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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    Scottrade offers both CENTX (world allocation) and CINTX (foreign LB) for $100 minimums in taxable and retirement accounts + TF.
    Kevin
  • Global Valuations
    @kevindow,
    Thanks much. I chose (long ago) SGOIX over it, but agree it has been on a real tear.
    I recently ditched OAKIX for Herro's idiot comments on global warming, and, since SGOIX is closed even to current investors, went w/ FOSFX. Shoulda switched to FMI instead.
    I do not feel a need for a track record to develop w/ DSEUX, but for the last half-decade I have in any case kept at the front of my mind John Waggoner's pointing out that today no one really needs any foreign funds.
    http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/perfi/funds/story/2012-07-04/second-quarter-mutual-funds-international/56008492/1
    I just asked him if he still held this view and he said Pretty much.
  • muni weekly news read
    PTIAX 35% Muni's as of:
    FACT SHEET | DECEMBER 31, 2016
    Non-Agency RMBS 43.68%
    Tax-ExemptMunicipal 24.99%
    Taxable Municipal 11.24%
    CMBS 10.09%
    CLOs 4.28%
    Cash 2.14%
    U.S.Treasuries 1.88%
    Corporates 1.70%
    http://ptiafunds.com/documents/ptiax_factsheet.pdf
    No current commentary available as of 1/13/2017
    High Yield Corps
    Artisan High Income Fund 12/31/2017 Fact Sheet ARTFX
    High yield bond yields and spreads compressed approximately 40bps in December. Since the mid-February peak in spreads, high yield bond yields are nearly 4 percentage points lower and spreads are roughly 450bps tighter. There was no bigger driver this year for credit markets than improving fundamentals in the commodity sectors. In December, the energy sector received an additional boost from OPEC’s agreement to curtail production.
    Non-investment grade credit is clearly richer than it was coming into 2016 given the robust returns and degree of spread tightening that occurred. However, we believe the risk/reward opportunity in the asset class is still superior to most other areas of fixed income where yields remain quite low and possess greater interest rate risk. In that type of environment, we believe the idiosyncratic and focused nature of our portfolio is well positioned.
    Corporate Bonds 74.9
    Bank Loans 20.0
    Equities 0.6
    Cash and Equivalents 4.5
    https://www.artisanpartners.com/content/dam/documents/monthly-commentary/vr/2016/dec/ARTFX-APDFX-MCommentary-1216-vR.pdf
  • Global Valuations
    @Sven: Actually, Russia (at 11.2%) is about to become our best buddy. We'll surely have much in common. What's not to like?
  • Global Valuations
    The country allocation of GVAL is bit too risky for my taste:
    Russia 11.2%
    Austria 10.9%
    Brazil 10.2%
    Portugal 9.7%
    Spain 8.9%
    Hungary 7.9%
    Greece 7.8%
    Poland 7.7%
    Czech Republic 7.1%
    Norway 6.5%
    Hong Kong 6.2%
    Italy 5.8%
    I will stay with SFGIX for the emerging market. Also I established a position with DSEEX last fall - so far it has done well.
  • What Are You Buying ... Selling ... or Pondering?
    @BenWP,
    FMIJX now offers an institutional class, FMIYX at lower expense ratio at 0.84% and a minimum $2,500 (not $1M with most institutional shares). At Fidelity, it requires $50 to purchase this transaction fee fund. You can buy more later via automatic investment and $5 per transaction. This was made available late last year and I have made the switch.
  • Towle Deep Value Fund to close to third party intermediaries
    https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1318342/000139834417000539/fp0023990_497.htm
    497 1 fp0023990_497.htm
    Towle Deep Value Fund
    (Ticker Symbol: TDVFX)
    A series of Investment Managers Series Trust (the “Trust)
    Supplement dated January 13, 2017 to the
    Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information and Summary Prospectus, dated February 1, 2016.
    IMPORTANT NOTICE ON PURCHASE OF FUND SHARES
    Effective as of the close of business on January 27, 2017 (the “Closing Date”), the Towle Deep Value Fund (the “Fund”) will be publicly offered on a limited basis.
    After the Closing Date, only certain investors will be eligible to purchase shares of the Fund, as described below (the “closure policy”). In addition, both before and after the Closing Date, the Fund may from time to time, in its sole discretion based on the Fund’s net asset levels and other factors, limit the types of investors permitted to open new accounts, limit new purchases into the Fund or otherwise modify the closure policy at any time on a case-by-case basis.
    The following groups will be permitted to continue to purchase Fund shares after the Closing Date:
    1. Shareholders of record of the Fund as of the Closing Date may continue to purchase additional shares in their existing Fund accounts either directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary and may continue to reinvest dividends or capital gains distributions from shares owned in the Fund.
