REG - British Smlr Comp 2 - Interim Management Statement

British Smaller Companies VCT2Announcement

13/06/2025 13:30

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RNS Number : 8309M  British Smaller Companies VCT2 Plc  13 June 2025

British Smaller Companies VCT2 plc

Interim Management Statement

For the quarter ended 31 March 2025

British Smaller Companies VCT2 plc (the "Company") presents its interim
management statement for the quarter ended 31 March 2025. The statement also
includes relevant financial information between the end of the quarter and the
date of this statement. A copy of this interim management statement can be
found at www.bscfunds.com (http://www.bscfunds.com) .

 

Overview

In the quarter to 31 March 2025 the Company saw a 0.2 per cent increase in its
Net Asset Value ("NAV") per share, prior to the payment of a special dividend
of 1.00 pence per share in January 2025. The NAV at 31 March 2025 is 56.20
pence per share.

The Company's Total Return at 31 March 2025 was up 0.10 pence at 146.45 pence
per ordinary share.

During the quarter, the Company invested £4.2 million into three existing
portfolio companies: DrDoctor, Workbuzz and Vypr; and £1.4 million into new
investment Stormharvester. Subsequent to the period-end, a further £1.6
million has been invested into new investment S4labour, and £0.3 million into
existing portfolio companies Force24 and Immunobiology.

In February 2025, the Company realised its investment in ACC Aviation,
receiving £3.1 million in initial proceeds, with additional deferred
consideration of £1.5 million anticipated to be received over the next two to
four years.  The ACC investment has generated an overall return of 6.7
million to date, a 4.8x return on the original cost of £1.4 million.
Including deferred consideration, proceeds have the potential to rise to £8.2
million, and the return to 5.9x.

In the 2024/25 tax year the Company, alongside British Smaller Companies VCT
plc, raised £75 million in aggregate under their joint offers. A total of
£29.2 million was raised by the Company, of which £9.8 million was allotted
on 30 January 2025 and £19.4 million was allotted shortly after the
period-end, on 1 April 2025.

Performance

The movement in Total Return in pence per ordinary share is set out in the
table below:

 

                                  31 December         2024          Increase in value  Dividends paid  Issue/buy-back of shares  Movement    31 March 2025

                                                                                                                                 in period
 Net Assets (£m)                  160.5                             0.5                (2.8)           8.9                       6.6         167.1
 NAV per share (PPS)              57.10p                            0.20p              (1.00p)         (0.10p)                   (0.90p)     56.20p
 Cumulative dividends paid (PPS)  89.25p                            -                  1.00p           -                         1.00p       90.25p
 Total Return (PPS)               146.35p                           0.20p              -               (0.10p)                   0.10p       146.45p
 Shares in issue                  281,031,132                       -                  -               16,273,321                16,273,321  297,304,453

 

The movements in NAV per ordinary share are set out in the table below:

                              £m            Pence per

                                            ordinary share
 NAV at 31 Dec 2024                  160.5            57.10
 Increase in portfolio value  1.3           0.45
 Net operating costs          (0.8)         (0.25)
                              0.5           0.20
 Issue/buy-back of shares     8.9           (0.10)
 Total Return in the period          9.4              0.10
 NAV before dividends                169.9            57.20
 Dividends paid                      (2.8)            (1.00)
 NAV at 31 March 2025                167.1            56.20

Net assets

Net assets at 31 March 2025 comprised the following:

                                     £000     % of net assets
 Unquoted investments at fair value  108,116  64.7
 Cash and cash equivalents           57,074   34.2
 Other net current assets            1,885    1.1
 Net assets                          167,075  100.0

Investments

The investment portfolio at 31 March 2025 comprised:

                    Valuation  Cumulative valuation as a % of net assets

                    £000
 Matillion          19,629     11.7%
 Unbiased           8,836      17.0%
 Vypr               7,091      21.3%
 Xapien             5,309      24.5%
 SharpCloud         5,301      27.6%
 AutomatePro        4,815      30.5%
 Outpost            4,749      33.4%
 Summize            4,244      35.9%
 DrDoctor           4,230      38.4%
 Workbuzz           4,079      40.9%
                    68,283     40.9%
 Other investments  39,833     64.7%
 Total investments  108,116    64.7%

 

Portfolio performance

Over the quarter to 31 March 2025, the aggregate unquoted portfolio valuation
increased by £1.3 million, reflecting good levels of underlying revenue
growth in portfolio companies.

Dividends

On 27 January 2025 the Company paid a special dividend for the year ending 31
December 2025 of 1.00 pence per share, to shareholders on the register at 27
December 2024.

The Company previously announced the payment of an interim dividend for the
year ending 31 December 2025 of 1.50 pence per ordinary share ("Interim
Dividend"). The Interim Dividend will be paid on 23 June 2025, to shareholders
on the Company's register at the close of business on 23 May 2025. The
ex-dividend date was 22 May 2025. Following payment of the Interim Dividend
the most recently announced NAV will be 54.70 pence per share.

Shareholder relations

Alongside British Smaller Companies VCT plc, the Company will be hosting its
annual Investor Workshop on 19 June 2025 at 30 Euston Square, London NW1 2FB.
For further details please contact Tracey Nice at bscfunds@yfmep.com
(mailto:tracey.nice@yfmep.com) .

Buy-backs and shares in issue

On 26 March 2025, the Company purchased 1,871,896 ordinary shares each at a
price of 53.80 pence per ordinary share. These shares were placed in treasury.

On 27 January 2025 the Company issued 831,686 shares under the Company's
Dividend Re-investment Scheme (DRIS).

On 30 January 2025 the Company issued 17,313,531 shares in relation to its
2024/25 fundraising.

The number of ordinary shares in issue at 31 March 2025 was 297,304,453 (31
December 2024: 281,031,132), with a further 30,642,859 ordinary shares held in
treasury (31 December 2024: 28,770,963).

Subsequent to the quarter end, on 1 April 2025 the Company issued 33,460,903
shares in relation to the final allotment in relation to its 2024/25
fundraising, taking the number of shares in issue at that date to 330,765,356,
with a further 30,642,859 in treasury.

Outlook

The outlook for UK and global markets continues to evolve, currently
characterised by subdued growth in the UK and macroeconomic volatility that
has been exacerbated by ongoing international conflicts and US trade policy.
Nevertheless, there has been promising growth from a number of the portfolio
companies in the quarter, driven by the quality of their products and services
and by the specific market opportunities they are pursuing.

The allotment of funds arising from the successful fundraising in 2024/25,
positions the Company well to continue to expand its portfolio with new
additions, whilst also enabling it to support existing portfolio companies
with follow-on capital that can help to accelerate their growth.

13 June 2025

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations
(EU No. 596/2014). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory
Information Service this inside information is now considered to be in the
public domain.

For further information please contact:

Marcus Karia            YFM Equity Partners
 
        Tel:  0113 244 1000

Alex Collins              Panmure Liberum
                                     Tel:  0207 886 2767

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