Fidelity launches new Australian small/mid cap equities fund – Fidelity Future Leaders Fund

Michael Bargholz

Fidelity Worldwide Investment (‘Fidelity’) has announced the launch of a new Australian Equities fund – the Fidelity Future Leaders Fund. The Fund will invest in stocks outside the ASX top 50, offering investors exposure to the mid- and small-cap market through a portfolio of 40-70 stocks.

The fund will be managed by investment analyst and portfolio manager, James Abela, who has managed a successful pilot fund of the same strategy for the past four years.

Mr Abela has 15 years’ investment experience, the past 9 of which have been within Fidelity’s highly successful Australian equities team, where he has covered sectors including banking, insurance, diversified financials, consumer, healthcare, mining services and telecommunications.

The new Fund adopts a research based process which looks to identify stocks which have the viability of rising return on equity, sustainability of returns that can fund growth and the credibility of a quality management team.  Disciplined portfolio construction leads to a diversified portfolio which aims to be resilient to market pressures across the cycle.

Managing Director of Fidelity Worldwide Investment in Australia, Michael Bargholz, says the new Fund offers investors a new way to access Fidelity’s proven talent in this asset class.

‘We have been managing the Fidelity Australian Equities Fund with above benchmark performance for the past decade. James has been an integral member of the Australian Equities team during this time and we are confident this strategy will prove equally successful.’

Mr Abela will be supported by the research of 9 equity analysts covering stocks within his universe, as well as the broad investment resources of Fidelity’s global analyst team.

The Fund is available for a minimum initial investment of $25,000 and Fidelity will be looking to place the Fund on leading platforms in the near term.