On Thursday, Northern 3 VCT PLC, a Venture Capital Trust managed by Mercia Fund Management Limited, released its unaudited half-yearly financial report for the six months ending September 30, 2024. The report highlighted the company's financial performance, including an increase in net assets and a steady dividend payout to shareholders.
The VCT reported net assets of £129.7 million as of September 30, 2024, up from £116.0 million on the same date in 2023 and £122.5 million at the end of the previous fiscal year on March 31, 2024. The net asset value (NAV) per share stood at 88.5 pence, slightly down from 90.0 pence a year earlier but up from 89.3 pence as of March 31, 2024.
In terms of returns, the revenue return per share for the period was 0.4 pence, a slight decrease from the 0.5 pence reported for the same period in 2023. However, the capital return per share saw an increase to 0.9 pence, up from 0.4 pence in the comparable period of the previous year. The total return per share amounted to 1.3 pence, compared to 0.9 pence for the six months ended September 30, 2023.
The dividend declared in respect of the period remained consistent at 2.0 pence per share, the same as the previous year's interim dividend. Since the VCT's launch, the cumulative return to shareholders has been significant. The NAV per share was reported at 88.5 pence, and when combined with dividends paid per share of 120.1 pence, the NAV plus dividends paid per share totaled 208.6 pence.
The mid-market share price at the end of the period was 85.0 pence, holding steady from the previous year and showing a slight increase from 84.5 pence as of March 31, 2024. The share price discount to NAV was 4.0%, an improvement from the 5.6% discount a year earlier and the 5.4% discount at the end of the last fiscal year. The tax-free dividend yield, based on the NAV per share, was calculated at 4.7%, slightly down from 4.9% a year before but higher than the 4.6% yield as of March 31, 2024.
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