Utilico Emerging Markets Trust
Market not reflecting very strong fundamentals
18 September 2024
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) is managed by Charles Jillings, at specialist value-based investor ICM. He reports that, operationally, the trust’s investee companies are performing extraordinarily well, although this is not being reflected in the market. The manager suggests that investors have multiple distractions including concerns about a US recession, the US presidential election and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. UEM’s investments in infrastructure and utility assets ensure the fund has a consistently low beta. The use of gearing has resumed following the arrangement of a new £50m debt facility, reflecting Jillings’ bullish outlook. UEM has solidly outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index over the last three years. Since inception in 2005, the trust’s NAV total return has compounded at 9.2% per year. MORE »
Quality of UEM’s assets is underappreciated
10 April 2024
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust’s (UEM’s) manager Charles Jillings, at specialist investor ICM, is very excited about the prospects for the trust’s investee companies. He believes that investors underappreciate the quality of these businesses and the teams that manage them. Jillings travels extensively, along with deputy portfolio managers Jacqueline Broers and Jonathan Groocock, meeting with current portfolio and other firms and relevant organisations in emerging markets. They report first hand that companies in the fund are performing very well, with robust top-line growth and cost reductions leading to higher margins. Because of the nature of UEM’s holdings in infrastructure and utility assets, the fund has a consistently low beta. Successful stock selection has led to the trust’s NAV outperformance versus the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the last one, three, five and 10 years – most notably over the last three years. Since inception in 2005, UEM’s NAV total return compounded at 9.5% per year. MORE »
Strong performance ahead of continuation vote
20 August 2021
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) is facing a continuation vote at the September 2021 AGM; since inception, the fund has generated NAV total returns of c 10.0% pa and has outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the last decade. It is managed by Charles Jillings at specialist investment firm ICM Group. The manager is very encouraged by the robust operating performance of the majority of UEM’s investee companies, helped by higher revenues and strict cost control, which has been supportive for their share prices this year. UEM has an above-market dividend yield and the growing annual distribution is fully covered by portfolio income. MORE »
Strong underlying portfolio performance
24 March 2021
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) is managed by Charles Jillings at specialist investment firm ICM Group. He reports that ‘operationally, portfolio companies are delivering results above expectations, helped by lower cost bases and higher margins’. However, the manager suggests there is hidden value in UEM’s portfolio as company valuations are lagging the improvement in their fundamentals. Jillings is encouraged that the trust is continuing to pay regular quarterly dividends, which remained fully covered in H121 (ending 30 September 2020), ‘reflecting the strength of the businesses in UEM’s portfolio’. MORE »
Finding opportunities in technology infrastructure
23 September 2020
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) is managed by Charles Jillings at ICM Group. While the company has suffered a tough period of absolute and relative performance, Jillings is very encouraged by the prospects for the fund, given attractive valuations and businesses that are ‘delivering good results’. He believes he can be patient, waiting for UEM’s value to be realised, and in the meantime the trust offers an attractive dividend yield. The manager suggests that over time there is potential for UEM’s discount to narrow if sentiment towards emerging markets improves, which could be helped by a weaker US dollar. For these reasons, along with the potential for an uptick in performance, Jillings believes that it is an opportune time to consider an investment in an emerging markets fund. MORE »
Offering long-term value in emerging markets
10 February 2020
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) is managed by Charles Jillings at ICM Group. It is a specialist fund focusing on infrastructure and utility assets in emerging markets. The manager is encouraged by the prospects for UEM’s investee companies, supported by urbanisation and significant growth in the regions’ middle classes. He also suggests that it ‘is a very interesting time in the world’, with issues such as climate change and the shift to renewable energy high up on the global agenda, which should be beneficial for UEM’s investments. While not used as a formal benchmark, as shown in the chart below, the trust’s NAV has markedly outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the last decade. MORE »
Finding attractively valued growth opportunities
25 April 2019
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) has been managed by Charles Jillings at ICM Group since the fund was launched in 2005. He continues to find interesting infrastructure and utility investment opportunities in emerging markets. The manager notes that investee companies have strong earnings growth, supporting higher dividend payments; however, he says that company valuations have not kept pace with earnings growth, providing opportunities for revaluation. Jillings is constructive on the outlook for emerging market equities, and comments that a resolution to the US-China trade dispute would be beneficial for most regions. He is optimistic regarding a positive outcome, given the high importance to both parties in reaching an agreement. MORE »
Simplified corporate structure
17 September 2018
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust (UEM) is a specialist fund focusing on infrastructure and utility investment in emerging market equities. In April 2018, UEM completed its re-domicile from a Bermuda-based investment company to a UK-based investment trust, in order to benefit from the UK’s increasingly supportive regulatory and tax environment. There is no change to UEM’s investment approach or dividend policy. Also, following the final exercise of its subscription shares, UEM now has a simpler capital structure. The board believes that these changes have potential to improve investor perception and, over time, lead to a narrower discount. MORE »
