NEWS
Fund Review: Insync Global Titans Fund February 2014
2 Apr 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
AFM's updated Fund Review for Insync Global Titans Fund for February 2014 shows the Fund delivering an annualised return of 11.33% and annualised standard deviation of 7.59% (since inception in October 2009) with sound risk-reward statistics.
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2 Apr 2014 - Fund Review: Insync Global Titans Fund February 2014
By: Australian Fund Monitors
Insync Global Titans Fund AFM Review - February 2014 (pdf format)
INSYNC GLOBAL TITANS FUND
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review on the Insync Global Titans Fund.
We would like to highlight the following:
- The Global Titans Fund invests in a concentrated portfolio of 15-25 stocks, targeting exceptional, large cap global companies with a strong focus on dividend growth and downside protection.
- The Fund's unit price increased by 2.4% in February. The solid performance was fairly broadly based across the portfolio, with the biggest positive contributions coming from our holdings in Reckitt Benckiser, BAT, GlaxoSmithKline, BSkyB and DirecTV. Small negative contributions came from Comcast, Safran and Zimmer Holdings. The Fund continues to have no foreign currency hedging in place.
- 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
Pengana Australian Equities Fund
1 Apr 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
Pengana Australian Equities Fund recorded a 1.44% return during February 2014 and 7.30% for the preceding 12 months with a volatility of 6.41%.
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1 Apr 2014 - Pengana Australian Equities Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Manager Comments | As at 28th February 2014, cash (including notes and preference shares) represented 20% of the Fund. The top five holdings by value were: DUET Group, ANZ Bank, Telstra, NAB and Resmed. The Fund's exposure to non-Australian dollar earnings streams (inclusive of companies with global earnings profiles such as Resmed, Fox Group, CSL, Crown Resorts, NZ based companies and US dollar exposure) stood at 25%. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
Fund Review: Optimal Australia Absolute Trust February 2014
31 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
AFM's updated Fund Review for the Optimal Australia Absolute Trust for February 2014 has been released. The fund is characterised by very low risk with an annualised standard deviation 3.55% (Index 15.07%)and a Sharpe Ratio since inception of 1.76.
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31 Mar 2014 - Fund Review: Optimal Australia Absolute Trust February 2014
By: Australian Fund Monitors
OPTIMAL AUSTRALIA ABSOLUTE TRUST
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review on the Optimal Australia Absolute Trust.
We would like to highlight the following:
- 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 Fund has recorded out-performance of the market since inception in September 2008 with approximately 83% of monthly performances having positive returns and the largest drawdown was -1.38% (Index -33.11%).
- The Fund has sound Sharpe and Sortino ratios at 1.76 and 5.14 since inception, as compared to the Index ratios of 0.19 and 0.15 respectively.
- The investment team comprising George Colman, Peter Whiting and Stephen Nicholls have close to 90 years combined experience in equity markets.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Research and Database Manager
Australian Fund Monitors
CSAG Long Only Program
31 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
CSAG Long Only Program had a sound month with a return of 2.65%, assisted by stronger soft commodity prices, with a -4.97% twelve month return.
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31 Mar 2014 - CSAG Long Only Program
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Manager Comments | The Manager's monthly comments notes that 'The portfolio started the month with modest exposure of about 30% and this was increased rapidly around mid-month finishing at about 90%. Energy constituted the biggest exposure at month end but exposures to Softs and Grains were also significantly increased. Major contributors to performance were coffee, soybeans zinc and gasoline whilst heating and gas oil posted the largest losses in the portfolio for the month. Coffee was up 41.7% for the month, bringing its YTD to 60.3%. February also saw gains posted by corn (5.4%), cotton (0.9%), Chicago wheat (8.4%) and Kansas wheat (11.1%). Soybeans and sugar also posted gains of 11%. Concerns over cold weather and the political unrest in Ukraine, one of the world's biggest exporters of corn and wheat, helped push prices of these grains up in February. The El Niño weather pattern, which can cause droughts and flooding in various parts of the world, is expected to return in 2014' |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
Fund Review: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund
28 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
AFM's updated Fund Review for the Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund for February 2014. The Fund is characterised by steady returns and very low risk. The Fund returned 2.69% during February and since inception (May 2006) the Fund has...
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28 Mar 2014 - Fund Review: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund
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 an eight year track record.
Bennelong's Kardinia Long/Short equity fund returned 2.69% in February 2014, taking returns for the year to 10.27%, broadly in line with the Index return of 10.56%. Annualised returns since inception are 13.85% as compared to the Index at 4.88% and with a lower volatility of 7.76% pa as compared to 14.60% pa. At month-end the Fund's net exposure was 39.5%, with long exposure 75.4% and short exposures 35.9%.
