The fund seeks capital appreciation in the long term by investing in companies across any size outside the United States.
The sub-adviser’s investment process starts with a list of companies in the benchmark index and the research team utilizes quantitative techniques and fundamental analysis to identify investment opportunities.
Next, the research team focuses on securities of foreign issuers.
The team considers securities of foreign issuers to be securities issued by companies with their principal place of business or principal office or both, in a country other than the U.S.
Also, the team considers securities of foreign issuers to be issued by companies for which the principal securities trading market is a country other than the U.S.
The research process is driven by fundamental analysis of one stock at a time. In selecting securities for the portfolio, the research team utilizes top-down factors such as macroeconomic forecasts, real economic growth prospects, fiscal and monetary policy, currency issues, and demographic and political risks.
The portfolio holds both growth and value stocks. For growth investments, the team focuses on companies that have good business franchises, experienced and proven management teams, and accelerating cash flow growth rates.
As part of the value assessment, the team looks for companies that are estimated to trade below their fair values with the presence of near-term catalysts that can change investor perception.
Then the manager constructs a portfolio of stocks from a list of companies favored by the research team and allocates capital based on its conviction level.
The fund may invest up to 30% of its net assets in emerging market equity securities.
Also, the fund invests in securities of at least three different countries including the U.S.