News
Performance Report: 4D Global Infrastructure Fund
22 Jan 2020 - Australian Fund Monitors
The 4D Global Infrastructure Fund rose +1.34% in December, taking 12-month performance to +29.38% and annualised performance since inception in March 2016 to +14.33%.
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22 Jan 2020 - Performance Report: 4D Global Infrastructure Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The fund will be managed as a single portfolio of listed global infrastructure securities including regulated utilities in gas, electricity and water, transport infrastructure such as airports, ports, road and rail as well as communication assets such as the towers and satellite sectors. The portfolio is intended to have exposure to both developed and emerging market opportunities, with country risk assessed internally before any investment is considered. The maximum absolute position of an individual stock is 7% of the fund. |
| Manager Comments | The strongest portfolio performer for the month was Brazilian renewable player AES Tiete up 28.1%. 4D noted the company is successfully executing its diversification strategy. The Fund's top performer over CY2019 was Cellnex, up +99% as it successfully executed its growth strategy. The weakest performer in December was Chilean water operator Aguas Andinas, down -3% as a result of ongoing political concerns. The Fund's weakest performer over CY2019 was global port operator DPWorld, down -21% as trade wars and political conflict weighed on the stock. 4D believe DPWorld is offering very attractive value at current levels. 4D Infrastructure noted 2019 was a strong year for the infrastructure sector as well as for the portfolio. Heading into 2020, with a macro backdrop of slower growth and lower interest rates (but no imminent recession), the portfolio remains overweight user pay assets and overweight emerging markets. 4D's biggest concern remains ongoing geopolitical issues compounded by the 2020 US election. |
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Performance Report: Cyan C3G Fund
20 Jan 2020 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Cyan C3G Fund rose +19.54% over CY19, taking annualised performance since inception in August 2014 to +18.14% versus the ASX200 Accumulation Index's +7.89%.
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20 Jan 2020 - Performance Report: Cyan C3G Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | Cyan C3G Fund is based on the investment philosophy which can be defined as a comprehensive, clear and considered process focused on delivering growth. These are identified through stringent filter criteria and a rigorous research process. The Manager uses a proprietary stock filter in order to eliminate a large proportion of investments due to both internal characteristics (such as gearing levels or cash flow) and external characteristics (such as exposure to commodity prices or customer concentration). Typically, the Fund looks for businesses that are one or more of: a) under researched, b) fundamentally undervalued, c) have a catalyst for re-rating. The Manager seeks to achieve this investment outcome by actively managing a portfolio of Australian listed securities. When the opportunity to invest in suitable securities cannot be found, the manager may reduce the level of equities exposure and accumulate a defensive cash position. Whilst it is the company's intention, there is no guarantee that any distributions or returns will be declared, or that if declared, the amount of any returns will remain constant or increase over time. The Fund does not invest in derivatives and does not use debt to leverage the Fund's performance. However, companies in which the Fund invests may be leveraged. |
| Manager Comments | Despite pulling back -4.2% in December and -8.8% over Q4, the Fund ended CY19 up +19.5%. Cyan put the recent retracement down to a lack of momentum resulting in smaller stocks being sold off aggressively for no particular fundamental reason, and widespread forced selling of smaller cap ASX stocks due to a number of bigger institutional funds pulling large mandates from Cyan's competitors. During December the Fund generated some strong positive performance from three recent IPO's - Carbon Revolution (CBR), Aerometrix (AMX) and Amearo (3DA). Key detractors included Alcidion (ALC), Atomos (AMS), Quickstep (QHL), Oventus (OVN), Readcloud (RCL), Victory Offices (VOL) and Jaxsta (JXT). So far in January 2020 the Fund has already pared back more than half its December losses. Cyan's view is that, on the whole due to little negative underlying news, the new year is starting from an attractive base and they hold good hopes for another profitable year in 2020. |
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Performance Report: Paragon Australian Long Short Fund
17 Jan 2020 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Paragon Australian Long Short Fund outperformed the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +2.47% in December, taking 12-month performance to +24.69% and annualised performance since inception in March 2013 to +9.90%.
