Pixabay CC0 Public Domain. BlackRock lanza su primer fondo de inversión de impacto que contempla los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de Naciones Unidas
BlackRock announces the launch of a high-conviction active equity impact strategy with its BlackRock Global Impact Fund. The new Fund gives investors the opportunity to direct their investments toward companies helping to address major world challenges. The addition of the impact strategy forms part of BlackRock’s continued efforts to expand its sustainable investment platform as it delivers against its commitment to make sustainability its standard for investing.
The Fund’s impact is achieved by investing in companies which contribute to the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets. The portfolio is comprised of companies that map back to the firm’s proprietary impact themes including increasing access to quality education and affordable housing, advancing healthcare innovation to help with societal challenges such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, expanding financial and digital inclusion, preventing climate change, reversing environmental degradation, and increasing efficiencies in water usage and deployment.
The Fund is managed through BlackRock’s Active Equities Impact Investing team which recently formed under the leadership of Eric Rice, who joined the firm in October 2019. Eric will draw upon his 30 years of industry experience, most recently exclusively developing and managing impact strategies, and including his prior experience working for the World Bank as a development economist and as a U.S. diplomat in Rwanda.
Rachel Lord, Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa for BlackRock commented, “Eric joined BlackRock with a strong track record in developing alpha-seeking impact strategies and his expertise will lead our impact investing efforts during this challenging time and beyond. While launching the Global Impact Fund during a global pandemic is coincidental, it does highlight that the opportunity inherent in investing in companies committed to doing good is enduring, and is of increasing relevance to the world today.”
Alongside the impact goals, the Fund seeks to maximise long-term total return and to outperform the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI). To achieve the Fund’s objectives, the team has set stringent impact criteria for the portfolio companies including:
materiality – whereby a majority of revenues or business activity advances one or more of the SDGs or targets;
additionality – defined as delivering a new technology or innovation to market, serving an underserved population, or operating in an unaddressed market; and
measurability – in that the impact must be quantifiable.
“Impact investing is becoming more and more attractive as investors increasingly require their investment targets to advance their sustainability objectives,” said Eric Rice, Portfolio Manager of the BlackRock Global Impact Fund and Head of Active Equities Impact Investing at BlackRock. “Launching the Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the important role companies play in society. COVID-19 is one of the greatest societal challenges the world faces right now, and we see impact investing playing a meaningful role in how we overcome it. Capital from the Fund will be put toward the search for alpha by investing in companies focused on medical diagnostic tools and vaccines to combat the crisis, as well as crisis mass notification systems and microloans, amongst others.”
The team intends to run a low-turnover, long-term buy and hold concentrated portfolio strategy and use active dialogue and partnership with companies to drive improvement towards impact outcomes, alongside long-term value creation. The Fund is USD-denominated and available for investors located across Europe.
Impact investments are designed to generate positive, measurable impact alongside a financial return. The Fund uses the World Bank’s IFC Operating Principles to ensure impact considerations are integrated throughout the investment lifecycle. Reporting plays an integral role of the investment offering where clients will receive regular updates and reports on the positive environmental or social impact that Fund companies are achieving.
BlackRock’s active equities impact offering will sit alongside existing impact strategies in the fixed income and alternatives business areas. The Active Equities group manages USD $316bn * of assets on behalf of its clients and has managed Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment strategies for over four years.
The Fund forms a part of BlackRock’s Sustainable Investing platform which manages USD $107bn* in dedicated sustainable strategies, comprising of ESG outcome oriented, sustainable thematic and impact funds. Sustainable investment options may have the potential to offer clients better outcomes and is integral to the way BlackRock manages risk, constructs portfolios, designs products and engages with companies.
Pixabay CC0 Public Domain. Morningstar se hace con el 100% de Sustainalytics
Morningstar has reached an agreement to acquire Sustainalytics, a globally recognized leader in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings and research. Morningstar currently owns an approximate 40% ownership stake in the firm, first acquired in 2017, and will purchase the remaining approximate 60% of Sustainalytics shares upon closing of the transaction.
The transaction consideration includes a cash payment at closing of approximately EUR 55 million (subject to certain potential adjustments) and additional cash payments in 2021 and 2022 based on a multiple of Sustainalytics’ 2020 and 2021 fiscal year revenues. Based on the upfront consideration, Morningstar estimates the enterprise value of Sustainalytics to be EUR 170 million. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur early in the third quarter of 2020.
“Modern investors in public and private markets are demanding ESG data, research, ratings, and solutions in order to make informed, meaningful investing decisions. From climate change to supply-chain practices, the nature of the investment process is evolving and shining a spotlight on demand for stakeholder capitalism. Whether assessing the durability of a company’s economic moat or the stability of its credit rating, this is the future of long-term investing,” said Morningstar Chief Executive Officer Kunal Kapoor. “By coming together, Morningstar and Sustainalytics will fast track our ability to put independent, sustainable investing analytics at every level – from a single security through to a portfolio view – in the hands of all investors. Morningstar helped democratize investing, and we will do even more to extend Sustainalytics’ mission of contributing to a more just and sustainable global economy.”
