Woodford sells Rolls-Royce stake as confidence in business model shaken

Alpha manager has held aerospace company for nearly a decade

clock

Neil Woodford has sold his positions in Rolls-Royce across his funds, saying November's disappointing trading statement has "shaken his confidence" in the company's investment case.

In a recent blog post, Woodford said he has held Rolls-Royce for almost a decade, and since launch in his open- and closed-ended funds. On 12 November, the manager had 2.2% of his £7.7bn Woodford Equity Income fund invested in Rolls-Royce, as well as 0.8% of the £832m Patient Capital trust. Rolls-Royce has issued six profit warnings and downgrades over the past two years that have caused its share price to more than halve, closing at 578.5p on Wednesday. Woodford said the company has struggled as it transitions between civil aerospace engine designs and invests in new capacity to d...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

Taking the rough with the smooth: How to navigate global market volatility

Taking the rough with the smooth: How to navigate global market volatility

'Like investing, smoothing isn't one-size-fits-all'

James Tothill
clock 13 June 2025 • 4 min read
Four key questions to guide informed investment decisions

Four key questions to guide informed investment decisions

Does the story make sense?

Gabriel Sacks
clock 12 June 2025 • 4 min read
Neil Woodford to charge up to £70 a month to access portfolio platform

Neil Woodford to charge up to £70 a month to access portfolio platform

W4.0 launches

Cristian Angeloni
clock 06 June 2025 • 2 min read