BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc (BRSC) has published its latest total voting rights disclosure, confirming that as at 12 November 2026 its issued share capital comprised 236,748,950 ordinary shares of £0.05 each, excluding shares held in treasury. The update is made in conformity with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, specifically provision 5.6.1 of DTR 5. The figure establishes the denominator that shareholders must use when calculating whether they are required to notify interests in the company under the Rules, making it a practically significant disclosure for institutional and substantial investors.

Key Points

  • BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc (BRSC)
  • The company confirmed 236,748,950 ordinary shares of £0.05 each as the voting rights denominator as at 12 November 2026
  • 61,943,655 shares are currently held in treasury and are excluded from the denominator figure
  • Investors holding or approaching notifiable thresholds should use the confirmed denominator to assess their disclosure obligations under DTR 5

BRSC's Confirmed Share Capital Denominator of 236,748,950 Ordinary Shares

BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc has notified the market that its issued capital as at 12 November 2026 stood at 236,748,950 ordinary shares of £0.05 each, after excluding 61,943,655 shares held in treasury. Under Article 15 of the Transparency Directive and FCA DTR 5.6.1, listed companies are required to publish this figure monthly to allow shareholders to assess their notification obligations accurately. The denominator is the reference figure against which percentage interests are measured, meaning any change to it can affect whether a shareholder's existing holding crosses a notifiable threshold under the Rules.

Treasury Share Position: 61,943,655 Shares Excluded From Voting Calculations

The announcement states that 61,943,655 ordinary shares are currently held in treasury by BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust. Treasury shares carry no voting rights and are excluded from the denominator in line with regulatory requirements. The scale of the treasury holding relative to the total issued capital is a figure investors may monitor, as movements in treasury shares — through cancellation or reissue — directly affect the denominator used for future notifications. The company did not disclose any changes to the treasury position compared with prior months in this announcement.

BlackRock Investment Management Administers Compliance Under FCA Transparency Rules

The disclosure was made on behalf of BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust by Graham Venables, Company Secretary at BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, the investment manager responsible for administering the trust. BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust is a London-listed investment trust that focuses on UK smaller companies, providing investors with exposure to this segment of the equity market through a closed-ended structure. Regulatory transparency disclosures of this nature are a routine but important element of the governance framework governing such vehicles and their shareholders.