GABELLI MERGER PLUS+ TRUST PLC
Annual Report and Accounts For the
year ended 30 June 2024
"We invest like owners. We invest primarily in the equity
securities of cash generating, franchise companies, selling in the
public market at a significant discount to our appraisal of their
Private Market Value. We define Private Market Value (PMV) as the
value an informed industrialist would pay to purchase assets with
similar characteristics in a privately negotiated transaction. We
measure PMV by scrutinizing on-and off-balance sheet assets and
liabilities and free cash flow. As a reference check, we examine
valuations and merger transactions in the public domain. Our
investment objective is to achieve a long-term annualised return in
excess of inflation for our clients."
OUR
INVESTMENT APPROACH
CONTINUING A
VALUE INVESTING LEGACY
· Our Firm's approach is
founded on the principles of Graham & Dodd
· Furthered academically by
our founder Mario Gabelli
· Establish values to
determine margin of safety
· Invest within circle of
competence
· Invest like owners of
businesses
· Intensive proprietary
research culture
· Focused and rigorous
independent fundamental analysis in valuing the underlying business
using publicly available information including data from customers,
competitors, products and new technologies
· Announcement of a merger
with definitive terms starts the process
· Merger investing benefits
from the Gabelli core fundamental approach by establishing real
world value before initiating positions
Gabelli supplements the
principles of Graham & Dodd through the implementation of our
proprietary Private Market Value (PMV)
with a Catalyst™ approach
Portfolio
Identify Catalysts
Private Market Value
(PMV)
Gabelli Research Universe
Gabelli Merger Plus + Trust Plc's primary investment objective
is to seek to generate total return consisting of
capital appreciation and current income for the long
term.
STRATEGIC REPORT
PORTFOLIO SUMMARY
LARGEST PORTFOLIO SECURITY HOLDINGS
Security1
|
Offsetting position2
|
As at 30
June 2024
|
% of
total
portfolio6
(gross)
|
Market value4 $000
|
Offsetting
market
value5
$000
|
% of
total
portfolio3
(net)
|
Hess Corp
|
|
7.2
|
4,164
|
-
|
7.3
|
U.S. Treasury Bill 1 Aug
2024
|
|
5.2
|
2,987
|
-
|
5.2
|
U.S. Treasury Bill 20 Aug
2024
|
|
5.2
|
2,978
|
-
|
5.2
|
Hashicorp Inc
|
|
4.7
|
2,714
|
-
|
4.7
|
U.S. Treasury Bill 12 Sep
2024
|
|
4.3
|
2,474
|
-
|
4.3
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Endeavor Group Holdings
|
|
3.5
|
2,038
|
-
|
3.5
|
Amedisys Inc
|
|
3.5
|
1,987
|
-
|
3.5
|
Albertsons Cos Inc
|
|
3.1
|
1,799
|
-
|
3.1
|
United States Steel Corp
|
|
2.9
|
1,678
|
-
|
2.9
|
Everbridge Inc
|
|
2.9
|
1,647
|
-
|
2.9
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Catalent Inc
|
|
2.8
|
1,625
|
-
|
2.8
|
Juniper Networks Inc
|
|
2.8
|
1,610
|
-
|
2.8
|
Pnm Resources Inc
|
|
2.8
|
1,584
|
-
|
2.8
|
Axonics Inc
|
|
2.6
|
1,489
|
-
|
2.6
|
Capri Holdings Ltd
|
|
2.4
|
1,406
|
-
|
2.4
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Squarespace Inc
|
|
2.2
|
1,237
|
-
|
2.2
|
Hibbett Inc
|
|
2.1
|
1,195
|
-
|
2.1
|
Stericycle Inc
|
|
2.0
|
1,131
|
-
|
2.0
|
National Western Life
Group
|
|
1.9
|
1,068
|
-
|
1.9
|
Haynes International Inc
|
|
1.9
|
1,065
|
-
|
1.9
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Sub-total Top 20 Holdings
|
|
66.0
|
37,876
|
-
|
66.1
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Other holdings7
|
|
34.0
|
19,612
|
(350)
|
33.9
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total holdings
|
|
100.0
|
57,488
|
(350)
|
100.0
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 Long
position.
2 Offsetting
position taken, based on the acquirer of the security when acquirer
stock is being offered in whole, or in part, to finance the
transaction.
3 Represents
the total position value (market value plus the offsetting market
value) as a percentage of the total portfolio value.
4 Market value
of the long position.
5 Market value
of the offsetting position.
6 Represents
the market value as a percentage of the total portfolio
value.
7 Includes
derivatives, individual positions are each less than $750 thousand
in market value.
Portfolio Allocation
|
%
|
Equities
|
84.0
|
Fixed income
|
16.1
|
Derivatives (contracts for
difference)
|
(0.1)
|
|
---------------
|
Total
|
100.0
|
|
=========
|
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Performance
|
As
at
30 June 2024
|
As
at
30 June 2023
|
Net asset value per share (cum
income)1,2,7
|
$10.04
|
$10.22
|
Net asset value per share (ex
income)3,7
|
$10.12
|
$10.52
|
Dividends per share paid during the
year4
|
$0.48
|
$0.12
|
Share price5
|
$9.00
|
$9.00
|
Discount to Net Asset
Value6,7
|
10.36%
|
11.94%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total returns
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
|
Net asset value per
share7,8
|
3.14%
|
10.54%
|
U.S. 3-month Treasury Bill
Index
|
5.36%
|
3.80%
|
Share price7,9
|
5.39%
|
1.33%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Income
Per Share Returns
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
|
Revenue return per share
|
$0.12
|
$0.39
|
Capital return per share
|
$0.17
|
$0.55
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total return per share
|
$0.29
|
$0.94
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Ongoing
charges7,10
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
|
Annualised ongoing charges
|
2.01%
|
2.17%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Source: Portfolio Manager (Gabelli
Funds, LLC), verified by the Administrator (State Street Bank and
Trust Company).
1 Net Asset
Value (NAV) includes balance sheet adjustments resulting from the
Company now being a close company. Such adjustments include
deferred tax assets as per Note 8 to the financial
statements.
2 Cum-income
net asset value includes all income, less the value of any
dividends paid together with the value of any dividends which have
been declared and marked ex dividend but not yet paid. Where the
cum-income NAV is lower than the ex-income NAV, this reflects the
revenue deficit.
3 Ex-Income
NAV: Ex-income net asset value is the Cum-income NAV excluding net
income (net income being all income, less the value of any
dividends paid together with the value of any dividends which have
been declared and marked ex-dividend but not yet paid).
4 The
dividends paid during the fiscal year ended 30 June 2024 were the
first, second and third interim dividends for the year ended 30
June 2023. The dividend paid during the fiscal year ended 30 June
2023 was the fourth interim dividend for the year ended 30 June
2022. The Board has continued to review and assess the Company's
distribution policy.
5 See
Chairman's Statement for discussion regarding the Specialist Fund
Segment of the London Stock Exchange, on which the Company's
Ordinary Shares trade.
6 The amount
by which the market price per share is lower than the cum-income
NAV per share, expressed as a percentage of the cum income NAV per
share. Figures are inclusive of income and dividends paid, in line
with the Association of Investment Companies (the "AIC")
guidance.
7 These key
performance indicators are alternative performance measures.
Further information regarding the use of alternative performance
measures can be found on pages 11 and 12 in the Annual Report and
Financial Statements as at 30 June 2024.
8 Net Asset
Value per ordinary share, total return represents the theoretical
return on NAV per ordinary share, assuming that dividends paid to
shareholders were reinvested at the NAV per ordinary share at the
close of business on the day shares were quoted
ex-dividend.
9 Share
Price Total Return represents the theoretical return to a
shareholder, on a closing market price basis, assuming that all
dividends received were reinvested, without transaction costs, into
the ordinary shares of the Company at the close of business on the
day the shares were quoted ex-dividend.
10 Ongoing Charges are
operating expenses incurred in the running of the Company, whether
charged to revenue or capital, but excluding financing costs. These
are expressed as a percentage of the average net asset value during
the period and this is calculated in accordance with guidance
issued by the Association of Investment Companies.
STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIR
INTRODUCTION
Gabelli Merger
Plus+ Trust Plc (the "Company") was incorporated in England and
Wales on 28 April 2017. Its shares trade under the symbol "GMP" and
have been listed on the Specialist Fund Segment of the Main Market
of the London Stock Exchange and the Official List of the
International Stock Exchange since 19 July 2017.
The Company's objective is to
generate total returns, consisting of capital appreciation and
current income. The Company's secondary objective is the protection
of capital, uncorrelated to equity and fixed income markets. The
Company has broad and flexible investment authority and,
accordingly, it may at any time have investments in other related
or unrelated areas.
This is the Company's second annual
report to shareholders as a close company, while no longer availing
itself of investment trust status, as per Section 1158 of the
Corporation Tax Act 2010 ("S1158"). The Company is classified as an
investment company and accordingly is a member of the Association
of Investment Companies ("AIC").
After consultation with minority
shareholders, the Company determined that continued adherence to
the AIC's SORP is in the best interests of the investment company
despite no longer remaining S1158 eligible. The largest
shareholder, Associated Capital Group, Inc., is intent on
continuing with the listed vehicle and growing value in the markets
in accordance with the investment policy.
The Deferred Tax Asset ("DTA")
increases the book value of the standard portfolio NAV from $9.63
per share to $10.04 per share as of 30 June 2024. The DTA is
expected to preserve tax advantages into the medium term. The Board
believes there is currently no material NAV impact to the Company
and its shareholders from the loss of S1158 status.
The Company's Ordinary Shares trade
on the Specialist Fund Segment of the London Stock Exchange.
Secondary liquidity for the Company's Ordinary Shares is available
via the trading system known as SETSqx, which is an auction based
trading process. It is quote based throughout the day, until the
auctions at U.K. times: 8am, 9am, 11am, 2pm and 4:35pm, when buyers
and sellers can cross orders with each other. As there is no market
maker, absent a "match" in prices, a trade would not occur. The
closing market price is based on the last actual trade on the day
or from any previous trading session when the last trade occurred.
Thus there would have to be a match at the prescribed auction times
to "meet" on price and quantity for an execution to
occur.
The 7 1/2% discount management
mentioned in the offering prospectus is not a policy and the Board
instead reviews overall conditions on a regular and frequent
basis.
The Board is always receptive to
feedback and welcomes any questions and comments from
shareholders.
PERFORMANCE
The Company's
Net Asset Value ("NAV") at 30 June 2024 was $10.04 per share,
generating a total return of 3.14% for the year ended 30 June
2024.
The Company has provided a total
return of 35.91% since issuance. This includes the costs of the
issue resulting in a starting NAV of $9.92 per share compared with
the issue price of $10.00 per share, and initial closing market
price of $10.15 per share.
REPURCHASE OF ORDINARY SHARES
On 31 January 2024 the Board announced the commencement of an
On-Market Repurchase ("OMT") via a SETSqx tender. On 16 February
2024 the Company announced the successful completion of the OMT, in
which the Company repurchased 19,500 Ordinary Shares.
No further buybacks or tenders are
expected at this time.
LOYALTY PROGRAMME
The
Company has implemented a Loyalty Programme to incentivise
long-term share ownership. The Loyalty Programme is open to all
shareholders who are entered in the Loyalty Register, a separate
register to allow a shareholder to increase its voting power after
holding shares for a continuous period of at least five years. Each
shareholder so registered will be entitled to subscribe for one
Special Voting Loyalty Share in respect of each Ordinary Share
held. These shares can also be used as a form of consideration when
entering into one or more agreements to acquire operating
businesses in accordance with the Investment Policy.
During the year ended 30 June 2024,
Associated Capital Group, Inc. subscribed for 6,179,100 Special
Voting Loyalty Shares, the maximum amount it was permitted under
the Loyalty Programme.
DIVIDEND
Through 30 June
2024 the Company paid dividends of $2.87 per Ordinary Share,
totaling $27.4 million:
Fiscal Year
|
Per
share
($)
|
Total
($ million)
|
2018
|
0.35
|
3.6
million
|
2019
|
0.48
|
5.0
million
|
2020
|
0.48
|
5.0
million
|
2021
|
0.48
|
4.9
million
|
2022
|
0.48
|
4.9
million
|
2023
|
0.12
|
0.8
million
|
2024
|
0.48
|
3.2
million
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
2.87
|
27.4
million
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
The Company expects to make future
dividend payments based upon the available revenue reserve,
comprised of interest and dividend income earned less operating
expenses but excluding the impact of any non-cash tax charges such
as deferred taxes. This policy will be subject to continuous review
by the Board.
EXPANSION OF OPERATING INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES
Subsequent to 30 June 2024, the Company acquired
its affiliated UK investment manager, Gabelli Securities
International UK Limited ("GSIL UK"), a limited company organised
and existing under the laws of England and Wales. The transaction
was financed through the issuance of new ordinary shares at a
premium to the Company's Net Asset Value. The Company's
shareholders will benefit from the increase to the Company's cash
and investments of approximately $1 million as it absorbs GSIL UK's
balance sheet. The acquisition positions the Company to increase
sources of income, allowing for both self-management and the
broadening of services to affiliated and third parties.
OUTLOOK
We are enthusiastic
for the year ahead.
The U.S. economy continues to
expand. Some of this is due to productivity growth (thanks to AI),
some is due to more workers in the labor force (thanks to workers
who left the work force during COVID coming back). Also helping the
economy is a huge amount of fiscal stimulus, which unfortunately
means the U.S. government is running a deficit to GDP ratio of
about 7%, unheard of in an economy near full employment. For now,
the stock market does not seem to be concerned about the huge debt
levels building up in the economy, but at some point politicians
will need to address government debt levels.
Looking ahead, the trajectory of
inflation and the resilience of the labor market will be crucial in
shaping the Federal Reserve's actions. Should inflation continue to
trend downward and labor market conditions soften, the likelihood
of rate cuts will increase. However, the Fed's commitment to a
data-driven strategy involves careful monitoring of various other
economic indicators to avoid premature adjustments that could
undermine the progress made so far.
Yields in the Treasury space will
remain influenced by Fed policy and Treasury bill supply. With
front-end yields elevated and the Fed still wary of inflation, we
expect the investment environment for government money market funds
to remain attractive. As with non-government debt, Government and
Treasury fund yields have probably peaked and will continue to
gradually decline as managers roll maturities into securities with
lower yields that are pricing in future rate reductions.
Additionally, any large supply changes in Treasury issuance may
create yield volatility on the front end.
We expect M&A activity to remain
strong with pent up demand likely to drive transaction
announcements. Companies will gain further clarity into the Federal
Reserve's interest rate policy and the upcoming U.S. presidential
election's potential impact to regulatory changes, but perhaps the
main issue which buyers and sellers continue to monitor is the more
stringent antitrust environment. Within the U.S., the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) continued its watchful eye on deals, requesting
additional information from merging parties including the energy
and healthcare sectors. Deals continue to close as merging parties
are drafting strong merger agreements with additional time to
consummate deals, in the event of regulatory delays. The drivers
for M&A activity to remain robust over the coming years include
the need to compete on a global basis, acquire new technological
advancements and enter new and growing business units.
In the current high-yielding
environment, it is strategically advantageous to allocate a portion
of the Company's assets to U.S. Treasury bills due to the numerous
benefits they offer. Treasuries stand out for their ability to
provide competitive returns when compared to other fixed-income
securities and given their short-term nature allows for frequent
reinvestment at prevailing interest rates, potentially maximizing
the overall yield of the portfolio over time. Moreover, Treasuries
are highly liquid and can be easily bought and sold without
significantly affecting their value. This liquidity not only
enhances the flexibility of the Company's investment strategy but
also allows for swift adjustments in response to changing market
conditions.
I extend a welcome to all our
shareholders for the next phase of exciting growth.
JOHN BIRCH
MARC
GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October 2024
THE
SEARCH FOR VALUE - GABELLI MERGER PLUS+ INVESTMENT
METHODOLOGY
THE
GABELLI INVESTMENT PROCESS
Private Market Value with a
Catalyst™
PROCESS IN ACTION
Gabelli
Funds approach the global marketplace in a similar fashion; we
invest like owners. Our clients own businesses through the
fractional interest of a share. We are not index benchmarked, and
construct portfolios agnostic of market capitalisation and index
weightings. We seek long-term capital appreciation for our clients
relative to inflation over the long term, regardless of market
cycles. We have invested this way since 1977.
The Gabelli Merger Plus portfolio
offers access to companies that have been identified to have
substantial disconnects between market price and our estimate of
the business value (PMV), and where catalyst events exist that may
narrow these discounts for the benefit of GMP shareholders. We thus
establish a "Margin of Safety" for our investors by identifying
differences between our estimate of PMV and the stock market price.
The process seeks to identify businesses undergoing some form of
strategic change, typically with strong organic cash flow
characteristics, balance sheets reorganizational opportunities, and
strategic operational flexibility accelerated with the prospect of
management capital allocation actions.
Catalyst merger
events can come in many forms
including, but not limited to, corporate restructurings (such
as demergers and asset sales), operational improvements, regulatory
or managerial changes, special situations (such as liquidations),
and mergers and acquisitions. Corporate mergers provide valuable
insights into corporate capital allocation decisions and therefore
help in our assessment of long-term valuations. Our proprietary
research data bases track thousands of announced deals globally and
utilises that compounded knowledge in the continued refinement of
Private Market Valuations. PMV's will change over time, and while
our analysis is long term, it is through this consistent process of
bottom up stock selection and the implementation of disciplined
portfolio construction that we expect to create value for our
shareholders annually.
In this process, we do
sector-by-sector analysis, assessing the PMV of a business, and
identifying the catalyst in place to realise returns. A company's
PMV is not constant, and changes as a function of many variables.
Our analysis emphasizes balance sheets, cash flows, and the
long‑term
defendable position of a corporation. We achieve returns through
investing in businesses utilising our proprietary Private Market
Value ("PMV") with a Catalyst™ methodology. We PMV is the value
that we believe an informed buyer would be willing to pay to
acquire an entire company in a private transaction. Our team
arrives at a PMV valuation by a rigorous assessment of fundamentals
from publicly available information. Further, PMV's are enhanced
through the analysis of announced corporate mergers and acquisition
activity. Mergers offer tangible insights into the long-term
capital allocation decisions of global corporations. We focus on
the balance sheet, earnings, free cash flow, and the management,
the stewards of corporates assets, of prospective companies. The
judgement gained from our comprehensive, accumulated knowledge
across a variety of sectors is deployed for investors in a
portfolio. Our analysts typically forecast model company operations
5 years into the future. Unlike Wall Street's earnings momentum
players, we do not try to forecast earnings with accounting
precision and then trade stocks based on quarterly expectations and
realities. We simply try to position ourselves in front of
long-term earnings trends. Throughout our research process, the
focus is on free cash flow: earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") minus the capital
expenditures necessary to grow the business. We believe free cash
flow is the best barometer of a business' value. Deteriorating or
rising free cash flow often foreshadows net earnings changes. We
also look at earnings per share trends. In addition, we analyse on
and off balance sheet assets and liabilities such as property,
plant and equipment, inventories, receivables, and legal,
environmental and health care issues. We want to know everything
and anything that will add to, or detract from, our valuation
models. This method of analysis involves looking at businesses as a
function of their assets and earnings power. We examine businesses
as if we were owners of those businesses, and we believe that we
can do that in a rational way by looking at industries on a global
basis. Our investment professionals visit with hundreds of
companies each year. Our work is proprietary, bottom up, and
involves the full utilisation of public resources.
Our analysts follow industries on a
global basis, and narrow the universe of potential investment
candidates to a short list of the most attractive companies. All
publicly available company material is reviewed, including annual
and quarterly reports, 10‑Ks, 10-Qs, and proxy
statements.
Each analyst develops an operational
understanding of their industry, effectively becoming an expert in
that industry. The analysts hone this expertise by continually
visiting companies and their senior managements, and by talking to
competitors, suppliers and customers. They also develop and
maintain government and trade sources to derive an overall
understanding of their industry. In addition, our firm hosts a
number of industry seminars, where the top executives of the
leading firms share their insights with the investment
community.
The objective of this process is to
identify companies that trade at significant differences to their
intrinsic or private market values.
We continually visit the management
of hundreds of companies and integrate their input with our
knowledge base. Our goal is to understand management's motivations
and expectations. Given our approach, we want to know who our
partners are and if they are working to enhance shareholder value.
This process, coupled with our financial analysis, helps us select
the most attractive investment candidates for our
portfolios.
We employ a three-dimensional
approach to valuation:
· Earnings per
share
· Free cash
flow
· Private market
value
The first step is to analyse the
income statement and cash flow. Cash flow is viewed as a barometer
of financial health, and often foreshadows earnings trends. We
attempt to forecast the direction and growth rates of the earnings
and cash flow streams.
The second step is to examine the
balance sheet. The corporate balance sheet is recast, assessing
real-world values of inventories, property, plant and equipment and
stated book value.
To these two analytical processes,
dynamic forecasting and static asset and liability valuation, we
add our assessment of the PMV of the business. In other words, what
would this company be worth to an informed business person
attempting to create or purchase a business with similar
characteristics?
Catalyst: Identification of a
mispriced situation, however, does not necessarily guarantee a
rewarding investment. The next step is to determine events in
businesses undergoing some form of strategic change that will help
narrow the spread between a stock's public market price and our
determination of its PMV. We call these events catalysts. Catalysts
include industry events such as consolidation, changes in the
regulatory or accounting environment, new technologies, or be
indigenous to the company itself such as financial engineering,
demergers, acquisitions or sales.
Results: After we have identified
and selected stocks that qualify as candidates based on these
fundamental and conceptual considerations, our objective is to
structure a diversified portfolio. This has been a proven long-term
method for creating wealth, risk adjusted, in the stock
market.
Manager History
The Gabelli organisation, of which Gabelli Funds,
LLC is an affiliate, began in the U.S. in 1976 as an institutional
value investing research firm. Mario Gabelli, the firm's founder,
is credited by the academic community for establishing the notion
of Private Market Value ("PMV"), the value an informed
industrialist would pay for an entire business in a negotiated
transaction. This is a long-term oriented bottom-up investment
process based on the fundamental investment principles first
articulated in 1934 by Graham and Dodd, the founders of modern
security analysis, and further augmented by Mario Gabelli in 1977
with his introduction of the concepts of PMV into equity analysis.
Gabelli has added the element of a catalyst event to generate
long-term returns. The Gabelli method, PMV with a
CatalystTM, is part of the Value Investing Curriculum at
many major business schools and is thus applied in the analysis of
public equity securities by Gabelli Funds for
shareholders.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The
Company's primary investment objective is to seek to generate total
return, consisting of capital appreciation and current income for
the long term. The Company will seek a secondary objective of the
protection of capital, uncorrelated to equity and fixed income
markets.
INVESTMENT POLICY
The
Company will seek to meet its long-term investment objective by
utilising the Gabelli Private Market Value (PMV) with a
CatalystTM, investment methodology, maintaining a
diversified portfolio of event merger arbitrage strategies to seek
to create an optimal risk/reward profile for the portfolio. The
company invests for the long term as owners with an emphasis on
cash generating, franchise companies, selling at a significant
discount to our appraisal of their Private Market Value. We define
Private Market Value (PMV) as the value an informed industrialist
would pay to purchase assets with similar characteristics in a
privately negotiated transaction.
"Event Driven Merger Arbitrage" is a
highly specialised active investment approach designed principally
to profit from the differences between PMV estimates and public
market price with returns realised through the price achieved
through corporate catalyst events. Catalysts are utilised to earn
returns independent of the broad markets' direction. This includes
corporate events such as, but not limited to, management changes,
announced mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, tender offers,
leveraged buyouts, restructurings, demergers and other types of
reorganisations and corporate actions ("deals").
The Company will invest and operate
globally although it is expected to have an emphasis on
predominantly equity securities issued by companies in the United
States of any market capitalisation. The Company is permitted to
use a variety of investment strategies and instruments, including
but not limited to: minority or majority controlling operating
interests in equity; convertible and non-convertible debt
securities; asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities; fixed
interest securities; preferred stock, non-convertible preferred
stock, depositary receipts; shares or units of UCIs or UCITS as an
investment or by management contract; rights qualifying as
transferable securities; when issued, delayed delivery transferable
securities; forward contracts; swaps; recently issued transferable
securities; repurchase agreements, money market instruments and
warrants.
The Company may invest part of its
net assets in cash and cash equivalents, money market instruments,
bonds, commercial paper or other debt obligations with banks or
other counterparties having at least a single A (or equivalent)
credit rating from an internationally recognised rating agency or
government and other public securities, if the Portfolio Manager
believes that it would be in the best interests of the Company and
its Shareholders. This may be the case, for example, if the
Portfolio Manager believes that adverse market conditions justify a
temporary defensive position. Any cash or surplus assets may also
be temporarily invested in such instruments pending investment in
accordance with the Company's investment policy.
The Company may take both long and
short positions in equity and debt securities. For shorting
purposes, the Company may use indices, individual stocks, or fixed
income securities. The Company is a long-term investor and does not
seek to generate short-term returns or profits from trading or
hedging. While taking a long-term view, the Company will realise
opportunities from hedging or for shorter-term gains when
appropriate.
The Company may utilise financial
derivative instruments to create both long and synthetic covered
short positions with the aim of maximising positive returns. The
Company may use strategies and techniques consisting of options,
futures contracts, and currency transactions and may enter into
total rate of return, credit default, or other types of swaps and
related derivatives for various purposes, including to gain
economic exposure to an asset or group of assets that may be
difficult or impractical to acquire.
The Company may also use derivatives
for efficient portfolio management purposes including, without
limitation, hedging and risk management and leverage.
The Company has broad and flexible
investment authority and, accordingly, it may at any time have
investments in other related or unrelated areas. Strategies and
financial instruments utilised by the Company may include, but are
not limited to: (i) purchasing or writing options (listed or
unlisted) of any and all types including options on equity
securities, stock market and commodity indices, debt securities,
futures contracts, future contracts on commodities and currencies;
(ii) trading in commodity futures contracts, commodity option
contracts and other commodity interests including physical
commodities; (iii) borrowing money from brokerage firms and banks
on a demand basis to buy and sell short investments in excess of
capital; (iv) entering into agreements to acquire operating
businesses including managing assets for third parties and (v)
entering into swap agreements (of any and all types including
commodity swaps, interest rate swaps and currency swaps), forward
contracts, currencies, foreign exchange contracts, warrants, credit
default swaps, synthetic derivatives (for example, CDX),
collateralised debt obligations tranches, and other structured or
synthetic debt obligations, partnership interests or interests in
other investment companies and any other financial instruments of
any and all types which exist now or are hereafter
created.
No material change will be made
without shareholder approval.
PORTFOLIO MANAGER'S REVIEW
Gabelli catalyst event merger
arbitrage offers investors broad and flexible investment
authority
· PMV with a Catalyst selection across all
sectors and capitalizations
· Full use of Gabelli organisation resources:
proprietary research, portfolio management, risk control and
trading
· Fundamental research-driven investment
process
· Opportunities to maximize returns regardless
of market direction
· Minimize overall market
correlation
Enhanced Risk and
Return
Liquidations
Deep Value
Special Situations
Announced Deals
Stable, Cash flow
generators
Margin of Stable
Low
Hight
Catalyst Timeline
Short
Term
Long Term
METHODOLOGY AND MARKET OPPORTUNITY
In this context, let us outline our investment
methodology and the investment environment through 30 June
2024.
Merger arbitrage is a highly
specialized investment approach designed principally to profit from
corporate events, including the successful completion of proposed
mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts,
restructurings, demergers, and other types of corporate
reorganisations and actions. As arbitrageurs, we seek to earn the
differential, or "spread," between the market price of our
investments and the value ultimately realized through deal
consummation.
We are especially enthusiastic about
the opportunities to grow client wealth in the decades to come, and
we highlight below several factors that should help drive results.
These include:
· Increased market
volatility, which enhances our ability to establish positions for
the prospect of improved returns
· A robust market for
corporate deal making as conditions continue to provide an
accommodative market for mergers and acquisitions
· A normalized
interest rate environment, providing attractive merger spread
opportunities
· The Fund's
experienced investment team, which pursues opportunities globally
through the disciplined application of Gabelli's investment
methodology
GLOBAL DEAL ACTIVITY1
Global deal merger and acquisition activity
("M&A") totalled $1.5 trillion during the first half of 2024, a
year over year increase of 18%. This increase was largely driven by
the return of the "mega deal"-those greater than $10 billion- which
totalled $363 billion, an increase of 70% compared to 2023. Deals
with value under $500 million, on the other hand, accounted for
$354 billion during the first half, down 13% year over
year.
The United States continued to be
the most popular venue for transactions. Deals involving United
States-based targets increased 39% year over year and accounted for
53% of global deal activity. European M&A tallied $343 billion
of transactions over the same period, an increase of 39%. Asia
Pacific target M&A lagged-totalling $226 billion-a 24% decrease
year over year.
Cross border M&A activity
totalled $505 billion during the first half of the year, an
increase of 15% year over year. Private equity deals saw an uptick
as well, an increase of 36% compared to the same period last year.
Private equity accounted for 24% of total deal activity.
The Technology sector was the
biggest contributor to merger activity during the first half,
totalling $265 billion, accounting for 17% of total announced deal
volume. The Energy & Power sector also accounted for 17% of
deal activity.
PORTFOLIO IN REVIEW
Equity
markets continued their move higher to start the year, as the Fed's
ability to orchestrate a "soft landing"- taming inflation while
avoiding a recession-seems increasingly likely with every data
release. Through the first six months of 2024, the S&P 500
returned 15%; however, similarly to 2023, this performance was
driven by a handful of stocks. The top ten stocks accounted for 70%
of the returns with the remaining 490 stocks returning only
4%.
Our merger arbitrage portfolios earn
returns from taking asymmetrical deal risk and not market risk. The
return profile of the fund is a function of investing in M&A
transactions, earning a "spread" upon deal closure, and reinvesting
that capital into newly announced deals. The opportunity set of
transactions we are seeing in the market is robust, as some of the
M&A headwinds from the last few years appear to have abated. A
plateauing of interest rates, increasing understanding of the
regulatory hurdles necessary to complete M&A, and equilibrium
in buyer/seller expectations have all helped to spur M&A
activity so far in 2024, which totalled $1.5 trillion globally, up
18% year over year. "Mega deals"-deals over $10 billion in
value-have also seen a resurgence, up 70% so far this year.
