Overview

WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies Fund

The management of the fund is team based, and the research and portfolio management functions are combined. This approach allows broader coverage of markets and stocks and enables the team to develop an in-depth knowledge of a prospective investee company prior to initiating a position in the stock.

We have extensive experience of investing in UK quoted smaller companies. Our investment process is first and foremost driven by company research, involving a bottom up, stock picking approach. Ideas are generated internally through our own research and also introduced to us by our sell-side contacts. We value input from the sell-side, maintaining a variety of broker and analyst relationships and accumulating the knowledge of their individual strengths and weaknesses. If possible, most offers of management contact are accepted, in order to effectively monitor companies and sectors.

Objective

The Fund aims to achieve long-term capital growth over periods of 5 years or longer. The Fund invests in UK smaller companies. For further information on our objectives and policy, please view the Key Investor Information Document (KIID) here.

Philosophy & Key Benefits

  • Bottom up: Stock-picking driven by rigorous analysis.
  • Diversified: A carefully curated conviction portfolio of typically 45-50 stocks.
  • Growth approach: Selecting quality growing businesses with sustainable revenues and margins.
  • Benchmark agnostic: Flexibility to take advantage of the best opportunities.
  • Fundamental research: Our strong relationships afford us excellent access to company management which informs our thoughtful analysis.
  • ESG considerations: Integral to each manager’s due diligence and research.
  • Team approach: Allowing waterfront coverage and avoiding individual manager bias.
  • Risk management: Active monitoring with a focus on liquidity and diversification.

Key Information as at 31st May 2026

B Class

Launch date:December 1998
Fund size£84.1m
IA sector:UK Smaller Companies
Benchmark:Deutsche Numis Smaller Companies
(excl. Investment Trusts, incl. AIM)
Index, Total Return
Number of holdings:41
Investment Team:Paul Jourdan
Gregor Paterson
ISAable fund:Yes
Minimum lump sum investment:£1,000
Regular savings:£50/mth
Initial charge:0%
Ongoing charges:0.91%
(incl. annual management charge
of 0.75% and research charge
of up to 0.10%)
Share type:Accumulation
B Accumulation:ISIN GB00B2NG4R39
Scheme type:A sub-fund of a UCITS Open Ended
Investment Company that is structured
as an umbrella company

Team

The Team

The fund is overseen by Paul Jourdan and Gregor Paterson, both of whom bring significant experience in investing in UK listed smaller companies.

Paul Jourdan, Fund Manager

Paul Jourdan
  • 28 years of investment experience.
  • Co-founded Amati Global Investors in January 2010.
  • Career began in 1998 with Stewart Ivory, where he gained experience in UK and global equities.
  • Stewart Ivory was taken over by First State and Paul was subsequently appointed Head of UK Equities.
  • Moved to Noble Fund managers in 2007, becoming Head of Equities.
  • Previously worked as a professional violinist, including a four-year period with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Gregor Paterson, Fund Manager

Gregor Paterson
  • 27 years of investment experience.
  • Joined Amati in 2024.
  • Began investment career in 1999 with Grieg Middleton & Co, as an investment manager.
  • Joined Bell Lawrie as an equity analyst in 2002, covering UK small and mid-cap stocks.
  • Moved into corporate & institutional stockbroking in 2008, holding senior positions at Cenkos, Cantor Fitzgerald and Zeus Capital.
  • MA in Economics from the University of Aberdeen.
  • Chartered Fellow of the Institute for Securities and Investment.
  • Holds the CFA Institute’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Certificate.

Why Invest?

  • Experienced small-cap specialists: Amati’s team brings extensive expertise in the under-researched UK small-cap market, where active stock selection can create significant value.
  • Focus on quality growth companies: Invests in innovative, scalable UK businesses backed by strong management teams and robust fundamentals.
  • Concentrated yet diversified portfolio: Typically holds around 40–50 stocks, providing meaningful exposure while maintaining diversification.
  • Compelling valuation opportunity: UK small caps remain historically undervalued, offering strong recovery potential as market sentiment improves.
  • Established long-term track record: Dr Paul Jourdan has over 26 years of experience, making him the longest-serving manager in the UK small-cap sector.
  • Integrated ESG approach: Sustainability considerations are embedded throughout the research process to support long-term risk management and investment outcomes.

