Athelney Share Discussion Threads

[topvest] 01/10/2018 19:56

I would personally like to thank Robin Boyle for all his efforts at Athelney Trust. He has put in a very respectable performance and brightened up our lives with his very interesting annual report commentaries which were always highly entertaining. Thank you Robin and best wishes for the future!

[topvest] 01/10/2018 12:10

Disappointing news today. This is not the right way to finish for Robin Boyle, and we will all miss his interesting commentaries. For the first time I have checked-up on the Global Masters Fund and Manny Pohl. Looks reasonably safe and they have 50% of their portfolio in Berkshire Hathaway. I do wonder whether Manny has been itching to run the UK portfolio himself. It will be interesting to see if the Global Masters Fund sell their UK portfolio to ATY now or increase their stake by taking out Robin's shares.

[speedsgh] 01/10/2018 11:43

HTTPS://twitter.com/RobinGBoyle/status/1046454105424703491 This is my 741st Tweet and my last, since I have resigned as managing director of Athelney Trust after 24 years in charge. My plans for the smooth running of ATY were over-turned by the two non-executive directors. Not right. Good-bye.

[speedsgh] 01/10/2018 11:42

Directorate Change - HTTPS://www.investegate.co.uk/athelney-trust-plc--aty-/rns/directorate-change/201810011143095372C/ It is with regret that the Board announces the sudden resignation of Robin Boyle as Managing Director and Fund Manager with immediate effect, his resignation was as a result of the non-executive Directors overruling his request to bring about major changes in the management of the Company. Dr. Emmanuel (Manny) Pohl, current Athelney Trust Chairman, will take over both roles. Simon Moore will take over the role of Chairman. Robin remains a significant shareholder. Manny is Chairman and CEO of E C Pohl & Co ("ECP"), an investment management company and a majority shareholder in Global Masters Limited, which in turn has been a major shareholder in Athelney Trust for many years. Manny has a long investment track record running highly rated listed investment companies in Australia (note 1) and has spent the last 12 months running a UK equity portfolio in parallel with Athelney Trust that has performed extremely well. We thus expect a smooth transfer of management of Athelney Trust and a continued focus on both capital growth and dividend growth from UK equities. We would like to thank Robin for twenty-four years of managing Athelney Trust, over which period shareholders have been amply rewarded in both dividend income and capital growth (note 2). His interesting, insightful and witty contributions to Athelney Trust publications will be much missed.

[eentweedrie] 20/7/2018 06:31

this has to be the most interesting update i have ever read!!

[mw8156] 26/7/2015 20:34

Has simon Moore any shares in in the company?

[topvest] 26/7/2015 12:55

Well the Chairman's Statement for the interims carry on with the same interesting dialogue. Maybe Hugo didn't write it after all? Does Robin Boyle actually write the text after all as someone mentioned above I think? Performance here continues to be reasonable and I'm certainly happy to hold.

[topvest] 30/5/2015 16:49

Rather poor that he sold his shares a week before resigning.

[mw8156] 22/5/2015 21:42

Something tells me the six-monthly colourful commentary on the world at large if not Ed Balls, alas departed, will continue...

[topvest] 22/5/2015 19:33

News today that Hugo has resigned after 20 years. Seems a bit out of the blue. Hope he is OK? Well no more interesting Chairman's Statements to look forward to here. It does make you wonder what happens when Robin retires as well.

[topvest] 08/3/2015 21:21

No Hugo writes the interesting stuff and Robin the share portfolio bits from what I can see. Yes, do agree that Robin invested in property and the insurers at a good time. His record has been better of late. At least no big blunders like investing in HMV this year. Looks like ISG is the only mishap. Overall, he's a pretty good manager and has a style of top-slicing winners to reduce risk although you do wonder if the top slicing is sometimes a bit quick.

[mw8156] 08/3/2015 20:18

looks to me that the management of this might eventually be sold to the global masters fund; think that Robin Boyle has done well to invest in the property companies and Lloyds insurance cos eg Amlin Catlin Hiscox Lancs all of which have done pretty well lately in this low interest environment- still suspect that Robin writes the commentary and Hugo signs it off?...

[topvest] 08/3/2015 17:09

Yes, it's one I look forward to as well. I particularly like the Winston Churchill quote this year. Portfolio looks well positioned to me. Surprised this has slipped to an 18% discount now, particularly with the big dividend increase. I notice that Robin Boyle is now 70 and Hugo 69. They have been running this for 20 years since 1994 with an annual return of 13.4% per annum. Probably another 10 years maximum in them managing this, but wonder what will happen to this little investment trust in due course. I also see that David Horner has resigned as a Director 30 Jan 2015. The link with Chelverton Asset Management or the Non-Exec Directors asset management business could come in to play at some stage I guess.

[jhan66] 01/8/2014 06:28

It's been a long time since I enjoyed reading a company report. Thanks Mr Deschampsneuf

[soundsplausible] 30/7/2014 06:13

I'll have a look but this one ticks all the boxes for me, just a pain about the spread. I also like the comments made by Hugo on the company results. He is either very clever or a nutter (not sure what). His views on the world around us can be funny and are 100 miles away from the normal financial speak you read every day.

[plasybryn] 28/7/2014 14:43

I believe so "soundsplausible". Painful to get in but seems worth it if you are going for the long term. Not many followers and Market Cap only £5.5m Have you looked at their other Trusts/Fund? 1. Small Cos Div. Trust (SDV) 2. Chelverton Uk Equity Income Fund (Unit Trust) Look on their web site under Chelverton.

[soundsplausible] 05/7/2014 08:17

New to this investment trust and yesterday was looking to buy into it. I got a shock when I saw a 50p spread between buy and sell prices. Is this a common feature of this share?

[smithie6] 04/6/2014 11:26

250p share price and 226p NAV Looks like insanity

[topvest] 20/5/2014 15:37

That's not what I heard.

[mw8156] 20/5/2014 09:41

think Robin writes it and Hugo Deschampsneufs signs it?

[topvest] 17/5/2014 15:33

Hugo writes the commentary as far as I'm aware.

[mw8156] 17/5/2014 13:21

see athelney got some coverage in the Independent today in the Derek Pain column who states that Hugo Deschampneufs writes the commentary though I suspect it is Robin Boyle.

[topvest] 27/2/2014 20:43

Smithie 6 - odd that you are selling the benefits of WSE on this thread, whilst slagging it off on the WSE thread...make your mind-up!

[mw8156] 26/2/2014 22:10

looks OK but at my age looking for IHT free investments!

[smithie6] 26/2/2014 19:46

No interest in Western selection ? at large discount to NAV 58p to buy on limit trade and 93p NAV interim results out today