The basics of successful investing are buy low and sell high – regardless of asset class or investment type. Identifying a fund that has been underperforming, just before it bounces back could make you a sweet profit.
Morningstar analysts identify those funds they expect to deliver positive real returns in the future and award them a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating. This qualitative research is run alongside the Morningstar star rating which is quantitative research.
Funds are awarded a one to five star rating dependent on the past three years performance. One star indicates a fund has significantly underperformed its peers and benchmark.
Five stars indicate a fund has significantly outperformed its peer group and benchmark. Therefore, a fund with rated Gold, Silver or Bronze, which also carries a low star rating, could be an undervalued asset due an uptick in performance.
Using the Morningstar Fund Screener, we highlight three of these potential success stories below.
BlackRock UK
Bronze Rated manager Nick Little’s investment thesis is relatively simple: He looks to buy strong companies that operate in attractive industries in which they can take advantage of pricing power. He does not believe it’s worthwhile to invest in good companies that operate in struggling areas of the market, as they will find it difficult to outperform relative to other sectors.
Franklin UK Smaller Companies
This is a compelling offering for investors looking down the market-cap scale in UK equities. The Bronze Rated fund has a well-balanced portfolio with investment ideas typically fitting into one of three investment categories: high-quality growth, undervalued & overlooked, and cyclical & recovery.
Carmignac Patrimone
The recent performance of this multi-asset fund does not reflect its long-term potential, as Morningstar analysts have awarded it a Silver Rating. The fund seeks to maximise absolute returns over the long term. The only true constraint is to retain at a minimum 50% in bonds or cash.