253: Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast - with Boaz Weinstein (22 Jan 2025)

Money Makers

In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook and winner of the 2024 AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award, is joined by Boaz Weinstein, CEO and founder of Saba Capital. This discussion was recorded on 21 January 2025, the day before the first of the seven Saba-requisitioned meeting votes, the one at Herald Investment Trust (HRI), which Weinstein says he expects to lose. There is plenty of interesting new detail on his campaign tactics and objectives in this near one hour long conversation. Subscribers to the Money Makers newsletter will see a transcript in due course. *** Out now: The 2025 Investment Trusts Handbook *** The Investment Trusts Handbook is an independent educational publication designed to provide investors with a handy annual reference book that summarises all you need to know about investment trusts. Now in its eighth year, the Handbook is a high-quality, full-colour hardback of more than 340 pages, the largest yet, with reviews of the past year, extensive interviews and commentary, plus nearly 80 pages of “how to” information and performance data. The Handbook is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in investment trusts. There is also a free e-book version you can read on a PC, tablet or smartphone. Available to order from Harriman House (https://harriman-house.com/ithb2025) or Amazon. *** Section Timestamps: 0:00:24 - Introduction 0:01:35 - Assessing the impact of Saba’s campaign since 2022 0:07:33 - Building stakes 0:09:37 - What are the objectives? 0:20:22 - Addressing vagueness 0:22:07 - Buyers for unlisted instruments 0:27:50 - A short break 0:28:42 - Board size and corporate governance 0:35:12 - Buying on the cheap 0:40:13 - What happens if a vote is lost 0:48:34 - Why these seven trusts? 0:52:36 - Saba’s anticipated return from its campaign 0:56:23 - A preference for constructive engagement? 0:58:30 - Close If you enjoy the weekly podcast, you may also find value in joining The Money Makers circle. This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, market/portfolio reviews and regular extracts from the editor's notebook. This week, as well as the usual features, the Circle features a profile of Syncona (SYNC). Future profiles include TR Property (TRY) and Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies (SST). Look out for the latest edition of our new expanded weekly subscriber email which summarises Jonathan's latest thoughts and includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news. The content of that email is also available for subscribers via the website. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year. For more information about the Money Makers circle, please visit money-makers.co/membership-join. Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our more than 250 podcasts since launch. You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk. Produced by Ben Gamblin.