Henderson Opportunities 13 February 2019
Disclaimer
Disclosure – Independent Investment Research
This is independent research issued by Kepler Partners LLP. The analyst who has prepared this research is not aware of Kepler Partners LLP having a relationship with the company covered in this research report and/or a conflict of interest which is likely to impair the objectivity of the research and this report should accordingly be viewed as independent.
Henderson Opportunities Trust (HOT) aims to outperform the FTSE All Share by investing across the market cap spectrum. The portfolio of c.90 stocks is dominated by smaller companies, and over 60% is currently invested in AIM.
Managers James Henderson and Laura Foll aim to hold stocks for three to five years on average, and lean strongly on company meetings to understand management teams and the potential of their businesses. James and Laura are also a keen supporter of IPOs, looking to back high-growth companies at very early stages.
The trust has a strong track record of doing well in rising markets, and is heavily invested in high-growth technology stocks as well as industrials and consumer discretionary companies. It is consistently geared, although with the ability to reduce the gearing at short notice, which in our view means that it is a higher-risk play.
The relatively small size of the portfolio is also of benefit in the smaller companies space, we think, as it means the managers can continue to invest in the smaller end of the market without having to own large percentages of the companies, which would then be hard to sell.
The discount ballooned out beyond 20% following the EU referendum’s Brexit result of 2016, and is currently trading at around the 16% level, making it cheaper than all but one of its AIC UK Equity peers and cheaper than all but two AIC UK smaller company trusts.
Fund History
