The Merchants Trust announces benchmark change
Performance measure moved from FTSE 100 to FTSE All-Share index
The Merchants Trust (MRCH) has announced that it will be changing its benchmark with effect from 1 February 2017.
It currently measures its performance against the FTSE 100 index, however reflecting the change in MRCH’s exposure over the last 10 years – the percentage of the portfolio invested outside of FTSE 100 stocks has increased from 11% to 36% – the board has decided to change the benchmark. From the start of the new financial year, MRCH’s performance will be measured against the FTSE All-Share index, which the board believes more closely reflects the structure of the portfolio and the investible universe. There will be no significant changes to how MRCH is managed.
MRCH aims to provide an above-average level of income and income growth, coupled with long-term capital growth from a portfolio of mainly higher-yielding, large-cap UK equities. It has 34 years of consecutive annual dividend growth. Near-term investment performance has improved; this is partly a function of rising bond yields as investors are starting to rotate away from expensive bond proxies and towards more cyclical, higher-yielding sectors of the UK stock market.
To read our latest research note on MRCH, please click here.
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