Behind the trust: Schroder Income Growth Fund plc

From the global financial crisis, when dividends from UK shares fell 15%¹, to the Covid-19 pandemic, when they tumbled 44%², the Schroder Income Growth Fund has continued to increase the income it pays to shareholders.

In fact, the trust has grown its dividends for 27 consecutive years, since it was launched in 1995 – a feat that has earned it a place on the Association of Investment Companies’ list of dividend heroes (investment companies that have consistently increased their dividends for at least 20 years running)³.

The trust’s ability to navigate a challenging market for income-seekers is rooted in several factors. Firstly, the trust takes a pragmatic, long-term approach to income investing. It seeks to blend companies with high, sustainable yields today with those that have lower yields today but the potential for future growth.

Secondly, it makes prudent use of its robust revenue reserves. Investment trusts can retain up to 15%⁴ of their income annually, allowing them to build up reserves during plentiful years of dividend growth to bolster payouts during leaner periods.

Sounds good, right? But why choose Schroder Income Growth over other UK equity income trusts?

What does the trust do?

The trust’s primary objective is to provide real income growth over the medium term – a rising stream of income that outpaces the rate of inflation and thereby retains its purchasing power. It also aims to provide attractive capital returns as a consequence of the rising income.

Veteran UK equities investor Sue Noffke has run the trust since 2011. During her tenure, the trust has delivered significant outperformance of both inflation and the wider UK stock market, as the charts below show. She leads the five-strong Schroder Prime UK Equity team, which collectively has over 90 years of combined investment experience⁵.

Source: Page 3, Schroder Income Growth Fund plc - Annual Report and Accounts 2022

Past performance is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the  amount originally invested. 

How does it do it?

The investment team aims to deliver consistent outperformance with low volatility through a rigorous and disciplined investment approach. The trust has a well-defined research process, which focuses on investment opportunities in individual companies.

When assessing stocks for inclusion in the portfolio and in managing existing investments, the manager places greater emphasis on the sustainability and potential growth of a company’s dividend than a high initial yield.

Sue takes meaningful positions in companies that they believe will contribute strongly to the trust’s objectives. The result is a very focused portfolio of only 30 to 45 names that represent the Great British companies of today and tomorrow.

The trust’s assets are primarily invested in UK equities. However, up to 20% can be invested in equities listed on overseas stock exchanges. This flexibility is used for three main reasons: added diversification where overseas equities are cheaper than their equivalents in the UK; when attractive dividends are available; and for exposure to sectors that are not well represented in the UK stock market.

The investment policy gives the manager a number of other tools to enhance income and capital growth. The trust can hold equity-related instruments, such as convertible securities (bonds that pay interest but can be converted into common stock or equity shares). Up to 10% of the portfolio can be invested in bonds. It can also generate up to 20% of its total income from short-dated call options written on holdings in the portfolio. The manager views these as small levers to be used tactically, not structurally.

10 reasons to invest:

1. Reliability of income

First and foremost, this is an equity income fund. The team seeks to run a focused but diversified portfolio that can deliver an attractive level of income for investors – typically 10% greater than the wider UK stock market. Owning a balance of stocks means the trust is able to generate an income that is robust in most economic environments and capable of growing ahead of inflation over time. When the economic environment is particularly challenged, as was the case during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the income generated by the portfolio does not fully cover an increased dividend to shareholders, the board is committed to deploying the trust’s retained revenue reserves wisely to provide a consistent source of growing income to shareholders. In January 2023, shares in the trust yielded more than 4%⁶, making them well suited to retired investors who often target an income of that level.

2. Rigorous approach

The trust continues to adhere to an investment approach that has served Schroders’ investment team well for more than 20 years. The companies it favours are well-placed to navigate future challenges by possessing pricing power, unique assets and exposure to structural tailwinds. At the time of purchase these characteristics are not fully reflected by market valuations and the robustness of their income generation is underappreciated.

3. Focus on mispriced assets

The fund is run in a focused but balanced way, blending a range of mis-priced opportunities from growth and value areas of the market. Value stocks trade at a lower price than the company’s performance may indicate, whereas growth stocks are those companies that are considered to have future growth potential. This gives the portfolio a strong foundation as well as good prospects for both real growth of income and attractive capital returns.

4. A diversified portfolio blending structural growth and high, sustainable yielders

While many equity income funds have a bias towards the highest dividend payers, Schroder Income Growth is exposed to a well diversified blend of mispriced structural growth stocks and sustainable high income payers. One example of mispriced structural growth is Pets at Home, which yielded 6% at the time of purchase as the market did not appreciate the strength of the franchise and opportunity to grow in both the retail and vet services businesses. In terms of sustainable high income payers, in recent times the trust has had significant exposure to areas of the market where high yields suggest a lack of certainty over their sustainability but the team’s fundamental research gave it confidence that these are sustainable. One such examples would be life insurance.

