This blog gives you the latest topical news plus some informal comments on them from ShareSoc’s directors and other contributors. These are the personal comments of the authors and not necessarily the considered views of ShareSoc. The writers may hold shares in the companies mentioned. You can add your own comments on the blog posts, but note that ShareSoc reserves the right to remove or edit comments where they are inappropriate or defamatory.
In this article, I argue that discounts are bad for those invested in a trust, and the Board of the investment trust should look to reduce any discount. However, for those thinking of investing in the trust the discount might be an opportunity. The question is, how real is that opportunity or is it just a ‘value trap’?
We look at why discounts can arise and the measures that can be taken to eliminate them or even move the trust to a premium. We finish with three case studies to illustrate real-life situations.
When an investment trust share price is below its Net Asset Value per share, we say it is trading at a discount.
There are various reasons why an investment trust share might trade at a discount, including:
Issue | Reasons | What can be done to reduce discounts |
---|---|---|
1. | There are more investors wanting to sell the shares than wanting to buy the shares. | Introduce a buy back policy. This enables those wanting to sell their shares to get a better price. It does however have a downside of reducing the size of the fund and reducing the liquidity and ability to make new investments. Introducing a dividend may increase the number of investors willing to buy and hold the shares. |
2. | The track record of the fund manager is poor and investors fear that poor performance will continue. | Change the fund manager. Either require the fund manager to change the investment manager(s) in the team or terminate the fund manager and appoint a new one. If investors approve of this action, then the sentiment towards the trust and the share price should improve. |
3. | High fees, which are and if continued will be a drag on performance. | Reduce the fees paid to the fund manager. This is double edged, as the major imperative is to achieve high performance. Halving the fees paid to the fund manager (even if acceptable) may result in the fund manager paying less attention to the investment trust and allocating less able staff to the work. However, paying more than average for poor performance is a waste of money. Merge with another investment trust. This will allow a reduction in fees and hopefully an improvement in performance by selecting the best investment managers from the two organisations that are merged. |
4. | Fees based on NAV rather than market cap, fail to incentivise the fund manager to work with the Board to manage the discount. | Change the fee calculation and incentive, so that it is based on market cap and not on NAV. |
5. | An inability to raise new funds, which would allow costs to be spread over more funds. | It won’t be possible to raise new funds, but it may be possible to merge the investment trust. |
6. | A lack of a buy back policy. | Introduce a buy back policy. |
7. | A lack of a fixed life duration and/or continuation votes in the Articles, nor a stated policy to have a continuation vote in a set timeframe. | Announce a continuation vote and future policy. |
8. | Directors who do not own significant shares and who are not shareholder friendly. | Directors should buy more shares, so as to signal their belief that the shares are undervalued and that they expect the discount will reduce. Directors should also take all or part of their fees in shares (bought at the market price). |
9. | Poor corporate governance. A bad board may be ineffective in managing problems, allow problems to continue or make bad decisions. There are too many boards with too many pale, male, long tenure directors who permit underperformance, discounts, not having continuation votes, etc to continue. Such Boards need to be changed, with an injection of fresh blood, more diversity and greater willingness to get things done. | Shareholders and their representatives should consult with the Chairman to explain their concerns and seek his/her views and agree an action plan to address the discount and other concerns. Remove underperforming directors and replace them with new more diverse directors willing to get things done. This can best be done with the agreement of the Chairman and the majority of the directors; but if not, shareholders can requisition resolutions for the removal of directors. ShareSoc can form a campaign to push for change. The setting up of such a campaign can by itself lead to a change in sentiment and an improvement (reduction) in the discount as well as signalling to the Directors that they will need to change track. |
10. | The investments may be in a sector which is out of favour. | |
11. | Investors may view the net asset values of the investments in the trust as overstated. | |
12. | Investments may have valuations which were correct at the last year end, but market circumstances may have changed and the valuations of investments (when they are next computed) will be lower. |
A buy back exchanges the liquidity for an improvement in the discount. By reducing the liquidity in the trust, it reduces the trusts ability to make new investments, thus requiring the trust to not make new investments or to sell other investments and either way the trust shrinks in size, making it less attractive for aspiring investment managers to want to work in the trust.
