Sand and Seaweed, Colonsay © Glen Scouller
Your investment team
Rather than choosing individual fund managers to run our portfolios, we think that being collaborative gets better results for our clients. We believe that many minds are better than one. Our approach to stock ratification is built on consensus. We believe that robust, collaborative debate leads to better outcomes — and we always reach a decision as one team.
Finding a Walter Scott investment. Firstly, we look back.
The fundamental characteristics of a company provide the clues to its future. Why do we focus on finding these three key characteristics, and importantly, finding them at the right price? Thorough analysis and valuation lie at the heart of our research approach. Overpaying for growth -or from our perspective, buying value without the prospect of growth -are not recipes for achieving good long-term returns.
Then we look forward
The “seven sisters” analysis forms the next stage of our research.
If a company does make it through to the qualitative stage of our research, the “Seven Sisters” questions form the next stage of our in-depth analysis. (And in case you were wondering why we call it the seven sisters, this is after the seven hills that surround our home city of Edinburgh.)
Team decision making in action
Buying a stock is a team decision. It starts with the stock champion, then the regional team, then full research team and finally the Investment Executive. When we decide to sell a stock. We have the single dissenting voice principle, whereby if one person on the team puts forward a convincing researched argument as to why the team should sell a company, we will sell it. Unanimity in action.
Stock champion
Screening
Reading
Research trips
Industry events
Sector projects
Regional teams
EMEA
Americas
Asia
Emerging markets
Research team
Full proposals
Peer review
Rigorous debate
Investment Executive
Ratification
Position sizing
Cash flow management
Portfolio
management
our partners
Invest with us globally
Our strategies are also available through a network of sub-advisory partners in the US, Canada, Europe, the UK, Asia, and Australia. To learn more about investing with us, either directly or via one of our partners, please get in touch.
Our HQ at One Charlotte Square, Edinburgh
