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Shires Income PLC

Looking for high-quality investments for a high, regular income


Morningstar rating:
4 out of 5

Daily prices as of {{asOfDate}}

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Latest news

An update from our investment manager, Iain Pyle - 8 June 2020

There is no denying that we face a challenging period for income investing. The current breadth of income reduction is unprecedented and it has happened in a period of three months since the first effects of the virus were felt. Nor have the cuts been focused on those industries directly impacted. While we would expect companies in the travel, leisure and retail sectors to be feeling the full force of the UK's lockdown the impact is felt much more widely. As well as those companies that have had to cut dividend payments, we have seen as many who could continue to pay, but have chosen to conserve cash ahead of a period of great uncertainty. There are also those, such as the banks, that have been requested by regulators to pause dividend payments.

In this environment it is certainly hard to find reliable sources of income, but they do remain. In the UK market the miners, telecoms and tobacco stocks continue to offer healthy yields. As managers of the portfolio we need to strike a balance between owning these stocks and protecting income versus crowding into sectors. We also need to be careful not to sell stocks that have good long term prospects and will likely return to paying dividends in the not too distant future. In the majority of positions held in the trust, balance sheets are in good shape and earnings are expected to cover dividends in 2021 onwards. How quickly dividends return will depend on the duration of the current measures and the need for companies to rebuild balance sheets once the worst is over.

In the meantime, the trust remains relatively well positioned. The preference shares continue to offer a stable source of income and we have a healthy revenue reserve equivalent to almost one year's dividend. The current market also offers opportunities for capital gains, with many high quality companies at historically low valuations. Uncertainty is high, but with a long term view there are reasons for optimism.

Read our recent annual report
Listen to our podcast on investing for income featuring Iain Pyle
Access the Company's latest Regulatory News Service (RNS) announcements

About us

Hear more from our investment manager Iain Pyle:

 

Key people

Iain Pyle

Iain Pyle

Investment Director

Iain has been an Investment Director in the UK Equities team for Aberdeen Standard Investments since 2015. He is the lead manager of Shires Income plc and is deputy manager for Murray Income Trust and Aberdeen Standard Equity Income Trust plc. Within his role, he manages the UK Equity High Income Fund and the Bothwell UK Equity Income Fund and has sector responsibility for oil & gas and banks.

Iain has been covering analyst for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. He is also a member of the Pan-European fund management team. Prior to joining Standard Life Investments, Iain was a Vice President on the number one ranked European Oil & Gas research team at Sanford Bernstein from 2007. He also worked as a management consultant at PwC. Iain holds an MSc, Masters in Chemical Engineering, ACA, CFA and is a qualified accountant.

Charles-Luke

Charles Luke

Investment Director

Charles Luke is an Investment Director on the UK and European equities team having joined Aberdeen in 2000. Charles started his career at Framlington Investment Management in 1998, covering UK equities.

Charles graduated with a BA in Economics and Japanese Studies from Leeds University and an MSc in Business and Economic History from the London School of Economics.

  • Iain Pyle

    Investment Director

    Iain has been an Investment Director in the UK Equities team for Aberdeen Standard Investments since 2015. He is the lead manager of Shires Income plc and is deputy manager for Murray Income Trust and Aberdeen Standard Equity Income Trust plc. Within his role, he manages the UK Equity High Income Fund and the Bothwell UK Equity Income Fund and has sector responsibility for oil & gas and banks.

    Iain has been covering analyst for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. He is also a member of the Pan-European fund management team. Prior to joining Standard Life Investments, Iain was a Vice President on the number one ranked European Oil & Gas research team at Sanford Bernstein from 2007. He also worked as a management consultant at PwC. Iain holds an MSc, Masters in Chemical Engineering, ACA, CFA and is a qualified accountant.

  • Charles Luke

    Investment Director

    Charles Luke is an Investment Director on the UK and European equities team having joined Aberdeen in 2000. Charles started his career at Framlington Investment Management in 1998, covering UK equities.

    Charles graduated with a BA in Economics and Japanese Studies from Leeds University and an MSc in Business and Economic History from the London School of Economics.

Robert Talbut

Robert Talbut

Chairman

Robert Talbut was formerly Chief Investment Officer of Royal London Asset Management and has over 30 years of financial services experience. He has represented the asset management industry through the chairmanship of both the ABI Investment Committee and the Asset Management Committee of the Investment Association. He has also been a member of the Audit & Assurance Council of the FRC and the FCAs Listing Authority Advisory Panel. He is a member of the M&G With Profits Committee and a non-executive director of Pacific Assets Trust plc, JPMorgan American Investment Trust PLC and Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund plc.

