UK Commercial Property REIT (UKCM) has terminated discussions with Picton Property over a possible merger of the companies. It was announced on 8 November that discussions between the two parties over an all-share merger on a NAV by NAV basis had commenced after Picton approached UKCM. Today, UKCM said that its largest shareholder – Phoenix […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 21 November 2023: Gresham House Energy Storage (GRID) says that its 50MW West Didsbury project has been successfully energised, taking the portfolio’s operational capacity to 690MW. It is expected to be revenue generating in December. Installing two-hour batteries at West Didsbury in early 2024 will take the capacity of the site […]
Sirius Real Estate (SRE) is looking to raise £145m in a placing. This will enable the company to acquire a near-term pipeline of opportunities, following the recent acquisition of assets in Liverpool, Barnsley and three in North London, for a total of £45m. The capital raise will comprise an institutional placing that will be made available […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 20 November 2023: Seraphim Space Investment Trust (SSIT) has released its Q1 update. Highlights include a further £4.1m, invested in two projects over the quarter. Portfolio value increased to £199.9m up £12.4m, due to a combination of additional investments, unrealised fair value net gains and an unrealised FX gain. The main […]
Thank you to everyone that listened in today, whether you watched the Zoom live, on Facebook or on YouTube. In this week’s show, James Carthew covered the week’s top story: • JPMorgan Mid cap/JPMorgan Smaller Companies This week’s interview was with Joe Bauernfreund from AVI Global Trust. – watch it again here.
The real estate sector got a boost from the lower-than-expected UK inflation figure that was released on Wednesday, which followed a similarly positive update on inflation in the US. The share prices of the London listed property stocks that we track (67 companies in total) were up 2.6% this week on average. November has been […]
Baillie Gifford European Growth (BGEU) has published its annual results for the year ended 30 September 2023, during which it provided NAV and share price total returns of 8.3% and 8.6% respectively, but these were significantly behind its benchmark, the FTSE Europe ex UK Index, which it says returned 20.5% (all figures in sterling terms). […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 17 November 2023: Schroder British Opportunities (SBO) has announced that EasyPark Group, one of its private investments, intends to acquire Flowbird Group, which it describes as “a global mobility player providing integrated parking and transportation solutions”. Flowbird Group operates under the brands Flowbird, YourParkingSpace, TPARK, Extenso Cloud, and Yellowbrick. It provides equipment […]
The Association of Investment Companies has issued a press release this morning in which it welcomes Baroness Ros Altmann’s intervention in the debate about the disclosure of investment company costs with the aim of removing investment companies from the scope of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). This is great news, we think. In […]
Foresight Solar has sold a 50% stake in its Lorca portfolio in Spain to a specialist Luxembourg-based fund advised by EB-Sustainable Investment Management (EB-SIM), a subsidiary of Evangelische Bank for €26.9m. That price represents a 21% premium to their third quarter holding value and an exit IRR of 12.1% on funds invested to date in […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 16 November 2023: Bluefield Solar (BSIF) reports that its NAV fell by 3.3p over the third quarter of 2023. The main contributing factors to this were slight underperformance in generation during the quarter, due to lower than expected irradiation, and advanced quarterly payments connected to corporation tax and the Electricity Generator […]
The board of European Opportunities Trust says that it welcomes the passing of all resolutions, while acknowledging that significant votes, ranging between 15% and 25% of the issued share capital, were cast against the directors’ remuneration policy, the directors’ remuneration report, the re-elections of directors and the company’s continuation as an investment trust. Much of […]
If you read my QD view from 27 October, you’ll be aware of the efforts that are going on to improve the way that costs are disclosed and stem the tide of money leaving the investment companies sector, helping to address its current discount problem. Encouragingly, politicians seem to be grasping the nettle here. On […]
QuotedData’s morning briefing 15 November 2023: GCP Infrastructure Investments (GCP) has released a quarterly update to 30 September 2023. NAV total return over the period was 1.4% while shares fell 11.6%, widening the fund’s discount which now sits at 36%. During the quarter, the company completed a refinancing of two existing loan notes secured against […]
HydrogenOne Capital Growth (HGEN) has provided an update for the third quarter. NAV growth was flat over the three months to September 30, however was up 5.1% over the same period last year, a solid return given broader macro economic headwinds. HGEN has also continued to deliver strong revenue growth with its underlying portfolio companies […]
