Blogs

Latest Blogs

Streamlining Electronic AGM Access

  In recent years, some platforms have improved the ease of shareholders attending AGMs in person, with ii and AJ Bell adopting the Broadridge service, which makes it easy to request a Letter of Representation for in-person attendance. However, gaining access to AGMs electronically is often still cumbersome for all concerned. This is particularly the case for AGMs held on the widely used Lumi platform. To gain access a code must be obtained, which is not a concept Broadridge currently supports. Codes are ...

GUSBOURNE Case Study

Sparkling Product, Sour Investment   Gusbourne PLC (GUS), an AIM-listed producer of English sparkling wine, is a case study in how minority shareholders in small-cap companies can be severely disadvantaged. While the product itself may garner acclaim, the company's recent trajectory has left a bitter taste for many individual investors. Lord Ashcroft, Gusbourne's majority shareholder and primary debt holder, is moving to take the company private, leaving smaller shareholders with severely limited and unpalatable options. Gusbourne Share Price Performance A Precipitous Decline in Value The timeline of ...

Why ESG-Focused Funds might be a Strong Investment Choice

  Despite a history of greenwashing and historically dubious definitions of what defined an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) qualifying investment, sustainable investing has now shifted from an ethical to a practical financial strategy. Investors, emboldened by new, robust governance of what constitutes an ESG investment (from the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and the International Regulatory Strategy Group (IRSG)), are increasingly focussed on firms which integrate ESG sustainable business practices that lead to long-term financial resilience. Beyond ethical considerations, ESG-focused funds offer ...

Portfolio Review 2024 – Cliff Weight

  Key points  Portfolio up 11.5%.   Benchmark performance: UK (FTSE100) +9.7%, but risk adjusted global benchmark (based on my 88%/12% equity/cash allocation) +18.6%.   Relative performance reflects conservative strategy of preservation of wealth, home country bias and AIM bias.  Portfolio allocation  30% index trackers, 33% direct shares, 19% funds and Investment Trusts, 12% cash/bonds, 2% VCTs.    50% UK, 33% US, 13% other geographies. Red flag re home country bias.  Decided to allocate 20-30% of portfolio to bonds/cash accounts. Started to implement plan.   Exposed ...

Business Relief? Perhaps, but at what cost?

ShareSoc member Mark Lauber dissects the inheritance tax service from Rockpool Investments Hardman has issued a research piece on the Rockpool Inheritance Tax Service. Fair play to them for outlining the various fees, charges and costs, but the more I read the more I scratched my head as to whether this is really worthwhile for investors.   The underlying strategy is to obtain Inheritance Tax relief on lending to SMEs, with loans on a senior secured basis via Novus Lending Limited. The portfolio has ...