For more than 25 years, Sustainalytics has been ahead of the curve, recognizing the need to provide ESG solutions to investors, banks, and companies worldwide. The firm is widely known for its security-level ESG Risk Ratings – which are integrated into institutional investment processes and underpin numerous indexes and sustainable investment products – as well as serving an ever-increasing number of use cases across the emerging sustainable finance landscape. Sustainalytics offers data on 40,000 companies worldwide and ratings on 20,000 companies and on 172 countries.
Since 2016, Morningstar and Sustainalytics have teamed up to supply investors around the world with new analytics, including: the industry’s first sustainability rating for funds, rooted in Sustainalytics’ company-level ESG ratings; a global sustainability index family; and a large span of sustainable portfolio analytics that includes carbon metrics and controversial product involvement data. With this acquisition, Morningstar plans to continue to invest in Sustainalytics’ existing business while also further integrating ESG data and insights across Morningstar’s existing research and solutions for all segments, including individual investors, advisors, private equity firms, asset managers and owners, plan sponsors, and credit issuers.
“Sustainalytics welcomes the opportunity to join the Morningstar family. Our collaboration over the past several years has helped to extend the understanding and use of ESG insights and strategies to a multitude of investors, advisors, asset owners and managers across the globe,” said Sustainalytics Chief Executive Officer Michael Jantzi. “This new ownership structure will amplify our ability to bring meaningful ESG insights, products, and services to the global investment community and to companies around the world. Importantly, I am thrilled that my colleagues and I are joining a firm with a belief in our mission and intent to help us further expand our reach.”
Dutch-domiciled Sustainalytics has a global business that includes more than 650 employees worldwide spanning 16 locations, and all are planned to join the Morningstar family under the existing Sustainalytics leadership team. Morningstar intends to fund the transaction with a mix of cash and debt. The transaction is expected to have minimal dilution to net income per share post-closing, excluding any impacts of purchase accounting and deal-related expenses, as the company expects to incur costs to integrate certain capabilities and fund growth opportunities.
Bjoern Jesch, courtesy photo. Bjoern Jesch se une a DWS para reforzar el área Multi Asset
Bjoern Jesch will join DWS on July 1, 2020 as Global Head of Multi Asset & Solutions. He joins the firm from Credit Suisse, where he was Global Head of Investment Management within the International Wealth Management division. Bjoern will succeed Christian Hille, who has decided to leave DWS for personal reasons after 13 years with the firm.
Multi Asset & Solutions is one of DWS’ three targeted growth areas: With net inflows of EUR 7.2 billion, Multi Asset was a significant driver for the firm’s flow turnaround in 2019. Globally, Bjoern will be responsible for a team of 82 investment professionals and AuM of EUR 58 billion (as of 31 December 2019).
Stefan Kreuzkamp, DWS’ Chief Investment Officer and Co-Head of the Investment Group says: “We are very happy that Bjoern has decided to join DWS. He enjoys an excellent reputation across the asset management industry and the market as a top notch investor and thought-leader. Multi Asset & Solutions is a crucial part of our business, now more than ever. In a volatile market it can truly differentiate itself for investors“.
Bjoern Jesch adds: “In times of extremely low interest rates and simultaneously high levels of volatility Multi Asset is the differentiating investment strategy for one of the biggest fiduciary asset managers in the market. I look forward to tackling this challenge along with the outstanding investment team at DWS”.
Over the course of his career spanning three decades Bjoern has held senior positions at Union Investment, where he served as Chief Investment Officer and Head of Portfolio Management, Deutsche Bank and Citibank. At DWS, he will report to Stefan Kreuzkamp. He will be a member of DWS’ CIO Management Committee.
March was one of the worst months in stock market history, with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreading rapidly around the globe, and societies everywhere responding with various forms of “social distancing” that escalated throughout the month, culminating with most of the global economy being effectively shut down.
Many questions about Covid-19 remain: Will it wane with warmer weather? Will it become endemic like the flu? When might effective treatments and a vaccine be developed? The data we do possess from China, South Korea and Italy unfortunately suggest cases in the US will continue to escalate sharply, but eventually moderate. Life in China, where the virus originated last fall, appears to be slowly returning to normal. The strain on the United States health care system will be severe and the death toll – currently estimated at 100,000-240,000 – will be massive, but two dynamics give us hope. First, technology should allow us to track, treat and defeat this virus faster than any in the past. Notably, technology has also offset some of the heavy burdens of quarantine – the citizenry of the Spanish Flu of 1918 did not benefit from ecommerce, remote working/learning or Disney+. Second, after some delay, all levels of government and most businesses and individuals are instituting the practices needed to flatten the infection curve, putting us on path to put Covid-19 behind us. Many private companies have already unveiled promising developments in terms of tests that provide rapid results, therapeutic treatments and even vaccines, though many of those will likely not likely be available until 2021 at the earliest.
