
Merryn Talks Money Why UK Small Caps Could Soar — Rockwood’s Richard Staveley on Value, Catalysts & Momentum
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Nov 12, 2025 Richard Staveley, manager of the Rockwood Strategic Investment Trust, dives into the world of UK small caps, highlighting why they’re currently overlooked and presenting a golden investment opportunity. He discusses the challenges of liquidity and the influence of private equity and passive funds on market dynamics. Richard shares his approach of concentrated, hands-on value investing to unlock change. He also explores trends that could spark IPOs and discusses exciting stocks like RM and Capita, while emphasizing the potential revival of the UK equity market through savvy policy and momentum.
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Long-Term Edge Yet Short-Term Pain
- UK small caps have endured an elongated period of underperformance despite a long-term historical edge over large caps.
- That makes current valuations unusually attractive for mean reversion if conditions shift.
Liquidity Squeezes Amplify Moves
- Liquidity constraints and concentrated ownership have pushed small caps out of favour and slowed re-rating.
- When liquidity returns, tight markets can move dramatically and quickly for small caps.
Private Equity And Passive Effects
- Private equity has diverted potential public-market supply, reducing the pool of listed smaller companies.
- Passive investing doesn't catalyze intrinsic value discovery; it merely holds proportionate stakes and can slow re-rating.



