NEWS
29 Jan 2015 - Fund Review: Alpha Beta Asian Fund AFM Fund Review December 2014
ALPHA BETA ASIAN FUND
AFM has updated the Fund Review on the Alpha Beta Asian Fund.
CPD Points are now available for all AFM Fund Reviews. Read the review and answer 5 questions to earn half a point toward your continuing professional development.
Key points include:
- The Fund The Alpha Beta Asian Fund invests in Asian listed equity markets with a focus on liquid companies in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. The Fund uses a systematic approach to evaluate macroeconomic, company fundamental and price data, all of which are evaluated through a series of quantitative models.
- Sydney based Alpha Beta Capital was established by Andrew Barry and Ken Lewis in May 2012. Both Barry and Lewis have significant qualifications and international experience in funds management, including working together at Coronation International, a global multi-strategy hedge fund group in London.
- The Strategy relies on a number of core beliefs: Firstly that a well designed systematic investment process, operating within a multi-strategy framework will be able to extract consistent returns, on average, with low volatility. Secondly, by utilising holding periods substantially shorter than the industry-norm, profit opportunities consistently arise. Finally, a strategy that holds a large number of small positions versus a small number of concentrated positions, will remove much of the emotional angst of trading, and the investment process becomes repeatable.
- In keeping with the Manager's overall systematic approach the Risk Management includes real time monitoring of positions and market exposure, and is combined into a proprietary and automated system called PARMS (Portfolio and Risk Management System). PARMS is a centralised and integrated system which provides full functionality including stress testing.
Sean Webster
Research and Database Manager
Australian Fund Monitors
29 Jan 2015 - Auscap Long Short Australian Equities Fund
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| Fund Overview | The Fund focuses on fundamental long and short investments. The Fund may utilise a multi-strategy approach if short term opportunities to increase returns, hedge the portfolio, protect capital or minimise volatility are found. The Fund is a high conviction fund and the combined portfolio will typically have 25-45 positions, investing primarily in stocks in the ASX200. The Fund may be net long, short or neutral depending on the strategies employed at the time. The Fund may hold cash so that it is in a position to take advantage of market volatility and compelling investment opportunities as and when they arise. The Fund may be geared up to 200% gross long or short and up to 150% net long or short. |
| Manager Comments | Average gross capital employed by the Fund was 141.1% long and 25.1% short. Average net exposure over the month was +116.0%. At the end of the month the Fund had 33 long positions and 5 short positions. The Fund's biggest stock exposures at month end were spread across the financials, consumer discretionary, healthcare, telecommunications and industrials sectors. The Fund's Sharpe ratio is 2.52 (0.33) and the Sortino ratio 7.78 (0.40) over the last 12 months with Up and Down Capture ratios notable at 1.10 and -0.02. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
28 Jan 2015 - Fund Review: Optimal Australia Absolute Trust December 2014
OPTIMAL AUSTRALIA ABSOLUTE TRUST
AFM have released the most recently updated Fund Review on the Optimal Australia Absolute Trust.
CPD Points are now available for all AFM Fund Reviews. Read the review and answer 5 questions to earn half a point toward your continuing professional development.
We would like to highlight the following aspects of the Fund;
- Optimal Australia is a specialist Australian equity investment manager and the Fund has a long/short equity strategy typically with a low but variable net market exposure comprising 40 to 65 stocks broadly selected from within the ASX200.
- The investment team comprising George Colman, Peter Whiting supported by Stephen Nicholls and Justin Hay have over 100 years combined experience in equity markets.
