Insights

High-growth, high-momentum stocks were among the best performers of 2020, then value stocks rallied into the first quarter of this year. We are cautious of valuations, as some stocks have already priced in a recovery. Investing in quality companies with predictable earnings power at reasonable valuations can help investors prepare for a rainy day.

“I can’t get no impact action,” the Rolling Stones might have sung back in the days. Well, the world has changed. Today, there’s hardly any investor satisfaction without impact action. Here’s our investment experts’ white paper on impact investing with the added benefit of introductory comments by a member of the Vontobel family pool of shareholders.

Our planet is facing exponentially increasing threats. Our climate is changing at an alarming rate and we’re already feeling the effects. What can responsible investors do to help mitigate these developments?

Airbnb’s stock soared after its IPO, but it is not yet profitable and faces many competitive threats. Meanwhile, its rival Booking Holdings is an established leader with a proven business model and a more earth-bound valuation. We think Booking is a true quality company with a solid track record, not a speculative bet.

With US President Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid relief package, alongside the recently proposed $2.25 trillion in infrastructure projects, there is growing concern about the impact these programs could have on inflation and interest rates globally. In the investment world, we have been operating amid declining rates and low inflation for so long that few may realize the impact rising rates would have on investment returns.

Stop fraud bleeding returns. Fraud from related party transactions, kickbacks and fiddling the books can run for years. The steps to minimize risk are based on 3 governance structures – independence from management is key. Amazing how often they are not in place, especially in some markets.

Unsettling reports from climate researchers and the scenario of an increasingly uninhabitable world have startled the public. Heat waves, hurricanes, unmatched wildfires and droughts are now more frequent. Polar ice melts and sea levels rise. Here you will find seven facts about the root causes and how impact investing can mitigate them.

Portfolio Manager Brian Bandsma discusses semiconductors, regulation of tech companies in China, and India’s road to recovery.

CIO Matthew Benkendorf discusses challenges in the regulatory and business operating environment, specifically in the tech industry.