KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach - 16 March 2023 - Kenanga Investors Berhad ("Kenanga Investors") received five awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023 ("Awards"). The firm was recognized for its exceptional performance and was awarded best Mixed Assets - Malaysia Pension Funds Group for the fourth consecutive time
From left to right:
Felicia Tai, Head of Fixed Income & Credit, Investment, Kenanga Islamic Investors Berhad
Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director & CEO, Kenanga Investors Berhad
Christopher Kok, Head of Equities, Investment, Kenanga Investors Berhad
Accompanying this were individual fund wins for:
Kenanga Malaysian Inc Fund ("KMIF") for best Equity Malaysia Diversified – Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years
Kenanga Managed Growth Fund ("KMGF") for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible - Malaysia Provident Funds over 3 Years
Kenanga Managed Growth Fund ("KMGF") for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible – Malaysia Provident Funds over 5 Years
Kenanga Managed Growth Fund ("KMGF") for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible - Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years
"These awards demonstrate the firm's capabilities despite the backdrop of reduced trading activities and prolonged turmoil due to a degree of volatility over the last two years.
We attribute this success to the application of our stock picking strategy over the long term; it involves a comprehensive research process from understanding industry dynamics to individual company business models and drivers of return on equity. Some of the key areas include management quality, the sustainability of the business model, industry dynamics and balance sheet strength. By consistently applying this strategy, our funds have outperformed throughout the last 3, 5 and 10 years", says Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.
KMGF pulled ahead to pick up its first major award since its inception in 2004. As at 31 December 2022, the Fund has returned 232.38% since inception, thus achieving its investment objective of achieving long-term capital growth through diversified investments in equities and bonds. "On the equity front, the fund increased its exposure into large capitalisation stocks such as financials as well as quality small capitalisation stocks and reopening names. On fixed income, the fund remained overweight on corporate bond as yields are attractive relative to Government and quasi-Government bonds", he explains.
A return winner, KMIF swept its third title at the awards by delivering returns of 116.13% (10 years), 22.52% (5 years) and 23.38% (3 years) as at 31 December 2022. KMIF aims to provide consistent annual returns and medium to long-term capital appreciation by investing in Malaysian securities with a global reach
On the firm's ESG roadmap thus far, he shares "Following the integration of ESG screening assessments into our investment process in 2021, we expanded upon our ESG framework to cover the fixed income asset class. where an in-house ESG assessment and scoring was developed to perform positive screening for bonds/sukuk. On the equity front meanwhile, we established a more comprehensive sector/industry focused assessments for sectors with high ESG risks such as palm oil, oil & gas, banking & finance, power and mining. We also added to our suite of Kenanga Sustainability Series products with the launch of Kenanga Sustainability Series: High Yield Bond Fund, Kenanga Sustainability Series: World Quality ESG Fund and the Kenanga Sustainability Series: Emergency Waqf Musa'adah Fund".
Moving forward Datuk Wira De Alwis says that the firm will adopt a more balanced strategy to continue delivering outperformance. "The team will focus on selecting companies with strong fundamentals and cash flow generation abilities. Sector wise, we prefer domestic demand beneficiaries such as consumer and financials. For structural growth themes such as technology, we are buyers on market weakness for its longer-term growth potential".
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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About Kenanga Investors Berhad 199501024358 (353563-P)
We provide investment solutions ranging from collective investment schemes, portfolio management services, and alternative investments for retail, corporate, institutional, and high net worth clients via a multi-distribution network.
The Hong Kong-based Asia Asset Management's 2023 Best of the Best Awards awarded KIB under the following categories, Malaysia Best Impact Investing Manager, Malaysia Best Equity Manager, Malaysia CEO of the Year, Malaysia Best House for Alternatives and Malaysia Most Improved Fund House.
The Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 won Best Malaysia Large-Cap Equity Fund at the 2022 Morningstar Awards Malaysia.
At the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards Malaysia 2022, KIB won overall best Mixed Assets - Malaysia Pension Funds Group award for the third time. Accompanying this were individual fund wins awarded to:
Kenanga Malaysian Inc Fund ("KMIF") for best Equity Malaysia Diversified – Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years
Kenanga Managed Growth Fund ("KMGF") for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible - Malaysia Provident Funds over 3 Years
Kenanga Managed Growth Fund ("KMGF") for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible - Malaysia Provident Funds over 5 Years
Kenanga Managed Growth Fund ("KMGF") for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible - Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years.
Additionally, the FSMOne Recommended Unit Trusts Awards 2022/2023 named Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 as "Sector Equity – Malaysia Focused" and Kenanga Shariah Growth Opportunities Fund as "Sector Equity - Malaysia Small to Medium Companies (Islamic)".
The Asset Benchmark Research has ranked KIB as Highly Commended on its list of 'Top Investment Houses' in the Asian Local Currency Bond Awards for Asset Managers.
At the United Nations Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei ("UNGCMYB") Sustainability Performance Awards 2022, we received the "Sustainable Products" award for our launch of sustainable products, which cover the Kenanga Sustainability Series – a suite of multi-asset class products rooted in sustainability considerations to advance long-term financial growth for investors and to generate social and financial value for surrounding communities. The award also recognised the first SRI-qualified high yield bond fund in Malaysia, the Kenanga Sustainability Series: High Yield Bond Fund.
For the sixth consecutive year, KIB was affirmed an investment manager rating of IMR-2 by Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad, since first rated in 2017. The IMR rating on KIB reflects the fund management company's well-established investment processes and sound risk management practices. During the first half of 2021, KIB's 20 largest unit trust funds outperformed its benchmarks for the one-year, three-year and five-year periods
This Press Release was issued by Kenanga Group's Marketing & Communications department.
Disclaimer: Investors are advised to read and understand the Master Prospectuses ("MPs"), the Supplemental Master Prospectus ("SMP") (if any), Information Memorandums ("IM") (if any), Product Highlights Sheets ("PHS") as well as consider the fees, charges and risk factors involved before investing. The MP, SMP (if any), IM (if any) and PHS have been registered and/or lodged with the Securities Commission Malaysia ("SC"), who takes no responsibility for its contents and related advertisement or marketing materials, does not indicate that the SC has recommended or endorsed the product/service. The advertisement has not been reviewed by the SC. Investors have the right to request for a copy of PHS and other relevant product disclosure documents which are available at our office, at any authorised distributors and our corporate website before making investment decisions. If you are in doubt when considering the investment or any of the information provided, you are advised to consult a professional adviser. A Fund's track record does not guarantee its future performance. Kenanga Investors Berhad is committed to prevent conflict of interest between its various businesses and activities and between its clients/director/shareholders and employees by having in place procedures and measures for identifying and properly managing any apparent, potential and perceived conflict of interest by making disclosures to Clients, where appropriate. Kenanga Investors Berhad 199501024358.