Tough holdings for me since 1/26/2018:
SFGIX (actively managed) & VWO (EMM Index)- Both down almost 15 % in steady decline. Active management doesn't seem to be offering much downside protection:

@bee,
Not trying to be nitpick here. Please let me clarify what I said earlier. Prior to forming SFGIX, Andrew Foster was the lead manager of several Asia-centric funds at Matthews Asia Funds since 1998. This places his track record back to 20 years, not 10 years. His stellar record is exemplified in Matthews Asia Growth & Income fund, MACSX from 2003-2011 (8 years), the Dividend fund, MAPIX for 6 years and the India fund, MINDX for 5 years.
David Snowball has written a detailed profile on Foster's approach and I couldn't come close to write a such as thoughtful analysis. So here is the link.
mutualfundobserver.com/2013/03/seafarer-overseas-growth-income-sfgix/
I started to invest with MACSX in 2000 when I noticed the fund is holding up much better than VWO during the height of tech bubble from 2000-2002. It taught me a lesson that those "tortoise" funds are more likely to be successful for their investors because they limit the downside loss. When the annual returns are compounded over time and through several market cycles, the total return can be fully captured. Many investors who move in and out of the mutual funds tend to have much lower returns than the market returns.
Coincidentally, I also like MAPIX (Bob Horrocks), FMIJX (Alex English), and PRWCX (David Giroux).

M* has a long current discussion of SFGIX:
http://socialize.morningstar.com/NewSocialize/forums/p/384620/3946110.aspx#PageIndex=1
A poster there pointed out it is 50/50 EM/developed markets.

@Sven. SFGIX hasn't been around for 10 years. Inception date looks like 2/15/2012...so closer to 6 years. I'll agree that it has out performed the index (a fund such as VWO), but SFGIX is not an all equity fund (closer to 70/15/15 over its lifetime).
70% EM
15 % of his fund is in LT and IT Treasuries
15% of his fund is classified as "Ex - US Develop"
I compared his fund to a "2 fund combo of PRMSX & PREMX" (70/30). The trade off here is SFGIX opts for US Treasuries where PREMX is most EM Corporates.
Similar results...so nothing special here.
But, over shorter time frames he does a good job of managing downside risk.
I Like MAPIX, FMIJX, PRWCX for the same reason.
Fund managers that manage downside risk and deploy into opportunities are hard to find.

Please read David Snowball's write up on SFGIX again. I continue to invest with Andrew Foster since the time when he managed Matthews Gro&Inc fund. Over the 10 years period he made more money for me than the Vanguard EM Index fund in mt 401(K). His funds tend to excel during the down market while they lag in the bull market. His long term record speaks for itself. In 2008 his fund outperformed the EM index by 20%. But everybody need to decide the amount of EM exposure they need with respect to their risk tolerance. These days there are not many great managers left in the EM space.

@crash
Happy bday! Yeah I've been pondering what to do with SFGIX. I could take its underperformance when EM was doing well last year thinking that it would perform better in a down market. But that hasn't been the case. I've been thinking of selling. Curious what everyone else is doing with this fund

Same here. I'll be 64 tomorrow. Age, yes. Though I want to stay mostly in equities, while still collecting monthlies from my bond funds, because wifey is just 45, yet. And I get quarterlies from one or two, still. I let go of SFGIX because it wasn't producing--- regardless of age or anything else... Oops, 28th July, just past midnight in the East.

So interesting to read. But the fund has lagged for too long. SFGIX is in my past.

I have some respect for RA, but once again just as bubbles keep going, so do "value traps". Just look at $USD for god's sake. It's reversed its downtrend and international and emerging market funds are suffering.
Even I can understand International / Emerging should be overweighted and I did. So I'm not selling my SFGIX yet but I'm hardly buying more every day it falls.

Hadn't checked SFGIX in a while; seems it's lost a little more than twice as much as Laura Geritz's new-ish RNWOX during the YTD EM downdraft.
By the way, +1 to VF's post immediately above.