These are an important way to ensure the discount does not get too large. For example, Tellworth British Recovery and Growth Trust, which was recently being launched, states in its prospectus:
The Company does not have a fixed life. Under the Articles, the Board is obliged:
if the net asset value of the Company as at 31 December 2022 is not at least £150 million, at the annual general meeting of the Company held in 2023; and
at the annual general meeting of the Company held in 2026 and at every fifth annual general meeting thereafter,
For example, Tellworth British Recovery and Growth Trust states in its prospectus its plans to limit the discount to 5%:
The Company has shareholder authority (subject to all applicable legislation and regulations) to purchase in the market up to 14.99 per cent. of the Shares in issue immediately following Initial Admission. This authority will expire at the conclusion of the first annual general meeting of the Company or, if earlier, eighteen months from the date of the ordinary resolution. The Board intends to seek renewal of this authority from Shareholders at each annual general meeting.
The Board recognises the need to address any sustained and significant imbalance between buyers and sellers which might otherwise lead to the Shares trading at a material discount or premium to the Net Asset Value per Share. The Board will aim, through effecting buybacks of the Company’s Shares if necessary, to ensure the Shares do not trade, over the longer term, at a discount of greater than five per cent. to the Net Asset Value per Share in normal market conditions.
In addition, if over the period from Initial Admission to 31 December 2025 the Company’s Net Asset Value per Share total return does not exceed the total return on the FTSE All Share Index, then the Board intends to bring forward proposals that shall provide an option to Shareholders to realise their investment at close to Net Asset Value.
If the Board does decide that the Company should repurchase Shares, purchases will only be made through the market for cash at prices below the estimated prevailing Net Asset Value per Share and where the Board believes such purchases will result in an increase in the Net Asset Value per Share. Such purchases will only be made in accordance with the Companies Act and the Listing Rules, which currently provide that the maximum price to be paid per Share must not be more than the higher of (i) five per cent. above the average of the mid-market values of the Shares for the five Business Days before the purchase is made and (ii) the higher of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid for the Shares.
ShareSoc director Mark Bentley told me “Buying back shares when discounts are high (and issuing them when at a premium) can help a bit, but the effects are usually transitory.” In his view, more important to reducing discounts is:
HVPE has been a classic case study. It has been a good performer over the years but used to trade at a persistently high discount. In recent years, however, Harbourvest has made strenuous efforts to connect with investors, presenting regularly at ShareSoc events and also instituting an annual capital markets day, open to all comers, which is a very informative morning (covering the whole PE landscape and economic environment, not just HVPE), with a good breakfast & lunch included. Up until the pandemic, the discount had been reducing steadily (Mark tells me he has taken advantage of the wider discount to buy more).
Another interesting factor is dividends. A few years ago, the JP Morgan Global Growth & Income Trust (now JGGI) instituted a dividend policy of paying 4% of NAV as a dividend p.a. Whereas it used to trade at discount (when returns were chiefly as capital growth), it now generally trades at a premium to NAV.
SEC is a current problem case. There is a long history to the current situation which is explained below.
It is not my place or intent to give financial advice. I will leave it to readers to decide if there may be an opportunity here.
There are a number of ways in which the Board has made decisions which are likely to have led to a persistent and widening absolute and relative discount since February 2017, and especially during 2020:
Richard Hills became Chairman on 18 September 2014. He was not part of the Board when there were the deliberations on the introduction of the tender in 2012, and had joined largely when the tender had done its job.
He owns a modest (in my opinion) 75,000 shares in SEC worth £144,000 and is paid an annual fee of £37,500.
Tender offers were announced in February 2012 and enacted in May and November each year, if the average discount had exceeded 10% in the 6 months preceding 31 December of 30 June respectively. This was an exercise to help reduce the discount over time and the first tender offer was in May 2012. The last tender offer was in November 2014.
Between November 2014 and February 2017, the discount was narrower than 10% and narrower than the peer group.
The tender offer commitment was also detailed as a discount management policy in the Prospectus dated 3rd August 2015, were the discount to widen to more than 10% again.
Between February 2012 and February 2017, there was a significant change in the shareholder register.
Arbitrageurs (which accounted for >36% of the register prior to the tender offers being started in 2012) were progressively replaced by wealth managers and hnwi & retail investors. One of the considerations of the new shareholders was the discount control mechanism (mechanical) provided by the periodic tender offers, which was also detailed continually as the discount control mechanism in marketing material produced by the Trust’s Manager, then GVO/GVQ Investment Management.
