Vontobel Fund - Emerging Markets Debt

Fixed Income Boutique Emerging Markets Bonds
ISIN
LU1683481938
Valor
38261772
93.72
NAV
As at 31 Oct 2024
9.41%

Investment objective

This bond fund aims to generate the best possible investment returns over a full economic cycle, while respecting risk diversification.


Key features

The fund invests across emerging markets mainly in government and quasi-sovereign bonds of diverse qualities with different maturities in various hard currencies. In addition, the fund may have limited exposures to emerging market corporate bonds as well as emerging market currencies. The fund uses derivative financial instruments, primarily for hedging purposes.


Approach

The compact and agile investment team of experienced emerging market specialists focuses on spread optimization for a given level of risk. Based on in-depth research and using a proprietary valuation model, the portfolio managers continuously compare the levels of remuneration potential available across issuer qualities, countries, interest rates, currencies, and maturities within the investment universe to identify the most rewarding opportunities, which may be contrarian to mainstream views. To seize them, the team flexibly adapts the portfolio while keeping credit, interest rate and currency risks in check.

Why invest?

  • A bottom-up driven approach with rigorous proprietary rich-cheap analysis to optimize the credit and security selection, enabling us to extract higher performance for a given credit risk.
  • Highly experienced and high conviction portfolio managers, backed by a compact, multi-disciplinary, and independent Fixed Income team.
  • A contrarian and value-investing style in order to capitalize on irrational, herd-like investor behavior, while monitoring liquidity and diversification of our portfolio exposure.

"We have consistently delivered value to our clients by identifying price discrepancies and investing with high conviction."

Luc D’hooge, Portfolio Manager, Analyst

Investment process

We take a five-step process that brings together top-down with bottom-up. We develop market thematic and country views and then dive into bottom-up credit selection to improve yields and spread without penalizing the average rating of the portfolio.

By maximizing the payoff/credit risk ratio we aim to find recurring, low risk means of generating excess returns.

Typical behavior during consolidating markets 

  • During significant widening of spreads, mispricings present themselves and we tend to reinforce our exposure as bonds are easier to buy.
  • We accept that reinforcing right at the bottom is almost impossible.
  • We may underperform in periods of a deep correction as we add risk, but when markets stabilize and rebound, the portfolio performance tends to accelerate.

Typical behavior during rallying markets 

  • Invariably, mispricings continue to exist across regions, countries, curves, currencies, etc.
  • We tend to be overweight the market to capture these mispricings

Typical behavior in overheating markets 

  • When we sense that the “dash for trash” is exaggerated, and investors are gobbling up anything they can get their hands on, we tend to take profits, reduce exposure to spread duration, increase average rating, etc.
  • We find at these times it is easier to sell bonds
infograph-product-em-debt_en

Investment opportunity – one of the best long-term risk-return ratios

The emerging market bond asset class tends to be driven by short-term news flow, which often takes precedence over fundamentals, resulting in irrational investor behavior. This creates mispricing scenarios which can be exploited by active investors who are able to take a contrarian view when markets behave whimsically.

Despite its perception as an asset class with high volatility and greater risks, emerging market debt (in hard currencies) has historically delivered the best long-term, risk-adjusted returns compared to other traditional asset classes. In comparison – while offering a greater return – emerging market debt volatility has been lower than US and global high-yield bonds. On the risk spectrum, emerging market hard-currency debt sits between traditional fixed-income segments and equities, making it a viable performance-generating addition to a well-diversified portfolio.

Investment philosophy – inefficiencies lead to opportunities

Segmented markets and risk aversion offer high return, low volatility and decorrelated opportunities. Our investment philosophy rests on two inefficiencies and sources of performance

infograph-boutique-fixed-income-em-inefficiencies_en

Investment team

The fund is managed by Luc D’hooge who is assisted by the Vontobel Emerging Market Bonds team, comprising of highly experienced portfolio managers with strong track records. They also have at their disposal the full capabilities of the wider Zurich based Fixed Income Boutique. This optimal team structure enables proactive early idea generation and implementation.

Insights

All data is as at 30 Sep 2024 unless otherwise indicated.

