Remgro Limited - Audited Consolidated Results For20 Jun 2001
Remgro Limited
Registration number 1968/006415/06
Audited consolidated results for the year ended 31 March 2001
Headline earnings per share 28% increase
Dividend per share 35% increase
Five year compound growth rates: (pro forma)
- headline earnings per share 21% per annum
- dividend per share 21% per annum
Restructuring of Rembrandt Group Limited and creation of Remgro Limited,
Implemented during September 2000
Redemption  of  half  of  the preference shareholding  in  British  American
Tobacco
Exchange  of  investments  in  Billiton and Gold  Fields  for  interests  in
FirstRand and RMB Holdings
Abridged balance sheet
                                                        2001          2000
                                                   R million     R million
                                                                 pro forma
Assets
Property, plant and equipment                          2 242         2 259
Goodwill and trade marks                               3 493            80
Investments - associated companies                    12 523        10 660
- other                                                  115           150
Loans                                                     10            11
Deferred taxation                                          9             -
Current assets                                         3 395         2 283
(includes cash and cash equivalents of
R1 810 million (2000: R1 034 million))
Total assets                                          21 787        15 443
Equity and liabilities
Interest of own members                               19 536        12 556
Minority interest                                        888           809
Total shareholders' equity                            20 424        13 365
Interest-bearing loans                                   300           403
Other non-current liabilities                             52            42
Other current liabilities                              1 011         1 633
Total equity and liabilities                          21 787        15 443
Net asset value per share (Rand)
- at book value                                       R37.43        R24.05
- allowing for market value/directors'
   valuation of investments and listed
Subsidiary companies                                  R64.32        R51.43
Abridged cash flow statement
                                                                      2001
                                                                 R million
Cash flow from operating activities                                    442
Taxation paid                                                        (116)
Dividends received                                                   1 155
Dividends paid                                                       (303)
Net cash inflow from operating activities                            1 178
Investing activities                                                   356
Financing activities                                                 (631)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents                              903
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year                 897
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year                     1 800
Abridged consolidated statement of changes in equity
                                                                      2001
                                                                 R million
Balance at 1 April 2000 as previously reported                      12 635
Prior year adjustments                                                (79)
Adjusted balance at 1 April 2000                                    12 556
Net profit for the year                                              6 590
Dividends paid                                                       (292)
Exchange rate adjustments                                              892
Change in interests in subsidiary companies,
   associated companies and joint ventures                            (51)
Change in reserves of associated companies                           (159)
Balance at 31 March 2001                                            19 536
Abridged income statement
                                                       2001           2000
                                                  R million      R million
                                                                 pro forma
Revenue                                               7 358          5 738
Operating profit before depreciation                    741            615
Depreciation                                          (173)          (167)
Finance costs                                          (67)           (36)
Operating profit                                        501           412
Share of after-tax operating profit
   of associated companies                            2 919          2 317
Amortisation of goodwill                              (159)           (33)
Exceptional items                                     3 422          (339)
                                                      6 683          2 357
Taxation                                                 14          (100)
Profit after taxation                                 6 697          2 257
Minority interest                                     (107)           (86)
Net profit for the year                               6 590          2 171
Reconciliation of headline earnings:
Basic earnings - net profit for the year              6 590          2 171
Plus/(minus) - attributable to own members:
- exceptional items                                 (3 541)            333
- amortisation of goodwill                              159             33
- net surplus, after taxation, on disposal
   of property, plant and equipment                     (6)           (29)
- impairment of assets                                    9             -
Headline earnings                                     3 211          2 508
Earnings and dividend per share
                                                       2001           2000
                                                      cents          cents
Headline earnings                                     615.1          480.5
- diluted                                             614.7          480.5
Basic earnings                                      1 262.5          415.9
- diluted                                           1 261.5          415.9
Dividend                                                            126.00
- interim                                                            56.00
- final                                                             106.00
Comparable dividend of Rembrandt
   Group Limited                                                    120.00
- interim                                                            44.71
- final                                                              75.29
Additional information
Shares in issue
- ordinary shares of 1 cent each                486 493 650    486 493 650
- B shares of 10 cents each                      35 506 352     35 506 352
Total                                           522 000 002    522 000 002
-  In  determining headline earnings and basic earnings per share the  total
number of shares in issue was applied.
-  In determining diluted headline earnings and basic earnings per share the
total number of shares in issue was adjusted for the dilutive effect of  the
company's long-term share incentive scheme.