Whilst the tender offers were operating, the trust still grew in size, albeit that the number of shares reduced, and the discount stabilised at a peer average before moving to a premium once the arbitrageurs had exited.
The 2015 Prospectus specifically states that it believes that the mix of performance, broadening shareholder base to institutional and retail investors, and the tender offer was behind the move of the shares re-rating to a premium.
A significant transformation of the register had happened in the two years leading up to his appointment, with all of the arbitrageurs (Fortelus, 1607, Gramercy, CGAM) exiting the register. The last Tender offer was in November 2014 and the discount was already in train of narrowing materially. The new shareholders were all wealth managers and retail investors.
One hypothesis would be that a lot of retail and wealth managers which invested post 2012 in part did so due to the comfort on discount (and liquidity) that the commitment to periodic tenders provided. As they were run on a mix and match basis, there was guaranteed 4% liquidity, at a 10% discount every 6 months. If you owned 4% and were the only holder wishing to exit, you would be able to tender 100% of your holding.
The Tender offers, in conjunction with good performance, were effective and transparent mechanisms to manage the discount.
Since the Board has decided not to honour its commitment to return to the Tender offers, despite there being precedent of them happening before, and them being effective, the wealth managers and retail investors have sold down, and the arbitrageurs have returned (1607 now owns 17%, City of London owns 5.3%). This has coincided with a widening of the discount to above the peer group, which has not been the case since 2012. The presence of arbitrageurs on a register at this level indicates that the wealth management community has “gone on buyers’ strike” and does not trust the corporate governance. Wealth managers rarely vote aggressively, but will just sell down over time.
Discount management
In February 2012, the Board announced that it proposed to provide Shareholders with semi-annual periodic tender offers for up to 4% of the Shares in issue at a tender price equal to the NAV per Share at the time of the relevant tender offer, less a 10% discount. In line with this policy, tender offers for up to 4% of the Shares in issue have historically been completed in May and November each year since that date, with the most recent tender offer completing in November 2014. When the periodic tenders were introduced, the Board reserved the right not to proceed with any tender offer if, in the six months ending on 31 December or 30 June immediately preceding the relevant May or November, the average discount at which the Shares traded to their underlying NAV was less than 10%. Since 1 January 2015, the Shares have traded at an average premium of 1.5% to the NAV and as at the Latest Practicable Date, traded at a 6.02% premium to NAV.
The Board believes that the move to a premium rating in recent months has been driven by a mix of strong ongoing performance, the Company’s increased profile among institutional and retail investors, the broadening Shareholder base and also the regular tender offers.
The Directors continue to review the level of the discount (if any) between the middle market price of the Company’s Shares and their Net Asset Value on a regular basis and intend to offer Shareholders semi-annual periodic tender offers on the basis set out above if, in the six months ending on 31 December or 30 June in each year, the average discount at which the Shares traded to their underlying NAV is more than 10%.
Report & date issued | Average discount over period | Arbitrageurs | Tender offer/discount comment | Buybacks over the period |
---|---|---|---|---|
Interim 2017 Feb 17 | 9.00% | Board will take further action to narrow discount including considering re-introducing tender | Nil | |
Annual report 2017 Sept 17 | 11.00% | None disclosed (i.e. below 3%) | Discount exceeded 10%, but “the Board does not believe that the re-introduction of the Tender offer is the best way forward as it is a blunt tool which is unlikely to have a long term impact on the Company’s rating” | 975k shares, all of which were between February 2017 and June 2017 |
Interim Report 2018 Feb 18 | 13.40% | Tender remains under consideration, but not committed to despite average discount 13%. Says using buy backs instead | 1.05m shares bought back. No average discount disclosed | |
Annual Report 2018 Sept 2018 | 13.50% | 1607 10.5% | No mention of tender. Claims shareholders are supportive of buy back policy. Will buy back when discount is wide. Average discount over year of 13.5% | 1.892m shares (2.8% of issued share capital) at an average 14.4% discount (i.e. 845k shares in h2) |
Interim Report 2019 Feb 19 | 14.80% | Bought back shares. “board will continue to monitor discount” | 1.945m shares | |
Annual Report 2019 Sep 19 | 15.20% | 1607 16% | Blames widening discount on the sector discount widening. | 3.231m shares at an average 15.9% discount (i.e. 1.286m in H2) |
Interim report 2020 Feb 20 | 14.70% | Board will continue to monitor the discount | Bought back 463k shares | |
Live | 22% |
|
No shares bought back during calendar 2020, despite discount touching 26% |
Notably, the buy backs have been much less than the reduction in issued share capital which would have been provided by the tender offer. The tender offer would also have treated all shareholders equally. The conclusion is that the buy back has been ineffective.
