Paul Moore

The PM Capital Australian Companies Fund (‘Fund’) is now available on Netwealth platforms, giving its investors an innovative way to access the Australian equities market.

The Netwealth inclusion coincides with the Fund achieving an investment performance ranked number one out of 318 products in its sector for the year to 30 June 2017*.

The Fund joins the other PM Capital products in providing investors with market-leading returns. Funds and/or mandates using PM Capital’s Global Equities investment strategy were not only ranked first among the peer group funds for the 1 year to June 2017, but also ranked number one over 3, 5, 7 and 8 years. The Asian Companies Fund’s performance was ranked first in its peer group since the date of its inception and the Enhanced Yield Fund was ranked number 2 in its sector for the year.

Portfolio Manager of the Australian Companies Fund, Uday Cheruvu, said: “We use a handpicked portfolio of 15-25 companies to create long term wealth. The Fund gives access to a unique portfolio of Australian equities with the ability to also obtain a small proportion of global exposure powered by domestic and international market insights. This means that the Fund provides opportunities in the Australian market significantly different to those provided by the index and more traditional benchmark aware Australian equity funds.”

The Australian Companies Fund has been added to Netwealth’s Wrap and Super public menu, joining the PM Capital Global Equities and Enhanced Yield Funds. It is already available on platforms including Macquarie Wrap and BT Wrap.

Founder and Chairman, Paul Moore, said: “Performance has been strong across the entire PM Capital product suite, including the Australian Companies Fund. I hope these kinds of results are seen as testament to our investment philosophy and process that we have and always will employ, irrespective of market circumstances.”

Since its inception, the Australian Companies Fund has produced total returns of 513.6%, compared with 282.6% for the benchmark S&P/ ASX 200 Accumulation Index. This has meant that $20,000 invested in the Fund at inception has now grown to $122,717 (end June), versus $76,519 if held in an index fund.

Mr. Cheruvu said: “The Australian equities market is highly concentrated, with more than half of the benchmark S&P/ ASX200 Accumulation Index in banks and resource-related companies. This makes it extremely difficult for managers to add value over the long term when they have to hold stocks that they may not like in order to remain close to the index.

“However, for us, if we don’t like a stock, we don’t invest in it. Our exposure to sectors and stocks is determined solely by our conviction in the risk/ reward opportunities that we identify within portfolio guidelines.”

PM Capital’s flagship product, the Global Companies Fund, has produced annualised returns 4.7% above the relevant benchmark since inception.

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“Whilst we were avoiding buying the big four when Westpac and NAB were nudging $40 at the end of FY15 we now believe many market commentators are under-estimating the sustainability of their profits and dividends,” said PM CAPITAL Australian Companies Fund portfolio manager Uday Cheruvu.

“Our view on financial markets, both domestically and internationally, is ‘more of the same’ for the foreseeable future; that is low growth, low yield and high volatility.

“In this environment, solid businesses offering high single digit net returns are attractive additions to a portfolio and the major Australian banks currently meet this criteria.

“With the cash rate at 1.75% businesses that can offer predictable returns off around 9% after franking credits are taken into account are attractive propositions in our view.

“We think the current prices factor in another round of regulator mandated capital raising but we don’t expect the regulator to act on this front until late 2018, by which time we believe the businesses will be in even better shape.

“We are very comfortable owning them at current prices and hold ANZ, Westpac, NAB and investment bank Macquarie Bank, the former two each comprise nearly 10% of the Australian Companies Fund whilst Macquarie accounts around 7.5%.

“There is no doubt the new CEO of the ANZ Bank has inherited some challenges, particularly relating to Asian exposure but we are impressed by his approach do date and believe the market has marked the business down more than warranted.

“Beyond the banks the PM CAPITAL’s Australian Companies Fund includes NextDC Limited, again comprising around nearly 10% of the fund. This is an example of a stock that is not dependent on the growth of the general economy. NextDC is a software and IT services company focused on proving cloud computing. Compared to similar companies offshore it is attractively priced on the ASX.

“It is stocks like this that we offer our investors. These are value stocks, not found in the Index.

“The growth of cloud computing is not dependent on the growth of the general economy – it is a sector that is rapidly changing the face of the IT storage industry globally and is a sector that has not matured, particularly in Australia, “ Mr Cheruvu said.

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