Additionally, private equity backed M&A accounted for $370
billion, an increase of 36% compared to the first half of
2023.
Merger arbitrage spreads continue to
remain attractive. As we have discussed in the past, the risk-free
rate is one of the components of a deal spread and should drive
spread levels for transactions on the safer side of the risk
spectrum. Even with Federal Reserve rate cuts looming, we expect a
more normalized interest rate environment than we have seen over
the past decade; thus creating a more compelling spread environment
going forward. Spread levels for deals that skew on the riskier
side have naturally remained wider and will continue to be driven
by regulatory and other specific risks involved. While regulators
have been more aggressive in recent years in challenging
transactions such as Capri and Albertson's, the vast majority of
transactions are able to close. We feel this regulatory environment
has created unique investment opportunities with an attractive
risk/reward.
We continue to find attractive
investment opportunities in newly announced and pipeline deals. We
remain focused on investing in highly strategic, well-financed
deals with an added focus on near-term catalysts, and are upbeat
about our prospect to generate absolute returns.
1 Thomson Reuters
M&A Review - First Half 2024
NOTABLE CONTRIBUTORS TO PERFORMANCE INCLUDE:
Commercial and
Industrial Services
Applus Services (APPS-SM), a Spanish testing and inspection
company, was the subject of a competitive bidding process between
private equity firms, which began last summer. Apollo initially bid
9.50 for the company, while I Squared and TDR offered to pay 9.75.
After multiple rounds of bidding, the Spanish markets regulator,
CNMV, confirmed in April that the I Squared and TDR consortium
submitted the winning bid of 12.78 cash per share, or approximately
1.7 billion.
Music and Entertainment
Hipgnosis Songs Fund (SONG-LN), a UK based portfolio of music
rights, also benefitted from a bidding war. Hipgnosis will be
acquired by Blackstone for $1.31 cash per share or $1.6 billion.
Hipgnosis originally agreed to be acquired by Concord Music for
$1.14 cash per share or $1.4b. Blackstone made a competing offer of
$1.24 cash per share, which Concord Music countered by raising
their bid to $1.25. Blackstone ultimately delivered the knockout
bid of $1.30, which it eventually upped to $1.31 cash per
share.
Biotech Pharma
Immunogen (IMGN-NASDAQ), a biotechnology company developing
targeted therapies to treat cancer, was acquired by AbbVie in
February for $31.26 cash per share, or about $9 billion. Shares of
Immunogen traded at a 6% discount to deal terms in the days before
the deal closed, reflecting the uncertainty over whether the US FTC
would launch a phase 2 antitrust investigation, but the FTC
approved the deal and it subsequently closed on February
13.
Karuna Therapeutics (KRTX-NASDAQ), a
biopharmaceutical company whose next generation drug KarXT has been
submitted to the FDA for approval to
treat schizophrenia and will likely be used to
treat other neurological disorders, received US antitrust approval
to be acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb. Under terms of the
agreement Karuna shareholders received $330 cash per share, or
about $12 billion. Shares of Karuna traded at a large discount to
deal terms (as much as 5% gross) in the weeks leading up to
approval as investors debated the likelihood of the FTC clearing
the deal, or pushing it into a phase 2 review, which would have
extended the timeline of the transaction.
Energy and Exploration
Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD-NYSE), an independent oil and gas
exploration and production company in Texas, was acquired by Exxon
Mobil following an extended antitrust review that yielded minor
concessions by the merging companies as a condition to FTC
approval. Under terms of the agreement Pioneer shareholders
received 2.3234 shares of Exxon Mobil common stock, which valued
the transaction at $68 billion.
Cloud Computing and Data
Splunk (SPLK-NASDAQ), which develops software that monitors,
detects and protects enterprise computer systems, was acquired by
Cisco Systems for $157 cash per share, or about $28 billion. The
deal closed faster than initially expected after receiving US
antitrust approval without an extended review, and the deal closed
shortly after receiving clearance from the European
Commission.
MERGER INVESTING
Merger
arbitrage is a highly specialised component of a portfolio. The
investment approach is designed principally to profit from
corporate events, including the successful completion of proposed
mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts,
restructurings, demergers, and other types of corporate
reorganisations and other actions. As arbitrageurs, we seek to earn
the differential, or "spread," between the market price of our
investments and the value ultimately realised through deal
consummation.
INVEST LIKE OWNERS Corporate
Mergers Provide Valuable Insights
Fundamental and Active Complement to Long-Term Value
Investing
CAPITAL ALLOCATION
Ideas sourced from proprietary
database of Gabelli PMV with Catalyst original research coupled
with rigorous analysis of valuations provided as corporations
allocate capital through announced corporate events and M&A
transactions worldwide
RIGOROUS ANALYSIS
Focus on strategic, cash
transactions with financing secured
Understand all downside risks including its fundamental
basis
Focus on legal and governance, MAC clauses, financing
conditions, shareholders' votes
Analyse all deal issues such as antitrust / regulatory
items
DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT
Real time
monitoring of spreads/positions
Extensive proprietary database
Actively traded as the event progresses and according to
closing
Positions are increased gradually as transaction hurdles are
passed
Gabelli "PMV with a Catalyst"
TM One Process Globally
· Targeted strategy
to achieve superior total returns, non correlated to the broad
market
· Preservation and
growth of investor capital
· Provides
diversification to traditional equity and fixed income
portfolios
STRATEGY
OUR
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ("KPIS")
The Company's strategy is to generate returns for its
shareholders by pursuing its investment objective while mitigating
shareholder risk, by investing in a diversified spread of equity
investments. Through a process of bottom-up stock selection and the
implementation of disciplined portfolio construction, we aim to
create value for the Company's shareholders.
The largest holdings in the
Company's portfolio are listed in the Portfolio Summary.
GEARING POLICY
At the sole
discretion of the Portfolio Manager, the Company may use leverage
as part of its investment programme. It is anticipated that the
Company will structurally gear and use tactical leverage or
portfolio borrowings in an amount (calculated at the time of
investment) of around 2 times of the Net Asset Value, subject to
maximum gearing of 2.5 times the Net Asset Value. Please refer to
the Glossary for further discussion of gearing.
LEVERAGE
Leverage is
calculated using two methods: i) Gross method and ii) Commitment
method. For further details please see the Glossary.
BUSINESS MODEL
Please see
the Process in Action on page 6.
BOARD DIVERSITY
Please see
the "Board Diversity" section in the Corporate Governance
Report.
KEY
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ("KPIS")
The Board recognises that it is
share price performance that is most important to the Company's
shareholders. Fundamental to share price performance is the
performance of the Company's net asset value. The central priority
is to generate returns for the Company's shareholders through net
asset value and share price total return, and discount
management.
For the year ended 30 June 2024, the
Company's KPIs, as monitored closely by the Board at each meeting,
are listed below:
Net Asset Value Total Return
Year ended 30 June 20241
3.14%
(30 June 2023: 10.54%)
Share Price Total Return
Year ended 30 June 20242
5.39%
(30 June 2023: 1.33%)
Discount to Net Asset Value
Year ended 30 June 20243
10.36%
(30 June 2023: 11.94%)
The above table sets out the key
KPIs for the Company. These KPIs fall within the definition of
'Alternative Performance Measures' (APMs) under guidance issued by
the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Information
explaining how these are calculated is set out in the Glossary.
These KPIs including APMs have been carefully selected by the Board
on discussion with the Portfolio Manager, to give the most
appropriate overview of performance in the financial year to
shareholders and other stakeholders.
Performance measured against various indices
|
The Company does not use a
benchmark. However, at each meeting the Board reviews and compares
portfolio performance in the context of the performance of the ETF
MNA and Credit Suisse Merger Arb Liquid indices.
Information on the Company's
performance is given in the Chairman's Statement and the Portfolio
Manager's Review.
|
Share Price Total Return
|
The Company's primary investment
objective is to seek to generate total return consisting of capital
appreciation and current income for the long term.
In order to allow the Shareholders
to realise a predictable, but not assured, level of cash flow and
some liquidity periodically on their investment, the Company has
adopted a "managed dividend policy". This policy seeks to pay
Shareholders a quarterly dividend in relation to the Net Asset
Value of the Company at the time, which may be changed at any time
by the Board. Between inception and 30 June 2024, the Company
returned $2.87 per share to shareholders, consistent with its
dividend policy. Dividends are paid only when declared by the Board
subject to the Board's assessment of the Company's financial
position and only if the Company has sufficient income and
distributable reserves to make the dividend payment, and the level
of dividend may vary over time. As such, the portfolio's managed
distribution of capital through the payment of quarterly dividends
is under review as we enter the new Fiscal Year. Additional
information can be found in the Glossary.
|
Share price discount to net asset value (NAV) per
share
|
The NAV per share is published on a
daily basis on the London Stock Exchange and The International
Stock Exchange. The NAV is calculated in accordance with the
Association of Investment Companies (AIC) formula.
At each Board meeting, the Board
monitors the level of the Company's discount to NAV, the changes
thereto and the reason for such changes. The Directors recognise
the importance to investors that the shares should not trade at a
significant discount to NAV. Accordingly, the Board would consider
implementing a share buy back programme to ensure that the share
price does not trade at a significant discount to the
NAV.
In the year under review, the
Company's shares traded at a discount of 10.36% as of 30 June 2024
and at a discount of 11.94% as of 30 June 2023.
|
1 Net Asset
Value per ordinary share, total return represents the theoretical
return on NAV per ordinary share, assuming that dividends paid to
shareholders were reinvested at the NAV per ordinary share at the
close of business on the day shares were quoted
ex-dividend.
2 Share
Price Total Return represents the theoretical return to a
shareholder, on a closing market price basis, assuming that all
dividends received were reinvested, without transaction costs, into
the ordinary shares of the Company at the close of business on the
day the shares were quoted ex-dividend.
3 The amount
by which the market price per share is lower than the cum-income
NAV per share, expressed as a percentage of the cum-income NAV per
share. Figures are inclusive of income and dividends paid, in line
with the Association of Investment Companies ("AIC")
guidance.
Performance is assessed on a total
return basis for the NAV and share price.
CUMULATIVE PERFORMANCE CHART (USD) FROM 19 JULY
2017
Cumulative performance from 1
October 2022 includes the deferred tax asset.
1 The
Company presents returns compared to the Credit Suisse Merger
Arbitrage Liquid Index ("Credit Suisse Index") and NYLI Merger
Arbitrage ETF ("MNA", and formerly IQ Merger Arbitrage ETF ).
The Credit Suisse Index attempts to employ the merger arbitrage
strategy by using a quantitative methodology to track a dynamic
basket of securities held as long or short positions and cash
weighted in accordance with the index rules to reflect publicly
announced merger and acquisition transactions that meet certain
qualifying conditions, including that deals have arbitrage
potential. MNA's investment approach is designed to track the
performance of the NYLI Merger Arbitrage Index, which seeks to
employ a systematic investment process designed to identify
opportunities in companies whose equity securities trade in
developed markets, including the U.S., and which are involved in
announced mergers, acquisitions and other buyout-related
transactions. Given the investment strategy of the Company, these
are deemed to be appropriate comparators.
.
DIVIDEND HISTORY
|
$ per
share
|
Ex
dividend date
|
Record
date
|
Payment
date
|
Third interim 2023
|
0.12
|
29
February 2024
|
1 March
2024
|
15 March
2024
|
Second interim 2023
|
0.24
|
15
February 2024
|
16
February 2024
|
1 March
2024
|
First interim 2023
|
0.12
|
24 August
2023
|
25 August
2023
|
8
September 2023
|
|
---------------
|
|
|
|
Total
|
0.48
|
|
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
The Board continues to review and
assess the Company's distribution policy.
PRINCIPAL RISKS
The Company continues to have
exposure to a variety of risks and uncertainties, and the Audit
& Risk Committee has focused attention on identifying and
mitigating key risks likely to crystallise in the current economic
environment. The Board continues to prioritise a robust system of
controls to minimise exposure to global macro events in particular,
which remains highlighted as a generic risk as in recent Annual
Reports.
The Directors confirm that they have
carried out a further robust assessment of the principal risks
facing the Company during the year, including those that would
threaten its investment objective, business model, future
performance, solvency or liquidity. The Company maintains a risk
register which sets out the risks facing the Company, the
likelihood and potential impact of each risk and the controls
established for mitigation. The risk register is reviewed by the
Audit & Risk Committee on a regular basis throughout the
financial year and was specifically refreshed in 2023 to introduce
more stringent risk ratings for each risk and to reflect the impact
of related mitigating controls.
The core principle risks set out in
the 2023 Annual Report remain largely unchanged, however there are
some risks that have emerged which are set out in the following
table with an explanation of how they are mitigated. On review
during the year, the Board re-rated several principal risks and
considered the adequacy of mitigating controls in place across the
Company's operations and those of its key third party providers.
The Audit & Risk Committee has also specifically considered the
risks associated with the Portfolio Manager's use of Contracts for
Difference within the investment strategy which on review, were
felt to continue to be appropriate. The risk narrative in the table
below includes a summary of the actions taken to position the
Company to withstand the related effects for markets and
investments:
Risk
|
Mitigation
|
Investment Portfolio Risks
|
Decline in the U.S. equity
markets.
Excessive Portfolio
Concentration
|
By investing in a diversified
portfolio and adhering to a carefully monitored series of
investment restrictions, enabled by automated pre-trade compliance
features and daily review of trade tickets. These strictures
mandate that no single security purchase can, at the time of
investment, account for more than 15% of the gross assets of the
Company. The Board meets the portfolio management team quarterly at
the Board meetings to review the risk factors and their effects on
the portfolio, and a thorough analysis of the investment strategy
is undertaken.
|
Deal Failure Risk
|
The increased scrutiny by U.S. and
UK anti-trust authorities on M&A cross border transactions
represents an additional source of deal failure risk which the
Investment Manager can mitigate via appropriate portfolio
diversification and careful stock picking.
|
Counterparty Risk
|
The Board and the Portfolio Manager
regularly monitor the Company's exposure to its counterparties.
This oversight is intended to minimize the likelihood of loss to
the Company resulting from a counterparty's failure to meet its
obligations.
|
Global Macro Events Risks
|
|
Sharp Interest Rate
Changes
|
The Portfolio Manager monitors the
interest rate environment and how those changes would potentially
impact the Company's investment strategy.
|
Operational Risks
|
|
Outsourcing The operational
functions of the Company are outsourced to third parties. Systems
disruptions, control failures, fraud or inadequate disaster
recovery provisions at key service providers could adversely impact
the Company.
|
All third party service providers report to the Board on a regular
basis and their reports and representations are reviewed by the
Board, the AIF Manager and the Portfolio Manager.
|
A state-backed cyberattack could
also result in widespread disruption across the financial
industry.
|
Whilst the Board takes all
reasonable endeavours to safeguard the Company from a cyberattack
on this scale, complete mitigation of this external risk cannot be
guaranteed; however the Board, together with its service providers
remain vigilant to the likelihood of such an event in the current
climate and have improved the company's readiness to reduce
disruptions to the company's activities, in the event of such
threat.
|
Fraud and
cybersecurity vulnerability could increase for key
service providers. Such events are external to the management and
beyond the control of the Company.
|
The Board relies on assurances from
the Company's key third-party providers that they have appropriate
and adequate cybersecurity policies in place to mitigate the risk
of a cyberattack. The Board keep these policies under review by
receiving regular presentations from the Heads of cybersecurity of
its service providers, who describe in detail the efforts they take
to secure the company's data and to mitigate the risks of loss or
potential damages that could result from such attacks.
|
Unforeseen global events such as
geopolitical crisis, war, act of terrorism or outbreak of pandemics
could lead to dramatically increased market instability and Company
share price volatility a decline in cross-border M&A
activity.
|
Global economic, geopolitical, and
financial conditions are constantly monitored. Diversification of
Company assets is incorporated into the investment strategy and, if
disruptive events occur, the Manager is prepared to adopt a
temporary defensive position and invest some or all of the
Company's portfolio in cash or cash equivalents, money market
instruments, bonds, commercial paper, or other debt obligations
with banks or other counterparties, with appropriate ratings as
determined by an internationally recognised rating agency and
approved by the Board. Another option is the investment in
"government and public securities" as defined for the purposes of
the Financial Conduct Authority Handbook.
The Manager continues to carefully
manage the Company's investments to protect shareholders' interests
and to position the Company to benefit from future performance of
markets in line with its key investment principles.
|
Equity Market Volatility
|
|
Equity Market Volatility, which may
cause a widening of bid-ask spreads and a wider price discount to
NAV.
|
To address a discount, the Board may
consider using share buybacks, through which shares would be
repurchased when trading at a discount from NAV, up to a maximum
percentage of 14.99% of the issued share capital. The Company has
continued its shareholder engagement programmes to increase its
visibility and interaction with existing and potential
investors.
|
Financial Risks
|
|
Comprise: (i) share price risk
(comprising interest rate risk, currency risk and other price
related risks); (ii) liquidity risk; (iii) credit risk and (iv)
Derivative risk.
|
Further details of these risks are
disclosed in Note 12 to the financial statements together with a
summary of the policies for managing these risks.
|
Tax
Risks
|
|
The Company is no longer eligible to
avail itself of Investment Trust Status as per Section 1158 of the
Corporation Tax Act 2010 and is consequentially exposed to UK
corporation tax payments.
|
The Company has engaged reputable,
external tax consultants with whom the management team consults
with on a regular basis and from whom the Board now receives
periodic updates to ensure the Company remains compliant with any
tax-related payments and disclosures.
|
Corporate Governance and Regulatory Compliance
Risks
|
Damage to the Company's reputation
through inadequate corporate governance arrangements.
|
The Board complies with good
governance practices in accordance with the Association of
Investments Companies'' ("AIC") Code of Corporate Governance
guidelines which endorse the UK Corporate Governance Code. The
Board and its Committees actively perform self-assessments of
compliance through the annual effectiveness evaluations and receive
regular advice from by the Company Secretary in relation to any
regulatory changes within the corporate governance landscape that
may impact the company.
|
Failure to comply with legal and
regulatory requirements.
|
The Company receives and responds to
guidance from both its external and internal advisors on compliance
with the Listing Rules, the Financial Conduct Authority's
Disclosure and Transparency Rules, UK Companies Act 2006, and other
applicable regulations.
|
Emerging Risks
|
Mitigation
|
Geopolitical Risks
|
|
Geopolitical risks have risen with
Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.
The impact of sanctions and the rise in commodity prices are likely
to be primary influences on markets. Rising commodity prices and
further disruption to supply chains shall exacerbate inflationary
pressure and may also create a negative impact on global growth,
with Europe at particular risk.
|
The Board is keeping these evolving
risks and market pressures under constant review and will continue
to monitor the volatility around investee company valuations and
implications for the Company's likely future dividend income
stream.
|
VIABILITY & GOING CONCERN STATEMENT
In accordance with the provisions of
the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Directors have assessed the
prospects of the Company over a longer period than the 12 months
referred to in the 'Going Concern' guidelines and the Company's
accounting policy.
The Board conducted this review
focusing on a period of five years. This period was selected as it
is aligned with the Company's investment objective of generating
total return, consisting of capital appreciation and current income
for the long term. In making this assessment the Board also
considered the Company's principal risks.
Investment Companies in the UK
operate in a well established and robust regulatory environment and
the Directors have assumed that:
· Investors will
continue to want to invest in closed-end investment companies
because the fixed capitalisation structure is suited to pursuing
the Portfolio Manager's proprietary long-term PMV with a
CatalystTM investment strategy;
· The Company's remit
of investing globally with an emphasis on securities traded in the
U.S., and predominantly equity securities issued by companies of
any market capitalisation will continue to be attractive to
investors.
· The UK's well
established investment and robust regulatory environment will
continue as such and will remain an attractive global domicile for
the Company's remit.
As with all investment vehicles,
there is a risk that the performance of individual investments will
vary and that capital may be lost, but this is not regarded as a
threat to the viability of the Company.
Operationally, the Company retains
title to all assets, and cash and securities are held with a
custodian bank approved by the Portfolio Manager and the
Board.
The nature of the Company's
investments means that solvency and liquidity risks are low
because:
· The Company's
portfolio is invested in readily realisable, listed
securities;
· The closed-end
nature of the Company means that, unlike an open-ended fund, it
does not need to liquidate positions when shareholders wish to sell
their shares; and
· The expenses of the
Company are predictable and modest in comparison with the assets
and there are no capital commitments currently foreseen which would
alter that position.
· The taxation of the
Company as a close investment company is predictable and modest in
comparison with the return profile of the investment programme and
as a result of regular consultation with shareholders, an effort to
undertake the mitigation of such close status taxation, such as a
re-domiciliation, is not expected in the next 12 months.
The Board has closely monitored the
impact of the war in Ukraine. Those impacts and related continuing
uncertainty have short and potentially medium term implications for
the Company's investment strategy. The Board is continuing to
monitor the implications of the Company no longer having investment
trust status and its implications on the Company's investment
return profile over the longer term. In context, the Board
continuously monitors the Company's investment portfolio, liquidity
and gearing, along with levels of market activity, to appropriately
minimise and mitigate consequential risks to capital and future
income such as geopolitical risks, financial risks etc. The risks
are discussed in more detail in the Chairman's Statement and on
pages 13 to 14.
Taking these factors into account,
the Directors confirm that they have a reasonable expectation that
the Company will continue to operate and meet its
expenses.
The Company's portfolio consists
primarily of U.S. investments. Accordingly, the Company believes
that the post "Brexit" arrangements introduced by the U.K.
government and market U.K. government and market regulators will
not materially affect the prospects for the Company, but the Board
and Portfolio Manager will continue to keep developments under
review.
This Viability & Going Concern
Statement, the Strategic Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 and
the s172 statement have been approved by the Board and signed on
its behalf by:
JOHN BIRCH
MARC
GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October 2024
GOVERNANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Directors of the Company who
were in office during the year and up to the date of the signing of
the financial statements were as follows:
MARCO BIANCONI
Independent non-executive Director
Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, member of the
Conflicts and Remuneration Committees
Marco is Corporate Development,
M&A and Investor Relations Director at Cementir Holding N.V. an
international Building Materials manufacturer quoted on the Italian
Stock exchange. He previously served for five years as CFO of its
parent company Caltagirone SpA. Prior to this he worked for over
eight years at Fidelity Investments in London as Portfolio Manager
and Pan-European Equity Analyst. Marco holds a number of
non-executive roles within the Cementir group and is non-executive
director at Henderson European Focus Trust Plc. Marco holds an MBA
at NYU Stern School of Business, class 1996 and he is a Chartered
Accountant since 1990.
Appointed on 5 June 2017.
JOHN BIRCH
Non-executive Director and Co-Chairman
Chair of the Management Engagement and Conflicts Committees,
member of the Remuneration and Nomination
Committees
John is the Managing Partner of The
Cardinal Partners Global S.a.r.l. Previously he was Chief Operating
Officer of Sentinel Asset Management, Inc. and Sentinel
Administrative Services, Inc., both members of National Life Group.
He has also held senior roles in State Street, American Skandia
Investment Services, Inc., Gabelli Funds, Inc. and Gabelli
International. He has an MA in Tax and over 30 years experience in
asset management.
Appointed on 5 June 2017.
MARC GABELLI
Non-executive Director and Co-Chairman
Chair of the Nomination Committee
Marc is a director and President of
the Portfolio Manager's parent company, GGCP, a director of
Associated Capital Group "ACG" and is a Senior Portfolio Manager at
Gabelli. As a fund manager, his focus is global value equity
investments. He has managed several Morningstar five star mutual
funds, and a Lipper #1 ranked global equity mutual fund. Marc is
active in a variety of charitable educational efforts in the United
States and United Kingdom. He has lived and worked in the U.K. at
various times, beginning in 1990. He is a graduate of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) Sloan School of
Management.
Appointed on 28 April
2017.
JOHN NEWLANDS
Independent non-executive Director
Member of the Audit & Risk Committee
John has served more than twenty
years in the City of London, most recently with Brewin Dolphin
Limited as Head of Investment Companies Research from 2007 to 2017.
He was a member of the Association of Investment Companies
Statistics' Committee from 2000 to 2017. He has an MBA from
Edinburgh University Business School and is a Chartered Electrical
Engineer. He has written four books about financial history, the
most recent charting the history of Dunedin Income Growth
Investment Trust. He is a non executive director of CQS New City
High Yield Fund and Chair of Develop North PLC and Deputy Chair of
the Investment Committee of Durham Cathedral.
Appointed on 8 February
2018.
YUJI SUGIMOTO
Independent non-executive Director
Member of the Nomination, Conflicts and Management Engagement
Committees
Yuji has over 37 years experience in
financial markets. He is a former Executive Director of Sumitomo
Mitsui Banking Corporation in the US. Prior to this Yuji co-managed
Japanese/Pan-Asian institutional research sales as a Managing
Director at Lehman Brothers / Barclays. From 2003 to 2007 he
managed a New York based Japanese equity hedge fund Sugimoto
Capital Management LLC, which he founded. He started his career at
Salomon Brothers working for 24 years in New York, London, Hong
Kong and Tokyo in a number of institutional sales management
positions as a Managing Director. He has a MBA from the University
of Southern California and a B.A. in Economics from Columbia
University.
Appointed on 5 June 2017.
JAMES WEDDERBURN
Independent non-executive Director
Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit
& Risk Committee
James has over 40 years experience
in the investment industry. From 1999 to 2017 he was Director of
the family office of Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust
social mobility charity, where he was responsible for all financial
and investment matters and closely involved with the charity's
finances. He worked previously at financial group Hamilton Lunn
monitoring the global investments of ultra high net worth clients
and, prior to that, was a fund manager at Invesco MIM and Samuel
Montagu responsible for UK pension fund and charity clients. James
spent his early career as a UK equity research analyst at Cazenove
and Laing & Cruickshank after graduating from Oxford
University.
Appointed on 15 November
2017.
DIRECTORS' REPORT
The Directors present the annual
report and accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 June 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by
the UK and in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act
2006.
THE
COMPANY
The Company was
incorporated in England and Wales on 28 April 2017 with registered
number 10747219. The Company is registered as an investment company
as defined by Section 833 of the Companies Act 2006 (the "Companies
Act") and operates as such.
The Company was admitted to the
Specialist Fund Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock
Exchange and trading on the Official List of the International
Stock Exchange on 19 July 2017.
The Company's Listing Sponsor on the
International Stock Exchange is Ocorian Administration (Guernsey)
Limited. The Company also operates an additional market quote for
its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange, denominated in
sterling.
In the opinion of the Directors, the
Company has conducted its affairs during the year under review, and
subsequently, so as to qualify as an investment trust for the
purposes of section 1158 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 (as
amended). The Company has applied to, and obtained approval from,
HMRC as an investment trust company subject to continuing to meet
the eligibility requirements.
GOING CONCERN
The
Directors, having taken account of the continuing uncertainty
around investee company valuations and implications on the
Company's future income streams from various geopolitical conflicts
and, have determined that the Company's strategy, longer-term asset
allocation, short-term liquidity and robust governance structure
provide a sufficient basis for the Board to adopt the going concern
basis for the Company as at 30 June 2024.
In forming this position, the
Directors considered the Company's investment objectives, risk
management policies, capital management policies and procedures,
the nature of the portfolio and expenditure projections in
detail.
The Company is able to meet all of
its liabilities from its assets and the ongoing charges are
approximately 2% of assets. This Going Concern statement should be
read in conjunction with the Company's Viability Statement which
can be found on page 15.
DIRECTORS
The Directors of
the Company in office at the date of this report and their
biographies are set out on pages 16 and 17. Details of Directors'
interests in the shares of the Company are set out in the
Directors' Remuneration Report.
Directors' retirements are subject
to the Company's Articles of Association (the "Articles"). The
Articles provide that the directors may appoint a person who is
willing to act as a director and any director so appointed is
required to retire at the next AGM after his or her appointment and
is eligible for reappointment. All directors who held office at the
time of the two preceding AGMs and who did not retire by rotation
at either of them are also required to retire by rotation and are
eligible for reappointment. In addition, each Director considered
to be non-independent will retire and being eligible offer
themselves for re-election on an annual basis.
The Board has agreed to follow the
recommendations of the latest Corporate Governance Codes and ask
all Directors of the Company to offer themselves for re-election
annually. Therefore, all the Directors will retire at the
forthcoming AGM and, being eligible will offer themselves for
re-election.
Having considered the Directors'
performance as part of the annual Board evaluation process the
Board believes that it continues to be effective and that the
Directors each bring an appropriate level of knowledge, experience,
business, financial and asset management skills. The Board
therefore recommends that shareholders vote in favour of each
Director's proposed election at the AGM.
Mr Gabelli, as a Director and
President of Gabelli Group Capital Partners, the parent company of
Gabelli Funds, LLC (the "Portfolio Manager"), is deemed to be
interested in the Company's Portfolio Management Agreement, as is
Mr Birch, who serves on the Boards of other funds in the
Gabelli/GAMCO group of companies.
There were no other contracts
subsisting during the year under review, or up to the date of this
report, in which a Director of the Company is or was, materially
interested and which is, or was, significant in relation to the
Company's business.
None of the Directors has a service
contract with the Company. The terms of their appointment are
provided to them in a letter when they join the Board. No Director
is entitled to compensation for loss of office on the takeover of
the Company. The powers of the Directors are set out in the
Corporate Governance Report.
DIRECTORS' CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Directors have a duty to avoid situations in which
they have, or could have, a direct or indirect interest that
conflicts, or may potentially conflict, with the Company's
interests. This is in addition to the continuing duty that
Directors owe the Company to disclose to the Board any transaction
or arrangement under consideration by the Company in which they are
interested.
Directors are required to disclose
any conflicts and potential conflicts of interest upon appointment.
A schedule of these is maintained by the Company Secretary and
provided at each quarterly Board meeting. Directors are responsible
for keeping these disclosures up to date and in particular to
notify any new potential conflicts of interest, or changes to
existing situations, to the Company Secretary.
In accordance with the Companies Act
2006 and the Company's Articles, the Directors can authorise such
conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. In deciding whether
to authorise any conflict, the Directors must consider their
general duties under the Companies Act 2006, and their overriding
obligation to act in a way they consider, in good faith, will be
most likely to promote the Company's success.
In addition, the Directors are able
to impose limits or conditions when giving authorisation to a
conflict, or potential conflict of interest, if they think this is
appropriate. The authorisation of any conflict matter, and the
terms of any authorisation, may be reviewed by the Board at any
time.
The Board believes that the
procedures established to deal with conflicts of interest operated
effectively during the year under review.
