The Bankers Investment Trust (LON:BNKR) is celebrating its 130th anniversary with a 51st consecutive year of annual dividend growth, and a new FTSE World index benchmark that better reflects its investment approach. Recent performance has been strong, buoyed by good returns from the US portfolio and eye-catching outperformance in China, while dividends grew ahead of forecasts in FY17. Manager Alex Crooke cautions that recent sterling strength could be a headwind for overseas dividend income in the current period, although the trust’s large revenue reserve (1.8x the FY17 dividend) and focus on stocks with attractive dividend growth should help to ensure that BNKR’s long record of year-on-year growth is maintained. Crooke has recently been appointed co-head of equities at Janus Henderson Investors, but remains committed to overseeing BNKR.
Investment strategy: Growth in capital and income
BNKR aims to achieve its twin objectives of long-term capital growth and above-inflation dividend increases by investing globally in well-run, cash-generative firms that are trading at attractive valuations. Lead manager Alex Crooke sets the overall geographical allocation, with stock selection in each region undertaken by specialists from across Janus Henderson Investors (JHI). David Smith has taken on BNKR’s UK equity portfolio following Crooke’s appointment as JHI’s co-head of equities.
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