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29/02/2012
Inception Date
7.84%
YTD Return (USD)
(as of 18/01/2021)
$40.05
Price (USD)
(as of 18/01/2021)
$376.54 million
Fund Assets
(as of 31/12/2020)
Seeks to achieve long term capital appreciation.
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, directly or indirectly, at least 65% of its total net assets, in equities of small companies located in China, and may invest the remainder of its net assets in other permitted assets on a worldwide basis. For the purpose of this policy, China includes the People’s Republic of China, its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong, as well as Taiwan.
The value of an investment in the Fund can go down as well as up and possible loss of principal is a risk of investing. Investments in international and emerging market securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. The Fund invests in holdings denominated in foreign currency, and is exposed to the risk that the value of the foreign currency will increase or decrease. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities, which may result in increased volatility. Investments in a single-country fund may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of concentration in a specific country. The Fund invests in smaller companies, which are more volatile and less liquid than larger companies.
The risks associated with investing in the Fund can be found in the prospectus.
| Inception Date | 29/02/2012 | |
| Fund Assets | $376.54 million (31/12/2020) | |
| Base Currency | USD | |
| ISIN: | LU0721876877 (USD) LU2075925870 (GBP) | |
| Bloomberg Symbol | MACSMCI:LX (USD) MACSCIG: LX (GBP) | |
| Benchmark | MSCI China Small Cap Index | |
| Geographic Focus | China and Taiwan: China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong. | |
| Management Fee | 1.00% | |
| Total Expense Ratio As of 31/03/2020 | 1.50% ( USD ) 1.50% ( GBP ) | |
Source: Brown Brothers Harriman (Luxembourg) S.C.A.
Unusually high returns may not be sustainable.
Since inception performance for share classes with less than one year of history represents actual performance, not annualised. In addition, for share classes less than a year old, Year to Date Return is calculated since inception. Where no past performance is shown there was insufficient data available in that year to provide performance.
Performance details provided are based on a NAV-to-NAV basis with any dividends reinvested, and are net of management fees and other expenses. Performance data has been calculated in the respective currencies stated above, including ongoing charges and excluding subscription fee and redemption fee you might have to pay.
All performance quoted represents past performance and is not indicative of future performance. Investors may not get back the full amount invested. Investors investing in funds denominated in non-local currency should be aware of the risk of currency exchange fluctuations that may cause a loss of principal.
Additional performance, attribution, liquidity, value at risk (VaR), security classification and holdings information is available on request for certain time periods.
Source: Brown Brothers Harriman (Luxembourg) S.C.A
Source: FactSet Research Systems
Top 10 holdings may combine more than one security from the same issuer and related depositary receipts.
Source: Brown Brothers Harriman (Luxembourg) S.C.A
Source: FactSet Research Systems unless otherwise noted.
Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.
Ratings (as of 31/12/2020)
CATEGORY: China Equity
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. High ratings and rankings does not assure favorable performance.
Overall Morningstar RatingTM is reflective of the USD Accumulation Share class. Fund ratings represent an opinion only and are not a recommendation to buy or sell any fund. Copyright ©2020 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is provided for reference purposes only.
The Overall Morningstar®️ Rating for a fund is derived from a weighted-average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five- and (if applicable) ten-year ratings.
Morningstar RatingTM for funds, or "star rating", is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange-traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product's monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The Morningstar Rating does not include any adjustment for sales loads. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods.
Lead Manager
Portfolio Manager
Winnie Chwang is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews Asia and manages the firm's China Small Strategy and co-manages the China and Asia ESG Strategies. She joined the firm in 2004 and has built her investment career at the firm. Winnie earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business and received her B.A. in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley. She is fluent in Mandarin and conversational in Cantonese.
Lead Manager
Portfolio Manager
Andrew Mattock is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews Asia and manages the firm's China and China Small Companies Strategies. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, he was a Fund Manager at Henderson Global Investors for 15 years, first in London and then in Singapore, managing Asia Pacific equities. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting from ACU. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Performance figures discussed in the Fund Manager Commentary above reflect that of the Institutional Accumulation Class Shares and has been calculated in USD. Performance details provided for the Fund are based on a NAV-to-NAV basis, with any dividends reinvested, and are net of management fees and other expenses. Past performance information is not indicative of future performance. Investors may not get back the full amount invested.
The information contained herein has been derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of compilation, but no representation or warranty (express or implied) is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of this information. Matthews Asia and its affiliates do not accept any liability for losses either direct or consequential caused by the use of this information.
Information contained herein is sourced from Matthews Asia unless otherwise stated. The views and opinions in this commentary were as of the report date, subject to change and may not reflect the writer’s current views. They are not guarantees of performance or investment results and should not be taken as investment advice. Investment decisions reflect a variety of factors, and the managers reserve the right to change their views about individual stocks, sectors, and the markets at any time. As a result, the views expressed should not be relied upon as a forecast of the Fund’s future investment intent. It should not be assumed that any investment will be profitable or will equal the performance of any securities or any sectors mentioned herein. The information does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any securities mentioned.
Investors should not invest in the Fund solely based on the information in this material alone. Please refer to the Prospectus for further details of the risk factors.
The Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index tracks the total return performance of a bond portfolio consisting of local-currency denominated, high quality and liquid bonds in Asia ex-Japan. The Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index includes bonds from the following countries: China (on- and offshore markets), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index (JACI) tracks the total return performance of the Asia fixed-rate dollar bond market. JACI is a market cap-weighted index comprising sovereign, quasi-sovereign and corporate bonds and is partitioned by country, sector and credit rating. JACI includes bonds from the following countries: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.
