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BAF British & American Investment Trust Plc

18.00
0.00 (0.00%)
03 May 2024 - Closed
Delayed by 15 minutes
Share Name Share Symbol Market Type Share ISIN Share Description
British & American Investment Trust Plc LSE:BAF London Ordinary Share GB0000653112 ORD SHS #1
  Price Change % Change Share Price Bid Price Offer Price High Price Low Price Open Price Shares Traded Last Trade
  0.00 0.00% 18.00 16.00 20.00 18.00 18.00 18.00 146 08:00:09
Industry Sector Turnover Profit EPS - Basic PE Ratio Market Cap
Motion Pictures 1.68M 976k 0.0390 4.62 4.5M

British & American Investment Trust Plc Half-year Report

29/09/2023 9:56am

UK Regulatory


 
TIDMBAF 
 
Interim Report for the 6 months ended 30th June 2023 
 
BRITISH & AMERICAN INVESTMENT 
TRUST PLC 
 
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 
For the six months ended 30 
June 2023 
 
                                  Unaudited   Unaudited          Audited 
                                 6 monthsto  6 monthsto       Year ended 
                                    30 June     30 June  31 December2022 
                                       2023        2022            £'000 
                                      £'000       £'000 
 
Revenue 
 
Return before tax                       740       (193)              658 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Earnings/(loss) per £1                2.29p     (0.74)p            1.30p 
ordinary shares - basic (note 
5) 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Earnings/(loss) per £1                2.14p     (0.74)p            1.30p 
ordinary shares - diluted 
(note 5) 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Capital 
 
Total equity                          8,749       6,131            7,091 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Revenue reserve (note 9)                766       (227)               19 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Capital reserve (note 9)           (27,017)    (28,642)         (27,928) 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Net assets per ordinary share 
(note 6) 
- Basic                               £0.25       £0.18            £0.20 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
- Diluted                             £0.25       £0.18            £0.20 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Diluted net assets per                £0.16 
ordinary share at 27 
September 2023 
                                  _________ 
Dividends* 
 
Dividends per ordinary share          1.75p        0.0p            1.75p 
(note 4) 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
Dividends per preference              1.75p        0.0p            1.75p 
share (note 4) 
                                  _________   _________        _________ 
 
Basic net assets per share are calculated using a value of fully diluted net 
asset value for the preference shares. 
 
Basic and diluted earnings per share calculated in accordance with International 
Accounting Standard 33 `Earnings per Share'. 
 
*Dividends declared for the period. Dividends shown in the accounts are, by 
contrast, dividends paid or approved 
in the period. 
 
Copies of this report will be posted to shareholders and be available for 
download at the company's website: www.baitgroup.co.uk. 
 
 
INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO 
As at 30 June 2023 
 
Company                  Nature of Business  Valuation  Percentage 
                                                                of 
                                                         portfolio 
 
                                                 £'000           % 
Geron Corporation        Biomedical              4,041       28.03 
(USA)* 
Dunedin Income Growth    Investment Trust        1,160        8.05 
Lineage Cell             Biotechnology             632        4.38 
Therapeutics (USA)** 
abrdn Diversified        Investment Trust          404        2.80 
Income & Growth 
AgeX (USA)               Biotechnology              72        0.50 
ADVFN                    Other financial            26        0.18 
Audioboom                Media                      16        0.11 
Vodafone                 Telecommunications         15        0.10 
IQE                      Semiconductors             13        0.09 
Relief Therapeutics      Healthcare                 11        0.07 
                                              ________    ________ 
10 Largest investments                           6,390       44.31 
(excluding 
subsidiaries) 
Investment in                                    8,014       55.59 
subsidiaries 
Other investments                                   13        0.10 
(number of holdings: 7) 
                                              ________    ________ 
Total investments                               14,417      100.00 
                                              ________    ________ 
 
*                Total value of investment including held by subsidiary 
companies - £8,567,000 
 
** Total value of investment including held by subsidiary companies - £2,508,000 
 
Unaudited Interim Report 
As at 30 June 2023 
 
Registered number: 433137 
 
 
Directors                         Registered office 
David G Seligman (Chairman)       Wessex House 
Jonathan C Woolf (Managing        1 Chesham Street 
Director) 
Julia Le Blan (Non-executive and  London SW1X 8ND 
Chairman of the Audit Committee) 
Alex Tamlyn (Non-executive)       Telephone: 020 7201 3100 
                                  Website: www.baitgroup.co.uk 
 
Chairman's Statement 
 
 
I report our results for the six months to 30 June 2023. 
 
Revenue 
 
The profit on the revenue account before tax amounted to £0.7 million (30 June 
2022: loss £0.2 million). This increase was the result of a higher level of 
income receipts from our subsidiary companies compared to the same six month 
period in 2022. 
 
Gross revenues totalled £0.9 million (30 June 2022: £0.08 million) during the 
period. In addition, film income of £24,000 (30 June 2022: £47,000) was received 
in our subsidiary companies. In accordance with IFRS10, film income is not 
included within the revenue figures noted above. 
 
A gain of £1.2 million (30 June 2022: £0.5 million loss) was registered on the 
capital account before capitalised expenses and foreign exchange gains/losses, 
comprising a realised gain of £0.4 million (30 June 2022: £0.2 million loss) and 
an unrealised gain of £0.8 million (30 June 2022: £0.3 million loss). 
 
Revenue earnings per ordinary share were 2.14 pence on a fully diluted basis (30 
June 2022: loss 0.74 pence). 
 