- The Fund's approach to risk is shown by the Sharpe ratio of 1.51, Sortino ratio of 3.77, both of which are well above the ASX 200 Accumulation Index and has recorded 82% positive months.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sean Webster
Research and Database Manager
Australian Fund Monitors
28 Jan 2015 - Pengana Absolute Return Asia Pacific Fund
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| Fund Overview | The Fund seeks to profit from trading securities which are primarily subject to corporate events or from trading-related securities which the Investment Manager believes are mispriced by the market. The Fund invests in securities that are listed on Asian stock markets and other markets where related securities may be listed and in securities which are listed on markets outside of Asia where more than 70% (by assets or earnings) of the underlying business originates from an Asian country. The Fund aims to generate consistently positive returns which have a low correlation to the Asian stock markets. The objective is to generate 10-20% pa with a standard deviation of 6-10% |
| Manager Comments | Despite the oil price volatility and festive holidays, December proved an active month for deal activity. The highlight was the mega merger between China CSR and China CNR, part of the SOE reform in China. The deal has been structured to eliminate competition between the two companies to create a domestic champion capable of competing internationally. The Fund profited from the announcement of the CSR/CNR merger as the Manager held the trade in expectation of CNR shareholders receiving premium in the deal (which actually translated to ~13%). The Manager continues to believe the SOE reform in China will be a major driving force for deals in 2015. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
27 Jan 2015 - Fund Review: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund Dec 2014
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The Fund is long biased, research driven, active equity long/short strategy investing in listed ASX companies with an eight year track record.
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The Fund has significantly outperformed the ASX200 Accumulation Index since its inception in April 2006 and also has significantly lower risk KPI's. The Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund returned 1.53% in December 2014 compared to the ASX200 Accumulation's return of 0.21%. Since inception the fund has volatility of 4.17% pa, compared to the ASX200 Accumulation's 10.95%.
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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 the Bennelong Group provide infrastructure, operational, compliance and distribution capabilities.
27 Jan 2015 - The Paragon Fund
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| Fund Overview | Paragon accepts that markets are not always efficient in pricing information into securities and that no one investment style works in every stage of the investment cycle. Subsequently Paragon adopts a top down thematic led approach to identify companies exhibiting sustainable or improving returns on capital driven by volume growth, pricing power and competitive advantages. Paragon utilises both quantitative analysis to provide probability weighted high/low/base case valuations and qualitative analysis in assessing management, the business model and likely direction of returns. Paragon will allocate assets to each investment opportunity based on a risk/reward profile. Positions have defined investment parameters and risk limits, which are then monitored on an ongoing basis. |
| Manager Comments | Since inception the Paragon Fund has returned +37.5% after fees vs. the market (All Ordinaries Accumulation Index) +13.7%. Key drivers of the Paragon Fund performance for December included solid returns from industrial firms Qantas, Orora, Brambles and emerging healthcare firm Nanosonics, offset by falls across our smaller company holdings. At the end of December the fund had 27 long positions and 11 short positions. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
27 Jan 2015 - Fund Review: Insync Global Titans Fund December 2014
INSYNC GLOBAL TITANS FUND
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review on the Insync Global Titans Fund.
CPD Points are now available for all AFM Fund Reviews. Read the review and answer 5 questions to earn half a point toward your continuing professional development.
We would like to highlight the following:
- The Fund's unit price increased by 2.57% in December. The performance was driven by positive contributions from our holdings in Oracle, Express Scripts, Reckitt Benckiser, Zimmer and Comcast as well as the weaker Australian dollar. The main negative contributors were Hugo Boss, BAT and Sanofi. 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.
- The Global Titans Fund invests in a concentrated portfolio of 15-30 stocks, targeting exceptional, large cap global companies with a strong focus on dividend growth and downside protection.
- Portfolio selection is driven by a core strategy of investing in companies with sustainable growth in dividends, high returns on capital, positive free cash flows and strong balance sheets.
- Emphasis on limiting downside risk is through extensive company research, the ability to hold cash and long protective index put options.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sean Webster
Research Manager
Australian Fund Monitors
Insync Global Titans Fund AFM Review - Dec 2014 (pdf format)
26 Jan 2015 - Fund In Focus - Morphic Global Opportunities Fund
Jack Lowenstein, the Joint CIO of the Morphic Global Opportunities Fund discusses the Fund's performance in December 2014 and condition of the market.
Watch AFM's other videos.
