The Board does not structure the Trust’s balance sheet or underlying investments in order to deliver any target level of dividend. To maintain the Trust’s status as an investment trust, annual net revenue return retained, after dividend distributions in respect of that financial year, may not exceed 15% of the annual total income earned from investments. The level of the net revenue return varies from year to year according to the level of the Trust’s liquid funds and the short-term interest rates that can be earned on them, and the structure of the buyouts held at the time; net revenue return is also affected by the valuation of accrued but unpaid interest on loans to investee companies. Accordingly, dividends may vary from year to year. Where possible, the Trust has elected to ‘stream’ its income from interest-bearing investments as dividends that will be taxed in the hands of shareholders as interest income; this reduces the tax charge payable by the Trust.

DIVIDEND CALCULATOR