In Q1 2018, the Board changed management fee reducing it from the lower of 1% of NAV or market cap to 0.75% based on NAV. This removed any financial incentive for the Manager to keep the shares trading at a narrow discount.
The lower fees, combined with a worse performance fee, took the fee base materially below that of the specialist smaller company peer group, and materially adversely impacted the economics for the Manager. This change appears to have made no impact on the discount, will have damaged relationship with the Manager, and probably meant that the Manager withdrew resources. This was even more so as the management fee was now the same as the Manager’s larger open ended fund which was much easier to grow.
Since then, the absolute and relative performance of the NAV has deteriorated. SEC was already a very reasonably priced product for what it did, and I do not believe that any of the shareholders were pushing for lower fees as it was important for the product to be economically viable given the limited capacity of the strategy.
Since Sir Clive Thompson stepped off the board, the Board owns negligible shares. Since Mr Thompson ceased to be a Director, the absolute and relative discount has widened considerably.
Non-Executive Director | Title | Share Holdings |
---|---|---|
Mr. Richard John Hills | Non-Executive Director, Chairman | 75,000 |
Mr. Richard Locke | Non-Executive Director, Deputy Chairman | 30,000 |
Mr. David John Morrison | Non-Executive Director | 10,000 |
Sir William Barlow | Non-Executive Director | 10,000 |
Ms. Josephine Dixon | Non-Executive Director | 10,000 |
It is interesting to note that they have not purchased any shares since the change of manager announced in March 2020, that they believed would transform the prospects of the Company, and despite the shares trading at more than a 20% discount.
The management contract was changed to an asset management group run by the fund manager who IPOd SEC and managed it until June 2009. He is named as a person who will head the investment committee for SEC going forward. During the period he managed SEC (IPO in July 2005 to June 2009), the absolute and relative performance was extremely poor. The discount widened out materially, at one point reaching more than 50%, and for much of the time Mr Dalwood was running the trust it suffered from a persistently wide discount. It also lost many good long term shareholders and gained arbitrageurs between IPO and June 2009.
Since this was announced, the absolute and relative discount has widened, not narrowed. This indicates that the shareholders/market are not supportive of the Board’s decision. Again, none of the Board members have purchased shares since this change was announced.
As part of the change, in March 2020 the Board announced it would reset the high watermark for the performance fees for the new manager. Such a change would normally customarily require a shareholder vote. There was no explanation for the change. In May the Board changed its mind saying that the old high watermark for performance fees would be retained.
Gresham House already has two other products which do broadly the same thing – the microcap OEIC run by Ken Wootton, and Gresham House Strategic Trust plc (GHS), run by Richard Staveley. These three products are in essence competing with many of the same investments and for many of the same clients. There is no explanation given by the Board of how the inherent conflicts of this situation are managed. With GHS in particular receiving higher management and performance fees than SEC, what is the incentive to put the best investments and sales focus into SEC? Both GHS and SEC are also sub scale.
Other than a brief period at the end of 2019/early 2020, GHS has traded on a persistent discount to NAV and does not have a wide shareholder base of wealth managers. There is no evidence that Gresham House can attract new long term shareholders from the wealth management space to these products in an investment company structure.
GHS was a material and influential shareholder in Be Heard Group when Gresham House was given the mandate for SEC. GHS’s own marketing material states they were heavily involved in appointment and incentivisation of David Morrison as chairman of Be Heard plc, and were large shareholders in Be Heard when they won the SEC mandate. David Morrison is a non-executive director of SEC, and was still chairman of Be Heard when Gresham House was awarded the mandate. There is no mention of these conflicts of interest in the SEC interim report 2020 detailing the change, nor how these conflicts were managed.
Page 30 of their Q2 2020 investor update (the first under the new management group) shows cumulative NAV growth since June 2009. The chart does not clearly state that from June 2009 until February 2017, the trust had a lead manager who is not part of the Gresham team. It is as if the team is taking credit for someone else’s work.
The discount for SEC is wider than the average in the sector and has widened recently.