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17 Jan 2020 - Performance Report: Paragon Australian Long Short Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | Paragon's unique investment style, comprising thematic led idea generation followed with an in depth research effort, results in a concentrated portfolio of high conviction stocks. Conviction in bottom up analysis drives the investment case and ultimate position sizing: * Both quantitative analysis - probability weighted high/low/base case valuations - and qualitative analysis - company meetings, assessing management, the business model, balance sheet strength and likely direction of returns - collectively form Paragon's overall view for each investment case. * Paragon will then allocate weighting to each investment opportunity based on a risk/reward profile, capped to defined investment parameters by market cap, which are continually monitored as part of Paragon's overall risk management framework. The objective of the Paragon Fund is to produce absolute returns in excess of 10% p.a. over a 3-5 year time horizon with a low correlation to the Australian equities market. |
| Manager Comments | The Paragon Australian Long Short Fund outperformed the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +2.47% in December, taking 12-month performance to +24.69% and annualised performance since inception in March 2013 to +9.90%. By contrast, the Index has returned +23.40% over the past 12 months and +8.65% p.a. since the Fund's inception. The Fund's down-capture ratio for performance over the past 12 months of -26.23% and for performance since inception of 41.02% highlight the Fund's capacity to significantly outperform in falling markets. Positive contributors for December included Adriatic and Atrum (resource upgrades), offset by declines in Audinate and Telix Pharma. In their latest report Paragon discuss the Fund's performance over the past 12 months, noting that the Fund outperformed almost all relevant indices. Their latest report also includes Paragon's 2020 outlook. In their view, many macro flags, such as central banks globally resuming quantitative easing and improvements in the US-China trade war, have turned green (from red a year ago). Around half of the Fund's exposure is in Resources (which includes the Fund's gold stocks) and the other half is in structural growth stocks across tech/medtech/fintech. Paragon anticipate near-term catalysts to drive ongoing re-ratings for many of the Fund's stocks and their performance for 2020 and beyond. |
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Performance Report: NWQ Fiduciary Fund
16 Jan 2020 - Australian Fund Monitors
The NWQ Fiduciary Fund Rose +1.68% in December, outperforming the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +3.85% and taking annualised performance since inception in May 2013 to +5.72% with an annualised volatility of 4.78%.
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16 Jan 2020 - Performance Report: NWQ Fiduciary Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The Fund aims to produce returns after management fees and expenses of RBA Cash Rate + 4.0-5.0% p.a. over rolling five-year periods. Furthermore, the Fund aims to achieve these returns with volatility that is a fraction of the Australian equity market, in order to smooth returns for investors. |
| Manager Comments | NWQ noted market volatility was muted in December across the equity, currency and fixed income complexes. Positive reactions from investors on the US/China trade negotiations, the re-election of the Tory Government in the UK, and the additional liquidity provided by the Fed through its repo market interventions were generally supportive of global equities. The Fund's Alpha managers (+2.29% contribution) disproportionately contributed to overall performance, as is to be expected given their market neutral profile. |
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Performance Report: Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund
15 Jan 2020 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund rose +2.36% in December, outperforming the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +4.53% and taking annualised performance since inception in February 2002 to +15.55% versus the ASX200 Accumulation Index's +8.35%.
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15 Jan 2020 - Performance Report: Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | In a typical environment the Fund will hold around 70 stocks comprising 35 pairs. Each pair contains one long and one short position each of which will have been thoroughly researched and are selected from the same market sector. Whilst in an ideal environment each stock's position will make a positive return, it is the relative performance of the pair that is important. As a result the Fund can make positive returns when each stock moves in the same direction provided the long position outperforms the short one in relative terms. However, if neither side of the trade is profitable, strict controls are required to ensure losses are limited. The Fund uses no derivatives and has no currency exposure. The Fund has no hard stop loss limits, instead relying on the small average position size per stock (1.5%) and per pair (3%) to limit exposure. Where practical pairs are always held within the same sector to limit cross sector risk, and positions can be held for months or years. The Bennelong Market Neutral Fund, with same strategy and liquidity is available for retail investors as a Listed Investment Company (LIC) on the ASX. |
| Manager Comments | During the month, 20 out of 30 pairs were profitable, with no disproportionate individual pair contribution. Almost all positive pairs derived profit from the short side and vice versa loss-making pairs were driven by the long side. Portfolio activity included the introduction of a new pair in the materials sector. The top performing pair for the month was long ALS (ALQ) / short Aurizon (AZJ), while the worst performing pair was long Brambles (BXB) / short Amcor (AMC). |
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Performance Report: Insync Global Capital Aware Fund
20 Dec 2019 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Insync Global Capital Aware Fund rose +4.54% in November, outperforming AFM's Global Equity Index by +0.14% and taking CYTD performance to +33.59% vs the Index's +27.55%. The Fund has returned +11.38% p.a. with an annualised volatility...
