Witan Share Price (WTAN)

A long shot, I know, but I thought that IG changing its margin call requirements may have impacted Witan’s share price. It’s on the list along with 900 other stocks affected by the change. Moreover, Witan has an interesting stock picking structure (Using a portfolio of managers) and was on my watch list. However, as you point out, its performance has been poor in recent years compared to a reasonable index tracker fund.

Something that I find a little disconcerting is that two of its largest holdings are of funds (In total some 6% of the fund's assets) while its investment in investment companies accounts for some 11%. I am slightly wary of funds that buy into other funds. It seems odd to pay twice for fund management expertise. It also strikes me as a bit of a cop-out. As though the managers would prefer someone else to do the homework.

Looking at its top 20 holdings and I’m not sure that the multi-manager approach works in practice. I feel that I’m looking at a camel designed by a committee that was trying to design a horse. I’m unsure what the theme is.

Unfortunately, I haven't sold all my WITAN shares due to hitting the capital gain limit.

Their half year result for the first half of 2020 is extraordinarily bad. Only 4 out of 10 portfolios perform above benchmark!

Extraordinary indeed considering even monkeys throwing darts can statistically get 5 out of 10 correct.

Why bother paying a yearly non-performance fee of 0.87% to "professionals" when a low cost world tracker such as Vanguard FTSE Global All Cap Index (0.24% fee) or Fidelity Index World P (0.12% fee) easily beat them over a 1,3 and 5 years period!

Yep, I have been investing in WTAN for nearly 20 years but for the last 3 years it has been doing the 'zzz'. I am now selling and invest in low cost trackers.

zzz

Why no posts and chat? Seems solid, bought at 750 3 yrs ago- boring solid business, 2.4% div yield, 48% div growth over 5 years. Probably not top of the league but no sleepless nights, up 300p over 3 yrs, not so good over 1 year- main investments are Black Rock, Diageo, Delta airlines, Unilever, BP and Lloyds, will hold and buy in dips.....