5. Exposure to UK equities

The UK stock market has a wider opportunity set for income investors than other global markets, which are typically lower yielding. It been out of favour with international investors since the Brexit referendum in mid-2016. As a result, the manager sees a compelling opportunity set of undervalued assets in both UK-focused and internationally diversified companies.

6. Stability of management

The trust has a steady hand at the tiller. Sue Noffke has spent her entire investment career of more than 30 years specialising in UK equities at Schroders. She became head of UK equities in 2019. The wider team has more than 90 years’ investment experience and includes fund managers Andy Simpson and Matt Bennison, as well as dedicated analysts James Goodman and Tom Grady.

7. Research capabilities

The Schroder Prime UK Equity team works closely with Schroders’ wide range of investors and specialist industry analysts who conduct independent fundamental research. The Prime team’s research specifically focuses on factors that influence a company’s ability to create value for shareholders over the long term, looking beyond short-term profits to a company’s profit potential and the quality of those profits.

8. Risk controls

Portfolio construction is supported by a robust system of risk controls. Proprietary risk tools help the portfolio manager understand the factors contributing to risk and avoid unintended risk.

9. Active ownership/ ESG integration

The team integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into its investment decisions. Assessing the management of potential ESG issues informs an assessment of both the upside opportunity and downside protection of an investment. The managers are prepared to invest in companies that are in the process of improving their ESG profile, as they believe this if often a powerful way of unlocking value and having impact.

10. Access to companies

Extensive engagement with companies is a key part of the process. As one of the UK’s largest investors, Schroders has substantial access to companies’ management teams. It meets with company management teams in advance of investing and thereafter at least once a year, but often on numerous occasions.

Find out more at the Schroder Income Growth Fund plc website

Past performance is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amounts originally invested. Exchange rate changes may cause the value of investments to fall as well as rise.

As at January 2023 - Source: Morningstar, with net income reinvested, net of the ongoing charges and portfolio costs and, where applicable, performance fees, in GBP. Rebased to 100 as at the start of the 5 year period. Reference index: FTSE All-Share TR.

Access the latest factsheet here

1 - Capita Registrars Dividend Monitor 2009

2 - Link Group UK Dividend Monitor 2020

3 - AIC Dividend Heroes

4 - Investment trust tax rules

5 – As at December 2022

6 – 4.24% on 28.04.22, source: AIC

Risk considerations

• Concentration risk: The company may be concentrated in a limited number of geographical regions, industry sectors, markets and/or individual positions. This may result in large changes in the value of the company, both up or down, which may adversely impact the performance of the company.
• Distribution risk: As a result of fees being charged to capital, the distributable income of the company may be higher but there is the potential that performance or capital value may be eroded.
• Gearing risk: The company may borrow money to invest in further investments, this is known as gearing. Gearing will increase returns if the value of the investments purchased increase in value by more than the cost of borrowing, or reduce returns if they fail to do so.

Important information

For further explanation of any financial terms, visit www.schroders.co.uk/glossary.

This information is marketing material. Any reference to sectors/countries/stocks/securities are for illustrative purposes only and not a recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument/securities or adopt any investment strategy. The material is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, accounting, legal or tax advice, or investment recommendations.

Past performance is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amounts originally invested. Exchange rate changes may cause the value of investments to fall as well as rise.

We recommend you seek financial advice from an Independent Adviser before making an investment decision. If you don't already have an Adviser, you can find one at www.unbiased.co.uk or www.vouchedfor.co.uk Before investing in an Investment Trust, refer to the prospectus, the latest Key Information Document (KID) and Key Features Document (KFD) at www.schroders.co.uk/investor or on request.

The views and opinions contained herein are those of Schroders, and may not necessarily represent views expressed or reflected in other Schroders communications, strategies or funds.

Information herein is believed to be reliable but Schroder Unit Trusts Limited (Schroders) does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Third party data including MSCI and FTSE data is owned or licensed by the data provider and may not be reproduced or extracted and used for any other purpose without the data provider's consent. Third party data is provided without any warranties of any kind. The data provider and issuer of the document shall have no liability in connection with the third party data. The terms of the third party’s specific disclaimers, if any, are set forth in the Important Information section at www.schroders.com.

The forecasts included in this document should not be relied upon, are not guaranteed and are provided only as at the date of issue.  Our forecasts are based on our own assumptions which may change.  We accept no responsibility for any errors of fact or opinion and assume no obligation to provide you with any changes to our assumptions or forecasts.  Forecasts and assumptions may be affected by external economic or other factors.

Issued in March 2023 by Schroder Unit Trusts Limited, 1 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU. Registration No 4191730 England. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.