Half-yearly Financial Report

Ruffer Investment Company Ltd - Half-yearly Financial Report

PR Newswire

London, March 2

Ruffer Investment Company Limited

LEI:21380068AHZKY7MKNO47

(Classified Regulated Information, under DTR 6 Annex 1 section 2.5)

Half-yearly Financial Report

The Company has today, in accordance with DTR 6.3.5, released its Half-Yearly Financial report for the six months ended 31 December 2017. The Report will shortly be available via the Company's Investment Manager’s website www.ruffer.co.uk and will shortly be available for inspection online at www.hemscott.com/nsm.do website.

Key Performance Indicators*

Financial Highlights

Company Information

* 31 December 2017 figures use NAV per share at bid-market prices as reported to the LSE. Prior periods used NAV per share at mid-market prices as reported to the LSE.

** Assumes reinvestment of dividends.

Fund Size

* Net Asset Value per share reported to the London Stock Exchange was £2.309 using bid market values. In prior years Net Asset Value per share reported to the London Stock Exchange used mid market values. Bid prices are presented as fair value in the Financial Statements.

Share Price Range

Net Asset Value Range

Past performance is not a guide to the future. The value of the shares and the income from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back the amount originally invested.

Investment Manager’s Report for the period from 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2017

Performance review

Shareholders frequently tell us that the role the Ruffer Investment Company plays for them is to be a steady ship in a storm; capital protection and steady positive returns through all economic scenarios. In the last six months the capital protection part of that mantra has been achieved, but the return element has been disappointing – a far cry from the double digit returns of 2016. This explains the ‘could do better’ element to the headmaster’s half yearly report. Was the Company too cautiously positioned? With the benefit of hindsight – yes – but many fragilities exist in markets today and our job is not to eke out every last cent of return in exuberant times, it is to look forward and ensure that shareholders are protected when the storm hits.

Within the portfolio equity positions have performed well, particularly Japanese financials and some western equity selections (Games Workshop, Sophos, Lamb Weston), but these gains have largely been offset by the cost of protection, notably option protection.

Portfolio changes

At asset class level there has not been a significant shift in exposure. The principal change was to reduce short dated index-linked bond exposure from 11% to 6%. This does not reflect a change in view on inflation but, as explained in the annual report, there has been a reduction in the nominal interest rate risk in the portfolio (i.e. we worry that nominal bond yields may rise). This has been partly achieved using interest rate options and partly in buying interest rate sensitive equities. This next step reduces gross exposure. To be clear, the interesting part of the linker market is the ultra-long-dated bonds and this position has not changed and has been a small positive contributor over the last six months. Elsewhere, profits have been taken in some of the better performing equities that are approaching fair value (TAG Immobilien +107%, Mitsubishi Electric +47% and Deutsche Post +91%). This equity exposure has been replaced with new opportunities uncovered by our analysts typically in unloved sectors; McKesson (a pharmaceuticals distribution business supposedly under threat from Amazon) and Foot Locker (suffering from general disgust with the retail sector and recent lacklustre performance by Nike) being two good examples. The latter has got off to an excellent start.

Investment outlook

The cult of the central banker has driven markets for the last 35 years. Inflation-targeting mandates in a disinflationary world (think about the collapse of communism, globalisation, offshoring, the internet) have allowed the world’s central banks to run monetary policy too loose and respond to any threat (the dotcom bubble, the Financial Crisis) with further stimulus. This is what has been known as the ‘central bank put’ and it is likely to be coming to an end. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, central banks have exhausted most of the tools at their disposal, which will make it harder for them to respond in the future (they have admitted this themselves and called on governments to support economic growth via fiscal policy). Secondly, the western world’s have-nots are in the ascendancy (we see this through Corbyn’s rise, Brexit, Trump) and in a world with too much debt, a wealth transfer needs to take place from the creditors (the have’s) to the debtors (the have-not’s). Central bankers recognise this (from an economic perspective at least) and continue to pursue a policy of financial repression, keeping interest rates below the rate of inflation in order to effect this transfer of wealth. This is not theoretical pontification. UK inflation (as measured by RPI) is running at 3.9% and the Bank of England Base Rate is 0.5%; savers’ nest eggs are being eroded in real terms. To date the impact has been mitigated as the principal form of inflation has been in asset prices which has benefitted the haves. This is unlikely to continue as valuations hit nose-bleed altitudes, while what little earnings growth there has been is fuelled by borrowing in one form or another (share buybacks being the most popular mechanism to support earnings per share). The combination of high levels of debt and high asset prices never ends well. If we are wrong then we hope to generate a positive return, which will look modest compared to the opportunities elsewhere and we will be an inexpensive insurance policy which was not needed. If we are right then this is exactly the sort of scenario we need to protect our shareholders from. Nine years into the second longest bull market in modern times, history would suggest that caution will be rewarded.