That didn't come out right.
My point is If anyone bought say QLENX 3 years back, she has no trouble holding onto it for the "long term". If one bought it in Jan, it is hard to hold on to it.
Easy to criticize investors for "buying high and selling low". At "opportune" times, i.e. never in a bear market but after bull market has recovered we keep seeing articles "only if investors had held onto..." etc. etc. As if investors never EVER sell a fund at the right time. As if funds NEVER break, and then go down.
WTF did I hold on to HSGFX? Because I bought it early. Was that a good decision. No? I held on for the long term didn't I? OTOH if anyone bought Hussman 5 years back and sold it in 6 months he came out ahead. Then my investment in TFS funds. I held on for long time. What happened? Before they could turn around, they simply folded. SEEDX anyone? How many people held on SEEDX for the "Long Term"?
Regarding OTCRX, I'm able to "hold on" because of WHEN I bought it. It's easy when portfolio shows positive returns for a fund. Not otherwise.
My point. WHEN you buy, and sell, is important. MUCH more important than which fund you buy. "Long Term" is bullshit and term coined solely to make sure enough foolish assets stay with the firm so they can continue to rake in fees.
EDIT: Let's see how many SFGIX holders hold on for "long term" if they purchased YTD. What I know is if $ goes up / E goes down, I'm going to buy ARTYX, ARTZX and then trade them. Long Term can kiss my a**.

I wonder if SFGIX is still worth recommending? Downside capture is a good attribute. But I don't plan to grow my stake. I know Foster is an expert and knows his shit. Yet SFGIX seems to want to not lose, rather than to win. Just my opinion. I've owned it since 2012. I'm also beginning --- at the next (June) distribution, to start receiving, rather than re-investing profits.

I bailed on it a few months ago as it wasn't living up to my expectations for EM exposure. Upon further review, I see it has struggled YTD and over the past 3 years. I think there are better options.

I wonder if SFGIX is still worth recommending? Downside capture is a good attribute. But I don't plan to grow my stake. I know Foster is an expert and knows his shit. Yet SFGIX seems to want to not lose, rather than to win. Just my opinion. I've owned it since 2012. I'm also beginning --- at the next (June) distribution, to start receiving, rather than re-investing profits.

TCMPX for International
SFGIX, GPEOX for EM
Don't waste my time up cap. Just index it.

You had me going for a bit. GPEOX is hard closed.

TCMPX for International
SFGIX, GPEOX for EM
Don't waste my time up cap. Just index it.

I'm 39% bonds. Pretty stinky. Globally, my stuff smells bad tonight. Winners, ytd: PRWCX, PRIDX, PRDSX, VSCIX. .... Worst, ytd: SFGIX, PREMX, MAPOX. Nothing drastically falling apart. I'd just rather see black than red.

SGGIX -2.06% YD ..... PREMX -1.29% YD ..... MAPOX -2.87% YD
That’s your worst? Pretty trifling so far. You’re playing in the big leagues. - @Crash :)
I dunno about bonds. But if you thought bonds were a good investment a year ago, they’re an even better one now that they’re earning a higher rate of return.

I'm 39% bonds. Pretty stinky. Globally, my stuff smells bad tonight. Winners, ytd: PRWCX, PRIDX, PRDSX, VSCIX. .... Worst, ytd: SFGIX, PREMX, MAPOX. Nothing drastically falling apart. I'd just rather see black than red.

A-ha! Not that I don't trust TRP. And I see, looking further, that the fund pays (with its bond holdings in mind) only in December. And the December pay-out last year was just .2150 cents/share. I think I'll continue to grow my SFGIX, then. Trying to REDUCE the number of funds I own, anyhow. Can't reduce TOO much, though. Seems like that would not be prudent. I could do the budgeting, but it's easier when a fund pays me MONTHLY and does the work FOR me.
...But now, here's another question: with the idea of harvesting more monthly income (needed beginning in about a year and a half,) how much of my PRWCX should I move into any of these 3?
PRSNX (owned currently)
PREMX (owned currently)
or start a new holding in RPIHX or TUHYX?
(I only just this past week opened a tiny position for $3,500 in PTIAX. I will be growing that. But I'm not happy to learn that PTAM doesn't have the capacity on their website to let a customer log-in to see their account. Gotta call and either use their automated system, or talk to a rep.)
Yes, I could go elsewhere, but to simplify, I'd prefer to go with TRP, where most of my $$$ sits, already. And by the way, PRWCX is 35.46% of my total right now. I don't think I will EVER totally close it out. Solid fund.

What is Andy Foster looking to achieve by not making this fund available on NTF platforms like SFGIX is? SFVLX is not gathering any assets and surely a fund has to reach critical mass after which it can always be hard closed.
Looking for some insider track here.