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Small Cap

Quality Value oriented portfolio of 25-35 small cap equities; benchmark Russell 2000.

Investment Objective


Our Small Cap strategy seeks to generate meaningful excess returns vs the benchmark at lower levels of volatility over full market cycles, utilizing a highly differentiated investment approach focused on downside protection.

Why Invest in London Small Cap?


  • Targets high-quality, competitively advantaged US small-cap companies exhibiting the key drivers of downside protection: consistently high and improving returns on capital and strong balance sheets.
  • Invests in such companies that are trading at attractive discounts to intrinsic value as determined by our proprietary Balance Sheet Optimization valuation process that reduces forecast risk.
  • Invests in 25-35 high conviction positions with a long-term ownership mindset resulting in high active share and low turnover.

Risk / Return Analysis


Source: eVestment, since inception 9/30/1999

Upside vs. Downside Returns


Upside Market Capture: 77.1%
Downside Market Capture: 67.4%

Source: eVestment, since inception 9/30/1999

Lower Downside Capture Leads to Excess Returns


Five-Year Annualized Rolling Returns (Net)

Since inception 9/30/1999

Hypothetical Growth of $100,000


The Growth of $100,000 chart illustrates actual net performance of a hypothetical $100,000 investment made in London’s Small Cap Strategy on its inception date, 9/30/1999. This chart assumes the reinvestment of dividends and is not intended to imply any future performance.

Annualized Returns (%)


QTDYTD1 Yr3 Yr5 Yr10 YrITD*
Small Cap (gross)8.38.322.79.412.57.912.7
Small Cap (net)8.28.221.98.711.77.212.2
Russell 20005.25.219.7-0.18.17.68.2
Russell 2000 Value2.92.918.82.28.26.99.0

*Inception date 9/30/1999

Portfolio Characteristics


Small CapRussell 2000Russell 2000 Value
Pre-tax ROC (3 yr. avg %)15.66.96.5
Net Debt/EBITDA1.5x3.3x3.9x
Enterprise Value/EBITDA15.0x14.3x11.2x
Number of Holdings361,9451,419
Active Share vs Index-97.798.2
Weighted Avg Mkt Cap ($B)4.54.72.9
Median Mkt Cap ($B)3.50.90.8
Dividend Yield (%)1.01.32.1

Source: FactSet, eVestment
This information relates to a representative account, therefore not every client’s account will have these exact characteristics

Return Characteristics


Small Cap (Net)Russell 2000Russell 2000 Value
Down Market Capture (%) vs Index-67.476.7
Up Market Capture (%) vs Index-77.185.9
Cumulative Returns (%)1,565.6589.6730.9
Sharpe Ratio0.610.310.37
Standard Deviation17.120.519.6
Alpha vs Index-6.35.0
Beta vs Index-0.70.8

Source: eVestment, composite data since inception 9/30/1999

Performance is preliminary. Subject to change. Performance results shown should, under no circumstances, be construed as an indication of future performance. All are encouraged to read and understand the disclosure notes found on the end of the page.

The Small Cap product is typically compared to the Russell 2000 Index. Any comparison to the Russell 2000 Value is for illustrative purposes only.

All data is as of 3/31/2024 unless otherwise noted.

Top Ten Holdings (%)


HoldingSmall Cap
Masonite International Corp.5.3
Tempur Sealy International Inc.5.1
White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd.5.1
NewMarket Corporation4.9
Landstar System, Inc.4.8
Vontier Corporation4.4
Armstrong World Industries, Inc.4.0
Moelis & Co. Class A3.6
Acushnet Holdings Corporation3.2
Matson, Inc.3.1
Total43.5

Active Share


vs Russell 2000

Active share measures the percentage of holdings in the portfolio that differ from the benchmark index.