Ruffer AIFM Limited

1 March 2018

Top Ten Holdings

* LF Ruffer Gold Fund is classed as a related party because its investment manager, Ruffer LLP, is the parent company of the Company’s Investment Manager.

** Ruffer Illiquid Multi Strategies Fund 2015 Ltd is classed as a related party as it shares the same Investment Manager as the Company.

Statement of Principal Risks and Uncertainties

The Board is responsible for the Company’s system of internal controls and for reviewing its effectiveness. The Board has carried out a robust assessment of the principal risks and uncertainties facing the Company by using the Company’s risk matrix as the basis for analysing the Company’s system of internal controls while monitoring the investment limits and restrictions set out in the Company’s investment objective and policy.

The principal risks assessed by the Board relating to the Company were disclosed in the Annual Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2017. The principal risks disclosed include investment risk, operational risk, accounting, legal and regulatory risk and financial risks. A detailed explanation of these can be found on pages 9 and 10 in the Annual Financial Report. The Board and Investment Manager do not consider these risks to have materially changed during the six months ended 31 December 2017, and are not expected to change in the remaining six months of the financial year.

Going Concern

The Directors believe that, having considered the Company’s investment objective (see Business Model and Strategy on page 8 of the Annual Financial Report), financial risk management and associated risks (see note 19 to the Financial Statements on pages 51 to 60 of the Annual Financial Report) and in view of the liquidity of investments, the income deriving from those investments and its holding in cash and cash equivalents, the Company has adequate financial resources and suitable management arrangements in place to continue as a going concern for at least twelve months from the date of approval of the Financial Statements.

Responsibility Statement

Responsibility statement of the Directors in respect of the half-yearly financial report

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:

· the half-yearly financial report and Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standards (“IAS”) 34, Interim Financial Reporting; and

· the half-yearly financial report and Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements (including the Investment Manager’s Report) meet the requirements of an interim management report and include a fair review of the information required by:

a) DTR 4.2.7R of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, being an indication of important events that have occurred during the first six months of the financial year and their impact on the condensed set of Financial Statements; and a description of principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the year; and

b) DTR 4.2.8R of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, being related party transactions that have taken place in the first six months of the current financial year and that have materially affected the financial position or performance of the entity during that period; and any changes in the related party transactions described in the last annual report that could do so.

On behalf of the Board,

Ashe Windham

Chairman

Christopher Russell

Director

1 March 2018

Independent Review Report

To the Shareholders of Ruffer Investment Company Limited

We have been engaged by the Company to review the condensed set of Financial Statements in the half-yearly financial report for the six months ended 31 December 2017 which comprises the condensed statement of financial position, the condensed statement of comprehensive income, the condensed statement of changes in equity, the condensed statement of cash flows and related notes 1 to 9. We have read the other information contained in the half-yearly financial report and considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the information in the condensed set of Financial Statements.

This report is made solely to the Company in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK and Ireland) 2410 “Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity” issued by the Auditing Practices Board. Our work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company those matters we are required to state to it in an independent review report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company, for our review work, for this report, or for the conclusions we have formed.

Directors’ responsibilities

The half-yearly financial report is the responsibility of, and has been approved by, the Directors. The Directors are responsible for preparing the half-yearly financial report in accordance with the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority.

As disclosed in note 2, the Annual Financial Report of the Company is prepared in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the European Union. The condensed set of Financial Statements included in this half-yearly financial report has been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard 34 “Interim Financial Reporting” as adopted by the European Union.

Our responsibility

Our responsibility is to express to the Company a conclusion on the condensed set of Financial Statements in the half-yearly financial report based on our review.

