3i s vinst över 14,5 miljarder kronor

10/05/2007

3i Group plc redovisade idag sitt resultat för räkenskapsåret 2006/07 (bokslutsdag 31 mars, 2007). Vinsten uppgick till 14,5 miljarder svenska kronor (1,075 miljarder brittiska pund). Nyinvesteringarna ökade med 42% jämfört med föregående år och förvaltat kapital ökade med 25%.

Gustav Bard, VD för 3i Nordic och rådgivare till 3i Group plc, kommenterar resultatet:
“Det har varit ett fantastiskt år för 3i i Norden och globalt. I Norden har vi investerat i Lekolar och HTC, gjort en betydande följdinvestering i Carema i samband med dess förvärv av Mehiläinen i Finland, och exiterat ett antal innehav med mycket god lönsamhet, varav det största var Alimak Hek. Vi ser fram emot ett lika aktivt 2007.”

Nedan finner du pressmeddelandet som sänts ut till den brittiska marknaden. Om du har några frågor är du välkommen att kontakta Gustav Bard på: 08-506 101 51 eller 070-511 64 27.

 

Preliminary results for teh year to 31 March 2007

10 May 2007

3i Group plc announces £1.075 billion total return, investment up 42% and 25% growth in assets under management

	2007	2006
Investment activity
Investment	£1,576m	£1,110m
Realisation proceeds	£2,438m	£2,207m
Returns
Realised profits on disposal of investments	£830m	£576m
Gross portfolio return on opening portfolio value	34.0%	24.4%
Total return	£1,075m	£831m
Total return on opening shareholders' funds	26.8%	22.5%
Final dividend	10.3p	9.7p
Portfolio and assets under management
Own balance sheet	£4,362m	£4,139m
Third-party funds	£2,772m	£1,573m
	£7,134m	£5,712m
Net asset value per share (diluted)	932p	739p

Highlights

• A total return of £1,075 million representing a return of 26.8% on opening shareholders’ funds
• Investment increased by 42% to £1,576 million
• Total assets under management increased by 25% over the year, from £5,712 million to £7,134 million
• Realisation proceeds on the sale of assets of £2,438 million generating realised profits of £830 million
• Final dividend of 10.3p, making a total ordinary dividend for the year of 16.1p, up 5.9%
• Board confirms the return of £800 million to shareholders through a bonus issue of B shares

Baroness Hogg, Chairman of 3i Group plc, said: “This has been an exceptional year for 3i. The Group has delivered a high return on shareholders’ funds and a strong cash flow and, most importantly of all, has taken important steps to develop the business for the longer term.”

3i’s Chief Executive, Philip Yea, said: “We continue to see good investment opportunities in our chosen areas, albeit that pricing remains high. Continued broadening of our investment activities by geography and asset class, and a focus on delivering real value within each specific opportunity, remain critical components of our strategy. Although levels of realisations are expected to slow, we remain confident of reporting further good progress in the delivery of our strategy over the year ahead.”

Return of capital to shareholders

The Board of 3i Group plc also confirms, subject to shareholder approval, the proposed return of £800 million to shareholders. The proposed cash return is currently expected to be made by way of a bonus issue of listed B shares accompanied by a share consolidation designed to maintain comparability of share price and earnings per share. This is currently expected to take place in July.

Resolutions relating to the return of capital proposals will be put to shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting. A circular convening the EGM and giving more information and detail on the proposals is expected to be sent to shareholders in June.

- ends -

For further information, please contact:

Philip Yea, Chief Executive 3i Group plc	Tel: 020 7975 3386
Simon Ball, Finance Director 3i Group plc	Tel: 020 7975 3356
Patrick Dunne, Communications Director 3i Group plc	Tel: 020 7975 3283
Issued by: Philip Gawith The Maitland Consultancy	Tel: 020 7379 5151

For further information regarding the announcement of 3i’s annual results to 31 March 2007, including video interviews with Philip Yea and Simon Ball (available 7.15am) and a live webcast of the results presentation (at 10.00am, available on demand from 2.00pm), please see http://www.3igroup.com/.

Notes to editors

3i is a world leader in private equity and venture capital. We focus on buyouts, growth capital and venture capital and invest across Europe, Asia and the US.

Our competitive advantage comes from our international network and the strength and breadth of our relationships in business. These underpin the value that we deliver to our portfolio and to our shareholders.

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