Foord Balanced Fund
For long-term investors in South African retirement fund products
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Managed to comply with the statutory investment limits set for retirement funds in South Africa, the fund aims to grow retirement savings by meaningful, inflation-beating returns over the long term.
FOR SOUTH AFRICAN INVESTORS
• With a moderate risk profile
• Seeking long-term, inflation-beating returns
• Over periods exceeding five years
• From a South African retirement fund investment product (Reg 28).
| Year | Fund Return % | Benchmark Return % | SA Inflation % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 (from 01/Sep) | 6.1 | 0.7 | 3.1 |
| 2003 | 15.3 | 16.1 | 0.3 |
| 2004 | 23.8 | 25.5 | 3.4 |
| 2005 | 45.8 | 30.6 | 3.6 |
| 2006 | 35.9 | 26.2 | 5.9 |
| 2007 | 12.1 | 12.5 | 8.9 |
| 2008 | -5.9 | -5.6 | 9.5 |
| 2009 | 18.0 | 17.7 | 6.3 |
| 2010 | 17.2 | 10.8 | 3.5 |
| 2011 | 10.9 | 6.0 | 6.1 |
| 2012 | 24.4 | 14.9 | 5.7 |
| 2013 | 24.2 | 21.2 | 5.4 |
| 2014 | 11.0 | 8.9 | 5.3 |
| 2015 | 10.5 | 8.0 | 5.2 |
| 2016 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 6.8 |
| 2017 | 8.0 | 11.6 | 4.7 |
| 2018 | -3.1 | -4.5 | 4.5 |
| 2019 | 12.2 | 8.7 | 4.0 |
| 2020 (to 30/Apr) | 2.1 | -5.3 | 1.6 |
| Benchmark |
The market value weighted average total return of the South African – Multi-Asset – High Equity unit trust sector, excluding Foord Balanced Fund. |
| Time horizon |
Longer than five years. |
| Inception date |
1 September 2002 |
| Minimum investment |
R50 000 lump sum or R1 000 per month |
| Significant restrictions |
Maximum equity exposure of 75%: maximum offshore exposure of 30%; complies with pension fund investment regulations (Regulation 28). |
| Income distributions |
End-February and end-August each year. |
| Income characteristics |
Medium yield, approximately double that of a general equity fund. Income distributions are reduced by the annual service charge, which varies with the relative performance of the fund against its benchmark. |
| Portfolio orientation |
Medium to high weighting in JSE shares and includes exposure to listed property, commodity securities, bonds, money market instruments and foreign assets. |
| Foreign assets |
Foreign asset exposure is obtained predominantly via Foord International Fund (FIF) and Foord Global Equity Fund Luxembourg (FGEFL), sub-funds of Foord SICAV domiciled in Luxembourg and Foord Global Equity Fund (FGEF) domiciled in Singapore. FIF is a conservative, multi-asset class fund. FGEF and FGEL comprise portfolios of global shares and cash. All funds are priced in US dollars. |
| Risk of loss |
Lower than that of a pure equity fund. High in periods shorter than six months, lower in periods greater than one year. |
| Security description | Asset class | Market | Portfolio weight % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foord Global Equity Fund | Foreign assets | LU/SG | 20.0 |
| Foord International Fund | Foreign assets | LU | 15.5 |
| RSA 10.5% (R186) | Gov bonds | ZA | 13.5 |
| BHP Group | Equity | ZA | 4.5 |
| Newgold | Commodity | ZA | 4.2 |
| Capital & Counties | Property | ZA | 3.1 |
| Aspen | Equity | ZA | 3.0 |
| Anheuser-Busch | Equity | ZA | 2.8 |
| RMB Holdings | Equity | ZA | 2.7 |
| Naspers "N" | Equity | ZA | 2.7 |
Monthly Commentary – April 2020
- Global equities (+10.7% in US dollars) rebounded off the March lows to post the best one-month gain since 1987 – US bourses (+13.1%) led developed markets (+10.9%) higher after unprecedented fiscal and monetary stimulus in support of faltering economies
- Emerging markets (+9.2%) gained despite more than 80 countries seeking IMF assistance amid the severe economic demand shock – India (+16.1%) benefitted from the lower oil price improving the country’s fiscal deficit
- Oil (+11.1%) gained but remains under pressure given the 25-30% collapse in near-term demand despite major producers agreeing a 10% supply cut – the WTI oil price went negative for a brief period on a futures related technicality given almost-full land-based storage facilities in the US
- The FTSE/JSE Capped All Share Index (+14.2% in rands) also rallied, with resources (23.0%) led higher by the gold and platinum mining sectors – financials (+11.9%) and industrials (+9.6%) tracked global bourses higher, while SA listed property (+7.0%) lagged
- The All Bond Index (+3.9%) gained as yields moved down sharply on the lower repo rate and improved investor sentiment off the March trough – the high coupon, shorter duration R186 government bond (+7.7%) contributed meaningfully to portfolio returns
- The rand (-3.9% vs the US dollar) weakened more as the economic shock of the extended lockdown compounds South Africa’s structural growth challenges – S&P downgraded SA debt further into sub-investment grade on forecasts of accelerating deterioration of public finances
- The portfolio is well-positioned for the current market environment – with a preference for quality JSE-listed global businesses and select global equities over SA Inc. companies and defensive, core holding in high-yielding SA government bonds
- The excellent relative performance over March’s selloff and April’s bear-market rally without any major portfolio changes bears testament to this fine balance – the fund is now pleasingly provisionally ranked in the top decile of 195 comparable funds over 1 year and top-quartile over 3 years
The fee is a performance based fee that varies around the at-benchmark fee rate as disclosed on the fact sheet. The daily fee rate is adjusted up or down based on the portfolio’s one-year rolling return relative to that of its benchmark. Minimum fee rates apply. Fees accrue in the Foord global funds as disclosed.
WHAT IF YOU HAD INVESTED WITH US IN THE PAST?
Experience the compounding phenomenon of a sustained, long-term investment with Foord.
Insights
24 Apr 2020
Politics of oil
There has been a seismic change in global oil markets, with potentially devastating long-term risks to the global economy and geopolitics. Portfolio manager and resources analyst MIKE TOWNSHEND looks at the politics…
09 Apr 2020
THE PIN THAT POPPED THE BUBBLE
Global equity markets delivered the best calendar-year return of the decade in 2019. Many markets were at or near all-time highs. In this podcast, Nick Curtin talks to Foord Singapore portfolio manager Brian Arcese…