Companies

When companies seek to conserve cash they reduce capital expenditures. This can lead to reduced productivity. Customer financing enables companies to increase their productivity, profitability and cash flow.

The banking sector has offered a mixed bag to investors over the last few years. Long suffering shareholders have held on to hopes of a turnaround, underpinned by support from the government and possibly even general improvement in economic conditions.

However as time goes by, we wonder if loyal investors are being fed stories of hope along with a quiet and steady stream of new share issues resulting in dilution. While recapitalization was required for regulatory reasons, we wonder, how much value has actually been eroded as a result of repeated issue of equity by banks.

In the current environment of historically low interest rates and yields, investors would do well to consider the benefits of dividend investing. Overtime, dividends have contributed a large proportion of the total return from equities, while the dividend component of the total return has also proved far less volatile. With the debate still raging over whether central bank actions around the world to stimulate global economic growth will ultimately prove inflationary, the potential for dividend growth as a ward against inflation should also be considered.

Investec has published its analysis of the UK’s 100 fastest-growing privately-owned mid-sized companies in association with Real Business. It provides hope that the country continues to develop world-class businesses that, with proprietary technology and an appetite for international markets, will be global players of the future.