Fund performance

Cumulative performance

1M YTD 1Y 3 yrs p.a. 5 yrs p.a. Since Inception
HN (hedged) CHF 2.1% 10.8% 21.0% -2.6% -0.8% -5.1%
Index 1.6% 5.3% 13.5% -4.0% -2.1% -7.8%

Performance for calendar years

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
HN (hedged) CHF 9.5% -22.2% -0.3% -0.6% 11.0% -9.5% NA NA NA NA
Index 6.1% -20.3% -3.0% 3.3% 11.2% -7.4% NA NA NA NA

Portfolio characteristics

Portfolio Index
Volatility 12.6% 10.6%
Active Share ()
[3 years annualized]
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future performance. Performance data does not take into account any commissions and costs charged when shares of the fund are issued and redeemed, if applicable. The return of the fund may go down as well as up, e.g. due to changes in rates of exchange between currencies. The value of the money invested in the fund can increase or decrease and there is no guarantee that all or part of your invested capital can be redeemed.

All data is as at 31 Oct 2024 unless otherwise indicated.

Fund data
Portfolio Manager Luc D'hooge
Fund Domicile Luxembourg
Fund Currency USD
Share Class Currency CHF
Risk Level 5.00 (7 Oct 2024)
Year End 31 August
Index J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Diversified Index (CHF hedged)
Share Class Launch date 3 Oct 2017
Distribution Type Accumulating
Swing pricing Yes
SFDR Classification Article 8
Fund Registrations AT, CH, DE, ES, FI, FR, GB, IT, LI, LU, NL, NO, PT, SE, SG
Share Class Registrations AT, CH, DE, FR, GB, LU, SG
Nav Information
Highest since launch 105.44
Lowest since launch 69.32
Share class size in mln. CHF 12.81
Fees And Expenses
Management fee 0.55%
TER* 0.90% (29 Feb 2024)
OCF 0.87% (7 Oct 2024)
Identifiers
ISIN LU1683481938
Valor 38261772
Bloomberg VFEMHNH LX
WKN A2JKLH
Parties
Depository State Street Bank International GmbH (Luxembourg Branch)
Management Company Vontobel Asset Management SA, Luxembourg
Swiss Paying Agent Bank Vontobel AG
Swiss Representative Vontobel Fonds Services AG

Available Share Classes

Share class Currency ISIN Distrib. Type Launch date Management fee TER*
AH (hedged) EUR LU1482064224 Distributing Retail 8 Sep 2016 1.10% 1.45% (29 Feb 2024)
AHG (hedged) CHF LU2550873801 Distributing Institutional 21 Nov 2022 0.40% 0.64% (29 Feb 2024)
AHI (hedged) CHF LU1572142336 Distributing Institutional 10 Mar 2017 0.55% 0.86% (29 Feb 2024)
AHN (hedged) CHF LU2269201294 Distributing Retail 18 Dec 2020 0.55% 0.90% (29 Feb 2024)
AHN (hedged) EUR LU1684196279 Distributing Retail 5 Oct 2017 0.55% 0.90% (29 Feb 2024)
AI USD LU1572142179 Distributing Institutional 10 Mar 2017 0.55% 0.80% (29 Feb 2024)
AI EUR LU1086766554 Distributing Institutional 9 Jul 2014 0.55% 0.80% (29 Feb 2024)
AQHNG (hedged) GBP LU1991126357 Distributing Retail 20 May 2019 0.40% 0.68% (29 Feb 2024)
B USD LU0926439562 Accumulating Retail 15 May 2013 1.10% 1.39% (29 Feb 2024)
G USD LU2122467942 Accumulating Institutional 3 Mar 2020 0.40% 0.58% (29 Feb 2024)
H (hedged) CHF LU0926440065 Accumulating Retail 15 May 2013 1.10% 1.45% (29 Feb 2024)
H (hedged) EUR LU0926439992 Accumulating Retail 15 May 2013 1.10% 1.45% (29 Feb 2024)
HG (hedged) GBP LU2550873983 Accumulating Institutional 21 Nov 2022 0.40% 0.64% (29 Feb 2024)
HG (hedged) EUR LU2086836165 Accumulating Institutional 6 Dec 2019 0.40% 0.71% (29 Feb 2024)
HG (hedged) CHF LU2514512818 Accumulating Institutional 7 Sep 2022 0.40% 0.71% (29 Feb 2024)
HI (hedged) CHF LU0926440495 Accumulating Institutional 15 May 2013 0.55% 0.86% (29 Feb 2024)
HI (hedged) EUR LU0926440222 Accumulating Institutional 15 May 2013 0.55% 0.86% (29 Feb 2024)
HI (hedged) GBP LU1700373241 Accumulating Institutional 27 Oct 2017 0.55% 0.86% (29 Feb 2024)
HN (hedged) CHF LU1683481938 Accumulating Retail 3 Oct 2017 0.55% 0.90% (29 Feb 2024)
HN (hedged) EUR LU1683488438 Accumulating Retail 12 Oct 2017 0.55% 0.90% (29 Feb 2024)
HNG (hedged) CHF LU2447966644 Accumulating Retail 22 Mar 2022 0.40% 0.68% (29 Feb 2024)
HS (hedged) CHF LU1627767111 Accumulating Institutional 21 Jun 2017 0.00% 0.24% (29 Feb 2024)
I USD LU0926439729 Accumulating Institutional 15 May 2013 0.55% 0.80% (29 Feb 2024)
N USD LU0926439646 Accumulating Retail 15 May 2013 0.55% 0.84% (29 Feb 2024)
S USD LU1171709691 Accumulating Institutional 20 Jan 2015 0.00% 0.18% (29 Feb 2024)

