fund manager

One of the boxes ticked when selecting a fund manager is whether the investment team has its own money in the strategy, or even better, has ownership in the organisation. The logic is self-evident: ‘skin in the game’ should matter. Yet there are, inevitably, drawbacks. The fund’s risk /return appetite may be unduly influenced by…

Investment firm Monash has restructured its Absolute Investment Company LIC (which traded under the ASX ticker MA1) with near-unanimous shareholder approval, voicing concerns that the LIC was “besmirching” the house’s reputation as top fundies. Monash Investors will restructure its Absolute Investment Company into an exchange-traded managed fund (ETMF) – the Monash Absolute Active Trust (ASX:…

Money Management held its fund manager of the year awards last week. Presented by TV personality Andrew Daddo, the awards recognise stellar fund manager performance at a time when markets underwent bouts of extreme volatility. There were numerous awards in various categories, but ultimately the Fund Manager of the Year Award for 2021 was taken…

The first quarter of 2021 saw renewed confidence in global equity markets supported by positive developments in the fight against coronavirus together with better-than-expected economic data. Fiscal stimulus and vaccine rollout have far exceeded expectations causing equity markets to overcome bouts of volatility. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices hit new all-time highs. The…

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…

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are becoming an increasingly important discussion point for advisers and investors alike. This was evidenced by the substantial turnout at the Inside Network’s inaugural ESG Masterclass last week. Rarely does a week go by without another product being issued, or scandal occur. The sector remains difficult to navigate, with…

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…

Not that long ago a fund manager could provide a mesmerising presentation slide on how it uses “big data.” Examples might be using Google Earth to discern real-time movement in shopping centres, building activity based on shadowing over the day and seasons as structures grew in size, right down to the mundane of what was…

Despite hope that the vaccines would see a return to normal life in 2021, it appears we will live through at least another 12 months of uncertainty. Few people, outside of the obvious, have felt the emotional and operational brunt of the pandemic more than financial advisers. Most advisers I speak to were inundated with…

Last week, investment research firm Morningstar Australasia announced the finalists of the 2021 Morningstar Australia awards. Some of the big names include First Sentier Investors, Franklin Templeton and Hyperion Asset Management – all in the running to win the prized fund manager of the year award. Each of these funds has delivered exceptional returns to…