For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2001, the Investment Return To
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TO THE STOCKHOLDERS or the six months ended June 30, 2001, the The U.S. securities market has recovered somewhat investment return to our stockholders was from the weak first quarter but it appears to be F10.6%, consisting of a 0.5% increase in net constrained by powerful competing forces. Thus far asset value per Common Share (assuming this year, aggressive easing of credit by the Federal reinvestment of all dividends) together with a Reserve Bank has continued to buoy demand despite decline in the discount, at which our shares trade, record levels of consumer debt, and recession has from 9.8% at year-end to 0.7% currently. By been avoided as reflected in the robust housing comparison, our benchmark, the Standard & Poor’s market and strong automobile sales. On the other 500 Stock Index (including income), declined 6.7%. hand, corporate profit margins are under pressure, For the twelve months ended June 30, 2001, the generally, in the aftermath of a capital spending return to stockholders was 18.7% and the return on boom, centered on communication and information the net asset value per Common Share was 11.4%; technology, that has ended. With balance sheets these compare to a loss of 14.8% for the S&P 500. already highly leveraged and advanced management technologies implemented broadly, companies have As set forth in the accompanying financial turned to labor saving in an effort to maintain statements (unaudited), as of June 30, 2001, the net profits. In consequence, unemployment continues to assets of the Company were $1,290,633,681. Net rise which threatens to diminish consumer assets applicable to the Common Stock were confidence and attendant demand for goods and $1,140,633,681, equal to $37.97 per Common Share. services. We continue to believe that the market may require an extended time period to resolve the The increase in net assets resulting from operations uncertainties inherent in the current economic for the six months ended June 30, 2001 was climate. We retain abundant cash reserves to be $10,360,481. During this period, net realized gain on employed selectively as investment opportunities securities sold was $55,517,503, of which present themselves, which, we believe, will occur approximately $45,387,000 ($1.51 per share) is with increasing frequency. applicable to the Common Stock, and the decrease in unrealized appreciation was $52,755,292. Net By Order of the Board of Directors, investment income for the six months was $7,598,270. GENERAL AMERICAN INVESTORS COMPANY, INC. During the six months, 19,000 shares of the Spencer Davidson Company’s Common Stock were repurchased for President and Chief Executive Officer $692,675 at an average discount from net asset value of 9%. STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES June 30, 2001 (Unaudited) General American Investors ASSETS INVESTMENTS, AT VALUE (NOTE 1a) Common stocks (cost $438,269,997) $ 944,221,373 Corporate discount notes (cost $334,770,094) ____________334,770,094 Total investments (cost $773,040,091) 1,278,991,467 CASH, RECEIVABLES AND OTHER ASSETS Cash, including margin account balance of $62,440 $ 121,381 Receivable for securities sold 6,778,621 Receivable from broker for proceeds on securities sold short 26,842,561 Dividends, interest and other receivables 1,077,345 Prepaid expenses 5,402,627 Other ____________515,974 ____________ 40,738,509 TOTAL ASSETS 1,319,729,976 LIABILITIES Payable for securities purchased 951,250 Preferred dividend accrued but not yet declared 240,000 Securities sold short, at value (proceeds $26,842,561) (note 1a) 20,379,790 Accrued expenses and other liabilities____________ 7,525,255 TOTAL LIABILITIES 29,096,295 2 ____________ NET ASSETS $1,290,633,681 ____________ Net Assets applicable to Preferred Stock at a liquidation value of $25 per share $ 150,000,000 ____________ Net Assets applicable to Common Stock $1,140,633,681 ____________ NET ASSET VALUE PER COMMON SHARE $ 37.97 ____________ NET ASSETS 7.20% Tax-Advantaged Cumulative Preferred Stock, $1 par value (note 2) Authorized 10,000,000 shares; outstanding 6,000,000 shares $ 6,000,000 Common Stock, $1 par value (note 2) Authorized 50,000,000 shares; outstanding 30,041,955 shares 30,041,955 Additional paid-in capital (note 2) 684,996,591 Undistributed realized gain on securities sold 55,590,063 Undistributed net income 7,230,925 Unallocated distributions on Preferred Stock (5,640,000) Unrealized appreciation on investments and securities sold short (including aggregate gross unrealized appreciation of $546,482,452)____________ 512,414,147 TOTAL NET ASSETS $1,290,633,681 ____________ (see notes to financial statements) STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS Six Months Ended June 30, 2001 (Unaudited) General American Investors INCOME Dividends (net of foreign withholding taxes of $23,730) $ 