THE INVESTMENT COMPANY PLC - Interim Management Statement

PR Newswire

THE INVESTMENT COMPANY PLCInterim Management Statement - Four Months to 30 AprilThe Investment Company plc (the "Company") presents its interim managementstatement for the period 1 January 2014 to 30 April 2014. This constitutes theCompany's second interim management statement for the financial year ending30 June 2014, as required by the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure andTransparency Rule 4.3.Investment ObjectiveThe Company's investment objective is to provide Shareholders with anattractive level of dividends coupled with capital growth over the long term,through investment in a portfolio of equities, preference shares, loan stocks,debentures and convertibles.Review of the PeriodOver the last four months, equity markets have been volatile. Although the UKeconomy has enjoyed some acceleration of growth in the first quarter, worldeconomic trends are very modest and many larger companies are struggling torecord significant turnover growth. We continue to find individual companiesthat are able to generate organic growth and income at attractive valuations.In the period, there has been a gradual improvement in the Trust's NAVreflecting the strong contributions from the equity holdings in Plus 500,Safestyle and Gable Holdings. The Trust's major holdings in Lloyds ECNs havebeen reduced following the attractive tender offer recently.  The Trust iscurrently trading at a modest premium to the underlying net assets.We are continuing to find a promising mix of investments including equities,preference shares and bonds that can sustain a high level of growing incomealong with opportunities for capital gain.                                          30 April    31 December      % change                                              2014           2013                                        (unaudited)    (unaudited)Equity shareholders' funds             £19,013,317    £18,754,012          1.38%Number of ordinary shares in issue       4,772,049      4,772,049Net asset value per ordinary share          401.16p        395.69p         1.38%Ordinary share price (mid)                  404.50p        380.00p         6.45%Premium / (discount) to net asset             0.83%         (3.97)%valueThere were no ordinary shares bought back during the period.Twenty Largest Investments                                      Security           % of total assetsName                                    type            as at 30 April 2014Phoenix Life 7.25% SB Perp Notes        Bond                    5.7Safestyle UK                          Equities                  3.8Natwest 9% SR `A' Non Cum Prf        Pref share                 3.4Charles Taylor                        Equities                  3.1Randall & Quilter                     Equities                  3.0William Sinclair Holdings 8% CLN    Convertibles                2.9Manx Telecom                          Equities                  2.9DX (Group)                            Equities                  2.8Conygar Investments                   Equities                  2.7Friends Life                          Equities                  2.7Lancashire Holdings                   Equities                  2.7Esure                                 Equities                  2.7LBG Capital 7.625% var sub perp         Bond                    2.6Bagir Group Ltd (ILS)                 Equities                  2.6Gable Holdings                        Equities                  2.6Royal Mail                            Equities                  2.5Fishguard & Rosslare 3.5% GTD        Pref share                 2.5Prf StkBrit plc                              Equities                  2.5Fairpoint plc                         Equities                  2.4Bank of Scotland 7.281% Var Perp        Bond                    2.3Total                                                          58.4A third interim dividend of 5p per ordinary share has been declared to ordinaryshareholders on the register on 2 May 2014, and will be paid on 23 May 2014.This is an interim management statement. Full details of the Company, includingthe current share prices and NAVs, are available at www.mitongroup.com/tic.Except as reported above, the Board is not aware of any material events ortransactions occurring between 30 April 2014 and the date of publication ofthis interim management statement which would have a material impact on thefinancial position of the Company.19 May 2014Neither the contents of the Investment Company plc website nor the contents ofany website accessible from hyperlinks on the website (or any other website) isincorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.