Securities Trust of Scotland

Investment summary

Securities Trust of Scotland (STS) aims to achieve long-term income and capital growth through a fundamental approach to global equity investment. The manager, Mark Whitehead, is not constrained by index considerations and focuses on finding 35–55 high-quality companies with sustainable business models and financial resilience, in which to invest for a three- to five-year horizon. He also utilises the trust’s ability to employ options strategies in a controlled manner to generate additional income. STS’s board adopts a progressive dividend policy and, over the past three years, the annual dividend has increased by 24%. It has also recently refreshed the trust’s marketing strategy, and appointed a new independent director, Sarah Harvey, who has considerable expertise in this area.