The fund management invests in high-quality companies that should be able to generate above average and sustainable earnings growth over a long period of time. The key selection criteria are high barriers to entry, end-markets with structural growth and excellent management teams.
Investment in global growth companies of all sizes
Further details on the opportunities and risks of this fund can be found in the sales prospectus.
Indexed performance
Performance in 12-month periods
Currencies
Sectors
Countries
Asset classes
Top Holdings
Monthly market comment
Global equity markets largely extended their upward trend in August. Political uncertainties in the UK and France had only a limited impact on market sentiment. The Berenberg Global Focus Fund lagged behind its benchmark. Despite very good results, profit-taking set in at Microsoft in August. The software sector was also hit by concerns that artificial intelligence could threaten existing companies in this sector, which weighed on Topicus. Autodesk suffered from speculation about a takeover by its competitor PTC. This was denied by management and the stock recovered after very good quarterly results. Autozone benefited from positive third-party data and good figures from its competitors. AstraZeneca also performed well. In recent weeks, the company had delivered good quarterly figures and positive study results for important products such as Badrostat. Tencent recovered, driven by strong results in all segments and continuous share buybacks. We added Nu Holdings, the leading fintech company in Latin America, to the portfolio.
Portfolio Management
Martin Hermann
Martin Hermann has been a Portfolio Manager at Berenberg since October 2017. He is responsible for the Berenberg Global Focus Fund and the global wealth management strategy “Equity Growth”, and serves as co-portfolio manager of the Berenberg European Focus Fund. Prior to joining Berenberg, he was a Portfolio Manager within Allianz Global Investors’ award-winning Europe Equity Growth Team and deputy portfolio manager of the International Equity Growth Fund. He began his career in 2010 as an investment trainee in the Graduate Programme at Allianz Global Investors. Martin Hermann holds a Master’s degree in Investment Analysis and Corporate Finance from the University of Vienna and is a CFA charterholder.
Martin Hermann
Portfolio Manager
Kay Eichhorn-Schott
Kay Eichhorn-Schott has been a Portfolio Manager at Berenberg since October 2017. Kay started his career in the Berenberg International Graduate Program in October 2015 and joined the Wealth and Asset Management division in London after completing the program. He holds a Master of Science in Finance and studied at EBS Business School, University of Bath and Texas A&M University. Kay Eichhorn-Schott is a CFA Charterholder.
Kay Eichhorn-Schott
Portfolio Manager
CO₂-Intensity
The CO₂ Intensity (Scope 1 & 2emissions) per company is multiplied by is portfolio weight (current value of the investment by current portfolio value) and summedup. This weighted average CO₂ Intensity provides an indication ofthe portfolio’s exposure to CO₂ emission intensive companies. The unit is in tons of CO₂ per USD 1 million revenues.
The fund does not actively manage its carbon footprint, however, emissions data such as CO2 intensity are relevant parameters which can be used to assess the efficient management of a company and the extent of transition risks.
ESG Score
Using a score between 0 (lowest) and 10 (highest), MSCI ESG assesses the ability of portfolio holdings to identify and manage environmental, social and governance-related risks compared to peers. The ESG scores are assigned at the holding level and are aggregated at the portfolio level as the weighted average ESG Score.
The data provider MSCI ESG uses an ESG score of 0 to 10 to assess the management of material ESG risks of portfolio holdings compared to competitors.
ESG Controversies Screen
MSCI ESG analyses controversial business practices from the five areas environment, human rights, labour rights & supply management, customers and governance. The controversies are rated according to their reputational risk as well as the operational handling by a flagging system. Green indicates no or weak controversies, yellow indicates moderate controversies, orange indicates severe controversies and red indicates very severe controversies.
Investments in the fund are monitored for ESG controversies and, with the help of MSCI ESG data, flagged according their severity. Thereby, potential ESG risks of investments are identified. In the case of an orange flag (severe controversy), we enter into an active exchange with the company. In the case of a red flag (very severe controversy), the company is excluded.