LOWLAND INV CO PLC

Fund Information / Factsheet • Feb 21, 2025

Factsheet - at 31 January 2025

Marketing Communication

Dividend history

Discrete year performance (%)	Share price (total return)	NAV (total return)
31/12/2023 to 31/12/2024	4.4	8.1
31/12/2022 to 31/12/2023	9.1	8.8
31/12/2021 to 31/12/2022	-5.2	-5.7
31/12/2020 to 31/12/2021	16.3	23.9
31/12/2019 to 31/12/2020	-11.0	-15.1

n/a n/a n/a All performance, cumulative growth and annual growth data is sourced from Morningstar.

Source: at 31/01/25. © 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance does not predict future returns.

Commentary at a glance

Performance

In the month under review the Company's NAV total return was 2.6% and the FTSE All-Share Index total return was 5.5%.

Contributors/detractors

The overweight position in smaller, domesticallyfocused companies weighed on relative performance, as large-cap firms from the FTSE 100 Index with international earnings outperformed, given the rising US dollar.

Outlook

We think sentiment towards the UK, and share price valuations, are currently very low. Catalysts for improvement could include falling interest rates or further takeover activity.

See full commentary on page 3.

References made to individual securities do not constitute a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, investment strategy or market sector, and should not be assumed to be profitable. Janus Henderson Investors, its affiliated advisor, or its employees, may have a position in the securities mentioned.

Company overview

Objective

The Company aims to give shareholders a higher than average return with growth of both capital and income over the medium to long-term, by investing in a broad spread of predominantly UK companies. The Company measures its performance against the FTSE All-Share Index Total Return.

Highlights

A growth and income company with a diversified portfolio of mainly UK equities and a strong dividend track record.

Company information

NAV (cum income)	142.9p
NAV (ex income)	141.8p
Share price	131.5p
Discount(-)/premium(+)	-8.0%
Yield	4.9%
Net gearing	13%
Net cash	-
Total assets Net assets	£408m £366m
Market capitalisation	£337m
Total voting rights	255,987,732
Total number of holdings 119
Ongoing charges (year end 30 Sep 2024)	0.66%

Benchmark FTSE All-Share Index Source: BNP Paribas for holdings information and Morningstar for all other data. Differences in calculation may occur due to the methodology used.

Please note that the total voting rights in the Company do not include shares held in Treasury.

Please remember that past performance does not predict future returns. The value of an investment and the income from it can rise as well as fall as a result of market and currency fluctuations, and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Please refer to the glossary for the definition of share price total return.

How to invest

declared but not yet paid.

Go to www.janushenderson.com/howtoinvest

Find out more Go to www.lowlandinvestment.com

Factsheet - at 31 January 2025

Marketing Communication

Top 10 holdings	(%)
HSBC	3.5
Barclays	2.9
BP	2.6
Standard Chartered	2.5
Shell	2.5
GSK	2.2
Tesco	2.2
M&G	2.1
Aviva	2.0
FBD	1.9

References made to individual securities do not constitute a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, investment strategy or market sector, and should not be assumed to be profitable. Janus Henderson Investors, its affiliated advisor, or its employees, may have a position in the securities mentioned.

Premium/(discount) of share price to NAV at fair value (%)

The above sector breakdown may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

10 year total return of £1,000

All performance, cumulative growth and annual growth data is sourced from Morningstar. Share price total return is calculated using mid-market share price with dividends reinvested.

Please remember that past performance does not predict future returns. The value of an investment and the income from it can rise as well as fall as a result of market and currency fluctuations, and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Please refer to the glossary for the definition of share price total return.

Key information

Stock code	LWI
AIC sector	AIC UK Equity Income
Benchmark	FTSE All-Share Index
Company type	Conventional (Ords)
Launch date	1963
Financial year	30-Sep
Dividend payment	January, April, July, October
Management fee	0.5% of average net chargeable assets up to £325m and 0.4% in excess thereof.
Performance fee	No
(See Annual Report & Key Information Document for more information)
Regional focus	UK
Fund manager appointment	James Henderson 1990 Laura Foll 2016

James Henderson Portfolio Manager

Laura Foll, CFA Portfolio Manager

How to invest Go to www.janushenderson.com/howtoinvest Customer services 0800 832 832

Factsheet - at 31 January 2025

Marketing Communication

Fund Manager commentary Investment environment

It was a positive month for UK equities, with returns being led by companies in the larger FTSE 100 Index. There was a clear size divergence in performance as medium-sized companies in the FTSE 250 Index, and smaller companies in the FTSE Small Cap Index and AIM, underperformed those in the FTSE 100 Index.

In our view, this size differential was driven by optimism towards the US economy, which led to a strong US dollar and benefited those companies with international earnings (which largely sit in the FTSE 100 Index).

UK economic data (such as GDP growth figures) continued to disappoint. This resulted in an overhang for more domestically-focused, smaller companies.

Portfolio review

The overweight position in small- and medium-sized companies weighed on performance relative to the benchmark. The largest individual negative performer was Ricardo, a global environmental consultant, which reported disappointing results given the Californian wildfires and deferred government spend in some areas. Elsewhere, the theme among the detractors was higher UK domestic exposure, with a disappointing domestic economic growth backdrop weighing on the likes of building materials company Marshalls and free-to-air broadcaster STV.