Net Assets and performance 
 
Company net assets were £8.7 million (£7.1 million, at 31 December 2022), an 
increase of 23.4 percent.  Over the same six month period, the FTSE 100 index 
increased by 1.1 percent and the All Share index increased by 0.5 percent.  As 
no dividends were paid during the period, the total return on net assets is the 
same and the total return for the FTSE 100 and All Share indices was an increase 
of 3.2 percent and an increase of 2.6 percent, respectively.  The net asset 
value per £1 ordinary share was 25.0 pence on a fully diluted basis. 
 
This out-performance in net assets over the period was the result of a 
significant increase in the value of both our major US investments, Geron 
Corporation Inc and Lineage Cell Therapeutics Inc, which increased by 32 and 20 
percent respectively during the period and extends the outperformance of the 
previous 12 month period. Over the past two 18 month reporting periods, our 
portfolio has registered cumulative outperformance on a total return basis of 
over 30 percent. 
 
While the value of Lineage Cell Therapeutics has remained steady since the 
period end, the value of our investment in Geron has inexplicably declined by 30 
percent against general market movements and despite its announcement over the 
summer of the excellent and long-awaited news of acceptance by the US Federal 
Drugs Agency (FDA) of Geron's final submission requesting marketing 
authorisation (NDA) for its ground-breaking hematologic oncology drug, 
Imetelstat. Further comment on this surprising price movement is made in the 
managing director's report below. 
 
Leading equity markets in the UK and USA remained broadly stable over the first 
half of 2023 with aggregate movements confined to no more than 6 to 8 percent 
over the period. Some brief instances of turbulence within this range were seen 
as unexpected solvency vulnerabilities of certain large banks, particularly in 
the USA, were revealed arising out of interest rate pressures. This required 
prompt action from regulators to avoid systemic risk by supporting or 
restructuring those large banks previously considered to be well capitalised. 
 
By contrast, the Nasdaq index of technology stocks registered a gain of 30 
percent following its significant decline in the previous year as the large 
capitalisation internet technology stocks (FAANGs) found favour again. The 
weighting preponderance of these stocks in this index masked poorer performance 
in the smaller capitalisation technology stocks, including biotech stocks whose 
index declined 5 percent over the period. This highlights the company specific 
outperformance of our two particular biotechnology investments as noted above 
which has significantly benefited our NAV, despite the headwind of the 5 percent 
fall in the US dollar versus the pound sterling over the period. 
 
This general stability in equity markets over the period has been achieved 
despite the background of continuing high interest rates and forecasts of 
further increases as central banks have grappled with stubbornly high and 
persistent levels of inflation over the last 18 months. The always difficult and 
delicate balancing act of reducing inflation without causing a painful recession 
has dictated to some extent movements in equity markets and the realisation 
since early this year that the US economy might be able to achieve the desired 
`soft landing' has supported equity prices over recent months. Similarly in the 
UK, fears of recession which had predominated during the course of last year 
were assuaged as the economy proved able to avoid the expected downturn in the 
second half of 2022 and has managed to achieve positive albeit very small growth 
since, thereby avoiding the declaration of a technical recession.  The same has 
not, however, been the case in Europe where the larger countries and 
particularly Germany have seen repeated quarters of albeit minimally negative 
growth this year. 
 
Russia's invasion and war in Ukraine has continued further into its second year 
with as yet no end in sight. The human, social and economic impacts of the war 
continue to be felt locally and throughout the world.  Russia's latest tactic, 
in the face of strong resistance and now counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces, 
has been to seek to destroy Ukraine's economic productive capacity, particularly 
in the area of agricultural production and exports which represent over 10 
percent of the country's output.  In doing so, further economic and humanitarian 
damage is caused by Russia not only to Ukraine but to poorer countries around 
the world relying on Ukraine's grain exports, spreading further misery and cost 
pressures to those least able to bear them. 
 
Dividends 
 
 
We intend to pay an interim dividend of 1.75 pence per ordinary share for the 
year to 31st December 2023 on 
 
7 December 2023. This is the same level of dividend as was paid in calendar 
2022. A preference dividend of 1.75 pence per preference share will be paid on 
the same date. 
 
This dividend payment represents a yield of approximately 10 percent on the 
ordinary share price averaged over the first six month period of the year. 
 
Audit 
 
We have been notified by our auditor, Hazlewoods, that they are unable to 
continue to act as our auditor because as a firm they are withdrawing from the 
audit of listed companies. We have therefore been engaged on a formal tender 
process to identify and appoint a new auditor and I am pleased to announce that 
following this process we have appointed MHA Bakertilly to act as our auditor. 
This appointment is being separately announced today and MHA Bakertilly will 
therefore carry out the audit for the year to December 2023.  Hazelwoods has 
confirmed that there are no matters connected with its ceasing to hold office 
that need to be brought to the attention of shareholders or creditors for the 
purposes of section 519 of the Companies Act 2006 and the board would like to 
thank Hazlewoods for its professional and diligent service as auditor since 
2017.  In accordance with FCA Rule DTR 4.2.9, it is confirmed that there will be 
no auditor review of this interim statement. 
 
Outlook 
 
With the many political, social, economic and indeed climatic uncertainties 
facing the world today, both in the immediate future and in the longer-term, it 
is difficult to be very positive about the investment climate going forward. 
Inflationary pressures, while reduced, remain unconquered. Counter-inflationary 
interest rate measures may not have peaked and, if shortly to do so, might last 
longer than originally expected.  The war in Ukraine, together with its effect 
on world energy and food prices, is likely to enter a third year and this year 
has brought numerous examples of disruptive and destructive weather patterns 
world-wide which can only be expected to worsen over the coming years. While the 
attempts to control the generationally high levels of inflation have so far 
resulted in a generally softer landing than originally feared, much of the 
higher than expected economic activity, particularly in the retail, hospitality 
and travel sectors could be the result of pent up demand following the Covid 
period and the drawdown of savings built up during this latter period which may 
soon come to an end. 
 
