Fund Profile

JPMorgan Emerging Markets 12 April 2023

Disclaimer

Disclosure – Non-Independent Marketing Communication

This is a non-independent marketing communication commissioned by JPMorgan Emerging Markets. The report has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is not subject to any prohibition on the dealing ahead of the dissemination of investment research.

Overview
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Overview

JPMorgan Emerging Markets (LON:JMG) aims to harness the exceptional growth potential in the leading companies in the emerging markets universe. Emerging markets can be volatile and complicated, particularly when the diversity of the underlying markets is considered. The basic strategy of the management team behind JMG is to blot out the noise and focus on identifying those businesses which have best earnings growth potential and hold onto them for the long term, refraining from over-reacting to cyclical ups and downs and thereby incurring transaction costs.

JMG has delivered excellent long-term returns to shareholders, as discussed under Performance. This has been driven by market-beating returns delivered by companies that have been held for over a decade and, in some cases, for multiple decades, compounding above-market earnings growth year-on-year. Last year saw volatile markets, but managers Austin Forey and John Citron stuck to their long-term strategy and made few changes to their portfolio. They note that some of the companies which underperformed the index last year are market-leaders in areas of secular growth, like global semiconductor giant TSMC. TSMC has made exceptional returns for JMG over the long run, and the managers believe it will outperform over future cycles too.

Austin has managed the portfolio since 1994, meaning he has truly exceptional experience investing in the region. He was joined by John as co-manager in 2021. One interesting trend over 2022 was the increase in the exposure to Chinese companies (including Hong Kong). The managers have historically found the high quality companies they would like to own in the country too expensive, but following a sharp sell-off in the country have now built up a roughly equal weight position for the first time (see Portfolio).

JMG trades on a discount of 9.4% to net asset value at the time of writing compared to a five-year average of 8.5%.

Analyst's View

We think JMG is an appealing way to invest in emerging markets for the long run, with a sensible strategy that is consistently adhered to and backed by deep analytical resources. The focus on quality earnings growth and on good governance means any cyclical rally, particularly in energy and materials, will be a headwind, but over the long term the tactic of identifying high-quality, long-term earnings growth potential has alpha-generation potential. We think it is striking how one of last year’s biggest winners, India’s HDFC, has been owned since 1998, and TSMC since 1996. JMG’s strong returns show how effective a buy-and-hold strategy can be if stock selection is done well.

In the shorter term, emerging markets look in a better place than they did last year. USD strength weighed on the region, while China’s domestic issues – zero-COVID, problems in the real estate debt sector, and harsh regulation – also dragged the index down for most of the year. Given the changing rates outlook, USD strength has moderated, while the Chinese authorities have addressed last year’s challenges. With optimism picking up for the global economy, we think the outlook is for a better year than last year. This could end up being a decent time to buy, particularly given the near double digit discount on JMG’s shares, although we think investors always need to take a long-term view in emerging markets as Austin and John do.

Bull

  • Long-term approach to stock picking has led to strong outperformance
  • Huge research team allows for full and detailed coverage
  • Preference for ungeared quality companies could prove beneficial in tough economic environments

Bear

  • Strong style and sector biases could lead to underperformance at times
  • Reticence to gear limits potential in rising markets (just as it limits losses in falling markets)
  • Concentrated exposure means single stocks can impact returns negatively as well as positively
Continue to Portfolio
2024 Kepler Growth Rated Fund

This trust has been awarded a rating by Kepler Trust Intelligence for growth... Find out more

Fund History

06 Oct 2024 Get Rich Slowly: How I invest my money
Our investment specialist reveals the winners and sinners in her portfolio…
13 Sep 2024 Fund Analysis
JMG is trading on a wide discount relative to its history…
24 Jan 2024 Fund Analysis
JMG aims to hold multi-cycle winners over the long run…
17 Jan 2024 Top of the Pops
We reveal the winners of our investment trust ratings for 2024…
20 Sep 2023 Five questions about emerging markets
We track key developments in the diverse emerging markets universe…
12 Apr 2023 Fund Analysis
(LON:JMG) JMG aims to own multi-cycle winners for the long run…
11 Jan 2023 Solving the Rubik’s Cube
We reveal the winners of our investment trust ratings for 2023…
16 Nov 2022 Fund Analysis
JMG is trading on a wide discount relative to history…
13 Jul 2022 Ready player one
We wonder where, if anywhere, should investors look for returns after a tumultuous first half of the year…
02 Mar 2022 Fund Analysis
JMG is aimed at investors who want to maximise their outperformance over the long term…
08 Dec 2021 We are the (ESG) champions
Investment trusts tend to be amongst the best-performing ESG strategies in the combined open- and closed-ended universe…
26 May 2021 Fund Analysis
JMG has delivered exceptional long-term returns with a patient, high conviction approach…
20 Jan 2021 Kepler's top-rated investment trusts for 2021
We update our annual quantitative ratings for investment trusts…
11 Nov 2020 Fund Analysis
JMG has had another outstanding year despite the pandemic…
27 May 2020 Emerging markets, but not as you know them
We discuss the companies invested in by JPMorgan Emerging Markets Trust, which are keeping their developed market peers on their toes…
11 May 2020 The long run: experience is the key in volatile emerging markets
Coronavirus is just the latest in a series of crises that have hit emerging markets over the last two decades. Trusting a fund manager with experience of selecting stocks successfully through crises could be crucial in this unique sector…
11 May 2020 Fund Analysis
JMG’s patient, low-turnover approach has left it top of the performance tables…
29 Apr 2020 On solid ground
Our analysis of discounts highlights trusts which are likely to offer significantly less discount downside from the current level…
02 Sep 2019 The key to unlocking emerging markets
We discuss how the global resources of JPMorgan Asset Management have bolstered the performance of JPMorgan Emerging Markets Trust...
14 Aug 2019 Dangerous ground: the perils of market timing
Our research shows that attempting to time the market is, more often than not, a mug's game...
10 Jul 2019 Fund Analysis
JPMorgan Emerging Markets uses deep resources to identify companies with the potential to continue compounding earnings faster than the market...
08 Jan 2019 Discounts in focus: JPM Emerging Markets
Despite beating all of its peers over five years, and a highly experienced and well resourced manager, this trust continues to trade on a wide discount...
21 Dec 2018 Fund Analysis
The trust has been a consistent outperformer investing in volatile emerging markets...
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