DIRECTORS' INDEMNITIES
In
accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, the Company's
Articles allow for Directors and officers of the Company to be
indemnified out of the assets of the Company against all costs,
losses, and liabilities incurred for negligence, default, breach of
duty or trust in relation to the Company's affairs and activities.
The Articles also provide that, subject to the provisions of the
Companies Act 2006, the Board may purchase and maintain insurance
for the benefit of Directors and officers of the Company against
any liability which may incur in relation to anything done or
omitted to be done or alleged to be done or omitted to be done, as
a Director or officer. The Company has taken out Directors' and
Officers' Liability insurance, which covers the Directors and
officers of the Company.
SHARE CAPITAL
Full details
of the Company's issued share capital are given in Note 11 to the
Financial Statements. Details of the voting rights in the Company's
shares as at the date of this report are also given in Note 6 in
the Notes to the Notice of Annual General Meeting on page
79.
The ordinary shares carry the right
to receive dividends and have one voting right per share. There are
no restrictions on the voting rights of the ordinary shares or any
shares which carry specific rights with regard to the control of
the Company.
No shares were issued during the
year under review, or up to close of business on 30 June
2024.
At the year end and at the date of
this report there were accordingly 3,502,874 ordinary shares held
in treasury.
SHARE REPURCHASE
The
Company has authority to buy back shares in the market and may
cancel or hold ordinary shares acquired by way of market purchase
in treasury.
The Directors will consider
repurchasing shares in the market under an extension of the
programme if they believe it to be in shareholders' interests. It
is the Board's intention that any shares bought back by the Company
will be held in treasury and will only be sold at prices at or
above the prevailing NAV per share ensuring a positive overall
effect for shareholders when shares are bought back at a discount
and then sold at a price at or above the NAV per share.
The current authorities to buy back
and sell shares from treasury and to issue shares will expire at
the conclusion of the 2024 Annual General Meeting. The Directors
are proposing that these authorities be renewed at the forthcoming
Annual General Meeting.
LOYALTY PROGRAMME
The
Company has implemented a loyalty programme to incentivise
long-term share ownership. The loyalty programme is open to all
shareholders, who are entered in the Loyalty Register, a separate
register maintained by the registrar to allow a shareholder to
increase its voting power after holding shares for a continuous
period of at least five years. Each shareholder so registered will
be entitled to subscribe for one special voting loyalty share in
respect of each ordinary share held.
A shareholder may only exercise this
right during the prescribed subscription period each calendar year,
being between 1 and 14 December, by completing the appropriate
subscription documentation and paying up the nominal value of the
special voting loyalty shares. Subject to the receipt of valid
subscriptions during the period and the satisfaction of certain
requirements by the Company under the Companies Act and the
Articles special voting loyalty shares would be issued on 31
December, or the preceding business day, should 31 December not be
a business day.
Each ordinary shareholder and holder
of special voting loyalty shares has the right to receive notice
of, to attend, to speak at, and vote at general meetings of the
Company. Each ordinary shareholder and holder of special voting
loyalty shares who is present in person or by proxy at general
meetings has one vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, in
respect of each ordinary and special voting loyalty share held. At
any general meeting ordinary shares and any special voting loyalty
shares in the capital of the Company in issue would vote
effectively one class.
The ordinary shares carry the right
to receive dividends. The special voting loyalty shares are not
entitled to participate in any dividend or distribution made or
declared by the Company except for a fixed annual dividend equal to
0.00001% of their nominal value. On a winding up of the Company
holders of special voting loyalty shares would be entitled to be
repaid the capital paid up thereon pari passu with the repayment of
the nominal amount of the ordinary shares. The special voting
loyalty shares are not transferrable without the prior written
consent of the Company.
There are no restrictions on the
transfer of ordinary shares or on the exercise of voting rights
attached to them, which are governed by the Company's Articles and
relevant legislation.
There are no shares which carry
specific rights with regard to the control of the
Company.
During the year ended 30 June 2024,
Associated Capital Group, Inc. subscribed for 6,179,100 special
voting loyalty shares.
ACTIVITIES AND BUSINESS REVIEW
A review of the business and details of research activities
can be found within the Strategy section of this Annual
Report.
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND MANAGERS
As an investment company that is managed and
marketed in the United Kingdom, the Company is an Alternative
Investment Fund ("AIF") falling within the scope of, and subject to
the requirements of, the Alternative Investment Fund Managers
Directive ("AIFMD"). The Company has appointed Gabelli Funds LLC as
its Alternative Investment Fund Manager ("AIFM") pursuant to the
AIFMD.
Carne Global Fund Managers (Ireland)
Limited ("Carne") was responsible for the portfolio management and
risk management functions of the Company until the point Gabelli
Funds LLC was appointed AIFM (on 13 February 2023). Carne continues
to provide the Company AIFM support services and monitor risks. The
Carne Agreement may be terminated by either party giving not less
than 90 days' written notice.
Regulatory disclosures including the
Key Investor Information Document are provided on the website.
Disclosures on Remuneration as required under AIFMD can also be
found on page 81.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
Gabelli Funds, LLC ("Gabelli") was appointed as
Portfolio Manager with effect from 15 June 2017 under a Portfolio
Management Agreement (the "Agreement") with the Company under which
portfolio management functions were delegated to Gabelli. Gabelli
receives a management fee, payable monthly within 10 business days
calculated at the rate of 0.85% of NAV accrued daily and calculated
on each business day.
Gabelli is entitled to earn a
performance fee under the Agreement in respect of each performance
period, ending 30 June each year. For the year under review Gabelli
was entitled to a performance fee of 20% of any outperformance of
the net asset value total return, capped at 3% of the average NAV.
For the year ended 30 June 2024 no performance fee was paid (2023:
nil).
APPOINTMENT OF THE MANAGER
The arrangements for the provision of portfolio management and
other services to the Company is considered by the Board on an
ongoing basis and a formal review is conducted annually.
During the year, the Board
considered the performance of Gabelli as Portfolio Manager by
reference to the investment process, portfolio performance and how
it had fulfilled its obligations under the terms of the Portfolio
Management Agreement.
It is the opinion of the Board that
the continuing appointment of Gabelli as Portfolio Manager, on the
terms disclosed is in shareholders' interests as a whole. Among the
reasons for this view is the depth, experience and investment
process of Gabelli.
FACILITATING RETAIL INVESTMENTS
The Company conducts its affairs so that its shares can be
recommended by independent financial advisers to ordinary retail
investors in accordance with the FCA's rules in relation to
non-mainstream pooled investments and intends to continue to do so
for the foreseeable future.
The shares are excluded from the
FCA's restrictions which apply to non-mainstream pooled investments
because they are shares in an investment trust.
OTHER THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS DEPOSITARY AND
CUSTODIAN
The Company appointed
State Street Trustees Limited as its Depositary under a Depositary
Agreement dated 30 June 2017 between Carne, Gabelli and the
Company. The main role of the Depositary under the AIFMD is to act
as a central custodian with additional duties to monitor the
operations of the Company, including cash flows and to ensure that
the Company's assets are valued appropriately. The Depositary
receives a fee payable at 0.025% per annum of the gross assets of
the Company.
Under the Depositary Agreement,
custody services in respect of the Company's assets have been
delegated to State Street Bank and Trust Company. The Custodian
receives a custody fee payable by the Company at rates depending on
the number of trades and the location of securities held subject to
a minimum annual fee payable of not less than $31,250 Custody fees
of $45,124 were paid during the year under review (2023:
$51,569).
The depositary agreement is subject
to 90 days' written notice of termination by any party.
REGISTRAR
Computershare
Investor Services Plc (the "Registrar") has been appointed as the
Company's registrar pursuant to the Registrar Services Agreement.
The Registrar is responsible for maintaining the Company's register
of shareholders and also provides services in respect of the
payment of dividends, provision of shareholder documentation and
compliance with the Common Reporting Standard. Fees of $13,000 were
paid to the Registrar during the year under review (2023: $17,973).
Fees in respect of corporate actions will be agreed at the time of
the corporate action.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
Bridgehouse Company Secretaries Limited ("Bridgehouse") was
formally appointed in May 2024 to take over as the Company
Secretary from Kin Company Secretarial Limited ("Kin"). State
Street Bank and Trust Company ("the Administrator") is responsible
for the day-to-day administration of the Company including the
maintenance of the Company's financial records and the calculation
of the daily NAV.
The Bridgehouse agreement has no
minimum term and is terminable by Bridgehouse or the Company on not
less than one month's notice. Fees of $61,000 were paid for Company
Secretarial services during the year under review (2023:
$100,252).
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Gabelli Funds, LLC is a related party to the Company as it is
considered to have significant influence over the Company. Gabelli
Funds, LLC does not earn a fee for its role as AIFM; it earned
$568,334 in portfolio management fees during the year ended 30 June
2024 (2023: $653,934).
Further details of related party
transactions are provided in the note 16 to the financial
statements.
SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS
As
at 30 June 2024, the Company had been advised by the following
shareholders of their interests of 3% or more in the Company's
ordinary issued share capital:
Shareholder
|
%
of
Share Capital
|
Associated Capital Group
Inc1
|
92.59%
|
|
=========
|
1 Further
information regarding Associated Capital Group, Inc and its related
party status can be found on note 16 to the financial
statements.
As at the date of this report the
Company had not been notified of any changes and all other
shareholders have less than a 3% interest in the Company's ordinary
issued share capital.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
The
Chairman's Statement and Portfolio Manager's report within this
Annual Report contain details of likely future
developments.
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The
financial risk management and internal control processes and
policies, and exposure to the risks associated with financial
instruments can be found in Note 12 to the financial
statements.
RESULTS
The Company
generated a revenue profit for the year ended 30 June 2024 of
$823,000 (2023: $2,996,000).
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION UNDER LISTING RULE
9.8.4
The disclosures required
by Listing Rule 9.8.4, where relevant to the Company, are discussed
in more detail on page 71.
DIVIDENDS AND DIVIDEND POLICY
In order to allow the Shareholders to realise a predictable,
but not assured, level of cash flow and some liquidity periodically
on their investment, the Company has adopted a "managed dividend
policy". This policy seeks to pay Shareholders a quarterly dividend
in relation to the Net Asset Value of the Company at the time,
which may be changed at any time by the Board. Between inception
and 30 June 2024, the Company returned $2.87 per share to
shareholders, consistent with its dividend policy. Dividends are
paid only when declared by the Board subject to the Board's
assessment of the Company's financial position and only if the
Company has sufficient income and distributable reserves to make
the dividend payment, and the level of dividend may vary over time.
As such, The Company declared and paid three quarterly interim
dividends totalling $0.48 during the financial year ended 30 June
2024.
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
The
Company's Articles can only be amended by special resolution at a
general meeting of the shareholders. No amendments are proposed at
the 2024 AGM.
CHANGE OF CONTROL
There are
no agreements the Company is party to that might be affected by a
change in control of the Company. There are no agreements between
the Company and its Directors for compensation for loss of office
that occurs as a result of a takeover bid.
EXERCISE OF VOTING RIGHTS IN INVESTEE
COMPANIES
The exercise of voting
rights attached to the Company's portfolio has been delegated to
the Portfolio Manager.
STREAMLINED ENERGY AND CARBON
REPORTING
The Company is categorised as a lower energy user under the
HMRC Environmental Reporting Guidelines March 2019 and is therefore
not required to make the detailed disclosures of energy and carbon
information set out within the guidelines. The Company's energy and
carbon information is therefore not disclosed in this
report.
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
The Company has no greenhouse gas emissions to report from its
operations, nor does it have responsibility for any other emissions
producing sources under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report
and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013.
MODERN SLAVERY ACT 2015 (THE "MSA")
The Company is an investment company and has only
newly appointed executives and does not provide goods and services
in the normal course of business. Accordingly, the Directors
consider that the Company is not required to make a slavery and
human trafficking statement under the MSA.
EMPLOYEES, SOCIAL, COMMUNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
The Company is an
investment company and has no employees and accordingly it has no
direct social, human rights or environmental impact from its
operations. In carrying on its investment activities and
relationship with suppliers the Company aims to conduct itself
responsibly, ethically and fairly.
BOARD DIVERSITY
As a
close-ended investment company, the Company falls within the scope
of LR 9.8.6 R (9) and LR 14.3.33 R (1) which requires companies
in-scope to disclose against the following Diversity
targets.
(i) at
least 40% of the individuals on its Board of Directors are
women
(ii) at
least one of the following senior positions on its Board of
Directors is held by a woman:
(A) The
chair
(B) The Chief
Executive
(C) The Senior
Independent Director
(D) The Chief
Financial Officer.
(iii) at least one
individual on its Board of Directors is from a minority ethnic
background.
As at 30 June 2024 the Company has
not met the above targets, further details of which are set out in
the Corporate Governance Report on pages 23-27.
POLITICAL DONATIONS
No
political contributions or donations were made during the financial
period ended 30 June 2024.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The
following information to be discussed at the forthcoming Annual
General Meeting is important and requires your immediate attention.
If you are in any doubt about the action you should take, you
should seek advice from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor,
accountant or other financial adviser authorised under the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended).
If you have sold or transferred all
of your ordinary shares in the Company, you should pass this
document, together with any other accompanying documents, including
the form of proxy, at once to the purchaser or transferee, or to
the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or
transfer was effected, for onward transmission to the purchaser or
transferee.
The Directors currently anticipate
that this year's Annual General Meeting will be open to
shareholders, but reserve the right to change arrangements for the
meeting at short notice. Therefore shareholders are strongly
encouraged to vote by proxy and to appoint the Co-Chairmen as their
proxy. The following resolutions will be proposed to the AGM.
Resolutions 13 and 14 are proposed to the meeting as special
business of the meeting as ordinary resolutions. Resolutions 15-18
are proposed as special resolutions. Ordinary resolutions require a
simple majority vote (above 50%) to be passed, whereas Special
resolutions require at least a 75% majority vote to be
passed.
RESOLUTION 14
In accordance
with the Investment Policy and as opportunities present themselves
the Company may take majority and minority positions which may
require management of such investments. The Articles will be
adjusted accordingly in the resolution so that any such positions
might be taken utilising shares including Special Voting Loyalty
Shares so that an issuance and/or allotment could occur to parties
that were not prior shareholders nor members of the Loyalty
Programme.
RESOLUTION 15 AUTHORITY TO ALLOT SHARES
The Directors may only allot shares for cash if
authorised to do so by shareholders in a general meeting.
Resolution 15 seeks authority for the Directors to allot shares for
cash up to an aggregate nominal amount of $26,021 which represents
20% of the current issued share capital. The authority will expire
at the conclusion of the 2025 Annual General Meeting unless renewed
prior to that date.
RESOLUTION 17 AUTHORITY TO BUY BACK SHARES
Resolution 17 seeks to renew the authority
previously granted to Directors to enable the Company to purchase
up to 683,129 ordinary shares being 10% of the of the total number
of voting rights of the Company at the latest practical
date.
The Directors will only consider
repurchasing shares in the market if they believe it to be in
shareholders' interests and as a means of correcting any imbalance
between supply and demand for the Company's shares. Under the
Listing Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), the
maximum price which can be paid is the higher of (i) 5% above the
average market value of the ordinary shares for the five business
days immediately preceding the date on which the purchase is made
and (ii) the higher of the price quoted for (a) the last
independent trade of, and (b) the highest current independent bid
for, any number of ordinary shares on the trading venue where the
purchase is carried out. In making purchases, the Company will deal
only with member firms of the London Stock Exchange. The authority
will expire at the conclusion of the 2025 Annual General Meeting
unless renewed prior to that date.
RESOLUTION 18 GENERAL MEETINGS ON 14 CLEAR DAYS'
NOTICE
Resolution 18 seeks
shareholder authority to call general meetings other than an AGM on
14 clear days' notice. The approval will be effective until the
Company's next AGM, when it is intended that a similar resolution
will be proposed. The Board will utilise this authority to provide
flexibility when merited and would not use it as a matter of
routine.
RECOMMENDATION
Your Board
recommends all resolutions to shareholders as being in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole. The
Directors therefore unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in
favour of each resolution, as they intend to do in respect of their
own beneficial holdings.
DIRECTORS' STATEMENT AS TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO
THE AUDITORS
In accordance with
the requirement and definitions under section 418 of the Companies
Act 2006, the Directors at the date of approval of this report
confirm that:
· so far as they are
aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the
Company's auditors are unaware; and
· each Director has
taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a Director to
make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to
establish that the Company's auditors are aware of that
information.
Appointment of independent auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the independent external auditors of
the Company, were appointed in 2017. Resolutions to reappoint
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company's auditors, and to
authorise the Audit Committee to determine their remuneration will
be proposed at the forthcoming AGM.
The Directors' Report was approved
by the Board on 29 October 2024.
JOHN BIRCH
MARC
GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October 2024
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT
This Report sets out the role and
activities of the Board and explains how the Company is
governed.
GOVERNANCE
Applicable
Corporate Governance Code and compliance in year
As a company admitted to trading on the Specialist
Fund Segment, the Board has considered the principles and
provisions of the Association of Investment Companies' Code of
Corporate Governance (the 'AIC Code'). The AIC Code addresses the
Principles and Provisions set out in the 2018 version of the
Financial Reporting Council's UK Corporate Governance Code (the 'UK
Code'), as well as setting out additional provisions on issues that
are of specific relevance to the Company as an investment company
listed on the London Stock Exchange.
The Board considers that reporting
against the principles and provisions of the AIC Code, which has
been endorsed by the Financial Reporting Council, provides more
relevant information to shareholders. The following analysis
explains how the company has complied with the principles and
provisions of the AIC Code during the financial year.
The Board of Directors also
recognise the critical importance of effective corporate governance
to investors, potential investors and the Company's stakeholders,
and the directors therefore give priority to high standards of
corporate governance.
The Board confirms that it complies
with the recommendations of the AIC Code and the relevant
provisions of the UK Code except as follows:
Summary of AIC Code
Provision
|
Compliance
|
Performance in year
|
Director and Board independence and
independence from the Manager
|
X
|
A formal policy and procedure ensure
Board independence and the independence of the investment
Manager.
|
The Chair should be independent on
Appointment
|
X
|
Although the Co-Chairman is not
deemed independent for the purposes of the AIC Code, given his
qualifications and investment experience, and the significant
commitment being made by the Gabelli Group to the Company, the
Board believes that his appointment as Co-Chairman is in the best
interests of the Company and the shareholders as a
whole.
|
Appoint a Senior Independent
Director ('SID')
|
X
|
The Board does not deem it necessary
to appoint a SID given the nature of its activities as a listed
investment trust. The key responsibilities of the SID under the UK
Code are completed by the Non-executive Directors. The performance
of the Co‑Chairmen
is appraised annually by the Non-executive Directors.
|
Monitor risk management and internal
control systems
|
X
|
The Company has delegated its
operational management to third party service providers, the Board
therefore receives reports from those parties to satisfy itself
that an appropriate controls environment is maintained. These
reports extend to any relevant instances of whistleblowing at each
of the service providers.
|
Identification of remuneration
consultant in the Annual Report
|
X
|
The Remuneration Committee does not
deem it necessary to appoint a remuneration consultant.
|
The AIC Code is available on the AIC
website (www.theaic.co.uk). It includes an explanation of how the
AIC Code adapts the Principles and Provisions set out in the UK
Code to make them relevant for investment companies. The UK Code is
available from the Financial Reporting Council's website at
frc.org.uk.
THE
BOARD
Overview of the Board
The Board
consists of six non-executive Directors. All Directors have a wide
range of other interests and are not dependent on the Company
itself. Their biographical details, which are set out in detail on
pages 16 and 17, demonstrate a breadth of investment, commercial
and professional experience with an international
perspective.
The Board has a formal schedule of
matters specifically reserved for its decision, which are
categorised under various headings, including strategy and
management, internal controls and risk management, strategy and
policy considerations, transactions, and finance.
The provision of the UK Code which
relates to the combination of the roles of the chairman and chief
executive does not apply as the Company has no executive
directors.
The Board meets quarterly to review
investment performance, financial reports, discuss strategy and has
the overriding responsibility for assessing and reviewing the
company's risk appetite. Board or Committee meetings are also held
on an ad hoc basis and as required to consider any other material
issues as they arise.
Representatives of the Portfolio
Manager and Company Secretary attend each meeting. The Board, the
AIFM, the Portfolio Manager, the Company Secretary and other key
services providers operate in a cooperative and constructive
relationship.
CO-CHAIRMEN
The Board is
satisfied that other than their relationship with the Portfolio
Manager, the Co-Chairmen, do not have any appointments or interests
which may create a conflict of interest with the Company's
activities or interests.
The Nomination Committee reviewed
the performance of the Co-Chairmen during the year and is
comfortable that they continue to have sufficient time to commit to
their duties, and that they perform effectively in the role. The
Board therefore recommends shareholders vote to re-elect the
Co-Chairmen at the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
BOARD DIVERSITY
When
recruiting a new Director, the Board's policy is to appoint
individuals on merit. The Board believes diversity is important in
bringing an appropriate range of skills, knowledge and experience
to the Board and gives that consideration when recruiting new
Directors.
As at 30 June 2024 there were 6 male
Directors, of multiple nationalities and ethnicities, and no female
Directors on the Board. Whilst all future board appointments will
be made on merit, the Directors have committed to keep the Board's
gender diversity under review with a view to improving the ratio
over time.
In accordance with LR 14.3.33 as at
30 June 2024 (the reference date) the Board has not met the FCA's
specified targets on Board Diversity relating to gender or
ethnicity.
In accordance with LR 14.3.33a
whilst the Company is supportive of the new measures which aim to
improve the representation of women and ethnic minority groups at
board level, the Board also acknowledges the size of the current
Board and believes it remains appropriate to serve the size and
stature of the company at this time. The Nominations Committee,
however, is supportive of ensuring a more diverse pool of Board
Level candidates are assessed for any Board Level
appointments.
The Board Diversity Policy can be
found on the company's website
https://www.gabelli.co.uk/investment-products/gabelli-merger-plus/gmp-documents/.
The tables below set out the
numerical data on the ethnic background and the gender identity of
the Board or Directors. The Company do not have any Executive
Directors on the Board and therefore have not reported against that
target which is non-applicable.
TABLE A: GENDER DIVERSITY DISCLOSURES
|
Number of
Board Members
|
Percentage
of the Board
|
Number of
senior
positions on the
board and its
Committeess
(CEO, CFO, SID
and Chair(s))
|
Men
|
6
|
100%
|
4
|
Women
|
0
|
0%
|
0
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
TABLE B : ETHNIC DIVERSITY DISCLOSURES
|
Number of
Board Members
|
Percentage
of the Board
|
Number of
senior
positions on
the board and
its Committees
(CEO, CFO, SID
and Chair(s))
|
White British/White American or Other
White Minority Groups
|
5
|
83.33%
|
4
|
Mixed/Multiple Ethnic
Groups
|
0
|
0.00%
|
0
|
Asian/Asian/BritishAsian/American
|
1
|
16.67%
|
0
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
ROLE OF THE BOARD
The Board
is collectively responsible for the long-term success of the
Company and is accountable to shareholders and the Company's wider
stakeholders for the performance and governance of the Company. It
is also ultimately responsible for setting and executing the
Company's strategic aims, its purpose, culture and values. The
authority of the Board in these areas is subject to the Articles
and to such approval of the shareholders in a general meeting as
may be required from time to time.
The Board also ensures that the
necessary resources are in place to enable the Company's objectives
to be met in accordance with the Company's investment objective,
and that shareholder value is maximised within a framework of
proper controls.
The Directors exercise the powers
conferred by the Company's Articles of Association and UK Company
Law to manage the Company's interest for the benefit of
shareholders and stakeholders.
As an investment company the
Company's day to day responsibilities are delegated to third party
service providers.
STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS (S.172 STATEMENT)
The Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting)
Regulations 2018 require directors to explain more fully how they
have discharged their duties under Section 172(1) of the Companies
Act 2006 in promoting the success of their companies for the
benefit of members as a whole. This enhanced disclosure covers how
the Board has engaged with and understands the views of
stakeholders and how stakeholders' needs have been taken into
account, the outcome of this engagement and the impact that it has
had on the Board's decisions.
As the Company is an externally
managed investment company and does not have any customers, the
Board considers the main stakeholders in the Company to be the
shareholders and other key service providers. The reasons for this
determination, and the Board's overarching approach to engagement
with these stakeholders, are set out in the table below.
Stakeholder
|
Activity or mitigation in the
year
|
Shareholders
|
· The Company
operates a Loyalty Programme to reward shareholders who retain
their shares for at least five years. Further information regarding
the Programme can be found in the Directors' Report;
· As a listed
investment trust, the Board operates policies designed to safeguard
the value of shareholders' investment, in particular the Board may
initiate a buyback programme whenever the Company's share price
represents a discount of 7.5% or more;
· Shareholders'
rights are also protected under the Company's Articles of
Association which require any proposal that may materially change
those rights to be subject to prior approval by a majority of
shareholders in general meeting; and
· Shareholders are
given opportunities to attend meetings with the Board and to also
attend, ask questions and vote at the Annual General Meeting of the
Company.
|
Service Providers
|
The Board regularly evaluates the
performance of its key panel of third-party professional service
providers. The appraisals involve an opportunity for those third
parties to provide 360° feedback. During the period under review,
the Board traveled to New York to visit the GAMCO head office and
meet with members of staff at all levels by way of employee
engagement. As part of the off-site visit, the Board also met with
the company's major shareholders.
|
Social & Environment
|
Whilst the Company's key investment
objective targets outperformance through exposure to corporate
transactions in the United States, the Investment Manager, Gabelli
Funds, LLC operates a suite of investment policies designed to take
account of Environmental, Social and Governance ('ESG') themes
across its investment strategies. These policies ensure that
exposure to ESG risks is minimised for the Company's
stakeholders.
|
Other Stakeholders
|
· The Board seeks to
maintain the highest levels of corporate governance through
compliance with the principles and provisions of both the AIC Code
and, to the maximum extent practicable, the UK Code; and
· The Board is
committed to responding promptly and transparently to any
reputational or regulatory matter that might arise affecting the
Company, its future prospects or its investment
activities.
|
PURPOSE, VALUES AND CULTURE
The Board takes its responsibilities under the AIC Code
seriously and has accordingly sought to identify and promote each
of: a corporate purpose, distinct values and a culture for the
Company.
However, as a listed investment
trust, which has appointed third party service providers to operate
its day to day business, the chosen purpose, values and culture are
necessarily focused on the approach and activities of the Board of
Directors.
Nevertheless, the Board prioritises
the Company's primary investment objective, together with its
proprietary Private Market Value with a Catalyst methodology, in
defining its PMV with a Catalyst purpose. The Company's values and
culture primarily reflect those of its experienced, independent and
diverse individual board members, combined with the approach and
professionalism of its appointed third party service
providers.
The Board regularly monitors both
the performance of the Company against its investment objective and
proprietary methodology; and its individual directors and service
providers to ensure continuing strong performance and integration
with the Board's values and culture.
EMPLOYEES, SOCIAL, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
The Company has newly
appointed executives but it has no direct social or community
impact and limited environmental impact from its operations.
However, the Company believes that it is in shareholders' interests
to consider human rights issues, together with environmental,
social and governance factors when selecting and retaining
investments.
DIRECTORS' APPOINTMENT, RETIREMENT AND
SUCCESSION
The rules concerning the appointment, retirement
and rotation of Directors are set out in the Directors' Report. The
Board believes that it has a reasonable balance of skills and
experience. It recognises the value of the progressive refreshing
of, and succession planning for, company boards, including for the
Co-Chairmen. The Board's tenure and succession policy seeks to
ensure that it maintains the balance of skills and experience
required.
Directors must be able to
demonstrate their commitment, in terms of time, to the Company. The
Board is of the view that length of service does not itself impair
a Director's ability to act independently or exercise good
judgement, rather, a long serving Director can continue to offer
valuable perspectives and experience.
When Directors are appointed they go
through an induction programme organised by the Portfolio Manager
to familiarise them with the specifics of the portfolio. Directors
are also provided with key information on the Company's policies,
regulatory and statutory requirements and internal controls on a
regular basis.
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
The
Board has established an Audit & Risk Committee, Nomination
Committee, Remuneration Committee, Management Engagement Committee
and a Conflicts Committee. Each Committee has defined terms of
reference and duties.
AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE
The Audit & Risk Committee is chaired by Marco Bianconi.
Further details are provided in the report of the Audit & Risk
Committee on pages 28 to 29.
NOMINATION COMMITTEE
The
Nomination Committee is chaired by Marc Gabelli and consists of
Marc Gabelli, John Birch and Yuji Sugimoto. The Nomination
Committee is responsible for reviewing Board succession, the policy
on directors' tenure, the performance of the Board and its
Committees and the appointment of new Directors. When voting on
candidates for the appointment of new directors, only independent
directors will vote.
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
The
Remuneration Committee is chaired by James Wedderburn and consists
of James Wedderburn, John Birch and Marco Bianconi. The
Remuneration Committee is responsible for setting the Directors'
remuneration in conjunction with the Co-Chairmen and will take into
consideration the Company's peer group and the potential to appoint
external remuneration consultants when making decisions.
MANAGEMENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Management Engagement
Committee is chaired by John Birch and consists of John Birch and
Yuji Sugimoto. The Management Engagement Committee is responsible
for ensuring that the provisions of the Portfolio Management
Agreement remain competitive and in the best interest of
shareholders and to review the performance of the Manager,
Portfolio Manager and other third party service providers to the
Company. Details of the management arrangements are set out in the
Directors' Report.
CONFLICTS COMMITTEE
The
Conflicts Committee is chaired by John Birch and consists of Marco
Bianconi and Yuji Sugimoto. The Conflicts Committee is responsible
for considering the potential conflicts of interest that may arise
in relation to the operation of the Company with regard to the
Directors, the AIF Manager, the Portfolio Manager and other service
providers of the Company.
ATTENDANCE AT SCHEDULED MEETINGS
The table below sets out the
number of Board and Committee meetings held during the year under
review to 30 June 2024 and the number of meetings attended by each
Director.
The Audit & Risk Committee will
meet at least twice a year and all other Committees at least once a
year and additionally as required.
