Fund Information / Factsheet • Feb 18, 2025
Fund Information / Factsheet
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To invest in the global healthcare sector with the objective of achieving a high level of capital growth. In order to achieve its investment objective, the Company invests worldwide in a diversified portfolio of shares in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and related securities in the healthcare sector. It uses gearing, and derivative transactions to enhance returns and mitigate risk. Performance is measured against the MSCI World Health Care Index (net total return, sterling adjusted).
Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed; an investor may receive back less than the original amount invested.

Net Asset Value per share (total return) +33.0%
Share Price (total return) +17.6%
Benchmark: MSCI World Health Care Index (net total return; sterling adjusted) +54.4%
Source: Frostrow Capital LLP
| Name | Region | Sector | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly | North America | Pharmaceuticals | 9.0 |
| Boston Scientific | North America | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | 8.6 |
| Biotech M&A Target Swap | North America | Swap Baskets | 8.4 |
| AstraZeneca | Europe | Pharmaceuticals | 5.6 |
| Intuitive Surgical | North America | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | 5.0 |
| Stryker | North America | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | 4.2 |
| Tenet Healthcare | North America | Health Care Providers & Services | 3.4 |
| Argenx | Europe | Biotechnology | 3.0 |
| Edwards Lifesciences | North America | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | 3.0 |
| Daiichi Sankyo | Japan | Pharmaceuticals | 2.9 |
| Total | 53.1 |


Portfolio Manager Trevor Polischuk
Portfolio Manager Sven H. Borho
| Fast Facts | As at 31 January 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIC Sector | Biotechnology & Healthcare | ||||
| Launch Date & appointment April 1995 of Portfolio Manager |
|||||
| Annual Management Fee (payable by the Company): 0.65% of net assets plus 0.30% of |
market cap. up to £150m; in the range £150m to £500m 0.2%; in the range £500m to £1bn 0.15%; in the range £1bn to £1.5bn 0.125%; over £1.5bn 0.075% plus £57,500.
| Performance Fee | See Annual Report for details |
|---|---|
| Ongoing Charges (OCR)* |
0.9% |
| Continuation Vote | 2029 AGM and every th AGM thereafter 5 |
| Year / Half Year | 31 March / 30 September |
| Capital Structure | 503,050,654 shares# 98,614,546 (treasury) |
# excludes shares held in treasury
| Trust Characteristics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Holdings | 53 | |||
| Net Assets (£m) | 1,942.3 | |||
| Market Capitalisation (£m) | 1,725.5 | |||
| Dividends | Provisional payment dates: January & July |
|||
| Indicative Yield | 0.8% | |||
| Net Cash | 2.1% | |||
| Leverage** | Gross 114.6% Commitment 110.2% |
|||
| Share Price (p) | 343.00 | |||
| NAV per share (p) (cum income) ex dividend |
386.11 | |||
| (Discount) / Premium | (11.2%) | |||
| Portfolio Turnover p.a. | 41.2% | |||
| Active Share*** | 65.0% |
| Healthcare Equipment / Supplies |
26.9 | North America | 77.4 | Listed Equities | 84.6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical | 22.3 | Europe | 11.5 | Equity Swaps | 10.1 |
| Biotechnology | 21.9 | China / Hong Kong | 7.1 | Unquoteds | 5.3 |
| Healthcare Providers / Services |
12.8 | Japan | 2.9 | Total | 100.0 |
| SWAP Baskets | 9.3 | India | 1.1 | ||
| Life Sciences Tools & Services |
6.8 | Total | 100.0 |
*Calculation based on economic exposure and expressed as a % of the total economic exposure. This includes all derivatives as an economically equivalent position in the underlying holding.
