NEWS
Performance Report: Cyan C3G Fund
17 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Cyan C3G Fund has returned +19.37% per annum since inception in August 2014 versus the ASX200 Accumulation Index's +4.78%. This return has been achieved with a similar level of volatility.
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17 Dec 2018 - 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 | Cyan noted the difficult market conditions continued to drag on performance in November, resulting in the Fund retracing -1.9%. The Fund has retained slightly more cash than it did last month which has helped in the bearish environment. Key detractors included Pivotal Systems (-20%) and Motorcycle Holdings (-27%). Positive contributors included Afterpay (+15%), Experience Co (+16%), Freelancer (+30%). Cyan exited their position in Pivotal Systems and entered a new position in Isentia (ISD). |
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Fund Review: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund November 2018
13 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The latest Fund Review for the Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund is now available. The Fund is a long-biased, research driven, active equity long/short strategy which invests in listed ASX companies with track records greater than 10 years.
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13 Dec 2018 - Fund Review: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund November 2018
By: Australian Fund Monitors
BENNELONG KARDINIA ABSOLUTE RETURN FUND
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review. You are also able to view the Fund's Profile.
- The Fund is long biased, research driven, active equity long/short strategy investing in listed ASX companies with over ten-year track record.
- The Fund has significantly outperformed the ASX200 Accumulation Index since its inception in May 2006 and also has significantly lower risk KPIs. The Fund has an annualised return of 9.31% p.a. with a volatility of 7.14%, compared to the ASX200 Accumulation's return of 5.14% p.a. with a volatility of 13.36%.
- The Fund also has a strong focus on capital protection in negative markets. Portfolio Managers Mark Burgess and Kristiaan Rehder have significant market experience, while Bennelong Funds Management provide infrastructure, operational, compliance and distribution capabilities.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
AFM Fund Review - November 2018 (pdf format)
Fund Review: Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund November 2018
12 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
Latest Fund Review for the Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund is now available. The Fund is a research driven, market and sector neutral, "pairs" trading strategy investing primarily in large-caps from the ASX/S&P100 Index...
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12 Dec 2018 - Fund Review: Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund November 2018
By: Australian Fund Monitors
BENNELONG LONG SHORT EQUITY FUND
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review on the Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund.
- The Fund is a research driven, market and sector neutral, "pairs" trading strategy investing primarily in large-caps from the ASX/S&P100 Index, with over 15-years' track record and an annualised returns of over 15.5%.
- The consistent returns across the investment history indicate the Fund's ability to provide positive returns in volatile and negative markets and significantly outperform the broader market. The Fund's Sharpe Ratio and Sortino Ratio are 0.92 and 1.50 respectively.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
AFM Fund Review - November 2018 (pdf format)
Bennelong Twenty20 Australian Equities Fund November 2018
11 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The latest Fund Review on Bennelong Twenty20 Australian Equities Fund is now available. The Fund invests in ASX listed stocks, combining an indexed position in the Top 20 stocks with an actively managed portfolio of ex-20 stocks.
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11 Dec 2018 - Bennelong Twenty20 Australian Equities Fund November 2018
By: Australian Fund Monitors
BENNELONG TWENTY20 AUSTRALIAN EQUITIES FUND
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review on the Bennelong Twenty20 Australian Equities Fund.
- The Bennelong Twenty20 Australian Equities Fund invests in ASX listed stocks, combining an indexed position in the Top 20 stocks with an actively managed portfolio of stocks outside the Top 20. Construction of the ex-top 20 portfolio is fundamental, bottom-up, core investment style, biased to quality stocks, with a structured risk management approach.
- Mark East, the Fund's Chief Investment Officer, and Keith Kwang, Director of Quantitative Research have over 50 years combined market experience. Bennelong Funds Management (BFM) provides the investment manager, Bennelong Australian Equity Partners (BAEP) with infrastructure, operational, compliance and distribution services.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
AFM Fund Review - November 2018 (pdf format)
Performance Report: NWQ Fiduciary Fund
6 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The NWQ Fiduciary Fund returned -3.44% in October, outperforming the ASX200 Accumulation Index by +2.51% and taking 12-month performance to +3.59%.
