Hargreave Hale AIM VCT PLC on Friday said the future looks brighter for small UK companies as the UK macro outlook improves, although this ‘is yet to manifest’ in more initial public offering plans.
The venture capital trust, which primarily backs companies listed on the AIM market in London, said its net asset value per share was 44.76 pence at June 30. This was up from 43.64p at March 31.
Shares in Hargreave Hale AIM VCT were flat at 40.00p each late on Friday morning in London.
The NAV total return for the period was positive 2.6%, just behind the AIM All-Shares Index which returned positive 2.8%.
The trust noted that during the three months, the third quarter of the year ending on September 30, UK inflation returned to the Bank of England’s 2% target and meaning that ‘many companies and households can look forward to reduced borrowing costs’.
‘Currently, the markets are pricing in another two cuts by the calendar year end,’ Hargreave Hale added.
The trust continued: ‘Although the fund flow data in May remained very poor, we and other small cap managers have noted a significant improvement in the flow dynamic within UK small companies. It is too early to say that the market has turned decisively; however, it feels like the direction of travel may be about to change.
‘Several prominent strategists have turned more positive on UK equities. Many, not least of all private equity and overseas trade buyers, recognise that many UK small companies offer good long term growth at attractive prices.’
However, it said this ‘more positive sentiment’ has ‘yet to manifest in more companies committing to initial public offerings on AIM. Possibly for the first time in the nearly 20 years we have been running the VCT, we were unable to deploy any capital into qualifying companies within a quarter.’
On the other hand: ‘Investors have continued to show a preference for investment in larger companies; however, there is some evidence to suggest that trend is starting to reverse and may continue to do so as interest rates start to fall,’ Hargreave Hale AIM VCT said. ‘We are cautiously optimistic.’
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