The cost of closures and social distancing is considerable. The global economy has nearly ground to a halt triggering what will likely be a severe recession. While there will be significant pent-up demand on the other side of this crisis, fear will need calming, supply chains will require realignment, and balance sheets will demand repair. Government action – both monetary and fiscal – is crucial, and the CARES Act signed into law on March 27th is a good start in providing relief to both individuals and businesses. The Fed has slashed rates near zero, and is also buying securities in a number of asset classes –treasuries, mortgaged backed securities, asset backed securities, corporate credit, loans backed by the Small Business Administration – in order to stabilize markets and the economy. Further fiscal stimulus will likely be needed, and we expect legislation directed at more medium to long term measures that can actually drive spending and demand (e.g., a long overdue infrastructure bill) as opposed to simply providing more relief. Ultimately this recession, like all prior, will birth a new expansion. We currently expect a return to growth in Q3 after a sharp decline in Q2, though the pace of recovery will depend on the effectiveness of both measures to contain and combat the virus, as well as measures to keep individuals and businesses afloat for when the economy opens up again.
While this one has been especially painful due to its quickness and severity, we are reminded that bear markets, like recessions, are necessary to the capitalist system, cleansing its excesses. Over the four decade plus history of our firm, there have been 5 bear markets ranging in length from 3 to 30 months. We had been anticipating a correction for some time, though the trigger for and pace of the decline (one of the most rapid in history) took us by surprise. The market already quickly bounced into technical “bull market” status from its lows, though those lows may be re-tested as the case and death counts rise to alarming levels. Ever the world’s best discounting machine, the market will need clarity on a peak in cases and government fiscal action before a sustained rally. That could be anticipated at any point which is why an attempt to time the market could result in significant forgone profits.
We believe recent volatility, attributable in some measure to the popularity of algorithmic and passive trading, has laid the groundwork for investors to again focus on fundamental stock picking. Capital preservation is especially important in bear markets. The market is offering bargains unseen since 2008. Some are opportunities to add to companies already owned, others are in companies and industries whose prior valuations put them out-of-reach. We continue to emphasize the basics: Does a company’s business model remain sound? Does it have a strong enough balance sheet to withstand the short term pain? Is management focused on shareholder value? The situation changes daily, but we believe the best way to participate in the return of health and prosperity is to own a portfolio of excellent businesses.
Merger Arbitrage was not immune from market volatility either. During the month, mark-to market merger spreads widened as levered multi-strategy and quantitative hedge funds faced margin calls and sold stocks to delever and raise cash. We experienced similar instances of this dynamic before, for example, in the Crash of 1987 and in Long-Term Capital debacle in September 1998. It is important to note that none of the deals in our portfolio were terminated in March. The outcome is that we have an excellent opportunity to earn significant returns from existing deals which will close in the months ahead.
These market dislocations force arbitrage investors to reassess the standalone value of target companies, driving target company prices lower as comparable valuations decline. Our philosophy is to take advantage of these market dislocations by adding to positions at lower prices. This is what we are doing at present, with a selective focus on deals with short-term catalysts – tender offers, deals that are expected to close soon and strategic deals that have our highest level of conviction. We are continuously evaluating deal risks and outcomes. Globally, companies and government agencies have safety measures in place in response to COVID, allowing them to remain operational.
Column by Gabelli Funds, written by Michael Gabelli
__________________________________
To access our proprietary value investment methodology, and dedicated merger arbitrage portfolio we offer the following UCITS Funds in each discipline:
GAMCO MERGER ARBITRAGE
GAMCO Merger Arbitrage UCITS Fund, launched in October 2011, is an open-end fund incorporated in Luxembourg and compliant with UCITS regulation. The team, dedicated strategy, and record dates back to 1985. The objective of the GAMCO Merger Arbitrage Fund is to achieve long-term capital growth by investing primarily in announced equity merger and acquisition transactions while maintaining a diversified portfolio. The Fund utilizes a highly specialized investment approach designed principally to profit from the successful completion of proposed mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts and other types of corporate reorganizations. Analyzes and continuously monitors each pending transaction for potential risk, including: regulatory, terms, financing, and shareholder approval.
Merger investments are a highly liquid, non-market correlated, proven and consistent alternative to traditional fixed income and equity securities. Merger returns are dependent on deal spreads. Deal spreads are a function of time, deal risk premium, and interest rates. Returns are thus correlated to interest rate changes over the medium term and not the broader equity market. The prospect of rising rates would imply higher returns on mergers as spreads widen to compensate arbitrageurs. As bond markets decline (interest rates rise), merger returns should improve as capital allocation decisions adjust to the changes in the costs of capital.
Broad Market volatility can lead to widening of spreads in merger positions, coupled with our well-researched merger portfolios, offer the potential for enhanced IRRs through dynamic position sizing. Daily price volatility fluctuations coupled with less proprietary capital (the Volcker rule) in the U.S. have contributed to improving merger spreads and thus, overall returns. Thus our fund is well positioned as a cash substitute or fixed income alternative.
Our objectives are to compound and preserve wealth over time, while remaining non-correlated to the broad global markets. We created our first dedicated merger fund 32 years ago. Since then, our merger performance has grown client assets at an annualized rate of approximately 10.7% gross and 7.6% net since 1985. Today, we manage assets on behalf of institutional and high net worth clients globally in a variety of fund structures and mandates.