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6 Dec 2018 - 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 between 8% to 11% 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 amidst the October turmoil there was a sharp rotation from high-quality growth stocks, which are those expected to outperform in the medium to long term and are typically favoured by the Fund's underlying managers, into defensive value stocks, which are typically candidates for being shorted by the Fund's underlying managers. As a result of this rotation, the short portfolio did not provide sufficient hedge to offset the losses in the long portfolio. NWQ noted there are positive early signs in November that this rotation is reversing. The NWQ Fiduciary Fund is a diversified multi manager portfolio. The principal investment objective of the Fund is to produce attractive positive returns irrespective of market direction. This is achieved through active allocations to selected Australian equity fund managers that employ a variety of traditional and absolute return strategies. The Fund places emphasis on managers who demonstrate a rigorous and repeatable investment process that has delivered a strong track record. |
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Performance Report: Wheelhouse Global Equities Income Fund
5 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Wheelhouse Global Equity Income Fund has returned +9.84% over the past 12 months versus AFM's Global Equity Index's +7.75%. This has been achieved with a volatility of 7.72% versus the Index's 9.36%.
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5 Dec 2018 - Performance Report: Wheelhouse Global Equities Income Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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Fund Overview | To pursue this objective, the Investment Manager is responsible for actively managing, monitoring and tailoring the integration of derivative contracts alongside the Morningstar Portfolio, while taking into account changing market and stock specific conditions. The Investment Manager is responsible for maximising the structural benefits of short option positions (lowered Volatility, improved capital preservation, higher income generation), whilst mitigating, minimising and monitoring the structural negatives (variable market exposure, option expiries, collateral management and asymmetric return profiles). In addition, long derivatives positions are also used to enhance the capital preservation characteristics of the Fund in more extreme market movements. As a consequence of the integration of Derivatives, returns of the strategy, intra-cycle, are expected to vary from the underlying Morningstar Portfolio due to these characteristics. For example in weak markets, or in extended sideways markets, the Fund is expected to outperform relative to the Morningstar Portfolio. Conversely in strong positive markets the Fund is expected to underperform. |
Manager Comments | The Fund returned -4.39% in October, ahead of the benchmark (MSCI World Index ex Australia) return of -5.40%. This return comprised a return of -6.34% from the portfolio (in USD) and a positive return of +1.95% from the weakening of the Australian dollar against the US dollar. The Wheelhouse Global Equity Income Fund is designed to deliver equity returns with higher income generation and active downside protection. The strategy's high-income generation and active tail risk program are designed to lower risk and deliver equity returns with a smoother, more retiree-friendly return profile. As a result, Wheelhouse intend for returns to add relative value in weak and low-growth markets and to drag in more positive markets. |
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Performance Report: Bennelong Emerging Companies Fund
5 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Bennelong Emerging Companies Fund has returned +19.93% over the past 12 months versus the ASX200 Accumulation Index's +2.94%.
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5 Dec 2018 - Performance Report: Bennelong Emerging Companies Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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Fund Overview | The Fund may invest in securities expected to be listed on the ASX within 12 months. The Fund may also invest in securities listed, or expected to be listed, on other exchanged where such securities relate to ASX-listed securities |
Manager Comments | The Fund's top holdings as at the end of October were Baby Bunting, Clover, Helloworld, Cml and Pinnacle Investment Management. The Fund invests predominantly in micro and small-cap stocks listed on the ASX. It is managed via a research-intensive and predominantly bottom-up investment approach. The Fund focuses on high quality stocks and seeks to avoid the higher risk that usually comes with micro and small-cap stocks. |
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Performance Report: Insync Global Capital Aware Fund
4 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Insync Global Capital Aware Fund has returned +9.98% over the past 12 months versus AFM's Global Equity Index's +7.75%. This return has been achieved with a similar level of volatility and includes the cost of fees and put protection.