Director
|
Board
|
Audit
& Risk
Co.
|
Rem
Co.
|
M.E
Co.
|
Nom
Co.
|
Conficts
Co.
|
Marc Gabelli
|
4/4
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
1/1
|
n/a
|
Marco Bianconi
|
4/4
|
4/4
|
1/1
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
1/1
|
John Birch
|
4/4
|
n/a
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
John Newlands
|
4/4
|
4/4
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
James Wedderburn
|
4/4
|
4/4
|
1/1
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Yuji Sugimoto
|
4/4
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
BOARD EVALUATION
The Board
undertook an annual self-evaluation of its performance, that of its
committees and individual Directors, including the
Co‑Chairmen. The
reviews were led by the Co-Chairmen, in the case of the Board, and
the Chairman of each committee otherwise.
Each Chairman determined the scope
and format for the review, which generally confirmed the directors'
view that the Board and its governance continued to function well
with few issues.
There were no significant actions
arising from the evaluation process and it was agreed that the
composition of the Board, at that time, reflected a suitable mix of
skills and experience, and that the Board as a whole, the
individual Directors and its committees were performing in
accordance with the provisions of the AIC Code other than where
explained in this Report. The Board determined to keep the
composition of the Board under review to align with the FCA's
specific targets on Board Diversity.
RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTORS' LIABILITY
INSURANCE
During the year the
Company has renewed and maintained appropriate Directors &
Officers' insurance on behalf of the Board.
INTERNAL CONTROLS
The Board
has overall responsibility for the Company's systems of internal
controls and for reviewing their effectiveness. In common with the
majority of investment trusts, the Board has determined that the
most efficient and effective management of the Company is achieved
by the Directors determining the investment strategy, and the
Portfolio Manager being responsible for the day-to-day investment
management decisions on behalf of the Company.
Accounting, company secretarial and
custodial services have also been delegated to third party service
providers who specialise in these areas and can provide, because of
their size and specialisation, economies of scale, segregation of
duties, and all that is required to provide proper systems of
internal control within a regulated environment.
As the Company has only newly
appointed executives and its operational functions are undertaken
by third parties, the Audit & Risk Committee does not consider
it necessary for the Company to establish its own internal audit
function. Instead, the Audit & Risk Committee examines internal
control reports received from its principal service providers to
satisfy itself as to the controls in place.
The internal controls aim to ensure
that assets of the Company are safeguarded, proper accounting
records are maintained, and the financial information used within
the business and for publication is reliable. The need for an
internal audit function is reviewed annually by the
Committee.
The system therefore manages, rather
than eliminates risk of failure to achieve the Company's business
objectives and provides reasonable, but not absolute assurance
against material misstatement or loss.
SHAREHOLDER RELATIONS AND ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
The primary medium by
which the Company communicates with its shareholders is through the
Annual and Half Yearly Reports which aim to provide shareholders
with a clear understanding of the Company's activities and results
in the relevant financial period. This information is supplemented
by the daily calculation and publication of the NAV per share to a
regulatory information service.
The Annual and other General
Meetings provide an opportunity for shareholders to engage with the
Board of Directors, and the individual directors and the Investment
Manager regularly communicate with significant shareholders to
discuss company updates and other key events.
All shareholders are ordinarily
encouraged to attend and vote at the Company's Annual General
Meeting. However, it is explained in the Notice of Annual General
Meeting that whilst the Directors anticipate the meeting in 2024
being open to shareholders, the Directors reserve the right to
change arrangements at short notice. Shareholders are strongly
encouraged to vote by proxy and to appoint the Co-Chairmen as their
proxy. The Board and representatives of the Portfolio Manager are
similarly usually available at the Annual General Meeting to
discuss issues affecting the Company. They will be happy to answer
any questions provided in writing prior to the meeting this
year.
The Notice of Annual General Meeting
is set out on pages 77 and 78 and details the business of the
meeting. Any item not of an entirely routine nature is explained in
the Directors' Report. The Notice of Annual General Meeting and any
related papers are sent to shareholders at least 21 clear days
before the meeting.
SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDINGS
A
summary of the significant shareholders that have been notified to
the Board as at the date of this report can be found in the
Directors' Report.
ANTI-BRIBERY POLICY
The
Company has zero tolerance towards bribery and is committed to
carrying out business fairly, honestly and openly.
The Board takes its responsibility
to prevent bribery seriously and its service providers are
contacted to regularly confirm their anti-bribery policies and
controls.
CRIMINAL FINANCES ACT 2017
The Board has a zero tolerance approach to the facilitation of
tax evasion.
By
order of the Board
JOHN BIRCH
MARC
GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October 2024
REPORT OF THE AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE
Chair
MARCO BIANCONI
Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
MARCO BIANCONI
Members
MARCO BIANCONI
JOHN NEWLANDS
JAMES WEDDERBURN
As Chair of the Audit & Risk
Committee, I am pleased to present the Report of the Audit &
Risk Committee for the year ended 30 June 2024.
ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE
The
Company has established a separately chaired Audit & Risk
Committee (the "Committee") to ensure that the interests of
shareholders are properly protected in relation to financial
reporting, internal controls and risk mitigation.
The Committee meets on a quarterly
basis in preparation for the publication of both the annual and
half yearly results, and otherwise as necessary. During the period
under review the Committee met four times and three times since the
financial year end and the publication of this report.
COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE
The Committee consisted of three Directors during the year
under review whose biographies are on pages 16 and 17 and the
Committee composition was therefore unchanged.
The Committee as a whole has
competence relevant to investment companies and is able to
discharge its responsibilities effectively, with each Director
having appropriate financial experience and as such contributing
strongly to the Committee's operation.
The Company's Auditors are invited
to attend meetings of the Committee on a regular basis.
Representatives of the Portfolio Manager and other external
advisors, including the Administrator, may also be invited to
attend if deemed necessary by the Audit & Risk
Committee.
COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
The key responsibilities of the Audit & Risk Committee are
to provide oversight of the financial reporting process to ensure
that the information provided to the shareholders is fair, balanced
and understandable and allows accurate assessment of the Company's
position. The Committee also reviews the robustness of the systems
of internal controls, monitors the quality, effectiveness and
objectivity of the external audit process and monitors the key
risks facing the Company.
The Committee's terms of reference
are available on the Company's website at
https://www.gabelli.co.uk/docs/pdfs/gmp_actr.pdf.
During the year the principal
activities of the Committee included:
· A comprehensive
review of the full year, half year reports and annual report and
accounts, considered the disclosures made in relation to internal
controls, risk management, viability, going concern, related
parties, and whether the reports are fair, balanced and
understandable and whether it provides the information necessary
for shareholders to assess the Company's position and performance,
business model and strategy;
· A review of the
effectiveness of the external audit process, including the scope,
execution, level of materiality, together with the independence,
objectivity and efficiency of the external auditors and the quality
of the audit engagement team;
· A review and
approval of the external audit plan together with the annual audit
fee;
· A review and
assessment of the main risks faced by the Company, also considering
that it is deemed a "close company" from a UK tax perspective,
being subject to UK corporation tax. The Company has elected
continued adherence to the AIC's SORP and continued to prepare its
financial statements on a basis compliant with the recommendations
of the SORP,
· Monitored
developments in the Group's risk management processes;
· A review of the
appropriateness of the Company's accounting policies;
· Receiving from the
Company's main third-party service providers reassurance on the
adequacy and effectiveness of their internal controls processes and
risk management systems. This initiative included a review of the
key technology risks facing the company and its main service
providers, including, but not limited to policies, practices and
safeguards, cybersecurity and fraud, identification, assessment,
monitoring, mitigation and the overall management of those
risk,
· A review of the
adequacy and security of the company's arrangements with its
contractors and external parties to raise concerns, in confidence,
about possible wrongdoing in financial reporting or other matters.
The Committee considered that the arrangements remained appropriate
and proportionate.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES AND AUDIT RISK
During the year, the Audit & Risk Committee
also considered a number of significant issues and areas of key
audit risk in respect of the Annual Report and Accounts. The
Committee reviewed the external audit plan at an early stage and
concluded that the appropriate areas of audit risk relevant to the
Company had been put in place to obtain a reasonable assurance that
the financial statements as a whole would be free of material
misstatement.
The Committee reviewed those items
in the Group's financial statements that have the potential to
significantly impact reporting and identified the management
override of controls and the risk of fraud in income
definition.
The following table sets out the key
areas of risk identified and explains how these were
addressed.
Significant issue
|
How the issue was
addressed
|
Valuation and existence of investments
|
The AIFM performs the valuation of
the Company's assets in accordance with its responsibilities under
the AIFMD rules. Ownership of listed investments is verified by
reconciliation to the Custodian's records. Ownership of CFDs is
verified by reconciliation to the counterparty's
records.
|
Recognition of income
|
Income received is accounted for in
line with the Company's accounting policies, as set out in the
notes to the financial statements.
|
Maintaining internal controls
|
The Committee receives regular
reports on internal controls from the Administrator and the
Investment Manager and has access to the relevant personnel of both
State Street and Gabelli Funds who have a responsibility for risk
management and internal audit.
|
Performance fee
|
The performance
fee calculation is prepared by the
Administrator and reviewed by the Manager and the Committee before
recommendation to the Board, all with reference to the portfolio
management agreement.
|
Resource Risk
|
The Company has no employees and its
day to day activities are delegated to third party suppliers. The
Board monitors the performance of third-party suppliers on an
ongoing basis.
|
EXTERNAL AUDIT
The
Committee conducted a review of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's
independence and audit process effectiveness as part of its review
of the financial reporting for the year ended 30 June 2024. In
considering the effectiveness, the Committee reviewed the audit
plan, the level of materiality, key financial reporting risks, and
the auditors' findings.
The Committee also considered the
execution of the audit against the plan, as well as the auditors'
reporting to the Committee in respect of the financial statements
for the year. Based on this, the Committee was satisfied with the
quality of the external audit process, with appropriate focus and
challenge on the key audit risks.
The Committee advises the Board on
the appointment of the external auditors and on their remuneration.
It keeps under review the cost effectiveness and the independence
and objectivity of the external auditors, mindful of controls in
place to ensure the latter. To this end, the Committee has
implemented a policy on the engagement of the external auditors to
supply non-audit services.
The Committee was satisfied that the
objectivity and independence of the auditors was not impaired as no
non-audit services were undertaken during the year. Accordingly,
the Committee recommended to the Board that shareholder approval be
sought at the forthcoming AGM for the appointment of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company's auditors for the
ensuing financial year, and for the Committee to determine the
auditors' remuneration.
AUDIT TENDERING
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was appointed as auditors with
effect from the Company's launch in July 2017. The Company is
required to put the external audit out to tender at least every ten
years, and at least every twenty years to change the auditors. The
Company will be required to put the audit out to tender, at the
latest following the 2027 year end.
The Audit & Risk Committee will
consider annually the need to tender as a consequence of audit
quality or independence. There are no contractual obligations that
restrict the Company's choice of auditors.
During the year ended 30 June 2024
£0 was paid to the auditors for non-audit services (2023: £0). The
auditors are required to rotate the Company's Lead Engagement
Partner every five years. Kevin Rollo was appointed as the Audit
Engagement Partner in 2021 and has successfully overseen the
engagement for the financial year under review.
INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION
As
the Company has no employees and its operational functions are
undertaken by third parties, the Committee does not consider it
necessary for the Company to establish its own internal audit
function. Instead, the Committee examines internal control reports
received from its principal service providers to satisfy itself as
to the controls in place.
The internal controls aim to ensure
that assets of the Company are safeguarded, proper accounting
records are maintained, and the financial information used within
the business and for publication is reliable. The need for an
internal audit function is reviewed annually by the
Committee.
WHISTLEBLOWING, ANTI-BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION
The Company has no employees; therefore no
policies relating to whistleblowing, anti-bribery, or corruption
are considered necessary. Notwithstanding this, the Company seeks
at all times to conduct its business with the highest standards of
integrity and honesty. Gabelli Funds, LLC is committed to complying
with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements relating to
accounting and auditing controls and procedures. Staff members of
Gabelli Funds, LLC are encouraged to report complaints and concerns
regarding accounting or auditing matters through available channels
described in the Portfolio Manager's Whistleblower
Policy.
MARCO BIANCONI
Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
29 October 2024
DIRECTORS' REMUNERATION REPORT
The Board presents the Directors'
Remuneration Report which has been prepared in accordance with the
requirements of Sections 420-422 of the Companies Act 2006 and
Schedule 8 to the Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups
(Accounts and Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2013. The law
requires the Company's auditors to audit certain of the disclosures
provided. Where disclosures have been audited this is
indicated.
STATEMENT FROM THE CO-CHAIRMEN
This Report describes how the Board has applied the principles
relating to Directors' remuneration. The Company's Remuneration
Policy was originally approved by shareholders at the AGM in 2018
and shareholders approved a version of the Remuneration Policy with
minor further updates at the AGMs in 2019 and in 2020, in
accordance with section 439A of the Companies Act 2006.
Accordingly, the Company's Remuneration policy will be put to
Shareholders for approval at this year's Annual General Meeting
('AGM') to be held on 5 December 2024. Further information on this
resolution is contained within the notice of AGM.
DIRECTOR'S REMUNERATION POLICY
In 2020, the Remuneration Policy was updated to increase the
overall aggregate limit on fees payable to Directors from $150,000
to $180,000. The Company does not propose an increase to the
aggregate limit to Non-Executive Director's fees this year and as
such will only be seeking shareholder approval for the current
limit of $180,000, which the Company deemed to be at an appropriate
level at this time.
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE
The
Company has established a Remuneration Committee which meets at
least once a year. Further details of the membership are provided
in the Corporate Governance Report.
POLICY TABLE
Fixed fee element
|
Remuneration consists of a fixed fee
each year and the Directors of the Company are entitled to such
rates of annual fees as the Board at its discretion
determines.
|
Discretionary element
|
In accordance with the Company's
Articles of Association, if a Director is requested to perform
extra or special services, they will be entitled to receive such
additional remuneration as the Board considers
appropriate.
|
Expenses
|
In accordance with the Company's
Articles of Association the Directors are also entitled to be
reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses and any other reasonable
expenses incurred in the proper performance of their
duties.
|
Purpose and link to strategy
|
Directors' fees are set
to:
· be sufficient to attract and retain
individuals of a high calibre with suitable knowledge and
experience to promote the long-term success of the
Company;
· reflect the time spent by the Directors
working on the Company's behalf and representing the
Company;
· reflect the responsibilities borne by the
Directors;
· recognise the greater time commitment and
responsibility required for the positions of Co-Chairmen of the
Board and the Chairman of the Audit & Risk Committee through
appropriate fee supplements for each role.
|
Operation
|
Fees payable to the Directors will
be reviewed annually. A number of factors will be considered to
ensure that the fees are set at an appropriate level. These will
include the average rate of inflation during the period since the
last fee increase, the level of Directors' remuneration for other
Investment Companies of a similar size and complexity of the
Directors' responsibilities.
|
Maximum
|
The total remuneration paid to the
non-executive Directors is subject to an annual aggregate limit of
$180,000 in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association,
following approval by shareholders at the AGM in 2020. Any further
changes to this limit will require Shareholder approval by ordinary
resolution.
|
There are no performance related
elements to the Directors' fees and the Company has no Executive
Directors.
To ensure fees are set at an
appropriate level, a comparison of the Directors' remuneration with
investment trusts of a similar size and/or mandate, is undertaken
as well as taking into account any data published by the
Association of Investment Companies. This comparison, together with
consideration of any alteration in non-executive Directors'
responsibilities, is used to review whether any change in
remuneration is necessary. The review of fees is performed on an
annual basis.
Remuneration
|
Fees per
annum US$
|
Director of the Board
|
30,000
|
Additional fee for the Co-Chairmen of
the Board
|
1,0001
|
Additional fee for the Chairman of
the Audit & Risk Committee
|
5,000
|
Additional fee for the members of the
Audit & Risk Committee
|
1,000
|
|
=========
|
1 On 6
October 2023 John Birch was appointed as Co-Chairman of the
Board.
Following a review in September
2023, the Committee agreed that the Directors' fee would not
increase for the year ending 30 June 2024.
Any remuneration arrangements for
new directors will be determined by the Committee in accordance
with the Remuneration Policy, and would also be expected to mirror
the above fee structure.
The additional fees shown in the
table above paid to the Co-Chairmen of the Board (albeit Mr Gabelli
waived his fee) and the Chairman and members of the Audit &
Risk Committee during the year ended 30 June 2024 will also remain
unchanged for the year ending 30 June 2025.
CONSIDERATION OF SHAREHOLDERS' VIEWS
Shareholders' approval for the remuneration report
will be sought at the 2024 AGM. Shareholders will have the
opportunity to express their views and raise any queries on the
policy either at or in advance of this meeting.
At the previous AGM held on 30
November 2023, the Director's Remuneration Report received 100%
votes in favour of the resolution.
Details of voting on the
Remuneration Report at the 2024 AGM will be released via RNS
announcement following the meeting and will be provided in the
annual report for the year ending 30 June 2025.
DIRECTOR'S REMUNERATION IMPLEMENTATION REPORT (AUDITED) SINGLE
TOTAL FIGURE OF REMUNERATION
The
single total remuneration figure for each Director who served
during the year to 30 June 2024 is set out below with prior year
comparison. The table below sets out the total remuneration costs
paid by the Company. Mr Gabelli waived the entitlement to his fees
as Co-Chairman. Mr Gabelli devotes a portion of his time employed
by Gabelli to serve as Chairman of the Company. An apportionment of
his remuneration on a time served basis from employment by an
affiliate of the Portfolio Manager would materially equate to the
fees received by the other Directors of the Company for similar
qualifying services.
Directors' notice periods and
payment for loss of office Directors' appointments may be
terminated without notice. In this event, the Director will only be
entitled to fees accrued at the date of termination, together with
reimbursement of any expenses properly incurred to that
date.
None of the Directors are entitled
to post-employment benefits or termination benefits.
No discretionary payments were made
during the year to 30 June 2024.
The fees paid to Directors on an
annual basis during the year to 30 June 2024 are as
follows:
|
Year to
30 June 2024
|
Year to
30 June 2023
|
Year to
30 June 2022
|
Year to
30 June 2021
|
|
Fees
|
Total
|
Change
over
prior
year %
|
Fees
|
Total
|
Change
over
prior
year %
|
Fees
|
Total
|
Change
over
prior
year %
|
Fees
|
Shares2
|
Total
|
Change
over
prior
year %
|
Marc Gabelli
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Marco Bianconi
|
35,000
|
35,000
|
-
|
35,000
|
35,000
|
-
|
35,000
|
35,000
|
-3.2%
|
25,000
|
11,167
|
36,167
|
24.0%
|
John Birch1
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
3.3%
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
-
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
-3.7%
|
20,000
|
11,167
|
31,167
|
29.0%
|
John Newlands
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
-
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
-
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
-3.6%
|
21,000
|
11,167
|
32,167
|
21.1%
|
Yuji Sugimoto
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
-
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
-
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
-3.7%
|
20,000
|
11,167
|
31,167
|
28.9%
|
James Wedderburn
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
-
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
-
|
31,000
|
31,000
|
-3.6%
|
21,000
|
11,167
|
32,167
|
27.8%
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
158,000
|
158,000
|
-
|
157,000
|
157,000
|
-
|
157,000
|
157,000
|
|
107,000
|
55,835
|
162,835
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 On 6
October 2023 John Birch was appointed as Co-Chairman of the
Board.
2 Represents
the fee supplement originally to be paid in shares, on a pro rata
basis for the period 1 January to 30 June 2020 following
shareholder approval in 2019. Owing to complexities surrounding the
share issuance scheme approved at the 2019 Annual General Meeting,
and following legal advice, the incremental compensation was paid
in cash, in the amount of $10,000 per annum, per Director. The
amount presented for the year ended 30 June 2021 includes cash
payments equivalent to and in lieu of dividends that would have
been paid between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2021, in the amount of
$1,167 per Director.
DIRECTORS' INTERESTS
The interests of the Directors (including their
connected persons), who are not required to purchase shares, in the
Company's share capital are as follows:
|
Ordinary
shares of $0.01
|
Directors
|
As
at
30 June 2024
|
As
at
30 June 2023
|
Marc Gabelli
|
20,100
|
20,100
|
Marco Bianconi
|
1,200
|
1,200
|
John Birch
|
1,000
|
1,000
|
John Newlands
|
-
|
-
|
Yuji Sugimoto
|
-
|
-
|
James Wedderburn
|
1,500
|
1,500
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
23,800
|
23,800
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
None of the Directors has been
granted, or exercised, any options or rights to subscribe for the
Ordinary Shares of the Company.
COMPANY PERFORMANCE
A graph
showing the Company's NAV performance measured by total shareholder
return compared with the Credit Suisse Merger Arb Liquid Index and
the IQ Merger Arbitrage ETF (MNA), since launch, can be found on
page 12.
RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF SPEND ON PAY
The table below shows the Directors' remuneration
(2023: $157,000 and 2022: $157,000) in comparison with Portfolio
management fees paid, dividends paid to shareholders and the
Company's annual revenues.
|
2024
|
Directors' remuneration as a %
of
|
$000
|
%
|
Directors' remuneration
|
158
|
|
Dividends to Shareholders
|
3,227
|
4.9
|
Portfolio management fees
|
568
|
27.8
|
Revenues
|
2,374
|
6.6
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
The Directors confirm that the Directors'
Remuneration Report set out above provides a fair and reasonable
summary for the financial year ended 30 June 2024 of:
a) the
major decisions on Directors' remuneration;
b) any
substantial changes relating to Directors' remuneration made during
the period; and
c) the
context in which those changes occurred and the decisions which
have been taken.
The Directors' Remuneration Report
was approved by the Board on 29 October 2024 and is signed on its
behalf by:
JOHN BIRCH
MARC
GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October 2024
STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS' RESPONSIBILITIES IN RESPECT OF THE
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
We share this Report to
Shareholders, encompassing the year ended 30 June 2024, and note
certain developments post calendar year end. This period included
several important changes for the Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc
(the "Company"), which include:
· The Company paid
three interim dividends totalling $0.48 per share relating to the
fiscal year ended 30 June 2023.
· On 5 October 2023
the Company named John Birch as non-executive Co-Chairman and named
Patrick Huvane and Manjit Kalha as executives. On 30 November 2023
the Company named Gustavo Pifano as an executive.
· In February 2024,
the Company announced the commencement of an On-Market Repurchase
("OMT") via an ongoing SETSqx tender for up to 5% of the shares
held by minority shareholders or approximately 25,000 shares. A
total of 19,500 shares were repurchased as part of this
program.
· The Company has
elected continued adherence to the AIC's SORP. Although no longer a
trust, the Company has elected to continue to prepare the financial
statements on a basis compliant with the recommendations of the
SORP. The SORP is issued by the AIC and it sets out
recommendations, intended to represent current best practice, on
the form and contents of the financial statements of Investment
Companies. Investment Companies include investment trust companies
that have been, currently are, or are directing its affairs so as
to enable it to obtain or retain approval under Section 1158 of the
Corporation Tax Act 2010. Although the Company no longer meets the
requirements of Section 1158 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 to be
an investment trust, it continues to conduct its affairs as an
investment company.
· The Company
previously authorised the issuance of Special Voting Loyalty Shares
in accordance with the terms specified in the Loyalty Programme.
During the year ended 30 June 2024, Associated Capital Group, Inc.
subscribed for Special Voting Loyalty Shares, which increased its
voting interest.
Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc
("GMP") seeks to achieve long-term total return from capital
appreciation and income utilizing the Gabelli Private Market Value
with a CatalystTM methodology, primarily investing in
the securities of businesses undergoing some form of strategic
change where there are substantial disconnects between market price
and business value, and, where catalysts exist that may narrow
these discounts for the benefit of shareholders. GMP objectives,
operating within this highly specialised value based catalyst event
driven merger arbitrage discipline, are to compound and preserve
shareholder wealth over time while remaining non-correlated to the
broad equity and fixed income markets.
The GMP investment process begins by
focusing on a company's balance sheet and underlying fundamentals,
looking for changes in market positions and analyzing the company's
ability to generate free cash flow relative to competition. The
process continues with the calculation of corporate replacement and
intrinsic values while accounting for sector wide industrial
synergies in the context of profitability and growth. The manager
attempts to understand what an informed industrialist would pay for
a business in its entirety through a negotiated acquisition
process. This element serves as the foundation in determining what
is deemed a business's Private Market Value ("PMV"). Lastly, the
manager builds a diversified portfolio of companies in the public
market that are selling at discounts to their PMVs, with a catalyst
in place to generate returns. The investment programme is global,
encompassing a broad spectrum of value based special situations and
event driven opportunities, with an analytical emphasis on
announced merger transactions. As market price dislocations
continue, it is expected this programme will include minority and
also majority controlling stakes in businesses. Controlling stakes
may require the management of operating businesses on behalf of the
company's shareholders in an effort to deliver the company's
objectives in accordance with investment policy. Over the long term
GMP strives to achieve superior risk-adjusted annual returns above
inflation for shareholders.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
we thank investors for entrusting a portion of their assets with
the Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust ("GMP"). We appreciate your
confidence in the Gabelli long-term oriented investment
method.
The Portfolio Manager's Review on
pages 9 to 10 provides details of the important events that have
occurred during the period and their impact on the financial
statements.
COMPANY CONSIDERATIONS
Investors should note the difference between book and
accounting value. Deferred tax assets ("DTA") can be used to offset
certain taxes as applicable in the United Kingdom. And as such
based on a continuing level of activity the DTA are expected to be
utilised over the foreseeable future resulting in the company not
paying UK tax for this year.
As a result of Associated Capital
Group Inc's ownership of 92.6% of shares in issue, the Company is a
consolidated subsidiary for Associated Capital Group Inc.'s
financial reporting purposes. As such, activities of the Company
and of Associated Capital Group Inc. could be deemed related
parties for purposes of this disclosure.
Investors should note that as a
close company with Associated Capital Group Inc. controlling
greater than 90% of shares that Associated Capital Group Inc. may
be able to ensure the approval of shareholder
resolutions.
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
The principal risks and uncertainties faced by the
Company fall into the following broad categories: investment
portfolio; global macro events; operational; market and share
price; financial; corporate governance and regulatory compliance;
taxation; emerging and geopolitical risks. The global macro event
category includes specific market and operational risks associated
with the geopolitical conflicts, which continue to cause
uncertainty and disruption across global economies and markets.
Information on each of these identified risk areas, including
mitigating actions taken by the Company, was provided in the
Strategic Report in the Company's Annual Report and Accounts for
the year ended 30 June 2024.
The Directors together with the
Manager will continue to monitor business continuity and resilience
processes with the objective of mitigating any potential for
ongoing of the various ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURE AND TRANSACTIONS
During the financial year, other than fees payable
by the Company in the ordinary course of business, there have been
no material transactions with related parties which have materially
affected the financial position or the performance of the
Company.
GOING CONCERN
The Board
have closely monitored the impact of the various geopolitical
events as the related continuing uncertainty have short- and
potentially medium-term implications for the Company's investment
strategy. Additionally, the Board is monitoring the period ahead on
the basis of the Company no longer having investment trust status
and its implications on the Company's investment return profile
over the longer term. In context, the Board continuously monitors
the Company's investment portfolio, liquidity and gearing, along
with levels of market activity, to appropriately minimise and
mitigate consequential risks to capital and future income such as
geopolitical risks, financial risks etc. Taking these factors into
account, the Directors confirm that they have a reasonable
expectation that the Company will continue to operate and meet its
expenses as they fall due. For these reasons, the Directors
consider there is reasonable evidence to continue to adopt the
going concern basis in preparing the accounts as at 30 June
2024.
The Directors are responsible for
preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in
accordance with applicable law and regulation.
Company Law requires the Directors
to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that
law the Directors have prepared the financial statements in
accordance with UK-adopted international accounting standards in
conformity with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. Under
company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements
unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of
the state of affairs of the Company and of the profit or loss of
the Company for that period.
In preparing the financial
statements, the Directors are required to:
· select suitable
accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
· state whether
applicable UK-adopted international accounting standards in
conformity with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 have
been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and
explained in the financial statements;
· make judgements and
accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
and
· prepare the
financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is
inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in
business.
The Directors are also responsible
for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking
reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and
other irregularities.
The Directors are responsible for
keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and
explain the Company's transactions and disclose with reasonable
accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and
enable them to ensure that the financial statements and the
Directors' Remuneration Report comply with the Companies Act
2006.
The Directors are responsible for
the maintenance and integrity of the Company's website.
Legislation in the United Kingdom
governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements
may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
DIRECTORS' CONFIRMATIONS
The Directors consider that the annual report and accounts,
taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable and provides
the information necessary for shareholders to assess the Company's
position and performance, business model and strategy.
In the case of each Director in
office at the date the Director's Report is approved:
· so far as the
Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which
the Company's auditors are unaware; and
· they have taken all
the steps that they ought to have taken as a Director in order to
make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to
establish that the Company's auditors are aware of that
information.
The annual financial report was
approved by the Board on 29 October 2024 and the above
responsibility statement was signed on its behalf by the
Co-Chairmen.
By order of the Board
JOHN BIRCH
MARC
GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October 2024
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF GABELLI MERGER
PLUS+ TRUST PLC
REPORT ON THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Opinion
In our opinion, Gabelli
Merger Plus+ Trust Plc's financial statements:
· give a true and
fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 30 June 2024
and of its profit and cash flows for the year then
ended;
· have been properly
prepared in accordance with UK-adopted international accounting
standards; and
· have been prepared
in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act
2006.
We have audited the financial
statements, included within the Annual Report and Accounts (the
"Annual Report"), which comprise: the Statement of Financial
Position as at 30 June 2024; the Statement of Comprehensive Income,
the Statement of Changes in Equity and the Statement of Cash Flows
for the year then ended; and the notes to the financial statements,
which include a description of the significant accounting
policies.
Our opinion is consistent with our
reporting to the Audit & Risk Committee.
Basis for opinion
We
conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on
Auditing (UK) ("ISAs (UK)") and applicable law. Our
responsibilities under ISAs (UK) are further described in the
Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial
statements section of our report. We believe that the audit
evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide
a basis for our opinion.
INDEPENDENCE
We remained
independent of the company in accordance with the ethical
requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial
statements in the UK, which includes the FRC's Ethical Standard, as
applicable to listed public interest entities, and we have
fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with
these requirements.
To the best of our knowledge and
belief, we declare that non-audit services prohibited by the FRC's
Ethical Standard were not provided.
We have provided no non-audit
services to the company in the period under audit.
OUR
AUDIT APPROACH
Overview
Audit scope
· The company is a
standalone Investment company and engages Gabelli Funds, LLC (the
"Manager") to manage its assets.
