Scottish Investment Trust share price: what to expect from its H1 results

When is the Scottish Investment Trust’s results date?

The Scottish Investment Trust (SIT) is scheduled to release its half-year 2019 results on June 18.

Scottish Investment Trust results preview: what does the City expect?

Last year, the SIT delivered another positive performance, with its share price total return up 1.9%, while its net asset value per share (NAV) total return saw an increase of 1.1% - an impressive accomplishment at a time when the investment management industry contends with rapid change.

SIT has carried the momentum forward into 2019 with the fund manager declaring its first interim dividend of 5.30p a share, up from 5p a share last year.

SIT success as an active fund manager at a time when there is increased competition and appetite for investors to pool their funds in passive products is a testament to its investment approach.

The fund has long targeted profit by investing in ‘unfashionable’ and ‘undervalued’ companies which are often overlooked by much of the market.

Over the past year, SIT’s investment strategy allowed it to deliver an increase in its earnings per share of 12.8% to 26p a share, with the fund so far on track to maintain its earnings guidance in 2019.

However, the fund has a challenging 12 months ahead of it as it battles with a myriad of macroeconomic headwinds that will increase market volatility and apply downward pressure on global growth.

‘There are a number of other geopolitical issues that could move markets in either direction, depending on how they develop,’ SIT Chairman James Will said. ‘The most obvious concerns are the apparent slowdown in the Chinese economy, the state of relations between the US and China, a debt crisis in Turkey, the actions of the new Italian government and US relations with Iran.

‘The larger than usual number of risks, combined with the strong performance of equities in recent years, mean that the Company currently has a cautious view about the short-term outlook for markets,’ he added.

Scottish Investment Trust launches digital hub

Despite being an old-fashioned fund in many ways, in recent weeks SIT has taken a major step towards modernity with its launch of an online learning hub that looks to expand its reach to a younger set of investors.

‘The development of our learning hub embodies the educational and plain English approach we have long taken when communicating with our investors. Financial literacy is an essential life skill,’ Will said.