Class I USD – LU0687944552
Class I EUR – LU0687944396
Class A USD – LU0687943745
Class A EUR – LU0687943661
Class R USD – LU1453360825
Class R EUR – LU1453361476
GAMCO ALL CAP VALUE
The GAMCO All Cap Value UCITS Fund launched in May, 2015 utilizes Gabelli’s its proprietary PMV with a Catalyst™ investment methodology, which has been in place since 1977. The Fund seeks absolute returns through event driven value investing. Our methodology centers around fundamental, research-driven, value based investing with a focus on asset values, cash flows and identifiable catalysts to maximize returns independent of market direction. The fund draws on the experience of its global portfolio team and 35+ value research analysts.
GAMCO is an active, bottom-up, value investor, and seeks to achieve real capital appreciation (relative to inflation) over the long term regardless of market cycles. Our value-oriented stock selection process is based on the fundamental investment principles first articulated in 1934 by Graham and Dodd, the founders of modern security analysis, and further augmented by Mario Gabelli in 1977 with his introduction of the concepts of Private Market Value (PMV) with a Catalyst™ into equity analysis. PMV with a Catalyst™ is our unique research methodology that focuses on individual stock selection by identifying firms selling below intrinsic value with a reasonable probability of realizing their PMV’s which we define as the price a strategic or financial acquirer would be willing to pay for the entire enterprise. The fundamental valuation factors utilized to evaluate securities prior to inclusion/exclusion into the portfolio, our research driven approach views fundamental analysis as a three pronged approach: free cash flow (earnings before, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, minus the capital expenditures necessary to grow/maintain the business); earnings per share trends; and private market value (PMV), which encompasses on and off balance sheet assets and liabilities. Our team arrives at a PMV valuation by a rigorous assessment of fundamentals from publicly available information and judgement gained from meeting management, covering all size companies globally and our comprehensive, accumulated knowledge of a variety of sectors. We then identify businesses for the portfolio possessing the proper margin of safety and research variables from our deep research universe.
Class I USD – LU1216601648
Class I EUR – LU1216601564
Class A USD – LU1216600913
Class A EUR – LU1216600673
Class R USD – LU1453359900
Class R EUR – LU1453360155
Disclaimer:
The information and any opinions have been obtained from or are based on sources believed to be reliable but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No responsibility can be accepted for any consequential loss arising from the use of this information. The information is expressed at its date and is issued only to and directed only at those individuals who are permitted to receive such information in accordance with the applicable statutes. In some countries the distribution of this publication may be restricted. It is your responsibility to find out what those restrictions are and observe them.
Some of the statements in this presentation may contain or be based on forward looking statements, forecasts, estimates, projections, targets, or prognosis (“forward looking statements”), which reflect the manager’s current view of future events, economic developments and financial performance. Such forward looking statements are typically indicated by the use of words which express an estimate, expectation, belief, target or forecast. Such forward looking statements are based on an assessment of historical economic data, on the experience and current plans of the investment manager and/or certain advisors of the manager, and on the indicated sources. These forward looking statements contain no representation or warranty of whatever kind that such future events will occur or that they will occur as described herein, or that such results will be achieved by the fund or the investments of the fund, as the occurrence of these events and the results of the fund are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The actual portfolio, and thus results, of the fund may differ substantially from those assumed in the forward looking statements. The manager and its affiliates will not undertake to update or review the forward looking statements contained in this presentation, whether as result of new information or any future event or otherwise.
From Miami, Montevideo, Mexico City, Oslo and Madrid, Funds Society and Futuro a Fondo’s teams have not let our guard down and we continued workiong, from home, to offer our readers the best information and analysis on the fund industry, yes, with great smile and with a lot of rhythm.
With this video we wanted to join the numerous social media campaigns in favor of staying home to resist and defeat COVID-19. In these hard days of confinement, uncertainty and grief, we want our spirit of struggle, resistance and joy to accompany you, alongside the information.
The management, marketing and writing teams opened the doors of our houses to be closer to our readers and convey the meaning of this song, which has become a hymn against the coronavirus.
Together we will overcome this pandemic and return to work, meet and live. But in the meantime, Funds Society will continue to stand by its readers, from all corners of the world… As we say in Spanish, “Resisitiendo,” or holding on!
Opportunity: Merger arbitrage investments represent the most attractive opportunity set in decades as a result of levered arbitrage funds facing margin calls, and multi-strategy funds exiting merger investments entirely. We have been approached by other institutional investors to establish a special purpose fund to take advantage of wide spreads caused by the market dislocation. We agree with these clients that now is a great time to add cash to merger arbitrage investments.
At the end of March, merger arbitrage spreads had “baked-in returns” of approximately 10%+ gross (before annualizing) when deals close over the coming months. The opportunity within these portfolios would be greater than 10% in addition to the new investment opportunities that currently exist at materially larger spreads because of the market dislocation. We expect more than 60% of the positions in the portfolio should be completed in the first half of this year, allowing us to harvest gains and reinvest the capital in additional attractive investments. In the last couple of weeks alone, more than 4 acquisitions have been completed after receiving regulatory approvals, shareholder approvals, or the expiration of tender offers. The acquisition price for TerraForm Power was actually increased earlier in March, which highlights buyers’ commitment to consummating acquisitions and is further evidence the deal market continues to present attractive opportunities. There are additional deals in the fund that are on the finish line, which will result in near-term realized gains.