Robin Archibald

Robin Archibald

Non-Executive Director

Robin Archibald has a wide range of experience in advising and managing transactions in the UK closed-ended funds sector over his thirty five year career as a corporate financier including with Samuel Montagu, S G Warburg and Natwest Markets. He retired from Winterflood Investment Trusts in May 2014, where he was formerly Head of Corporate Finance and Broking. He is currently a non-executive director of Albion Technology & General VCT PLC, Ediston Property Investment Company PLC, Capital Gearing Trust PLC and Henderson European Focus Trust plc. He is Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Marian Glen

Marian Glen

Non-Executive Director

Marian Glen is a non-executive director of Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust Plc and The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland. She was a non-executive director of Murray Income Trust Plc, Friends Life Group Limited and other companies in the Friends Life group of companies. She was formerly the General Counsel of AEGON UK and prior to that was a corporate partner and head of funds and financial services at Shepherd and Wedderburn.

Jane Pearce

Jane Pearce

Non-Executive Director

Jane Pearce is a Co-opted External Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the University of St Andrews. She had an executive career as an Equity Analyst at leading investment banks and latterly was an Equity Strategist at Lehman Brothers and Nomura International. She is a Chartered Accountant and was a Member of the Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland from 1999-2000.
Andrew Robson

Andrew Robson

Non-Executive Director

Andrew Robson is a Chartered Accountant, with many years of experience in investment banking and as a finance director. He was a director of Robert Fleming & Co Limited and SG Hambros. He was also Finance Director of eFinancialGroup Limited and the National Gallery. He has over 15 years of experience as a director of a number of quoted investment trusts and is currently a business adviser, working with smaller UK companies. He is a non-executive director of JP Morgan Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc and Witan Pacific Investment Trust PLC. He is the Senior Independent Director.

  • Robert Talbut

    Chairman

    Robert Talbut was formerly Chief Investment Officer of Royal London Asset Management and has over 30 years of financial services experience. He has represented the asset management industry through the chairmanship of both the ABI Investment Committee and the Asset Management Committee of the Investment Association. He has also been a member of the Audit & Assurance Council of the FRC and the FCAs Listing Authority Advisory Panel. He is a member of the M&G With Profits Committee and a non-executive director of Pacific Assets Trust plc, JPMorgan American Investment Trust PLC and Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund plc.

  • Robin Archibald

    Non-Executive Director

    Robin Archibald has a wide range of experience in advising and managing transactions in the UK closed-ended funds sector over his thirty five year career as a corporate financier including with Samuel Montagu, S G Warburg and Natwest Markets. He retired from Winterflood Investment Trusts in May 2014, where he was formerly Head of Corporate Finance and Broking. He is currently a non-executive director of Albion Technology & General VCT PLC, Ediston Property Investment Company PLC, Capital Gearing Trust PLC and Henderson European Focus Trust plc. He is Chairman of the Audit Committee.

  • Marian Glen

    Non-Executive Director

    Marian Glen is a non-executive director of Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust Plc and The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland. She was a non-executive director of Murray Income Trust Plc, Friends Life Group Limited and other companies in the Friends Life group of companies. She was formerly the General Counsel of AEGON UK and prior to that was a corporate partner and head of funds and financial services at Shepherd and Wedderburn.

  • Jane Pearce

    Non-Executive Director
    Jane Pearce is a Co-opted External Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the University of St Andrews. She had an executive career as an Equity Analyst at leading investment banks and latterly was an Equity Strategist at Lehman Brothers and Nomura International. She is a Chartered Accountant and was a Member of the Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland from 1999-2000.

  • Andrew Robson

    Non-Executive Director

    Andrew Robson is a Chartered Accountant, with many years of experience in investment banking and as a finance director. He was a director of Robert Fleming & Co Limited and SG Hambros. He was also Finance Director of eFinancialGroup Limited and the National Gallery. He has over 15 years of experience as a director of a number of quoted investment trusts and is currently a business adviser, working with smaller UK companies. He is a non-executive director of JP Morgan Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc and Witan Pacific Investment Trust PLC. He is the Senior Independent Director.

 

Financial calendar

Year End 31 March
Accounts published June
Annual General Meeting July
Dividend Paid January, April, July, October

Trust details

Shires Income PLC

Registered Office:
Bow Bells House,
One Bread Street,
London
EC4M 9HH

Registered in England as an Investment Company Number 386561

Launch Date: March 1929

Risk Warning
Risk warning
The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up and you may get back less than the amount invested. The tax benefits relating to ISA investments may not be maintained. Investors should review the relevant Key Information Document (KID) brochure prior to making an investment decision.
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