Smaller companies are usually a problematic area to invest in during significant downturns or recessions; and the sharp fall in 2020 hasn’t been an exception. In this article we assess the performance of smaller companies trusts throughout the pandemic, while identifying the factors that have differentiated the winners from the losers. This includes the impact that cash, market cap exposure, sector allocation, revenue exposure and growth or value biases have had, with some surprising results. We also ask whether now is an attractive time to invest in smaller companies, highlighting the trusts which stand out to us…

05 May 2020
The fight in the dog
BlackRock Throgmorton Trust PLC GBP (THRG:LON), 565 | Gresham House plc (GHE:LON), 1,072 | Miton UK Microcap Trust Plc (MINI:LON), 54.5 | Aberforth Split Level Income Trust plc (ASIT:LON), 0 | Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust PLC (ASL:LON), 0 | Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust PLC (MTE:LON), 118 | European Smaller Companies Trust PLC (ESCT:LON), 147 | Blackrock Smaller Companies Trust PLC (BRSC:LON), 0 | Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust PLC GBP (DSM:LON), 0 | River and Mercantile UK Micro Cap Investment Company Ltd GBP Accum.Red.Shs (RMMC:LON), 0

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The fight in the dog
BlackRock Throgmorton Trust PLC GBP (THRG:LON), 565 | Gresham House plc (GHE:LON), 1,072 | Miton UK Microcap Trust Plc (MINI:LON), 54.5 | Aberforth Split Level Income Trust plc (ASIT:LON), 0 | Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust PLC (ASL:LON), 0 | Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust PLC (MTE:LON), 118 | European Smaller Companies Trust PLC (ESCT:LON), 147 | Blackrock Smaller Companies Trust PLC (BRSC:LON), 0 | Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust PLC GBP (DSM:LON), 0 | River and Mercantile UK Micro Cap Investment Company Ltd GBP Accum.Red.Shs (RMMC:LON), 0
- Published:
05 May 2020 -
Author:
William Sobczak -
Pages:
7 -
Smaller companies are usually a problematic area to invest in during significant downturns or recessions; and the sharp fall in 2020 hasn’t been an exception. In this article we assess the performance of smaller companies trusts throughout the pandemic, while identifying the factors that have differentiated the winners from the losers. This includes the impact that cash, market cap exposure, sector allocation, revenue exposure and growth or value biases have had, with some surprising results. We also ask whether now is an attractive time to invest in smaller companies, highlighting the trusts which stand out to us…