                                                       2001           2000
                                                  R million      R million
                                                                 pro forma
Listed investments
Associated
- book value                                          5 123          5 286
- market value                                        9 943          9 080
Other
- book value                                             50             18
- market value                                          131             51
Unlisted investments
Associated
- book value                                          7 400          5 374
- directors' valuation                               18 442         13 954
Other
- book value                                             65            132
- directors' valuation                                   75            142
Additions to and replacement of property,
   plant and equipment                                  176            182
Capital commitments                                     100            117
(including amounts authorised, but not
   yet contracted for)
Dividends received
- dividends included in operating profit                 33              5
- dividends from associated companies
   set-off against investments                        1 482            683
Exceptional items
Exceptional items of subsidiary companies
   consist of the following:
   Restructuring costs and discontinuance
   of operations                                        (7)            (2)
   Net capital surplus on the sale of
   investments and businesses                         1 518            234
   Net capital surplus on the sale of property,
   plant and equipment                                   16              -
   Other                                                (4)           (30)
                                                      1 523            202
Share of exceptional items of
   associated companies                               1 899          (541)
   Restructuring costs of British
   American Tobacco plc (BAT)                         (273)          (362)
   Capital surplus on redemption of
  convertible preference shares in BAT                2 202              -
   Impairment of mining assets of
   Gold Fields Limited                                    -          (205)
   Other                                               (30)            26
Total before taxation                                 3 422          (339)
Taxation                                                120              3
Total after taxation                                  3 542          (336)
Attributable to minorities                                1            (3)
Attributable to own members                           3 541          (333)
                                                      3 542          (336)
Comment
1. Restructuring of the former Rembrandt Group
At  an Annual General Meeting of Rembrandt Group Limited (Rembrandt) held on
21   September  2000  the  restructuring  of  Rembrandt  was   approved   by
shareholders.
Rembrandt's  underlying interests have been reorganised  into  two  separate
companies, namely Remgro Limited (Remgro) and VenFin Limited (VenFin),  with
effect  from 1 April 2000. This company (Remgro) mainly includes Rembrandt's
tobacco,  industrial, mining and financial interests. The share  capital  of
Remgro  has  been restructured to also create unlisted B shares, which  were
issued  to  Rembrandt Trust (Pty) Limited. Remgro's issued  ordinary  shares
were  listed  on  the  JSE  Securities Exchange South  Africa  (JSE)  on  26
September 2000.
2. Comparative figures
The pro forma comparative figures in the income statement for the year ended
31  March  2000  and  in the balance sheet on 31 March  2000  represent  the
figures of Rembrandt after making adjustments for investments transferred to
VenFin  in terms of the restructuring and are based on the audited financial
statements of Rembrandt.
No  pro  forma  comparative  figures  are  available  for  the  consolidated
statement of changes in equity and for the cash flow statement.
3. Accounting policies and restatement of comparative figures
The annual financial statements are prepared on the historical cost basis in
accordance  with  South African Statements of Generally Accepted  Accounting
Practice  and  incorporate  the  policies  which,  with  the  exception   of
accounting for goodwill, are consistent in all material respects with  those
of Rembrandt in the previous year.
Sage Group Limited (Sage)
Besides  its  primary basis of reporting in accordance  with  the  Financial
Soundness  basis,  Sage also complies with the South  African  Statement  of
Generally  Accepted Accounting Practice in respect of consolidated financial
statements  and accounting for investments in subsidiaries (AC  132),  which
now also applies to long-term insurers. For equity purposes, Remgro now uses
Sage's  figures based on the AC 132, as opposed to the former basis  in  the
previous  year. Remgro's pro forma figures for the year ended 31 March  2000
have been restated, as indicated below.
Restatement of comparative figures                              Year ended
                                                             31 March 2000
                                                                 Pro forma
Per share                                                            Cents
Headline earnings as previously reported                             485.6
Changes in accounting treatment of Sage                              (5.1)
Restated headline earnings                                          480.5
4. Results
- Headline earnings per share
Headline  earnings per share increased by 28.0% from 480.5  cents  to  615.1
cents.  The main reasons for this improvement were the increase of 31.5%  in
the earnings of the tobacco interests, of which 11.2% was contributed by the
weaker  rand,  and  a  66.3%  increase in the  contribution  by  the  mining
interests. The contribution of industrial interests to headline earnings was
1%  lower  than  the  previous year in spite of  Rainbow  Chicken  Limited's
increased  contribution to the Group's headline earnings, from R7.7  million
to  R63.3  million. Dorbyl Limited and Malbak Limited reported decreases  in
earnings.