Portfolio Information

As at 31st May 2026

10 Largest Holdings

Stock name% of total assets
Chemring4.4%
Yu Group4.3%
Gamma Communications4.0%
GB Group3.9%
Trainline3.7%
Serica Energy3.6%
Kainos3.6%
Renew Holdings3.6%
Boku3.5%
Mears Group3.4%

Performance

B Class

*Total Return, after all charges, net of UK tax.
**The stocks comprising the Index are aligned with the Fund’s objectives, and on that basis the Index is considered an appropriate performance comparator for the Fund. Please note that the Fund is not constrained by or managed to the Index.
Sources – Waystone Management (UK) Limited, FE Fundinfo and Amati Global Investors Ltd.

Cumulative Performance
as at 31st May 2026

PeriodFund Return
(%)
Benchmark
return (%)
Average Sector
return (%)#
Quartile
Ranking
1 month3.384.144.714
3 months1.09-1.47-0.071
6 months4.865.675.983
1 year0.9112.508.134
3 years4.5427.9120.694
5 years-29.050.47-9.504
10 years67.6971.7276.073
Since take-on*697.52318.06397.792

* Since take-on 31/08/2000.

 

Discrete Performance
as at 31st May 2026

Period 12 months toFund Return
(%)
Benchmark
return (%)
31.05.20260.9112.50
31.05.2025-6.721.10
31.05.202411.0712.47
31.05.2023-21.18-11.08
31.05.2022-13.90-11.67

# Investment Association UK Smaller Companies sector, Total Return.

The Investment Association’s UK Smaller Companies sector gives investors an indication of how the Fund is performing compared with the others investing in a similar, but not identical, investment universe.

 

Risk Warning

Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Source – Waystone Management (UK) Limited and FE Fundinfo. Further details: Issued by Amati Global Investors Ltd., authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in Scotland, number: SC199908. Registered address: 8 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7AL

Literature

Should you wish to receive our monthly fund factsheets by email, please register via our website.

Ratings

WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies Fund has the following ratings:

  • FundCalibre Elite Rated Fund (to read more from FundCalibre, please click here)

How to Invest

WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies Fund

WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies Fund is administered by Waystone Management (UK) Limited. Before investing you should view the relevant documents below.

For telephone dealing and enquiries please call:

Waystone Management (UK) Limited

Client Services and Dealing Line
T: +44 (0)345 922 0044
E: wtas-investorservices@waystone.com

 

 

Application Form

For further information regarding the application form, please visit Waystone’s website here.

FAQs

Please find below answers to some of the most frequently asked questions for WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies Fund. Should you wish to discuss another query, please contact us on 0131 503 9115 or email info@amatiglobal.com.

If you wish to apply for shares directly, please read the ‘How to Invest’ section and download the relevant application form.

Alternatively, you can also choose to invest in the platform of your choice. Please contact your platform directly to invest.

 

The WS Amati UK Listed Smaller Companies Fund is available on the majority of platforms. If your chosen platform does not currently hold the fund, please contact the relevant platform manager and ask that they contact us on 0131 503 9115 or email us on: info@amatiglobal.com

Daily at Midday

T+4

The fund has won several industry awards over the years and details of these are available to view on our awards page.

The minimum lump sum investment is £1,000.

The minimum lump sum top up is £500.

The minimum regular monthly investment is £50 per month

As the WS Amati Investment Funds are intended for investors seeking long-term capital growth, all income arising within them is reinvested into the value of shares. In other words the shares are all accumulation shares. The annual income allocation date is 31 March and the interim income allocation date is 30 September.

The Fund aims to achieve long term capital growth through investing in a well-diversified portfolio of UK smaller companies, which is consistent with the IA UK Smaller Companies sector definition, but includes in scope all stocks except those in the top 100 by market capitalisation. The portfolio is therefore spread across small and medium-sized companies quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”), as well as those listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Deutsche Numis Smaller Companies (plus AIM ex. Investment Companies) Total Return.