Schroder Japan Growth had a great year for the twelve months ended 31 July 2015, generating a total return on net assets of 24% while its benchmark delivered a return of 17.7%. The Directors have declared a final dividend of 2.00p per share for the year, an increase of 11.1% over the 1.80p per share […]
Tritax Big Box REIT has announced that it has agreed a £500m secured debt facility, with a syndicate of four lenders, for five years. The facility comprises a £320m term loan which the company says will be drawn in full immediately, a further £80m term loan available to draw up until the first anniversary of […]
Recent attempts by Sherborne Investors (SIGB) to take over the board of Electra Private Equity investment trust (ELTA) is an example of where a large shareholder can exert a great deal of control and influence over an investment trust – whether the small private shareholders want it to or not. However, some instances where having […]
The Investment Company’s annual report for the year ended 30 June says the NAV of the Company fell slightly from 394.41p to 389.34p, a reduction of 1.3%. The return to shareholders, including the dividends paid during the year, totalled 16.9p. The FTSE All-Share Index generated a total return of 2.6% over the twelve months to […]
Target Healthcare REIT reports 3.4% growth in its EPRA NAV for the year to the end of June 2015. EPRA earnings per share were 5.7p, 36% higher than the previous year. The dividend for the year is 6.12p – an increase of 2%. This works out at an NAV total return of 10.3% which is […]
Pantheon International Participations reports a 12% increase in NAV per share for the year to the end of June 2015 which compares favourably to a 3% return on the FTSE All-Share Index and an 11% return on the MSCI World Index. The ordinary share discount widened slightly from 16% to 17% but the discount on the redeemable shares […]
Following consultation with its shareholders, Alliance Trust has announced a raft of measures that the board believes will position the company to “deliver consistent outperformance in a cost-effective manner”. These include changes to the board structure, changes to the management arrangements, focus on cost reductions, disposal of legacy assets and a new benchmark. The board believe the new […]
Henderson Global Trust has published its interim results covering the six months ended 31 July 2015. Over this period the net asset value total return of 1.6% matched that of its benchmark, MSCI All Country World Index (in sterling terms, total return), but a small widening of the discount left the fund with a return […]
Bluefield Solar’s results, covering the year to the end of June 2015, are out. Over the year the fund generated a return on net assets of 6.7% and a return to shareholders of 13.0%. The total dividend for the year was 7.25p – ahead of their target of 7p. The report says the portfolio has performed […]
GCP Student Living has published its annual report covering the year to the end of June 2015. The EPRA NAV rose by 22.3% and the share price by 20.0%. The dividend increased from 5.47p to 5.6p. The EPRA EPS was 5.1p.The total return to shareholders was 26%. The Company’s property portfolio has operated at full […]
In November 2014, Origo shareholders approved a revised investing policy, under which the Company is now, through an orderly realisation programme, seeking to divest its entire portfolio over a period of no longer than 4 years at such time and under such conditions as the independent directors of Origo may determine in order to maximise […]
Jupiter US Smaller Companies underperformed its benchmark over the year to the end of June 2015 – generating an uplift in net assets of 5.5% against a 14.3% return on the Russell 2000 Index. The main reasons were the absence of biotechnology stocks in the portfolio and falls in the values of the fund’s investments in […]
British Empire Securities and General Trust has announced that Joe Bauernfreund will become its named portfolio manager from 1 October 2015. This is a low turnover position (the trust has had just three portfolio managers in the last 30 years). Jo has been with the trust’s managers (Asset Value Investors) since 2002 and has worked […]
Harbourvest Global Private Equity has released its interim results for the six-months ended 31 July 2015. These show the company had US$187m of realisations during the period (a record level) and is reportedly on track to meet the US$356m received during the last financial year. NAV per share increased 6% during the period from US$15.86 […]
TR European Growth beat its benchmark by more than 5% over the year to the end of June 2015, returning 5.3% on net assets against a -0.4% return on the Euromoney Smaller Companies Index (ex UK). Shareholders got the benefit of a narrowing of the discount from 12% to 7.6% as well – meaning that […]