    2. Existing registered investment advisor (RIA) and bank trust firms that have an investment allocation to the Fund in a fee-based, wrap or advisory account may continue to add new clients or purchase shares.
    3. New shareholders may open Fund accounts and purchase shares directly from the Fund (i.e. not through a financial intermediary).
    4. Certain financial intermediaries may continue to open new underlying customer accounts provided the platform on which they offer access to the Fund has an existing funded position.
    5. Group employer benefit plans, including 401(k), 403(b), 457 plans, and health savings account programs (and their successor, related and affiliated plans), which make the Fund available to participants on or before the Closing Date, may continue to open accounts for new participants in the Fund and purchase additional shares in existing participant accounts. New group employer benefit plans, including 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans, and health savings account programs (and their successor, related and affiliated plans), may also establish new accounts with the Fund, provided the new plans have approved and selected the Fund as an investment option by the Closing Date and the plan has also been accepted for investment by the Fund by the Closing Date.
    6. Members of the Fund’s Board of Trustees, persons affiliated with the Advisor and their immediate families will be able to purchase shares of the Fund and establish new accounts.
    In general, the Fund will rely on a financial intermediary to prevent a new account from being opened within an omnibus account established at that financial intermediary if the account would not otherwise satisfy the conditions outlined above. The Fund’s ability to monitor new accounts that are opened through omnibus accounts or other nominee accounts is limited and the ability to limit a new account to those that meet the above criteria with respect to financial intermediaries may vary depending upon the capabilities of those financial intermediaries. Investors may be asked to verify that they meet one of the exceptions above prior to opening a new account in the Fund. The Fund may permit you to open a new account if the Fund reasonably believes that you are eligible. The Fund also may decline to permit you to open a new account if the Fund believes that doing so would be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders, even if you would be eligible to open a new account under these exceptions. If all shares of the Fund in an existing account are redeemed, the shareholder’s account will be closed. Such former shareholders will not be able to buy additional shares of the Fund or reopen their account.
    Please file this Supplement with your records.
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    At Fidelity, neither is load-waived for the A shares; for $100k, you can buy the I shares for a transaction fee and no load. So, under the current offering setup, these funds don't appear to be attractive for retail investors, at Fidelity at least.
  • Best Frontier Market Funds?
    Agree with @kevindow. I made some dough when the MS fund open-ended in 2012 and for a while thereafter, but sold in 2013. I'm also aggressive, but I don't see frontier markets as a place that will improve my EM or international returns.
  • Best Frontier Market Funds?
    In my opinion the 2 best ones out there are:
    Ashmore Emerging Markets Frontier Equity fund (EFEIX) and Driehaus Frontier Emerging Markets Fund (DRFRX). Small, nimble managers which is important in this space so as to not move markets. Ashmore has a long history in the space and I think $1 minimum at Schwab. Driehaus is a very solid shop. Not as long a track record in Frotnier but a proven model for picking stocks. Minimum may be very high though to get into that fund.
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    From the talk by Deshpande a month ago:
    "Finally, and most importantly the employees of Centerstone have invested eight figures
    in total into the Funds. There can be, in my mind, no other greater alignment of interest
    than investing alongside one’s client base."
    Eight figures means more than $10M. The total AUM of the two funds is approximately $60M. In other words, unless I am mistaken, he says that more than 15% of the AUM of the two funds is due to the investment of the employees of Centerstone.
  • What Are You Buying ... Selling ... or Pondering?
    I want to add to DSEEX but see that I am ~75% equities, which is too high, so I don't know what to do. (I know what to do, just don't want to.) I just read the detailed and carefully substantiated Goldman analyses of conditions for 2017, which are optimistic. I will move some more cash into PONDX, PDI, and FRIFX, though not FNMIX.
  • M* nominees for US fund managers of the year 2016
    I would vote for TRMCX manager Wallack for MoTY. I was able to purchase this fund in May 2009, just after it reopened to new investors. My last buys were in late January and February 2016. Later it didn't go unnoticed by me that the fund was doing quite well.. Mid year I saw the updated portfolio and saw why - Energy.
    I believe that his management skills have added value in excess of the fees paid. I'm also in Primecap and have been for almost 20 years. I think they received this award in the past.
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    @kevindow Your point was that the fund will not close anytime soon because the manager's intention is "looking for assets like First Eagle," which the manager has stated is false.
    The manager has between 50-100K in the domestic fund; he has none in the international fund. I like to see managers have some meaningful stake in their products, but at the same time I don't conclude that they "don't have confidence" in their own ability.
    You are very correct in stating that it may take "5 or more years" for the fund to reach 10B at its present pace!