- Basic earnings per share
Basic  earnings,  after  exceptional items  and  amortisation  of  goodwill,
increased  by 203.6%, from 415.9 cents to 1 262.5 cents, mainly due  to  two
material  favourable  exceptional items. A surplus of  R1  371  million  was
accounted  for on the sale of Remgro's interests in Billiton  Plc  and  Gold
Fields Limited to Anglo American Plc and De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited
in  exchange for a major portion of their shareholding in FirstRand Limited.
A  further  surplus of R2 202 million was recorded due to R&R  Holdings,  in
which  Remgro has a one-third interest, exercising its put option over  one-
half of the BAT convertible redeemable preference shares in June 2000.
5. Revenue
                                                        2001          2000
                                                   R million     R million
                                                                 Pro forma
Revenue, excluding dividends and interest              5 735         5 005
Dividends and interest                                 1 623           733
Total revenue                                          7 358         5 738
6. Source of headline earnings
                                              2001             2000
                                         R million     %   R million     %
Trade mark interests                         1 599    50       1 247    50
Mining interests                               823    26         495    20
Industrial interests                           380    12         383    15
Financial services                             238     7         217     9
Corporate finance and other interests          171     5         166     6
                                             3 211   100       2 508   100
7. Tobacco
Remgro's  tobacco interests are represented by a one-third  shareholding  in
R&R  Holdings, Luxembourg, (R&R). The other two-thirds are held by Compagnie
Financi re  Richemont  AG  (Richemont). In  consequence  of  the  merger  of
Rothmans International and British American Tobacco Plc (BAT) in June  1999,
R&R  acquired a 35% interest in the enlarged BAT. Accordingly, the financial
year  ended  31  March  2001 is R&R's first full year of  ownership  of  the
investment in BAT.
R&R  has  equity accounted its interest in BAT in the financial  year  under
review,  whereas  in R&R's profit and loss account for  the  prior  year  it
equity  accounted the investment in BAT for a ten-month period and  included
its  share  of the results of Rothmans International on an equity  accounted
basis for the first two months of that year.
In  addition to the effects of the merger, comparison of the results of  the
two  years  is  further  complicated by the  reduction  in  R&R's  effective
interest in BAT as a result of the exercise of the put option over one  half
of the interest in BAT preference shares in June 2000. This disposal reduced
R&R's effective interest in BAT to 31.6% for the last ten months of the year
under review.
In  terms  of  the Rembrandt restructuring, the non-tobacco assets  of  R&R,
including  the proceeds of the redemption of one half of the BAT  preference
shares,  were  transferred to R&V Holdings Limited, Jersey, (R&V)  in  which
VenFin holds one-third and Richemont two-thirds. In the adjusted results for
both  years,  the income attributable to the redeemed BAT preference  shares
and other non-tobacco assets was allocated to R&V.
In  line  with  the  practice adopted in the prior year, R&R  adjusts  BAT's
reported  results to take account of BAT's December financial  year-end  and
the  differences in accounting policies applied by the two companies.  After
elimination   of   exceptional  items  and  goodwill   amortisation,   R&R's
contribution to Remgro's headline earnings is as follows:
                                                        2001          2000
                                                 GBP million   GBP million
R&R's headline earnings for the year
   ended 31 March                                        438           429
Less: Portion allocated to R&V Holdings                 (11)          (75)
Adjusted headline earnings                               427           354
Remgro's 33.33% share thereof                            142           118
                                                   R million     R million
Translated at an average GBP/R rate
of 10.8046 (2000: 9.9075)                              1 539         1 170
BAT  is  the second largest listed tobacco group in the world with a  global
market  share  of  over 15% and annual shipments of more  than  800  billion
cigarettes.  It has a share of more than 50% of the market in Latin  America
as  well  as strong positions in other regions. With its strong, broad-based
portfolio of international, regional and local brands, BAT remains  focussed
on achieving global leadership in the tobacco business by growing its market
share in the `premium' and `lights' segments.
In  its  financial year ended 31 December 2000, BAT reported an increase  in
sales  volumes of 7%, including the impact of the merger. Although the world
market was basically stable, BAT's international brands grew by over  1%  in
volume   terms.  The  merger  with  Rothmans  International  increased   the
proportion  of premium international brands within BAT to over 20%,  with  a
consequent improvement of profitability.
The  merger  process  was  achieved smoothly  and  efficiently.  Savings  in
operating costs as a consequence of the merger were around GBP230 million in
BAT's  2000 financial year. Overall savings will be in excess of  the  level
identified  at the time of the merger and those realised to date  have  been
achieved  sooner  than  anticipated. In addition to  cost  benefits,  growth
opportunities were pursued, with new selling organisations and  strengthened
sales teams contributing to the successful performance of the company's  key
brands in a number of markets.