Investing in halls of residence can be tricky though high yielding Empiric Student Property and GCP Student Living have made it work. http://citywire.co.uk/money/student-property-trusts-pass-the-test-as-income-funds/a835627
The appointment of two new non-executive directors at Alliance Trust should reassure shareholders but pressure remains to deliver improved performance at the trust, experts say. http://www.fundweb.co.uk/news-and-analysis/will-new-alliance-trust-directors-bring-change-to-the-trust/2023856.article
Peter Ewins, manager of F&C Global Smaller Companies investment trust, is eyeing opportunities all over the world. http://citywire.co.uk/money/fandc-s-ewins-buys-small-cap-bargains-after-the-sell-off/a836116
Investment Weeks asks – Is now the time to increase exposure to emerging markets? http://www.investmentweek.co.uk/investment-week/feature/2427487/is-now-the-time-for-investors-to-increase-exposure-to-emerging-markets-part-I
China Nonferrous Gold expects to begin trial processing through the plant at its 100%-owned Pakrut gold project, in the Republic of Tajikistan, in October. In its latest interim results, the company reports that the plant is more than 95% complete and with 90 kt of mined ore on the stockpile the company will begin processing […]
Genesis Emerging Markets underperformed its benchmark over the year to the end of June 2015 – the return on net assets was -1.1% while the return on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was +3.5%. Unfortunately for shareholders the discount widened as well, from 6.1% to 11.8% and this translated into a -7.2% return to shareholders, […]
HarbourVest Global Private Equity has announced the successful renewal of its multi-currency credit facility with Lloyds Bank plc. HVPE has refinanced the facility, which will increase from $300 million to $500 million with immediate effect. The increased commitment has been provided by a new lender, Credit Suisse AG, which has committed $200 million alongside the existing […]
Hammerson plc, together with its joint venture partner, Allianz Real Estate, has signed an agreement with Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency (“NAMA”) to acquire the Project Jewel portfolio of loans secured against market-leading retail assets in Dublin, Ireland, including Dundrum Town Centre, Ireland’s pre-eminent shopping and leisure destination. The loan acquisition is being made through […]
F&C UK Real Estate reports that its net asset value total return for the year was 22.7% and its shares moved to trade at a 2.6% premium, improving the return to shareholders to 24.9%. four quarterly dividends of 1.25p, totalling 5p are payable for the year and the Board say it is the intention of the Group to continue to pay […]
Better Capital PCC Limited has announced that the General Partner of BECAP Fund LP has sold the entire issued share capital of Fairline Boats Limited to a newly formed special purpose acquisition vehicle affiliated with the Wessex Bristol group of companies for a modest deferred consideration. Fairline was valued at £13.5m at the last 2009 Fund valuation as at […]
Over the year to the end of June 2015, JPMorgan Emerging Markets shrugged off struggling emerging markets to deliver a 7.4% return on net assets and a return to shareholders of 6.6% as compared to a 3.2% return on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Austin Forey, the fund’s manager, says his ideal investment is one […]
The performance of utilities companies across the world has been difficult so far this year, following strong performance in 2014. A relatively benign interest rate outlook, coupled with modest growth, saw the US provide much of the gains last year, but this year investors have become increasingly wary of the potential for interest rate rises […]
This week I thought I would write something on BlackRock Latin American Trust. China might have attracted all the headlines recently but the knock-on effect of its slowdown on Latin America has been dramatic. Regional markets have been awful, and the situation has persisted for some time now. http://citywire.co.uk/money/lat-am-trusts-my-worst-call-yet-but-im-not-quitting/a842523
By investing in ‘convertibles’ – bonds that can convert into shares – JPMorgan Global Convertibles Income offers a strong yield. But why the secrecy over its investments? http://citywire.co.uk/money/the-convertibles-investment-trust-shrouded-in-secrecy/a842531
Late on Friday, JPMorgan Overseas published its final results for the year ended 30 June 2012. The total return on net assets for the year was 11.8%, ahead of the total return of 9.5% for the benchmark, the MSCI All Country World Index (in sterling terms). The total return to shareholders was 10.3%. The final dividend […]
