FOUR Capital lagged the benchmark during the period, driven predominantly by its negative stock selection among oil & gas stocks. The manager’s position in Cape detracted the most from performance after the company’s share price fell significantly when it warned margins were declining. Elsewhere, FOUR’s stock picks among technology holdings were also detrimental.
Investec outperformed during the quarter. The portfolio’s gains were predominantly driven by its stock selection in financials, particularly insurers. Elsewhere, the manager’s stock picking among consumer goods also benefited, notably within tobacco stock (Imperial Tobacco). An underweight to utilities also added to performance.
Henderson underperformed during the quarter. The main detractors were its underexposure to the oil majors BP and Shell, and an overweight to the underperforming utilities sector. Positive stock selection in technology (Sage) and industrials (Experian) helped limit underperformance.
31 December 2011