6th Mar 2019 12:21
LONDON (Alliance News) - ScotGems PLC on Wednesday said it outperformed the market in 2018 despite a decrease in net asset value.
The investment trust focuses on small cap companies globally. It said NAV total return in 2018 was negative 2.8%. In comparison, the MSCI AC World Index, the MSCI AC World Small Cap Index and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index returns were negative 5.7%, 10.5% and 11.5%, respectively.
NAV per share, meanwhile, declined 2.3% to 93.10 pence from 95.77p at the end of 2017.
The stock was trading 2.7% lower on Wednesday at 89.00p a share.
As at December 31, the company was 72.3% invested in 22 companies and intends to continue to build the portfolio in 2019, it said.
"New investment ideas typically involve months of work and debate before we are able to judge whether there is genuine stewardship and a business model worth backing," explained Chair William Salomon.
ScotGems highlighted that its investment income jumped to GBP603,000 in 2018 from just GBP149,000 the year before, resulting in loss of GBP1.4 million for the year, narrowed from GBP1.7 million in 2017.
Related Shares:
SGEM.L