Results of Operations
As of October 31, 2017, the number of British Pounds Sterling owned by the Trust was 160,518,454 resulting in a redeemable capital share value of $213,087,976. During the nine months ended July 31, 2018, an additional 200,000 Shares were created in exchange for 19,439,377 British Pounds Sterling and 600,000 Shares were redeemed in exchange for 58,296,427 British Pounds Sterling. In addition, 347,946 British Pound Sterling were withdrawn to pay the portion of the Sponsor’s fee that exceeded the interest earned. As of July 31, 2018, the number of British Pounds Sterling owned by the Trust was 121,313,458, resulting in a redeemable capital Share value of $159,089,850.
A decrease in the Trust’s redeemable capital Share value from $213,087,976 at October 31, 2017 to $159,089,850 at July 31, 2018 was primarily the result of a decrease in the number of Shares outstanding from 1,650,000 at October 31, 2017 to 1,250,000 at July 31, 2018, and a decrease in the Closing Spot Rate from 1.3280 at October 31, 2017 to 1.3118 at July 31, 2018.
Interest income increased from $0 for the three months ended July 31, 2017 to $35,141 for the three months ended July 31, 2018, and increased from $0 for the nine months ended July 31, 2017 to $126,437 for the nine months ended July 31, 2018, attributable primarily to an increase in the annual nominal interest rate paid by the Depository, as set forth in the chart above.
The Sponsor’s fee accrues daily at an annual nominal rate of 0.40% of the British Pounds Sterling in the Trust. Due primarily to a decrease in the weighted-average British Pounds Sterling in the Trust and a decrease in the Closing Spot Rate, the Sponsor’s fee decreased from $256,279 for the three months ended July 31, 2017 to $169,448 for the three months ended July 31, 2018, and decreased from $852,590 for the nine months ended July 31, 2017 to $569,814 for the nine months ended July 31, 2018. The only expense of the Trust during the three months and nine months ended July 31, 2018 was the Sponsor’s fee.
The Trust’s net loss for the three months ended July 31, 2018 was $134,307 due to the Sponsor’s fee of $169,448 exceeding interest income of $35,141. The Trust’s net loss for the nine months ended July 31, 2018 was $443,377 due to the Sponsor’s fee of $569,814 exceeding interest income of $126,437.
Cash dividends were not paid by the Trust during the three months ended July 31, 2017, the three months ended July 31, 2018, the nine months ended July 31, 2017 and the nine months ended July 31, 2018, as the Trust’s interest income did not exceed the Trust’s expenses during those periods.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Except as described above with respect to fluctuations in the British Pound Sterling/USD exchange rate and changes in the nominal annual interest rate paid by the Depository on British Pounds Sterling held by the Trust, the Trust is not subject to market risk. The Trust does not hold securities and does not invest in derivative products.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
The Trust maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules13a-15(e) and15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) designed to ensure that material information relating to the Trust is recorded, processed and disclosed on a timely basis. The Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures are designed by or under the supervision of the Sponsor’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, who exercise oversight over the Trust as the Trust has no officers. The principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Sponsor have evaluated the effectiveness of the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures as of July 31, 2018. Based on that evaluation, the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Sponsor have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures of the Trust were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.
There were no changes in the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Trust’s last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting.
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