FC has released the annual results of its European Assets Trust, giving investors an increased dividend on 2009.

Investors will receive dividend of six per cent of the net asset value per share at the end of 2009.

This means that the dividend is €0.432 per share, a considerable increase on the €0.3248 per share paid in 2009, and investors will receive it in the form of further shares .

Although many of the stocks within the trust underperformed in 2009, the company believes their reasonable valuations mean good returns can be expected this year.

Crispin Longden, manager of the European Assets Trust at FC, said We favour companies with a demonstrable business franchise which enables them to sustain pricing power and demand and to grow turnover rather than rely on cost-cutting to improve profitability.

Having underperformed for much of 2009, we believe that such companies have the potential to revalue even as the rest of the asset class may struggle to make additional headway this year.

According to the Association of Investment Companies, the FC Global Smaller Companies trust has provided 39 consecutive years of dividend growth.