Company Name:Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust

Stock Market: UK FSTE 250 (LON: ASL)
Industry Sector: Miscellaneous Financial Services
Market Capitalisation: £354.65 million (as of February 24, 2009)
Yearly Revenue: £32,277 thousands (as of December 31, 2008)
Operating Income: £23,142 thousands (as of December 31, 2008)
Net Income: £283,604 (loss) (as of December 31, 2008)
Total Assets: £467 million (as of December 31, 2008)

Key People: David R. Shaw (chairman)

Headquarters Address: 14 Melville Street, Edinburgh, SCO EH3 7NS
Website Address: www.aberforth.co.uk

Company Overview
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust (also known as ASCoT) is one of the most prominent Investment Trust companies within the sub-sector of Smaller Company Investment Trusts in the United Kingdom. ASCoT trades its shares on the London Stock Exchange. ASCoT’s objective is to obtain an asset that will exceed that of Hoare Govett Smaller Companies Index (“Excluding Investment Companies”).

To achieve this objective, ASCoT is investing in company securities of Hoare Govett Smaller Companies Index’s (“Excluding Investment Companies”) constituents. The index is limited to companies that have a market capital of £767 million as of January 1, 2005. However, this limit will alter because of the developments in the stock market. The portfolio consists of 80 individual company investments

Current Financial Overview
Aberforth Smaller Companies has a falling net income of 235.13%; from a £84.63 million loss to a greater loss of 283.60 million. The fall of the company’s net income decreased despite the 56.48% increase on its revenue of £20.63 million to £32.28 million. The increase of the cost of goods that the company sold from 14.91% to 17.86% of sales was a factor that affected its net income, despite the increase in revenue.

In 2008, the company had a 0.10% ratio on its Dept to Total Capital from its previous 0.00% in 2007. To increase the profitability of the company, the ASCoT’s Ordinary Shares were regenerated to 14.99% during the Annual General Meeting. The authority had 1,909,788 shares bought in December 2008 at a £11.1 million total cost.

On March 04, 2009, the Board will seek ways to enhance the value of the company.

The benchmark of the company dropped to its second worst result of 40.8% in 2008, after 54 years of history in the index. From the decreasing equity prices experienced in the previous year, the company will find it hard to step back and evaluate the opportunity to rise again in terms of objectivity. The de-leveraging process should continue for the company to bound back from its decreasing income. Though, trading conditions will probably worsen in 2009.

On January 27, 2009, the Board declared that the company had a 13.00p per Ordinary Share on its second interim dividend. Moreover, the first interim dividend on July 18, 2008, was much higher than that of 4.70p in 2007. Visit this site for performance advice when buying an ssd drive.