· We conducted our
audit of the Financial Statements using information from State
Street Global Services (the "Administrator") to whom the Manager
has, with the consent of the Directors, delegated the provision of
certain administrative functions.
· We tailored the
scope of our audit taking into account the types of investments
within the company, the involvement of the third parties referred
to above, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry
in which the company operates.
· We obtained an
understanding of the control environment in place at both the
Manager and the Administrator, and adopted a fully substantive
testing approach using reports obtained from the
administrator.
Key
audit matters
· Valuation and
existence of investments.
· Income from
investments.
Materiality
· Overall
materiality: $686,130 (2023: $664,931) based on 1% of net
assets.
· Performance
materiality: $514,598 (2023: $498,698).
The
scope of our audit
As part of
designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the
risks of material misstatement in the financial
statements.
Key
audit matters
Key audit matters
are those matters that, in the auditors' professional judgement,
were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements
of the current period and include the most significant assessed
risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud)
identified by the auditors, including those which had the greatest
effect on: the overall audit strategy; the allocation of resources
in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team.
These matters, and any comments we make on the results of our
procedures thereon, were addressed in the context of our audit of
the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion
thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these
matters.
This is not a complete list of all
risks identified by our audit.
Taxation, which was a key audit
matter last year, is no longer included because of the fact that
the prior year was the first time the Company could not avail
itself of the s1158 Investment Trust tax exemption leading to
additional audit focus on the tax treatment of previously
unrecognised deferred tax assets. As no issues were identified in
the prior year taxation is no longer treated as a key audit matter
in the current year. Otherwise, the key audit matters below are
consistent with last year.
Key audit matter
|
How our audit addressed the key audit
matter
|
Valuation and existence of investments
Refer to Accounting Policies, Note 2(g) and Notes
to the Financial Statements, Note 3. The investment portfolio at
year-end consisted of listed equity investments and derivatives
(contracts for difference). We focused on the valuation and
existence of investments because investments represent the
principal element of the net asset value as disclosed in the
Statement of Financial Position in the financial statements. We
also focused on the accounting policy for the valuation of
investments as set out in the accounting standards as incorrect
application could indicate a misstatement in the valuation of
investments.
|
· We assessed the
accounting policy for the valuation of investments for compliance
with accounting standards and the AIC SORP and performed testing to
check that investments are accounted for in accordance with this
stated accounting policy.
· We tested the
valuation of the listed equity investments by agreeing the prices
used in the valuation to independent third party
sources.
· We tested the
existence of the investment portfolio by agreeing listed equity
investment holdings to an independent custodian
confirmation.
· For derivatives, we
tested a sample of the valuation of these investments using
valuation techniques as advised by our valuation
specialists.
· We tested the
existence of derivatives by using third party information obtained
directly from the broker.
· No material issues
were identified.
|
Income from investments Income from investments refers to dividend income and net
capital gains from investments. Refer to Accounting Policies, Note
2(e) and 2(g). We focused on the accuracy, occurrence and
completeness of dividend income, and occurence of net capital gains
as inaccurate recognition of income could have a material impact on
the company's net asset value and dividend cover. We also focused
on the accounting policy for income recognition and its
presentation in the Statement of Comprehensive Income as set out in
the requirements of The Association of Investment Companies
Statement of Recommended Practice (the "AIC SORP") as incorrect
application could result in a misstatement in income
recognition.
|
· We assessed the
accounting policies implemented were in accordance with accounting
standards and the AIC SORP, and that income has been accounted for
in accordance with the stated accounting policy.
· We tested the
accuracy of dividend receipts by agreeing the dividend rates from
investments to independent market data. To test for occurrence, we
confirmed that a sample of dividends recorded had occurred in the
market. To test for completeness, we tested that the appropriate
dividends had been received in the year by reference to independent
data of dividends declared for all listed investments during the
year.
· We also tested the
allocation and presentation of dividend income between the revenue
and capital return columns of the Income Statement in line with the
requirements set out in the AIC SORP by confirming reasons behind
dividend distributions.
· The gains and
losses on investments held at fair value comprise realised and
unrealised gains and losses. For unrealised gains and losses, we
tested the valuation of the portfolio at the year-end (on a sample
basis for derivatives), together with testing the reconciliation of
opening and closing investments. For realised gains and losses, we
tested a sample of disposals by agreeing the proceeds to bank
statements and we re-performed the calculation of a sample of
realised gains and losses.
· No material issues
were identified.
|
How
we tailored the audit scope
We
tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough
work to be able to give an opinion on the financial statements as a
whole, taking into account the structure of the company, the
accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which it
operates.
As part of designing our audit, we
determined materiality and assessed the risks of material
misstatement in the financial statements. In particular, we looked
at where the Directors made subjective judgements, for example in
respect of significant accounting estimates that involved making
assumptions and considering future events that are inherently
uncertain.
The
impact of climate risk on our audit
In planning our audit, we made enquiries of the Directors and
Manager to understand the extent of the potential impact of climate
change risk on the Company's financial statements. Both concluded
that the impact on the measurement and disclosures within the
financial statements is not material because the Company's
investment portfolio is primarily made up of Level 1 quoted
securities which are valued at fair value based on market prices.
We found this to be consistent with our understanding of the
Company's investment activities.
We also considered the consistency
of the climate change disclosures included in the Strategic Report
with the financial statements and our knowledge from our
audit.
Materiality
The scope of
our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We set
certain quantitative thresholds for materiality. These, together
with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope
of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit
procedures on the individual financial statement line items and
disclosures and in evaluating the effect of misstatements, both
individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a
whole.
Based on our professional judgement,
we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole
as follows:
Overall company materiality
|
$686,130 (2023:
$664,931).
|
How
we determined it
|
1% of net assets
|
Rationale for benchmark applied
|
We believe that net assets is the
primary measure used by shareholders in assessing the performance
of the company and is a generally accepted auditing benchmark for
investment trust audits.
|
We use performance materiality to
reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that the
aggregate of uncorrected and undetected misstatements exceeds
overall materiality. Specifically, we use performance materiality
in determining the scope of our audit and the nature and extent of
our testing of account balances, classes of transactions and
disclosures, for example in determining sample sizes. Our
performance materiality was 75% (2023: 75%) of overall materiality,
amounting to $514,598 (2023: $498,698) for the company financial
statements.
In determining the performance
materiality, we considered a number of factors - the history of
misstatements, risk assessment and aggregation risk and the
effectiveness of controls - and concluded that an amount at the
upper end of our normal range was appropriate.
We agreed with the Audit & Risk
Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified
during our audit above $34,307 (2023: $33,247) as well as
misstatements below that amount that, in our view, warranted
reporting for qualitative reasons.
CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN
Our evaluation of the directors' assessment of the
company's ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of
accounting included:
· Evaluating the
Directors' assessment of potential operational impacts arising from
geopolitical inutability in certain regions, considering their
consistency with other available information and our understanding
of the business and assessed the potential impact on the financial
statements;
· Reviewing the
Directors' assessment of the Company's financial position in the
context of its ability to meet future expected operating expenses,
their assessment of liquidity as well as their review of the
operational resilience of the Company and oversight of key
third-party service providers;
· Assessing the
implications of potential significant reductions in Net Asset Value
as a result of market performance on the ongoing ability of the
Company to operate;
· Assessing the
impact of the loss of Investment Trust Company status and the
continued operations of the Company.
Based on the work we have performed,
we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to
events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast
significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going
concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the
financial statements are authorised for issue.
In auditing the financial
statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going
concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial
statements is appropriate.
However, because not all future
events or conditions can be predicted, this conclusion is not a
guarantee as to the company's ability to continue as a going
concern.
In relation to the directors'
reporting on how they have applied the UK Corporate Governance
Code, we have nothing material to add or draw attention to in
relation to the directors' statement in the financial statements
about whether the directors considered it appropriate to adopt the
going concern basis of accounting.
Our responsibilities and the
responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are
described in the relevant sections of this report.
REPORTING ON OTHER INFORMATION
The other information comprises all of the information in the
Annual Report other than the financial statements and our auditors'
report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other
information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover
the other information and, accordingly, we do not express an audit
opinion or, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in
this report, any form of assurance thereon.
In connection with our audit of the
financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other
information and, in doing so, consider whether the other
information is materially inconsistent with the financial
statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise
appears to be materially misstated. If we identify an apparent
material inconsistency or material misstatement, we are required to
perform procedures to conclude whether there is a material
misstatement of the financial statements or a material misstatement
of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed,
we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other
information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing
to report based on these responsibilities.
With respect to the Strategic report
and Directors' Report, we also considered whether the disclosures
required by the UK Companies Act 2006 have been
included.
Based on our work undertaken in the
course of the audit, the Companies Act 2006 requires us also to
report certain opinions and matters as described on the following
page.
Strategic report and Director's Report
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in
the course of the audit, the information given in the Strategic
report and Directors' Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 is
consistent with the financial statements and has been prepared in
accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In light of the knowledge and
understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the
course of the audit, we did not identify any material misstatements
in the Strategic report and Directors' Report.
Directors' Remuneration
In
our opinion, the part of the Directors' Remuneration Report to be
audited has been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies
Act 2006.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT
The Listing Rules require us to review the directors'
statements in relation to going concern, longer-term viability and
that part of the corporate governance statement relating to the
company's compliance with the provisions of the UK Corporate
Governance Code specified for our review. Our additional
responsibilities with respect to the corporate governance statement
as other information are described in the Reporting on other
information section of this report.
Based on the work undertaken as part
of our audit, we have concluded that each of the following elements
of the corporate governance statement is materially consistent with
the financial statements and our knowledge obtained during the
audit, and we have nothing material to add or draw attention to in
relation to:
· The directors'
confirmation that they have carried out a robust assessment of the
emerging and principal risks;
· The disclosures in
the Annual Report that describe those principal risks, what
procedures are in place to identify emerging risks and an
explanation of how these are being managed or mitigated;
· The directors'
statement in the financial statements about whether they considered
it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in
preparing them, and their identification of any material
uncertainties to the company's ability to continue to do so over a
period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of the
financial statements;
· The directors'
explanation as to their assessment of the company's prospects, the
period this assessment covers and why the period is appropriate;
and
· The directors'
statement as to whether they have a reasonable expectation that the
company will be able to continue in operation and meet its
liabilities as they fall due over the period of its assessment,
including any related disclosures drawing attention to any
necessary qualifications or assumptions.
Our review of the directors'
statement regarding the longer-term viability of the company was
substantially less in scope than an audit and only consisted of
making inquiries and considering the directors' process supporting
their statement; checking that the statement is in alignment with
the relevant provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code; and
considering whether the statement is consistent with the financial
statements and our knowledge and understanding of the company and
its environment obtained in the course of the audit.
In addition, based on the work
undertaken as part of our audit, we have concluded that each of the
following elements of the corporate governance statement is
materially consistent with the financial statements and our
knowledge obtained during the audit:
· The directors'
statement that they consider the Annual Report, taken as a whole,
is fair, balanced and understandable, and provides the information
necessary for the members to assess the company's position,
performance, business model and strategy;
· The section of the
Annual Report that describes the review of effectiveness of risk
management and internal control systems; and
· The section of the
Annual Report describing the work of the Audit & Risk
Committee.
We have nothing to report in respect
of our responsibility to report when the directors' statement
relating to the company's compliance with the Code does not
properly disclose a departure from a relevant provision of the Code
specified under the Listing Rules for review by the
auditors.
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE
AUDIT
Responsibilities of the directors for the financial
statements
As explained more
fully in the Statement of Directors' Responsibilities in respect of
the Financial Statements, the directors are responsible for the
preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the
applicable framework and for being satisfied that they give a true
and fair view. The directors are also responsible for such internal
control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of
financial statements that are free from material misstatement,
whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial
statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the
company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as
applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going
concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to
liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic
alternative but to do so.
Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial
statements
Our objectives are to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements
as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to
fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report that includes our
opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is
not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs
(UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered
material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could
reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users
taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are
instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design
procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to
detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities,
including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of
detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed
below.
Based on our understanding of the
company and industry, we identified that the principal risks of
non-compliance with laws and regulations related to breaches of the
Corporation Tax Act 2010, and we considered the extent to which
non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial
statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have
a direct impact on the financial statements such as the Companies
Act 2006. We evaluated management's incentives and opportunities
for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including
the risk of override of controls), and determined that the
principal risks were related to posting of inappropriate journal
entries to increase income or to overstate the value of investments
and increase the net asset value of the company. Audit procedures
performed by the engagement team included:
· Discussions with
the Directors, the Manager and the Administrator, including
consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance
with laws and regulation and fraud;
· Evaluation of the
controls implemented by the Manager and the Administrator designed
to prevent and detect irregularities;
· Assessment of the
company's compliance with the Corporation Tax Act 2010, including
recalculation of numerical aspects of the tax expense;
and
· Identifying and
testing journal entries, in particular a sample of journals posted
as part of the financial year end close process.
There are inherent limitations in
the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become
aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that
are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the
financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material
misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting
one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate
concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional
misrepresentations, or through collusion.
Our audit testing might include
testing complete populations of certain transactions and balances,
possibly using data auditing techniques. However, it typically
involves selecting a limited number of items for testing, rather
than testing complete populations. We will often seek to target
particular items for testing based on their size or risk
characteristics. In other cases, we will use audit sampling to
enable us to draw a conclusion about the population from which the
sample is selected.
A further description of our
responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is
located on the FRC's website at: www.frc.org.
uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our
auditors' report.
Use
of this report
This report,
including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the
company's members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16
of the Companies Act 2006 and for no other purpose. We do not, in
giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any
other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown
or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our
prior consent in writing.
OTHER REQUIRED REPORTING
COMPANIES ACT 2006 EXCEPTION REPORTING
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to
report to you if, in our opinion:
· we have not
obtained all the information and explanations we require for our
audit; or
· adequate accounting
records have not been kept by the company, or returns adequate for
our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us;
or
· certain disclosures
of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made;
or
· the financial
statements and the part of the Directors' Remuneration Report to be
audited are not in agreement with the accounting records and
returns.
We have no exceptions to report
arising from this responsibility.
APPOINTMENT
Following the
recommendation of the Audit & Risk Committee, we were appointed
by the members on 1 July 2017 to audit the financial statements for
the year ended 30 June 2018 and subsequent financial periods. The
period of total uninterrupted engagement is 7 years, covering the
years ended 30 June 2018 to 30 June 2024.
KEVIN ROLLO (SENIOR STATUTORY AUDITOR)
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
London
29 October 2024
STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE
2024
|
|
Year
ended 30 June 2024
|
Year
ended 30 June 2023
|
Income
|
Notes
|
Revenue
$000
|
Capital
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Revenue
$000
|
Capital
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Investment income
|
5
|
2,374
|
-
|
2,374
|
1,012
|
-
|
1,012
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total investment income
|
|
2,374
|
-
|
2,374
|
1,012
|
-
|
1,012
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Gains on investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net realised and unrealised gains on
investments
|
3,
13
|
-
|
2,255
|
2,255
|
-
|
4,707
|
4,707
|
Net realised and unrealised currency
gains on investments
|
|
-
|
24
|
24
|
-
|
114
|
114
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net gains on investments
|
|
-
|
2,279
|
2,279
|
-
|
4,821
|
4,821
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total income and gains on investments
|
|
2,374
|
2,279
|
4,653
|
1,012
|
4,821
|
5,833
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio management fee
|
6
|
(568)
|
-
|
(568)
|
(654)
|
-
|
(654)
|
Performance fee
|
6,
14
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Other expenses
|
6
|
(647)
|
(600)
|
(1,247)
|
(807)
|
(501)
|
(1,308)
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total expenses
|
|
(1,215)
|
(600)
|
(1,815)
|
(1,461)
|
(501)
|
(1,962)
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Net
return on ordinary activities before finance costs and
taxation
|
|
1,159
|
1,679
|
2,838
|
(449)
|
4,320
|
3,871
|
Interest expense and similar
charges
|
|
(20)
|
-
|
(20)
|
(26)
|
-
|
(26)
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation
|
|
1,139
|
1,679
|
2,818
|
(475)
|
4,320
|
3,845
|
Taxation on ordinary
activities
|
8
|
(316)
|
(510)
|
(826)
|
3,471
|
-
|
3,471
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Profit for the year
|
|
823
|
1,169
|
1,992
|
2,996
|
4,320
|
7,316
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Profit per share (basic and diluted)
|
9
|
$0.12
|
$0.17
|
$0.29
|
$0.39
|
$0.55
|
$0.94
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
The total column of this statement
represents the Statement of Comprehensive Income prepared in
accordance with UK International Accounting Standards (UK IAS). The
supplementary revenue return and capital return columns are both
prepared under guidance issued by the Association of Investment
Companies. All items in the above statement derive from continuing
operations.
No operations were acquired or
discontinued during the year ended 30 June 2024.
The Company does not have any income
or expense that is not included in net profit for the year.
Accordingly, the net profit for the period is also the total
comprehensive income for the year, as defined in UK IAS.
The notes on pages 46 to 70 form
part of these financial statements.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE
2024
|
|
Year
ended 30 June 2024
|
Year ended 30 June 2024
|
Note
|
Called
up
Share
Capital
$000
|
Special
Distributable
Reserve1 $000
|
Capital
Reserve
$000
|
Revenue
Reserve*
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Balance as at 1 July 2023
|
|
103
|
45,995
|
25,285
|
(1,360)
|
70,023
|
Ordinary shares bought back into
treasury
|
|
-
|
(175)
|
-
|
-
|
(175)
|
Profit for the period after tax on
ordinary activities
|
|
-
|
-
|
1,169
|
823
|
1,992
|
Dividends paid
|
7
|
-
|
(3,227)
|
-
|
-
|
(3,227)
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Balance as at 30 June 2024
|
|
103
|
42,593
|
26,454
|
(537)
|
68,613
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
|
Year
ended 30 June 2023
|
Year ended 30 June 2023
|
Note
|
Called
up
Share
Capital
$000
|
Special
Distributable
Reserve*
$000
|
Capital
Reserve
$000
|
Revenue
Reserve*
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Balance as at 1 July 2022
|
|
103
|
79,062
|
20,965
|
(4,356)
|
95,774
|
Ordinary shares bought back into
treasury
|
|
-
|
(32,245)
|
-
|
-
|
(32,245)
|
Profit for the period after tax on
ordinary activities
|
|
-
|
-
|
4,320
|
2,996
|
7,316
|
Dividends paid
|
7
|
-
|
(822)
|
-
|
-
|
(822)
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Balance as at 30 June 2023
|
|
103
|
45,995
|
25,285
|
(1,360)
|
70,023
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 The
Revenue Reserve and Special Distributable Reserve are
distributable. The amount of the Revenue Reserve and Special
Distributable Reserve that is distributable is not necessarily the
full amount of the reserves as disclosed within these financial
statements. As at 30 June 2024, the net amount of reserves that are
distributable is $42,056,000 (2023: $44,635,000).
The notes on pages 46 to 70 form
part of these financial statements.
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE
2024
|
|
As at 30
June 2024
|
As at 30
June 2023
|
|
Note
|
$000
|
$000
|
$000
|
$000
|
Non-current assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investments held at fair value
through profit or loss
|
3
|
|
57,488
|
|
56,514
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
---------------
|
Current assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
10
|
8,430
|
|
9,555
|
|
Receivable for investment
sold
|
|
1,391
|
|
1,800
|
|
Other receivables
|
15
|
131
|
|
73
|
|
Deferred tax asset
|
8
|
2,774
|
|
3,530
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
---------------
|
|
|
|
12,726
|
|
14,958
|
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
|
Current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolio management fee
payable
|
|
(46)
|
|
(46)
|
|
Payable for investment
purchased
|
|
(661)
|
|
(571)
|
|
Other payables
|
15
|
(403)
|
|
(349)
|
|
Bank overdrafts
|
|
|
(89)
|
|
(106)
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
---------------
|
Net
current assets
|
|
|
11,527
|
|
13,886
|
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
Non-current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investments at fair value through
profit or loss
|
3
|
(350)
|
|
|
(325)
|
Offering fees payable
|
|
(52)
|
|
|
(52)
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
|
---------------
|
Net
assets
|
|
68,613
|
|
|
70,023
|
|
|
=========
|
|
|
=========
|
Share capital and reserves
|
|
|
|
|
|
Called-up share capital
|
11
|
103
|
|
103
|
|
Special distributable
reserve1
|
|
42,593
|
|
44,635
|
|
Capital reserve
|
|
26,454
|
|
25,285
|
|
Revenue
reserve1
|
|
(537)
|
|
(1,360)
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total shareholders' funds
|
|
|
68,613
|
|
70,023
|
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
Net
asset value per ordinary share
|
|
|
$10.04
|
|
$10.22
|
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
1 The
Revenue Reserve and Special Distributable Reserve are
distributable. The amount of the Revenue Reserve and Special
Distributable Reserve that is distributable is not necessarily the
full amount of the reserves as disclosed within these financial
statements. As at 30 June 2024, the net amount of reserves that are
distributable are $42,056,000 (2023: $44,635,000).
The financial statements on pages 42
to 45 were approved by the Board of Directors on 29 October 2024
and signed on its behalf by
JOHN
BIRCH
MARC GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October
2024
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE
2024
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
|
|
$000
|
$000
|
$000
|
$000
|
Cash
flows from operating activities
|
|
|
|
|
Profit before tax
|
|
2,818
|
|
3,845
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
---------------
|
Adjustments for:
|
|
|
|
|
Gains on investments
|
(2,279)
|
|
(4,821)
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
---------------
|
|
Cash
flows from operating activities
|
|
|
|
|
Purchases of
investments1
|
(212,093)
|
|
(140,570)
|
|
Sales of
investments1
|
213,898
|
|
178,372
|
|
Increase in receivables
|
(58)
|
|
(7)
|
|
Increase in payables
|
74
|
|
148
|
|
Foreign withholding taxes on
dividends
|
(70)
|
|
(59)
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net
cash flows from operating activities
|
|
2,290
|
|
36,908
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
Cash
flows from financing activities
|
|
|
|
|
Shares bought back for
cash
|
(175)
|
|
(32,245)
|
|
Dividends paid
|
(3,227)
|
|
(822)
|
|
Interest paid
|
(20)
|
|
(26)
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net
cash flows from financing activities
|
|
(3,422)
|
|
(33,093)
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
Net
(decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
(1,132)
|
|
3,815
|
Cash and cash equivalents at the
start of the period
|
|
9,449
|
|
5,520
|
Effect of foreign exchange
rates
|
|
24
|
|
114
|
|
|
---------------
|
|
---------------
|
Cash
and cash equivalents at the end of the period
|
|
8,3412,3
|
|
9,4492,3
|
|
|
=========
|
|
=========
|
1 Receipts
from the sale of, and payments to acquire, investment securities,
have been classified as components of cash flows from operating
activities because they form part of the Company's dealing
operations.
2 As at 30 June
2024, $6,223,143 (2023: $3,942,151) was held as collateral at UBS
securities LLC for Contracts for Difference, and was
restricted.
3 As at 30
June 2024, Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period
includes Cash and cash equivalents of $8,430 and Bank overdrafts of
$89 (2023: $9,555 and $106, respectively).
Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc is
registered in England and Wales under Company number
10747219.
The financial statements on pages 42
to 45 were approved by the Board of Directors on 29 October 2024
and signed on its behalf by
JOHN
BIRCH
MARC GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October
2024
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1
GENERAL INFORMATION
Gabelli
Merger Plus+ Trust Plc (the "Company") is a closed-ended public
limited company incorporated in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2017
with registered number 10747219.
2
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a) Basis of preparation
- The financial statements of Gabelli Merger Plus+
Trust Plc have been prepared in accordance with the UK adopted
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The financial
statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention,
as modified by the revaluation of financial assets and financial
liabilities (including derivative financial instruments) at fair
value through profit or loss.
The principal accounting policies
adopted by the Company are set out below. Where presentational
guidance set out in the Statement of Recommended Practice ('SORP')
for investment trusts issued by the Association of Investment
Companies ('AIC') in October 2019 is consistent with the
requirements of IFRS, the Directors have sought to prepare the
financial statements on a basis compliant with the recommendations
of the SORP.
For the accounting period ended 30
June 2022, the Company met the requirements to be an investment
trust under sections 1158 and 1159 of the Corporation Tax Act of
2010. However, as a result of the Tranche One Tender Offer
completed in the third quarter of 2022, the Company subsequently
became a close company due to becoming controlled by a single
participator, Associated Capital Group, Inc.
Although no longer an Investment
Trust, the Company has elected to continue to prepare the financial
statements on a basis compliant with the recommendations of the
SORP. The SORP is issued by the AIC and it sets out
recommendations, intended to represent current best practice, on
the form and contents of the financial statements of Investment
Companies. Investment Companies include investment trust companies
that have been, currently are, or are directing its affairs so as
to enable it to obtain or retain approval under Section 1158 of the
Corporation Tax Act 2010. Although the Company no longer meets the
requirements of Section 1158 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 to be
an investment trust, it continues to conduct its affairs as an
investment company. Further, management of the Company also
believes that consistency in presentation will be beneficial to
individuals reviewing the Company's financial
statements.
(b) Presentation of Statement of
Comprehensive Income - To better
reflect the activities of an investment trust company and in
accordance with guidance issued by the AIC, supplementary
information which analyses the Statement of Comprehensive Income
between items of a revenue and capital nature has been presented
alongside the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
(c) Going concern
- The Directors, have taken account of the
continuing market regulatory changes affecting investee companies,
investment valuations and various geopolitical conflicts. Those
impacts and related continuing uncertainty have short- and
potentially medium-term implications for the Company's investment
strategy. Additionally, the Board is monitoring the period ahead on
the basis of the Company no longer having investment trust status
and its implications on the Company's investment return profile
over the longer term. In context, the Board continuously monitors
the Company's investment portfolio, liquidity, and gearing, along
with levels of market activity, to appropriately minimise and
mitigate consequential risks to capital and future income such as
geopolitical risks and financial risks. Taking these factors into
account, the Directors confirm that they have a reasonable
expectation that the Company will continue to operate and meet its
expenses as they fall due for a period no less than 12 months from
the signing of the balance sheet.. For these reasons, the Directors
consider there is reasonable evidence to continue to adopt the
going concern basis in preparing the accounts as at 30 June
2024.
In forming this position, the
Directors considered the Company's investment objectives, risk
management policies, capital management policies and procedures,
the nature of the portfolio and expenditure projections in
detail.
(d) Statement of estimation
uncertainty - In the application of
the Company's accounting policies, the Investment Manager is
required to make judgements, estimates, and assumptions about
carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not always
readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated
assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors
that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may vary from
these estimates. There have been no significant judgements,
estimates, or assumptions for the period.
(e) Income recognition
- Revenue from investments (other than special
dividends), including taxes deducted at source, is included in
revenue by reference to the date on which the investment is quoted
ex-dividend, or where no ex-dividend date is quoted, when the
Company's right to receive payment is established. Franked
investment income is stated net of the relevant tax credit. Other
income includes any taxes deducted at source.
Special dividends are credited to
capital or revenue, according to the circumstances. Scrip dividends
are treated as unfranked investment income; any excess in value of
the shares received over the amount of the cash dividend is
recognised as a capital item in the Statement of Comprehensive
Income.
Interest income is accounted for on
an accrual basis by reference to the principal outstanding and at
the effective interest rate applicable, which is the rate that
exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the
expected life of the financial asset to that asset's net carrying
amount.
(f) Expenses
- The management fees are allocated to revenue in
the Statement of Comprehensive Income. Interest receivable and
payable and management expenses are treated on an accruals basis.
Other expenses are charged to revenue except where they directly
relate to the acquisition or disposal of an investment, in which
case, they are added to the cost of the investment or deducted from
the sale proceeds. Starting with the year ended 30 June 2023,
transaction and finance charges related to contracts for difference
are charged to capital.
The formation and initial expenses
of the Company are allocated to capital.
(g) Investments
- Investments have been designated upon initial
recognition at fair value through profit or loss. Investments are
recognised and de-recognised at trade date where a purchase or sale
is under a contract whose terms require delivery within the time
frame established by the market concerned, and are initially
measured at fair value. Subsequent to initial recognition,
investments are valued at fair value. U.S. Treasuries held for
investment diversification purposes are not included as cash
equivalents and are valued at their amortised cost. Movements in
the fair value of investments and gains/losses on the sale of
investments are taken to the Statement of Comprehensive Income as
capital items.
The Company's investments are
classified as held at fair value through profit or loss in
accordance with applicable International Financial
Standards.
Financial assets and financial
liabilities are recognised in the Statement of Financial Position
when the Company becomes a party to the contractual provisions of
the instrument. The Company shall offset financial assets and
financial liabilities if it has a legally enforceable right to set
off the recognised amounts and interests and intends to settle on a
net basis. Financial assets and liabilities are derecognised when
the Company settles its obligations relating to the
instrument.
Contracts for Difference (CFDs)
CFDs are recognised in the Statement of Financial Position at
the accumulated unrealised gain or loss as an asset or liability,
respectively. This represents the difference between the nominal
book cost and market value of each position held. Movements in the
unrealised gains/losses are taken to the Statement of Comprehensive
Income as capital items.
(h) Cash and cash
equivalents - The Company may invest
part of its net assets in cash and cash equivalents, money market
instruments, bonds, commercial papers or other debt obligations
with banks or other counterparties, having at least a single-A (or
equivalent) credit rating from an internationally recognised rating
agency or government and other public securities, if the Portfolio
Manager believes that it would be in the best interests of the
Company and its shareholders. This may be the case, for example,
where the Portfolio Manager believes that adverse market conditions
justify a temporary defensive position.
Any cash or surplus assets may also
be temporarily invested in such instruments pending investment in
accordance with the Company's investment policy. Cash balances are
marked to market based on the prevailing exchange rate as of the
valuation date. U.S. Treasuries are valued at their amortised
cost.
(i) Transaction
costs - Transaction costs incurred
on the purchase and disposal of investments are recognised as a
capital item in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.
(j) Foreign
currency - Foreign currencies are
translated at the rates of exchange ruling on the period end date.
Revenue received/receivable and expenses paid/payable in foreign
currencies are translated at the rates of exchange ruling at the
transaction date.
(k) Fair value
- All financial assets and liabilities are
recognised in the financial statements at fair value.
(l) Dividends
payable - Interim and final
dividends are recognised in the period in which they are
declared.
