New Rating
TM Hearthstone UK Residential Fund - New rating
- Home
- Investments
- Fund rating changes and launches
- Edinburgh Dragon IT - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Newton Global Income - Downgraded
New Rating
Fundsmith Equity - New rating
New Rating
CC Japan Income & Growth Trust (CCJI) - New rating
New Rating
Legg Mason IF Japan Equity - New rating
New Rating
Old Mutual North American Equity - New rating
New Rating
AXA Framlington Japan - New rating
New Rating
T Rowe Price US Smaller Companies Equity - New rating
Suspended
City Natural Resources High Yield Trust - Rating suspended
New Rating
Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe ex-UK Equity Index - New rating
New Rating
Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex-UK Equity Index - New rating
New Rating
Vanguard FTSE UK Equity Income Index - New rating
New Rating
Vanguard UK Government Bond Index - New rating
New Rating
Vanguard UK Inflation-Linked Gilt Index - New rating
New Rating
Vanguard US Equity Index - New rating
New Rating
Fidelity Index Pacific ex Japan - New rating
New Rating
Fidelity Index Japan - New rating
New Rating
Fidelity Index Emerging Markets - New rating
New Rating
Insight Strategic Bond - New rating
New Rating
Henderson Fixed Interest Monthly Income - New rating
New Rating
Fulcrum Diversified Core Absolute Return - New rating
New Rating
JPM Multi-Asset Macro - New rating
New Rating
F&C Responsible Global Equity - New rating
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Ethical World Equity - Downgraded
New Rating
Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust - New rating
New Rating
ETFS Physical Gold GBP - New Rating
Rating upgraded
BlackRock Gold & General - Upgraded
New Rating
JPM Emerging Markets Income - New rating
New Rating
Loomis Sayles US Equity Leaders - New Rating
New Rating
Old Mutual Global Equity - New rating
New Rating
Jo Hambro CM Global Opportunities - New rating
New Rating
Fidelity Global Enhanced Income - New rating
New Rating
Ardevora Global Long Only Equity - New rating
Rating downgraded
British Empire IT - Downgraded
New Rating
F&C Real Estate Securities - New rating
Rating downgraded
Morgan Stanley Diversified Alpha Plus - Downgraded
New Rating
Ardevora UK Income - New rating
New Rating
Old Mutual UK Equity Income - New rating
New Rating
Newton Global Emerging Markets W - New rating
New Rating
RobecoSAM Smart Materials Fund - New rating
Rating downgraded
Blackrock World Mining Trust - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Global Indian Equity - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Asian Income Fund - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Global Asian Smaller Companies - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Asian Smaller Companies IT - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Edinburgh Dragon IT - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen New Dawn IT - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Asia Pacific & Japan Equity - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Asia Pacific Equity - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen Global Asia Pacific Equity - Downgraded
New launch
P2P Global Investments C-share issue
Rating downgraded
Murray International - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen World Equity Income - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Aberdeen World Equity - Downgraded
Rating upgraded
Artemis Global Income - Rating upgraded
New Rating
Threadneedle Dynamic Real Return - New rating
Suspended
BlackRock UK Special Situations - Rating suspended
Rating downgraded
Templeton Emerging Markets Trust (TEM) - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
iShares S&P SmallCap 600 UCITS ETF - New rating
New Rating
SSGA SPDR Barclays 1-5 year Gilt UCITS ETF - New rating
Rating downgraded
Standard Life UK Smaller Companies IT - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Standard Life UK Smaller Companies - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Schroder UK 250 Mid Cap - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Montanaro UK Smaller Companies - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Artemis UK Smaller Companies - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Old Mutual UK Smaller Companies - Downgraded
Rating upgraded
Franklin UK Smaller Companies - Rating upgraded
Rating downgraded
Newton Asian Income - Downgraded
New Rating
F&C UK Property fund - New rating
Rating downgraded
Lazard Emerging Markets - Downgraded
New Rating
Fidelity Emerging Markets - New rating
New Rating
F&C European Small Cap ex UK Fund - New rating
Rating downgraded
Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust - Downgraded
New Rating
Fidelity UK Smaller Companies - New rating
New Rating
AXA Framlington UK Smaller Companies - New rating
New Rating
Tritax Big Box - New rating
New Rating
Woodford Patient Capital Trust - New rating
New Rating
Artemis Global Income - New rating
New Rating
Empiric Student Property - New rating
Rating downgraded
TM Sanditon European fund - New rating
Suspended
UK Commercial Property Trust - Rating suspended
Rating downgraded
BlueCrest BlueTrend (BBTS) - Downgraded
Rating downgraded
Edinburgh Dragon IT - Downgraded
Aberdeen Asset Management (Aberdeen) has been one of the dominant forces investing in Asia and Emerging Markets for some time, with two thirds of their $480 billion (as of end June 2015) assets under management in those two sectors. Aberdeen is in the process of making a number of major organisational changes. These have seen Devan Kaloo, the former head of Emerging Market equities, promoted to global Head of Equities within the group. At the same time Hugh Young, the pioneer of the investment process at Aberdeen, will pursue a broader role at the company. At present the members of the Aberdeen Asia equities team have a combined role of portfolio manager/sector analyst. Given the recent changes in the management structure we are looking to understand whether the investment process is likely to change.
Our rated Aberdeen Asian funds have underperformed the benchmark in recent years. We believe this in part reflects the funds’ relatively conservative positioning in companies with strong corporate governance practices and their heavy underweight to China, relative to the benchmark. These funds have a lot of holdings in common and have been (and still are) underweight India relative to peers, although recently to a lesser extent. The Indian equity market rallied sharply in 2014, helping returns of funds heavily exposed to Indian businesses. Moreover, Aberdeen Asia funds are balanced in style and more value-tilted than most peers, e.g. they hold equities of the troubled bank Standard Chartered and resource stocks BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Finally, the funds are underweight internet and technology stocks, which have performed well recently but are considered to be lacking transparency and are believed to have rather poor corporate governance practices. Whilst we hold the Aberdeen’s investment team in high regard, relative underperformance for the last few years should now provide something of a wake-up call. Considering the above, we are lowering this fund’s rating from four to two-star hold.
We have taken these funds out of our top-rated funds.
The property market is illiquid and this can, in exceptional circumstances, lead to times in which clients are unable to dispose of part or all of their holding. Property valuations are made by independent agents but are ultimately subjective and a matter of judgement.
The value of investments, and the income derived from them, can go down as well as up and you can get back less than you originally invested. This article does not constitute personal advice. If you are in doubt as to the suitability of an investment please contact one of our advisers. Different funds carry varying levels of risk depending on the geographical region and industry sector in which they invest. You should make yourself aware of these specific risks prior to investing.