**Geographical analysis based on country of primary listing.
***Unquoted securities will not exceed 10% of the portfolio at the time of acquisition.
Source: All portfolio information sourced from Frostrow Capital LLP. Analysis excludes cash and cash equivalents, including liquidity funds.
| Percentage Growth 12 Month Return |
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAV | 20.0 | -0.4 | -3.3 | 0.4 | 6.4 | 5.2 |
| Share Price | 19.9 | -2.6 | -9.8 | -2.6 | 2.1 | 8.9 |
| Index | 10.3 | 20.8 | 5.8 | -1.6 | 3.1 | 7.0 |
| Percentage Growth 12 Month Return |
Jan 20- Jan 21 |
Jan 21- Jan 22 |
Jan 22- Jan 23 |
Jan 23- Jan 24 |
Jan 24- Jan 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAV | 23.3 | -9.7 | 5.7 | 3.0 | 9.7 |
| Share Price | 23.5 | -15.5 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 9.6 |
| Index | 12.0 | 12.0 | 10.6 | 3.9 | 7.0 |
Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. An investor may receive back less than the original amount invested.
Source: NAV (total return; fully diluted) & share price (total return) – Frostrow Capital LLP.
*Calculated at the financial year end, includes management fees and all other operating expenses, and excludes performance fees.
** The Board has set the maximum leverage limit for both the Gross and the Commitment basis at 140% of the Company's Net Asset Value.
*** Active Share is expressed as a percentage and shows the extent to which a fund's holdings and their weightings differ from those of the fund's benchmark index. A fund that closely tracks its index might have a low Active Share of less than 20% and be considered passive, while a fund with an Active Share of 60% or higher is generally considered to be actively managed.
The healthcare sector is global and accessing this market as a UK investor can be difficult. The Company offers an opportunity to gain exposure to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and related companies in the healthcare sector on a global scale. The Company invests in large companies with market capitalisations of over U.S.\$10bn, smaller companies below that size, as well as unquoted companies. The portfolio ranges from large multinational pharmaceutical companies with multiple products to unquoted emerging biotechnology companies. The Company's investment policy allows gearing, through borrowing, of up to 20% of net assets and a net exposure to derivative investments (excluding swaps) of up to 5% of the portfolio. Equity swaps may also be used, counterparty exposure here is limited to 12% of the portfolio at the time of acquisition. Unquoted securities will not exceed 10% of the portfolio at the time of acquisition.


In January, the NAV per share total return was +5.2%, the share price total return was +8.9% and the MSCI World Health Care Index was +7.0%, on a net total return, sterling adjusted basis.
In a welcome reversal, global equity markets – and healthcare stocks in particular – significantly rebounded in January after investors digested the outcome and implications of the second Trump administration in the US. This despite equity markets momentarily stumbling on the DeepSeek headlines that spooked investors and technology stocks alike.
Overall, portfolio performance was largely in-line with global healthcare equities. On a sub-sector level, all sectors were positive contributors in January (the lone exception detailed below). The largest contribution, both absolute and relative to the Benchmark, came from our Medical Technology investments. This stemmed from the combination of our overweight allocation and stock picking, including Boston Scientific (positive momentum), Intuitive Surgical (solid quarter), and Stryker (rebound). Another subsector that contributed positively (absolute and relative) was Biotechnology, primarily due to stock picking, such as Neurocrine Biosciences (positive momentum), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (positive pre-announcement), and Vertex (rebounded after disappointing pipeline update in December). All other sub-sectors, including Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare Services, and Life Science Tools, lagged the Benchmark due to allocation effects (underweight) despite positive absolute contribution.
The lone exception to the above was Emerging Markets, specifically Jiangxi Rimag Group Co., a leading medical imaging company in China. The share price had soared by over 350% in 2024 after a successful IPO last June. However, in January we saw aggressive profit-taking by some investors given significant outperformance since the listing, heavy involvement of retail investors, and presumably due to concerns about the lock-up expiration later in 2025. The c.50% decline in the share price in January detracted nearly 140 basis points from total performance in the month and Emerging Markets 160 basis points altogether, representing most of the underperformance in the period.
Looking ahead, additional fourth quarter financial reports in February may continue to bolster the sector and restore investor confidence in the fundamentals of the healthcare industry. Additionally, medical congresses will also commence for 2025, creating important showcases for clinical data sets across multiple therapeutic categories for many portfolio companies.