Against the background of these uncertainties, and as the long period of 
clinical drug development by our major US investment, Geron Corporation, reaches 
its conclusion with the company's anticipated transformation into a commercially 
operating biopharma business in hematologic oncology, we will continue to 
maintain the current profile of our portfolio and aim to capture the market 
independent gains which such investment should provide. 
 
As at 27 September, company net assets were £5.7 million, a decrease of 34.5 
percent since the period end, and equivalent to 16.3 pence per share on a fully 
diluted basis.  Over the same period, the FTSE 100 index increased by 0.8 
percent, the All Share index increased by 0.5 percent. 
 
David Seligman 
 
 
28 September 2023 
 
Managing Director's Report 
 
In the first six months of 2023, our portfolio out-performed the benchmark 
indices on a total return basis by over 20 percent, as noted in the chairman's 
statement above. 
 
It is additionally worth noting that in the five years since 2018, the portfolio 
has also out-performed the benchmarks on a total return basis by a significant 
margin, outperforming the FTSE 100 index by 10 percent and the FTSE All Share 
index by 12 percent over the period.  Thus, while the portfolio NAV might have 
declined in value over that time, when dividends paid are taken into account, 
shareholders have received value considerably in excess of returns offered by 
leading UK listed companies. 
 
Given that the above results have been achieved prior to the soon to be expected 
graduation of our major investment, Geron Corporation, from clinical development 
to commercial sales, as noted above, a further period of out-performance can be 
envisaged once Geron's value is properly captured by the market. 
 
When considered against the very uncertain global outlook for investment noted 
above by the chairman, the prospect of continued portfolio out-performance which 
is not necessarily dependent upon general market trends and conditions is to be 
welcomed. 
 
Geron Corporation 
 
Since we last reported, Geron announced in June the filing of and in August the 
acceptance by the US Federal Drugs Agency (FDA) of Geron's final submission 
requesting marketing authorisation (NDA) for its ground-breaking hematologic 
oncology drug, Imetelstat This penultimate stage in the drug development process 
prior to commercialisation and marketing provides a strong degree of affirmation 
for a new drug after many years of successful clinical development and is 
normally the trigger for a significant increase in the developer's market 
value. 
 
The fact that the reverse has happened in this case and strongly against the 
trend in the NASDAQ and US Biotech indices over the period which have remained 
stable, together with the fact that the FDA also granted Geron permission to 
supply Imetelstat to patients prior to marketing authorisation in cases of 
compassionate need, defies reasonable explanation in our view and underlines the 
concerns we have expressed for many years in this report surrounding the 
constant failure of this stock to demonstrate a normal and transparent level of 
price discovery in the market. 
 
The reasons for this, as more specifically described in the previous edition of 
this report, have been generally ascribed over many years to poor investor 
communications by management and their implementation of suboptimal financing 
strategies; the inherent imbalance within the market between professional equity 
finance providers and the long lead times of the biotechnology drug development 
process which requires multiple periodic fundraising, giving such providers the 
ability to pressure management and scope to operate to their own financial 
advantage through short selling and options operations; the significant 
salaries, bonuses and options entitlements which senior (and in some cases only 
part-time) management award themselves while shareholder value notably fails to 
match the annual increases in such management compensation. 
 
We are encouraged that the long-standing CFO responsible for financing strategy 
has recently been replaced and it is to be strenuously hoped that one day, once 
the conclusion of Geron's clinical development stage has occurred with its 
transition to product commercialisation, these value detractive practices can be 
made a thing of the past with a new big pharma owner or the replacement of the 
current senior management with a younger and more dynamic  management team. 
 
Jonathan Woolf 
 
28 September 2023 
 
CONDENSED 
INCOME 
STATEMENT 
  Six months ended 30 
  June 2023 
 
                                              Unaudited 
Unaudited                                            Audited 
                                             6 months to 
 6 months to 30                                      Year ended 31 
                                               30 June 
June 2022                                         December 2022 
                                                2023 
 
                       Note      Revenue  CapitalReturn£'000  Total£'000 
RevenueReturn£'000  CapitalReturn£'000  Total£'000  RevenueReturn£'000 
CapitalReturn£'000  Total£'000 
                             return£'000 
 
  Investment income     3            944                   -         944 
79                   -          79               1,156                   - 
1,156 
Holding                                -                 747         747 
-               (333)       (333)                   -                 579 
579 
gains/(losse 
 
s) on 
investments 
at fair 
value 
through 
profit or 
loss 
  Gains/(losses) on                    -                 412         412 
-               (206)       (206)                   -               (294) 
(294) 
  disposal of 
  investments at fair 
  value through 
  profit or loss 
  Foreign exchange                    34               (113)        (79) 
(39)                 253         214                (40)                 277 
237 
  gains/(losses) 
  Expenses                         (219)               (124)       (343) 
(217)               (124)       (341)               (424)               (250) 
(674) 
                                   _____               _____       _____ 
_____               _____       _____               _____               _____ 
_____ 
  Profit/(loss)                      759                 922       1,681 
(177)               (410)       (587)                 692                 312 
1,004 
  before finance 
  costs and 
  tax 
 
