Murray International Trust
Three become two – low-risk strategy maintained
29 August 2024
Murray International Trust’s (MYI’s) managers Martin Connaghan and Samantha Fitzpatrick (the previous third manager Bruce Stout retired at the end of June 2024) are mindful that although markets were strong in H124, there are reasons to be cautious. The US dominates global indices and market leadership has been narrow, led by mega-cap technology companies that are viewed as beneficiaries of the growth in AI. Any earnings shortfalls in these companies could lead to broader-based share price weakness. Central banks are having to deal with the delicate balance of controlling inflation and supporting growth, while major geopolitical tensions and conflicts and the US presidential election are also significant factors that could weigh on investor sentiment. MYI’s focus on high-quality, dividend-paying stocks with a portfolio that is diversified by sector and geography could be well placed to navigate near-term volatility. MORE »
Business as usual ahead of manager’s retirement
21 March 2024
Murray International Trust’s (MYI’s) managers are transitioning smoothly from a team of three to two, ahead of Bruce Stout’s retirement at the end of June 2024. The two remaining managers, Martin Connaghan and Samantha Fitzpatrick, have worked closely with Stout since 2001, so MYI’s shareholders can have confidence that it will be ‘business as usual’ in H224 and beyond. Regardless of the market environment, the managers strive to fulfil their objectives of generating income and capital growth higher than the rate of UK inflation and to have a covered dividend. However, in years of lower income, the board can draw on the trust’s revenue reserves, which are equivalent to more than the annual dividend payment, to enable MYI’s progressive dividend policy to continue. MORE »
Attractive offering of income and capital growth
18 January 2024
Murray International Trust’s (MYI’s) three managers, Bruce Stout, Martin Connaghan and Samantha Fitzpatrick, have worked closely together since 2001, so it will be business as usual when Stout retires at the end of June. The trust has amassed considerable revenue reserves (equivalent to around one year’s annual dividend) so was able to continue its progressive dividend policy during COVID; MYI returned to a covered dividend in FY22. Despite high inflation preventing real (above inflation) dividend growth in recent years, the trust now has an 18-year record of consecutive annual dividend growth and offers an attractive 4.6% dividend yield, which compares favourably with its peers in the AIC Global Equity Income sector, most of which, unlike MYI, can pay dividends out of capital. MORE »
Manager took advantage of 2020 market volatility
25 March 2021
Murray International Trust (MYI) is managed by the Global Equity team at Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI), led by Bruce Stout and supported by Martin Connaghan and Samantha Fitzpatrick. Stout says ‘it was a humbling experience to manage an income fund in 2020 as so many companies had to cut, cancel or suspend their dividends’. Last year, global stock market leadership was narrow as ‘when growth is scarce investors are prepared to pay any price for growth businesses’. Once vaccine programmes gain momentum and lockdowns are eased, the manager expects pent-up demand to contribute to a meaningful improvement in economic growth and broader market leadership, ‘which would be helpful for the relative performance of a diversified portfolio’ and has been evident over the last few months. MYI continues to have a significant exposure to emerging markets as these are regions where Stout sees the most attractive growth prospects. MORE »
Committed to paying the dividend
9 November 2020
Murray International Trust (MYI) provides investors with a diversified portfolio of global equities and fixed income securities. Lead manager Bruce Stout aims to generate an above-average dividend yield, with long-term growth in dividends and capital ahead of inflation. While there have been unprecedented pressures on dividends globally, and many businesses have suffered due to the current healthcare crisis, the overall focus of the portfolio remains on companies with robust cash generation, under-leveraged balance sheets and exposure to growth areas such as emerging markets. The manager and his colleagues in the global equity team at Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) have taken the opportunity following the stock market pullback earlier this year to introduce a selection of new high-quality names into the portfolio. MORE »
Significant exposure to emerging markets
16 April 2020
Murray International Trust (MYI) is managed by Bruce Stout and the global equity income team at Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI). They aim to generate an above-average dividend yield, and long-term income and capital growth, from a diversified portfolio of global equities and fixed income securities. The manager has an unconstrained investment approach, and favours emerging over developed markets, highlighting these regions’ above-average growth prospects and orthodox monetary and fiscal policies. Portfolio turnover is very modest at c 10% pa, implying an average 10-year holding period for the fund’s investments. MORE »
Continuing to favour emerging markets
8 October 2019
Murray International Trust (MYI) is a well-established investment trust, launched in 1907. Manager Bruce Stout runs a diversified portfolio of global equities and fixed income securities, aiming to achieve long-term capital growth while protecting capital during periods of market weakness, and generate an above-average level of income (the current dividend yield is 4.4%). The majority of the portfolio is invested in emerging markets: regions where the manager finds the most attractive opportunities, and which continue to employ orthodox economic policies, unlike many developed markets. MORE »
Disciplined investment process
26 March 2019
Murray International Trust (MYI) is managed by Bruce Stout at Aberdeen Standard Investments. He stresses the importance of sticking to his disciplined investment process, regardless of stock market gyrations, to achieve the trust’s objectives of long-term growth (and protection) of capital while delivering an above-average level of income. Stout is very positive on the prospects for emerging markets, suggesting that now the US has backed away from raising interest rates there is potential for policy easing in these regions, which would be very supportive for economic growth. MYI has a progressive dividend policy; over the last five years, the annual distribution has compounded at an average rate of 3.7% pa and the trust currently offers a 4.4% yield. MORE »
Capital growth and above-average dividend yield
28 September 2018
Murray International Trust (MYI) is a global fund offering the prospect of capital appreciation and an above-average dividend yield from a diversified portfolio primarily of equities, as well as bonds. Manager Bruce Stout also aims to protect capital during periods of stock market weakness. He is cautious on the growth outlook for developed economies, based on the debt overhang following the global financial crisis, and continues to favour higher-growth markets in Asia and Latin America. Stout follows a disciplined, long-term approach to investing and, while 2018 has proved to be a tough period for emerging markets, has outperformed the trust’s composite benchmark in all but three years since he assumed the role of lead manager in 2004. MORE »
