Portfolio Update

BLACKROCK THROGMORTON TRUST PLC All information is at 31 October 2014 and unaudited. Performance at month end is calculated on a cum income basis One Three One Three Month Months Year Years Net asset value* -2.2% -3.0% -1.1% 58.1% Net asset value -2.2% -3.0% -1.1% 53.9% Share price -1.8% -0.6% -4.0% 76.2% Benchmark** -0.7% -2.5% -0.1% 48.3% Sources: BlackRock and Datastream * Prior to dilution arising on conversion of subscription shares. **With effect from 1 December 2013 the Numis Smaller Companies excluding AIM (excluding investment companies) Index replaced the Numis Smaller Companies plus AIM (excluding investment companies) Index as the Company's benchmark. For the one year and three year periods the indices have been blended to reflect this. At month end Net asset value capital only: 309.78p Net asset value incl. income: 314.02p Share price: 272.75p Discount to cum income NAV 13.1% Net yield: 1.5%* Total Gross assets: £229.6m** Net market exposure as a% of net asset value^: 107.6% Ordinary shares in issue: 73,130,326*** 2013 Ongoing charges: 1.1%**** 2013 ongoing charges ratio (including performance fees): 3.0% * Calculated using current year interim and prior year final dividends paid. ** Includes current year revenue and excludes the gross exposure through contracts for difference. *** Excluding 7,400,000 shares held in treasury. **** Calculated as a percentage of average net assets and using expenses, excluding performance fees and interest costs for the year ended 30 November 2013. ^Long positions less short positions as a percentage of net asset value. Sector Weightings % of Total Gross assets Industrials 26.8 Consumer Services 20.2 Financials 18.0 Basic Materials 8.3 Technology 8.2 Health Care 7.3 Consumer Goods 6.3 Oil & Gas 3.0 Telecommunications 2.2 Net current liabilities -0.3 ----- Total 100.0 ===== Market Exposure (Quarterly) 30.11.13 28.02.14 31.05.14 31.08.14 Long 118.4% 118.8% 116.9% 113.5% Short 11.2% 10.7% 12.4% 13.5% Gross exposure 129.6% 129.5% 129.3% 127.0% Net exposure 107.2% 108.1% 104.5% 100.0% Ten Largest Investments Company % of Total Gross assets Workspace Group 2.6 Senior 2.4 Elementis 2.2 Rathbone Brothers 2.2 Polar Capital Holdings 2.1 Restaurant Group 2.1 Bodycote 2.0 Lookers 2.0 Victrex 2.0 Savills 2.0 Commenting on the markets, Mike Prentis and Ralph Cox, representing the Investment Manager noted: During October the Company's NAV per share fell by 2.2% on a cum income basis whilst the benchmark index, the Numis Smaller Companies Index excluding AIM, fell by 0.7%; the FTSE 100 Index fell by 1.0%. Global stock markets were volatile during the month, falling sharply in the first half before recovering in the second half. The weakness continued to be driven partly by concerns about GDP growth prospects, especially in Continental Europe. Towards the end of October markets were encouraged by the Bank of Japan taking steps to stimulate the Japanese economy. Within the UK, the FTSE 250 Index actually finished up on the month. However smaller companies, and especially AIM listed companies, recovered less strongly finishing significantly down over the month. Turning to our portfolio, long only portfolio performance was negatively impacted by our exposure to AIM, and our lack of exposure to companies in the benchmark which were bid for during October, especially New Britain Palm Oil and Synergy Healthcare. We suffered from profit taking in some of our AIM stocks, in particular Optimal Payments and Walker Greenbank, both of which have had positive trading updates in recent months. On the positive side Avon Rubber issued a positive trading update, with earnings upgraded by 6%, and Polar Capital shares bounced back after a weak September. Encouragingly, the CFD portfolio almost broke even during the month despite being net long in a weak market. We decided to take some profit in a few of our AIM holdings, which are all off benchmark, and selectively added to core holdings such as Elementis and Rathbones during the month. 17 November 2014 ENDS Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/thrg on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal). Neither the contents of the Manager's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Manager's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
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