European Opportunities Trust

EOT's portfolio of leading global companies, as well as the discount to NAV, offer strong recovery potential...

European Opportunities Trust - Termination of coverage

Edison Investment Research is terminating coverage on European Opportunities Trust (EOT). Please note you should no longer rely on any previous research or estimates for this company. All forecasts should now be considered redundant. Previously published reports can still be accessed via our website.

European Opportunities Trust – ‘Special’ growth companies

With its strong focus on growth, European Opportunities Trust (EOT) has faced significant headwinds during the last couple of years. Inflation now seems to be coming under control, but with growing signs of a recession in Europe, sentiment is poor. Consequently, valuations of European equities are cheap relative to their history and global markets. EOT’s portfolio is made up of ‘special’ growth companies that typically benefit from strong IP, an advantageous industry structure, strong balance sh

European Opportunities Trust – ‘Special’ growth companies

With its strong focus on growth, European Opportunities Trust (EOT) has faced significant headwinds during the last couple of years. Inflation now seems to be retreating, but with growing signs of a recession in Europe, sentiment appears to be poor. Valuations of European equities look cheap relative to their history and global markets. EOT’s portfolio is made up of what its manager describes as ‘special’ growth companies that it feels benefit from strong IP, an advantageous industry structure,

European Opportunities Trust - ‘Special’ stocks beginning to shine

European Opportunities Trust’s (EOT’s) manager, Alexander Darwall, invests in ‘special’ companies – globally focused businesses with unique technologies, comparative advantages and multiple growth channels. His aim is to construct a resilient portfolio capable of generating capital growth in all economic climates. The trust’s long-term track record of outperformance attests to the manager’s stock selection skills. EOT has returned 8.7% in NAV terms on an average annualised basis over the past 10

European Opportunities Trust - Positioned for positive news and growth

European Opportunities Trust’s (EOT’s) manager, Alexander Darwall, invests in globally focused companies with unique technologies, comparative advantages and multiple growth channels, with the aim of constructing a resilient portfolio capable of generating capital growth in all economic climates. This strategy has delivered positive returns and outperformance over the long term; in the 10 years to end February 2023, the portfolio has made an average annualised return of 9.1% in NAV terms, compar

Quality risk

EOT is positioned for growth in a difficult environment. Managed by Alexander Darwall of Devon Equity, EOT takes quality risk combining quality investees with a concentrated portfolio. Risk is managed via careful attention to investee’s products, end-markets (including the market structure), management and balance sheets. In contrast to most professional managers, Darwall takes advantage of the investment trust structure to embrace concentration risk preferring not to dilute his stock selections

European Opportunities Trust

A sustainable growth portfolio for more uncertain times...

European Opportunities Trust - Consistent, resilient trust returning to form

European Opportunities Trust’s (EOT’s) manager, Alexander Darwall, invests in globally focused companies with unique technologies, favourable industry structures and multiple growth channels, with the aim of constructing a resilient portfolio capable of generating capital growth in all economic climates. EOT’s long-term performance is strong in absolute and relative terms, with average annualised returns of 11.4% on an NAV basis and 10.2% in share price terms over the 10 years to end-July 2022.

European Opportunities

European Opportunities Trust (EOT) owns a portfolio of companies selected by long term manager Alexander Darwall because of their “special” qualities. In Alexander’s view, these companies are differentiated and have unique products which makes them likely a leader not just in Europe, but globally.

European Opportunities Trust - Tough times expected to reaffirm a tested strategy

European Opportunities Trust’s (EOT’s) manager, Alexander Darwall, aims to construct an ‘all weather’ portfolio comprising stocks able to generate profits and capital growth in all economic climates. He seeks out globally focused companies with unique technologies, favourable industry structures and multiple growth channels. Recent performance has been mixed, in part due to the trust’s quality bias, but long-term performance has been strong in absolute and relative terms. EOT made annualised ret

European Opportunities - Overview

European Opportunities Trust (JEO) has been managed by Alexander Darwall since launch in 2000. Alexander focusses squarely on fundamentals, ignoring the short-term noise of the stock market, and invests based on his own analysis of each portfolio company, and taking a long-term view. Alexander aims to build a low turnover portfolio of “special” companies that will outperform over the economic cycle. However, his portfolio construction aims to ensure that those companies in which he has highest

What next for European equities?

