European Opportunities Trust (JEO): Initiation ...

Edison Investment Research Limited European Opportunities Trust (JEO): Initiation - A 'fund for all seasons' targeting global winners 08-Sep-2021 / 07:00 GMT/BST London, UK, 8 September 2021 European Opportunities Trust (JEO): Initiation - A 'fund for all seasons' targeting global winners European Opportunities Trust (JEO) invests in European and UK companies offering good prospects for capital growth. Alexander Darwall has managed JEO since its inception in 2000. He aims to construct a 'fund for all seasons' comprising stocks capable of generating profits in all economic climates. Darwall is a high-conviction investor and JEO is a concentrated portfolio of 'special', globally focused companies that benefit from unique technologies or favourable industry structures and possess multiple growth channels. Performance in the year ended May 2021 was disappointing, in part due to JEO's bias towards high-quality companies, which lagged more economically sensitive stocks in late 2020, when the economic outlook was transformed by the arrival of viable vaccines. JEO also had exposure to the fraudulent German company Wirecard when it collapsed in June 2020. However, the trust's long-term performance has been positive in both absolute and relative terms. It has realised an annualised NAV total return of 14.1% over the past 10 years to end August 2021, compared to an annualised benchmark return of 9.9%. This track record attests to Darwall's ability to deliver sustainable capital growth, regardless of prevailing economic conditions. JEO's share price is currently trading at a 9.4% discount to cum-income NAV, significantly above its long-term average of 3.3%, in part due to the trust's exposure to the 2020 Wirecard fraud. The board's consistent efforts to support the share price have scope to narrow the discount, especially if performance improves and/or investors come to appreciate the relative value offered by European equities at current levels.  Click here to view the full report or here to sign up to receive research as it is published. All reports published by Edison are available to download free of charge from its website www.edisongroup.com About Edison: Edison is a leading research and investor relations consultancy, connecting listed companies to the widest pool of global investors. By focusing on the volume and quality of investors reached - across institutions, family offices, wealth managers and retail investors - Edison can create and gauge intent to purchase, even in the darkest pools of capital, and then make introductions via non-deal roadshows, events or virtual meetings. Having been the first in-market 17 years ago, Edison now has more than 100 analysts covering every economic sector. Headquartered in London, Edison also has offices in New York, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv and a presence in Athens, Johannesburg and Sydney. Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Edison is not an adviser or broker-dealer and does not provide investment advice. Edison's reports are not solicitations to buy or sell any securities. For more information, please contact Edison: Joanne Collins [phone] [e-mail] Robert Murphy [phone] [e-mail] Learn more at www.edisongroup.com and connect with Edison on:  LinkedIn  www.linkedin.com/company/edison-group-/ Twitter   www.twitter.com/Edison_Inv_Res YouTube  www.youtube.com/edisonitv Dissemination of a CORPORATE NEWS, transmitted by EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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