Scope of review

We conducted our review in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK and Ireland) 2410 “Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity” issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom. A review of interim financial information consists of making inquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review procedures. A review is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) and consequently does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in an audit. Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.

Conclusion

Based on our review, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the condensed set of Financial Statements in the half-yearly financial report for the six months ended 31 December 2017 is not prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with International Accounting Standard 34 as adopted by the European Union and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority.

Deloitte LLP

St Peter Port, Guernsey

1 March 2018

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited)

As at 31 December 2017

The Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements were approved on 1 March 2018 and signed on behalf of the Board of Directors by:

Ashe Windham

Chairman

Christopher Russell

Director

The notes to financial statements form an integral part of these Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.

Condensed Statement of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)

For the period ended 31 December 2017

* Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated by dividing the profit after taxation by the weighted average number of redeemable participating preference shares. The weighted average number of shares for the period was 167,942,104 (31 December 2016: 156,542,241).

The notes to financial statements form an integral part of these Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.

Condensed Statement of Changes in Equity (Unaudited)

For the period ended 31 December 2017

Under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008, the Company can distribute dividends from capital and revenue reserves, subject to satisfying a solvency test.

The notes to financial statements form an integral part of these Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.

Condensed Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

For the period ended 31 December 2017

The notes to financial statements form an integral part of these Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.

Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements

For the period ended 31 December 2017

1. The Company

The Company was incorporated with limited liability in Guernsey on 1 June 2004 as a company limited by shares and as an authorised closed-ended investment company. As an existing closed-ended fund the Company is deemed to be granted an authorised declaration in accordance with section 8 of the Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 1987, as amended and rule 6.02 of the Authorised Closed-ended Investment Schemes Rules 2008. The Company is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (“LSE”).

2. Significant accounting policies

The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered to be material in relation to the Company's Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements.

Basis of preparation

The Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements for the period ended 31 December 2017 have been prepared using accounting policies consistent with IFRS and in accordance with IAS 34, and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the UK Financial Conduct Authority.

They have been prepared on a going concern basis and under the historical cost convention, as modified by the revaluation of financial assets and financial liabilities held at fair value through profit or loss, and in accordance with the Principal Documents and applicable Guernsey Law.

This half-yearly financial report, covering the period from 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2017, is not audited.

The same accounting policies and methods of computation have been applied to the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements as in the Annual Financial Report at 30 June 2017. The presentation of the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements is consistent with the Annual Financial Report.

The Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements do not include all the information and disclosures required in the Annual Financial Report and should be read in conjunction with the Annual Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2017. The Audit Report on those accounts was not qualified.

The preparation of the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expense and the accompanying disclosures. Uncertainty about these assumptions and estimates could result in outcomes that require a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets or liabilities affected in future periods.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

Standards, amendments and interpretations that are not yet effective

The following standards and interpretations, which have not been applied in these Financial Statements, were in issue at the reporting date but were not yet effective:

IFRS 9 – Financial instruments: Classification and measurement (effective date – 1 January 2018)

The Board anticipate that the adoption of these standards and interpretations in a future period will not have a material impact on the Financial Statements of the Company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential effect of this standard but believes that it will not have a material impact due to the fact that the Company’s financial instruments are currently measured at fair value through profit or loss.

3. Dividends to shareholders

Dividends, if any, are declared semi-annually, usually in September and March each year. The Company paid and declared the following dividends during the period:

A second interim dividend of 0.9p per share in respect of the half year ending 31 December 2017 was declared on 1 March 2018. The dividend is payable on 23 March 2018 to shareholders on record at 9 March 2018.

4. Share capital

Blocklisting and additional shares issued

At the start of the period, the Company had the ability to issue 7,781,342 redeemable participating shares under a blocklisting facility. Under the blocklisting facility, 6,275,000 (30 June 2017: 8,375,000) new redeemable participating preference shares of 0.01 pence each were allotted and issued during the period for a total consideration of £14,614,650 (30 June 2017: £19,617,358). These new redeemable participating preference shares rank pari passu with the existing shares in issue.

As at 31 December 2017, the Company had the ability to issue a further 6,033,841 (30 June 2017: 7,781,342) redeemable participating preference shares under the blocklisting facility.

