UK smaller companies trust Strategic Equity Capital (SEC) is honouring a commitment made three years ago to offer investors a 100% exit. The £163m UK small-cap fund managed by Ken Wotton at Gresham House said it would hold a tender offer next month allowing shareholders to sell all their shares at a price close to […]
Poorly performing Octopus Titan VCT (OTV2) has cut its fund manager fee by 17% and slashed the notice it needs to give to terminate Octopus Investments’ contract from three years to 12 months. A further 20% fee rebate could be clawed back if the fund manager does not deliver a 5% annual target return after […]
JPMorgan US Smaller Companies reports 12.4% first half fall; Riverstone Energy makes first disposal in its managed wind-down; Sirius Real Estate taps borrowers for more money; plus updates from HgCapital, Augmentum Fintech, RTW Bioscience and Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income. JPMorgan US Smaller Companies (JUSC) is having a difficult year, reporting a 12.4% fall in the […]
This week, following recent results announcements from trusts such as Ruffer (RICA) (click here to read) and Golden Prospects Precious Metals (GPM) (click here to read), along with commentary in our August investment companies monthly (click here to read) that highlighted a number of funds that have been benefiting recently from their exposure to the […]
BlackRock Latin American (BRLA) has reported a sharp turnaround in the first half of 2025, with net asset value (NAV) rising 40.4% in US dollar terms and the share price up 41.7%, against a 29.9% return from its MSCI EM Latin America benchmark. Net assets increased from US$116m at the end of December 2024 to […]
Golden Prospect Precious Metals (GPM) has published interim results for the six months to 30 June 2025, reporting a significant uplift in both net asset value (NAV) and share price. Over the period, NAV rose 53.6% from 43.1p to 66.2p, peaking at 75.7p in early June, while the share price climbed 63.9% from 35.5p to […]
Polar Capital Global Healthcare (PCGH) has announced draft proposals for a corporate reorganisation ahead of its scheduled fixed life wind-up in early 2026. Following a review of options and consultation with shareholders, the board intends to seek approval for the company to continue, with a number of structural and fee changes designed to enhance long-term […]
Murray Income (MUT) has published annual results for the year ended 30 June 2025. The net asset value (NAV) total return was 2.7% (debt at fair value), with the share price rising 4.3%. Both fell well short of the FTSE All-Share’s 11.2% return, extending a multi-year period of relative underperformance. The board launched a strategic […]
JPMorgan Emerging Europe, Middle East & Africa Securities (JEMA) has provided an update on the ongoing lawsuit filed by VTB Bank in Russia. On 10 September 2025, the Russian court of appeal upheld the earlier judgment awarding $439m in damages to VTB against eight JP Morgan legal entities and the company. VTB is now expected […]
Oakley Capital Investments (OCI) generated a 7.1% underlying investment return in the first half of 2025. QuotedData’s James Carthew said: “Six months isn’t long but these numbers make Oakley Capital Investments the best-performing private equity trust over the past six months and have allowed it to extend its lead over rival HgCapital over five years […]
Henderson European (HET) says that holders of 89.775m shares opted for cash (29.04% of its share capital) and 219.332m shares were rolled into Fidelity European (FEV). The cap on the cash option was 33.3%, so everyone who wanted cash will get it. Henderson European will delist on 26 September. Having decided to hang onto all […]
Swedish payments group Klarna – a portfolio company of Chrysalis Investments (CHRY) – has completed its long-awaited US initial public offering (IPO), with its shares priced at US$40 each, above the US$35–37 indicative range. The listing raised $1.37bn and values the company at around $15.2bn. Demand was reportedly strong, with the offering said to be […]
Fidelity Japan Trust (FJV) has reported a net asset value (NAV) total return of 3.3% for the six months to 30 June 2025, broadly in line with the TOPIX Total Return Index in sterling terms, which rose 3.2%. The trust’s share price delivered a total return of 10.6% as its discount narrowed from 13.1% to […]
Cheaper trusts Looking at August’s biggest discount shifts, Seraphim Space (SSIT) appeared to plunge from a 14.7% discount to a 29.0% discount over the month. Today, the discount stands at 31.5%. At first glance, the reason for this is hard to fathom. Andrew McHattie mentioned the trust on the show on Friday (13:07) – highlighting […]
Dunedin Income Growth (DIG) has plans to rocket up the dividend yield league table by introducing an enhanced dividend policy, using reserves to boost its distributions (the trust has distributable reserves totalling £298m). The total dividend for the financial year ended 31 January 2026 will be at least 19.1p per share, 34.5% up on the […]
