Autumn 2020: the funds gaining and losing their Elite Ratings

Following FundCalibre’s Autumn investment committee, a total of ten funds have gained an Elite Rating and three funds have been awarded the Elite Radar badge. One fund has lost its rating following a manager change, while two more have moved between ratings.

Ten newly Elite Rated funds:

1. Baillie Gifford American
This fund invests in US companies that tap into the trends of the future, such as the continued rise of online retail, the evolution of transportation and innovative healthcare.

2. JPM Asia Growth
Hong Kong based managers Joanne Kwok and Mark Davids will invest in the shares of up to 60 companies of any size, primarily focusing on quality, growing businesses.

3. JPM Emerging Markets Trust
This investment trust has been managed by Austin Forey for more than 20 years and he is ably supported by an extensive network of country and sector specialists.

4. Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth
This fund invests in the shares of companies from around the world. A thematic approach is used to identify key structural growth trends that will shape the future global economy.

5. Liontrust Sustainable Future Managed
This mixed asset fund has a well-defined process which has emphatically proven sustainable companies have better growth and are more resilient than the market gives them credit for.

6. M&G Global Listed Infrastructure
This fund looks for a balance of growth and income from three key areas of its sector: economic, social and ‘evolving’ infrastructure. It has been run since launch by Alex Araujo.

7. Ninety One Global Gold
A highly experienced commodities expert, the manager of this fund believes that gold equities offer leverage to the gold price – so if you believe in gold you are better off owning gold equities.

8. Schroder Income Growth Trust
This investment trust invests mainly in the shares of UK larger and medium sized companies and targets firms paying dividends that should grow faster than the rate of inflation.

9. T. Rowe Price US Large Cap Growth Equity
Investing in large US firms that demonstrate innovation and change, this fund has an experienced manager who backs his best ideas with strong conviction.

10. Threadneedle Global Extended Alpha
This fund has a structure that allows the manager to both extend investors’ potential returns by buying stocks he expects to do well and also make money on stocks he expects to do badly.

Three funds gaining Elite Radars:

1. Legg Mason IF Martin Currie US Unconstrained
Targeting just 20 to 25 holdings, the managers of this fund invest in large and mid-cap high quality growth companies typically benefiting from long term secular themes.

2. Ninety One Asia Pacific Franchise
More than half of the value of this concentrated, high conviction fund is in its top ten holdings. Most of these are larger firms and the managers typically ignore cyclical parts of the market.

3. T. Rowe Price US Smaller Companies Equity
The manager of this fund looks for both growth and value opportunities in the small and mid-cap space and will allow his winners to run as long as he still believes there is a return opportunity.

Two movers:

1. TM home investor
Lead manager Alan Collett retired from his role as fund manager in September and deputy manager Stuart Springham has taken over. Although we have every confidence in Stuart, as his track record is less than three years, the fund has been moved to an Elite Radar.

2. Trojan Global Income
Now with a four year track record and having comfortably passed the AlphaQuest screen, this fund, managed by James Harries, has been moved from an Elite Radar to an Elite Rating.

One fund losing its rating:

MI Somerset Emerging Market Dividend Growth – Edward Lam, who had run this fund since its launch in 2010 has left the company so the fund must lose its Elite Rating.