The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI China Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of Chinese equities that includes H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China) and foreign listings (e.g. ADRs).
The MSCI China All Shares Index captures large and mid-cap representation across China A shares, B shares, H shares, Red chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China), P chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g. ADRs). The index aims to reflect the opportunity set of China share classes listed in Hong Kong,Shanghai, Shenzhen and outside of China.
The S&P Bombay Stock Exchange 100 (S&P BSE 100) Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of 100 stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The MSCI Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of Japanese equities listed in Japan.
The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted small cap index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI China Small Cap Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted small cap index of the Chinese equity securities markets, including H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges,Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red Chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g., ADRs).
Commentary
Period ended 30 September 2020
China Small Companies Fund CommentaryFor the quarter ending 30 September 2020, the Matthews China Small Companies Fund returned 1.32%, while its benchmark, the MSCI China Small Cap Index, returned 10.79% over the same period.
Market Environment:
Chinese monthly economic data continues to show signs of recovery as reflected in the latest manufacturing and service PMI data as well business recovery statistics. Domestic recovery is occurring alongside a stabilizing export sector and improving labor market, both of which should support better earnings prospects going forward.
COVID-19 remains a risk for economies globally, including China. While small pockets of coronavirus infections still occasionally emerge, China remains successful at flattening its curve of COVID-19 infections. Vigilant about testing, quarantining known cases and contact tracing, China has had the most success among large economies in our view in combatting the virus.
Small- and mid-cap equities in China—companies with market capitalization between US$1 billion and $10 billion—generated attractive stock price gains calendar year to date. Much of these gains occurred within the information technology, health care and the consumer staples sectors. At the same time, the strong stock price performance of these sectors has largely been driven by expansions in price-to-earnings multiples, resulting in higher valuations.
Performance Contributors and Detractors:
Flat Glass, which manufactures solar glass that goes into the solar panel module, was a notable contributor. China is very close to achieving grid parity, where the price of renewable energy becomes more competitive with the price of energy produced through fossil fuels. The trajectory of renewable energy expansion in China is very clear in our view and we expect continued solar growth in China given the government’s supportive policies, such as a goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. We believe Flat Glass is well-positioned within the competitive landscape of China’s solar industry, where scale matters and there are only a few key players in the space.
On the other hand, a detractor in the quarter was Times China, which focuses on developments in the Greater Bay Area in Guangdong province. China’s policymakers have earmarked the region for further development in high-value-adding sectors such as the technology and financial industries, and is likely to see growth in infrastructure connectivity over time. Times China has an ample land bank in this region, allowing it to continue to grow its footprint. The real estate industry has been sluggish as the pandemic has disrupted sales in China, but we continue to like the company’s long-term prospects in land banking, as well as its attractive valuations.
From a sector perspective, stock selection and an overweight in health care detracted from relative returns in the quarter. Health care names generally saw a pull back over the quarter, and investors became more valuation conscious and took profit off names that did very well in the earlier half of the year. Many biotech related names also saw a correction given less of a risk appetite. Turning to sectors that were contributors, stock selection in industrials contributed to relative performance.
Notable Portfolio Changes:
Given the strong run-up in the market earlier in the calendar year, we trimmed or exited some holdings in the quarter where valuations had significantly increased since the start of year. For example, we took profits in sectors such as information technology, health care and consumer staples, reallocating the proceeds into other areas where valuations look more attractive. In areas where we’ve trimmed back, such as the information technology, health care and consumer staples sectors, we expect to re-invest and maintain meaningful exposure of these sectors over time.
Many of our closed positions in the quarter were in the biotech industry, reflecting rising valuations, as well as the difficulty of assessing which product pipelines may yield game-changing new drugs and treatments. Biotech holdings we exited in the quarter include Genscript Biotech Corp., Cansino Biologics and Burning Rock Biotech. With a keen interest in the health care sector, we rotated the capital into other health care area that we believe have more visible earnings growth profiles. New positions in the quarter include independent clinical laboratory service provider Dian Diagnostics Group.
Dian Diagnostics is an independent clinical laboratory services provider that has just gone through an expansion phase. The company’s heavy investment period has just come to an end, and in the next few years, the company will begin to ramp up the operations of its new laboratories, and will likely see an expanding margin profile as utilization increases. We remain convinced that outsourced clinical laboratory services will be a secular trend as hospitals become more budget and efficiency conscious and look to outsource services to scaled providers such as Dian, who are able to perform required services at lower fees.
Outlook:
Schools have reopened in Wuhan, the first city to be hit by the pandemic earlier in the year. China’s effective health care response has played an important role in reopening school, businesses and government offices across China. Keeping the coronavirus under control is key to maintaining China’s economic recovery, and the portfolio team continues to see reasons for optimism on the public health front. Positive sentiment among domestic Chinese consumers is spurring increased economic activity. Fiscal stimulus in China has been incremental in scope and highly targeted, a trend the portfolio team expects may continue. Interest rates in China have moved higher, reflecting China’s economic resilience amid the pandemic. Positive sentiment among domestic Chinese consumers is spurring increased economic activity.
Chinese manufacturing data points to a continued V-shaped recovery and a bright spot within the data suggests that small, private businesses are beginning to participate within the rebound. Even the slow-to-recover consumer-oriented sectors are starting to show improvement including restaurant sales, cinema box office receipts and domestic travel. Domestic recovery is occurring alongside a stabilizing export sector and improving labor market, both of which should support better earnings prospects going forward.
Rolling 12 Month Returns For the period ended 31/12/2020
Sources: Brown Brothers Harriman (Luxembourg) S.C.A, Matthews Asia, FactSet Research Systems, Bloomberg