Despite Europe’s popularity among holidaymakers, it appears that investors prefer sunnier shores. According to The Investment Association, UK investors were net sellers of European equities in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Historically low returns from European equity markets (compared to other regions) and low GDP growth seem to have soured investors’ moods. In this article we will examine the AIC Europe and AIC European Smaller Companies sectors over the last 12 months, to see whether this pessimism is

European Opportunities Trust - A 'fund for all seasons' targeting global winners

European Opportunities Trust (JEO) invests in European and UK companies offering good prospects for capital growth. Alexander Darwall has managed JEO since its inception in 2000. He aims to construct a ‘fund for all seasons’ comprising stocks capable of generating profits in all economic climates. Darwall is a high-conviction investor and JEO is a concentrated portfolio of ‘special’, globally focused companies that benefit from unique technologies or favourable industry structures and possess mu

Morning Note – 22 April 2024

Benefits of scale set to materialise

Frenkel Topping - Resilient with strong growth potential

FY 2023 was a challenging year for Frenkel with higher interest rates encouraging clients to place money into lower margin money market funds. Despite this, sales grew +32% (supported by recurring revenue +9% and +51% in non-recurring), EBIT margins remained strong at 22% and adj. EPS grew +17% (taking into account the higher number of shares). FY 2024 has seen a solid start to transactional business and there is a strong pipeline of new FUM opportunities both of which support further growth. Wi

S&U - PBT ahead, encouraging volume trends

S&U reported FY24 PBT of £33.6m, down from £41.4m in FY23 on higher funding and regulatory costs and higher impairments in Advantage in H2. PBT was 2% ahead of our forecast as stronger revenues – up 12% to £115.4m – and better costs offset higher-than-expected impairments. Net receivables grew to a record at both Advantage and Aspen and management noted particular strength in Q4 and a good trading environment in the current year. Having absorbed a significant rise in funding cost as well as addi

Hardman & Co Insight: 2023 was an annus horribilis for Quoted UK Infrastructure and Renewable Energy

The focus of Hardman & Co Research is on the nine quoted Infrastructure Investment Companies (IICs) and on the 22 Renewable Energy Infrastructure Funds (REIFs): the stocks analysed are all members of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC). We are updating our publication of January 2023, assessing both the lacklustre share price performances during 2023 and the key issues, including interest rates, inflation and power prices. As a 31-strong group, its combined market capitalisation is no

Foresight Solar Fund - Termination of coverage

Edison Investment Research is terminating coverage on ABC Arbitrage (ABCA), paragon (PGN), Foresight Solar Fund (FSFL), Kendrion (KENDR), Lithium Power International (LPI), Triple Point Energy Transition (TENT), 4iG (4IG), e-therapeutics (ETX), Pharnext (ALPHA) and Shield Therapeutics (STX). Please note you should no longer rely on any previous research or estimates for this company. All forecasts should now be considered redundant. Previously published reports can still be accessed via our web

LIBERUM: PayPoint: On track for £100m of EBITDA in FY 26

LIBERUM: Speedy Hire: Weakness in FY 24 but recovery in FY 25

Hybridan Small Cap Feast - 22 April 2024

22nd April 2024 * A corporate client of Hybridan LLP ** Arranged by type of listing and date of announcement *** Alphabetically arranged **** Potential means Intention to Float (ITF) has been announced Dish of the day Admissions: Delistings: What’s baking in the oven? ** Potential**** Initial Public Offerings: Reverse Takeovers: 16 April 2024: Electric Guitar (ELEG.L) Concurrent with its Admission to trading on AIM, Electric Guitar is proposing to acquire the entire issued share capital of 3radi

Regional REIT - Performing as expected ahead of refinancing

In a challenging market, Regional REIT’s (RGL’s) FY23 operational and financial performance was robust, in line with expectations and previous guidance. Investor focus remains on the company’s loan to value (LTV) reduction and bond refinancing plans, explored in detail in our previous note and RGL will provide an update on this in due course.

The Hardman & Co Monthly: April 2024

Feature article: Steady as she goes, but could be better: A review of investment company liquidity since 2016 Liquidity is the lifeblood of equity markets. The measurement of liquid asset availability to a market or company is a way of gauging a market’s health. This article builds on our previous work, which analysed the liquidity data for non-financial trading companies, by applying the same analytical techniques to the investment companies (IC) space. We analyse liquidity for ICs as a whol

Foxtons Group (FOXT LN) - 1Q24 IMS shows real momentum

Foxtons Group plc first quarter revenue rose 9% to £35.7m (1Q23: £32.9m) with growth delivered across all business segments. Trading is in line with management's expectations.

Morning Note – 29 February 2024

Jupiter Green

Hardman & Co Insight - Asset managers had a poor 2022

Asset managers had a poor 2022: the S&P Composite 1500 Asset Management Index was down 22% and, according to the Investment Company Institute (ICI), worldwide mutual funds fell by 20%, from $76tr to $60tr. When bond and equity markets fall, the results are unlikely to be pretty: with revenues trending down and multiples contracting, there is a double whammy to contend with. So how do valuations shape up now, after a bullish start to the new year? The first chart is my favourite chart of asset m