The Board have changed the manager in 2020, but their choice has failed to reduce the discount.
This paper highlights a number of other strategies that might reduce the discount.
Cliff Weight, Director, ShareSoc
DISCLOSURE: The author owns shares in these companies mentioned in this article – Strategic Equity Capital, Gresham House Strategic and Harbourvest.
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Group description: | SIGnet Taunton is a new group with around 10 keen members at present, with a range of investment styles and experience. We welcome new members. |
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Group description: | A regular Signet Group looking to help members improve their investment techniques through group discussion of member’s experiences. We welcome investors with any level of experience. Group meetings generally start with:
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Group description: | This group was set up as a forum to discuss companies in detail, each company is introduced by a member and discussion may last one or two hours. Membership is by invitation only. |
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Group description: | Our group members have wide ranging investment experience and work backgrounds. Discussion topics include reviewing our recent stock or collective investment buying and selling activity, plus what we are considering buying or selling and the reasons for our decisions. We also have a wider discussion on where we think opportunities might arise in the next few months and what we think needs to be avoided. Members occasionally lead discussions on specific topics such as recent events attended, articles or books of interest and sources of investment ideas and information. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | During the pandemic our meetings were held on Zoom, but we have now resumed meeting in person at a location a few miles to the west of Colchester. Most meetings will now be in person, but it is possible that occasional meetings will be held on Zoom in special circumstances. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | We meet midweek every two months. Zoom meetings run for about two hours from 10.30am and in person meetings from 11am until about 3pm, including a break for lunch. |
Group description: | This group meets to look at issues that are of interest to the group, to look at individual companies with an investors eye and collectively raise the group’s knowledge of investable companies. There is also discussion on buys and sells made by members which calls upon and builds the collective skills and understanding of the group members. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | The meetings are held in Piccadilly Circus in a pub private room. The group does not meet on zoom. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | The group meets on the second Wednesday in every month from 6.30pm to 9pm. |
Group description: | The National Group is open to all members of SIGnet. It is intended primarily for new SIGnet members, who may not yet have found another suitable group to join. We aim to welcome new members and discuss their investment interests and current investment topics. Investors with all levels of experience are welcome to join. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Online |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | The National Group meets monthly, on a weekday evening. Meetings are generally from 7-8:30pm. |
Group description: | This group was formed in September 2023 and meets in-person during the evening in a London pub. The group is open to all investors – a good proportion of the initial membership are experienced investors. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | In-person meetings. Pub. Dinner and drinks. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Monthly on the third Tuesday of the month from 6-9pm. |
Group description: | We are a small group of committed, thoughtful, active, amateur investors who are mostly retired. Our core investment philosophy has always been to look for fundamental value in companies and our inspiration has been Warren Buffett. We are generally buy and hold investors, not frequent traders.
We will look at a wide range of investments, including for example, investment trusts, OEICs and ETFs as well as companies of any size. However we do not look at the more exotic areas of investment such as options, other financial instruments or hedge funds. Our discussions range widely over the myriad of factors that may influence investments and include macroeconomics, investment psychology and political trends and from time to time a member will present a book review relevant to investing. Typically the agenda will include an update on members’ investment activity since the last meeting and a presentation on an interesting potential investment by one or more members. We are all existing or former professionals and undoubtedly it is the combined experience which always makes the meetings both interesting and challenging. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | We have face to face meetings every two months at a venue close to Waterloo Station, London. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings run from 11am to 4.30pm, usually on a Tuesday and include a lunch. |
Group description: | Group focused on active investing, primarily in small / medium cap UK equities. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Regular Zoom meetings interspersed with occasional face to face meetings and social activities in the North West. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Monthly on Saturdays at 10am. |
Group description: | Our group covers a wide spectrum of mainly stock market investing and trading from equities – which include shares, ETF’s Investment and Unit Trusts. We normally rotate the meeting chairperson (responsible for creating, with member’s help, suitable agendas) and a meeting presenter (members take it in turns to provide a 15 to 45 minute presentation on a subject of their choice). Various investing topics of interest are regularly discussed such as software, brokers, investing categories and markets and any related topics of interest. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Meetings will be returning to in-person in a private room at a West London golf club, close to an underground station. In the meantime monthly video calls and an in-between meeting email group will continue. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | In-person meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month in the afternoons, following a golf club one course lunch. |
Group description: | The Options group has been meeting monthly for some 20+ years and new members who are either trading or interested in trading options are always welcome. Our members trade options predominately on both UK and USA shares, indices, currencies and commodities. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Meetings take place via video call. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings are monthly, on the 4th Wednesday of each month, normally from 12:30 to 2:30 and sometimes run over. |
Group description: | This group is nominally the Edinburgh group. However, the group actually draws membership from: Edinburgh, The Lothians, The Borders, Fife and Stirlingshire.