On 1 December 2017, a special resolution was passed that enables the Board to allot 16,796,341 equity securities, being 10% of the equity securities in issue at the latest practicable date prior to the 2017 AGM notice, excluding shares held in treasury for cash and pursuant to Article 7(2)(G) of the Articles. The rights under Article 7 (2) (B) were thereby excluded.

Redeemable participating preference shares in issue

As at 31 December 2017, the Company had 170,488,416 (30 June 2017: 164,213,416) redeemable participating preference shares of 0.01 (30 June 2017: 0.01) pence each and 2 (30 June 2017: 2) Management shares of £1.00 (30 June 2017: £1.00) each in issue. Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company at 31 December 2017 were 170,488,418 (30 June 2017: 164,213,418).

Purchase of Own Shares by the Company

A special resolution was passed on 1 December 2017 which authorised the Company in accordance with The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 to make purchases of its own shares as defined in that Ordinance of its Participating Shares of 0.0l pence each, provided that:

(i) the maximum number of shares the Company can purchase is no more than 14.99% of the Company’s issued share capital;

(ii) the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for a share is 0.01 pence, being the nominal value per share;

(iii) the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for the share is an amount equal to the higher of (i) 105% of the average of the middle market quotations for a share taken from the LSE Daily Official List for the 5 business days immediately preceding the day on which the Share is purchased and (ii) the price stipulated in Article 5(i) of the Buy-back and Stabilisation Regulation (No 2237 of 2003);

(iv) purchases may only be made pursuant to this authority if the shares are (at the date of the proposed purchase) trading on the LSE at a discount to the lower of the undiluted or diluted NAV;

(v) the authority conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Company in 2018 or, if earlier, on the expiry of 15 months from the passing of this resolution, unless such authority is renewed prior to such time; and

(vi) the Company may make a contract to purchase shares under the authority hereby conferred prior to the expiry of such authority which will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiration of such authority and may make an acquisition of shares pursuant to any such contract.

5. Related party transactions

The Directors are responsible for the determination of the investment policy of the Company and have overall responsibility for the Company's activities.

Investment Management Agreement

The Company is managed by Ruffer AIFM Ltd, a subsidiary of Ruffer LLP, a privately owned business registered in England and Wales as a limited liability partnership. The Company and the Investment Manager have entered into an Investment Management Agreement under which the Investment Manager has been given responsibility for the day-to-day discretionary management of the Company’s assets (including uninvested cash) in accordance with the Company’s investment objective and policy, subject to the overall supervision of the Directors and in accordance with the investment restrictions in the Investment Management Agreement and the Company’s Articles of Association.

The market value of LF Ruffer Japanese Fund and LF Ruffer Gold are deducted from the NAV of the Company before the calculation of management fees on a monthly basis. For additional information, refer to the Portfolio Statement.

Total management fees charged to the capital reserves of the Company, including the outstanding management fees at the end of the period, are detailed below:

Shares held in the Company as Managing Member of Ruffer LLP

As at 31 December 2017, an immediate family member of the Chairman Ashe Windham owned 100 (30 June 2017: 100) Shares in the Managing Member of the Ruffer LLP. This amounts to less than 5% (30 June 2017: less than 5%) of the Company’s issued share capital.

Directors

As at 31 December 2017, the Company had five non-executive directors, all of whom were independent from the Investment Manager and its parent company Ruffer LLP. Mrs Sarah Evans resigned as Director on 31 January 2018.

The Directors of the Company are remunerated for their services at such a rate as the Directors determine provided that the aggregate amount of such fees does not exceed £200,000 (30 June 2017: £200,000) per annum.

Each Director was paid a fee of £27,000 (30 June 2017: £27,000) per annum, except for the Chairman who was paid £38,000 (30 June 2017: £38,000) per annum and Sarah Evans, Chairman of the Audit Committee was paid £31,000 (30 June 2017: £31,000) per annum.

Shares held by related parties

As at 31 December 2017, Directors of the Company held the following numbers of shares beneficially:

* Ashe Windham holds 70,000 shares whilst his wife holds 20,000 shares.

As at 31 December 2017, Hamish Baillie, Investment Director of the Investment Manager owned 205,000 (30 June 2017: 205,000) shares in the Company.

As at 31 December 2017, Steve Russell, Investment Director of the Investment Manager owned 6,450 (30 June 2017: 6,450) shares in the Company.