Arbitrage vs. Equities: Returns in equities will be beta-driven, however we believe to be in a better position to generate alpha and returns in merger arbitrage. Equity buybacks will slow dramatically and volatility will persist. Equity exposure could be achieved more effectively by adjusting overlays and hedges.
Arbitrage vs. Investment Grade Credit (“IG”): Investing in the higher-quality end of IG would likely generate mid-single digit annualized returns assuming credit spreads normalize. A merger arbitrage portfolio should generate higher returns.
Investing in lower-quality IG would likely generate high single-digit/low double-digit annualized returns, still less than in a merger arbitrage portfolio. With lower-quality IG you also run the risk of investing in “fallen angels” that have not yet been downgraded to high yield, which would result in further bond price deterioration. There is a perception in IG credit that defaults do not occur, but if and when there are defaults it will have a broad impact on spreads and bond prices. Additionally, investing in IG Credit will dramatically change the liquidity profile of a portfolio. Credit liquidity is the worst in decades and wide bid/ask spreads could mean returns in credit could be illusory if managers are unable to source supply.
On a separate note, we would like to highlight that the cost of carry when hedging USD exposures for the non-USD currency classes has decreased, which is a benefit to these shareholders. This decrease has been primarily driven down / caused by the tightening of USD interest rate spreads to Europe’s already low (negative) rates. At the current rates, we forecast the cost of carry to equate to approximately 1.40% annualized.
We will continue to monitor the current deals in the market and anticipate market opportunities tracking the global environment, with a keen eye globally on deal terms and market factors.
Column by Gabelli Funds, written by Michael Gabelli
__________________________________
To access our proprietary value investment methodology, and dedicated merger arbitrage portfolio we offer the following UCITS Funds in each discipline:
GAMCO MERGER ARBITRAGE
GAMCO Merger Arbitrage UCITS Fund, launched in October 2011, is an open-end fund incorporated in Luxembourg and compliant with UCITS regulation. The team, dedicated strategy, and record dates back to 1985. The objective of the GAMCO Merger Arbitrage Fund is to achieve long-term capital growth by investing primarily in announced equity merger and acquisition transactions while maintaining a diversified portfolio. The Fund utilizes a highly specialized investment approach designed principally to profit from the successful completion of proposed mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts and other types of corporate reorganizations. Analyzes and continuously monitors each pending transaction for potential risk, including: regulatory, terms, financing, and shareholder approval.
Merger investments are a highly liquid, non-market correlated, proven and consistent alternative to traditional fixed income and equity securities. Merger returns are dependent on deal spreads. Deal spreads are a function of time, deal risk premium, and interest rates. Returns are thus correlated to interest rate changes over the medium term and not the broader equity market. The prospect of rising rates would imply higher returns on mergers as spreads widen to compensate arbitrageurs. As bond markets decline (interest rates rise), merger returns should improve as capital allocation decisions adjust to the changes in the costs of capital.
Broad Market volatility can lead to widening of spreads in merger positions, coupled with our well-researched merger portfolios, offer the potential for enhanced IRRs through dynamic position sizing. Daily price volatility fluctuations coupled with less proprietary capital (the Volcker rule) in the U.S. have contributed to improving merger spreads and thus, overall returns. Thus our fund is well positioned as a cash substitute or fixed income alternative.
Our objectives are to compound and preserve wealth over time, while remaining non-correlated to the broad global markets. We created our first dedicated merger fund 32 years ago. Since then, our merger performance has grown client assets at an annualized rate of approximately 10.7% gross and 7.6% net since 1985. Today, we manage assets on behalf of institutional and high net worth clients globally in a variety of fund structures and mandates.
Class I USD – LU0687944552
Class I EUR – LU0687944396
Class A USD – LU0687943745
Class A EUR – LU0687943661
Class R USD – LU1453360825
Class R EUR – LU1453361476
GAMCO ALL CAP VALUE
The GAMCO All Cap Value UCITS Fund launched in May, 2015 utilizes Gabelli’s its proprietary PMV with a Catalyst™ investment methodology, which has been in place since 1977. The Fund seeks absolute returns through event driven value investing. Our methodology centers around fundamental, research-driven, value based investing with a focus on asset values, cash flows and identifiable catalysts to maximize returns independent of market direction. The fund draws on the experience of its global portfolio team and 35+ value research analysts.
