Foreign & Colonial trust unveils largest divi hike in 30 years

The Foreign & Colonial investment trust is to move to quarterly dividend payments and raise its total dividend for 2012 by 20%, as part of an overhaul of its distribution policy.

The company, whose £2bn portfolio is managed by Jeremy Tigue (pictured), will pay a total dividend of 8.5p a share for 2012, comprised of an interim dividend of 4p in September 2012, a quarterly dividend of 2p in February 2013 and a final dividend of 2.5p in May 2013. The trust's dividend has been raised every year since 1970, rising at a compound rate of 7.8% per annum in the ten years to 2011. As of 2013, interim dividends will be paid in August, November and February with a final dividend in May, the company said. "We are mindful that we continue to live in very uncertain times ...