03 Dec 13. A new Venture Capital Trust (VCT) has launched and it will be the first in the UK to invest exclusively in successful and dynamic businesses run by commercially proven ex-military entrepreneurs. TIME:REBOOT VCT believes that there are a huge number of attractive investment opportunities in this sector and, as the UK’s military forces are reduced in number, this can only increase. A VCT is a company that is listed on the London Stock Exchange that raises money for investment in non-quoted small and growing companies. They provide a number of attractive tax advantages. TIME:REBOOT VCT plans to raise up to £20m by the end of April 2014 with similar amounts targeted in future tax years. On a conservative basis it is aiming to deliver growth in excess of 70% over the first five years, including the initial 30% income tax benefit, and in ten years it hopes to double investors’ money. The minimum investment is just £3,000. At least 50% of the VCT qualifying investments will back established profitable companies, with the aim of maximising capital security and generating dividend income. The remaining qualifying investments will go into established businesses with strong revenues and compelling evidence to indicate significant future growth, with the potential for recurring profits within three years. TIME:REBOOT VCT is managed by TIME Investments, with investment advice from Reboot Ventures Limited. The team has over 100 years of cumulative experience of investing in the SME sector and its Board has extensive knowledge of the UK Armed Forces and ex-Military entrepreneurs, as well as an impressive track record in managing VCTs and tax-efficient investment vehicles.

04 Dec 13. Poland would consider buying a stake in the European
aerospace and defence group EADS, the Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday. “It is difficult to anticipate if such a solution would be beneficial for the Polish defence industry in the long run. But it seems that we should consider such an option …,” the ministry’s spokesman Jacek Sonta said. He did not comment on the size of the stake. According to Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Poland, which plans defence investments of 130bn zlotys ($42bn) in the coming years, would beinterested in a 1-2 percent stake in EADS. “The decision on the possible accession is not in the defence ministry’s hands. One should underline though that we would welcome such a possibility for the Polish industry,” Sonta said. EADS is owned by France and Germany with 12 percent each and Spain at 4 percent, with the rest freely available in the market. “We do not comment on shareholders or potential shareholders,” an EADS spokesman added. EADS is owned by France and Germany with 12 percent each and Spain at 4 percent, with the rest freely available in the market. State influence in EADS was curbed under corporate changes earlier this year, and people familiar with the company’s structure say any Polish government stake would convey normal dividend and voting rights. Buying a 2 percent share in EADS would cost Poland roughly $1bn. The country is currently fighting to contain its deficit and public debt. ($1 = 3.0926 Polish zlotys) (Source: Reuters)

29 Nov 13. Manroy, the Sandhurst-headquartered maker of machine guns and weapons systems, seems set to abandon its quote on the Alternative Investment Market. On Tuesday, Manroy announced it was in talks with three potential bidders – US Ordnance, Beretta and Herstal – who had until Christmas Eve to make a bid. Then, on Thursday, it announced that the talks with US Ordnance had ended and talks with Beretta were not active. However, talks with Herstal are. Manroy’s shares closed the week up 15p to 74p, valuing the company, at £14m. That was the price at which the business was floated on Aim in 2010 – valuing the company at about £10m. Manroy came to the market to fund expansion into the US and to diversify its product range. A year later, its shares had risen