News

Global small-caps consistently outperform their large-cap brethren – and do it with a better risk-adjusted return – but few investors are paying attention, according to Ausbil portfolio manager Tobias Bucks. “Global small-caps outperform global mid-and large caps. Like all maths, it’s boring but it’s true,”Mr Bucks told the Inside Network’s Equities and Growth Symposium on…

Towards the end of last year, ASIC began preparations to request relevant documentation from major dealer groups around life insurance advice. This year is a vital year for the life insurance industry because it’s when ASIC will review the Life Insurance Framework (LIF). The Federal Government had organised to this review back in 2017/18, when…

In a nutshell, value investing is buying ‘quality’ companies at share prices well below intrinsic value. Quality is defined using four characteristics: A high-quality business that sells high-quality products, usually market leaders. Low debt – tend to handle downturns better. Sound management. Recurring earnings – start-ups are not preferred. Warren Buffett’s famous saying “Finding an…

This week we caught up with Luke Spiller, a partner at Melbourne-based Scholten Collins McKissock Wealth Management. Luke is an up-and-coming leader in the financial advice industry, a ‘lifer,’ so to speak, who points to the evolution of investment markets as a key reason why he is as excited as ever to be in the…

Alceon Group, led by respected industry veteran Trevor Loewensohn, announced this week that it is formally combining its business with Freehold Investment Management. The consolidation comes after Alceon acquired a 40 per cent stake in Freehold around 18 months ago. Established in 2010, Alceon Group has invested over $4 billion in capital for its diverse…

The chief executive-elect of AMP Limited, once a financial services giant in size and stature – boasting for a time the advertising slogan: ‘We will always be there’ – faces the biggest task of her career. Her track record could not be better. The advertising slogan sounded good, if overly ambitious, for its post-IPO times. The sector’s predilection for…

It was another busy week for Australia’s rating agencies, both on a corporate and operational level. On the one hand, Australia Ratings Group was acquired by Foresight Analytics, something we covered here. More topical though, was the upgrade of a number of popular, high-performing funds in 2020 and 2021. The Firetrail Australian Small Companies Fund…

It’s commonly stated that career risk is among the biggest factors that drives the perceived under-performance of most active managers. The evidence suggests that as successful managers attract more capital and their remuneration increases, they tend to regress back to the benchmark. But why is this so? With success comes more assets under management and…

Australian Ethical, which is already the equal-largest manager of specialist ESG-related funds in Australia, alongside Vanguard, is now aiming to be among the largest of all managers with Australian businesses operating in the wholesale and retail space. And it is hoping technology will help. The manager (ASX: AEF) has partnered with a specialist start-up Alta…

According to specialist asset ratings firm, Evergreen Ratings, run by Angela Ashton, who also operates the growing investment consultancy business, Evergreen Consulting, private debt markets continue to offer “one of the most attractive risk-adjusted return profiles” in the market. Commenting after the release of the latest research report, in which Global Credit Investments, or GCI’s,…

According to US$3.3 trillion ($4.3 trillion) asset manager, Fidelity International, companies with strong ESG characteristics outperformed in 2020, and should be expected to continue delivering strong returns into the future. That said, significant work lies ahead as the global economy moves towards a more ‘sustainable’ footing with asset managers central to this process. “Engagement” has…

BetaShares has taken on a new cornerstone investor, TA Associates, as it enters its second decade in business, with founding partner Mirae Asset Management cashing in its chips. TA is arguably the largest growth-orientated global private equity firm with a specialty in financial services. TA, which has backed managers such as PIMCO and Invesco early…