27th Jan 2016 12:16
LONDON (Alliance News) - Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust PLC on Wednesday said its net asset value total return just missed its benchmark in 2015, but the trust did hike its dividend payout.
The trust said its net asset value total return for the year was 10.2%, slightly behind the 10.6% return for the Numis Smaller Companies Index (Excluding Investment Companies) benchmark. Its share price total return, however, was 13.9%, outpacing the benchmark primarily due to a narrowing of its discount to net asset value over the year.
The trust said the performance was very solid in a year which proved difficult for smaller companies, with the falling oil price in particular affecting small-cap companies in London.
The company said it will pay a final dividend of 17.85 pence per share, making its total dividend 26.0p per share, up 5.1% year-on-year.
Shares in the trust were up 0.2% to 1,075.60p.
By Sam Unsted; samunsted@alliancenews.com; @SamUAtAlliance
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Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust Plc