GAMCO is an active, bottom-up, value investor, and seeks to achieve real capital appreciation (relative to inflation) over the long term regardless of market cycles. Our value-oriented stock selection process is based on the fundamental investment principles first articulated in 1934 by Graham and Dodd, the founders of modern security analysis, and further augmented by Mario Gabelli in 1977 with his introduction of the concepts of Private Market Value (PMV) with a Catalyst™ into equity analysis. PMV with a Catalyst™ is our unique research methodology that focuses on individual stock selection by identifying firms selling below intrinsic value with a reasonable probability of realizing their PMV’s which we define as the price a strategic or financial acquirer would be willing to pay for the entire enterprise. The fundamental valuation factors utilized to evaluate securities prior to inclusion/exclusion into the portfolio, our research driven approach views fundamental analysis as a three pronged approach: free cash flow (earnings before, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, minus the capital expenditures necessary to grow/maintain the business); earnings per share trends; and private market value (PMV), which encompasses on and off balance sheet assets and liabilities. Our team arrives at a PMV valuation by a rigorous assessment of fundamentals from publicly available information and judgement gained from meeting management, covering all size companies globally and our comprehensive, accumulated knowledge of a variety of sectors. We then identify businesses for the portfolio possessing the proper margin of safety and research variables from our deep research universe.
Class I USD – LU1216601648
Class I EUR – LU1216601564
Class A USD – LU1216600913
Class A EUR – LU1216600673
Class R USD – LU1453359900
Class R EUR – LU1453360155
Disclaimer:
The information and any opinions have been obtained from or are based on sources believed to be reliable but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No responsibility can be accepted for any consequential loss arising from the use of this information. The information is expressed at its date and is issued only to and directed only at those individuals who are permitted to receive such information in accordance with the applicable statutes. In some countries the distribution of this publication may be restricted. It is your responsibility to find out what those restrictions are and observe them.
Some of the statements in this presentation may contain or be based on forward looking statements, forecasts, estimates, projections, targets, or prognosis (“forward looking statements”), which reflect the manager’s current view of future events, economic developments and financial performance. Such forward looking statements are typically indicated by the use of words which express an estimate, expectation, belief, target or forecast. Such forward looking statements are based on an assessment of historical economic data, on the experience and current plans of the investment manager and/or certain advisors of the manager, and on the indicated sources. These forward looking statements contain no representation or warranty of whatever kind that such future events will occur or that they will occur as described herein, or that such results will be achieved by the fund or the investments of the fund, as the occurrence of these events and the results of the fund are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The actual portfolio, and thus results, of the fund may differ substantially from those assumed in the forward looking statements. The manager and its affiliates will not undertake to update or review the forward looking statements contained in this presentation, whether as result of new information or any future event or otherwise.
Foto cedidaFoto: David Page, economista sénior de AXA Investment Managers. Foto: David Page, economista sénior de AXA Investment Managers
After a couple of weeks’ of battling, Congress fagreed on a stimulus package thought to total $2trn (9.2% of GDP). This is an unprecedented stimulus, which according to David Page, Head of Macro Research at AXA Investment Managers, represents 9.2% of GDP.
The package began as a Senate Republican proposal estimated at around $850 bn, but over the ensuing time has morphed into a package that is estimated to more than double the combined GFC packages – the Economic Stimulus Act 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009). Senate Democrats had resisted earlier passage of the bill because it was not sufficiently focused on households, state or local governments. Democrats also wanted sufficient oversight of how a large portion of the package, to support larger businesses, was distributed. On Wednesday night 25, the Senate approved the measure with a unanimous vote of 96-0 and the House of Representatives voted out loud on Friday 27, with which the stimulus plan was approved.
The stimulus package contains
$500bn in bank loans and direct assistance to US companies, states and local governments affected by the virus (including $75bn to large corporates including airlines).
$377bn to small businesses (sub-500) to help fund payrolls in coming months. These payments will be structured as up to $10m interest free loans to businesses, but will be ‘forgiven’ proportionate to the number of workers kept on payrolls.
$250bn in direct checks to US individuals ($1200 per person, $500 per child).
$260bn in expanded unemployment insurance, raising payments by $600 per week and extending coverage duration by four months.
$150bn funding for states
$340bn additional Federal government spending
US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin stated that these payments would come quickly. He stated that loans to small businesses would be made next week and that individual payments would be paid within three weeks. Democrats secured more precise oversight for the distribution of stimulus funds to large corporates after accusations surrounding the distribution of TARP over a decade ago. An independent Inspector General will be appointed who will work with a panel of five members picked by Congress. A weekly report on the disbursement of funds will be produced.
While eye-watering in scale and a complement to the range of measures enacted by the Federal Reserve, questions remain about whether even this will prove sufficient. Governors from Maryland and New York have suggested that there is insufficient aid to states most affected by the virus. In combination, the Fed and Congress are trying to help US households and businesses plug the significant hole that the coronavirus will leave in the economy over the coming months. The problem is no one can be sure how big that hole will be. The median estimate for jobless claims (released today) is to rise to 1.64m, although some estimate more than double that. St Louis Fed President Bullard recently said unemployment could rise to 30% in Q2. Such a sharp rise would suggest a double-digit fall in real disposable incomes in Q2, which would in turn exacerbate a sharp fall in domestic spending not just in Q2, but over the coming quarters. The stimulus package is designed to prevent such a deterioration, particularly by providing direct support to firms and incentivising them keep workers on payrolls, and to individuals through direct payments. This complements the Fed’s actions to facilitate lending to businesses to keep afloat while the virus-related drop in demand passes. But only the coming weeks will show how successful these measures will prove.
