Fund Profile

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Disclosure – Non-substantive Research

This is not substantive investment research or a research recommendation, as it does not constitute substantive research or analysis. With this commentary, Kepler Partners LLP does not intend to influence your investment firm's behaviour. 

Overview
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Overview

One of the world’s oldest investment trusts, F&C Investment Trust (FCIT) is a behemoth of the AIC Global sector, with almost £4bn in AUM.

The company, over 150 years old, utilises a fund of funds approach, employing BMO’s specialist teams and third-party managers to invest in global equities. According to JPM Cazenove, the company has over 500 holdings across a wide range of geographies and sectors. On top of this, the managers hold both listed and unlisted securities, helping offer investors access to companies and sectors they might otherwise struggle to have such access to.

The company is on course for its 49th consecutive year of dividend increases, having paid a dividend every year since launch. Income is not the main focus for the manager, however, and the fund is positioned to deliver long-term growth in capital via an internationally-diversified portfolio. This has been shown since Paul Niven took the helm in 2014, delivering decent NAV total returns. Over the period the company has outperformed both the Global AIC and IA peer groups, although has underperformed the FTSE All-World benchmark.

The discount widened out to double digits after the referendum; since then it has narrowed significantly. It currently stands at 5.3%.

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Fund History

18 Sep 2024 Betting it all on black?
We ask what has been driving returns in the global equity sector…
17 Jul 2024 Balancing act
We ask why trusts with a more flexible approach have outperformed…
17 Jun 2024 Fund Analysis
Broadening equity market strength may mean FCIT’s diverse portfolio is well placed to benefit…
17 Apr 2024 Pretty, pretty, pretty good
Do investment trusts really protect capital and income against inflation? Let's take a look…
13 Nov 2023 Fund Analysis
FCIT’s discount may provide an attractive entry point…
12 Jul 2023 Many hands make light work
We break down how multi-managers have performed over the past five years and their positioning for the inevitable uncertainty that lies ahead…
12 Jun 2023 Fund Analysis
FCIT’s core global equity characteristics have offered steady growth in a volatile environment…
23 Mar 2023 The first course: week one of our ISA event in review
We look at the first four presentations of our ISA season event…
06 Mar 2023 Value and growth, and why both matter, with F&C's Paul Niven
Paul Niven
Rewatch this webinar from our month-long online series 'A feast of ideas for your ISA' hosted by the team at Kepler Trust Intelligence throughout March...
Watch Recording
26 Oct 2022 Money for nothing
Debt measured at fair value has had a positive impact on NAV returns for a number of investment trusts this year...
27 Sep 2022 Fund Analysis
FCIT has provided consistent performance in an uncertain market environment…
17 Aug 2022 The world for sale
While investment trusts are lagging their open-ended cousins in the global sector, their discounts may provide an attractive entry point...
30 Mar 2022 You say tomato…
Do it yourself or put it into a global fund and leave it to the experts - our analyst debate the merits of each approach...
02 Mar 2022 Spread 'em!
We explore how much dispersion in returns of stocks drive the differing fortunes of trusts…
13 Dec 2021 Fund Analysis
FCIT’s broad-based approach to global equity investing has let it capitalise on current markets, being one of the sector’s best performers recently…
03 Nov 2021 Don't fear the reaper
With market direction hard to call, we consider the case for taking a long-term view in the investment trust sector…
19 Aug 2021 Pandemic immunity
We ask which global equity trusts have outperformed through the different stages of the pandemic…
04 Aug 2021 60/40 and other dinosaurs
A simple practical step to take your portfolio from the 1990s into the 2020s...
10 Jun 2021 Green is good!
2021 will see billions dedicated to sustainable initiatives, which brings with it a host of possible investment opportunities...
21 May 2021 Fund Analysis
FCIT is celebrating its 50th year of consecutive dividend growth…
12 Mar 2021 Results analysis: F&C Investment Trust
We examine the full year results released by the board of FCIT, assessing what has driven the trust’s performance and how it continues to offer a unique proposition in the global equity space…
19 Nov 2020 Fund Analysis
FCIT offers a well-diversified global multi-strategy portfolio at an attractive discount…
23 Oct 2019 Fund Analysis
One of the world’s oldest investment trusts, F&C Investment Trust is on course for its 49th year of consecutive dividend increases...
13 Dec 2018 Fund Analysis
The world’s oldest investment trust is on course for its 48th consecutive year of dividend increases having paid a dividend every year since launch...
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Current Site Kepler Trust Intelligence is produced by the investment companies team at Kepler Partners and is the UK’s premier source of detailed qualitative research on investment trusts. Absolute Hedge is a market leading UCITS research database providing proprietary research on funds, themes and strategies in the UCITS space. Kepler Liquid Strategies is a Dublin domiciled UCITS fund platform featuring a number of best-of-breed fund managers. Kepler Partners is a corporate advisory and asset raising boutique specialising in the regulated funds market in Europe and investment trusts in the UK.