BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc (BRSC) has published its latest total voting rights notification in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. As at 10 November 2026, the Company's issued share capital excluding treasury shares stood at 236,883,950 ordinary shares of £0.05 each. The figure serves as the official denominator shareholders must use when calculating whether their interests trigger a disclosure obligation under DTR 5.6. Investors holding or approaching notifiable thresholds in the trust should take note of the updated figure immediately.

Key Points

  • BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc (BRSC)
  • Total issued share capital excluding treasury shares confirmed at 236,883,950 ordinary shares of £0.05 each as at 10 November 2026
  • 61,808,655 shares are currently held in treasury and excluded from the voting rights denominator
  • Shareholders approaching FCA disclosure thresholds should update their calculations using the new denominator figure

BRSC Confirms 236,883,950 Ordinary Shares as Official DTR 5.6 Denominator

BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc has notified the market in line with Article 15 of the Transparency Directive and DTR provision 5.6.1 that its voting share capital as at 10 November 2026 totals 236,883,950 ordinary shares, each carrying a nominal value of £0.05. This is the figure that all shareholders must now use as the denominator when assessing whether they hold, or have changed, a notifiable interest in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. The notification was filed by Company Secretary Graham Venables of BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited.

61,808,655 Treasury Shares Excluded from BRSC's Voting Capital Calculation

Alongside the voting share figure, the announcement confirms that BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust holds 61,808,655 ordinary shares in treasury as at the same date. Treasury shares carry no voting rights and are excluded from the denominator under regulatory convention, meaning they play no part in threshold calculations for the purpose of DTR 5 notifications. The scale of the treasury holding relative to the total capital structure is a detail investors may wish to monitor, as movements in treasury share levels can reflect buyback activity or other capital management decisions by the trust's board over time.

BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust's Regulatory Framework and Investment Mandate

BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc is a UK-listed investment trust managed by BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, one of the country's largest asset management groups. The trust focuses on investing in smaller UK-quoted companies, providing investors with exposure to a segment of the market that can offer distinct growth characteristics compared with large-cap indices. As a closed-ended investment company, it is subject to ongoing FCA transparency obligations, including the regular disclosure of total voting rights to allow market participants to assess their regulatory reporting positions accurately.