8. Investments
The most important changes related to the Group's other investments were  as
follows:
Gencor Limited (Gencor)
On  14  April 2000 Gencor unbundled its investments in Gold Fields of  South
Africa  Limited  (GFSA),  Gold  Fields  Limited  (GFL)  and  Standard   Bank
Investment  Corporation  Limited by way of  a  dividend  in  specie  to  its
shareholders.
GFSA
On  2  May  2000 GFSA unbundled its investments in Northam Platinum  Limited
(Northam) and GFL by way of a dividend in specie to its shareholders. On  21
July  2000 GFSA made a cash distribution to shareholders in anticipation  of
its  voluntary  winding up. The shares of GFSA were delisted on  2  November
2000.
  Remgro sold its shares in Northam received in terms of the above-mentioned
unbundling. A capital surplus of R152 million was realised and accounted for
as an exceptional item.
Exchange  of  shares  in  Billiton Plc (Billiton)  and  GFL  for  shares  in
FirstRand Limited (FirstRand) and Rand Merchant Bank Holdings Limited (RMBH)
Effective 1 January 2001, Remgro exchanged its interest of 8.2% in  Billiton
and  11.3%  in  GFL for 932 500 000 shares in FirstRand. Thereafter,  Remgro
transferred 424 863 144 FirstRand shares to RMBH in exchange for 274 109 670
new  RMBH  shares. After the exchange, Remgro holds an interest of  9.3%  in
FirstRand  and  23.1%  in RMBH. A capital surplus  of  R1  371  million  was
accounted for as an exceptional item.
W&A Gilbey (South Africa) (Pty) Limited (Gilbey)
The 49% interest in Gilbey was sold for R45 million in April 2000.
Business Partners Limited (Business Partners)
During  August 2000 a further investment of R8 million was made in  Business
Partners.
Transvaal Sugar Lmited (TSB)
On  29  June 2000, HL&H announced that agreement had been reached  with  The
Tongaat-Hulett Group Limited for the disposal to them of the assets of  TSB,
other  than  citrus,  for R1 billion with effect from  1  April  2000.  This
transaction required the approval of the competition authorities.
After receiving representations from all interested parties, the competition
authorities ruled that the proposed transaction be prohibited. This resulted
in  the  withdrawal  of  the proposed scheme whereby Industrial  Partnership
Investments Limited, a subsidiary of Remgro, would have made an offer to the
minority shareholders of HL&H.
Dividends
Declaration of Dividend No 2
Notice is hereby given that a final dividend of 106 cents per share has been
declared in respect of both the ordinary shares of one cent each and  the  B
shares  of  ten cents each, for the financial year ended 31 March 2001.  The
dividend  is payable to shareholders of the Company registered at the  close
of business on 3 August 2001.
Including  the  interim dividend of 56 cents per share paid  during  January
2001,  total  dividends for the financial year amounted  to  162  cents  per
share.
The  final dividend will be transferred electronically on 17 August 2001  to
the  bank  accounts of shareholders who utilise this facility while dividend
cheques will be mailed to other shareholders on that date.
The Annual Report will be posted to members during July 2001.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors.
Johann Rupert                         Thys Visser
Chairman                              Chief Executive Officer/
Deputy Chairman
Stellenbosch
20 June 2001
Directorate and administration
Directors
Johann Rupert* (Chairman)
M H Visser (Deputy Chairman/Chief Executive Officer)
P  E  Beyers*, W E B hrmann, G D de Jager*, J W Dreyer*, P J Erasmus*,  D  M
Falck,  E  de la H  Hertzog*, E Molobi*, J F Mouton*, J A Preller  (Mrs),  F
Robertson*, P G Steyn*, T van Wyk
(* Non-executive)
Secretary
J C Engelbrecht
Listing
JSE Securities Exchange South Africa
Sector: Diversified Industrial
American depositary receipt (ADR) program
Cusip number 75956M107   ADR to ordinary share 1:1
Depositary
The Bank of New York, 101 Barclay Street, New York NY 10286
Business address and registered office
Carpe Diem Offices, Quantum Street,
Techno Park, Stellenbosch 7600
(PO Box 456, Stellenbosch 7599)
Transfer Secretaries
Computershare Services Limited, 41 Fox Street
Johannesburg 2001 (PO Box 61051, Marshalltown 2107)
Auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc.
Sponsor
Rand Merchant Bank Corporate Finance
Website
www.remgro.com