    OTOH, I'm unconvinced that if the fund reaches that amount that "greed will overcome principle like it usually does," especially when the manager has stated that he will limit assets. What I have seen in my past investment experience is that managers who have said that they will close the cash windows do follow through, and so I'm making a judgment in the case of Mr. Deshpande that he will do the same. Based on what he has said and written publicly indicates that his goal is to produce superior returns, not accumulate assets, and so I will take him as a man of principle rather than as someone following his own selfish interests.
    I have a very favorable opinion of FMIJX but do not own it.
    Best.
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    @openice,
    OK, let me be clear. The current AUM is a measly $53M for a fund which began collecting assets 8 months ago in May 2016. Like I said, this fund will not close to new investors anytime soon.
    Also, Mr. Deshpande only has a paltry $100K or less invested of his own money in this fund, according to the latest SAI. Why should I have confidence in this fund if the manager doesn't ??
    And if the AUM get near $10B, which may take 5 or more years at this pace, I predict that greed will overcome principle -- like it usually does -- and the fund will stay open to ALL investors.
    Again, in this space, FMIJX would be my choice and not Mr. Deshpande's fund.
    Kevin
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    Centerstone Investor Class A (CETAX) and Centerstone International Class A (CSIAX) are available no-load and NTF at Schwab for $100 and $1 additional in basic and IRA accounts. David ran a launch alert in June 2016. The fund http://centerstoneinv.com has a lengthy, detailed conference call transcript dated December 6 under News and Events that is worth your attention plus past articles / interviews that communicate very clearly the strategy of the funds and views of the manager. I own CSIAX and recommend it for consideration provided it has an appropriate place in one's portfolio.
    @kevindow
    Centerstone is likely looking for AUM like First Eagle, so this fund will not close to new investors anytime soon.
    On the contrary, the manager has been quite clear about his intentions regarding AUM. He's stated that 10B would be an ideal size for his funds and mentions the importance of fund flows as well in keeping returns competitive. He points out that Ben Graham warned years ago about the danger of combining huge fund size with added fees making it difficult to produce superior returns. While it's probably true that the fund(s) will not close anytime soon, AUM will definitely be controlled.
  • Abhay Deshpande CINTX and CENTS - any opinion?
    Dear Old_Joe,
    Thanks for you reply. This is the epoch when everyone becomes cynical, some call it "post-truth era". As for these funds, I recall now that there was a discussion of these new funds in June Commentary, in "Launch Alert: Centerstone Investors Fund (CETAX/CENTX)". Here is a part of these comments, much better said than in Morningstar:
    "The argument for being excited about Centerstone Investors is pretty straightforward: it’s managed by Abhay Deshpande who worked on the singularly-splendid First Eagle Global (SGENX) fund for 14 years, the last six of them as co-manager.... Deshpande was seen as the driver of SGENX’s success in the years after Mr. Eveillard’s departure, which is reflected in the Morningstar downgrade when he left. So there’s talent on Centerstone’s side."
    Then in July Commentary I read:
    "The great virtue of the Morningstar conference, and one of the greatest gifts that working with the Observer affords, is the ability to talk with (heck, mostly listen to) remarkable people. That roster most recently included Rupal Bhansali, Abhay Deshpande, Andrew Foster, Teresa Kong and David Marcus. These folks aren’t just bright, they’re scary bright. More importantly, they’re the right kind of bright."
    I guess this really helps me to decide:)
  • Global Valuations
    Here are two sites that I follow for global valuations:
    Global Stock Market Valuations and Expected Future Returns
    Global Stock Market Valuation Ratios
    The following article demonstrates how CAPE and P/B reliably predict future market returns and market drawdowns in both domestic and foreign equity markets:
    Predicting Stock Market Returns Using The Shiller Cape

    Excellent excerpt from this last article:
    "Existing research indicates that the cyclically adjusted Shiller CAPE has predicted long-term returns in the S&P 500 since 1881 fairly reliable for periods of more than 10 years. Furthermore, the results of this paper indicate that this was also the case for 16 other international equity markets in the period from 1979 to 2015, and in addition to this, CAPE also enabled equity market risks to be gauged. In this manner, low market valuations were not only followed by above average market returns but also lower drawdowns. On the contrary, high market valuations led to lower returns and faced higher market risks."
    As far as investing, what does all this mean to me. Since CAPE matters globally, I am inclined to consider the ETF CAPE (however, average daily trading volume is too low for me), the ETF GVAL, and the mutual funds DSEEX/DSENX and DSEUX/DLEUX.
    In our portfolio, I am confident in using CAPE and P/B for investment selection, and have an 18% position in DSEEX and a 10% position in PXH.
    Kevin