As at 31 December 2017, Duncan MacInnes, Investment Manager of the Investment Manager owned 21,800 (30 June 2017: 21,800) shares in the Company.

As at 31 December 2017, Jonathan Ruffer, chairman of Ruffer LLP, owned 1,039,335 (30 June 2017: 1,039,335) shares in the Company.

As at 31 December 2017, the Ruffer LLP (the parent company of the Company’s Investment Manager) and other entities within the Ruffer Group held 7,483,385 (30 June 2017: 8,176,042) shares in the Company on behalf of its discretionary clients.

Investments in related funds

As at 31 December 2017, the Company held investments in five (30 June 2017: five) related investment funds valued at £36,508,527 (30 June 2017: £38,448,294). Refer to the Portfolio Statement below for details.

6. Operating segment reporting

The Board of Directors makes the strategic resource allocations on behalf of the Company. The Company has determined the operating segments based on the reports reviewed by the Board, which are used to make strategic decisions.

The Board is responsible for the Company’s entire portfolio and considers the business to have a single operating segment. The Board’s asset allocation decisions are based on a single, integrated investment strategy, and the Company’s performance is evaluated on an overall basis.

There were no changes in the reportable segments during the period.

Revenue earned is reported separately on the face of the Condensed Statement of Comprehensive Income as dividend income received from equities, and interest income received from fixed interest securities and bank deposits.

The Condensed Statement of Cash Flows separately reports cash flows from operating and financing activities.

7. Fair Value Measurement

IFRS 7 requires the Company to classify fair value hierarchy that reflects the significance of the inputs used in making the measurements. IFRS 7 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritises the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under IFRS 7 are as follows:

Level 1: Quoted prices, based on bid prices, (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly (that is, as prices) or indirectly (that is, derived from prices); and

Level 3: Inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (that is, unobservable inputs).

The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement is categorised in its entirety is determined on the basis of the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. For this purpose, the significance of an input is assessed against the fair value measurement in its entirety. If a fair value measurement uses observable inputs that require significant adjustment based on unobservable inputs, that measurement is a Level 3 measurement. Assessing the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, considering factors specific to the asset or liability.

The determination of what constitutes ‘observable’ requires significant judgment by the Company. The Company considers observable data to be that market data that is readily available, regularly distributed or updated, reliable and verifiable, not proprietary, and provided by independent sources that are actively involved in the relevant market.

The following table presents the Company’s financial assets and liabilities by level within the valuation hierarchy at 31 December 2017.

* Derivative financial assets and liabilities are valued at mid price in line with industry standards. All other financial assets are valued at bid price. As at 31 December 2017, valuing derivative financial assets and liabilities at bid price would result in a net decrease of £80,564.

The following table presents the Company’s financial assets and liabilities by level within the valuation hierarchy at 30 June 2017.

The Company recognises transfers between levels of fair value hierarchy as of the end of the reporting period during which the transfer has occurred. During the period ended 31 December 2017, no transfers were made.

Movements in Level 3 investments

Assets classified in Level 1 consist of listed or quoted equities or equity related securities, options and bonds which are issued by corporate issuers, supra-nationals or government organisations.

Assets classified in Level 2 are investments in funds fair-valued using the official NAV of each fund as reported by each fund’s independent administrator at the reporting date and foreign exchange forwards fair valued using publicly available data. The foreign exchange forwards are shown as derivative financial assets

and liabilities in the above table.

Assets classified in Level 3 consist of liquidated or illiquid funds and are reported using the latest available official NAV less dividends declared to date of each fund as reported by each fund’s independent administrator at the last reporting date.

8. NAV reconciliation

Until 23 November 2017, the Company announced its NAV based on mid-market value, to the LSE after each weekly and month end valuation point. From 30 November 2017 onwards, the Company announced its NAV to the LSE based on bid prices in order to conform with International Financial Reporting Standards.

The following is a reconciliation of the NAV per share attributable to redeemable participating preference shareholders as presented in these Financial Statements, using International Financial Reporting Standards, to the NAV per share reported to the LSE:

9. Subsequent events

These Financial Statements were approved for issuance by the Board on 1 March 2018. Subsequent events have been evaluated up until this date.

As at the date of this report the Company had 172,788,416 redeemable participating preference shares of 0.01p each and 2 Management shares of £1.00 each in issue. Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company at the date of this report were 172,788,418.

