Data as at: 18/04/2024

Gearing

Gearing policy

In order to ensure good governance of the Company, the Board has set various limits on the investments in the portfolio, whether in the maximum size of individual holdings, the total aggregate percentage of unlisted investments in the portfolio, the use of derivatives, the level of gearing and others. These limits and guidelines are regularly monitored.

Borrowing limits

The Company may, from time to time, use borrowings to provide short-term liquidity and, if the Directors deem it prudent, for longer term purposes. The Directors intend to restrict borrowings on a longer-term basis to a maximum amount equal to 25% of the net assets of the Company at the time of the drawdown.

Ways in which investment companies can magnify income and capital returns, but which can also magnify losses.

At its simplest, gearing means borrowing money to buy more assets in the hope the company makes enough profit to pay back the debt and interest and leave something extra for shareholders.

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how gearing works table

However, if the investment portfolio doesn’t perform well, gearing can increase losses. The more an investment company gears, the higher the risk.

Investment companies can usually borrow at lower rates of interest than you’d get as an individual. They also have flexible ways to borrow – for example they might get an ordinary bank loan or, for split capital investment companies, issue different classes of share.

Not all investment companies use gearing, and most use relatively low levels of gearing.

An indication of the maximum and minimum levels that the company would expect to be geared in normal market conditions.

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