Subject to change, without notice, only the current prospectus or comparable document of the fund is legally binding.

Click here to see an overview of our shareclass naming convention.

* TER includes performance fee where applicable

All data is as at 30 Sep 2024 unless otherwise indicated.

Rating Structure

Major bond positions

Bond Allocation
2% Romania 14.04.2033 Reg-S Senior 2.4%
8.375% Ecopetrol 19.01.2036 Senior 2.2%
4.7% BOAD 22.10.2031 Reg-S Senior 2.0%
7.25% MC BRAZIL DOWN 30.06.2031 Reg-S Senior 2.0%
4.625% Gov of Sharjah 17.01.2031 Senior 1.7%
5.125% ADNOC Murban 11.09.2054 Reg-S Senior 1.7%
5.5% ADQ 08.05.2034 Reg-S Senior 1.6%
8.25% Transnet SOC 06.02.2028 Reg-S Senior 1.6%
6.097% Gabon Blue 01.08.2038 Reg-S Senior 1.6%
6% Bahamas 21.11.2028 Reg-S Senior 1.6%

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RISKS

Subject to change, without notice, only the current prospectus or comparable document of the fund is legally binding.

  • Limited participation in the potential of single securities

  • Success of single security analysis and active management cannot be guaranteed

  • It cannot be guaranteed that the investor will recover the capital invested

  • Derivatives entail risks relating to liquidity, leverage and credit fluctuations, illiquidity and volatility

  • Interest rates may vary, bonds suffer price declines on rising interest rates

  • Investments in foreign currencies are subject to currency fluctuations

  • Investments in emerging markets may be affected by political developments, currency fluctuations, illiquidity and volatility

  • The Sub-Fund’s investments may be subject to sustainability risks. The sustainability risks that the Sub-Fund may be subject to are likely to have an immaterial impact on the value of the Sub-Funds’ investments in the medium to long term due to the mitigating nature of the Sub-Fund’s ESG approach.
  • The Sub-Funds' performance may be positively or negatively affected by its sustainability strategy.
  • The ability to meet social or environmental objectives might be affected by incomplete or inaccurate data from third-party providers.
  • Information on how sustainable investment objectives are achieved and how sustainability risks are managed in this Sub-Fund may be obtained here.

Neither the Sub-Fund, nor the Management Company nor the Investment Manager make any representation or warranty, express or implied, with respect to the fairness, correctness, accuracy, reasonableness or completeness of an assessment of ESG research and the correct execution of the ESG strategy.

Morningstar rating: © 2024 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 not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information.

ANY INDEX OR SUPPORTING DATA REFERRED TO HEREIN IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (INCLUDING REGISTERED TRADEMARKS) OF THE APPLICABLE LICENSOR. ANY PRODUCT BASED ON AN INDEX IS IN NO WAY SPONSORED, ENDORSED, SOLD OR PROMOTED BY THE APPLICABLE LICENSOR AND IT SHALL NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY WITH RESPECT THERETO. Refer to vontobel.com/terms-of-licenses for more details.