The dividend will be paid on 28 March in respect of the full calendar year.
Taken together with the first three interim dividends of 3.3p paid during 2013 this represents a total dividend payment of 14.4p in respect of 2013 (compared to 13.2p in 2012), an increase of 9.1%.
In to its 39th consecutive year of dividend increases, the company’s policy is that it intends (subject to market conditions) to grow the dividend in real terms, ahead of inflation.
Led by CEO Andrew Bell, the multi-manager vehicle has some £1.4bn in gross assets.
Looking ahead, Bell believes a key driver for investment returns this year is likely to be the extent of earnings growth. Much of the strong performance of 2013 was due to a re-rating of markets in expectation of earnings growth to come, and he says it is important that investors see this come through.
The company’s full results for the year will be published next month.
