My investment strategy is built on diligence, discipline and patience. We look for good businesses run by competent management teams, available at a price that leaves us with a margin of safety. I focus on managing absolute risk and losing little money during market downturns, which should help compound returns at higher rates over the long term.
We therefore tend to avoid thematic investments, start-ups, highly geared companies, cyclical businesses earning peak margins, and stocks on high multiples to earnings. As a result of this approach, the trust has a high-quality, contrarian value tilt and is primarily invested in mispriced small- and medium-sized companies – the “winners of tomorrow”, before they become well known. Here are three examples.
Solid foundations in Indian housing
Repco Home Finance (Mumbai: REPCO) provides housing loans for the construction and purchase of affordable homes that on average are valued at 1.5 million rupees (£13,300). Its customers are usually based in smaller cities and towns in southern India and are mainly either self-employed or salaried employees in relatively poorly paid sectors with little job security.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Even though 80% of Repco’s customers have a credit bureau score and more than 50% of its customers file taxes, this is a segment that large mortgage lenders and banks pay less attention to, creating a clear opportunity for lenders such as Repco to tap this market.
At the same time, Repco’s management is focused on maintaining the quality of its assets, and credit scores play an important role in determining how the loan is priced. The stock offers close to 3% return on assets, and trades on a price-to-book value (p/b) ratio of 0.6 times. It is a good-quality business managed by a good team.
Surya Pertiwi (Jakarta: SPTO) is the leading distributor and manufacturer of sanitary ware in Indonesia, with more than 3,000 dealers in its network. It is the exclusive distributor in Indonesia for the Japanese brand TOTO. The company has a 65%-70% domestic market share in sanitary ware and a 40%-50% share in sanitary fittings.
Given the nature of sanitary ware as a product (fragile and high volume, but low value), it is hard to transport over long distances. So this sector faces limited competition from Chinese peers. Our research estimates that the Indonesian sanitary ware market could expand by an annual 7%-8% in volume terms over the next few years, supported by improvements in affordability.
The current market penetration of sanitary ware in the country is 50%, which is quite low and provides a tailwind for demand. The stock offers a mid-teen percentage return on equity and is on a p/b ratio of less than one. The balance sheet has no debt.
Tuhu (Hong Kong: 9690) is a Chinese vehicle-parts retailer that uses its app to direct car owners to its network of franchisee car-repair shops. It is a difficult business, but it is also light on capital and scalable, so companies that find the winning formula have high returns on capital and healthy long-term growth prospects. Tuhu is the market leader in China, where organised vehicle-parts retailing is still in its infancy.
The management team is solid, and the firm should be able to grow significantly in the next ten years. It is not a traditional value investment as it is an early-stage company with a net-cash balance sheet, and the stock is on a forward price/earnings ratio of 15, but we feel comfortable with our position.
This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.
-
Top 10 locations for buyers and renters revealedLondon is crowned as the most popular location for renters and buyers, despite rising costs. But where else are house hunters heading to?
-
Making financial gifts to loved ones? Write it down or risk giving an IHT bill tooGiving gifts can be a way to pass on wealth and reduce the inheritance tax bill on your estate but do it wrong and you could leave family and friends more than they bargained for.
-
Leading European companies offer long-term growth prospectsOpinion Alexander Darwall, lead portfolio manager, European Opportunities Trust, picks three European companies where he'd put his money
-
How to harness the power of dividendsDividends went out of style in the pandemic. It’s great to see them back, says Rupert Hargreaves
-
Why Trustpilot is a stock to watch for exposure to the e-commerce marketTrustpilot has built a defensible position in one of the most critical areas of the internet: the infrastructure of trust, says Jamie Ward
-
Tetragon Financial: An exotic investment trust producing stellar returnsTetragon Financial has performed very well, but it won't appeal to most investors – there are clear reasons for the huge discount, says Rupert Hargreaves
-
How to capitalise on the pessimism around Britain's stock marketOpinion There was little in the Budget to prop up Britain's stock market, but opportunities are hiding in plain sight. Investors should take advantage while they can
-
London claims victory in the Brexit warsOpinion JPMorgan Chase's decision to build a new headquarters in London is a huge vote of confidence and a sign that the City will remain Europe's key financial hub
-
Reinventing the high street – how to invest in the retailers driving the changeThe high street brands that can make shopping and leisure an enjoyable experience will thrive, says Maryam Cockar
-
The consequences of the Autumn Budget – and what it means for the UK economyOpinion A directionless and floundering government has ducked the hard choices at the Autumn Budget, says Simon Wilson
