                      
  Total assets less current liabilities                                      22,019                            24,296 
                                                                                                                      
  Capital and Reserves                                                                                                
  Called-up Share Capital                                                     2,619                             2,619 
  Capital reserves                                                           16,691                            19,090 
  Revenue reserve                                                             2,709                             2,587 
                                                                                                                      
  Total shareholders' funds                                                  22,019                            24,296 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
  Equity interests - Ordinary shares                                         21,275                            23,552 
  Non-equity interests - Preference                                             744                               744 
  shares                                                                                                              
                                                                             22,019                            24,296 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
  Net Asset Value per share                                                                                           
  Ordinary shares - basic                                                    283.7p                            314.0p 
  Ordinary shares - fully diluted                                            210.2p                            231.9p 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
 
Notes :                                                 
                                                       
The accounts at 31st January are unaudited and are not the Company's statutory
accounts. The information for the period ended 31st January 2002 does not
constitute statutory accounts but has been extracted from the latest published
audited accounts which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The
report of the auditors on those accounts contained no qualification or statement
under Section 237(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 1985.  



Manchester & London Investment Trust plc       
Consolidated Cash Flow Statement             
For the six months ended 31st January 2003     (unaudited) 
 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                       Six months ended              Six months ended   
                                                                        31 January 2003               31 January 2002   
                                                                         #'000     #'000               #'000    #'000 
                                                                                                                      
  Operating activities                                                                                                
  Net dividends and interest received from investments                   1,027                           313          
  Other income                                                              95                           190          
  Investment management fees paid                                         (66)                          (99)          
  Other cash payments                                                    (101)                         (102)          
                                                                                                                      
  Net cash inflow from operating activities                                          955                          302 

  Servicing of finance                                                                                                
  Preference dividend paid                                                (28)                          (28)          

  Net cash outflow from servicing of finance                                        (28)                         (28) 

  Financial investment                                                                                                

  Purchase of investments                                              (2,520)                       (3,534)          
  Sale of investments                                                   15,332                         2,740          
                                                                                                                      
  Net cash inflow (outflow) from financial investment                             12,812                        (794) 
  Equity dividend paid                                                             (450)                        (142) 
                                                                                                                      
  Increase (Decrease) in cash                                                     13,289                        (662) 
                                                                                                                      
  Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt                                                             
  Increase (Decrease) in cash in period                                           13,289                        (662) 
  Net funds at beginning of the period                                               408                        9,931 
                                                                                                                      
  Net funds at end of the period                                                  13,697                        9,269 
                                                                                                                      
 
 
 
 
Manchester & London Investment Trust plc 
Major Holdings 
At 31st January 2003 
 
                                                                                                                     
                                                             Holding        Market Value #'000        % of Portfolio  
                                                                                                                      
  PZ Cussons Ordinary and                                                                                             
  "A" Ordinary 10p                                           475,250                     3,304                 11.84  
                                                                                                                      
  TDG Ordinary 1p                                          1,875,000                     3,188                 11.43  
                                                                                                                      
  BAE SYSTEMS Ordinary 2.5p                                1,500,000                     1,706                  6.12  
                                                                                                                      
  Scottish & Newcastle Ordinary 20p                          400,000                     1,644                  5.89  
                                                                                                                      
  Parkman Group Ordinary 1p                                1,470,000                     1,639                  5.88  
                                                                                                                      
  Pilkington Ordinary 50p                                  1,475,000                     1,007                  3.61  
                                                                                                                      
  Largest 6 Holdings                                                                    12,488                 44.77  
                                                                                                                      
  Short term cash deposits and dealing debtor                                           13,725                 49.20  
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                        26,213                 93.97  
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
 
 
Manchester & London Investment Trust plc 
 
Chairman's Statement 

In last year's Annual Report, I expressed our opinion that there appeared to
be no immediate prospect of any improvement in the outlook for the share market,
and events since then have confirmed this gloomy prediction. During the six
months to 31st January 2003, our net asset value has declined from 221.2p to
210.2p (-4.97%), which compares to a fall of 328.5 points in the FT Actuaries
All Share Index from 2050.8 to 1722.3, a decline of 16%. Again, this not
unsatisfactory performance under the circumstances has been achieved by
continuing to hold a substantial percentage of our assets in cash.   

Indeed, we have recently increased our cash resources to 49% of our gross
assets by disposing of the holding in Andrews Sykes Group plc which, for some
time, had been a disproportionately large constituent of our portfolio. The
share price had improved by 24% since the 31st July 2002 year end and, at 140p,
we considered the valuation to be sufficiently full to justify a disposal. This
has been our most successful investment, showing an appreciation of 526% since
the initial acquisition in 1995.  
 
Assuming redemption of the #5.4m loan from our parent company when this becomes
due for repayment immediately after the end of the current financial year, the
balance of the cash held within the company would represent 37% of gross assets.

During the six months under review, we have made a modest investment in the
software group, Cedar Ltd. which, although speculative, could prove to be
interesting. Our 1.1% minority investment was made at the time the company
averted administration by recommending an offer from the venture capital group,
Alchemy Partners LLP, who have already reorganised Cedar into profitability.
Shareholders can obtain further details from the Cedar Web Site www.cedar.com.  

Amongst all the uncertainties facing the UK stock market is the vulnerability of
sterling and its seemingly precarious valuation relative to the other major
global currencies, in particular, the US dollar and the Euro. The continuing
boom in UK mortgage lending and credit card financing is reflected in a huge
trade deficit which, despite the positive impact of invisible earnings still
being generated in the City, is running at a level which may have to be
corrected by a downward revaluation in the currency markets. For some years
sterling and the US dollar have tended to move in tandem, but the US currency is
now weakening particularly against the Euro. Although official US policy is to
maintain a strong dollar, this seems unlikely to be achievable especially as the
US economy is suffering from excesses similar to those being indulged in the UK.
From the US standpoint, benign neglect of the dollar could be the most
convenient way to restore economic growth, albeit if this means exporting their
problems elsewhere, particularly Europe. Retention of our cash resources in
Euros rather than sterling is, therefore, potentially another protective option.
 
Weaker sterling could suit the UK Government, which is openly in favour of UK
entry into the Euro at a level which would necessitate a fairly sharp fall in
the value of sterling in order to meet one of the Chancellor's self imposed
tests. The Euro issue has, however, moved to the back burner as other more
pressing issues move centre stage as the house and consumer credit booms start
to cool. The slack is being taken up by a huge expansion in public spending,
sparking fears that yet further increases in taxation are in prospect despite
the Chancellor's assurances. In the meantime, the beleaguered manufacturing
sector continues to suffer from intense global competition, thus making it very
difficult to maintain profitability. We believe it is this factor which is the
principal cause of the fall in the major stock markets although the Iraqi factor
clearly does not help, and the only corrective action which appears likely is
for the currency to take the strain and devalue against the Euro.  
 
This is not yet the longest nor the steepest bear market ever recorded, but the
end does not seem to be in sight, although further dollar devaluation could
gradually stabilise the all important US stock market. There will, of course, be
rallies and whilst we will attempt to benefit from such movements, we intend to
remain substantially in cash until a clearer picture emerges.   

The Directors have today declared an unchanged Interim Dividend of 2.5p per
share which will be paid on 17th April 2003 to shareholders on the Register at
the close of business on 21st March 2003.  
 

 
P.H.A. Stanley F.C.A. 
Chairman  
18th February 2003 
 


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