SIF Folio 2024 review + changes for 2025

2024 was a mixed year for the UK market. While the first six months were broadly positive, the second half of the year was weaker as external concerns weighed on investor sentiment.
My rules-based SIF (Stock in Focus) portfolio continued to trade throughout the year, adding stocks when my screen offered buying opportunities – and shifting more heavily into cash at other times. (Subscribers can see a fuller explanation of how the portfolio works here.)
When markets closed on 31 December, I’m happy to report SIF was comfortably ahead for the year, maintaining its long-term record of outperforming the wider UK market.
SIF 2024 performance review
SIF gained 12.5% in 2024, versus a 5.6% gain for its benchmark, the FTSE All Share index. This portfolio return includes estimated costs but excludes dividends.

Taking a longer view, SIF has now risen by 98% since inception in April 2016. That’s equivalent to an annualised return of 8.2%, again excluding dividends.

Including dividends, I estimate SIF has generated a total return of 134%, or 10.3% annualised since April 2016.
The consistent additional return generated by dividend income is...