Following FundCalibre’s winter investment committee, five funds have been awarded an Elite Rating and two funds have been awarded a new Elite Radar badge.
Juliet Schooling Latter, research director at FundCalibre, gives more detail on each new Rating.
Five newly Elite Rated funds:
Man GLG Sterling Corporate Bond
“This fund has a flexible approach, investing globally across different geographies and sectors. The focus is on investing in bonds issued by companies, but only those that have a margin of safety. This is achieved through rigorous research of a firm’s financials. Manager Jonathan Golan is one of the most exciting young bond fund managers around today. He often finds many of his best ideas off the beaten path and is not afraid to invest in small and medium-sized issuers.”
AXA Framlington Biotech
“One of the few winners from the impact of the Covid pandemic, the case for investing in biotechnology is a strong one. These companies are helping us live longer by bringing new drugs to market to tackle the likes of cancer, heart disease and obesity. The sector is evolving at a rate of knots and requires a specialist, focused team with skills, experience, and a network to keep up with these changes. That is exactly what manager Linden Thomson and her team offer with this fund.”
LF Lightman European
“This is now one of only a few funds left with a genuine ‘value’ style. Performance has been excellent since its launch four years ago, but it is the sort of fund which is likely to either be at the top or the bottom of the performance charts in any one year, depending on whether or not its style is in or out of favour. For investors who can stomach the potential volatility, this could be a great option, especially if they are looking to balance out their style exposure elsewhere within their portfolio.”
Pictet Japanese Equity Selection
“This is a high-conviction strategy which invests in large and medium-sized businesses for the long term. The manager uses a combination of market and company analysis to select Japanese firms that promote good environmental and governance practices and offer favourable growth prospects at a reasonable price. He uses a four-step process that implements both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to aid his research.“
JPM Global Equity Income
“This is a core global equity income fund that will invest all around the world, including in emerging markets. The managers aim to achieve a superior yield on the fund, without sacrificing growth. With the aid of a huge global team of analysts, they filter down the whole global market to a portfolio of 40-90 predominantly large and mega-cap companies, balancing ‘compounders’ with higher yielders and higher growth stocks.”
Two new Radar badges:
TB Amati Strategic Metals
“This fund is a great portfolio diversifier that taps into unique investment opportunities, including the transition to a lower carbon world. The strategy places great emphasis on the stage in which metals are in their cycle and the managers will only invest in internationally listed metals and mining companies whose revenues are sourced from the sale of metals that have strategic importance to the global economy. These include gold, silver, copper, nickel, manganese, lithium, and platinum.”
Artemis Global High Yield Bond
“We like the unique approach behind this fund, with the managers taking advantage of the inefficiencies created by many of their peers focusing heavily on the larger players in the index. By contrast, their approach of focusing on the smaller and medium players has allowed them to consistently find hidden gems with a strong upside, helping them to outperform. They are also supported by one of the strongest teams in the asset class.”
Important Notice:
FundCalibre is an appointed representative of Chelsea Financial Services, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and offers an execution-only service. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. You may not get back the amount originally invested. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. If you are unsure about the suitability of any investment you should seek professional advice. For full terms and conditions please visit fundcalibre.com
