18 Jun 2020 11:29
18 June 2020
Aberdeen Smaller Companies Income Trust PLC
Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 213800J6D2TVHRGKBG24
Information disclosed in accordance with DTR 6.1.13
The Board of Aberdeen Smaller Companies Income Trust PLC declare a second interim dividend of 2.06p per share in respect of the year to 31 December 2020 (second interim 2019: 1.95p) payable on 24 July 2020 to shareholders on the register at close of business on 3 July 2020. The ex-date is 2 July 2020.
As we said when we declared an increased first interim, the Board has always regarded a key purpose of our Trust as the generation of income for our shareholders. The economic uncertainty has continued and we do not expect much clarity about the outlook for 2021 until the fourth quarter. But we continue to believe that helping shareholders cover an income decline elsewhere in the market will be more valuable to them than conservatively mirroring market improvement over time. We have added significantly to our revenue reserves over recent years and we prefer to reduce these reserves, at least this year, to alleviate the decline of dividend income elsewhere. We shall of course continue to monitor this situation each quarter and may have to take a different decision, once greater clarity emerges of the outlook for 2021 and 2022.
For Aberdeen Smaller Companies Income Trust PLC
Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited, SECRETARY
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