Not happy with the government’s settings on adviser education standards? Well, wait five minutes and they’ll change. Is the latest change a return to the bad old days, or simply common sense prevailing?
Illegal access to SMSFs by their trustees is one of those issues with a radar signature starting to pulse, but while it must be addressed, it should not overshadow the sector’s health.
ClearBridge Global Value Improvers Fund
The Why?
What is the fund’s value proposition and purpose?
The ClearBridge Global Value Improvers Fund focuses on global companies that the Portfolio Manager believes are undervalued and are improving on certain ESG measures, either through transforming their own products and services or enabling other entities to advance ESG objectives. It combines value investing with forward-looking ESG analysis, offering diversification for portfolios heavily weighted toward traditional best-in-class ESG or growth-oriented strategies.
When will the fund outperform or underperform?
The Fund is expected to outperform during market conditions favouring value sectors, such as industrials, utilities, and energy. The longer duration and quality of the ESG improvement thesis can help mitigate the value style cyclicality and help drive performance when the style is out of favour. The strategy may underperform in high-growth environments dominated by tech-driven markets.
How are ESG factors integrated into the fund?
ESG is embedded in the Fund’s analysis, identifying companies with improving sustainability profiles across labour standards, environmental, social, governance and ethical factors. Proprietary ESG scoring evaluates how sustainability efforts contribute to long-term value creation and risk mitigation.
What makes this fund unique?
Unlike traditional ESG funds that priorities “best-in-class” companies, this Fund focuses on companies that are improving on certain proprietary ESG metrics as determined by the Portfolio Manager from time to time. It seeks undervalued companies in value sectors often overlooked, creating opportunities to generate attractive returns.
The What?
What should investors know about the manager?
The Fund is managed by experienced U.S. based professionals, Grace Su and Jean Yu, with over 20 years of investment expertise each. They leverage ClearBridge Investments’ proprietary research platform and their deep understanding of global equity markets to deliver disciplined value investing coupled with ESG analysis.
What’s the fund’s approach to risk management?
Risk management is built into the Fund’s process through careful valuation assessments, scenario analysis, and ESG-based metrics. Companies with robust governance and measurable sustainability progress are prioritised to reduce downside risks and improve long-term resilience.
What’s the fund’s track record?
The Fund is fully aligned with the underlying strategy managed in the U.S. This strategy forms the basis for the distribution of various products globally. In Australia, the Fund was first issued in January 2024 as an unlisted registered managed investment scheme. The underlying strategy has a three-year track record. Whilst past performance is not an indicator of future performance, at the time of publication, the strategy has delivered 16.4% per annum (AUD), outperforming the MSCI World Value (Net) (AUD) Index by 5.4% and the MSCI World (Net) (AUD) Index by 4.2% per annum since inception.
The How?
Who is the typical fund investor?
The Fund may suit investors with a long-term investment horizon whose investment objective is to achieve growth in the value of their investment and who are willing to accept an investment strategy involving a high level of volatility and risk in the management of their investment.
How do investors access the fund?
The ClearBridge Global Value Improvers Fund is available on selected platforms, or directly via application to the Responsible Entity. The minimum investment is $20,000. It features a base management fee of 0.82% per annum and quarterly distributions. The fee is inclusive of GST and net of RITCs.
What structure does the fund offer?
The Fund is a registered managed investment scheme that is an unlisted Australian unit trust.
Discover how the ClearBridge Global Value Improvers Fund can enhance your portfolio.
Visit ClearBridgeInvestments.com.au to learn more.