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4 Dec 2018 - 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 | The Fund posted -5.82% after fees and downside protection in October. Insync noted that, unlike most long-only managers, they don't have a high cash allocation in the Fund should they believe danger lies ahead in shorter term valuations. They believe this enables them to maximise returns by staying focused on longer term outcomes. Additionally, Insync add that, given the indirect way in which they tend to gain exposure to the many positive trends occurring within several emerging markets, the current negative turmoil they are facing has had a very limited negative impact on the Fund. The Fund continues to have no foreign currency hedging in place as Insync consider the main risks to the Australian dollar to be on the downside. |
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Performance Report: Glenmore Australian Equities Fund
4 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Glenmore Australian Equities Fund has risen +14.68% over the past 12 months versus the ASX200 Accumulation Index's +2.94%. Since inception in June 2017, the Fund has returned +24.87% per annum.
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4 Dec 2018 - 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 -8.7% in October. This return was driven by a large number of portfolio stocks falling by more than 5% despite no company-specific announcements. Glenmore noted sentiment was the dominant driver of stock prices during the month, with the result that most stocks' prices declined regardless of business quality and earnings growth prospects. In particular, small/mid cap stocks (which the Fund has a strong exposure to) were sold off much more than larger cap stocks, with the Small Ords Accumulation Index declining -9.6%. Glenmore added that it is frustrating to see good quality businesses falling 10-20% on no news, however, they believe at times investors must be willing to incur periods of underperformance in order to achieve above average long-term returns. Key detractors included Pinnacle Investment Management (-30.6%), WorleyParsons (-24.7%) and Navigator Global Investments (-16%). Glenmore remain confident in the composition of the portfolio. Importantly, they noted that during the month there were no negative announcements regarding operational performance from any of the Fund's investments. |
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Performance Report: Loftus Peak Global Disruption Fund
3 Dec 2018 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Loftus Peak Global Disruption Fund has returned +11.07% over the past 12 months, outperforming AFM's Global Equity Index by +3.32%. Since inception in November 2016, the Fund has returned +22.67% per annum.
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3 Dec 2018 - Performance Report: Loftus Peak Global Disruption Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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Fund Overview | The investment process involves a combination of top-down analysis with fundamental bottom-up qualitative and quantitative research to derive a risk-adjusted discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation of companies in the target universe. The investment team will generally buy stocks from the pool of securities that are trading below Loftus Peaks' valuation and sell them when they are trading above Loftus Peak's valuation. The approach allows for both fundamental accounting information as well as market-oriented inputs to be factored into the portfolio construction process. Loftus Peak's model typically does not rely on leverage to deliver investment returns and specifically takes into account risk in the valuation process. Capital preservation can be managed by holding up to 50% cash. Index and currency options and futures may also be used to manage risk. |
Manager Comments | In reference to the market's performance in October, Loftus Peak noted it is never the case that stock market performance is linear. They therefore used the weakness in October to add to a number of key strategic holdings at low prices, starting the month with 10% in cash and finishing with 2%. The Fund is 98% invested in 24 holdings which the manager considers likely outperformers. Key detractors included Nvidia, Tencent, Alibaba, Amazon and Qualcomm, whilst on the positive side Tesla performed well on the back of US$1.4b of operating cashflow in the quarter. Loftus see the falls in Tencent and Alibaba to be the result of the impact of tariffs on China, whilst they believe the fall in Amazon was expected after some very aggressive price targets. They believe Nvidia to hold an important role in machine learning and global data centres, and thus remain invested. They also see Qualcomm as being key in the roll out of the 5G network, which is why they continue to invest. In addition, the Australian dollar depreciated 2.05% over the month against the US dollar, which meant the value of the Fund's US dollar positions increased. As at 30 October 2018, the Portfolio carried a foreign currency exposure of 99%. |
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