24 Jan 2015 - Cor Capital Fund
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| Fund Overview | The Cor Capital Fund is a Multi- Asset Fund which combines a pre-determined strategic asset allocation with active but systemised rebalancing to generate returns and manage volatility whilst maintaining transparency and liquidity. The Fund strategy is not reliant on accurate market predictions, forecasts or timing for success. Returns are generated in a number of ways; 1) by maintaining sufficiently large positions in a diverse group of asset classes, 2) via the 'volatility harvesting' consequences of active rebalancing, and 3) from the offsetting behaviour of certain asset classes under specific conditions. The combined portfolio is expected to exhibit relatively low volatility and low turnover. In the interests of avoiding complexity, maintaining liquidity, and minimising reliance on third parties, the Fund strategy does not employ gearing, derivatives or short-selling. |
| Manager Comments | The Fund Manager is pleased to report that the effects of recent energy, resources and currency volatility on Fund performance were relatively negligible and slightly positive. There were no changes to the portfolio at the asset class level during the month despite the year end approaching with higher volatility. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
23 Jan 2015 - Hedge Clippings
Over the last week both Switzerland and Denmark announced further cuts to their already negative interest rates.
US$7.3 trillion of government debt in the Eurozone, Switzerland and Japan has a negative yield. It used to be that when you lent someone money, even the government, you received interest. Apparently not any more.
For those investors that are still lending, or considering lending to governments, globally 52% of all government bonds currently yield less than 1%. Australian 10 year bonds are yielding significantly more than that at 2.6%, but even this is at an all-time low.
Not so long ago, a primary source of concern was inflation. Now it's deflation.
According to Merrill's 83% of global equity market capitalisation is underpinned (or should that be propped up?) by zero interest rate policies. Given that many pension funds around the world are limited, or not permitted to invest in equity markets due to the risk, they are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to asset allocation.
Of course this can't last forever. Eventually interest rates will rise. Given that bond markets are many, many times larger than equity markets, any shift from equities (and their stretched valuations) to bonds to chase yields is likely to be painful.
The issue is when? At present while the music is playing investors will have to keep dancing, but the issue is how long can the current environment last?
Probably sometime considerable time yet, but we do believe that there will, as they say, be tears before bedtime when it changes.
It will take people far, far smarter than yours truly to answer that, and for one fund manager's view on this and other topics watch this interview we recorded earlier this week with Morphic Asset Management's Jack Lowenstein.
Meanwhile if you haven't yet registered for our AFM/Deloitte lunchtime presentation "Looking Forward, Looking Back" to be held in Sydney on Thursday 12 February, please click here.
Specific results received this week include the following PERFORMANCE UPDATES:
Monash Absolute Investment Fund returned 0.80% during December bringing the 2014 return to 5.40% (ASX 200 Accum 5.61%) and a volatility of 8.10% (Index 10.95%).
The Aurora Fortitude Absolute Return Fund returned -0.74% during December with a volatility of 1.23%.
Optimal Australia Absolute Trust returned -1.53% in December, resulting in a 2014 annual return of 3.24% and volatility of 2.80%.
The Laminar Credit Opportunities Fund returned 0.64% over the month of December and has annual volatility of 0.63%.
Pengana Australian Equities Market Neutral Fund returned -3.90% during December.
The Totus Alpha Fund -2.30% during December bringing year to date return for 2014 to 12.85% with volatility of 9.14%.
FUND REVIEWS released this week, all with the potential for earning CPD points:
Aurora Fortitude Absolute Return Fund; Monash Absolute Investment Fund; Morphic Global Opportunities Fund; Bennelong Alpha 200 Fund
We have limited places available for our Deloitte "Looking Forward, Looking Back" lunchtime seminar on Thursday 12 February in Sydney. We'll have four of the best and brightest fund managers on hand, including Simon Shields, George Colman, John Corr and Monik Kotetcha to give you the benefit of their opinion. If you would like to attend, please register your interest here.
18 February 2015 in Sydney - Efficiency in a Regulated World
25-27 March 2015 - Digital Marketing for Banking and Financial Services Summit
Finally, and now for something completely different - on the eve of the Australia Day long week-end we hope you have a great day on Monday.
Kind regards,
Chris
CEO, AUSTRALIAN FUND MONITORS
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