Overview
The International ADR portfolios were designed to allow investors to diversify their portfolios by participating in the potential growth of international markets.
Investment Objective
The International ADR strategy seeks to:
- achieve long-term growth of capital by investing in the American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) of well-managed businesses whose intrinsic value does not appear to be recognized by the markets; and
- outperform the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe Australasia Far East Index (EAFE)1 over a full market cycle.
Investment Philosophy
The portfolios are managed in a belief that:
- diversification in international stocks can reduce overall portfolio volatility; and
- a bottom-up approach to stock selection, as opposed to a top-down macroeconomic approach, can help uncover high-quality, foreign-based companies whose intrinsic value does not appear to be recognized by the markets.
Key Differentiators
- Diversified, predominantly developed international equity market exposure
- Approximately 80-90% large capitalization exposure to a core approach with growth bias
- Approximately 10-20% mid and/or small capitalization exposure to emerging growth companies with product and/or service potential to become large capitalization
Portfolio Positioning
- Core international developed market portfolio
- Low turnover 2 – seeks tax efficiency
Investment Process
We seek to:
- Define the investment universe
- consider companies that have strong balance sheets and good management, offer unique products or services, or have strong niche positions locally or
globally;
- Apply fundamental analysis
- use a bottom-up approach to evaluate current and future prospects and ensure that accounting compliance, data accuracy and global comparability goals are met;
- Select securities and construct portfolio
- build a diversified portfolio with roughly 30 to 50 stocks across 10 to 20 countries. Complement larger core holdings (approximately 80-90%) with tactical
investments (approximately 10-20%) in smaller companies; and
- Monitor continuously
- re-examine a current holding when unit growth/earnings deteriorate, valuation exceeds expectations, and when there is an adverse acquisition or a loss of franchise or market share.
Investment Risks
All investments involve risk, including loss of principal and there is no guarantee that investment objectives will be met.
Investments may also be made in ADRs and other securities of non-U.S. companies in developed and emerging markets which involve risks in addition to those ordinarily associated with investing in domestic securities, including the potentially negative effects of currency fluctuation, political and economic developments, foreign taxation and differences in auditing and other financial standards. These risks are magnified in emerging markets.
Investments may be made in small- and mid-cap companies, which involve a higher degree of risk and volatility than investments in large-cap companies.
ADRs are U.S. traded securities that represent shares of a foreign-based corporation held by a custodian and they entitle the shareholder to all dividends, net of any applicable local withholding taxes, and capital gains that would be paid on the company's ordinary shares.
Management Team
Established in 2005, ClearBridge Advisors has over 45 years of asset management experience. The firm is known for its research-driven, fundamental approach to investing, offering actively managed U.S. equity products in a wide range of capitalizations and styles.
Investment Management
Jeffrey Russell, CFA
Managing Director
- Senior Portfolio Manager
- 31 years of investment industry experience
Thor Olsson
Director
- Portfolio Manager
- 15 years of investment industry experience