HQL - abrdn Life Sciences Investors
A closed-end fund run by abrdn. Invests in healthcare companies. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Is anyone targeting this fund?
Not right now - Saba was in this fund until Feb 23, 2026 and has since sold down.
Is the fund doing anything you need to act on?
Nothing right now.
What this means for you
Saba owned more than 5% of this fund and has since sold down below that level, so it no longer has to report its holding.
Nothing is required of you. If a large investor buys in again, the notice appears here the day it is filed.
What happened, and when
-
Feb 23, 2026
Saba sold down below 5% and stopped reporting.
Original document → -
Feb 11, 2026
Saba cut its stake to 5.7% (from 6.8%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
Jan 8, 2026
Saba cut its stake to 6.8% (from 7.9%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
Nov 24, 2025
Saba cut its stake to 7.9% (from 9%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
Sept 26, 2025
Saba cut its stake to 9% (from 10.3%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document →
Show all 12 events
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Sept 3, 2025
Saba cut its stake to 10.3% (from 11.4%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
April 1, 2025
Saba cut its stake to 11.4% (from 12.4%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
June 3, 2024
Saba raised its stake to 12.4% (from 11.3%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
April 29, 2024
Saba raised its stake to 11.3% (from 9.8%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
April 17, 2024
Saba raised its stake to 9.8% (from 8.3%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
Feb 7, 2024
Saba raised its stake to 8.3% (from 6.6%). It has said it may push for changes.
Original document → -
Jan 12, 2024
Saba now owns 6.6%. It has said it may push for changes.
Original document →
About this fund
- Run by abrdn Inc. As of Sept 30, 2025, from the fund's yearly report. Original document →
- Size: about $689 million of holdings, as of June 30, 2026. As of June 30, 2026, from the fund's quarterly holdings report. Original document →
- Borrowing: the fund does not borrow. As of June 30, 2026, from the fund's quarterly holdings report. Original document →
- Costs: 1.1% a year in management fees; 1.2% a year in total, including interest on borrowed money. Fiscal year ended Sept 30, 2025. As of Sept 30, 2025, from the fund's yearly report. Original document →
- Payouts: last fiscal year (ended Sept 30, 2025) the fund paid $1.82 a share. $1.72 of that was income; $0.10 came from gains. As of Sept 30, 2025, from the fund's annual report. Original document →
- Value of holdings per share at the last fiscal year end (Sept 30, 2025): $17.35. The shares traded at $15.51, about 10.6% below that. As of Sept 30, 2025, from the fund's yearly report. Original document →
- How the holdings did: up 26.8% over the last three months we have (April-June 2026), before the share price is taken into account. Over the last 12 months: +76.7%. As of June 30, 2026, from the fund's quarterly holdings report. Original document →
- How the holdings did over the fiscal year (ended Sept 30, 2025): the value of the holdings returned +21.1%. How the share price did: the shares returned +17.6% over the same year, counting payouts and the change in the market price. As of Sept 30, 2025, from the fund's annual report. Original document →
- First reported to the regulator in 1995.
What the fund holds
Mostly shares (89%), the rest preferred shares, derivatives and cash and short-term holdings. About 82% issued in the U.S.
The fund also sells options on its holdings to raise income.
- uniQure NV - 3.8%
- Insmed - 3.2%
- VeraDermics - 3.1%
- Personalis - 3%
- Derivatives - 2.7%
- Argenx SE - 2.6%
- Dyne Therapeutics - 2.6%
- Denali Therapeutics - 2.5%
- Veradermics, Inc. - 1.9%
- Abivax SA - 1.9%
Show all 25
- Immunovant - 1.9%
- Tectonic Therapeutic - 1.8%
- Crinetics Pharmaceuticals - 1.7%
- Oruka Therapeutics - 1.7%
- Equillium - 1.7%
- Neurovance Milestone Interest - 1.7%
- Edgewise Therapeutics - 1.6%
- Axsome Therapeutics - 1.5%
- Xenon Pharmaceuticals - 1.5%
- Taysha Gene Therapies - 1.5%
- Praxis Precision Medicines - 1.5%
- EyePoint - 1.5%
- Shattuck Labs - 1.4%
- Cash and short-term - 1.3%
- Summit Therapeutics - 1.3%
As of June 30, 2026, from the fund's quarterly holdings report. Original document →
Details: all notices, events and fund facts
| Date | Investor | Stake | Type of notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 2026 | Saba | 5% | Sold down below 5% |
| Feb 11, 2026 | Saba | 5.7% | Updated notice |
| Jan 8, 2026 | Saba | 6.8% | Updated notice |
| Nov 24, 2025 | Saba | 7.9% | Updated notice |
| Sept 26, 2025 | Saba | 9% | Updated notice |
| Sept 3, 2025 | Saba | 10.3% | Updated notice |
| April 1, 2025 | Saba | 11.4% | Updated notice |
| June 3, 2024 | Saba | 12.4% | Updated notice |
| April 29, 2024 | Saba | 11.3% | Updated notice |
| April 17, 2024 | Saba | 9.8% | Updated notice |
| Feb 7, 2024 | Saba | 8.3% | Updated notice |
| Jan 12, 2024 | Saba | 6.6% | Updated notice |
No announcements from the fund on file.
- Run by
- abrdn Inc.
- Fund family
- ABERDEENCF
- Exchange
- New York Stock Exchange
- Regulator's file number
- 811-06565
- Auditor
- KPMG LLP
- Fiscal year end
- Sept 30, 2025
- Number of holdings
- 158
- Preferred share classes
- none
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