fund
This is one of our rated funds. They’re the ones our experts believe will do well for investors over the longer term. Top of the class!
Liontrust Special Situations I
Concentrated multi-cap UK equity portfolio targeting companies with a durable competitive advantage.
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456.34p
Price (Inc)
These are the shares in the fund that pay out an income to clients. The income is made up of the total dividends – the money a company can pay out to its investors – from the companies in the fund.
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110.84p
Price (Acc)
These are the shares in the fund that don’t pay out an income to clients. Any dividends – the money a company can pay out to its investors – are reinvested into companies in the fund. Despite no income, the shares should be worth more over time. Good incentive, eh?
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0.00%
Initial chargeSome funds charge you when you first invest, which is aptly known as the initial charge. They’re usually between 3-5% but at Bestinvest, we usually don’t charge you a penny!
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0.75%
Annual management charge
This is how much the fund management company charges to run the fund. It’s like paying a babysitter, dog sitter or house sitter (that makes well-informed, heavily researched changes to improve your baby/dog/house when needed).
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0.87%
Ongoing charges
This stands for Ongoing Charges Figure. It’s the cost of running a fund and includes admin fees, manager fees, administration costs, etc.
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1.70%
Yield
How much the fund is currently paying out in income to investors. It’s NOT to be confused with the overall growth of a fund – a very different thing indeed. It’s also NOT a guarantee of future pay-outs, just a snapshot. This is more what it’s not than what it is…
The fund targets long-term capital growth from a relatively concentrated portfolio of UK equities. It includes companies of all sizes, but compared to the index it typically has a bias to mid and small caps. The managers have a quality growth investment style, looking for companies with an “Economic Advantage” such as intellectual property that enables them to produce sustained profits growth. This typically leads them to less economically sensitive sectors and away from areas such as banking and mining.
Fund summary
| Sector | UK All Companies |
| Structure | UNIT TRUST |
| Launched | November, 2010 |
| Size | £5,180m |
| Yield | 1.70% |
| Charging basis | Income |
| Dividends paid | 31 Jul |
Charges
| Standard initial charge | 0.00% |
| Initial charge via Bestinvest | 0.00% |
| Additional bid/offer spread | 0.87% |
| Annual management charge | 0.75% |
| Ongoing charges figure | 0.87% |
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Investment process
The investment process focuses on companies that offer “Economic Advantage” - competitive strengths that allow them to sustain a higher than average level of profitability for longer than expected. The managers believe Economic Advantage is most durable in businesses with three categories of intangible assets: (1) Intellectual property; (2) Strong distribution channels; (3) Significant recurring business. Companies with durable Economic Advantage are also screened for the market’s appreciation of their potential earnings growth – the managers believe under-appreciated companies have the strongest potential for share price growth. This results in a portfolio of more dependable companies with less cyclicality. The investment style is not solely defensive - more cyclical stocks can be included, but banks, miners and retailers tend not to be represented. The fund is a dual priced unit trust so new investors will incur a small bid-offer spread on purchase.
Manager Anthony Cross has a track record of strong performance on the Liontrust UK Smaller Companies fund going back to 1998, and since 2005 he has brought similar success to the multi-cap Liontrust Special Situations fund. This is a best ideas fund for Cross and co-manager Julian Fosh, combining the highest conviction ideas from their small cap fund and their large-cap focused UK Growth fund. Their distinct, "Economic Advantage" approach provides some diversification from more mainstream UK funds, and also tends to give the fund some resilience in weaker markets.
Manager research
Average monthly relative returns
- 15/16 0.88%
- 16/17 0.08%
- 17/18 -0.01%
- 18/19 0.44%
- 19/20 0.19%
Bestinvest MRI
- 3 years 0.21%
- 5 years 0.32%
- Career 0.40%
- 3 years 94.30%
- 5 years 99.90%
- Career 100.00%
Performance figures are based on the average of monthly percentage returns relative to the benchmark index.
Anthony Cross / Julian Fosh
•Cross graduated in 1990 with a degree in politics from Exeter University and began his investment career at Schroders. In 1994 he became a member of their smaller companies team where he assisted Andy Brough with the Schroder UK Smaller Companies fund. In September 1997 he joined Liontrust. •Fosh has an MA in Jurisprudence from Merton College Oxford and began his career with Scottish Amicable Investment Managers in 1984. In 1997 he briefly joined Britannia Investment Managers, moving onto the Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Ltd in the same year where he managed a range of funds including UK equity OEICs, life and pension funds. In 2004 he joined Saracen to aid in the management of their Growth fund. In June 2008 he moved to Liontrust.
Track record
Anthony Cross / Julian Fosh has 11.7 years experience of managing mutual funds in this sector. Over this period the average monthly return relative to the benchmark index has been +0.4%. During the worst period of relative performance (from September 2008 - December 2008) there was a decline of 6% relative to the index. The worst absolute loss has been 29%. Statistically, we estimate the probability that this fund manager is adding value, rather than being lucky, is more than 99%.
Periods of worst performance
| Absolute | -29.00% (June 2008 - February 2009) |
| Relative | -6.00% (September 2008 - December 2008) |
About the MRI
Our unique indicator: the Bestinvest Manager Record Index (MRI) measures the likelihood that the fund manager is adding value through their decisions. It is based on their performance record over the course of their career, adjusted for the amount of risk taken. MRI is an important contributor to our fund rating system but it is also vital to take account of qualitative factors. It is also very important to select funds to form a cohesive portfolio with an appropriate overall risk level.
Allocation
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Top 10 holdings
Data accurate as at 31 December 2019
| 3.8615% | Glaxosmithkline |
| 3.8334% | Royal Dutch Shell |
| 3.7015% | Relx Plc |
| 3.6932% | Bp |
| 3.492% | Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc |
| 3.4202% | Diageo |
| 3.3802% | Sage Group |
| 3.292% | Unilever |
| 3.2902% | Compass Group Plc |
| 3.0795% | Tp Icap Plc |
| Source: Trustnet |
Sector breakdown
| Industrials | 27.00% |
| Consumer Services | 15.00% |
| Consumer Goods | 12.00% |
| Technology | 10.00% |
| Financials | 9.00% |
| Oil & Gas | 9.00% |
| Money Market | 8.00% |
| Health Care | 7.00% |
| Telecommunications | 2.00% |
Portfolio
Around 50 stocks, weighted in accordance with risk.
Constraints
There are no sector limits. Small cap stocks must have at least 3% directors' equity ownership. Typical max 10% of any company's shares.