The majority of the group are what you could called ‘investors’ with a longer term outlook rather than ‘traders’, but several have broad experience in the markets. Most of the group are predominantly interested in equities within the context of a portfolio. Some members have interests across asset classes and are interested in portfolio construction and portfolio management. Although some members are highly experienced investors that is not true of all and experience level should not be seen as an impediment to joining. The group is open to new members. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | The aim is to have a mix of formats to support the requirements of all group members:
– Online meetings once per month in the evenings to suit those members who are working |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Our aim is to meet at least once a month virtually with physical meetings as frequently or more often when the opportunity arises. We are fortunate in Edinburgh to have many quality venues for meetings, and occasional investor events that allow ad-hoc meet-ups around the shared interest of investing. |
Group description: | This group is open to all levels of investor and is particularly popular because it meets after working hours in central London. The meeting usually has a presentation or group discussion on aspects of investing and also runs a Buys & Sells session which gives everyone the chance to see what the other group members are buying or selling and why. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | The venue is near Victoria Station in a pub where the group also enjoy a meal from a typical pub menu. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | This group meets in the evening in London. It is a face to face group that meets every third Tuesday in the month from 6.30pm to 9pm. |
Group description: | This group is for those interested in investing in the USA. It is open to all investors with a special interest in this area and all levels of experience are welcome. A typical meeting will have a discussion on a particular market issue or a presentation by a member or external speaker on a subject of interest to the group. All members are expected to play a part in presenting and to take an active role in making the group of value to all its members. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | As a specialist group with a wide geographic spread of members, our meetings are held on zoom. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings are monthly and are held on the third Tuesday in the month from 11-12.30PM. |
Group description: | A group that welcomes investors with all levels of experience. We aim to provide a friendly north-eastern welcome to anyone that wishes to join, share their knowledge of investing and benefit from others’ knowledge and experience.
The group discusses a range of investment related topics. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Currently, we’re meeting in-person at a venue in Durham. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings occur monthly, on weekday evenings from 7pm-9pm. We may vary this, according to demand from group members. |
Group description: | We hold monthly in-person meetings with possible exceptions in August and December. Discussions are generally on the topic of investment strategy and potential companies of interest. Each member is expected to make an investment-related presentation approximately once a year. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | We meet in a private room at a pub around 7 miles SW of Oxford. We usually each order a dish from the pub menu that is served during the meeting. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings are in-person, monthly on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Typical meetings last 2 to 2.5 hours. |
Group description: | The group has been successfully operating for over 20 years and currently has members with diverse investment styles. However there is sufficient in common to ensure an interesting mix of ideas and experience which provides a great sounding board for investing as well as the opportunity to enhance our investment skills.
Some members lean towards a buy and hold approach whilst others trade more frequently, some use technical analysis methods, others use fundamentals or a combination. Discussions cover companies predominantly listed on the London Stock Exchange, including small AIM stocks, but investments in other countries are sometimes included. Investment trusts, exchange traded funds, bonds and some other financial instruments are included. Economic issues as they relate to investing are discussed for those who adopt a top down approach. Additionally, experience of different investing software and information sources provides good insights into what members find works well for them. If an investment related subject is of interest to the majority of the group then it is included, such as government budget announcements, pensions and inheritance tax etc. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Pre Covid we had face to face meetings once a month in a pub for a 3 hour session just a few miles to the west of Cambridge during an evening. Covid forced a change to video conferencing for meetings. These meetings remain monthly but are split into two shorter sessions, they normally take place on the first and second Thursday of each month. From 2023 at least two meetings during the year will be face to face.
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Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Monthly, usually on the first and second Thursday of each month from 7pm. Any face to face meetings will also be on a Thursday at 7pm. |
Group description: | The group is open to more experienced and established investors who are active traders in shares, bonds and other investment vehicles. All present members are “mature” individuals but this would not preclude younger experienced investors.