(m) Capital reserve - Capital distributions received, realised gains or losses on
investments that are readily convertible to cash, and capital
expenses are transferred to the capital reserve. Share buybacks are
funded through the capital reserve.
(n) Taxation
- The tax effect of different items of
income/gains and expenditure/losses is allocated between revenue
and capital on the same basis as the particular item to which it
relates, under the marginal method, using the Company's effective
rate of tax. Deferred taxation is recognised in respect of all
timing differences that have originated but not reversed at the
period end date where transactions of events that result in an
obligation to pay more or a right to pay less tax in future have
occurred at the period end date measured on an undiscounted basis
and based on enacted tax rates. This is subject to deferred tax
assets only being recognised if it is considered more likely than
not that there will be suitable profits from which the future
reversal of the underlying timing differences can be deducted.
Timing differences are differences arising between the Company's
taxable profits and its results as stated in the accounts which are
capable of reversal in one or more subsequent periods.
GMP was historically authorized as
an Investment Trust under Sections 1158 and 1159 Corporation Tax
Act 2010 and the Investment Trust (Approved Company) (Tax)
Regulations 2011 (S.I.2011/2999).
Following a share buy-back offer
from 19 August 2022 to 22 September 2022, GMP became a close
company due to becoming controlled by a single participator,
Associated Capital Group Inc. This constituted a "serious" breach
of the Investment Trust rules.
Accordingly, GMP notified HMRC of
this development in December 2022 and requested confirmation that
GMP's authorization as an Investment Trust should be withdrawn from
the commencement of the accounting period starting 1 July
2022.
The primary benefit associated with
the Investment Trust regime is that capital gains realized by a
qualifying Investment Trust company is exempt from UK Corporation
Tax. Therefore, loss of Investment Trust status for a UK company
can have potentially significant consequences for its tax profile
moving forwards, as it would be subject to tax on any capital gains
realized thereafter at the main rate of UK Corporation
Tax.
At 30 June 2024, after offset
against income taxable on receipt, there was a deferred tax asset
("DTA") of $2.77 million (2023: $3.53 million) in relation to
surplus tax reliefs. After the loss of its Investment Trust Status
it is now possible for GMP to utilise this DTA in order to shelter
capital gains from UK Corporation Tax. In order for the DTA to
remain available, GMP must maintain its investment business moving
forward. GMP's activities are such that it will have an investment
business for UK tax purposes. In particular, the Investment Trust
rules require that "substantially all of the business of the
Investment Trust company consists of investing its funds in shares,
land or other assets with the aim of spreading investment risk and
giving members of the company the benefit of the results of the
management of its funds". This may be considered analogous to
having an investment business.
Therefore, given (i) GMP previously
received approval from HMRC that this requirement was met, and (ii)
the activity of the company is not intended to change, GMP will
continue having an investment business and will meet the conditions
to carry forward and use its excess management expenses in current
and future periods. As such GMP has included the DTA in the
financial statements.
(o) Functional and presentation
currency - The functional and
presentation currency of the Company is the U.S. dollar.
3
INVESTMENTS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS
The financial assets measured at fair value
through profit or loss in the financial statements are grouped into
the fair value hierarchy as follows:
|
As at 30
June 2024
|
|
Level
1
$000
|
Level
2
$000
|
Level
3
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Financial assets at fair value through profit or
loss
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted equities
|
47,822
|
-
|
-
|
47,822
|
Contingent value rights
|
165
|
-
|
-
|
165
|
Derivatives
|
-
|
317
|
-
|
317
|
U.S. Treasuries
|
-
|
9,184
|
-
|
9,184
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Gross fair value
|
|
|
|
57,488
|
|
|
|
|
=========
|
Derivatives
|
-
|
(350)
|
-
|
(350)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net
fair value
|
47,987
|
9,151
|
-
|
57,138
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
As at 30
June 2023
|
|
Level
1
$000
|
Level
2
$000
|
Level
3
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Financial assets at fair value through profit or
loss
|
|
|
|
|
Quoted equities
|
55,219
|
903
|
-
|
56,122
|
Contingent value rights
|
-
|
257
|
-
|
257
|
Derivatives
|
-
|
135
|
-
|
135
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Gross fair value
|
|
|
|
56,514
|
|
|
|
|
=========
|
Derivatives
|
-
|
(325)
|
-
|
(325)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net
fair value
|
55,219
|
970
|
-
|
56,189
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
There were no transfers between
levels for all periods presented.
Fair value hierarchy
IFRS
13 requires the Company to classify its financial instruments held
at fair value using a hierarchy that reflects the significance of
the inputs used in the valuation methodologies. These are as
follows:
· Level 1 - quoted
prices in active markets for identical investments;
· Level 2 - other
significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar
investments, interest rates, prepayments, credit risk, etc.);
and
· Level 3 -
significant unobservable inputs
Analysis of changes in market value and book cost of portfolio
investments in year
|
Year
ended
30 June 20241 $000
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
$000
|
Opening book cost
|
63,218
|
99,687
|
Opening investment holding
losses
|
(7,029)
|
(7,722)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Opening market value
|
56,189
|
91,965
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Additions at cost
|
212,183
|
139,266
|
Disposals proceeds
received
|
(213,489)
|
(179,749)
|
Gains on investments
|
2,255
|
4,707
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Market value of investments
|
57,138
|
56,189
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Closing book cost
|
63,759
|
63,218
|
Closing investment holding
losses
|
(6,621)
|
(7,029)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Closing market value
|
57,138
|
56,189
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 Figures
for the year ended 30 June 2024 include U.S. Treasuries purchased
for investment diversification purposes.
The company received $213,489,000
(2023: $179,749,000) from investments sold in the year. The book
cost of these investments when they were purchased was $211,642,000
(2023: $175,735,000). Further explanation of the disposal proceeds
received in the year can be found in the Net realised and
unrealised gains on investments section.
Net
realised and unrealised gains on investments
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
$000
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
$000
|
Realised gains on
investments
|
1,847
|
4,014
|
Movement in unrealised gains on
investments
|
408
|
693
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net
realised and unrealised gains on investments
|
2,255
|
4,707
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
4
TRANSACTIONS COSTS
During the
year commissions and other expenses were incurred in acquiring or
disposing of investments classified at fair value through profit or
loss. These have been charged through capital and are within gains
in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. The total costs were as
follows:
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
$000
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
$000
|
Purchases
|
56
|
54
|
Sales
|
23
|
34
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
79
|
88
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
5
INCOME
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
$000
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
$000
|
Income from investments
|
|
|
Dividend income
|
499
|
423
|
Income on short-term
investments1
|
1,337
|
387
|
Other income2
|
538
|
202
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total income
|
2,374
|
1,012
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 Income on
short-term investments represents the return on cash and cash
equivalents, primarily U.S. Treasury Bills. Further information can
be found in Note 10.
2 Includes
swap income of $458,000 and $172,000, respectively.
6
EXPENSES
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
$000
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
$000
|
Revenue expenses
|
|
|
Portfolio Management Fee
|
(568)
|
(654)
|
Directors' Remuneration
|
(157)
|
(157)
|
Audit Fees - PwC
|
(100)
|
(145)
|
Company Secretary Fees
|
(61)
|
(100)
|
Other
|
(54)
|
(34)
|
Legal Fees
|
(50)
|
(122)
|
Former AIFM - Carne
|
Nil
|
(51)
|
AIFM Support Services
|
(48)
|
Nil
|
Administration Fees - State
Street
|
(46)
|
(55)
|
Custodian/Depositary Fees - State
Street
|
(45)
|
(52)
|
Directors' Expenses
|
(21)
|
(11)
|
Printing
|
(17)
|
(28)
|
Regulatory Filing Fees -
AIFMD
|
(13)
|
(14)
|
Registrar - Computershare
|
(13)
|
(18)
|
LSE RNS fees
|
(12)
|
(10)
|
Ongoing LSE and UKLA Fees
|
(10)
|
(10)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total revenue expenses
|
(1,215)
|
(1,461)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Capital expenses
|
|
|
Contracts for Difference
|
(483)
|
(317)
|
Transaction costs on
derivatives
|
(63)
|
(92)
|
Transaction Charges - State
Street
|
(54)
|
(92)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total capital expenses
|
(600)
|
(501)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Portfolio Management Fee
Under the terms of the Portfolio Management Agreement, the
Portfolio Manager will be entitled to a management fee ("Management
Fee"), together with reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred
by it in the performance of its duties under the Portfolio
Management Agreement, other than the salaries of its employees and
general overhead expenses attributable to the provision of the
services under the Portfolio Management Agreement. The Management
Fee shall be accrued daily and calculated on each Business Day at a
rate equivalent to 0.85% of NAV per annum.
AIFM fees
The Company
previously appointed Gabelli Funds, LLC to serve as Alternative
Investment Fund Manager pursuant to the AIFMD. Gabelli Funds, LLC
does not earn a fee for its role as AIFM; it earned $568,334 in
portfolio management fees during the year ended 30 June 2024 (2023:
$653,934). For the year ended 30 June 2024 Carne provided certain
support services to the AIFM such as due diligence and reporting
for which it earned fees of $48,133.
7
EQUITY DIVIDENDS
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
$000
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
$000
|
Dividends paid
|
3,227
|
822
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
During the year ended 30 June 2024
dividends paid per share totalled $0.48 (2023: $0.12 per
share).
8
TAXATION ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES
Deferred Tax Assets
At 30 June
2023 total recognised deferred tax assets were $3,530,045. During
the year ended 30 June 2024 the Company incurred deferred tax
expense of $755,548 reflecting partial utilisation of the deferred
tax asset, resulting in a deferred tax asset of $2,774,497 or $0.41
per Ordinary Share.
The deferred tax asset was comprised
of $6,588,127 ($1,647,032 deferred tax asset at 25% tax rate)
related to unrealised losses on the value of the investment
portfolio and excess expenses of $4,509,861 ($1,127,465 deferred
tax asset at 25% tax rate) carried forward. This sum, which is net
of the amount set against current period taxable income, arose due
to the cumulative deductible expenses having exceeded taxable
income over the life of the Company. Now that the Company is no
longer an investment trust for tax purposes and is therefore
subject to UK capital gains tax, the Company believes it is more
likely than not that it will have sufficient taxable profits
against which these expenses can be offset. Provided the Company
continues to maintain its current investment profile, it is likely
that this deferred tax asset will be utilised to offset future
taxable income subject to the normal corporate tax loss restriction
rules for carried forward losses which restrict their use for any
particular period to £5 million plus 50% of profits in excess of
that initial £5 million.
|
Year
ended 30 June 2024
|
Analysis of the charge in the year
|
Revenue
$000
|
Capital
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Deferred tax expense
|
(246)
|
(510)
|
(756)
|
Irrecoverable overseas tax
|
(70)
|
-
|
(70)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
(316)
|
(510)
|
(826)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Deferred tax expense in the year
ended 30 June 2024 is due to the partial utilization of the
deferred tax in the offset of current income.
|
Year
ended 30 June 2024
|
Factors affecting the tax charge for the year
|
Revenue
$000
|
Capital
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Profit before taxation
|
1,139
|
1,679
|
2,818
|
UK Corporation tax at effective rate
of 25%
|
(285)
|
(420)
|
(705)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Effects of:
|
|
|
|
Unrealised gains not yet
taxable
|
-
|
63
|
(52)
|
Capital expenses not
deductible
|
-
|
(150)
|
(150)
|
Other adjustments
|
39
|
(3)
|
36
|
Irrecoverable overseas tax
|
(70)
|
-
|
(70)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
(541)
|
420
|
(121)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total tax charge for the year
|
(826)
|
-
|
(826)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Year
ended 30 June 2023
|
Analysis of the charge in the year
|
Revenue
$000
|
Capital
$000
|
Total
$000
|
Deferred tax benefit
|
3,530
|
-
|
3,530
|
Irrecoverable overseas tax
|
(59)
|
-
|
(59)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
3,471
|
-
|
3,471
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Year
ended 30 June 2023
|
Factors affecting the tax charge for the year
|
Revenue
$000
|
Capital
$000
|
Total
$000
|
(Loss)/profit before
taxation
|
(475)
|
4,320
|
3,845
|
UK Corporation tax at effective rate
of 20.5%
|
97
|
(886)
|
(789)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Effects of:
|
|
|
|
Deferred tax benefit
|
3,530
|
-
|
3,530
|
Irrecoverable overseas tax
|
(59)
|
-
|
(59)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
3,471
|
-
|
3,471
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total tax charge for the year
|
3,568
|
(886)
|
2,682
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
9
EARNINGS PER SHARE
Earnings per
ordinary share is calculated with reference to the following
amounts:
|
Year
ended
30 June 2024
|
Year
ended
30 June 2023
|
Revenue return
|
|
|
Revenue return attributable to
ordinary shareholders ($000)
|
823
|
2,996
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Weighted average number of shares in
issue during year
|
6,843,331
|
7,797,333
|
Total revenue return per ordinary share
|
$0.12
|
$0.39
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Capital return
|
|
|
Capital return attributable to
ordinary shareholders ($000)
|
1,169
|
4,320
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Weighted average number of shares in
issue during year
|
6,843,331
|
7,797,333
|
Total capital return per ordinary share
|
$0.17
|
$0.55
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total return per ordinary share
|
$0.29
|
$0.94
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Net asset value per share
|
As
at
30 June 2024
|
As
at
30 June 2023
|
Net assets attributable to
shareholders ($000)
|
68,613
|
70,023
|
Number of shares in issue at year
end
|
6,831,292
|
6,850,792
|
Net
asset value per share
|
$10.04
|
$10.22
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
The Company continues to report
according to SORP standards as provided by the AIC. As such, the
net asset value per share is provided in accordance with IFRS
standards inclusive of the Deferred Tax Asset of $0.41 per share,
or $2.77 million, as a result of the Company having Close status
and no longer availing itself of Section Investment Trust status
under Section 1158 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010.
10
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
As
at
30 June 2024
$000
|
As
at
30 June 2023
$000
|
Cash
|
8,430
|
6,090
|
U.S. Treasuries
|
-1
|
3,465
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
8,430
|
9,555
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 U.S.
Treasuries held for investment diversification purposes are not
included as cash equivalents.
The Board and Investment Manager
oversee investments held in cash and cash equivalents in accordance
with the Investment Policy.
11
CALLED UP SHARE CAPITAL
|
As
at
30 June 2024
$000
|
As
at
30 June 2023
$000
|
Allotted, called up and fully paid:
|
|
|
6,831,292 (2023: 6,850,792) Ordinary
shares of $ 0.01 each - equity
|
68
|
68
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Treasury shares:
|
|
|
3,502,874 (2023: 3,483,374) Ordinary
shares of $ 0.01 each - equity
|
35
|
35
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total shares
|
103
|
103
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
In September 2022, concurrent with
the Fifth Anniversary Tender Offer, the Board of Directors of the
Company were authorised to allot Ordinary Shares of the Company up
to an aggregate nominal value of $511,910.30, with such authority
to expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of the passing of
the resolution. In addition, at the November 2023 Annual General
Meeting ("AGM"), the Board of Directors was authorised to allot
relevant securities in the Company up to a maximum aggregate
nominal amount of $45,672 (being ten percent of the total number of
voting rights of the Company at the latest practicable date prior
to the publication of the Notice of AGM), with such authority to
apply until the conclusion of this year's AGM. The resolutions for
the 2024 AGM include authorisation for the Company to allot equity
securities up to an aggregate nominal value of $45,542, that can be
utilised for acquisitions by the company. These transactions may
result in the acquisition of other operating businesses to further
expand and develop shareholder value in accordance with the
investment programme.
12
FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT
The
Company's financial instruments comprise securities and other
investments, cash balances, receivables, and payables that arise
directly from its operations; for example, in respect of sales and
purchases awaiting settlement, and receivables for accrued income.
The Company also has the ability to enter into derivative
transactions in the form of forward foreign currency contracts,
futures, and options, for the purpose of managing currency and
market risks arising from the Company's activities.
The main risks the Company faces
from its financial instruments are (i) market price risk
(comprising interest rate risk, currency risk, and other price
risk), (ii) liquidity risk, and (iii) credit risk.
The Board regularly reviews, and
agrees upon, policies for managing each of these risks. The
Portfolio Manager's policies for managing these risks are
summarised below and have been applied throughout the year. The
numerical disclosures exclude short-term receivables and payables,
other than for currency disclosures.
(i)
Market price risk
The fair value
or future cash flows of a financial instrument held by the Company
may fluctuate because of changes in market prices. This market risk
comprises three elements - interest rate risk, currency risk, and
other price risk.
Interest rate
risk
Interest rate movements may
affect the level of income receivable and payable on cash
deposits.
The possible effects on fair value
and cash flows that could arise as a result of changes in interest
rates are taken into account when making investment
decisions.
Interest risk
profile
The interest rate risk
profile of the portfolio of financial assets and liabilities at the
year-end date was as follows:
|
As at 30
June 2024
|
|
Interest
rate
%
|
Local
currency
000
|
Foreign
exchange
rate
|
US
Dollar
equivalent
$000
|
Assets:
|
|
|
|
|
US dollar
|
1.60
|
8,415
|
1.00
|
8,415
|
Euro currency
|
0.65
|
(16)
|
0.93
|
(17)
|
GBP Sterling
|
0.54
|
(56)
|
0.79
|
(70)
|
Swedish krona
|
0.00
|
134
|
10.59
|
12
|
Swiss franc
|
0.13
|
1
|
0.90
|
1
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
|
|
|
8,341
|
|
|
|
|
=========
|
|
As at 30
June 2023
|
|
Interest
rate
%
|
Local
currency
000
|
Foreign
exchange
rate
|
US
Dollar
equivalent
$000
|
Assets:
|
|
|
|
|
US dollar
|
1.52
|
9,469
|
1.00
|
9,469
|
Australian dollar
|
0.42
|
(53)
|
1.50
|
(35)
|
Canadian dollar
|
0.48
|
99
|
1.32
|
75
|
Danish krone
|
0.00
|
(1)
|
6.82
|
*
|
Euro currency
|
0.60
|
(5)
|
0.92
|
(6)
|
GBP Sterling
|
0.51
|
(44)
|
0.79
|
(56)
|
Hong Kong dollar
|
0.00
|
1
|
7.84
|
*
|
New Zealand dollar
|
0.15
|
3
|
1.63
|
2
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
|
|
|
9,449
|
|
|
|
|
=========
|
* Less than
$500.
Interest rate
sensitivity
The sensitivity
analysis below has been determined based on the exposure to
interest rates for both derivative and non-derivative instruments
at the year-end date and the stipulated change taking place at the
beginning of the financial year and held constant throughout the
reporting period in the case of instruments that have floating
rates.
If interest rates had been 10 (2023:
10) basis points higher or lower and all other variables were held
constant, the Company's profit or loss for the reporting year to 30
June 2024 would increase/decrease by $8,000 (2023: $9,000). This is
mainly attributable to the Company's exposure to interest rates on
its floating rate cash balances.
Currency risk
The Company's
investment portfolio is invested predominantly in foreign
securities and the year end can be significantly affected by
movements in foreign exchange rates. It is not the Company's policy
to hedge this risk on a continuing basis but the Company may, from
time to time, match specific overseas investments with foreign
currency borrowings.
The revenue account is subject to
currency fluctuation arising from overseas income.
Currency risk exposure by currency
of denomination:
|
As at 30
June 2024
|
|
Net
Investments
$000
|
Net
monetary
assets
$000
|
Total
currency
exposure
$000
|
Australian dollar
|
-
|
(3)
|
(3)
|
Canadian dollar
|
794
|
(801)
|
(7)
|
Euro currency
|
-
|
(2)
|
(2)
|
GBP Sterling
|
631
|
(1,778)
|
(1,147)
|
Hong Kong dollar
|
228
|
(231)
|
(3)
|
Norwegian krone
|
-
|
2
|
2
|
Swedish krona
|
-
|
(15)
|
(15)
|
Swiss franc
|
-
|
8
|
8
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total non US Investments
|
1,653
|
(2,820)
|
(1,167)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
US dollar
|
55,518
|
14,262
|
69,780
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
57,171
|
11,442
|
68,613
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
As at 30
June 2023
|
|
Net
Investments
$000
|
Net
monetary
assets
$000
|
Total
currency
exposure
$000
|
Australian dollar
|
226
|
465
|
691
|
Canadian dollar
|
1,645
|
(1,664)
|
(19)
|
Danish krone
|
-
|
(7)
|
(7)
|
Euro currency
|
-
|
(30)
|
(30)
|
GBP Sterling
|
371
|
1,208
|
1,579
|
Hong Kong dollar
|
-
|
(1)
|
(1)
|
Japanese yen
|
-
|
(1)
|
(1)
|
New Zealand dollar
|
-
|
2
|
2
|
Norwegian krone
|
-
|
(10)
|
(10)
|
Polish zloty
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
Swedish krona
|
-
|
(7)
|
(7)
|
Swiss franc
|
-
|
6
|
6
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total non US Investments
|
2,242
|
(38)
|
2,204
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
US dollar
|
57,602
|
10,217
|
67,819
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
59,844
|
10,179
|
70,023
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Currency sensitivity
The
following table details the Company's sensitivity to a 10% increase
and decrease in US dollars against the relevant foreign currencies
and the resultant impact that any such increase or decrease would
have on net return before tax and equity shareholders' funds. The
sensitivity analysis includes only outstanding foreign currency
denominated monetary items and adjusts their translation at the
year end for a 10% change in foreign currency rates.
|
As
at
30 June 2024
$000
|
As
at
30 June 2023
$000
|
Australian dollar
|
-
|
69
|
Canadian dollar
|
(1)
|
(2)
|
Danish krone
|
-
|
(1)
|
Euro currency
|
-
|
(3)
|
GBP Sterling
|
(115)
|
158
|
Norwegian krone
|
-
|
(1)
|
Swedish krona
|
(2)
|
(1)
|
Swiss franc
|
1
|
1
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
The relevant US dollar exchange
rates as at 30 June 2024 were: Canadian dollar (1: 1.3684); GBP
Sterling (1: 0.7910); Swedish krona (1: 10.5902); Swiss franc (1:
0.8986).
Other price risk
Other
price risks, i.e., changes in market prices other than those
arising from interest rate or currency risk, may affect the value
of the quoted investments.
The Investment Manager actively
monitors market prices throughout the year and reports to the
Board, which meets regularly in order to review investment
strategy. The investments held by the Company are listed on a
recognised stock exchange.
Other price risk sensitivity
If market prices at the year-end date had been 15% higher or
lower while all other variables remained constant, the return
attributable to ordinary shareholders for the year ended 30 June
2024 would have increased/decreased by $8,571,000. The calculations
are based on the portfolio valuations as at the year-end date, and
are not representative of the year as a whole.
(ii) Liquidity risk
This is
the risk that the Company will encounter difficulty in meeting
obligations associated with financial liabilities. All creditors
are payable within 3 months.
Liquidity risk is not considered to
be significant as the Company's assets comprise mainly readily
realisable securities, which can be sold to meet funding
commitments if necessary.
(iii) Credit risk
This is
the risk of failure of the counterparty to a transaction to
discharge its obligations under that transaction that could result
in the Company suffering a loss.
The table below shows the
counterparty risk as at the Balance Sheet date:
|
Derivative
exposure: CFDs
$000
|
Collateral posted
$000
|
Net exposure
$000
|
Counterparty
|
|
|
|
UBS Securities, LLC
|
33
|
(6,223)
|
(6,190)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total
|
33
|
(6,223)
|
(6,190)
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Net exposure represents the
mark-to-market value of derivative contracts less any cash
collateral held. Negative exposure represents the Fund's exposure
to that counterparty. Positive amounts are not an exposure to the
Fund.
The risk is managed as
follows:
· Investment
transactions are carried out mainly with brokers whose credit
ratings are reviewed periodically by the Portfolio
Manager.
· Most transactions
are made delivery versus payment on recognised
exchanges.
· Cash is held at
State Street Bank and Trust which has a credit rating by Standard
and Poor's on short-term deposits of A-1+ and long-term deposits
AA-.
The maximum credit risk exposure as
at 30 June 2024 was $9,952,000 (2023: $14,958,000). This was due to
cash and receivables as per note (10) 'Cash & cash
equivalents', note (15) 'Total other receivables' and Statement of
Financial Position Receivable for investment sold.
Capital management policies and procedures
The Company's capital management objectives
are:
· to ensure that the
Company will be able to continue as a going concern; and
· to maximise the
revenue and capital return to its equity shareholders through an
appropriate balance of equity capital and debt.
The Board monitors and reviews the
broad structure of the Company's capital on an ongoing basis. The
Board considers the Company's capital requirements in the context
of both the Special Distributable and Revenue reserves being
treated as distributable, as permitted by current accounting
standards for listed investment companies. The distributable
reserves can be used to fund dividends and share repurchase
programmes. This review includes the nature and planned level of
gearing, which takes account of the Portfolio Manager's views on
the market and the extent to which revenue in excess of that which
is required to be distributed under the investment trust rules
should be retained.
The analysis of shareholders' funds
is as follows:
|
As
at
30 June 2024
$000
|
As
at
30 June 2023
$000
|
Called-up share capital
|
103
|
103
|
Special distributable
reserve1
|
42,593
|
45,995
|
Capital reserve
|
26,454
|
25,285
|
Revenue
reserve1
|
(537)
|
(1,360)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total shareholders' funds
|
68,613
|
70,023
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 The
Revenue Reserve and Special Distributable Reserve are
distributable. The amount of the Revenue Reserve and Special
Distributable Reserve that is distributable is not necessarily the
full amount of the reserves as disclosed within these financial
statements. As at 30 June 2024, the net amount of reserves that are
distributable are $42,056,000 (2023: $44,635,000).
Alternative Investment Fund Managers' ('AIFM')
Directive
In accordance with the
Alternative Investment Fund Managers' Directive ("AIFMD"), the
Company has appointed Gabelli Funds, LLC as its Alternative
Investment Fund Manager (the "AIFM"), to provide portfolio
management and risk management services to the Company in
accordance with the investment management agreement.
Leverage
Leverage is
calculated using two methods: i) Gross method and ii) Commitment
method. For further details please see the Glossary.
The Company's maximum leverage
levels at 30 June 2024 are shown below:
Leverage Exposure
|
Gross
method
|
Commitment
method
|
Maximum permitted limit
|
500%
|
250%
|
Actual
|
119%
|
128%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
The leverage limits are set by the
AIFM and approved by the Board and are in line with the maximum
leverage levels permitted in the Company's Articles of Association.
The AIFM is also required to comply with the gearing parameters set
by the Board in relation to borrowings.
13
DERIVATIVES RISK
The Company's
investment policy may involve the use of derivatives (including,
without limitation, forward foreign exchange contracts, equity
contracts for difference swap agreements ("CFDs"), securities sold
short and/or structured financial instruments). The Company may use
both exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives as part of
its investment activity. The cost of investing utilising
derivatives may be higher than investing in securities (whether
directly or through nominees) as the Company will have to bear the
additional costs of purchasing and holding such derivatives, which
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's returns. The
low initial margin deposits normally required to establish a
position in such instruments permit a high degree of leverage. As a
result, depending on the type of instrument, a relatively small
movement in the price of a contract may result in a profit or a
loss which is high in proportion to the amount of funds actually
placed as initial margin and may result in unquantifiable further
losses exceeding any margin deposited. In addition, daily limits on
price fluctuations and speculative position limits on exchanges may
prevent prompt liquidation of positions resulting in potentially
greater losses.
The use of derivatives may expose
the Company to a higher degree of risk. These risks may include
credit risk with regard to counterparties with whom the Company
trades, the risk of settlement default, lack of liquidity of the
derivative, imperfect tracking between the change in value of the
derivative and the change in value of the underlying asset that the
Company is seeking to track and greater transaction costs than
investing in the underlying assets directly. Additional risks
associated with investing in derivatives may include a counterparty
breaching its obligations to provide collateral, or, due to
operational issues (such as time gaps between the calculation of
risk exposure to a counterparty's provision of additional
collateral or substitutions of collateral or the sale of collateral
in the event of a default by a counterparty), there may be
instances where credit exposure to its counterparty under a
derivative contract is not fully collateralised. The use of
derivatives may also expose the Company to legal risk, which is the
risk of loss due to the unexpected application of a law or
regulation, or because a court declares a contract not legally
enforceable.
The use of CFDs is a highly
specialised activity that involves investment techniques and risks
different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security
transactions. In a CFD, a set of future cash flows is exchanged
between two counterparties. One of these cash flow streams will
typically be based on a reference interest rate combined with the
performance of a notional value of shares of a stock. The other
will be based on the performance of the shares of a stock.
Depending on the general state of short-term interest rates and the
returns on the Company's portfolio securities at the time a CFD
transaction reaches its scheduled termination date, there is a risk
that the Company will not be able to obtain a replacement
transaction or that terms of the replacement will not be as
favourable as on the expiring transaction. At 30 June 2024 the
Company held CFDs, as shown in the following table.
