STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Dec. 5, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc ("ASCoT") (LSE:ASL):
The Net Asset Values ("NAVs") per Ordinary Share at the close of business on December 4, 2002 for the above company were:
Basic/Undiluted NAV (Warrants Unexercised) 341.55p (Excluding Current Year Revenue) Fully Diluted NAV (Warrants Exercised) 338.48p (Excluding Current Year Revenue) Basic/Undiluted NAV (Warrants Unexercised) 348.06p (Including ALL Revenue) Fully Diluted NAV (Warrants Exercised) 344.91p (Including ALL Revenue)
As at December 4, 2002, ASCoT held 101 investments, the largest of which represented 3.1% of investable assets. The market value of investments was 287.2m pounds and total Shareholders' Funds were 291.9m pounds. Details of the top 50 holdings, the portfolio's sectoral composition and other general information can be found within Aberforth Partners' Website at http://www.aberforth.co.uk.
ASCoT invests only in small U.K. quoted companies and does not invest in any unquoted securities, AiM listed securities or securities issued by investment trusts or investment companies. ASCoT has bank debt facilities available to allow gearing of up to 25.0% of Shareholders' Funds of which 0.0% is currently utilised.
The number of Ordinary Shares of 1p currently in issue is 83,855,423. The number of Warrants to subscribe for Ordinary Shares of 1p currently in issue is 1,078,311.
Dividends are paid, semi-annually, to Ordinary Shareholders with the interim announced each July and paid in September and the final announced each January and paid in March.
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