results today .... always interesting and worth a read if you have the time ... these are not for the faint hearted as a lot of interesting peeps have substantial stakes and the company consisted of hundreds of tiny non-related companies spread across Southern Afrika. Many have been sold - closed or have been given away to their management .... however a lot has now already happened and although much smaller we are now looking towards profits.

The shares have moved up over 50% since the start of 2003 and I think there is more to come



ains

Certainly good for a LAF

Lonrho deserts Africa BBC NEWS


Tiny Rowland's ambitious plans saddled the firm with heavy debts
Lonrho Africa, once one of the continent's most powerful and wide-reaching business empires, has decided to desert Africa for more profitable ventures elsewhere.
Chairman Bernard Asher said in a statement that the firm would sell its remaining assets in Africa this year to seek opportunities with "good investment returns and more secure operating conditions than prevail in much of Africa today".

The news came as the firm reported its annual results, which already include a long list of diverse African assets that had been, or were in the process of being, sold.

A spokeswoman for the firm declined to comment on Lonrho's decision to leave Africa but said the sell-off was in line with the firm's debt reduction strategy.

Lonrho Africa was orignially an unprofitable mining firm in Zimbabwe. It was turned into a multibillion dollar conglomerate spanning more than 60 countries by the late business tycoon, Tiny Rowland.

UK focus

The extent of the influence exerted in Africa by Mr Rowland and Lonrho became highly controversial in the 1970s.

Former British prime minister Sir Edward Heath described him as "the unpleasant and unacceptable face of capitalism".

Mr Rowland's expansive ambitions also saddled the firm with a heavy debt burden, eventually leading to his ousting from the boardroom in 1993.

The company's mining operations were then demerged, with Lonrho Africa taking on the rest of the group's original portfolio.

The firm's assets included a construction business in Zimbabwe, timber in Kenya, hotels in Ghana, distribution networks in Nigeria, farming services in Malawi and a large portfolio of property throughout the country.

Asset sales made during the last financial year helped Lonrho return to an operating profit and more than halve its net debt.

The firm, once of paramount importance in the world of African business, says it will now concentrate its efforts on the UK.

LONDON (AFX) - Lonrho Africa PLC said it has agreed an 'amicable settlement' following High Court proceedings in Nairobi, Kenya arising from the receivership of Lonrho Motors East Africa.
It said the plaintiffs have withdrawn all claims against Lonrho Africa and two former directors.

In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, the company said:"Lonrho Africa and the two former directors are pleased to have reached an amicable settlement of the dispute without any admission of liability on the part of Lonrho Africa and its former directors."

AGM resolutions passed inc the company share buy back proposals

Lonrho Africa could represent a good vehicle over the next few years into the developing African market. The new management have the incentives and probably the backing to expand and diversify into transport, mining ,water,tourism and infrastructure. They may well get the timing right on this. I purchased at 25 1/4p .Might be worth a look.

I agree but watching for now.

Just noticed that a 9.38% stake has been purchased by MacKenzie Cundill Inv. Man. I looked these up on Google and they manage various value & growth funds and have an international flavour. Nice to see such support.

The Outlook seems reasonably upbeat when looking at Prelims today. Around 50% of Market Cap is represented by cash. Will be interesting to see this one develop.

Article by Tom Stevenson in today's Telegraph highlighting the Company and mentioning the latest water deal. Also on www.telegraph.co.uk

Although modest in size financially, the latest water deal announced today is another piece in a large jigsaw. The Company has paid US$1.211m for a 34% stake in Sociedade de Aquas de Mocambigue(''SAM'') and intends to increase its interest to 50%+ by buying out minority interests. SAM is an extracter with 4 known springs, bottler and distibuter and a new bottling plant has been installed. LAF can see synagies by using its Swissta Water management and technical expertise and the land can also be used for leisure development. LAF also believes that SAM's Principal brand Aqua de Namaacha can be promoted across boarders. The sp firmed a little on the announcement and stands around 30p

Ospraie Advisors LP and Ospraie Special Opportunities Master Holdings Ltd have in aggregated purchased a 7.43% stake. Ospraie are a Delaware based medium size investment management group.

I've been getting a few, looks very interesting !

Nice recent Telegraph write up to :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/04/04/cnlonrho04.xml



Africa benefits as Lonrho bounces back
By Tom Stevenson
Last Updated: 1:00am BST 05/04/2007



Comment: Not only is this 'acceptable', it's just what Africa needs
The purchase of half of a water bottling plant in Mozambique for $750,000 (379,000) scarcely registers as a significant business deal, until you see who's buying. Lonrho Africa, the AIM-listed rump of "Tiny" Rowland's once powerful international business empire, is back on the acquisition trail, under new management but with the same vaulting ambition to be one of Africa's leading business forces.


David Lenigas wants to help Africas poorest countries as part of his strategy

Snapping up the 50pc of Swissta Holdings that it didn't already own is the latest in a string of buys by Lonrho's new chairman and chief executive, David Lenigas. The enthusiastic Australian deal-maker says it's part of Lonrho's broader strategy to become a pan-African company again.