Security name
|
Trade
currency
|
Shares
(000)
|
As
at
30 June 2024
Unrealised
gain/(loss)
$000
|
Alpha Financial Markets
Consulting
|
GBP
|
15
|
**
|
Altium Ltd
|
AUD
|
30
|
6
|
Aluflexpack AG
|
CHF
|
7
|
2
|
Anglo American plc
|
GBP
|
1
|
2
|
APM Human Services International
Ltd
|
AUD
|
165
|
1
|
Ascential plc
|
GBP
|
31
|
4
|
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya
Argentaria
|
EUR
|
(21)
|
(5)
|
Banco de Sabadell SA
|
EUR
|
104
|
3
|
Barratt Developments plc
|
GBP
|
(26)
|
9
|
Calliditas Therapeutics
|
SEK
|
9
|
1
|
Capital One Financial Corp
|
USD
|
(1)
|
(4)
|
Chesapeake Energy Corp
|
USD
|
(1)
|
4
|
Chevron Corp
|
USD
|
(29)
|
(111)
|
Civitanavi Systems SpA
|
EUR
|
13
|
**
|
Conocophillips
|
USD
|
(4)
|
(18)
|
Covestro AG
|
EUR
|
2
|
6
|
Crescent Energy Inc
|
USD
|
(12)
|
**
|
Darktrace plc
|
USD
|
119
|
(11)
|
Ds Smith plc
|
USD
|
212
|
157
|
Egetis Therapeutics AB
|
SEK
|
79
|
(26)
|
Eqt Corp
|
USD
|
(20)
|
48
|
First Advantage Corp
|
USD
|
(8)
|
3
|
Genkyotex SA
|
EUR
|
7
|
**
|
Global Interconnection
Corp
|
GBP
|
17
|
(53)
|
Gram Car Carriers ASA
|
NOK
|
5
|
**
|
Grifols SA
|
USD
|
(1)
|
2
|
International Paper Co
|
USD
|
(11)
|
16
|
Iqgeo Group plc
|
GBP
|
27
|
**
|
John Bean Technologies
Corp
|
EUR
|
(2)
|
6
|
Karnov Group AB
|
SEK
|
9
|
(8)
|
Keywords Studios plc
|
GBP
|
8
|
13
|
Kindred Group plc
|
SEK
|
78
|
10
|
Lok'Nstore Group plc
|
GBP
|
35
|
2
|
Marel HF
|
EUR
|
93
|
4
|
Mattioli Woods plc
|
GBP
|
13
|
(1)
|
Neoen SA
|
EUR
|
4
|
1
|
Network International Holdings
plc
|
GBP
|
293
|
2
|
Newmont Corp
|
USD
|
1
|
1
|
Noble Corp plc
|
USD
|
(5)
|
(8)
|
Nordic Paper Holding AB
|
SEK
|
26
|
(4)
|
Ox2 AB
|
SEK
|
29
|
**
|
PGS ASA
|
NOK
|
168
|
10
|
Pinewood Technologies
|
GBP
|
63
|
(26)
|
Psc Insurance Group Ltd
|
AUD
|
31
|
**
|
Redrow plc
|
GBP
|
18
|
(7)
|
Schlumberger Ltd
|
USD
|
(11)
|
(48)
|
Shinko Electric Industries
|
JPY
|
15
|
**
|
Smurfit Kappa Group plc
|
USD
|
(3)
|
4
|
Softwareone Holding AG
|
CHF
|
3
|
(2)
|
Spear Investment Group
|
EUR
|
39
|
**
|
Spirent Communications plc
|
GBP
|
261
|
(5)
|
Synopsys Inc
|
USD
|
(1)
|
(3)
|
TGS ASA
|
NOK
|
(12)
|
(8)
|
Trident Royalties plc
|
GBP
|
162
|
(1)
|
Virgin Money Uk plc
|
GBP
|
416
|
(1)
|
Willscot Mobile Mini
Holding
|
USD
|
(1)
|
**
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
Total unrealised loss on derivatives
|
|
|
(33)
|
|
|
|
=========
|
* Fewer than
500 shares.
** Less than
$500.
14
PERFORMANCE FEE
Subject to the
satisfaction of the Performance Conditions, the Portfolio Manager
shall be entitled under the Portfolio Management Agreement, in
respect of each Performance Period, to receive 20% of the Total
Return relating to such Performance Period, provided that such
amount shall not exceed 3% of the Average NAV.
Performance
Conditions
The Portfolio
Manager's entitlement to a Performance fee in respect of any
Performance Period shall be conditional on the Closing NAV per
Share in respect of the Performance Period (adjusted for any
changes to the NAV per Share through dividend payments, Share
repurchases (howsoever effected) and Share issuances since
Admission) being in excess of the Performance Hurdle and High Water
Mark. The Performance Hurdle is equal to the Starting NAV per Share
increased by two times the rate of return on 13 week Treasury Bills
published by the US Department of the Treasury over the Performance
Period, less the Starting NAV per Share; multiplied by the weighted
average of the number of Shares in issue (excluding any Shares held
in treasury) at the end of each day during the Performance Period.
For the year ended 30 June 2024, no Performance fee was paid. As at
30 June 2024, no amount was outstanding to the Portfolio Manager in
respect of the performance fee, reflecting the performance period
matching the Company's financial year (2023: $nil).
15
OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
The
categories of other receivables and other payables
include:
|
As at 30
June
2024
$000
|
As at 30
June
2023
$000
|
Other receivables
|
|
|
FX currency purchased
|
-
|
3
|
All other
receivables1
|
131
|
70
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total other receivables
|
131
|
73
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
Other payables
|
|
|
FX currency sold
|
1
|
6
|
Custodian fees
|
22
|
15
|
Accounting fees
|
33
|
26
|
Audit fees
|
94
|
86
|
All other payables
|
253
|
216
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total other payables
|
403
|
349
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 As at 30
June 2024, All other receivables included prepaid expenses and
dividend and swap income.
16
RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURE: DIRECTORS
Each of the Directors is entitled to receive a fee from the
Company at such rate as may be determined in accordance with the
Articles of Incorporation. The Directors' remuneration is $30,000
per annum for each Director, other than:
· the Co-Chairmen,
who will receive an additional $1,000 per
annum1;
· the Chairman of the
Audit & Risk Committee, who will receive an additional $5,000
per annum; and
· the Members of the
Audit & Risk Committee, who will receive an additional $1,000
per annum.
Each of the Directors is also
entitled to be paid all reasonable expenses properly incurred by
them in connection with the performance of their duties. These
expenses will include those associated with attending general
meetings, Board or committee meetings and legal fees. The Board may
determine that additional remuneration may be paid, from time to
time, to any one or more Directors in the event such Director or
Directors are requested by the Board to perform extra or special
services on behalf of the Company.
1 Mr Gabelli
has waived his fees since appointment as Chairman and in his
current role as Co-Chairman.
Related parties disclosure: other
The Portfolio management fee for the period ended
30 June 2024 paid by the Company to the Portfolio Manager is
presented in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. Details of the
Portfolio Management fee paid during the period is disclosed in
Note 6. Details of Performance fee paid during the year are
disclosed in Note 14.
As at 30 June 2024, Associated
Capital Group Inc., an affiliate of the AIFM and Portfolio Manager,
held 6,324,756 Ordinary Shares in the Company. Associated Capital
Group Inc. also subscribed for 6,179,100 Special Voting Loyalty
Shares, as defined in the glossary on page 75, which increased its
voting interest. For the years ended 30 June 2024 and 2023, the
Company paid dividends of $3,022,863 and $745,951, respectively, to
Associated Capital Group, Inc. commensurate with its ownership
interest.
Investors should note that as a
close company with Associated Capital Group Inc. controlling
greater than 90% of shares, Associated Capital Group Inc. may be
able to ensure the approval of shareholder resolutions.
Further details of related parties
and transactions, including with the Company's AIFM Gabelli Funds,
LLC, are disclosed in the Directors' Report.
Connected party transactions
All connected party transactions are carried out at arm's
length. There were no such transactions during the year ended 30
June 2024.
17
CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND COMMITMENTS
As at 30 June 2024, the Company had no contingent
liabilities or commitments (30 June 2023: nil).
18
HISTORICAL SHARE AND NAV INFORMATION
|
30 June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
30 June
2022
|
Total Shares1
|
6,831,292
|
6,850,792
|
10,238,206
|
Total NAV ($000)
|
68,613
|
70,023
|
95,774
|
NAV per share
|
$10.04
|
$10.22
|
$9.35
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 Data
excludes 3,502,874 shares held in treasury as of 30 June
2024.
19
POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS
On 29
October 2024, the Company acquired its affiliated UK investment
manager, Gabelli Securities International UK Limited ("GSIL UK"), a
limited company organised and existing under the laws of England
and Wales. The transaction will be financed through the issuance of
96,493 new ordinary shares to Associated Capital Group, Inc. at a
premium to the Company's Net Asset Value. The Company's
shareholders will benefit from the increase to the Company's cash
and investments of approximately $1 million as it absorbs GSIL UK's
balance sheet. The acquisition positions the Company to increase
sources of income, allowing for both self-management and the
broadening of services to affiliated and third parties. The
consideration shares rank pari passu with the Company's existing
ordinary shares. Following the issue of the consideration shares
the Company will have 6,927,785 ordinary shares in issue with each
ordinary share carrying the right to one vote and 3,502,874
ordinary shares held in treasury.
The acquisition is in line with the
Company's Investment Policy to pursue a variety of strategies and
instruments, including, but not limited to controlling operating
businesses to grow value.
20
PORTFOLIO/SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
A statement of changes in the composition of the Portfolio
during the financial period is available to shareholders free of
charge from the Administrator on request.
Quantity
|
Security Name
|
Cost
|
Market Value
|
%
Total
Investments
|
COMMON STOCK
|
|
|
|
|
Communication Services
|
|
|
|
|
Media & Entertainment
|
|
|
|
38,605
|
Aimia Inc
|
144,787
|
76,175
|
0.1%
|
15,555
|
Atlanta Braves Holdings
Inc
|
467,995
|
613,489
|
1.1%
|
75,400
|
Endeavor Group Holding
|
1,979,902
|
2,038,062
|
3.6%
|
27,003
|
GCI Liberty Inc
|
-
|
-
|
0.0%
|
206,823
|
Imax China Holding Inc
|
209,780
|
227,819
|
0.4%
|
10,078
|
Liberty Media Corp
|
239,386
|
223,228
|
0.4%
|
19,888
|
Liberty Media Corp
|
600,319
|
440,718
|
0.8%
|
7,491
|
Liberty Media Corp
|
249,482
|
286,681
|
0.5%
|
329,631
|
NII Holdings Inc
|
626,707
|
115,371
|
0.2%
|
13,800
|
Wideopenwest Inc
|
65,632
|
74,658
|
0.1%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
4,583,991
|
4,096,200
|
7.2%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Telecommunication Services
|
|
|
|
57,050
|
Consolidated
Communications
|
246,233
|
251,020
|
0.4%
|
13,747
|
Telesat Corp
|
393,391
|
125,098
|
0.2%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
639,624
|
376,118
|
0.6%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Communication Services
|
5,223,615
|
4,472,318
|
7.8%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Consumer Discretionary
|
|
|
|
|
Consumer Durables & Apparel
|
|
|
|
42,500
|
Capri Holdings Ltd
|
2,241,067
|
1,405,900
|
2.5%
|
1,237
|
CH Auto Inc
|
5,047
|
2,227
|
0.0%
|
68,900
|
Vizio Holding Corp A
|
747,620
|
744,120
|
1.3%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
2,993,734
|
2,152,247
|
3.8%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Consumer Services
|
|
|
|
15,550
|
Park Lawn Corp
|
294,986
|
295,579
|
0.5%
|
35,850
|
Playags Inc
|
410,870
|
412,275
|
0.7%
|
3,600
|
Target Hospitality Corp
|
42,240
|
31,356
|
0.1%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
748,097
|
739,210
|
1.3%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Retailing
|
|
|
|
13,700
|
Hibbett Inc
|
1,187,165
|
1,194,777
|
2.1%
|
17,203
|
Sportsman's Warehouse
Holdings
|
172,705
|
41,459
|
0.1%
|
24,050
|
The Aaron's Company Inc
|
239,801
|
240,019
|
0.4%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
1,599,670
|
1,476,255
|
2.6%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Consumer Discretionary
|
5,341,501
|
4,367,712
|
7.7%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Consumer Staples
|
|
|
|
|
|
Food
& Staples Retailing
|
|
|
|
91,080
|
Albertsons Cos Inc
|
1,868,895
|
1,798,830
|
3.2%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
1,868,895
|
1,798,830
|
3.2%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Consumer Staples
|
7,763,887
|
7,772,317
|
13.6%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Energy
|
|
|
|
|
|
Energy
|
|
|
|
15,622
|
Championx Corp
|
605,615
|
518,807
|
0.9%
|
21,706
|
Diamond Offshore Drilling
Inc
|
333,485
|
336,226
|
0.6%
|
75,346
|
Equitrans Midstream Corp
|
985,549
|
977,991
|
1.7%
|
28,230
|
Hess Corp
|
4,059,472
|
4,164,490
|
7.3%
|
16,423
|
Marathon Oil Corp
|
469,601
|
470,847
|
0.8%
|
35,400
|
Overseas Shipholding
|
298,072
|
300,192
|
0.5%
|
11,346
|
Silverbow Resources Inc
|
423,478
|
429,219
|
0.8%
|
16,500
|
Southwestern Energy Corp
|
125,141
|
111,045
|
0.2%
|
30,000
|
US Silica Holdings Inc
|
463,472
|
463,500
|
0.7%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Energy
|
|
7,763,887
|
7,772,317
|
13.6%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Financials
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset Management
|
|
|
|
14,700
|
Canaccord Genuity Group
Inc
|
113,083
|
90,885
|
0.2%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
113,083
|
90,885
|
0.2%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Banks
|
|
|
|
450
|
Macatawa Bank Corp
|
6,384
|
6,570
|
0.0%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
6,384
|
6,570
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Diversified Financial Services
|
|
|
|
6,150
|
Assetmark Financial
Holdings
|
208,981
|
212,483
|
0.4%
|
771
|
Discover Financial
Services
|
93,413
|
100,855
|
0.2%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
302,393
|
313,337
|
0.6%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Financials
|
|
|
|
7,650
|
Nuvei Corp Subordinate Vtg
|
242,232
|
247,707
|
0.4%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
242,232
|
247,707
|
0.4%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Insurance
|
|
|
|
4,550
|
Icc Holdings Inc
|
100,602
|
102,967
|
0.2%
|
2,150
|
National Western Life
Group
|
1,054,307
|
1,068,421
|
1.9%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
1,154,910
|
1,171,388
|
2.1%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Investment Companies
|
|
|
|
487,644
|
Hipgnosis Songs Fund Ltd
|
608,282
|
631,225
|
1.1%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
608,282
|
631,225
|
1.1%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Financials
|
|
2,427,285
|
2,461,111
|
4.3%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Health Care
|
|
|
|
|
|
Health Care Equipment & Supplies
|
|
|
|
21,650
|
Amedisys Inc
|
1,999,618
|
1,987,470
|
3.5%
|
300
|
Atrion Corporation
|
135,489
|
135,729
|
0.2%
|
22,150
|
Axonics Inc
|
1,524,333
|
1,489,145
|
2.6%
|
13,800
|
R1 Rcm Inc
|
189,574
|
173,328
|
0.3%
|
16,600
|
Silk Road Medical Inc
|
445,553
|
448,864
|
0.8%
|
7,850
|
Surmodics Inc
|
330,668
|
330,014
|
0.6%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
4,625,234
|
4,564,550
|
8.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life
Sciences
|
|
|
|
7,650
|
Abiomed Inc
|
7,803
|
13,388
|
0.0%
|
132,674
|
Adamas Pharmace
|
-
|
6,634
|
0.0%
|
90,210
|
Akouos Inc
|
71,266
|
67,658
|
0.1%
|
6,750
|
Alimera Sciences Inc
|
37,383
|
37,530
|
0.1%
|
28,904
|
Catalent Inc
|
1,661,278
|
1,625,272
|
2.8%
|
16,855
|
Cerevel Therapeutics
Holding
|
703,247
|
689,201
|
1.2%
|
16,275
|
Clementia Pharmaceuticals
Inc
|
420,388
|
-
|
0.0%
|
155,990
|
Cyteir Therapeutic
|
-
|
-
|
0.0%
|
100,314
|
Flexion Therape
|
-
|
30,094
|
0.1%
|
2,116
|
Grifols S.A.
|
42,470
|
13,341
|
0.0%
|
21,400
|
Olink Holding AB Adr
|
528,494
|
545,272
|
1.0%
|
5,300
|
Opiant Pharmace
|
3,445
|
2,650
|
0.0%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
3,475,773
|
3,031,039
|
5.3%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Health Care
|
|
8,101,007
|
7,595,589
|
13.3%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Industrials
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Goods
|
|
|
|
3,716
|
Mcgrath Rentcorp
|
439,933
|
395,940
|
0.7%
|
650
|
Encore Wire Corp
|
184,048
|
188,390
|
0.3%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
623,982
|
584,329
|
1.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Commercial & Professional Services
|
|
|
|
30,665
|
Sterling Check Corp
|
474,148
|
453,842
|
0.8%
|
19,456
|
Stericycle Inc
|
1,145,554
|
1,130,977
|
2.0%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
1,619,702
|
1,584,819
|
2.8%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Transportation
|
|
|
|
6,000
|
Hawaiian Holdings Inc
|
79,399
|
74,580
|
0.1%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
79,399
|
74,580
|
0.1%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Industrials
|
|
2,323,082
|
2,243,729
|
3.9%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Information Technology
|
|
|
|
|
Software & Services
|
|
|
|
290,483
|
Altaba Inc
|
4,099,538
|
733,470
|
1.3%
|
1,950
|
Ansys Inc
|
656,145
|
626,925
|
1.1%
|
47,079
|
Everbridge Inc
|
1,550,627
|
1,647,294
|
2.9%
|
35,350
|
Copperleaf Technologies
|
305,294
|
306,133
|
0.5%
|
80,550
|
Hashicorp Inc
|
2,676,382
|
2,713,730
|
4.8%
|
48,250
|
Matterport Inc
|
210,431
|
215,678
|
0.4%
|
10,000
|
Perficient Inc
|
735,697
|
747,900
|
1.3%
|
27,800
|
Powerschool Holdings Inc
|
620,465
|
622,442
|
1.1%
|
28,350
|
Squarespace Inc
|
1,230,446
|
1,236,911
|
2.2%
|
18,250
|
Walkme Ltd
|
251,740
|
254,953
|
0.5%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
12,336,765
|
9,105,434
|
16.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Technology Hardware & Equipment
|
|
|
|
16,350
|
HollySys Automation
Technologies
|
414,621
|
353,814
|
0.6%
|
23,650
|
Infinera Corp
|
146,666
|
126,291
|
0.2%
|
44,150
|
Juniper Networks Inc
|
1,632,627
|
1,609,709
|
2.8%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
2,193,914
|
2,089,814
|
3.7%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Information Technology
|
14,530,680
|
11,195,248
|
19.6%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Materials
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Containers & Packaging
|
|
|
|
22,531
|
Resolute Forest
|
31,994
|
45,062
|
0.1%
|
3,627
|
WestRock Corp
|
86,521
|
182,293
|
0.3%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
118,515
|
227,355
|
0.4%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Materials
|
|
|
|
6,383
|
Arcadium Lithium Plc
|
67,224
|
21,447
|
0.0%
|
18,150
|
Haynes International Inc
|
1,082,373
|
1,065,405
|
1.9%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
1,149,597
|
1,086,852
|
1.9%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
Metals & Mining
|
|
|
|
3,500
|
Artemis Gold Inc.
|
149,617
|
25,118
|
0.0%
|
44,400
|
United States Steel Corp
|
1,964,286
|
1,678,320
|
2.9%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
2,113,903
|
1,703,438
|
3.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Materials
|
|
3,382,015
|
3,017,645
|
5.3%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Utilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Utilities
|
|
|
|
42,870
|
PNM Resources Inc
|
2,073,862
|
1,584,475
|
2.8%
|
14,850
|
Allete Inc
|
932,633
|
925,897
|
1.5%
|
12,750
|
Atlantica Sustainable
Infrastructure
|
279,624
|
279,862
|
0.5%
|
4,750
|
Avangrid Inc
|
170,601
|
168,768
|
0.3%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Utilities
|
|
3,456,720
|
2,959,003
|
5.1%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
RIGHTS
|
|
|
|
|
Financials
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset Management
|
|
|
|
22,199
|
Breeze Holdings Acquisition
Corp
|
5,528
|
3,885
|
0.0%
|
7,441
|
Clover Leaf Capital Corp
|
2,945
|
1,338
|
0.0%
|
15,950
|
Northview Acquisition Corp
|
3,942
|
1,632
|
0.0%
|
12,711
|
Viveon Health Acquisition
Corp
|
2,312
|
766
|
0.0%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total Financials
|
|
14,727
|
7,621
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Materials
|
|
|
|
|
|
Materials
|
|
|
|
190,215
|
Pan American Silver Corp
CVR
|
28,643
|
87,993
|
0.2%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total Materials
|
|
28,643
|
87,993
|
0.2%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
WARRANTS
|
|
|
|
|
Financials
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset Management
|
|
|
|
566
|
Blueriver Acquisition Corp
|
25
|
9
|
0.0%
|
4,394
|
Kalera PLC
|
1,984
|
0
|
0.0%
|
7,975
|
Northview Acquisition Corp
|
2,362
|
419
|
0.0%
|
3,186
|
OCA Acquisition Corp
|
108
|
366
|
0.0%
|
16,460
|
Tastemaker Acquisition
Corp
|
11,264
|
309
|
0.0%
|
9,230
|
Viveon Health Acquisition
Corp
|
2,933
|
55
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Financials
|
|
18,676
|
1,158
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Health Care
|
|
|
|
|
|
Health Care Equipment & Supplies
|
|
|
|
25,000
|
Anew Medical Inc
|
775
|
2,525
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Health Care
|
|
18,676
|
1,158
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Information Technology
|
|
|
|
|
Software & Services
|
|
|
|
48,961
|
Presto Automation Inc
|
23,304
|
1,249
|
0.0%
|
6,169
|
Prosomnus Inc
|
1,688
|
53
|
0.0%
|
13,933
|
Cxapp Inc
|
8,968
|
2,600
|
0.0%
|
1,429
|
Spectral AI Inc
|
50
|
246
|
0.0%
|
2,139
|
Banzai International Inc
|
150
|
49
|
0.0%
|
284
|
Prospector Leddartech
|
1
|
8
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Information Technology
|
34,161
|
4,204
|
0.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
FIXED INCOME
|
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Government Obligations
|
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills
|
|
|
|
750,000
|
U.S. Treasury Bill,
08/08/2024
|
745,846
|
745,862
|
1.3%
|
3,000,000
|
U.S. Treasury Bill,
08/21/2024
|
2,986,452
|
2,986,502
|
5.2%
|
2,500,000
|
U.S. Treasury Bill,
09/12/2024
|
2,473,616
|
2,473,520
|
4.3%
|
3,000,000
|
U.S. Treasury Bill,
08/20/2024
|
2,978,167
|
2,978,160
|
5.2%
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Total U.S. Government Obligations
|
9,184,081
|
9,184,044
|
16.1%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Quantity
|
Security Name
|
Unrealized
App/(Dep)
|
Market Value
|
%
Total
Investments
|
Equity Contract for Difference Swap
Agreements
|
|
|
|
|
Long
Positions
|
|
|
|
15,000
|
Alpha Financial Markets
Consulting
|
(284)
|
93,859
|
|
29,612
|
Altium Ltd
|
5,537
|
1,345,387
|
|
6,700
|
Aluflexpack Ag New
|
1,864
|
114,450
|
|
1,100
|
Anglo American Plc
|
1,571
|
34,791
|
|
164,720
|
Apm Human Services
International
|
1,100
|
152,361
|
|
30,677
|
Ascential Plc
|
3,878
|
132,623
|
|
103,817
|
Banco De Sabadell S.A
|
2,407
|
200,334
|
|
9,000
|
Calliditas Therapeutics-B
|
680
|
174,728
|
|
13,447
|
Civitanavi Systems Spa
|
288
|
88,200
|
|
1,545
|
Covestro Ag
|
6,141
|
90,741
|
|
119,497
|
Darktrace Plc
|
(10,745)
|
870,989
|
|
17,378
|
Disruptive Cap Swap
|
156,918
|
43,935
|
|
212,165
|
Ds Smith Plc
|
(26,109)
|
1,129,112
|
|
78,551
|
Egetis Therapeutics AB
|
0
|
34,639
|
|
6,738
|
Genkyotex Genkyotex
|
(52,722)
|
0
|
|
5,334
|
Gram Car Carriers Asa
|
250
|
130,000
|
|
27,250
|
Iqgeo Group Plc
|
0
|
160,866
|
|
8,712
|
Karnov Group
|
(7,760)
|
58,243
|
|
7,561
|
Keywords Studios Plc
|
12,855
|
220,978
|
|
77,867
|
Kindred Group Plc
|
9,559
|
926,445
|
|
34,856
|
Lok'Nstore Group Plc
|
2,203
|
484,676
|
|
92,543
|
Marel Hf
|
3,824
|
327,304
|
|
13,450
|
Mattioli Woods Plc
|
(510)
|
133,977
|
|
4,473
|
Neoen S.A.
|
1,039
|
180,540
|
|
292,791
|
Network International
Holding
|
2,221
|
1,447,157
|
|
1,036
|
Newmont Corp
|
1,088
|
43,377
|
|
26,314
|
Nordic Paper Holding Ab
|
(4,040)
|
115,379
|
|
29,100
|
Ox2
|
275
|
163,358
|
|
167,713
|
Pgs Asa
|
10,081
|
140,817
|
|
62,763
|
Pinewood Technologies
|
(25,785)
|
282,446
|
|
31,100
|
Psc Insurance Group Ltd
|
208
|
125,659
|
|
17,806
|
Redrow Plc
|
(6,753)
|
150,132
|
|
14,952
|
Shinko Electric Industries
|
186
|
524,240
|
|
3,376
|
Softwareone Holding AG
|
(1,954)
|
63,493
|
|
38,582
|
Spear Invst Wt Swap
|
0
|
9,097
|
|
261,025
|
Spirent Communications Plc
|
(4,714)
|
603,830
|
|
161,600
|
Trident Royalties Plc
|
(613)
|
97,441
|
|
415,743
|
Virgin Money Uk Plc
|
(1,361)
|
1,122,555
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
80,823
|
12,018,160
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Equity Contract for Difference Swap
Agreements
|
|
|
|
|
Short Positions
|
|
|
|
(20,826)
|
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya
Argenta
|
(5,145)
|
(208,739)
|
|
(25,641)
|
Barratt Developments Plc
|
9,076
|
(153,053)
|
|
(786)
|
Capital One Financial Corp
|
(3,734)
|
(108,822)
|
|
(1,430)
|
Chesapeake Energy Corp
|
4,219
|
(117,532)
|
|
(28,961)
|
Chevron Corp
|
(111,500)
|
(4,530,080)
|
|
(3,615)
|
Conocophillips
|
(18,039)
|
(413,484)
|
|
(11,965)
|
Crescent Energy Inc-A
|
461
|
(141,785)
|
|
(20,495)
|
Eqt Corp
|
48,368
|
(757,905)
|
|
(7,669)
|
First Advantage Corp
|
2,605
|
(123,241)
|
|
(1,282)
|
Grifols S.A.
|
1,971
|
(10,800)
|
|
(10,947)
|
International Paper Co
|
15,916
|
(394,693)
|
|
(2,437)
|
John Bean Technologies
Corp
|
6,119
|
(231,442)
|
|
(5,027)
|
Noble Corp Plc
|
(8,194)
|
(224,456)
|
|
(11,489)
|
Schlumberger Ltd
|
(48,024)
|
(542,051)
|
|
(3,486)
|
Smurfit Kappa Group Plc
|
3,487
|
(155,423)
|
|
(691)
|
Synopsys Inc
|
(3,351)
|
(411,186)
|
|
(11,506)
|
Tgs Asa
|
(8,429)
|
(138,537)
|
|
(1,064)
|
Willscot Mobile Mini
Holding
|
223
|
(40,049)
|
|
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
|
|
|
(113,972)
|
(8,703,276)
|
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Equity CFD Swap Agreements
|
(33,149)
|
3,314,884
|
5.8%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
Total Investments Including U.S. Treasuries
|
63,698,973
|
57,168,520
|
100.0%
|
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
INFORMATION TO BE DISCLOSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LISTING RULE
9.8.4
The disclosures below are
made in compliance with the requirements of Listing Rule
9.8.4.
9.8.4 (1) The Company has not
capitalised any interest in the year under review.
9.8.4 (2) The Company has not
published any unaudited financial information in a class 1 circular
or prospectus or any profit forecast or profit estimate.
9.8.4 (4) The Company does not have
any long-term incentive schemes in operation.
9.8.4 (5) and (6) The Chairman Mr
Gabelli has waived or agreed to waive any current or future
emoluments from the Company.
9.8.4 (7) During the year to 30 June
2023, the Company has not issued shares.
9.8.4 (8) and 9.8.4 (9) are not
applicable.
9.8.4 (10) As President of the
Portfolio Manager's parent company, GGCP, and an employee of the
Portfolio Manager, Mr Gabelli is/was deemed to be interested in the
Company's portfolio management agreement. There were no other
contracts of significance subsisting during the year under review
to which the Company is a party and in which a Director of the
Company is or was materially interested; or between the Company and
a controlling shareholder.
9.8.4 (11) This provision is not
applicable to the Company.
9.8.4 (12) and (13) There were no
arrangements under which a shareholder has waived or agreed to
waive any dividends or future dividends.
9.8.4 (14) This provision is not
applicable to the Company.
GLOSSARY
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND MANAGERS DIRECTIVE
("AIFMD")
Agreed by the European
Parliament and the Council of the European Union and adopted into
UK legislation, the AIFMD classifies certain investment vehicles,
including investment companies, as Alternative Investment Funds
("AIFS") and requires them to appoint an Alternative Investment
Fund Manager ("AIFM") and Depositary to manage and oversee the
operations of the investment vehicle.
The Board of the Company retains
responsibility for strategy, operations and compliance and the
Directors retain a fiduciary duty to shareholders.
ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Net Asset Value total return, which is calculated
based on the net asset value per share at 30 June 2024, compared to
the Net Asset Value per share as at 30 June 2023, adjusted for
dividends paid, and assumes that dividends are
reinvested.
Share price total return, which is
calculated based on the share price as at 30 June 2024, compared to
the share price as at 30 June 2023, adjusted for dividends paid,
and assumes that all dividends are reinvested.
Discount to net asset value, which
is calculated by dividing the difference between the share price
and net asset value per share, by the net asset value per
share.
ASSOCIATION OF INVESTMENT COMPANIES ("AIC")
The Company is a member of the AIC which is the
trade body for investment companies and represents the industry in
relation to various matters which impact the regulation of such
entities.
CAPITAL RETURN PER SHARE
The capital return per share is the capital profit for the
year (see Statement of Comprehensive Income) divided by the
weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the
year.
CLOSE COMPANY
Subject to
certain exceptions, a close company is broadly a company which is
under the control of five or fewer participators or any number of
participators if those participators are directors, or more than
half the assets of which would be distributed to five or fewer
participators, or to participators who are directors, in the event
of the winding up of the company.
CONNECTED PARTY
A connected
party to the Company includes the Administrator, the Depositary,
the AIFM, the Portfolio Managers of the relevant sub-funds of the
Company, the Board and the respective holding companies (if any),
subsidiaries and affiliates of each (each a "Connected Party").
