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Trimark Canadian Opportunity Class
Like most Trimark branded funds, this Canadian equity offering is managed using a disciplined, bottom up, fundamentally driven, stock selection process. The managers look for companies that have a defendable competitive advantage, opportunities for long term growth, strong management. It also must be trading at a discount to what they believe is its true value.
read moreBrandes Canadian Equity Fund
After taking a beating in 2007 and 2008, performance has really bounced back sharply, gaining an annualized 18.7% for the three years ending November 30, 2013, handily outpacing the index and the majority of the other small and mid-cap focused funds in the country.
read moreChou Europe Fund
With worries over the European economic situation lessening, European equities have been on a pretty strong run of late, with the Chou Europe Fund leading the pack. It was the top performer over the five years ending October 31, gaining an average of 14.5% per year. For the past year alone, it gained a staggering 48%.
read moreEdgePoint Global Portfolio
The portfolio is very concentrated holding 37 stocks, with the top 10 holdings making up nearly 40% of the fund. Given the investment approach, they are benchmark agnostic. As a result, the fund looks nothing like its benchmark, holding significant overweight positions in technology and healthcare. It has very little exposure to energy and materials, which is not surprising given their emphasis on sustainable free cash flow.
read moreCIBC U.S. Small Companies Fund
Despite a rough start in 2011, the performance has definitely improved since the new management team at the Boston Company Asset Management took over the fund in August 2010. For the three years ending October 31, the fund gained 17.8%, finishing in the top quartile. Volatility has also been higher than both the benchmark and the average of other U.S. small cap funds.
read moreRenaissance Global Health Care
am a firm believer in including some healthcare exposure in a portfolio for its defensive characteristics and diversification benefits. This fund used to be my favourite in the sector until the high fees and middle of the road performance dampened my enthusiasm.
read moreFidelity Small Cap America
Investors have been rewarded handsomely since Steve MacMillan took over the management duties of this fund in May 2011. Since taking over, the fund has gained 70%, with more than half of that rise coming in 2013. Year to date, the fund is up 41%, which has left the benchmark and competition in the dust.
read moreTD Health Sciences
All healthcare funds are not created equally. The TD Health Sciences Fund has been one of my favourites. It invests in companies that are involved in the research, development, production, or distribution of products or services related to health care, medicine, or the life sciences. To qualify for selection, companies must derive at least 50% of their assets, revenues, or operating profits from those activities. The manager tends to focus in the U.S. where nearly 85% of the fund is invested.
read moreMawer U.S. Equity Fund
Manager Grayson Witcher took over Mawer’s U.S. offering in 2009 and really struggled to turn the fund around and differentiate this fund from the pack. Looking at his recent performance however, it certainly appears that he is making progress on that front. For the three years ending October 31, the fund gained an annualized 17.4%, matching the S&P 500 Index, but handily outperforming the majority of its peer group.
read moreDynamic Precious Metals Fund
Gold and precious metals funds had a big run-up from October 2008 to later 2010, but have sold off sharply since mid 2011. This fund is no exception, dropping more than 55% in the past year.
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