Bankers Investment Trust (BNKR)

BNKR is a FTSE 250-listed investment company focused on delivering long-term capital growth in excess of its FTSE World Index benchmark and inflation-beating income growth to its shareholders. Established in 1888, it invests in a diversified portfolio of global equities aiming to tap into global trends in GDP growth, in particular the rapid growth on offer in Asia. That’s translated into a 57-year record of raising dividends, with a dividend paid every year since inception. In this interview we speak to lead manager Alex Crooke about the importance of the three Us (“Unloved, under-owned and undervalued”) to the company’s investment philosophy; why the team is balancing the portfolio to take advantage of faster growth in emerging Asia; building macro analysis by in-region experts into the company's bottom up stock picking approach; looking past AI hype to opportunities in the broader US market; and why the global economy is likely to experience a ‘soft landing’ that supports the manager's cautiously optimistic outlook.