NEF declares higher dividends for CY14

1 April 2015 03:46 am

National Asset Management Limited (NAMAL) paid a dividend of Rs.1.50 per unit to the unit holders of the flagship National Equity Fund (NEF) for the year ended March 31, 2015.
NAMAL Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer Avancka Herat stated, “NEF generated a total return of 33.3 percent in CY14, outperforming the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Price Index (ASPI) by 9.93 percent.
The equity market benefited from sound economic fundamentals, political stability, strong corporate earnings and positive direct inflow by foreign institutional funds and enabled NAMAL equity funds to deliver superior returns to its investors.”
He further stated that the fund has now achieved an impressive long-term track record in the last 23 years with a CARG of 15.44 percent (on a dividend reinvestment basis) since its inception in December 1991. NEF currently has Rs.2.4 billion assets under management (AUM) and the fund has paid dividends annually since inception, at a historical average of Rs.1.21.
NAMAL is Sri Lanka’s first unit trust management company, having commenced operations in 1991, with a 23-year track record of successfully investing in the Sri Lankan equity and debt markets. NAMAL currently operates nine unit trusts including the flagship NEF and the only listed unit trust. Principal shareholders of NAMAL are Union Bank of Colombo PLC and DFCC Bank PLC.