This week, The Irish Times introduces a free service to its readers, offering copies of company annual and interim reports. The current annual or interim report is the latest snapshot of the financial position of a company.
It allows investors to study the financial position of the company, as shown by its most recent profit-and-loss account and its balance sheet and to read the statements from the company chairman and chief executive. Typically, annual reports also contain a detailed breakdown of the performances of different divisions of the company and commentary from management on these.
The annual report and interim statements are thus key documents, which investors require when assessing whether to purchase stock in a company or change an existing shareholding - and we believe that the new service will prove valuable to our readers.
The participating companies include most of the main Irish plcs, a number of the main companies on the London exchange and a handful of continental European companies keen to attract new shareholders from Ireland.
To obtain the current annual/interim report of any of the participating companies, please ring freefone 1800 409 586 (open 24 hours including weekends) or fax 1800 409 587.
All reports will be sent the next working day, subject to availability. In future, readers should look out for the symbol, which will appear shortly beside participating companies on our daily markets listings.
The participating companies are:
Dublin: Adare Printing, Anglo Irish Bank, Ardagh, Arnotts, Barlo Group, Boxmore International, CRH, DCC, Elan, Fishers, Fyffes, Galen Holdings, Glanbia, Grafton, Green Property, Heiton Holdings, Hibernian, Irish Continental Group, Irish Life and Permanent, Jefferson Smurfit, Kingspan, McInerney, Navan Resources, Norish, Norwich Union, Qualceram, Rapid Technology, Readymix, Ryanair, United Drug, Viridian.
London: AMVESCAP, Anglo&Overseas Trust, Antisoma, Aquarius Group, ASDA Property, Avon Rubber, Babcock International, BBA, Bespak, Booth Industries, Breedon, British Polythene Industries. C&B Publishing, Cadbury Schweppes, Cairn Energy, Cambridge Minerals, Cantab Pharmaceuticals, Capital & Regional Properties, Care UK, Church & Co, Conister Trust, Dawsongroup, Dencora, Dunedin Income Growth IT, Dunedin Smaller Cos IT, Edinburgh Dragon Trust, Edinburgh Inca Trust, Edinburgh Income Trust, Edinburgh Investment Trust, Edinburgh Java Trusts, Edinburgh New Tiger Trust, Edinburgh Smaller Cos Trust, Edinburgh UK Tracker Trust, Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust, Fenner, Fibernet Group, Fidelity Asian Values, Fidelity European Values, Fidelity Japan Values, Fidelity Special Values, Financial Objects, Firth Holdings, Flextech, Frank Usher Holdings, Freeport Leisure, Furlong Homes, Glynwed International, Goshawk International, Great Portland Estates, Hanson, Headlam, Hi Tech Sports, Inchape, Informa, James Smith Estates, Jefferson Smurfit, John Menzies, Johnson Mathey, KBC Advanced Technology, Keller, L Gardiner, Landround, Laporte, Market Link Publishing, Mersey Docks & Harbour Co, Misys, Monsoon, Morgan Grenfell Equity Inc Tst, Morgan Grenfell Latin Am Cost Tsts, Orthovita, Ottakar, Oxford Biomedica, Oxford GlycoSciences, Paladin Resources, Pennant International, Perpetual European IT, Perpetual Income & Growth, Perpetual Japanese IT, Perpetual UK Smaller Cos IT, Personal Number Company, Pillar Properties, Radstone Technology, Ramco Energy, Ricardo Group, Sanderson, Saville Gordon Estates, SBS Group, Scottish Metropolitan Property, Scottish Power, Shaftesbury, Sony Europe Finance, Springboard Venture Managers, Synstar, Ted Baker, The Global Group, Themis FTSE All-Small Index Tst, Themis FTSE Fledgling Index Tst, Thistle Hotels, Transtec, Treatt, Umeco, US Smaller Co Trust, Vanguard Medica, VI Group, Vymura, West 175 Enterprises, Westbury, Westmount Energy, Zotefoams.
Eurotop100: Aegon NV
Frankfurt Exchange: Deutsche Beteiligungs, Graphiwerk Krop, Hannover Rueck, Kinowelt Medien, MAN, MarseilleKlinken, net.IPO, Salzgitter AG, Schleicher & Co, WCM Beteilungs und Grund
EASDAQ: S&T Systems Int & Tech, Schoeller Bleckmann, Topcall International Other companies wishing to make their reports available through this service should call Susan Hoskin on 0044 2087227727.