  Finance costs                     (19)                (11)        (30) 
(16)                 (2)        (18)                (34)                (10) 
(44) 
                                   _____               _____       _____ 
_____               _____       _____               _____               _____ 
_____ 
  Profit/(loss)                      740                 911       1,651 
(193)               (412)       (605)                 658                 302 
960 
  before tax 
  Taxation                             7                   -           7 
9                   -           9                  16                   - 
16 
                                   _____               _____       _____ 
_____               _____       _____               _____               _____ 
_____ 
  Profit/(loss) for                  747                 911       1,658 
(184)               (412)       (596)                 674                 302 
976 
  the period 
                                   _____               _____       _____ 
_____               _____       _____               _____               _____ 
_____ 
  Earnings/(loss) per   5 
  ordinary share 
  Basic                            2.29p               3.64p       5.93p 
(0.74)p             (1.65)p     (2.39)p               1.30p               1.21p 
2.51p 
  Diluted*                         2.14p               2.60p       4.74p 
(0.74)p             (1.65)p     (2.39)p               1.30p               1.21p 
2.51p 
 
The company does not have any income or expense that is not included in profit 
for the period and all items derive from continuing operations. Accordingly, the 
`Profit/(loss) for the period' is also the `Total Comprehensive Income for the 
period' as defined in IAS 1 (revised) and no separate Statement of Comprehensive 
Income has been presented. 
 
The total column of this statement is the company's Income Statement, prepared 
in accordance with IFRS. The supplementary revenue return and capital return 
columns are both prepared under guidelines published by the Association of 
Investment Companies. 
 
All profit and total comprehensive income is attributable to the equity holders 
of the company. 
 
*Calculated in accordance with International Accounting Standard 33 `Earnings 
per Share'. 
 
CONDENSED 
STATEMENT 
OF 
CHANGES IN 
EQUITY 
Six months 
ended 30 
June 
2023 
 
                                                                               Un 
audited 
                                                                     Six months 
ended 30 
                                                                               Ju 
ne 2023 
              Sharecapital*£'000  CapitalReserve£'000  RetainedEarnings£'000 
Total£'000 
 
Balance at                35,000             (27,928)                     19 
7,091 
31 
December 
2022 
Profit for                     -                  911                    747 
1,658 
the 
period 
                        ________             ________               ________ 
________ 
Balance at                35,000             (27,017)                    766 
8,749 
30 
June 2023 
                        ________             ________               ________ 
________ 
 
                                                                               Un 
audited 
                                                                     Six months 
ended 30 
                                                                               Ju 
ne 2022 
              Sharecapital*£'000  CapitalReserve£'000  RetainedEarnings£'000 
Total£'000 
 
Balance at                35,000             (28,230)                   (43) 
6,727 
31 
December 
2021 
Loss for                       -                (412)                  (184) 
(596) 
the 
period 
                        ________             ________               ________ 
________ 
Balance at                35,000             (28,642)                  (227) 
6,131 
30 
June 2022 
                        ________             ________               ________ 
________ 
 
 
Audited 
                                                                           Year 
ended 31 
                                                                           Decemb 
er 2022 
 
 
              Sharecapital*£'000  CapitalReserve£'000  RetainedEarnings£'000 
Total£'000 
 
Balance at                35,000             (28,230)                   (43) 
6,727 
31 
December 
2021 
Profit for                     -                  302                    674 
976 
the 
period 
Ordinary                       -                    -                  (437) 
(437) 
dividend 
paid 
Preference                     -                    -                  (175) 
(175) 
dividend 
paid 
                        ________             ________               ________ 
________ 
Balance at                35,000             (27,928)                     19 
7,091 
31 
December 
2022 
                        ________             ________               ________ 
________ 
 
*The company's share capital comprises £35,000,000 (2022 - £35,000,000) being 
25,000,000 ordinary shares of £1 (2022 - 25,000,000) and 10,000,000 non-voting 
convertible preference shares of £1 each (2022 - 10,000,000). 
 
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET 
As at 30 June 2023 
 
                              Note    Unaudited30  Unaudited30     Audited31 
                                         June2023     June2022  December2022 
                                            £'000        £'000         £'000 
 
Non-current assets 
Investments - fair value                    6,403        5,194         5,600 
through profit or loss (note 
1) 
Subsidiaries - fair value                   8,014        7,109         7,712 
through profit or loss 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
                                           14,417       12,303        13,312 
 
Current assets 
Receivables                                   374          487           442 
Cash and cash equivalents                      34           23            45 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
                                              408          510           487 
 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
Total assets                               14,825       12,813        13,799 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
 
Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables                  (1,092)      (2,018)       (1,794) 
Bank credit facility                      (1,341)        (814)       (1,018) 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
                                          (2,433)      (2,832)       (2,812) 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
 
Total assets less current                  12,392        9,981        10,987 
liabilities 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
 
Non - current liabilities                 (3,643)      (3,850)       (3,896) 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
Net assets                                  8,749        6,131         7,091 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
Equity attributable to 
equity holders 
Ordinary share capital                     25,000       25,000        25,000 
Convertible preference share               10,000       10,000        10,000 
capital 
Capital reserve                          (27,017)     (28,642)      (27,928) 
Retained revenue earnings                     766        (227)            19 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
Total equity                                8,749        6,131         7,091 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
Net assets per ordinary          6          £0.25        £0.18         £0.20 
share - basic 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
Net assets per ordinary          6          £0.25        £0.18         £0.20 
share - diluted 
                                        _________    _________     _________ 
 
CONDENSED CASHFLOW 
STATEMENT 
Six months ended 30 June 
2023 
 
                             Unaudited6   Unaudited6   AuditedYear 
                            months to30  months to30       ended31 
                                   June     June2022  December2022 
                                   2023        £'000         £'000 
                                  £'000 
 