The stimulus package approved by Congress is also in part designed to bolster confidence, particularly for financial markets. To that extent, it has proved successful with the S&P 500 index rising by 10.5% as certainty over the passage of the stimulus rose. This easing in financial conditions in part offsets the material tightening over recent weeks which has provided an additional headwind to activity. Broader market moves saw the impact of the stimulus mix with ongoing efforts to curb liquidity issues in USD markets. 2-year yields have fallen by 10 bps to 0.30% over recent sessions, while 10 year yields have fallen by around 7 bps over a similar timeframe to 0.79%. The dollar has fallen by 2.4% against a basket of currencies this week as dollar liquidity scarcity has started to ease.
Changes in Santander‘s international business: According to what Funds Society has learned, Alfonso Castillo has been appointed head of Santander BPI (his international private bank) and CEO of BSI (the bank’s international business in the US).
In his new role, he will continue to develop the business and consolidate Santander Private Banking as a global platform for the entity’s clients worldwide. Castillo will report to Víctor Matarranz (in his role as head of BPI) and Tim Wennes –CEO of Santander US- and Matarranz as CEO from BSI.
Castillo will replace Jorge Rosell, who is to leave the bank in search of new projects.
Alfonso Castillo joined the ranks of the global Wealth Management division created by Santander in late 2018, a few months after the bank created that division, which integrates private banking and asset management, and is headed by Víctor Matarranz.
Castillo came from Bankinter, where he was Managing Director, responsible for their Private Banking division. In his almost 20 years of experience, he has also worked at firms such as Barclays Wealth, Credit Suisse or EY.
Foto cedidaFoto de la Federación de Bancos de Alimentos de España.. BlackRock destina 50 millones de dólares para apoyar a ONG y paliar el impacto del COVID-19 entre los más desfavorecidos
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, on Monday committed $50 million to relief efforts as the coronavirus pandemic leads to job losses and unexpected medical costs.
“We are committing $50 million to relief efforts, helping meet immediate needs of those most affected right now and by addressing the financial hardship and social dislocation that this pandemic will bring,” the company said in a statement.
Blackrock said a first tranche of $18 million in funding has been deployed to food banks and community organizations across America and Europe working directly with vulnerable populations.
BlackRock’s commitment includes plans to support various global charitable initiatives aimed at helping those impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including $5 million to Feeding America, $2 million to the UK’s National Emergencies Trust, and $500,000 to the Global FoodBanking Network, “which will serve as our partner in meeting ongoing needs in Asia and the emerging crisis in Latin America.”
Furthermore, BlackRock is supporting its employees’ efforts and has said it will match employee contributions to local organisations addressing the crisis in their communities.
“COVID-19 is a stark test to companies everywhere. BlackRock Is working hard to support all of our people through this crisis,” the firm said. “There’s no doubt that there is much uncertainty ahead as we continue to address this fast-moving global challenge, an effort that we believe will require unparalleled global cooperation… We’ll keep all our stakeholders informed of what we learn as we tackle this crisis together.”
Photo; NeedPix CC0
. silver lining of the COVID-19 crisis for the U.S. economy and markets
The U.S. stock market shrugged off several weeks of developing adverse China related coronavirus (COVID-19) news and rallied to a record closing high on February 19th…
Then news of an increase in cases outside of China ignited a volatile market sell-off that resulted in the worst week for world stocks since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. COVID-19 is creating major concerns over global supply and consumer spending, and this increased uncertainty and impact on earnings is unfolding at a time the overall market has a limited margin of safety. The fear of the virus alone could lower consumer confidence in the U.S. and this could have a dampening effect on the economy. Some additional factors that have negatively impacted stocks include: no uptick rule (reinstatement would have powerful positive effect), Algos, Momos, Quants, hedging, and leveraged ETFs. We are finding more stocks selling below net, nets (cash ,working capital /- all debt.. the classic Graham Dodd definition), and intrinsic value.
So far oil and other energy prices have declined sharply, a potential boost to U.S. consumer spending (about seventy percent of U.S. GDP). Low gasoline prices at the pump helps workers and low interest rates help refinancing and home builders. The silver lining of the COVID-19 crisis for the U.S. economy and markets is that it will likely bring overseas manufacturing and supply chain jobs back home.
On the merger arbitrage front, markets sold off broadly in February and into early March over concerns related to COVID-19 and a significant decline in oil prices and its impact on credit markets. Market volatility spilled into merger arbitrage investments, causing mark-to-market declines in our portfolio. It is important to note that no deals were terminated due to the market decline. Furthermore, we are well positioned to take advantage of dislocations in the market, with a focus on short-dated deals. We are able to opportunistically deploy capital in significantly de-risked deals at lower prices that will generate greater returns when the deals close.