JPMorgan UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust (JMI) has announced that it has signed terms with the JPMorgan Mid Cap Investment Trust (JMF) in respect of a proposed combination. This would see the issuance of new ordinary shares of JMI and the transfer of part of JMF’s assets. Following its completion, the enlarged JMI shall continue […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing November 14 2023: VietNam Holding Limited (VNH) provided a monthly update with NAV total return down 11.7% due to rising foreign exchange headwinds and geopolitical pressures. Despite the size of the move, this was still ahead of the benchmark VNAS fall of 12.5%. The company also announced it had won the […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 13 November 2023: Marwyn Value Investors (MVI) has announced that it has made a £7.8m investment into Zegona Communications, participating in a total equity placing of £262m. This equity raise was made as part of Zegona’s acquisition of Vodafone Holdings Europe, S.L.U. (“Vodafone Spain”) for €5.0bn, funded through a combination of […]
Thank you to everyone that listened in today, whether you watched the Zoom live, on Facebook or on YouTube. In this week’s show, James Carthew and Richard Williams covered the week’s top stories: • Downing Strategic Micro Cap • UK Commercial Property/ Picton This week’s interview was with Craig Martin from Vietnam Holding – watch […]
The Japanese market has been the surprise success story of the past 12 months. The Topix has hit multi-decade highs, rising 21% since November last year, fuelled by corporate governance reform and economic revival[1]. Yet the spoils have not been equally shared, with small and mid-cap companies trailing the index heavyweights. Could there be more […]
AVI Global Trust has announced its annual results for the year ended 30 September 2023, during which it has provided NAV and share price total returns of 15.3% and 14.8% respectively, both comfortably ahead of its comparator benchmarks, the MSCI All Country World Index and the MSCI All Country World ex-US Index, which returned 10.5% […]
Volta Finance (VTA) has published its annual results for the year ended 31 July 2023, during which its NAV per share has grown to €6.45 at 31 July 2023, an increase of 3.7% on the €6.22 recorded at 31 July 2022, and the dividend has been maintained at 8.0% of NAV, equating to a yield […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 10 November 2023: Fidelity Emerging Markets (FEML) has announced a correction to the dividend rate detailed in its annual report (in both the financial highlights and the chairman’s statement). The dividend rate is 19 cents per participating preference share and not 0.19 cents per participating preference share. All other details remain […]
Foresight Sustainable Forestry has updated on progress over the six months ended 30 September 2023. The board says that it is disappointed to see the share price trade at a discount to NAV. Together with the investment manager it says that it is: Reviewing planting and harvesting timetables to optimise cash flows. Advancing non-core asset […]
Schroder Oriental Income Fund has published its annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023. The trust’s NAV total return for the full financial year was -3.5%, with a similar return from the share price. This did represent outperformance of the benchmark index, the MSCI AC Pacific ex Japan in sterling terms, […]
Schroders Capital Global Innovation Trust has made an investment of $8.0m in an India-based vendor digitisation company, Bizongo. This investment formed part of the company’s $50.0m Series E funding round that was led by Schroders Capital with participation from other investors including IFC, BCap, Chiratae Ventures, and British International Investment. What is vendor digitisation? I […]
The board and manager of Downing Strategic Micro-Cap have decided that, with the continuing negative sentiment towards smaller companies and small investment trusts, it is timely to begin a managed wind-down of the company, with the intention to make the first return to shareholders of at least 20% of capital in early 2024. This will […]
In QuotedData’s morning briefing 9 November 2023: Murray Income says it will pay three interim dividends of 9.5p in December, March 2024 and June 2024. Up from 8.25p for the previous financial year. The directors are trying to rebalance the trust’s quarterly dividends in order to accelerate payments to shareholders. As a result, the board […]
European Opportunities Trust has responded to a letter published by Saba Capital Management regarding its opposition to EOT’s proposed tender offer. The board believes that the 50% tender offer suggested by Saba would not be in the best interests of the majority of shareholders and affirms its position in recommending that a 25% tender offer […]
BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust (BRGE) announced its annual results for the 12 months to 31 August. The company’s NAV returned 19.2% and the share price return was 17.1%, in comparison to the benchmark FTSE World Europe ex UK Index which returned 15.8% over the same period. As at 31 August 2023, the company’s NAV […]