At present there is an interest within the group in AIM shares with a view to inheritance tax planning but this is not in preclusion to other interests, REITs, Investment Trusts, Property etc. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Meetings take place in person at private houses mainly in the north Leeds area. On occasion, especially in the summer, meetings may be held in members’ houses elsewhere in the general area.
At each meeting the members outline their recent activity and its relevance to their overall investment goals. Current fiscal events and economic conditions are discussed. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | The group meets each month on a working day determined at the end of the preceding meeting.
The meetings commence at 10:30 am and continue until around 1:00 to 1:30 pm. |
Group description: | A small group covering Dorset and South Hampshire.
We enjoy wide ranging discussions sharing views and knowledge on all investing types. We discuss relevant world events, sectors of interest, unit and investment trusts and individual equities. The group has been running for many years and members are all active investors. New members welcome. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Monthly meeting alternating between Zoom and Face to Face. The latter is in a local pub near the New Forest. All the meetings of recent years have taken place in the evening. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Monthly during the evening, 7pm-9pm. |
Group description: | Meeting once a month, our group covers a variety of investment styles. We also have an active WhatsApp group and we welcome new members. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Physical meetings at a venue in Preston, Hitchin, SG4. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Monthly on a Saturday at 10am (usually the last Saturday of the month). |
Group description: | Experienced investors who have been members many years and newer members wanting to learn about investing. Members discuss portfolio content and reasons why they have certain assets and investments. Buys and sells discussed along with interesting shares being considered along with current issues in the market of local or international influence. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Physical face to face meetings held in a central pub in Easton in Gordano. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Usually monthly to 6 weekly, mid week 12 noon to 2pm with lunch. |
Group description: | We are a relatively small group, but have a wide range of interests so always start every meeting with a discussion about world issues and the “investing environment” generally. We always discuss individual members market activity and any interesting opportunities on their watchlists. There is currently a lot of expertise in the small cap value area of the market within the group. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Our preference is for a physical meeting and a hotel in Meriden (Coventry) is the usual location, but we do have on-line meetings when weather and/or health issues make that the most suitable option. We rotate the chair and this is agreed at the previous meeting. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Our preference is to meet every 4 weeks on a Thursday evening, but the exact details are agreed at the previous meeting. |
Group description: | A small group whose primary interests are equity and Investment Trusts. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Currently meeting online using Skype. It is envisaged to have occasional meetings at member’s private houses in the future. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings are held fortnightly on Tuesday mornings using Skype. |
Group description: | Most members are experienced investors. The main focus is on equity investments (single stocks or investment trusts). Other asset classes are discussed. Meetings involve presentations from members who are expected to lead discussions from time to time. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Meeting quarterly, physically in Central London. Other months (8 months per year) on Zoom. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meetings are generally held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. The Quarterly physical meetings are from 11am-4pm (with approximately 1 hour break for lunch), the Zoom meetings (during the other 8 months) tend to last up to 2 hours (11am – 12:45pm). |
Group description: | A long-established group, however, we welcome new applications. Our meetings start at 10:15am with coffee and scones when members comment on their investment activities since the previous month. Generally, each member reports on a specific Company/IT/Fund e.t.c. This brings us to about 12:30pm when the meeting ends, and we have lunch. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | In-person at a Golf Club in Belfast. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | The group usually meets on the second Wednesday of the month, all year round, except in July and August when we have no meetings. Meetings commence at 10:15am and last 2-3 hours (including lunch). |
Group description: | We welcome anyone interested in investments regardless of their level of knowledge and experience. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Physical meeting in the Boardroom of a venue in RG9 (pre-meetings in the bar). |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Monthly – 3rd Wednesday of each month at 18:00 (except January, where the meeting will be held at lunch time). |
Group description: | We are a friendly social group welcoming investors with all levels of experience. Our membership varies between those with little or no knowledge of investing to those who live off their investing or their portfolios. We do not invest as a group so there is no money on the table, and we never discuss individual worth; we simply discuss and share investing ideas, we analyse the state of the market, individual stocks, funds, trusts, bonds etc., and we invite contributions from all group members. Guest speakers and company presentations are a regular feature, as is the SIGnet competition and also our own long-term Manchester Portfolio. We invite members to volunteer presentations from time to time on particular topics of their interest / expertise. At each meeting members are asked to share their latest or potential buying and selling activity. Our face-to-face meetings are punctuated by a lunch break, and for those with the time there is socialising and drinks afterwards. Most of all we learn from each other. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | The group meets through a combination of Zoom and face-to-face meetings at a central Manchester boardroom style venue. |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meets bi-monthly, 10am-3pm on Monday mornings, usually mid-month. |
Group description: | The Leicester Square Group welcomes investors with all levels of experience, but all members are expected to contribute to our discussions. We discuss/analyse individual stocks, market trends and investment topics. Guest speakers are sometimes invited to address the group. At each meeting all members are asked to inform the group of what stocks or collective investments they’ve been buying or selling, or are considering buying or selling. A friendly and supportive discussion is encouraged. The meeting is punctuated by a lunch break, providing an opportunity to socialise. After the meeting, members may stay on for drinks and to socialise further. |
Meeting Type/Venue: | Physical meetings at a central London venue |
Meeting Frequency/Timing: | Meets bi-monthly, 11am-4pm on a weekday |
I am meeting the Chairman via Zoom on Monday. I wrote to him politely asking for a meeting and sent him a copy of this blog. I look forward to hearing what he has to say.