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.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sean Webster
Research Manager
Laminar Credit Opportunities Fund
28 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
Laminar Credit Opportunities Fund returned 0.57% during February and a creditable 11.93% for the prior 12 months with a volatility of 2.71%.
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28 Mar 2014 - Laminar Credit Opportunities Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | The portfolio of the Fund comprises primarily Investment Grade holding of 75% of the Fund's assets. Benchmark allocations are Australasia 50% to 100%, North America 0% to 50% and Europe 0% to 50%. Currency hedging may take place depending on benefits to the Fund. |
| Manager Comments | The Fund's portfolio construction remains biased to the RMBS (residential mortgage backed security) sector. As at 28 February this comprised 71% of the assets within the portfolio. While there are different types of RMBS structures, our preferred vehicle is a full paid up capital structure where there is no reliance on LMI (lenders mortgage insurance). |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
Cor Capital Fund
27 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
The Cor Capital Fund benefited from buoyant asset markets to return 2.34% during February with positive performances from all the underlying assets.
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27 Mar 2014 - Cor Capital Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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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 | During February the Fund's gold position continued to perform (+1.09% contribution) and equities recovered from a weak January (+1.16%). Fixed interest (+0.09%) and cash (+0.07%) were also positive. There were no portfolio adjustments for the month with all asset exposures within the limits defined by the Fund's active risk management strategy. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
Pengana Asia Special Events (Onshore) Fund
26 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
Pengana Asia Special Events (Onshore) Fund recorded 0.48% during February and 11.76% for the preceding twelve months with a very low standard deviation of 2.39%.
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26 Mar 2014 - Pengana Asia Special Events (Onshore) Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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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 | Over the last year the Fund's maximum drawdown is 0.92% (6.72% ASX 200 Acc) and the Fund's Sharpe and Sortino ratio are notable at 3.56 and 7.43 respectively. In terms of commentary the Manager notes that 'Intra month volatility presented good trading opportunities in the holding company universe, with a number of structures either trading at 52 weeks highs and lows. Such discount dislocations are usually common during earnings season, as was the case in Hong Kong and Japan, or when market volatility swings significantly (as measured by VIX). Within M&A, deal volume in February was the strongest in 6 months, with average deal size being US$990 million. One key theme that emerged in Asian M&A during the month was optionality (price bump opportunities).' |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
KIS Asia Long Short Fund
25 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
KIS Asia Long Short Fund returned 1.76% during February and 15.99% (10.56% Index) for the previous twelve months with a volatility of 2.71% as compared to 11.49% for the ASX 200 Acc Index.
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25 Mar 2014 - KIS Asia Long Short Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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| Fund Overview | Variables such as earnings surprise; stock price versus fundamental valuation; dividend policy; management composition, are used in addition to other fundamental and technical indicators to build a factual and analytical foundation to the composition of the long/short portfolio. KIS uses a discretionary approach in their investment strategy and they do not rely on large amounts of leverage. The investments are predominantly in liquid, transparent markets. |
| Manager Comments | The Fund has notable risk statistics with a twelve month Sharpe ratio of 4.55 (0.71), Sortino ratio of 46.28 (1.08) and maximum drawdown of -0.06% (-6.72% Index). Up and Down Capture ratios are 0.31 and -0.55 respectively. The Manager strategy comments are 'Long Short - This portfolio contributed 111bp. The largest contributor to the P&L this month was Stockland which contributed 23bp of the returns. In February 54% of our long and short ideas, i.e. excluding hedges, were winning. In addition to this, the average profit we made on a winning idea was 1.5 times the size of our average loss. Special Situations - This portfolio contributed 72bp this month.' |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
Auscap Long Short Australian Equities Fund
24 Mar 2014 - Australian Fund Monitors
Auscap Long Short Australian Equities Fund had strong performance during February to return 5.32% (ASX 200 Acc 4.97%) bringing annual returns to an impressive 58.90% (Index 10.56%).
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24 Mar 2014 - Auscap Long Short Australian Equities Fund
By: Australian Fund Monitors
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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 | The Fund's average net exposure over the month was 78.2% with 33 long positions and 5 short positions. The Fund's biggest stock exposures at month end were spread across the consumer discretionary, financials and telecommunications sectors. The Manager's monthly commentary discusses their approach to long and short investments. This Report is available on our website under the Auscap Profile. |
| More Information | » View detailed profile of this fund |
