ABRDN AUSTRALIA EQUITY FUND INC PHILADELPHIA, July 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") (NYSE MKT: IAF), a closed-end equity fund, announced today performance data and portfolio composition information as of June 30, 2017.
The Fund's total returns for various periods through June 30, 2017 are provided below. (All figures are based on distributions reinvested at the dividend reinvestment price and are stated net-of-fees):
Cumulative as of
06/30/17 (%) Annualized as of 06/30/17 (%)
----------------- -----------------------------
1 Month 3 Month YTD 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years Since Inception
------- ------- --- ------ ------- ------- -------- ---------------
NAV 4.4 0.0 10.8 14.0 0.9 3.6 1.9 7.4
--- --- --- ---- ---- --- --- --- ---
Market
Price 3.1 3.5 18.8 20.6 -1.3 1.3 0.7 7.3
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S&P/ASX
200 3.2 -1.0 9.3 17.5 -0.5 5.5 2.6 n/a(1)
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(1)There is no since inception figure for the S&P/ASX 200 Index because the inception date of the Index is April 3, 2000.
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The Fund's returns, which are denominated in U.S. dollars, are affected by the performance of the U.S. dollar against the Australian dollar.
On June 30, 2017, the Fund's net assets amounted to US$144.6 million and the Fund's NAV per share was US$6.36.
As of June 30, 2017, the portfolio was invested as follows:
Portfolio Composition Percent of
Net Assets
--- ----------
Financials 35.4
---------- ----
Materials 17.3
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Health Care 16.1
----------- ----
Utilities 7.4
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Energy 6.8
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Consumer Staples 5.1
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Telecommunications 3.9
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Industrials 3.6
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Consumer Discretionary 0.8
---------------------- ---
Information Technology 0.6
---------------------- ---
Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities 3.0
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The Fund's ten largest equity holdings as of June 30, 2017, representing 50.7% of total assets, were:
Stock Percent of
Total Assets
--- ------------
ASX Ltd. 6.2
-------- ---
Commonwealth Bank of Australia 6.2
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CSL Ltd. 6.0
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Rio Tinto PLC 5.5
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Westpac Banking Corporation 5.4
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BHP Billiton PLC 4.7
---------------- ---
AGL Energy Ltd. 4.4
--------------- ---
Woodside Petroleum Ltd. 4.3
----------------------- ---
Westfield Corporation 4.0
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Telstra Corp Ltd. 4.0
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Important Information
Aberdeen Asset Management Inc., the Fund's Administrator, has prepared this report based on information sources believed to be accurate and reliable. However, the figures are unaudited and neither the Fund, the Administrator, Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited (the Investment Manager), Aberdeen Asset Management Limited (the Investment Adviser), nor any other person guarantees their accuracy. Investors should seek their own professional advice and should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before acting on this information. Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited (the "Investment Manager"), Aberdeen Asset Management Limited (the "Investment Adviser") and Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. (the "Administrator") are each a subsidiary of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC ("Aberdeen PLC"). On March 6, 2017, the Boards of Standard Life plc and Aberdeen PLC announced that they had reached an agreement on the terms of a merger ("Merger"). The Boards of each of Standard Life plc and Aberdeen PLC believe that the Merger has a compelling strategic and financial rationale through combining complementary strengths to create a world-class investment group. The Merger is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2017, subject to various conditions and terms, including regulatory approvals. The portfolio management team for the Fund is not expected to change as a result of the Merger. In addition, the agreements that the Fund has with Aberdeen PLC's subsidiary companies, the services provided by such companies, and the fees charged for those services are not expected to change as a result of the Merger.
Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Total return figures with distributions reinvested at the dividend reinvestment price are stated net-of-fees and represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results, current performance may be higher or lower. Holdings are subject to change and are provided for informational purposes only and should not be deemed as a recommendation to buy or sell the securities shown. Inception date December 12, 1985.
If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact: InvestorRelations@aberdeen-asset.com
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SOURCE Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc.
