Bankers Investment Trust (The)

Investment summary

The Bankers Investment Trust (BNKR) has continued to post good returns for investors during the financial year ended October 2021, which also saw the 55th consecutive year of dividend increase. Long tenured lead manager Alex Crooke oversees a team of in-house regional managers, allocating capital on the basis of where he sees attractive fundamentals. Over the past 12 months the allocation to European and Pacific ex-Japan equities has been increased on the basis of attractive valuations and the prospects for dividend growth. In addition, part of Crooke’s remit is to decide upon the level of gearing, which has risen on the back of new long-term structural borrowings secured in July 2021. The manager anticipates the recent spike in global inflation will moderate but is likely to persist at 2–4%, which he feels is supportive for long-term equity market returns.