Cash flow from operating 
activities 
 
Profit/(loss) before tax          1,651        (605)           960 
 
Adjustment for: 
(Gains)/losses on               (1,159)          539         (285) 
investments 
Proceeds on disposal of 
investments at fair 
value 
through profit or loss              136          313           548 
Purchases of investments 
at fair value 
through profit or loss            (450)        (126)         (441) 
Interest                            (3)           18            44 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
Operating cash flows 
before movements 
in working capital                  175          139           826 
Decrease/(increase) in              108        (264)           109 
receivables 
(Decrease)/increase in            (594)           49       (1,351) 
payables 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
Net cash from operating 
activities 
before interest                   (311)         (76)         (416) 
Interest paid                      (23)          (4)          (21) 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
 
Net cash flows from               (334)         (80)         (437) 
operating activities 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
 
Cash flows from 
financing activities 
Dividends paid on                     -            -             - 
ordinary shares 
Dividends paid on                     -        (175)             - 
preference shares 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
 
Net cash used in                      -        (175)             - 
financing activities 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
 
Net decrease in cash and          (334)        (255)         (437) 
cash equivalents 
 
Cash and cash                     (973)        (536)         (536) 
equivalents at beginning 
of period 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
Cash and cash                   (1,307)        (791)         (973) 
equivalents at end of 
period 
                               ________     ________      ________ 
 
NOTES TO THE COMPANY'S CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
 
1. Accounting policies 
 
Basis of preparation and statement of compliance 
 
This interim report is prepared in accordance with IAS 34 `Interim Financial 
Reporting' an International Financial Reporting Standard adopted by the United 
Kingdom and on the basis of the accounting policies set out in the company's 
Annual Report and financial statements at 31 December 2022. 
 
The company's condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with 
the annual financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 which are 
prepared in accordance with UK adopted International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRS) and the Companies Act 2006. 
 
The financial statements have not been audited or reviewed by the Auditor 
pursuant to the Auditing Practices Board Guidance on 'Review of Interim 
Financial Information'. The Financial Statements for the six months to 30 June 
2023 have been prepared on the basis of the same accounting policies as set out 
in the Company's Annual Report and Financial Statements at 31 December 2022. 
 
In accordance with IFRS 10, the group does not consolidate its subsidiaries and 
therefore instead of preparing group accounts it prepares separate financial 
statements for the parent entity only. 
 
The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis except 
for the measurement at fair value of investments, derivative financial 
instruments and subsidiaries. The same accounting policies as those published in 
the statutory accounts for 31 December 2022 have been applied. 
 
Significant accounting policies 
 
In order to better reflect the activities of an investment trust company and in 
accordance with guidance issued by the Association of Investment Companies 
(AIC), supplementary information which analyses the income statement between 
items of a revenue and capital nature has been presented alongside the income 
statement. 
 
As the entity's business is investing in financial assets with a view to 
profiting from their total return in the form of interest, dividends or 
increases in fair value, listed equities and fixed income securities are 
designated as fair value through profit or loss on initial recognition. The 
company manages and evaluates the performance of these investments on a fair 
value basis in accordance with its investment strategy, and information about 
the group is provided internally on this basis to the entity's key management 
personnel. 
 
Investments held at fair value through profit or loss, including derivatives 
held for trading, are initially recognised at fair value. 
 
All purchases and sales of investments are recognised on the trade date. 
 
After initial recognition, investments, which are designated as at fair value 
through profit or loss, are measured at fair value. Gains or losses on 
investments designated at fair value through profit or loss are included in 
profit or loss as a capital item, and material transaction costs on acquisition 
and disposal of investments are expensed and included in the capital column of 
the income statement. For investments that are actively traded in organised 
financial markets, fair value is determined by reference to Stock Exchange 
quoted market closing prices or last traded prices, depending upon the 
convention of the exchange on which the investment is quoted at the close of 
business on the balance sheet date. Investments in units of unit trusts or 
shares in OEICs are valued at the closing price released by the relevant 
investment manager. 
In respect of unquoted investments, or where the market for a financial 
instrument is not active, fair value is established by using an appropriate 
valuation technique. 
 
Investments of the company in subsidiary companies are held at the fair value of 
their underlying assets and liabilities. 
 
This includes the valuation of film rights in British & American Films Limited 
and thus the fair value of its immediate parent BritAm Investments Limited. In 
determining the fair value of the film rights, estimates are made. These include 
future film revenues which are estimated by the management. Estimations made 
have taken into account historical results, current trends and other relevant 
factors. 
 
Where a subsidiary has negative net assets it is included in investments at £nil 
value and a provision for liabilities is made on the balance sheet equal to the 
value of the net liabilities of the subsidiary company where the ultimate parent 
company has entered into a guarantee to pay the liabilities as they fall 
due. 
Dividend income from investments is recognised as income when the shareholders' 
rights to receive payment has been established, normally the ex-dividend 
date. 
Interest income on fixed interest securities is recognised on a time 
apportionment basis so as to reflect the effective interest rate of the 
security. 
 
When special dividends are received, the underlying circumstances are reviewed 
on a case by case basis in determining whether the amount is capital or income 
in nature. Amounts recognised as income will form part of the company's 
distribution. Any tax thereon will follow the accounting treatment of the 
principal amount. 
 
All expenses are accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenses are charged as 
revenue items in the income statement except as follows: 
 
- transaction costs which are incurred on the purchase or sale of an investment 
designated as fair value through profit or loss are expensed and included in the 
capital column of the income statement; 
 
- expenses are split and presented partly as capital items where a connection 
with the maintenance or enhancement of the value of the investments held can be 
demonstrated, and accordingly investment management and related costs have been 
allocated 50% (2022 - 50%) to revenue and 50% (2022 - 50%) to capital, in order 
to reflect the directors' long-term view of the nature of the expected 
investment returns of the company. 
 
