With the 2021/2022 ISA allowance deadline fast approaching, DirectorsTalk caught up with Tim Mitchell, senior client director at JPMorgan, with specific responsibility for JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income plc (LON:JSGI).
Tim commented: “With the end of the tax year just a month away, the deadline for using your ISA allowance for 2021/22 is fast approaching. The recent equity market turmoil has potentially thrown up many opportunities to add investments at more attractive levels than only six months ago. Japanese Equities can be overlooked as an option for income investing, however JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income (LON:JSGI) has a predictable dividend due to the dividend policy introduced in 2018. The company pays dividends equivalent to 1% of NAV per quarter. As the share price has fallen over the last six months from over 500p to currently under 400p, the trust has an historic dividend yield in excess of 5.0%. Importantly this dividend is delivered through the structural benefit of the investment trust and in no way impacts the freedom of our managers to select the very best investments they can find.”
David Johnson, an investment trust analyst at Kepler Trust Intelligence, gave his perspective on what JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income plc has to offer investors:
“JSGI is a good example of a trust using the unique advantages of a close-ended structure to offer something different to investors in this case the payment of a sector-leading dividend yield combined with a portfolio of growth-focused Japanese small-cap stocks. JSGI’s portfolio managers follow an investment process that aims to identify the highest quality growth opportunities, by assessing a company’s ‘Economics’, ‘Duration’, and ‘Governance’. Over time, this philosophy has proven successful demonstrating much better-quality metrics than its benchmark.”
He added, “We believe that JSGI offers an attractive solution for both income and growth investors, something that cannot often be said for many strategies. The trust could be an interesting diversifier for those seeking to broaden the sources of income within their portfolio.”
Japan income fund, JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income, targets Japan income without compromising on Japanese growth opportunities. This Japan income investing opportunity gives investors access to a diverse and fast growing sector managed by local managers. The Investment Trust offers a regular quarterly income without compromising on Japanese growth opportunities, by paying a higher dividend funded part by capital reserves as well as revenue returns.