Sector Weightings (%)


Source: FactSet

Sector weightings may not add to 100% due to rounding

SectorSmall Cap
Communication Services1.7
Consumer Discretionary17.2
Consumer Staples4.9
Energy0.7
Financials15.5
Health Care7.5
Industrials23.0
Information Technology14.6
Materials7.0
Real Estate5.7
Utilities0.0
Cash2.1

Disclosure Notes


The London Company’s performances are size weighted and annualized based on calculations for the period ending March 31, 2024. The characteristics discussed herein relate to a representative account, and not every client’s account will have these exact characteristics. As London manages its client portfolios according to each client’s specific investment needs and circumstances, London cannot affirm that the characteristics of the account shown are similar to all accounts participating in the strategy. This is due in part to the timing of trades by the Advisor, market conditions, cash availability, and the timing of client deposits and withdrawals. Therefore, prospective clients should not assume that similar performance results to those shown would have been achieved for their accounts had they been invested in the strategy during the period. None of the information contained herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities, or as investment recommendations.

Definition of Firm: The London Company of Virginia is a registered investment advisor. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about the advisor, including full descriptions of its investment strategies, fees and objectives, can be found in the firm’s Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request by calling 804.775.0317 or visiting www.TLCadvisory.com. The London Company claims compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®). GIPS® is a registered trademark of CFA Institute. CFA Institute does not endorse or promote this organization, nor does it warrant the accuracy or quality of the content contained herein. Please visit www.TLCadvisory.com or contact us at 804.775.0317 to request a complete list and description of The London Company’s composites and/or a GIPS® Report that adheres to the (GIPS®) standards.

Composite Creation/Inception Date: September 30, 1999

Composite Definition: The Small Cap strategy invests mainly in conservative, low-beta, small-cap equities with a focus on above-average downside protection. Primarily we seek profitable, financially stable small-cap companies that consistently generate free cash flow, high returns on unleveraged operating capital, trade at significant discounts to their intrinsic values, and are run by shareholder-oriented management. Positions are usually within the market capitalization range of the major, domestic small-cap indices. Accounts in this product composite are fully discretionary taxable and tax-exempt portfolios with a minimum of $100,000 in assets. The product is measured against the Russell 2000 Index and has a creation and inception date of September 30, 1999. There is no use of leverage, derivatives, or short positions. All actual fee-paying discretionary portfolios are included in one or more composites that have been managed for a full calendar quarter with limited restrictions and similar objectives. As of July 1, 2022 The London Company redefined the composites to exclude all dual contract relationship and any potentially bundled fee scenarios. This policy is not retroactive, but will continue to apply going forward.

Benchmark Description: Primary: Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe. Russell 2000 is a subset of the Russell 3000 Index representing approximately 10% of the total market capitalization of that index. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership. Secondary: Russell 2000 Value Index measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. Benchmark returns are not covered by the report of independent verifiers. The Small Cap product is typically compared to the Russell 2000 Index. Any comparison to the Russell 2000 Value is for illustrative purposes only.

Performance and Fees: Gross of fee returns are calculated gross of management and custodian fees and net of transaction costs. Net of fee returns are calculated net of actual London Company management fees and transaction costs and gross of custodian and other fees. Returns may be net of miscellaneous fund expenses. The gross figures do not reflect the deduction of investment advisory fees. Returns are calculated and stated in U.S. dollars. Prior to April 1, 2024 returns are calculated gross of withholding taxes on foreign dividends and interest. Starting April 1, 2024, performance is calculated net or gross of foreign withholding taxes on dividends and interest income dependent on custodian data. Dividends are reinvested. The accounts represented in the composite reflect actual London Company fees paid on the particular account which may be different from the fee normally offered to other clients. Policies for valuing investments, calculating performance, and preparing GIPS Reports are available upon request.

Past performance should not be taken as a guarantee of future results. The report is for informational purposes only. Data, while obtained from sources we believe to be reliable, cannot be guaranteed and all statistics are subject to change. The statements contained herein are solely based upon the opinions of The London Company and the data available at the time of publication of this report, and there is no assurance that any predicted results will actually occur. Information was obtained from third-party sources, which we believe to be reliable but are not guaranteed as to their accuracy or completeness. This report contains no recommendations to buy or sell any specific securities and should not be considered investment advice of any kind. An investment in a London Company strategy is subject to risks, including the loss of principal.  Referenced strategies may not be suitable for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular strategy will depend on individual circumstances and objectives. In making an investment decision, individuals should utilize other information sources and the advice of their investment advisor.

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