Octopus AIM VCT PLC - venture capital trust - Net asset value as at February 28 declines 25% to 78.5 pence per share from 104.8p per share a year prior. NAV total return for financial 2023 is negative 19.8% compared to negative 16.1% for the FTSE AIM All Share Index, and worse than negative 9.1% in financial 2022. Proposes final dividend of 2.5p per share, down 17% from 3.0p a year ago. Total dividend is 5.0p, 9.1% lower than 5.5p in financial 2022. Looking ahead, notes slow recovery in sentiment after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, but cites ongoing nervousness around the financial health of some US banks. ‘More than half the companies in the portfolio have updated us on trading since the period end, with many of these reassuring,’ Octopus says.

Current stock price: 72.00 pence, up 2.1% on Wednesday

12-month change: down 21%

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