Nine years after the spin-off of its mining assets finally dismembered Rowland's sprawling empire, Lonrho has a new goal. It wants to put in place the economic building blocks that will help the world's poorest, most corrupt and war-torn continent share the benefits of globalisation.

"The provision of affordable and quality drinking water is a key step towards improving the health and well-being of any population" says Lenigas. "This acquisition is another example of Lonrho's strategy of investing in African infrastructure to pave the way for future growth."

Lonrho has made a good start in the year since Lenigas moved into the company that had been reduced to a paltry 59pc stake in a Mozambique hotel. With the backing of shareholders who have hung in since the Tiny years, the company has already struck deals in mining, ports and aviation. From more or less nothing, Lenigas says he will be disappointed if sales do not reach $100m (50.5m) in the year to September.

Lonrho is re-establishing itself along the lines of Lonrho of old with a diverse portfolio of assets" Lenigas says. "We're using the company's strong brand name and cash position to re-establish a significant presence in Africa."

In May last year, Lonrho bought 63pc of Luba Freeport in Equatorial Guinea, which it is developing into a hub for West Africa's oil and gas industry. It is building a 60,000 square metre facility for ExxonMobil's local operation.

Bringing low-cost flights to East Africa, the company has invested in Fly540, a new airline based in Nairobi. By the end of this year, there are plans to expand into neighbouring countries. "It's going phenomenally" says Lenigas, "competitive on cost, minimal debt and 95pc of flights within 5 minutes of schedule."

Also in the air - roads are so bad " you have to fly" - Lonrho has a stake in South Africa-based Norse Air, a cargo and charter specialist. It has a deal with AngloGold Ashanti to service its African mining operations.

On the back of Africa's emergence as a source of the natural resources required to drive the Asian industrial miracle, Lonrho has a stake in Brinkley Mining, a growing player in the re-emerging market for the uranium that fuels nuclear power stations. Its second mining investment has been a 17pc stake in Nare Diamonds. It found a $2m, 235-carat diamond last year.

Lonrho still has 50 registered subsidiaries in Zimbabwe and Lenigas has no intention of shutting them down. "We won't do anything until the Mugabe issue is resolved but we look forward to getting back into Zimbabwe. Our investors want us to be pan-African and diversified," he says.

Lonrho's new "acceptable face" of capitalism is realistic about the challenges of operating in famously corrupt Africa but, as Lenigas said in a recent interview, "there are so many good deals around, there's no need to do the dodgy ones".

Asked whether a private company like Lonrho is the right way to lift Africa out of the mire, Lenigas quotes a recent conversation with the governor of the Reserve Bank of South Africa: "Africa needs $400bn spent on urgent infrastructure. Foreign donor money doesn't work. Good on you."

---------------------------------------------------------

Tinys huge impact

'Tiny' Rowland Lonrho Africas chairman and chief executive David Lenigas laughs off the suggestion that he is the new "Tiny" Rowland, but he doesnt work hard to deny it. While he might not relish being "the unacceptable face of capitalism" as Rowland, pictured above, was branded by Prime Minister Ted Heath in 1973, he shares his predecessors ambition.

Rowland, who died in 1998, aged 80, transformed Lonrho from a small mining company into a huge conglomerate, with interests ranging from The Observer newspaper to gold mines in Ghana to White & Mackay whisky. He made few friends in the City but is held in high regard in Africa. Even after years in the wilderness, Lonrho retains a loyal army of small shareholders.

Brought in to rejuvenate the London & Rhodesia Mining and Land Company in 1961, Rowland was a maverick who rarely consulted fellow directors before making decisions. He secured his position in 1972 when 3,000 shareholders defeated an attempt by establishment grandee Sir Basil Smallpiece to oust him. Sir Basil was jeered and was voted off the board.

Rowland courted African heads of state, controversially selling a stake in Lonrhos hotel chain to Libya after the Lockerbie bombing. By the end of the 1980s Lonrho was making 270m a year.

That was Lonrhos high water mark, and Rowlands latter years were characterised by bitter feuding with rivals. In 1998, Lonrhos mining assets were hived off as Lonmin, setting the stage for a new "Tiny" to start all over again.

PapalPower- the shares have been quietly firm. I get the feeling that we may see an acquisition that is a little more substantial at some stage but, the Board may like to see the shares higher beforehand. Share price currently around 31p.T

Gus, a large amount of MM buys, X trades and T trades today, and they were big volume ones, not tiny ones.

Would suggest something is going on behind the scenes.

Latest MoneyWeek free email shot has a mention of Africa and Lonrho :



"Its not like the Nigerian tourist board needed any more bad press.

Three days after another attack on oil workers in the countrys south, Nigeria went to the polls last week to elect a new president. As usual, Nigerians didnt really have much choice in picking their new leader. That had already been done for them.