Dunedin Income Growth (DIG) says it will introduce an enhanced dividend policy, using reserves to boost its dividend yield. The total dividend for the financial year ended 31 January 2026 will be at least 19.1p per share, 34.5% up on the prior year. That pushes it onto a notional 6% yield on NAV or, at […]
Private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) is in discussions with PRS REIT over a potential offer for the company. The board of PRS REIT this morning confirmed media reports about the talks with KKR, stating that the US company was “participating in the company’s strategic review and formal sale process”. However, it […]
Since the process began in January 2023, Starwood European Real Estate Finance (SWEF) has now returned £256m to investors, equivalent to 61% of its NAV at that time. £46m of this was distributed in the first half of 2025, supported by the full repayment of a £47.3m UK hotels loan. After the period end, two […]
Ruffer Investment Company (RICA) reported another month of positive NAV performance in August, driven primarily by gold mining equities. The manager said strong free cash flow generation at higher gold prices continues to provide attractive opportunities, even after the sector’s strong rally this year. Gold bullion resumed its upward trajectory during the month, hitting a […]
While the number of trusts has been falling, certain other, newer, structures have been multiplying. Among these are Long Term Asset Funds (LTAFs) and private structures. Another is the subject of this piece: active Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). An interesting recent development in the investment companies sector is the planned conversion of Middlefield Canadian Income […]
Our review of last month’s big risers and fallers shows how concerns about President Trump’s threat to the independence of the Federal Reserve exacerbated concerns over US inflationary pressures. This made August a good month for investment companies exposed to gold and Asia, but less kind for listed renewables and some growth funds as forecasts […]
You are invited to the annual Scottish Mortgage Digital Conference on 8th October 11am – 12:30pm. This year we explore how transformative change creates extraordinary growth opportunities. The agenda: Register here.
You are invited to the annual Scottish Mortgage Digital Conference on 8th October 11am – 12:30pm. This year we explore how transformative change creates extraordinary growth opportunities. The agenda: Register here.
Third Point Investors (TPOU) has received further criticism for not allowing shareholders a bigger exit ahead of its controversial reverse takeover of Malibu Life after a $136m (£101m) redemption offer was over-subscribed by more than two times. The Dan Loeb managed global hedge fund said over 9.5m shares were submitted for sale compared to the […]
More change at the £333m Japanese smaller companies trust looms following the appointment of a new fund manager in May as chair Jamie Skinner acknowledges the impatience of shareholders with its poor performance. The chair of Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon (BGS) has said its plans for a 15% tender offer if the Japanese smaller companies […]
VPC Specialty Lending Investments (VSL), a £46m loan fund in the midst of a lengthy wind-down, is seeking shareholder approval to ratify its oversight in failing to hold a five-yearly continuation vote at the AGM on 11 June. A general meeting has been called for 22 September to propose a resolution to release the fund […]
A welcome base rate cut in August did little to prevent another mauling in the real estate sector, with an average 3.7% share price fall over the month. Gilt yields, and the five-year swap rate that is closely followed by the sector, widened on persistent inflation and rising public debt. Consequently, just a handful of […]
Saba Capital, the activist hedge fund, has opened a 5% position in SDCL Efficiency Income (SEIT), a move that could see it apply pressure to the board of the £615m renewables fund ahead of a continuation vote in 12 months’ time. A stock exchange filing yesterday evening shows funds at Boaz Weinstein’s New York-based firm […]
Fidelity European, International Public Partnerships and BlackRock World Mining report half-year results; Abrdn UK Smaller Companies publishes annual results and a plan to change its name to Aberdeen; and the Competition and Markets Authority looks into the merger of Primary Health Properties and Assura. Fidelity European (FEV) underperformed by 4.7% in the first half of […]
BioPharma Credit (BPCR), one of four alternative income funds shortlisted in our Investors’ Choice Awards, has announced a $62.5m (£46.5m) five-year loan to a US drug company developing a treatment for a rare form of sexually transmitted disease. Precigen, a Maryland-based biotech specialising in difficult-to-treat conditions, has obtained a $125m secured loan from Pharmakion, the […]
