Trump’s deadline is rapidly approaching. Yesterday, President Trump reiterated his warning that the United States will target Iranian energy infrastructure if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Wednesday night at 01:00 (UK time). As a result, short-term market sentiment is almost entirely dependent on what unfolds in the coming hours. That said, within our portfolio, we do not currently see any direct threats regardless of how the situation develops. Last week, markets experienced a sense of relief, with most equities posting modest gains. Investors appeared to catch their breath. Early in the week, there were signs that the situation in the Middle East might stabilize, partly driven by reports of a potential ceasefire. Although Iran later denied these claims, markets reacted positively. Oil prices declined and equities rallied broadly. The FTSE 100 even rose by 5.4%. However, that relief proved short-lived. As the week progressed, sentiment shifted again after Trump signaled his intention to increase pressure on Iran. Heading into the weekend, investors grew more cautious, oil prices moved higher, and markets adopted a wait-and-see stance. Notably, losses on European exchanges remained limited, suggesting that investors are not yet broadly de-risking. Over the weekend, communication remained inconsistent. Trump issued strong threats of escalation, only to shortly thereafter suggest that a deal remains possible. This leaves the situation highly uncertain, with the deadline rapidly approaching. Overall, markets are currently in a fragile equilibrium. Everything hinges on the outcome of this deadline. A de-escalation could reignite last week’s positive momentum, while escalation could quickly translate into higher oil prices and increased volatility. Although several key macroeconomic data releases are scheduled for the coming week—including U.S. inflation (CPI), the PCE index, and Federal Reserve minutes—market direction will in practice be driven primarily by developments in Iran. As long as this uncertainty persists, caution is likely to dominate. Encouragingly, and as reflected in our portfolio, global unrest has little to no impact on low-priced equities. In some cases, this uncertainty is already priced in, contributing to depressed valuations. At the same time, this resilience also reflects the stock selection decisions we have made in recent months. Marston’s Last week, we added Marston’s to the portfolio—a classic turnaround story that, in our view, is still underappreciated by the market. Under the leadership of new CEO Justin Platt, the company is undergoing a clear strategic repositioning, transforming the traditional pub into a modern, experience-driven venue with higher margins and improved scalability. What makes this stock particularly attractive is the combination of operational improvement and a very low valuation. The real estate portfolio represents substantial value, well above the current market capitalization, while debt levels are declining and cash flow is improving. The market still appears focused on the past, while early signs of recovery are already visible. Looking ahead, we see several potential catalysts. Further deleveraging towards a leverage ratio below 4x could pave the way for a dividend reinstatement, which may quickly shift sentiment. In addition, the new pub concepts are delivering strong returns, with rising revenue and margins per location. As rollout accelerates, this should become increasingly visible in the financials. Sharesunderten views Marston’s as a stock in the early stages of a turnaround—typically the phase where the greatest upside potential exists. We remain positive and believe the current valuation does not reflect the underlying value and recovery potential. MEKO MEKO has published the agenda for its Annual General Meeting on May 7, which largely confirms our existing view. The company is clearly in a transition phase, prioritizing balance sheet strengthening and operational improvements over direct shareholder returns. As expected, the board proposes no dividend for 2025, given the elevated debt position following a heavy investment phase. In addition, a new long-term incentive program for management and key employees has been proposed. This program is strongly performance-based, tied to metrics such as EBIT growth, earnings per share, and total shareholder return. Less encouraging is the explicit inclusion of sustainability targets, including CO₂ reduction goals. Furthermore, the board is seeking approval to issue new shares, potentially without pre-emptive rights. This creates flexibility for acquisitions or balance sheet strengthening, but also introduces the risk of dilution. The position is currently down only around 1% relative to our entry price. However, the AGM agenda does not provide sufficient confidence, and we have decided to fully exit the position while the loss remains limited. On to the next opportunity. Sunny Optical Sunny Optical reported its 2025 full-year results last week, broadly in line with expectations. There were no major surprises, as the company had already provided prior guidance. Revenue came in at approximately RMB 43 billion, while net profit increased by around 70% to roughly RMB 4.6 billion. What stands out is the company’s increasing ability to capitalize on growth segments beyond smartphones. In particular, automotive and high-end optical applications are contributing more significantly to profit growth. At the same time, the company continues to invest in technology and is positioning itself in markets driven by structural trends such as ADAS, AI, and sensor technology. The company also proposed a higher dividend, underlining management’s confidence in cash flow development. This further signals that underlying performance is stronger than current market sentiment suggests. While the initial market reaction was cautious, the stock moved higher towards the end of the week. This suggests that investors are beginning to reassess the results and that negative sentiment may be bottoming out. Fundamentally, our view remains unchanged. Sunny Optical continues to be a high-quality player transitioning towards structurally growing markets. Deceuninck Deceuninck published the agenda for its shareholder meeting at the end of April. There are no major surprises, but it does confirm the company’s current strategic direction. The board proposes a dividend of €0.09 per share—a modest increase that highlights stable cash flow generation. In addition, a new remuneration policy for 2026 is on the table, along with several board reappointments. Overall, this is a fairly standard AGM agenda without any major strategic changes. Our underlying view remains