CONTRACT FOR DIFFERENCE ("CFD")
A financial instrument in which a set of future cash flows is
exchanged between two counterparties. One of these cash flow
streams will typically be based on a reference interest rate
combined with the performance of a notional value of shares of a
stock. The other will be based on the performance of the shares of
a stock. CFDs are open-ended with no fixed termination date, in
contrast to swaps, which utilise fixed termination
dates.
CUM-INCOME NAV
Cum-income
net asset value includes all income, less the value of any
dividends paid together with the value of any dividends which have
been declared and marked ex-dividend but not yet paid. When the
cum-income NAV is lower than the ex-income NAV, this reflects the
revenue deficit.
CUSTODIAN
The Custodian is
responsible for ensuring the safe custody of the Company's assets
and that all transactions in the underlying holdings are transacted
in an accurate and timely manner.
DEPOSITARY
From July 2014
all AIFs were required to appoint a Depositary who has
responsibility for overseeing the operations of the Company
including safekeeping, cash monitoring and verification of
ownership and valuation of the underlying holdings and is
responsible for the appointment of a custodian. The Depositary is
strictly liable for the loss of any investments or other assets in
its custody unless it has notified that it has discharged its
liability in certain markets.
The Depositary has confirmed that it
has not discharged liability in relation to any of the Company's
assets.
DIVIDEND DATES
When
declared or recommended, each dividend will have three key dates
applied to it. The payment date is the date on which shareholders
will receive their dividend, either by BACS transfer or by receipt
of a dividend cheque. The record date applied to the dividend is
used as a cut-off for the Company's registrars to know which
shareholders should be paid a dividend. Only shareholders on the
register of members at the close of business on the record date
will receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is the business day
before the record date and is the date upon which the Company's net
asset value will be disclosed ex-dividend.
DIVIDEND YIELD
The annual
dividend expressed as a percentage of the share price.
EX-INCOME NAV
Ex-income net
asset value is the cum-income NAV excluding income (net income
being all current year income, less the value of any dividends paid
together with the value of any dividends which have been declared
and marked ex-dividend but not yet paid).
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY TENDER OFFER
The tender offer to purchase certain of the Company's Ordinary
Shares from Shareholders whose names were entered into the Loyalty
Register on Admission and who continuously remained on the Loyalty
Register from Admission to the launch of the Fifth Anniversary
Tender Offer.
ADDITIONAL FIFTH ANNIVERSARY TENDER OFFER
The tender offer to purchase certain of the
Company's Ordinary Shares from Shareholders whose names were
entered into the Loyalty Register at the time of the November 2017
Tap Admission and who continuously remained on the Loyalty Register
from the November 2017 Tap Admission to the launch of the
Additional Fifth Anniversary Tender Offer.
GEARING (INCLUDING ACTUAL AND NOMINAL
GEARING)
The net gearing
percentage reflects the amount of borrowings (i.e. bank loans or
overdrafts) the Company has used to invest in the market less cash
and investments in cash funds, divided by net assets. Nominal
gearing is the total notional amount of assets plus total notional
amount of liabilities, divided by equity. Actual gearing is
calculated under two methodologies: the gross method, which
includes the market value of positions and the gross exposure of
derivatives, and excludes cash and cash equivalents; and the
commitment method, which includes the value of cash and cash
equivalents. Nominal CFD gearing is the gross nominal value of CFD
positions, as a percentage of shareholders' equity.
HIGH WATER MARK
The closing
Net Asset Value (NAV) per share in respect of the last performance
period in respect of which a performance fee was payable to the
Portfolio Manager (adjusted for any changes to the NAV per share
through dividend payments, share repurchases, and share issuances
from admission to the end of such performance period).
LEVERAGE
Leverage is the
ratio between a fund's Total Exposure and its Net Asset Value,
expressed as a percentage. For the purposes of the AIFM Directive,
leverage can be calculated using two methods: (i) the gross method;
and (ii) the commitment method. Under the gross method, Total
Exposure is the algebraic sum of all investment positions (long and
short), excluding cash and cash equivalents and converting
derivative instruments into the equivalent position in the
underlying asset. Under the commitment method, Total Exposure is
the algebraic sum of all investment positions (long and short),
plus cash and cash equivalents, minus hedging arrangements and
offsetting instruments between eligible assets.
LIQUIDITY
In the context of
the liquidity of shares in the stock market, this refers to the
availability of buyers in the market for the share in question.
Where the market in a particular share is described as liquid, that
share will be in demand and holders wishing to sell their shares
should find ready buyers. Conversely, where the market in a share
is illiquid the difficulty of finding a buyer will tend to depress
the price that might be negotiated for a sale.
LOYALTY PROGRAMME
The
Company has implemented a loyalty programme to incentivise
long-term share ownership. The loyalty programme is open to all
shareholders, who are entered in the Loyalty Register, a separate
register maintained by the registrar to allow a shareholder to
increase its voting power after holding shares for a continuous
period of at least five years. Each shareholder so registered will
be entitled to subscribe for one special voting loyalty share in
respect of each ordinary share held. These shares can also be used
as a form of consideration when entering into one or more
agreements to acquire operating businesses in accordance with the
Investment Policy, and subject to approval by shareholders at the
AGM, the articles will be updated to reflect this
dynamic.
LOYALTY REGISTER
The
register of Qualifying Registered Shareholders maintained by the
Registrars in accordance with the Company's loyalty
programme.
NET
ASSET VALUE ("NAV") PER ORDINARY SHARE
The value of the Company's assets (i.e.
investments, cash held and debtors) less any liabilities (i.e. bank
borrowings, debt securities and creditors) for which the Company is
responsible, divided by the number of shares in issue. The
aggregate NAV is also referred to as total shareholders' funds on
the Statement of Financial Position. The NAV is published
daily.
|
30 June
2024
|
(in thousands, except per share
data)
|
$
|
Shares
|
Per
share
|
Ex-income NAV
|
$69,150
|
6,831
|
$10.12
|
Revenue reserve
|
(537)
|
6,831
|
(0.08)
|
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
---------------
|
Net asset value per ordinary
share
|
$68,613
|
6,831
|
$10.04
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value per ordinary share, total return
represents the theoretical return on the
cum-income NAV per ordinary share, assuming that dividends paid to
shareholders were reinvested at the cum-income NAV per ordinary
share at the close of business on the day shares were quoted
ex-dividend.
|
2024
|
2023
|
NAV at start of year
|
10.22
|
9.35
|
NAV at end of year
|
10.04
|
10.22
|
Effect of
dividends1
|
0.50
|
0.12
|
NAV at end of year including effect
of dividends
|
10.54
|
10.35
|
NAV total return
|
3.14%
|
10.54%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
1 Assumed
reinvested at the time of shares going ex-dividend.
Ongoing Charges are operating
expenses incurred in the running of the Company, whether charged to
revenue or capital, but excluding financing costs. These are
expressed as a percentage of the average net asset value during the
year and this is calculated in accordance with guidance issued by
the Association of Investment Companies.
|
|
2024
$000
|
2023
$000
|
Regular recurring expenses ("Ongoing
Charges")
|
a
|
1,341
|
1,645
|
Average Shareholders'
funds
|
b
|
66,827
|
75,684
|
Ongoing Charge Calculation
|
a/b
|
2.01%
|
2.17%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
=========
|
PERFORMANCE FEE
A detailed
explanation of the calculation methodology for the Performance Fee
payable to the Investment Manager can be found in Note
14.
PERFORMANCE HURDLE
In
relation to each performance period, the hurdle is represented by
"A" multiplied by "B", where: "A" is equal to the starting NAV per
share increased by two times the rate of return on 13 week Treasury
Bills published by the US Department of the Treasury over the
performance period, less the starting NAV per share; and "B" is the
weighted average of the number of shares in issue (excluding any
shares held in treasury) at the end of each day during the
performance period. The Remuneration Committee has determined that
this is the most appropriate means of benchmarking the Manager's
performance.
PREMIUM/(DISCOUNT)
The
amount by which the market price per share of an investment trust
is either higher premium or lower (discount) than the NAV per
share, expressed as a percentage of the NAV per share.
PROSPECTUS
The prospectus
published by the Company on 15 June 2017 in connection with the
placing of up to 20,000,000 Ordinary Shares at $10 per Ordinary
Share.
RELATED PARTY
Related party
disclosures are required under International Financial Reporting
Standards (IAS 24). A common definition of a related party is if
one party has the ability to control the other party or exercise
significant influence over the other party in making financial or
operational decisions and defined as:
(i)
Two or more parties are related parties when at any time during the
financial period:
(ii) one
party has direct or indirect control of the other party; or the
parties are subject to common control from the same source;
or
(iii) one party
has influence over the financial and operating policies of the
other party to an extent that that other party might be inhibited
from pursuing at all times its own separate interests;
or
(iv) the parties,
in entering a transaction, are subject to influence from the same
source to such an extent that one of the parties to the transaction
has subordinated its own separate interests.
REVENUE RETURN PER ORDINARY SHARE
The revenue return per ordinary share is the
revenue return profit for the year divided by the weighted average
number of ordinary shares in issue during the year.
Share Price Total Return represents the theoretical return to a shareholder, on a
closing market price basis, assuming that all dividends received
were reinvested, without transaction costs, into the ordinary
shares of the Company at the close of business on the day the
shares were quoted ex-dividend.
|
2024
|
2023
|
Share price at start of
year
|
9.00
|
9.00
|
Share price at end of year
|
9.00
|
9.00
|
Effect of dividends*
|
0.49
|
0.12
|
Share price at end of year including
effect of dividends
|
9.49
|
9.12
|
Share price total return
|
5.39%
|
1.33%
|
|
=========
|
=========
|
* Assumed
reinvested at the time of the shares going ex-dividend.
SHAREHOLDER
Owner of the
Company's Ordinary Shares.
SPECIAL VOTING LOYALTY SHARES
Redeemable non-participating voting shares of a nominal value
of $0.01 each in the capital of the Company (if any) having the
rights and privileges and being subject to the restrictions
contained in the Articles. Each Registered Holder of an ordinary
share who remains registered in the Loyalty Register in respect
such Ordinary Share for a continuous uninterrupted period of at
least five years (the "Qualifying Period") and is not an ineligible
shareholder and/or is not disqualified shall be entitled to
subscribe for one Special Voting Loyalty Share in respect of such
ordinary share.
(1) As to
voting: The holders of Special Voting Loyalty Shares shall have the
right to receive notice of, to attend, and to vote at all general
meetings of the Company.
(2) As to
dividends and distributions: The Special Voting Loyalty Shares are
not entitled to participate in any dividend or distribution made or
declared by the Company, except for a fixed annual dividend equal
to 0.00001 per cent. of their nominal value.
(3) On a
winding up or other return of capital: On a winding up of the
Company, the holder of a Special Voting Loyalty Share shall be
entitled to be repaid the capital paid up thereon pari passu with
the repayment of the nominal amount of the ordinary
shares.
TOTAL RETURN PERFORMANCE
This is the return on the share price or NAV taking into
account both the rise and fall of share prices and the dividends
paid to shareholders. Any dividends received by a shareholder are
assumed to have been reinvested in either additional shares (for
share price total return) or the Company's assets (for NAV total
return).
COMPANY INFORMATION
REGISTERED NAME
Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc
REGISTERED OFFICE
3 St. James's Place,
London SW1A 1NP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marc Gabelli
Marco Bianconi
John Birch
John Newlands
Yuji Sugimoto
James Wedderburn
PORTFOLIO MANAGER AND ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND
MANAGER
Gabelli Funds, LLC
One Corporate Center
Rye, NY 10580-1422
United States
COMPANY SECRETARY
Bridgehouse Company Secretaries Limited
Suite 2:06,
Bridge House,
181 Queen Victoria Street,
London, EC4V 4EG
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
7 More London Riverside
London SE1 2RT
ADMINISTRATOR AND CUSTODIAN
State Street Bank and Trust Company
20 Churchill Place
Canary Wharf
London E14 5HJ
DEPOSITARY
State Street Trustees Ltd
20 Churchill Place
Canary Wharf
London E14 5HJ
REGISTRAR AND RECEIVING AGENT
Computershare Investment Services PLC
The Pavilions
Bridgwater Road
Bristol BS99 6ZZ
LEGAL & FINANCIAL ADVISERS TO THE
COMPANY
Dickson Minto W.S.
16 Charlotte Square
Edinburgh
EH2 4DF
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
Flom (UK) LLP
22 Bishopsgate
London
EC2N 4BQ
The Company is a member of
The Association of Investment
Companies ("AIC"), which publishes a number of useful fact
sheets and email updates for investors interested in investment
companies.
The AIC
9th Floor
24 Chiswell Street
London
EC1Y 4YY
0207 282 5555
www.theaic.co.uk
INFORMATION TO SHAREHOLDERS
Contact Information and Website
Please visit us on the Internet. Our
homepage at www.gabelli.co.uk
includes useful information about the Company,
such as daily prices, factsheets, announcements, and current and
historic half year and annual reports.
We welcome your comments and
questions at +44 (0) 20 3206 2100 or via e-mail at
info@gabelli.co.uk.
GENERAL INFORMATION
SEDOL/ISIN: BD8P074/GB00BD8P0741
London Stock Exchange (TIDM) Code: GMP
Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 5493006X09N8HK0V1U37
The Company's registrar is
Computershare Investor Services PLC. Computershare's website
address is investorcentre.co.uk and certain details relating to
your holding can be checked through this website. Alternatively,
Computershare can be contacted on 0370 707 1390.
Change of name or address must be
notified through the website or sent to The Pavilions, Bridgwater
Road, Bristol BS99 6ZZ.
The Company is a member of
The Association of Investment
Companies ("AIC"), which publishes a number of useful fact
sheets and email updates for investors interested in investment
companies www.theaic.co.uk.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
Notice is hereby given that the
seventh Annual General Meeting (the "AGM") of the Company will be
held at GAMCO (UK), 3 St. James's Place London SW1A 1NP United
Kingdom on Thursday 5 December 2024 at 13:00 (GMT) to consider and,
if thought fit, pass the following resolutions, of which
resolutions numbered 1 to 14 (inclusive) will be proposed as
Ordinary Resolutions, and resolutions numbered 15 to 18 (inclusive)
will be proposed as Special Resolutions.
The Directors currently anticipate
that this year's Annual General Meeting will be open to
shareholders, but reserve the right to change arrangements for the
meeting at short notice. Therefore shareholders are strongly
encouraged to vote by proxy and to appoint the Co-Chairmen as their
proxy.
ORDINARY BUSINESS
1. To
receive the Company's audited financial statements, the Strategic
Report and the reports of the Directors of the Company (the
"Directors") for the year ended 30 June 2024 (the "Annual Report")
together with the report of the auditors.
2. To
approve the Directors' Remuneration Report for the year ended 30
June 2024.
3. To
approve the directors' remuneration policy, as set out in the
Directors' Remuneration Report, which takes effect immediately
after the end of the annual general meeting.
4. To
approve the Company's dividend policy to pay dividends out of the
current period revenue reserve, ex the impact of any deferred tax
charges. The dividends declared in respect of the financial year
ended 30 June 2023 totaled $0.48 per share.
5. To
re-elect Marc Gabelli as a Director.
6. To
re-elect Marco Bianconi as a Director.
7. To
re-elect John Birch as a Director.
8. To
re-elect John Newlands as a Director.
9. To
re-elect Yuji Sugimoto as a Director.
10. To re-elect
James Wedderburn as a Director.
11. To re-appoint
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors of the Company to hold
office until the conclusion of the next AGM of the
Company.
12. To authorise
the Audit & Risk Committee to determine the remuneration of the
auditors.
SPECIAL BUSINESS
Ordinary Resolution
13. THAT in
addition to all existing authorities:
a. the
Directors of the Company be and are hereby generally and
unconditionally authorised in accordance with section 551 of the
Companies Act 2006 (the "Act") to exercise all the powers of the
Company to allot ordinary shares in the capital of the Company (the
"Ordinary Shares") up to an aggregate nominal value of $45,542,
such authority to expire at the conclusion of next year's AGM
(unless the authority is previously revoked, varied or extended by
the Company in general meeting) but so that this authority shall
allow the Company to make, before the expiry of this authority,
offers or agreements which would or might require equity securities
to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors of the Company
may allot equity securities pursuant to any such offer or agreement
as if the authority had not expired; and
b. the
Directors of the Company be and are hereby generally and
unconditionally authorised in accordance with section 551 of the
Act to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot Ordinary
Shares up to an aggregate nominal value of $511,910.30, such
authority to expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of the
passing of this resolution (unless the authority is previously
revoked, varied or extended by the Company in general meeting) but
so that this authority shall allow the Company to make, before the
expiry of this authority, offers or agreements which would or might
require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and the
Directors of the Company may allot equity securities pursuant to
any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not
expired.
c. the Directors of the
Company be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised
in accordance with section 551 of the Act to exercise all the
powers of the Company to allot Special Voting Loyalty Shares up to
an aggregate nominal value of $511,910.30, such authority to expire
on the fifth anniversary of the date of the passing of this
resolution (unless the authority is previously revoked, varied or
extended by the Company in general meeting).
14. THAT the
Directors of the Company be and are hereby authorised to exercise
all powers of the Company, as granted by all existing authorities
(including by resolution 13 above), to allot new Ordinary Shares
and Special Voting Loyalty shares for purposes of making
acquisitions.
SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS
15. THAT, in
addition to all existing authorities, the Directors of the Company
be and are hereby empowered in accordance with section 570 of the
Act, to allot equity securities (as defined in section 560 of the
Act) for cash under the authority given by resolution 13(a) and, in
accordance with section 573 of the Act, to sell any Ordinary Shares
held by the Company as treasury shares ("treasury shares") for
cash, in each case, as if section 561 of the Act did not apply to
any such allotment or sale, such power in respect of the authority
given by resolution 13(a) to be limited:
a. to
the allotment of equity securities and sale of treasury shares in
connection with an offer of, or invitation to apply for, equity
securities:
i. to holders of Ordinary
Shares in the capital of the Company in proportion (as nearly as
may be practicable) to their existing holdings; and
ii. to
holders of other equity securities in the capital of the Company,
as required by the rights of those securities or, subject to such
rights, as the Directors otherwise considers necessary, and so that
the Directors may impose any limits or restrictions and make any
arrangements which it considers necessary or appropriate to deal
with treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates, legal,
regulatory or practical problems in or under the laws of any
territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock
exchange; and
b.
otherwise than pursuant to resolution 15(a) above, to the allotment
of equity securities and sale of treasury shares up to an aggregate
nominal amount of $26,021 (being 20% of the total number of voting
rights of the Company at the latest practicable date prior to the
publication of this Notice);
c. such that no allotment
of securities shall be made which would result in Ordinary Shares
being issued or sold from treasury at a price which is less than
the higher of the Company's cum or ex income net asset value per
Ordinary Share at the latest practicable date before such allotment
of equity securities as determined by the Directors in their
reasonable discretion; and
d.
such power, unless renewed, to apply until the expiry of the powers
in resolution 13(a) but, in each case, during this period the
Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or
might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury
shares to be sold) after the power ends and the Directors may allot
equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer
or agreement as if the power had not ended.
16. THAT, in
addition to all existing authorities, the Directors of the Company
be and are hereby empowered, pursuant to sections 570 and 573 of
the Act, to allot or make offers or agreements to allot equity
securities (as defined in section 560 of the Act) for cash pursuant
to the authority referred to in resolution 13(b) above as if
section 561 of the Act did not apply to any allotment which is the
subject of, and provided that this power shall expire upon the
expiry of, the authority conferred by resolution 13(b) above
(unless the authority is previously revoked, varied or extended by
the Company in general meeting), but so that this authority shall
allow the Company to make, before the expiry of this authority,
offers or agreements which would or might require equity securities
to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors of the Company
may allot equity securities pursuant to any such offer or agreement
as if the authority had not expired.
17. THAT, in
addition to all existing authorities, the Company be authorised for
the purposes of section 701 of the Act to make one or more market
purchases (as defined in section 693(4) of the Act) of its Ordinary
Shares, provided that:
a. the
maximum number of Ordinary Shares hereby authorised to be purchased
is 1,301,039 (being 10% of the total number of voting rights of the
Company at the latest practicable date prior to the publication of
this Notice);
b. the
minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for an
Ordinary Share is the nominal amount of that share; and
c. the maximum price
(exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for an Ordinary Share is
the higher of:
i. an amount equal to 5%
above the average of the middle market quotations for an Ordinary
Share as derived from the Daily Official List of the London Stock
Exchange plc for the five business days immediately preceding the
day on which that Ordinary Share is contracted to be purchased;
and
ii. an
amount equal to the higher of the price of the last independent
trade and the highest current independent bid on the trading venues
where the purchase is carried out at the relevant time, such
authority, unless renewed or extended, to apply until the
conclusion of next year's AGM but during this period the Company
may enter into a contract to purchase Ordinary Shares, which would,
or might, be completed or executed wholly or partly after the
authority ends and the Company may purchase Ordinary Shares
pursuant to any such contract as if the authority had not
ended.
18. THAT a general
meeting of the Company other than an Annual General Meeting may be
called on not less than 14 clear days' notice.
BY
ORDER OF THE BOARD
JOHN
BIRCH
MARC GABELLI
Co-Chairman
Co-Chairman
29 October
2024
Registered Office:
3 St. James's Place
London
England
SW1A 1NP
NOTES TO THE NOTICE OF THE AGM
The
Annual General Meeting is currently anticipated to be open to
members this year. All members are entitled to vote at the meeting
by providing a form of proxy. Members are strongly advised to
appoint the Chairman of the meeting as their
proxy.
PROXY APPOINTMENT
1 A member is entitled to
appoint another person as his proxy to exercise all or any of his
rights to attend and to speak and vote at the AGM, or any
adjournment thereof. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the
Company. A shareholder may appoint more than one proxy in relation
to the AGM provided that each proxy is appointed to exercise the
rights attached to a different share or shares held by that
shareholder.
2 A form of proxy is
enclosed. The appointment of a proxy will not prevent a member from
subsequently attending and voting at the meeting in
person.
3 To appoint a proxy, the
form of proxy and any power of attorney or other authority (if any)
under which it is executed (or a duly certified copy of any such
power or authority), must be either (a) sent to the Company's
Registrar, Computershare Investor Services PLC, at The Pavilions,
Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS99 6ZY, or (b) the proxy appointment
must be lodged using the CREST Proxy Voting Service in accordance
with Note 8 below, in either case so as to be received no later
than 1.00pm (GMT) on 3 December 2024 (or, if the meeting is
adjourned, no later than 48 hours (excluding any part of a day that
is not a working day) before the time of any adjourned
meeting).
JOINT SHAREHOLDERS
4 In the case of joint
holders of a share the vote of the senior who tenders a vote,
whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion
of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose
seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names
appear in the register of members in respect of the
share.
NOMINATED PERSONS
5 The right to appoint a
proxy does not apply to persons whose shares are held on their
behalf by another person and who have been nominated to receive
communications from the Company in accordance with section 146 of
the Act ("Nominated Persons"). Nominated Persons may have a right
under an agreement with the member who holds the shares on their
behalf to be appointed (or to have someone else appointed) as a
proxy. Alternatively, if Nominated Persons do not have such a right
or do not wish to exercise it, they may have a right under such an
agreement to give instructions to the person holding the shares as
to the exercise of voting rights.
INFORMATION ABOUT SHARES AND VOTING
6 Holders of Ordinary
Shares are entitled to attend and vote at general meetings of the
Company. The total number of issued Ordinary Shares in the Company
on 1 October 2024, which is the latest practicable date before the
publication of this Notice is 6,831,292 Shares (excluding shares
held in treasury).
RIGHT TO ATTEND AND VOTE
7 Entitlement to attend
and vote at the meeting, and the number of votes which may be cast
at the meeting, will be determined by reference to the Company's
register of members as at the close of business on 2 December 2024,
or, if the meeting is adjourned, no later than 48 hours (excluding
any part of a day that is not a working day) before the time fixed
for the adjourned meeting (as the case may be). In each case,
changes to the register of members after such time will be
disregarded.
CREST MEMBERS
8 CREST members who wish
to appoint a proxy or proxies through the CREST electronic proxy
appointment service may do so for the meeting (and any adjournment
of the meeting) by following the procedures described in the CREST
Manual available on the website of Euroclear UK and Ireland Limited
("Euroclear") at www.euroclear.com. CREST Personal Members or other
CREST sponsored members (and those CREST members who have appointed
a voting service provider) should refer to their CREST sponsor or
voting service provider, who will be able to take the appropriate
action on their behalf.
In order for a proxy appointment or
instruction made by means of CREST to be valid, the appropriate
CREST message (a "CREST Proxy Instruction") must be properly
authenticated in accordance with Euroclear's specifications and
must contain the information required for such instructions, as
described in the CREST Manual. The message (regardless of whether
it constitutes the appointment of a proxy or an amendment to the
instruction given to a previously appointed proxy) must, in order
to be valid, be transmitted so as to be received by Computershare
Investor Services PLC Participant ID 3RA50 by the latest time(s)
for receipt of proxy appointments specified in Note 3 above. For
this purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to be the time (as
determined by the timestamp applied to the message by the CREST
Applications Host) from which the issuer's agent is able to
retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner prescribed
by CREST. After this time any change of instructions to a proxy
appointed through CREST should be communicated to him by other
means.
CREST members (and, where
applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers)
should note that Euroclear does not make available special
procedures in CREST for any particular messages. Normal system
timings and limitations will therefore apply in relation to the
input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the
CREST member concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST
personal member or sponsored member or has appointed a voting
service provider, to procure that his CREST sponsor or voting
service provider takes) such action as shall be necessary to ensure
that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any
particular time. In this connection, CREST members (and, where
applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers) are
referred, in particular, to those sections of the CREST Manual
concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings.
The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the
circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5) (a) of the Uncertificated
Securities Regulations 2001.
CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES
9 Any corporation which is
a member can appoint one or more corporate representatives who may
exercise on its behalf all of its powers as a member provided that
they do not do so in relation to the same shares.
AUDIT CONCERNS
10
Shareholders should note that, under section 527 of the Act,
members meeting the threshold requirements set out in that section
have the right to require the Company to publish on a website a
statement setting out any matter relating to: (i) the audit of the
Company's accounts (including the auditors report and the conduct
of the audit) that are to be laid before the AGM for the financial
year ended 30 June 2024; or (ii) any circumstance connected with
auditors of the Company appointed for the financial year ended 30
June 2024 ceasing to hold office since the previous meeting at
which annual accounts and reports were laid. The Company may not
require the shareholders requesting any such website publication to
pay its expenses in complying with sections 527 or 528
(requirements as to website availability) of the Act. Where the
Company is required to place a statement on a website under section
527 of the Act, it must forward the statement to the Company's
auditors not later than the time when it makes the statement
available on the website. The business which may be dealt with at
the AGM for the relevant financial year includes any statement that
the Company has been required under section 527 of the Act to
publish on a website.
QUESTIONS
11 Any
member attending the AGM has the right to ask questions. The
Company must cause to be answered any such question relating to the
business being dealt with at the meeting but no such answer need be
given if (a) to do so would interfere unduly with the preparation
for the meeting or involve the disclosure of confidential
information, (b) the answer has already been given on a website in
the form of an answer to a question, or (c) it is undesirable in
the interests of the Company or the good order of the meeting that
the question be answered.
MEMBERS' RIGHT TO REQUEST A RESOLUTION TO BE PROPOSED AT THE
MEETING
12 Under
sections 338 and 338A of the Companies Act 2006, members meeting
the threshold requirements in those sections have the right to
require the Company:
i. to give, to
members of the Company entitled to receive notice of the meeting,
notice of a resolution which may properly be moved and is intended
to be moved at the meeting; and/or
ii. to include in the
business to be dealt with at the meeting any matter (other than a
proposed resolution) which may be properly included in the
business.
A resolution may properly be moved
or a matter may properly be included in the business
unless:
a. (in
the case of a resolution only) it would, if passed, be ineffective
(whether by reason of inconsistency with any enactment or the
Company's constitution or otherwise);
b. it
is defamatory of any person; or
c. it is frivolous or
vexatious.
Such a request may be in hard copy
form or in electronic form, and must identify the resolution of
which notice is to be given or the matter to be included in the
business, must be authorised by the person or persons making it,
must be received by the Company not later than four weeks before
the AGM, and (in the case of a matter to be included in the
business only) must be accompanied by a statement setting out the
grounds for the request.
WEBSITE INFORMATION
13 A copy of
this notice and other information required by section 311A of the
Act can be found at
www.gabelli.co.uk/investment-products/gabelli-merger-plus/.
USE
OF ELECTRONIC ADDRESS
14 Members
may not use any electronic address provided in either this notice
of meeting or any related documents (including the enclosed form of
proxy) to communicate with the Company for any purposes other than
those expressly stated.
DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION
15 Copies of
the letters of appointment of the non-executive Directors may be
inspected during normal business hours on any weekday (Saturdays,
Sundays and public holidays excepted) at the registered office of
the Company at 3 St. James's Place, London SW1A 1NP, United
Kingdom, up to and including the date of the AGM, and, if possible,
on the date itself at the AGM venue 15 minutes before the meeting
until it ends.
COMMUNICATION
16 Except as
provided above, shareholders who have general queries about the AGM
should use the following means of communication (no other methods
of communication will be accepted):
· by calling the
Registrar's helpline on: +44 (0)370 707 1390, or
· by writing to the
Registrar, Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions,
Bridgwater Road, Bristol BS99 6ZZ, or
· by email to the
Registrar web.queries@computershare.co.uk
GABELLI MERGER PLUS+ LOYALTY PROGRAMME
The Company has a Loyalty Programme in place for
its long‑term
shareholders. Please see page 19 for benefits and eligibility
requirements.
CONTACT THE COMPANY
www.gabelli.com/mergerplus
gmpassist@gabelli.com
+44 20 3206 2100
+1 914 921 5135
+39 02 3057 8299
APPENDIX
AIFMD REMUNERATION
DISCLOSURES
GABELLI FUNDS, LLC
In
accordance with the AIFMD and FCA Rules, Gabelli Funds, LLC's
remuneration policy and remuneration disclosures in respect of the
year ended 30 June 2024 are available from Gabelli Funds, LLC on
request.
This announcement is neither an offer to sell nor a
solicitation of an offer to buy these securities.
The offer is made by the prospectus only.
$100,111,000
Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc
10,011,100
Ordinary Shares
Price $10 per Share
19
July 2017
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sources.
Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc
www.gabelli.com/mergerplus
gmpassist@gabelli.com