Column by Gabelli Funds, written by Michael Gabelli
__________________________________
To access our proprietary value investment methodology, and dedicated merger arbitrage portfolio we offer the following UCITS Funds in each discipline:
GAMCO MERGER ARBITRAGE
GAMCO Merger Arbitrage UCITS Fund, launched in October 2011, is an open-end fund incorporated in Luxembourg and compliant with UCITS regulation. The team, dedicated strategy, and record dates back to 1985. The objective of the GAMCO Merger Arbitrage Fund is to achieve long-term capital growth by investing primarily in announced equity merger and acquisition transactions while maintaining a diversified portfolio. The Fund utilizes a highly specialized investment approach designed principally to profit from the successful completion of proposed mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts and other types of corporate reorganizations. Analyzes and continuously monitors each pending transaction for potential risk, including: regulatory, terms, financing, and shareholder approval.
Merger investments are a highly liquid, non-market correlated, proven and consistent alternative to traditional fixed income and equity securities. Merger returns are dependent on deal spreads. Deal spreads are a function of time, deal risk premium, and interest rates. Returns are thus correlated to interest rate changes over the medium term and not the broader equity market. The prospect of rising rates would imply higher returns on mergers as spreads widen to compensate arbitrageurs. As bond markets decline (interest rates rise), merger returns should improve as capital allocation decisions adjust to the changes in the costs of capital.
Broad Market volatility can lead to widening of spreads in merger positions, coupled with our well-researched merger portfolios, offer the potential for enhanced IRRs through dynamic position sizing. Daily price volatility fluctuations coupled with less proprietary capital (the Volcker rule) in the U.S. have contributed to improving merger spreads and thus, overall returns. Thus our fund is well positioned as a cash substitute or fixed income alternative.
Our objectives are to compound and preserve wealth over time, while remaining non-correlated to the broad global markets. We created our first dedicated merger fund 32 years ago. Since then, our merger performance has grown client assets at an annualized rate of approximately 10.7% gross and 7.6% net since 1985. Today, we manage assets on behalf of institutional and high net worth clients globally in a variety of fund structures and mandates.
Class I USD – LU0687944552
Class I EUR – LU0687944396
Class A USD – LU0687943745
Class A EUR – LU0687943661
Class R USD – LU1453360825
Class R EUR – LU1453361476
GAMCO ALL CAP VALUE
The GAMCO All Cap Value UCITS Fund launched in May, 2015 utilizes Gabelli’s its proprietary PMV with a Catalyst™ investment methodology, which has been in place since 1977. The Fund seeks absolute returns through event driven value investing. Our methodology centers around fundamental, research-driven, value based investing with a focus on asset values, cash flows and identifiable catalysts to maximize returns independent of market direction. The fund draws on the experience of its global portfolio team and 35+ value research analysts.
GAMCO is an active, bottom-up, value investor, and seeks to achieve real capital appreciation (relative to inflation) over the long term regardless of market cycles. Our value-oriented stock selection process is based on the fundamental investment principles first articulated in 1934 by Graham and Dodd, the founders of modern security analysis, and further augmented by Mario Gabelli in 1977 with his introduction of the concepts of Private Market Value (PMV) with a Catalyst™ into equity analysis. PMV with a Catalyst™ is our unique research methodology that focuses on individual stock selection by identifying firms selling below intrinsic value with a reasonable probability of realizing their PMV’s which we define as the price a strategic or financial acquirer would be willing to pay for the entire enterprise. The fundamental valuation factors utilized to evaluate securities prior to inclusion/exclusion into the portfolio, our research driven approach views fundamental analysis as a three pronged approach: free cash flow (earnings before, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, minus the capital expenditures necessary to grow/maintain the business); earnings per share trends; and private market value (PMV), which encompasses on and off balance sheet assets and liabilities. Our team arrives at a PMV valuation by a rigorous assessment of fundamentals from publicly available information and judgement gained from meeting management, covering all size companies globally and our comprehensive, accumulated knowledge of a variety of sectors. We then identify businesses for the portfolio possessing the proper margin of safety and research variables from our deep research universe.
Class I USD – LU1216601648
Class I EUR – LU1216601564
Class A USD – LU1216600913
Class A EUR – LU1216600673
Class R USD – LU1453359900
Class R EUR – LU1453360155
Disclaimer:
The information and any opinions have been obtained from or are based on sources believed to be reliable but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No responsibility can be accepted for any consequential loss arising from the use of this information. The information is expressed at its date and is issued only to and directed only at those individuals who are permitted to receive such information in accordance with the applicable statutes. In some countries the distribution of this publication may be restricted. It is your responsibility to find out what those restrictions are and observe them.
Some of the statements in this presentation may contain or be based on forward looking statements, forecasts, estimates, projections, targets, or prognosis (“forward looking statements”), which reflect the manager’s current view of future events, economic developments and financial performance. Such forward looking statements are typically indicated by the use of words which express an estimate, expectation, belief, target or forecast. Such forward looking statements are based on an assessment of historical economic data, on the experience and current plans of the investment manager and/or certain advisors of the manager, and on the indicated sources. These forward looking statements contain no representation or warranty of whatever kind that such future events will occur or that they will occur as described herein, or that such results will be achieved by the fund or the investments of the fund, as the occurrence of these events and the results of the fund are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The actual portfolio, and thus results, of the fund may differ substantially from those assumed in the forward looking statements. The manager and its affiliates will not undertake to update or review the forward looking statements contained in this presentation, whether as result of new information or any future event or otherwise.
