Woodford IM reports ‘satisfactory’ profits

Woodford Investment Management reported a “satisfactory” profit of £18.2m in its latest half-year results.

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Final profits at the firm were £18.2m for the six months up to 31 March 2017 following reductions and profit before tax hit £22.9m, according to accounts published on Companies House.

The accounts reveal the firm took in £38.7m in management fees over the period.

The company restructured from an LLP to a limited company in April 2016, and was renamed Woodford Investment Management rather than Woodford Asset Management.

Director Craig Newman, who owns just over a third of the company, said in a report: “The results for the period, and the financial position at the year end, were considered satisfactory by the directors.”

Interim dividends of £12.7m were paid out during the six-month period, with directors Neil Woodford and Newman sharing the proceeds as the only two shareholders.

The results come in a challenging year for Woodford as investment performance faltered and several big-name investors pulled out of his flagship Equity Income Fund.

Assets under management in the income fund have dropped off over 2017, with the fund shrinking from £8.72bn at the end of October to £8.17bn in early December.

However, big players including Hargreaves Lansdown and the likes of the Share Centre have come out in support of the ‘star’ fund manager in recent weeks, claiming investors have been too quick to judge Woodford on short-term underperformance.

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