It is the Board's policy to buy back the Company's shares if the share price discount to the net asset value per share exceeds 6% on an ongoing basis. Shares repurchased are held as treasury shares. Treasury shares can be sold back to the market at a later date at a premium to the cum income net asset value per share. Shareholders should note, however, that it remains very possible for the discount to be greater than 6% for extended periods of time particularly when sentiment towards the Company, the sector and to investment trusts generally remains poor.
While buy backs may prove unable to prevent the discount from widening, they also enhance the net asset value per share for remaining shareholders and go some way to dampening discount volatility which can adversely affect investors' risk adjusted returns.
At times when there are unsatisfied buying orders for the Company's shares in the market, the Company has the ability to issue new shares or to re-issue treasury shares at a small premium to the cum income net asset value per share. This acts as an effective share price premium management tool.
Frostrow Capital LLP 25 Southampton Buildings London, WC2A 1AL
Tel.: 0203 008 4910 Fax: 0203 043 8889
Website: www.frostrow.com Email: [email protected]


This document is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or invitation to purchase shares in the Company and has not been prepared in connection with any such offer or invitation. Before investing in the Company, or any other investment product, you should satisfy yourself as to its suitability and the risks involved, and you may wish to consult a financial adviser.
Any return you receive depends on future market performance and is uncertain. The Company does not seek any protection from future market performance so you could lose some or all of your investment. For information on the principal risks the Company is exposed to please refer to the Company's Annual Report or Investor Disclosure Document available at www.worldwidewh.com.
Shares in the Company are bought and sold on the London Stock Exchange. The price you pay or receive, like other listed shares, is determined by supply and demand and may be at a discount or premium to the underlying net asset value of the Company. Usually, at any given time, the price you pay for a share will be higher than the price you could sell it.
The Company has increased its exposure to investments via the use of an overdraft facility and derivatives, and this could potentially magnify any losses or gains made by the Company. The Annual Report and Investor Disclosure Document, available on the Company's website, include further details on the use of, and exposure to, derivatives.
The Company is suitable for investors seeking an investment that aims to deliver total returns over the longer term (at least five years), is compatible with the needs for retail clients, professional clients and eligible counterparties, and is eligible for all distribution channels.
The Company may not be suitable for investors who are concerned about short-term volatility and performance, have low or no risk tolerance or are looking for capital protection, who are seeking a guaranteed or regular income, or a predictable return profile. The Company does not offer capital protection.
Frostrow Capital LLP has conducted an annual Value Assessment on the Company in line with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules set out in the Consumer Duty regulation. The Assessment focuses on the nature of the product, including benefits received and its quality, limitations that are part of the product, expected total costs to clients and target market considerations.
Within this, the assessment considers quality of services, performance of the Company (against both benchmark and peers), total fees (including management fees and entry and exit fees as applicable to the Company), and also considers whether vulnerable consumers are able to receive fair value from the product.
Frostrow Capital LLP concluded that the Company is providing value based on the above assessment.
Worldwide Healthcare Company PLC (the Company) is a public limited company whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and is registered with HMRC as an investment Company. The Company has an indeterminate life, although shareholders consider and vote on the continuation of the Company every five years (the next such vote will be held in 2024). This financial promotion is issued by Frostrow Capital LLP which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA").
The MSCI information (relating to the Benchmark) may only be used for your internal use, may not be reproduced or redisseminated in any form and may not be used as a basis for or a component of any financial instruments or products or indices. None of the MSCI information is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such. Historical data and analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance analysis, forecast or prediction. The MSCI information is provided on an "as is" basis and the user of this information assumes the entire risk of any use made of this information. MSCI, each of its affiliates and each other person involved in or related to compiling, computing or creating any MSCI information (collectively, the "MSCI Parties") expressly disclaims all warranties (including, without limitation, any warranties of originality, accuracy, completeness, timeliness, non-infringement, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose) with respect to this information. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall any MSCI Party have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, punitive, consequential (including, without limitation lost profits) or any other damages. (www.msci.com).
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