The 3.5% cumulative convertible non-redeemable preference shares issued by the 
company are classified as equity instruments in accordance with IAS 32 
`Financial Instruments - Presentation' as the company has no contractual 
obligation to redeem the preference shares for cash or pay preference dividends 
unless similar dividends are declared to ordinary shareholders. 
 
Going Concern 
 
The directors have assessed the ability of the company to continue as a going 
concern for a period of at least twelve months after the date of approval of 
these financial statements. The directors are satisfied that a given the assets 
of the company consist mainly of securities that are readily realisable and has 
available a credit facility with Credit Suisse, it will have sufficient 
resources to enable it to continue as a going concern. 
 
2. Segmental reporting 
 
The directors are of the opinion that the company is engaged in a single segment 
of business, that is investment business, and therefore no segmental information 
is provided. 
 
3. Income 
 
                            Unaudited   Unaudited      Audited 
                             6 months    6 months   Year ended 
                           to 30 June  to 30 June  31 December 
                                 2023        2022         2022 
                                £'000       £'000        £'000 
 
Income from investments           912          47        1,090 
Other income                       32          32           66 
                            _________   _________    _________ 
                                  944          79        1,156 
                              _______     _______      _______ 
 
During the period the company received a dividend of £867,000 (30 June 2022 - 
£nil, 31 December 2022 - £1,101,000) from a subsidiary which was generated from 
gains made on the realisation of investments held by that company. As a result 
of the receipt of this dividend, a corresponding reduction was recognised on the 
value of the investment in the subsidiary company. 
 
During the period the company recognised a foreign exchange loss of £147,000 (30 
June 2022 - £291,000 gain, 31 December 2022 - £317,000 gain) on the loan of 
$3,526,000 to a subsidiary. As a result of this loss, the corresponding movement 
was recognised in the value of the investment in the subsidiary company. 
 
Under IFRS 10 the income analysis above includes the parent company only rather 
than that of the group. In addition to the income above film revenues of £24,000 
(30 June 2022 - £47,000,       31 December 2022 - £107,000) received by the 
subsidiary British & American Films Limited and property unit trust income of 
£nil (30 June 2022 - £nil, 31 December 2022 - £1,000) was received by the 
subsidiary BritAm Investments Limited and forms part of the net profit of those 
companies available for distribution to the parent company. 
 
4. Dividends 
 
                        Unaudited6           Unaudited6          AuditedYear 
                         months to            months to             ended 31 
                           30 June              30 June             December 
                              2023                 2022                 2022 
                           Interim              Interim                Final 
 
               Pence per     £'000  Pence per     £'000  Pence per     £'000 
                   share                share                share 
 
Ordinary               -         -          -         -       1.75       437 
shares - paid 
Ordinary            1.75       437          -         -          -         - 
shares - 
proposed 
Preference             -         -          -         -       1.75       175 
shares -paid 
Preference          1.75       175          -         -          -         - 
shares 
-proposed 
                          ________             ________             ________ 
                               612                    -                  612 
                          ________             ________             ________ 
 
The dividends on ordinary shares are based on 25,000,000 ordinary £1 shares. 
Dividends on preference shares are based on 10,000,000 non-voting 3.5% 
convertible preference shares of £1. 
 
The non-payment in December 2019, in December 2020 and in June 2022 of the 
dividend of 1.75 pence per share on the 3.5% cumulative convertible preference 
shares, consequent upon the non-payment of a final dividend on the Ordinary 
shares for the year ended 31 December 2019, for the year ended 31 December 2020 
and for the period ended 30 June 2022, has resulted in arrears of £525,000 on 
the 3.5% cumulative convertible preference shares. These arrears will become 
payable in the event that the ordinary shares receive, in any financial year, a 
dividend on par value in excess of 3.5%. 
 
Amounts recognised as distributions in respect of dividends paid in each period: 
 
 
                      Unaudited6            Unaudited6           AuditedYear 
                          months                months               ended31 
                       to30 June             to30 June              December 
                            2023                  2022                  2022 
 
            Pence per      £'000  Pence per      £'000  Pence per      £'000 
                share                 share                 share 
 
Ordinary            -          -          -          -          -          - 
shares 
-Final 
Ordinary            -          -          -          -       1.75        437 
shares 
-Interim 
Preference          -          -          -          -       1.75        175 
shares 
-Fixed 
                       _________             _________             _________ 
                               -                     -                   612 
                         _______               _______               _______ 
 
5. Earnings/(loss) per ordinary share 
 
                               Unaudited   Unaudited      Audited 
                                6 months    6 months   Year ended 
                              to 30 June  to 30 June  31 December 
                                    2023        2022         2022 
                                   £'000       £'000        £'000 
Basic earnings/(loss) per 
share 
Calculated on the basis 
of: 
Net revenue profit/(loss)            572       (184)          324 
after preference dividends 
Net capital gain/(loss)              911       (412)          302 
                               _________   _________    _________ 
Net total earnings/(loss)          1,483       (596)          626 
after preference dividends 
                                 _______     _______      _______ 
 
                              Number'000  Number'000   Number'000 
 
Ordinary shares in issue          25,000      25,000       25,000 
                                 _______     _______      _______ 
Diluted earnings/(loss) 
per share 
Calculated on the basis            £'000       £'000        £'000 
of: 
Net revenue profit/(loss)            747       (184)          324 
Net capital gain/(loss)              911       (412)          302 
                               _________   _________    _________ 
Profit/(loss) after                1,658       (596)          626 
taxation 
                                 _______     _______      _______ 
 
                              Number'000  Number'000   Number'000 
 
Ordinary and preference           35,000      35,000       35,000 
shares in issue 
                                 _______     _______      _______ 
 
Diluted earnings per share is calculated taking into account the preference 
shares which are convertible to ordinary shares on a one for one basis, under 
certain conditions, at any time during the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 
2025 (both dates inclusive). 
 
