Archived article

Please note that tax, investment, pension and ISA rules can change and the information and any views contained in this article may now be inaccurate.

Asset manager enjoying healthy inflows off the back of successful fund launch
Thursday 06 Apr 2017 Author: David Stevenson

Asset manager Polar Capital (POLR:AIM) is riding high having snaffled star fund managers from a rival outfit. It could enjoy earnings upgrades if its current momentum is sustained.

Polar, currently trading at 358p, launched Polar Capital UK Value Opportunities (IE00BD81XX91) in January with £111m of assets under management (AUM). By the end of the following month it had AUM of £151m, up 36%.

In April 2016 the firm raided Miton (MGR:AIM) for the current manager of UK Value Opportunities Georgina Hamilton and George Godber, who will join her in later this month. When the departures were announced, Miton lost 20% of its market value.

Broker Canaccord Genuity, which has a ‘buy’ rating on the stock, estimates Polar’s total AUM could have hit £9.2bn at the end of February up from £7.3bn  year-on-year.

The analyst attributes growth in AUM to two factors; inflows into Polar’s insurance, technology and UK Value Opportunities funds of £200m (partially offset by outflows from its Japan funds) and strong market performance which added £600m.

Polar looks to be on a good run. Canaccord has a price target of 385p.  Buy at 358p.

‹ Previous2017-04-06Next ›