As a listed closed-ended fund, the Company falls under the definition of a retail investment product for Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products (“PRIIPs”) Regulation issued by the FCA which came into effect 1 January 2018. As such, the Company is required to produce a Key Information Document (“KID”) which is available on the Company’s website.

The Board of Directors has appointed Canaccord Genuity Limited to act as sole corporate broker to the Company with effect from 2 January 2018.

On 22 January 2018, Ashe Windham acquired 10,000 shares in the Company and an immediate family member of Ashe Windham acquired 5,000 shares in the Company.

Mrs Sarah Evans resigned as Chair of Audit Committee and Director on 31 January 2018. Mr Chris Russell, an independent non-executive director, will assume temporary responsibility as Chair of the Audit Committee following Mrs Evans' retirement.

On 2 February 2018, an application was made to the UK Listing Authority and the London Stock Exchange for the blocklisting of 13,112,500 redeemable preference shares of 0.01 pence each pursuant to the General Corporate Purposes Scheme with an admission date of 7 February 2018. The share have been issued and rank pari passu with the existing shares of the Company.

A second interim dividend of 0.9p per share in respect of the half year ending 31 December 2017 was declared on 1 March 2018. The dividend is payable on 23 March 2018 to shareholders on record at 9 March 2018.

Portfolio Statement as at 31 December 2017 (Unaudited)

These fair values are based on information available at the time of publication and may differ from the fair values shown in the unaudited results announcement. These fair values comply with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).

* Ruffer Protection Strategies International and Ruffer Illiquid Multi Strategies Fund 2015 Ltd are classed as related parties as they share the same Investment Manager (Ruffer AIFM Limited) as the Company. LF Ruffer Gold Fund, LF Ruffer Japanese Fund and Ruffer SICAV Global Smaller Companies Fund are also classed as related parties as their investment manager (Ruffer LLP) is the parent of the Company’s Investment Manager.

General Information

Ruffer Investment Company Limited was incorporated in Guernsey as a company limited by shares and as an authorised closed-ended investment company on 1 June 2004. The principal objective of the Company is to achieve a positive total annual return, after all expenses, of at least twice the Bank of England base rate. The Company invests predominantly in internationally listed or quoted equities or equity related securities (including convertibles) and/or bonds which are issued by corporate issuers, supra-nationals or government organisations.

The Company’s redeemable participating preference shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The accounting date of the Company is 30 June in each year. These Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements were authorised for issue on 1 March 2018 by the Directors.

The prices of the shares in the Company are published in The Financial Times in the “Investment Companies” section, and in the Daily Telegraph’s “Share Prices & Market Capitalisations” section under “Investment Trusts”.

The Investment Manager is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority as a full-scope Alternative Investment Fund Manager (“AIFM”). The Investment Manager is entitled to an investment management fee payable to the AIFM monthly in arrears at a rate of 1% of the Net Asset Value per annum.

The Investment Manager intends to conduct the affairs of the Company so as to ensure that it will not become resident in the United Kingdom. Accordingly, and provided that the Company does not carry on a trade in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency situated therein, the Company will not be subject to United Kingdom Corporation Tax or Income Tax.

The Company intends to be operated in such a manner that its shares are not categorised as non-mainstream pooled investments. This means that the Company might pay dividends in respect of any income that it receives or is deemed to receive for UK tax purposes so that it would qualify as an investment trust if it were UK tax-resident.

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited (the “Administrator”) is entitled to receive an annual fee equal to 0.15 per cent. per annum on the first £100 million and 0.10 per cent. per annum thereafter on the NAV of the Company on a mid market basis, subject to a minimum fee of £60,000 per annum.

Northern Trust (Guernsey) Limited (the “Custodian”) is entitled to receive from the Company a fee of £2,000 per annum. The Custodian is also entitled to charge for certain expenses incurred by it in connection with its duties.

Northern Trust (Guernsey) Limited (the “Depositary”) is entitled to an annual Depositary fee payable monthly in arrears at a rate of 0.01% of the Net Asset Value of the Company up to £100 million, 0.008% on the next £100 million and 0.006% thereafter as at the last business day of the month subject to a minimum fee of £20,000 per annum.

Management and Administration