3,421,195 Interest _____________9,529,924 $ 12,951,119 EXPENSES Investment research 3,359,122 Administration and operations 1,324,604 Office space and general 253,623 Transfer agent, custodian and registrar fees and expenses 136,244 Stockholders’ meeting and reports 85,694 Directors’ fees and expenses 80,531 Auditing and legal fees 69,700 Miscellaneous taxes (note 1c) _____________43,331 ____________ 5,352,849 NET INVESTMENT INCOME 7,598,270 REALIZED GAIN AND CHANGE IN UNREALIZED APPRECIATION ON INVESTMENTS (NOTES 1d AND 4) Net realized gain on investments: Long transactions 38,621,457 Short sale transactions (note 1b)_____________ 16,896,046 Net realized gain on investments (long-term, except for $17,940,999) 55,517,503 3 Net decrease in unrealized appreciation_____________ (52,755,292) NET GAIN ON INVESTMENTS ____________2,762,211 INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 10,360,481 ____________ (see notes to financial statements) STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS General American Investors Six Months Ended Year Ended June 30, 2001 December 31, ________________(Unaudited) ____________ 2000 OPERATIONS Net investment income $ 7,598,270 $ 13,805,530 Net realized gain on investments 55,517,503 217,372,941 Net decrease in unrealized appreciation_____________ (52,755,292) ____________ (45,048,910) INCREASE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS_____________ 10,360,481 ____________ 186,129,561 DISTRIBUTIONS TO PREFERRED STOCKHOLDERS From net income, including short-term capital gain — (3,074,400) From long-term capital gain — (7,725,600) Unallocated distributions on Preferred Stock_____________ (5,400,000) ____________ — DECREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM PREFERRED DISTRIBUTIONS_____________ (5,400,000) ____________ (10,800,000) DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS From net income, including short-term capital gain (1,735,293) (60,132,212) From long-term capital gain_____________ (58,421,519) ____________ (151,138,654) 4 DECREASE IN NET ASSETS FROM COMMON DISTRIBUTIONS_____________ (60,156,812) ____________ (211,270,866) CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS Value of Common Shares issued in payment of dividends (note 2) 41,483,224 136,477,203 Cost of Common Shares purchased (note 2)_____________ (692,675) ____________ (40,015,559) INCREASE IN NET ASSETS - CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS _____________40,790,549 ____________ 96,461,644 NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS (14,405,782) 60,520,339 NET ASSETS BEGINNING OF PERIOD_____________ 1,305,039,463 ____________ 1,244,519,124 END OF PERIOD (including undistributed net income of $7,230,925 and distributions in excess of net income of $367,345, respectively) $1,290,633,681 $1,305,039,463 _____________ ____________ (see notes to financial statements) FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS General American Investors The following table shows per share operating performance data, total investment return, ratios and supplemental data for the six months ended June 30, 2001 and for each year in the five-year period ended December 31, 2000. This information has been derived from information contained in the financial statements and market price data for the Company’s shares. Six Months Ended June 30, 2001 _________________________________________________________Year Ended December 31, (Unaudited)_________ _________________________________________________________ 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE Net asset value, beginning of period_________ $39.91 _________ $41.74 ________ $34.87 ________ $29.15 ________ $25.24 ________ $23.94 Net investment income .25 .53 .45 .47 .21 .22 Net gain on securities - realized and unrealized_________ .07 _________ 6.12 ________ 11.32 ________ 9.44 ________ 7.15 ________ 3.86 Total from investment operations_________ .32 _________ 6.65 ________ 11.77 ________ 9.91 ________ 7.36 ________ 4.08 Less distributions on: Common Stock: Dividends from investment income (.06) (a) (2.30) (b) (.71) (c) (.48) (.26) (d) (.20) Distributions from capital gains_________ (2.02) _________ (5.78) ________ (3.77) ________ (3.24) ________ (3.19) ________ (2.58) __________(2.08) __________ (8.08) ________ (4.48) ________ (3.72) ________ (3.45) ________ (2.78) Preferred Stock: Dividends from investment income — (.11) (e) (.07) (f) (.03) — — Distributions from capital gains — (.29) (.35) (.20) — — 5 Unallocated__________ (.18) __________ — _________ — ________ (.01) ________ — ________ — __________(.18) __________ (.40) _________ (.42) ________ (.24) ________ — ________ — Total distributions__________ (2.26) __________ (8.48) _________ (4.90) ________ (3.96) ________ (3.45) ________ (2.78) Capital Stock transaction - effect of Preferred Stock offering_________ — _________ — ________ — ________ (.23) ________ — ________ — Net asset value, end of period $37.97 $39.91 $41.74