6. Net asset value attributable to each share 
 
Basic net asset value attributable to each share has been calculated by 
reference to 25,000,000 ordinary shares, and company net assets attributable to 
shareholders as follows: 
 
                              Unaudited   Unaudited      Audited 
                                30 June     30 June  31 December 
                                   2023        2022         2022 
                                  £'000       £'000        £'000 
 
Total net assets                  8,749       6,131        7,091 
Less convertible preference     (2,500)     (1,752)      (2,026) 
shares at fully diluted 
value 
                             __________  __________   __________ 
Net assets attributable to        6,249       4,379        5,065 
ordinary shareholders 
                               ________    ________     ________ 
 
Diluted net asset value is calculated on the total net assets in the table above 
and on 35,000,000 shares, taking into account the preference shares which are 
convertible to ordinary shares on a one for one basis, under certain conditions, 
at any time during the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2025 (both dates 
inclusive). 
 
Basic net assets per share is calculated using a value of fully diluted net 
asset value for the preference shares. 
 
7. Non - current liabilities 
 
Guarantee of subsidiary liability         Unaudited   Unaudited      Audited 
                                            30 June     30 June  31 December 
                                               2023        2022         2022 
                                              £'000       £'000        £'000 
 
Opening provision                             3,896       3,974        3,974 
(Decrease)/increase in period                 (367)         198          303 
Transfer to allowance for doubtful debt         114       (322)        (381) 
                                         __________  __________   __________ 
Closing provision                             3,643       3,850        3,896 
                                           ________    ________     ________ 
 
The provision relates to a guarantee made by the company in respect of amounts 
owed by Second BritAm Investments Limited to BritAm Investments Limited and 
British & American Films Limited. There is no current intention for these 
liabilities to be called for immediate payment by the subsidiary companies. 
 
During the year ended 31 December 2019 as part of a transaction to hedge the 
company against exchange effects of the foreign currency loan, an amount 
corresponding to the $USD value was loaned by British & American Investment 
Trust PLC to Second BritAm Investments Limited. As a result of this, and other 
related intercompany transactions, £2,860,000 of amounts previously guaranteed 
became an asset of the company and the provision brought forward against this 
has been transferred to become an allowance against doubtful debt. During the 
period to 30 June 2022, an allowance against doubtful debt has decreased by 
£114,000 (30 June 2022 - increased by £322,000 and 31 December 2022 - increased 
by £381,000). 
 
8. Related party transactions 
 
Romulus Films Limited and Remus Films Limited have significant shareholdings in 
the company: 6,902,812 (27.6%) ordinary shares held by Romulus Films Limited and 
7,868,750 (31.5%) ordinary shares held by Remus Films Limited). Romulus Films 
Limited also holds 10,000,000 cumulative convertible preference shares. 
 
The company rents its offices from Romulus Films Limited, and is also charged 
for its office overheads. During the period the company paid £14,000 (30 June 
2022 - £14,000 and 31 December 2022 - £28,000) in respect of those services. 
 
The salaries and pensions of the company's employees, except for the three non 
-executive directors and one employee, are paid by Remus Films Limited and 
Romulus Films Limited and are recharged to the company. Amounts charged by these 
companies in the period to 30 June 2023 were £194,000 (30 June 2022 - £197,000 
and 31 December 2022 - £397,000) in respect of salary costs and £24,000 (30 June 
2022 - £22,000 and 31 December 2022 - £42,000) in respect of pensions. 
 
At the period end an amount of £179,000 (30 June 2022 - £nil and 31 December 
2022 - £nil) was due to Romulus Films Limited and the amount of £nil was due 
from Romulus Films Limited (30 June 2023 - £26,000 and 31 December 2022 - 
£69,000) and £276,000 (30 June 2022 - £436,000 and 31 December 2022 - £313,000) 
was due to Remus Films Limited. At the period end Other payables included 
amounts of £nil (30 June 2022 - £nil and 31 December 2022 - £294,705) due to 
Romulus Films Limited and £nil (30 June 2022 - £nil and 31 December 2022 - 
£137,703) due to Remus Films Limited. 
 
During the period subsidiary BritAm Investments Limited paid dividends of 
£867,000 (30 June 2022 - £nil and 31 December 2022 - £1,001,000) to the parent 
company, British & American Investment Trust PLC. 
 
British & American Investment Trust PLC has guaranteed the liabilities of 
£5,670,000 (30 June 2022 - £4,417,000 and 31 December 2022 - £5,519,000) due 
from Second BritAm Investments Limited to its fellow subsidiaries if they should 
fall due. 
 
During the period the company paid interest of £7,000 (30 June 2022 - £15,000 
and 31 December 2022 - £23,000) on the loan due to BritAm Investments Limited. 
 
During the period the company received interest of £nil (30 June 2022 - £1,000 
and 31 December 2022 - £2,000) from British & American Films Limited and £32,000 
(30 June 2022 - £31,000 and 31 December 2022 - £64,000) from Second BritAm 
Investments Limited. 
 
During the period the company entered into an investment transaction to sell 
stock for £890,000 to British & American Films Limited (30 June 2022 - £nil and 
31 December 2022 - £nil). 
 
During the period the company entered into investment transaction to purchase 
stock for £890,000 from British & American Films Limited (30 June 2022 - £nil 
and 31 December 2022 - £nil). 
 