Schroder Japan Growth (SJG) has bowed to shareholder pressure and offered to buy back a quarter of its shares in four years’ time if the trust’s performance does not pick up.
Annual results this week showed the £222m investment trust underperformed the Japanese stock market for the second financial year in a row. With the shares trading 16% below net asset value (NAV) – the widest discount in its sector – it has pledged to launch a tender offer that would allow shareholders to sell some of their stakes closer to their underlying value in 2024.
The tender offer – which would shrink the trust by up to 25% and risk making it less attractive to big wealth managers – will be triggered unless SJG’s new fund manager Masaki Taketsume (pictured below) decisively beats his Topix index benchmark by more than 2% a year in the four years to July 2024.
i am also invested in GHS- this topic is very helpful and wonder if anyone has looked at the situation with Oakley Capital (OCI) which is a private equity company-any comments from anyone familiar with the matter would be welcome
Ali, I have had a brief look at Oakley. 27% discount. I bought some Oakley shares in Sept. It is another interesting case.
I have written about GHS again today https://www.sharesoc.org/blog/when-is-a-concert-party-not-a-concert-party/
Good to see the number of mergers between trusts is increasing. Latest Press Release (apologies for formatting from my copy and paste, but you can guess the columns!) from AIC says:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17 JUNE 2024
RECORD YEAR FOR INVESTMENT TRUST MERGERS ALREADY
– Six mergers between investment trusts completed in 2024, with one in the pipeline
– Previous record was five mergers in 2021 and 2022
– See list of 2024 mergers below
There have been six mergers between investment trusts so far in 2024, surpassing the previous record of five mergers set in 2021 and equalled in 2022, according to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC).
The biggest was the merger between Tritax Big Box REIT and UK Commercial Property REIT in May, creating a combined company with total assets of £5 billion.
In addition to the six completed mergers (see table below), a merger between Henderson European Focus and Henderson EuroTrust is expected to complete in July1.
Richard Stone, Chief Executive of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), said: “A record year for mergers shows that investment trust boards are responding to investors’ preference for larger, more liquid trusts that are easier to trade and cheaper to run. The median investment trust has more than doubled in size from £175 million of total assets ten years ago to £374 million today, excluding VCTs.”
Mergers between investment trusts in 2024
2024
Merged companies (continuing company in bold)
AIC sector
Jan
Henderson High Income
Henderson Diversified Income
UK Equity & Bond Income
Debt – Loans & Bonds
Feb
JPMorgan UK Smaller Companies
JPMorgan Mid Cap
UK Smaller Companies
UK All Companies
Mar
Fidelity China Special Situations
abrdn China
China / Greater China
China / Greater China
Mar
JPMorgan Global Growth & Income
JPMorgan Multi-Asset Growth & Income
Global Equity Income
Flexible Investment
Mar
STS Global Income & Growth
Troy Income & Growth
Global Equity Income
UK Equity Income
May
Tritax Big Box REIT
UK Commercial Property REIT
Property – UK Logistics
Property – UK Commercial
Source: theaic.co.uk (as at 17/06/24)
Number of investment trust mergers by year since 2016
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
to date
No. of mergers
1
2
1
2
1
5
5
4
6
Source: theaic.co.uk (as at 17/06/24)
– ENDS –