Ballots were stuffed, boxes were snatched and the opposition was intimidated at every opportunity, in what was deemed to be the most flawed election in the country's 47-year history as an independent country. Unsurprisingly, Umaru YarAdua of the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 70% of the vote against 18% for his closest rival.

The news certainly won't help to change what Max King, co-manager of the Investec Managed Growth Fund calls the huge bias already built into emerging markets. People love China and India, like Asia, are sceptical about Latin America and hate Africa.

Yet his colleagues at the Investec Pan African fund in South Africa have already achieved a 14.4% return for the first quarter of 2007, and 32.8% for the year. Clearly, theres a lot more to Africa than news reports would have us believe

So why have returns in Africa been so good, despite the corruption, the violence, the poverty and all the other hardships associated with the continent? Well the truth is, that much of Africa is doing quite well for itself, even in countries well outside the resource sphere.

Weve spoken about it here before here in Money Week, in a cover story by Merryn Somerset Webb in February (subscribers can read it here: Why you should join the new scramble for Africa ( http://www.moneyweek.com/file/26059/why-you-should-join-the-new-scramble-for-africa.html )). In 2006, equities in Morocco were up 75%, 69% in Uganda, 55% in Botswana and even in Zimbabwe, they rose 13.5%.

In Kenya, a country with few of the precious gemstones or fossil fuels that drive the economies of many of its neighbours, the stock market rallied 46%. As well as a growing agricultural industry and pragmatic policies adopted by its government, the tourism industry has become a big earner for that country. In 2006 the countrys beach resorts and safari parks generated $803 million, up from $699 million from the year beforehand.

And in Nigeria, the stock market's capitalisation has doubled over the 12 months to March to about $45 billion. Indeed, Nigeria has been one of the best performers in Sub-Saharan Africa of late - the global sell-off in March virtually bypassed the country. Real GDP growth is provisionally estimated at 5.6% for 2006, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, and set to remain strong in 2007 and 2008 at 5.4% and 5.6% respectively on the back of rising oil production and strong non-oil sector growth, in areas such as banking, it says.

A report from Goldman Sachs this week was even more optimistic. It said that annual GDP growth had more than doubled between 2003 and 2006 to an average of 7.3% from less than 3% in the years beforehand. The Nigerian economy has turned a corner over the past few years, and has enjoyed a stable macroeconomic environment and higher growth, said the investment bank. The country is now much less vulnerable to adverse external shocks" because of recent agreements with the Paris and London clubs.

Those agreements allowed Nigeria to restructure its debt, cutting its debt to GDP ratio to 3% at the end of 2006 from 60% debt to GDP in the 1990s. Inflation was 7.7% in February this year, according to Goldman Sachs, from 12% in 2005.

When one considers that back in 1999 most Nigerians thought the country would return to military rule within no time, this is a pretty impressive achievement. Nigeria has now had eight years of uninterrupted democratic governance for the first time since independence in 1960.

You can read more about Nigeria's political situation in the current issue of MoneyWeek - if you're not already a subscriber, click here for a free trial: Free trial ( http://www.moneyweek.com/file/194/subscribe-from-not-logged-in.html ).

Unfortunately, because of that bias mentioned by Max King, it is still quite difficult for retail investors to put their money in individual African markets. Companies like Securities Africa have set up a new platform to allow investors to buy equities across 19 African exchanges, but they require a hefty deposit to do so. Other options like the Investec Africa Fund and the Imara African Opportunities Fund (See Imaraholdings.com) require large minimum investments, $100,000 in the case of Imara.

A good alternative is to invest in a western company like Lonhro or Shell, which weve tipped before here in Money Week, which have significant dealings in Africa. You can find out more on Lonhro in the cover story mentioned above.

As for Shell - Nigeria is the 6th largest exporter of crude oil in the world, and will soon account for 10% of US oil imports, so the importance of the sector cant be over-emphasised. Shell's share price has been punished in recent months for, among other things, its operations in Nigeria being threatened by rebels in the area.

However, this looks a good buying opportunity. Nigeria has a big incentive to repair relations with rebels in the delta. Thats because the country is estimated to have lost around 570 billion naira ($4.4 billion) in oil revenue last year because of the disruption caused - thats about a quarter of output.

The administration has already made a conciliatory gesture to locals by appointing the state's head as vice presidential candidate, GoodLuck Jonathan. Many oil companies are also working to help out in the region and thus calm the local inhabitants - Shell spends $100m a year on social and health programmes in the delta.

On top of this, the shares trade on a forward p/e of just 9.5 and yield 3.9% - with exposure to a rising oil price too, Shell a tempting addition to any portfolio."

PapalPower-very interesting Thanks. I subscribe to Money week. I must look into the free email. I think Laf could be in a good position to deal with a new government in Zimbabwe, since Magabe"s rule surely cannot last much longer. There must be significant potential there in what was once called the Bread basket of Africa.

Ospraie reduces stake to 5.64% from 7.43%. Shares remain firm at 32p.

All those X trades, a buy and a sell, so no overhang, but it eliminates a weaker holder.

100K MM buy, now thats a good sign.