At 30 June 2023 £4,170,000 (30 June 2022 - £4,132,000 and 31 December 2022 - 
£4,132,000) was owed by British & American Films Limited to Romulus Films 
Limited and £44,000 (30 June 2022 - £40,000 and 31 December 2022 - £42,000) to 
Remus Films Limited. Interest was paid to Romulus Films Limited of £80,000 (30 
June 2022 - £45,000 and 31 December 2022 - £121,000) at the rate of 2.5% per 
annum starting on 1 April 2023 (30 June 2022 - 1.5% over the UK Bank Rate per 
annum and 31 December 2022 - 1.5% over the UK Bank Rate per annum). The loan is 
repayable at not less than one year's notice. 
 
All transactions with subsidiaries were made on an arm's length basis. 
 
9. Retained earnings 
 
The table below shows the movement in the retained earnings analysed between 
revenue and capital items. 
 
                                       Capital       Retained 
                                       reserve  earnings£'000 
                                         £'000 
1 January 2023                        (27,928)             19 
Allocation of profit for the period        911            747 
                                     _________      _________ 
At 30 June 2023                       (27,017)            766 
                                       _______        _______ 
 
The capital reserve includes £218,000 of investment holding gains (30 June 2022 
- £2,999,000 loss, 31 December 2022 - £1,854,000 loss). 
 
10. Financial instruments 
 
Financial instruments carried at fair value 
 
All investments are carried at fair value. Other financial assets and 
liabilities of the company are held at amounts that approximate to fair value. 
The book value of cash at bank and bank loans included in these financial 
statements approximate to fair value because of their short-term maturity. 
 
Fair value hierarchy 
 
The table below analyses recurring fair value measurements for financial assets 
and financial liabilities. 
 
These fair value measurements are categorised into different levels in the fair 
value hierarchy based on the inputs to valuation techniques used. The different 
levels are defined as follows: 
 
Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or 
liabilities that the company can access at the measurement date. 
 
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are 
observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly: 
 
 1. Prices of recent transactions for identical instruments. 
 2. Valuation techniques using observable market data. 
 
Level 3: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. 
 
Financial assets and      Level   Level   Level  Total£'000 
financial liabilities    1£'000  2£'000  3£'000 
at 
fair value through 
profit or loss at 30 
June 
2023 
Investments: 
Investments held at       6,402       -       1       6,403 
fair value through 
profit 
or loss 
Subsidiary held at fair       -       -   8,014       8,014 
value through profit or 
loss 
 
Total financial assets    6,402       -   8,015      14,417 
and liabilities carried 
at fair value 
 
With the exception of the Sarossa Capital, BritAm Investments Limited (unquoted 
subsidiary) and Second BritAm Investments Limited (unquoted subsidiary), which 
are categorised as Level 3, all other investments are categorised as Level 1. 
 
Fair Value Assets in Level 3 
 
The following table shows the reconciliation from the opening balances to the 
closing balances for fair value measurement in Level 3 of the fair value 
hierarchy. 
 
                                      Level 3 
                                        £'000 
Opening fair value at 1 January 2023    7,713 
Investment holding gains                  302 
 
Closing fair value at 30 June 2023      8,015 
 
Subsidiaries 
 
The fair value of the subsidiaries is determined to be equal to the net asset 
values of the subsidiaries at period end plus the uplift in the revaluation of 
film rights in British & American Films Limited, a subsidiary of BritAm 
Investments Limited. 
 
The directors of British & American Films Limited have determined a conservative 
valuation of £2 million for the five feature films in the library. This 
valuation has been arrived at from a combination of discounting expected cash 
flows over the full period of copyright at current long term interest rates and 
a recently received independent third party professional valuation. 
 
There have been no transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy during 
the period. Transfers between levels of fair value hierarchy are deemed to have 
occurred at the date of the event or change in circumstances that caused the 
transfer. 
 
11. Financial information 
 
The financial information contained in this report does not constitute statutory 
accounts as defined in Section 435 of the Companies Act 2006. The financial 
information for the period ended 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2022 have not been 
audited by the Company's Auditor pursuant to the Auditing Practices Board 
guidance. The information for the year to 31 December 2022 has been extracted 
from the latest published Annual Report and Financial Statements, which have 
been lodged with the Registrar of Companies, contained an unqualified auditors' 
report and did not contain a statement required under Section 498(2) or (3) of 
the Companies Act 2006. 
 
DIRECTORS' STATEMENT 
 
Principal risks and uncertainties 
 
The principal risks and uncertainties faced by the company continue to be as 
described in the previous annual accounts. Further information on each of these 
areas, together with the risks associated with the company's financial 
instruments are shown in the Directors' Report and notes to the financial 
statements within the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 
2022. 
 
The Chairman's Statement and Managing Director's report include commentary on 
the main factors affecting the investment portfolio during the period and the 
outlook for the remainder of the year. 
 
Directors' Responsibilities Statement 
 
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 interim financial statements, within the half-yearly report, 
have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 'Interim Financial Reporting'. The 
Directors are required to prepare the financial statements on the going concern 
basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in 
business. The Directors further confirm that the Chairman's Statement and 
Managing Director's Report includes a fair review of the information required by 
4.2.7R and 4.2.8R of the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. 
 
The Directors of the company are listed in the section preceding the Chairman's 
Statement. 
 
The half-yearly report was approved by the Board on 28 September 2023 and the 
above responsibility statement was signed on its behalf by: 
 
Jonathan C Woolf 
 
Managing Director 
 
 
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com 
https://news.cision.com/british---american-investment-trust-plc/r/half-year-report,c3844853 
 
 
END 
 
 

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September 29, 2023 04:56 ET (08:56 GMT)

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