Matt Gaden

Janus Henderson Investors has announced the Australian launch of the Janus Henderson Net Zero Transition Resources Active ETF (Managed Fund) (ASX ticker: ‘JZRO’). The fund is Janus Henderson’s third Active ETF in Australia and offers investors a global equity portfolio of resources companies positioned for the transition to a low-carbon future.

JZRO seeks to provide exposure to a diversified portfolio of global natural resources companies operating in the materials, energy, agricultural, industrial, and utility sectors. It typically holds between 25 to 50 companies diversified by sector, market capitalisation and country.

The fund’s launch comes as investors navigate the market impacts of the energy transition, while also attempting to prepare their portfolios to take advantage of the significant investment opportunities to follow global decarbonisation efforts. According to recent Morningstar research1, sustainable funds now hold $44.3 billion in Australian assets, and have more than doubled since 2019.

Matt Gaden, Head of Australia at Janus Henderson said: “At Janus Henderson Investors Australia, we are committed to expanding and extending our product offering to meet the growing ESG investing demands of our clients, while also offering Janus Henderson’s high-quality global products to Australian investors.

“We firmly believe our active management approach allows us to most effectively implement ESG considerations into our products. Following the successful launches of our Global Sustainable Equity Active ETF (‘FUTR’) in September 2021, and our Tactical Income Active ETF (‘TACT’) in July 2020, we continue to provide Australians with actively managed sustainable investment options, helping them to build their portfolios in a cost-efficient and flexible way, while also contributing to the shift to Net Zero.”

Also available as an unlisted managed fund, JZRO will be listed on the ASX, and is jointly managed by Janus Henderson Head of Global Natural Resources Daniel Sullivan, Sydney-based Portfolio Managers Tim Gerrard and Darko Kuzmanovic, and London-based Portfolio Manager Tal Lomnitzer, CFA.

The highly experienced investment team have cumulative industry experience of over 120 years, blending natural resource investment specialisation and stock market expertise with with geological, technical, financial, ESG and industry experience. The team is also supported by a growing global team of 16 dedicated ESG investment specialists.

Actively seeking opportunities across global decarbonisation themes

The Janus Henderson Net Zero Transition Resources strategy invests in companies across five key investment themes, including energy transition, sustainable mobility, sustainable industry, sustainable agribusiness, and carbon reduction.

The strategy applies both negative and positive filters or screens based on avoidance criteria and sustainability themes and excludes investment in companies that derive more than 10% of their revenue from the production of fossil fuels. The strategy also selects companies for their contributions to the transition to Net Zero and potential to deliver superior long-term returns.

JZRO holdings currently include plant-based meat substitute producer Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND), and global aluminium supplier Alcoa Corporation (NYSE: AA).

Daniel Sullivan, Head of Global Natural Resources at Janus Henderson said: “Natural resources remain the essential building blocks of daily life and continue to underpin our economic and social progress. We believe sustainable natural resource companies have a key role to play in supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy through the deployment of renewable energy technologies like solar and electric vehicles on a large scale. Such technologies require significantly greater amounts of minerals such as copper, aluminium, nickel, lithium, and cobalt, offering an opportunity for investors.

“As can be expected for investors operating across the mining, energy and agricultural sectors, the consideration of material ESG factors is critical. Through our active management approach, Janus Henderson can implement the kind of nuanced analysis and decision making required to successfully navigate the ESG risks in opportunities prevalent in this asset class.”

Tim Gerrard, Portfolio Manager at Janus Henderson said: “We are witnessing the significant positive economic impacts of an energy transition amid a global decarbonisation effort. More than 120 countries have pledged to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050 and are supported by the commitments of more than 100 regional governments, 800 cities and 1500 companies, and this is changing almost daily.

“With some nations choosing to bring their established Net Zero deadlines forward, we believe it is a critical time for investors to consider not only how they will contribute to decarbonisation, but to position their portfolios to capitalise on the breadth of investment opportunities created by the shift to Net Zero, taking advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime investment cycle.”

The post Janus Henderson expands Australian Active ETF range appeared first on AdviserVoice.