The Company has been undertaking a share buyback. Therefore, to keep gearing approximately flat there have been a number of sales. One example is we sold the position in retailer Marks & Spencer. While the holding has been a good performer, the turnaround is now better understood and its earnings forecasts and share price valuation have moved higher. Elsewhere, we bought a small position in fund manager Abrdn (formerly Aberdeen). Here, investment inflows have shown signs of stabilisation and assets within the group - such as its investment platform, Interactive Investor - appear to be performing well.

Manager outlook

It has been a challenging start to 2025 for domesticallyfocused smaller companies, as weak UK economic activity combined with poor sentiment towards the UK have weighed on share prices. With this weak sentiment, and what we see as low valuations as a starting point, we would argue we only need the backdrop to be 'less bad' to see a turnaround in fortunes for smaller companies. The question then, is how might the backdrop improve from here? We think UK interest rates could fall further possibly faster and further than expected - given that it seems clear UK economic growth is disappointing. We may also see further takeover activity in the UK given the valuation levels and the disparity in sentiment towards the UK relative to other areas.

Factsheet - at 31 January 2025

Marketing Communication

Glossary

Discount/Premium

The amount by which the price per share of an investment company is either lower (at a discount) or higher (at a premium) than the net asset value per share (cum income), expressed as a percentage of the net asset value per share.

Gearing

The effect of borrowing money for investment purposes (financial gearing). The amount a company can "gear" is the amount it can borrow in order to invest. Gearing is used in the expectation that the returns on the investments bought will exceed the costs of the borrowings that funded the purchase. This Company can also use synthetic gearing through derivatives and foreign exchange hedging and/or other non-fully funded instruments or techniques.

Leverage

The Company's leverage is the sum of financial gearing and synthetic gearing. Details of the Company's leverage limits can be found in both the Key Information Document and Annual Report. Where a company utilises leverage, the profits and losses incurred by the company can be greater than those of a company that does not use leverage.

Market capitalisation

Share price multiplied by the number of shares in issue, excluding treasury shares, at month end. Shares typically priced mid-market at month-end closing.

Net Asset Value (NAV)

The total value of a Company's assets less its liabilities.

NAV (Cum Income)

The value of investments and cash, including current year revenue, less liabilities (prior charges such as loans, debenture stock and preference shares at fair value).

NAV (Ex Income)

The value of investments and cash, excluding current year revenue, less liabilities (prior charges such as loans, debenture stock and preference shares at fair value).

NAV total return

The theoretical total return on shareholders' funds per share reflecting the change in Net Asset Value (NAV) assuming that dividends paid to shareholders were reinvested at NAV at the time the shares were quoted ex-dividend. A way of measuring investment management performance of investment trusts which is not affected by movements in discounts/premiums.

Net assets

Total assets minus any liabilities such as bank loans or creditors.

Net cash

A company's net exposure to cash/cash equivalents expressed as a percentage of shareholders' funds, after any offset against its gearing. This is only shown for companies that have gearing in place.

Net gearing

A company's total assets (less cash/cash equivalents) divided by shareholders' funds expressed as a percentage.

Ongoing charges

The total expenses for the financial year (excluding performance fee), divided by the average daily net assets, multiplied by 100.

Share price

Closing mid-market share price at month end.

Share price total return

The theoretical total return to the investor assuming that all dividends received were reinvested in the shares of the company at the time the shares were quoted ex-dividend. Transaction costs are not taken into account.

Total assets

Cum Income NAV multiplied by the number of shares, plus prior charges at fair value.

Yield

Calculated by dividing the current financial year's dividends per share (this will include prospective dividends) by the current price per share, then multiplying by 100 to arrive at a percentage figure.

For a full list of terms please visit: https://www.janushenderson.com/en-gb/investor/glossary/

Source for fund ratings/awards Overall Morningstar Rating™ is shown for an investment company achieving a rating of 4 or 5.

Company specific risks

• This Company is suitable to be used as one component of several within a diversified investment portfolio. Investors should consider carefully the proportion of their portfolio invested in this Company.
• Active management techniques that have worked well in normal market conditions could prove ineffective or negative for performance at other times.
• The Company could lose money if a counterparty with which it trades becomes unwilling or unable to meet its obligations to the Company.
• Shares can lose value rapidly, and typically involve higher risks than bonds or money market instruments. The value of your investment may fall as a result.
• The return on your investment is directly related to the prevailing market price of the Company's shares, which will trade at a varying discount (or premium) relative to the value of the underlying assets of the Company. As a result, losses (or gains) may be higher or lower than those of the Company's assets.
• If a Company's portfolio is concentrated towards a particular country or geographical region, the investment carries greater risk than a portfolio that is diversified across more countries.
• Some of the investments in this portfolio are in smaller company shares. They may be more difficult to buy and sell, and their share prices may fluctuate more than those of larger companies.
• The Company may use gearing (borrowing to invest) as part of its investment strategy. If the Company utilises its ability to gear, the profits and losses incurred by the Company can be greater than those of a Company that does not use gearing.

Not for onward distribution. Before investing in an investment trust referred to in this document, you should satisfy yourself as to its suitability and the risks involved, you may wish to consult a financial adviser. This is a marketing communication. Please refer to the AIFMD Disclosure document and Annual Report of the AIF before making any final investment decisions. Past performance does not predict future returns. The value of an investment and the income from it can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Tax assumptions and reliefs depend upon an investor's particular circumstances and may change if those circumstances or the law change. Nothing in this document is intended to or should be construed as advice. This document is not a recommendation to sell or purchase any investment. It does not form part of any contract for the sale or purchase of any investment. We may record telephone calls for our mutual protection, to improve customer service and for regulatory record keeping purposes.

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