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20 Dec 2019 - Performance Report: Insync Global Capital Aware Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | Insync employs four simple screens to narrow the universe of over 40,000 listed companies globally to a focus group of high quality companies that it believes have the potential to consistently grow their profits and dividends. These screens are size of the company, balance sheet performance, valuation and dividend quality. Companies that pass this due diligence process are then valued using dividend discount models, free cash flow yield and proprietary implied growth and expected return models. The end result is a high conviction portfolio of typically 15-30 stocks. The principal investments will be in shares of companies listed on international stock exchanges (including the US, Europe and Asia). The Fund may also hold cash, derivatives (for example futures, options and swaps), currency contracts, American Depository Receipts and Global Depository Receipts. The Fund may also invest in various types of international pooled investment vehicles. At times, Insync may consider holding higher levels of cash if valuations are full and it is difficult to find attractive investment opportunities. When Insync believes markets to be overvalued, it may hold part of its resources in cash, or use derivatives as a way of reducing its equity exposure. Insync may use options, futures and other derivatives to reduce risk or gain exposure to underlying physical investments. The Fund may purchase put options on market indices or specific stocks to hedge against losses caused by declines in the prices of stocks in its portfolio. |
| Manager Comments | September and October saw a cyclical rotation towards value-based stocks which affected the short-term performance of the Fund. However, Insync noted the one area of consistency in this cycle has been the performance of quality growth companies. Their view is that current market conditions continue to reflect the trend in place since the GFC of low growth and low inflation. Positive contributors in November included Walt Disney, Adobe, Accenture and Amadeus. Detractors included Stryker, Zoetis, IDEXX Laboratories and Booking Holdings. Insync continues to have no currency hedging in place as they consider the main risks to the Australian dollar to be on the downside. |
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Performance Report: Quay Global Real Estate Fund
20 Dec 2019 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Quay Global Real Estate Fund returned +1.1% in November, assisted by a +1.6% currency tailwind predominantly from a weaker Australian dollar. The Fund has risen +25% over the past 12 months and has returned +11.74% p.a. since inception...
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20 Dec 2019 - Performance Report: Quay Global Real Estate Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The Fund will invest in a number of global listed real estate companies, groups or funds. The investment strategy is to make investments in real estate securities at a price that will deliver a real, after inflation, total return of 5% per annum (before costs and fees), inclusive of distributions over a longer-term period. The Investment Strategy is indifferent to the constraints of any index benchmarks and is relatively concentrated in its number of investments. The Fund is expected to own between 20 and 40 securities, and from time to time up to 20% of the portfolio maybe invested in cash. The Fund is $A un-hedged. |
| Manager Comments | The Fund's exposure to Hong Kong continues to be a mild drag on performance, however, Quay believe the Fund's current exposures offer a good risk/reward payoff for patient investors willing to look past the current noise. Notwithstanding the issues in HK, the Fund's worst performers during November were US Healthcare investees - largely due to investors shying away from classic defensive exposures due to the emerging confidents in the US economy. The Fund's best performing region was the UK as investors took comfort in Prime Minister Johnson's call for a general election. The portfolio remained largely unchanged throughout the month, although Quay noted they have taken the opportunity with recent fund flows to increase their cash weighting. They believe the low interest rate environment and subsequent search for yield is creating distortions across listed real estate valuations. Quay remain confident the portfolio is well positioned to deliver on the Fund's mandate. |
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Performance Report: Touchstone Index Unaware Fund
20 Dec 2019 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Touchstone Index Unaware Fund rose +4.04% in November, outperforming the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +0.76% and taking 12-month performance to +26.27% versus the Index's +25.98%.
