The real value of families becomes apparent in a crisis. The same applies to family-owned and run businesses. Our analysis shows that while they do well over the long term – between 2007 and June 2020 they outperformed the MSCI All Country World index by 56% – they really come into their own after sharp sell-offs, such as the one triggered by Covid-19 this spring.
Research shows that family firms are not only more profitable, but also outperform non-family owned companies. The source of this resilience is an emphasis on quality, growth and profitability. These firms tend to have lower leverage and consequently stronger balance sheets, something investors welcome during turbulent times.
A leader in luxury goods
These strengths reflect family owners’ priorities. First-generation companies tend to retain the founder’s drive, entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. But there is also a deep sense of stewardship from the first generation onward.
Subscribe to 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
This encourages a long-term approach. Of course, there are potential pitfalls too, not least risks to corporate governance that can be posed by a dominant shareholder.
We evaluate companies’ governance according to our customised metrics. A particularly high-scoring company, and one we invest in, is Hermès (Paris: RMS), the luxury goods firm. Hermès’s long-term vision and identity is fiercely protected by the family.
The focus is on quality, maintaining iconic status and resisting quick wins. The result is a stable, very profitable industry-leading company with plenty of cash to tide it over through crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
Delivering food with driverless cars
Roughly half of the firms we invest in have been family-held for several generations. The other half are still managed by their founders. One of these is our fifth-largest holding, Meituan-Dianping (Hong Kong: 3690), a leading Chinese online-shopping and services platform.
Co-founder and major shareholder Wang Xing has impressed analysts with his entrepreneurial drive. He has a particular gift for identifying new niches and disrupting existing businesses.
He demonstrated it during the height of the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown, when he managed to maintain grocery deliveries in Beijing by introducing an unmanned service in which driverless vehicles brought people their orders.
A second-generation winner
Another company in our top ten is CGI (Toronto: GIB.A), one of the world’s largest IT and business-consulting services firms. Catering to both commercial and government clients, it is now in its second generation of family ownership. One of CGI’s key successes has been integrating acquisitions, thanks to its commitment to capturing the loyalty of its employees.
Our portfolio is very different from standard global-equity indices. North American companies comprise less than 40%, with about as much in European investments. We hold between 40 and 60 companies. Our stocks are cash-rich and boast higher returns on equity, a key gauge of profitability, than the market average. And though we pay a premium based on price/earnings ratios, the valuations look very attractive once their growth potential is factored in.
-
House prices rise 2.9% – will the recovery continue?House prices grew by 2.9% on an annual basis in September. Will Budget policies and ‘higher-for-longer’ rates dent the recovery?
-
Nvidia earnings: what to expectNvidia announces earnings after market close on 20 November. What should investors expect from the semiconductor giant?
-
Investing in a dangerous world: key takeaways from the MoneyWeek SummitIf you couldn’t get a ticket to MoneyWeek’s summit, here’s an overview of what you missed
-
DCC: a top-notch company going cheapDCC has a stellar long-term record and promising prospects. It has been unfairly marked down
-
How investors can use options to navigate a turbulent worldExplainer Options can be a useful solution for investors to protect and grow their wealth in volatile times.
-
Will platinum and palladium rise?Analysis Platinum and palladium have lagged gold and silver recently, but the outlook is improving. Should you invest?
-
Invest in Hilton Foods: a tasty UK food supplierHilton Foods is a keenly priced opportunity in an unglamorous sector
-
HSBC stocks jump – is its cost-cutting plan already paying off?HSBC's reorganisation has left questions unanswered, but otherwise the banking sector is in robust health
-
Lock in an 11% yield with SabreTips Sabre, a best-in-class company is undervalued due to low profits in the motor insurance industry. Should you invest?
-
James Halstead is a family firm going cheap but should you buy?James Halstead will rebound from a weak patch, while tax changes would be a buying opportunity