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20 Dec 2019 - Performance Report: Touchstone Index Unaware Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The portfolio is constructed using Touchstone's Quality-At-a-Reasonable-Price ('QARP') investment process. QARP is a fundamental bottom-up process, however, it also incorporates a top-down risk management framework designed to successfully manage the portfolio during varying market conditions and economic cycles. The Touchstone Fund is concentrated, typically holding between 15-20 stocks. No individual stock will ever make up more than 10% of the portfolio at any one time. The Investment Manager may temporarily exceed the exposure limits of the Fund occasionally, particularly during periods of market volatility, to allow for holdings in excess of this 10% limit where the increase in value of the underlying security is due to market movement. The Fund may also hold between 0-50% of the portfolio in cash. The Fund has a high level of associated risk, therefore, the minimum suggested investment time-frame is 5 years. |
| Manager Comments | As at the end of November, the Fund held 21 stocks with a median position size of 4.7%. The portfolio's holdings had an average forward year price/earnings of 17.4, forward year EPS growth of 5.5%, forward year tangible ROE of 22.5% and forward year dividend yield of 3.8%. The Fund's cash weighting was increased to 6.1% from 5.3% as at the end of October. The Fund primarily seeks to select stocks from the ASX300 Index, typically holding between 10-30 stocks. The Fund seeks to invest in reasonably priced, good quality companies with a significant share of expected returns coming from sustainable dividends. |
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Performance Report: Glenmore Australian Equities Fund
20 Dec 2019 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Glenmore Australian Equities Fund has risen +42.67% CYTD versus the ASX200 Accumulation Index's +26.13%. Since inception in June 2017, the Fund has returned +27.95% p.a. against the Index's +12.09%.
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20 Dec 2019 - Performance Report: Glenmore Australian Equities Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The main driver of identifying potential investments will be bottom up company analysis, however macro-economic conditions will be considered as part of the investment thesis for each stock. |
| Manager Comments | The Fund returned -1.65% in November. Top contributors included NRW Holdings (+32.4%) and Bravura Solutions (+20.7%). Key detractors included Polynovo (-20.8%) and AP Eagers (-20.1%). In Glenmore's view, the progress being made between the US and China on a trade deal and the view that monetary policy globally will remain favourable for the foreseeable future drove strength on the NASDAQ and other indices during the month. In Australia, Glenmore believe weak earnings trends and capital raisings were to blame for the banks' underperformance and, in the case of Westpac, they noted the beginning of AUSTRAC's civil proceedings impacted sentiment. |
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Performance Report: Bennelong Concentrated Australian Equities Fund
20 Dec 2019 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Bennelong Concentrated Australian Equities Fund returned +6.28% in November, outperforming the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +3.00% and taking 12-month performance to +28.01% versus the Index's +25.98%.
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20 Dec 2019 - Performance Report: Bennelong Concentrated Australian Equities Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The overriding objective of the Concentrated Australian Equities Fund is to seek investment opportunities which are under-appreciated and have the potential to deliver positive earnings, while satisfying our stringent quality criteria. Bennelong's investment process combines bottom-up fundamental analysis together with proprietary investment tools which are used to build and maintain high quality portfolios that are risk aware. The portfolio typically consists of 20-35 high-conviction stocks from the S&P/ASX 300 Index. The Fund may invest in securities listed on other exchanges where such securities relate to ASX-listed securities. Derivative instruments are mainly used to replicate underlying positions and hedge market and company specific risks. |
| Manager Comments | As at the end of the month, the Fund's weightings had been increased in the Discretionary, Health Care, Consumer Staples and Materials sectors, and decreased in the Industrials, IT, Communication, REIT's and Financials sectors. The Fund's top holdings at the end of the month included CSL, BHP Billiton and James Hardy Industries PLC. The Fund aims to invest in a concentrated portfolio of high quality companies with strong growth outlooks, underestimated earnings momentum and underestimated prospects. By comparison with the ASX300 Accumulation Index, the portfolio's holdings, on average, have a higher return on equity, lower debt/equity, higher sales growth, higher EPS growth, higher price/earnings and lower dividend yield which collectively indicate that the Fund is in line with its investment objectives. |
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