Active Ownership Creates Long Term Investment Value

22/07/2022
mid year china outlook

Summary

Crossing out companies with negative ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) performance from an investment checklist has long been a commonly adopted rule in sustainable investment. The market’s definition of “sin stocks” has also extended from firms involved in the arms trade, tobacco and alcohol to the fossil fuel industry.

As sustainable investment is becoming more vital in the capital market, ESG investment strategies are also more diversified. In addition to implementing negative screening principles when building investment portfolios, asset owners can also exercise active ownership by means such as active engagement or proxy voting, to enhance the firm’s ESG performance and potential returns on investment.

Incorporating active engagement into ESG investment strategies is not intended to micromanage firms. It aims to clarify the relationship and expectations between ESG factors and the firms’ development strategy, business model and financial performance to companies and encourage them to act on potential ESG risks and opportunities. Considering a divestment from companies with ESG underperformance may sometimes not be the best investment strategy to bring about substantial change for the environment and society. On the contrary, establishing effective dialogue mechanisms with invested companies on different ESG issues and is the best practice to create long-term value.

The UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which is internationally influential in ESG investment, encourages investors to adopt six principles of responsible investment, including the exercise of active ownership.1 The Securities and Futures Commission Principles of Responsible Ownership also emphasises the importance of investors engaging proactively in bilateral dialogue with companies on ESG matters.2 Hence, active ownership in global equity strategies has been more common.

In the Asia-Pacific region, not only is ESG a hot topic in the investment industry, but it has also become essential for corporate sustainable development. Alongside the rapid growth of more refined ESG supervision and disclosure systems, many Asian firms have improved their ESG performance considerably in the past few years and achieved outstanding results. This also represents huge potential to create more ESG-related investment opportunities.

In 2021, the AllianzGI team engaged companies from various markets around the world in 299 meetings and covered 484 topics. For instance, the AllianzGI investment team has engaged in a proactive dialogue with a retailer in the Asia-Pacific region to enhance the company’s ESG disclosures in areas such as decarbonisation strategies and potential climate risk responses.

In light of our in-depth ESG research, the AllianzGI team has also expressed concerns to a construction company in the region on potential employee safety issues. The team is pleased that the management responded positively by enhancing safety management objectives and mechanisms to reduce its social risk exposure.

Looking to the future, AllianzGI will continue to pay attention to key issues such as climate change, energy transition, information security, gender representation on corporate boards of directors and corporate governance in the Asia Pacific region, and communicate with investment companies on a regular basis. We believe that active investment strategies can bring positive influences that do not merely create better returns, but also contribute to global sustainable development.

1 Source: Principles for Responsible Investment - About the PRI
2 Source: Securities and Futures Commission - Principles of responsible ownership

There is no guarantee that actively managed investments will outperform the broader market. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategies consider factors beyond traditional financial information to select securities or eliminate exposure which could result in relative investment performance deviating from other strategies or broad market benchmarks.

Information herein is based on sources we believe to be accurate and reliable as at the date it was made. We reserve the right to revise any information herein at any time without notice. No offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities and no investment advice or recommendation is made herein. In making investment decisions, investors should not rely solely on this material but should seek independent professional advice. However, if you choose not to seek professional advice, you should consider the suitability of the product for yourself. Investment involves risks including the possible loss of principal amount invested and risks associated with investment in emerging and less developed markets. Past performance of the fund manager(s), or any prediction, projection or forecast, is not indicative of future performance. This material has not been reviewed by any regulatory authorities.

Biodiversity and species coexistence

25/07/2022
mid year china outlook

Summary

The Japanese delicacy grilled eel on rice is a popular dish and the eel is an important source of nutrition for millions. However, due to overfishing, pollution and habitat loss, the supply of eels has drastically reduced in recent decades. Japanese eels have even been listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2016.

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  • Allianz Global Investors Fund (“AGIF”)

    • Allianz Global Investors Fund (“AGIF”) as an umbrella fund under the UCITS regulations has within it different sub-funds investing in fixed income securities, equities, and derivative instruments, each with a different investment objective and/or risk profile.

    • All sub-funds (“Sub-Funds”) may invest in financial derivative instruments (“FDI”) which may expose to higher leverage, counterparty, liquidity, valuation, volatility, market and over the counter transaction risks. A Sub-Fund’s net derivative exposure may be up to 50% of its NAV. 

    • Some Sub-Funds as part of their investments may invest in any one or a combination of the instruments such as fixed income securities, emerging market securities, and/or mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, property-backed securities (especially REITs) and/or structured products and/or FDI, exposing to various potential risks (including leverage, counterparty, liquidity, valuation, volatility, market, fluctuations in the value of and the rental income received in respect of the underlying property, and over the counter transaction risks). 

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in single countries or industry sectors (in particular small/mid cap companies) which may reduce risk diversification. Some Sub-Funds are exposed to significant risks which include investment/general market, country and region, emerging market (such as Mainland China), creditworthiness/credit rating/downgrading, default, asset allocation, interest rate, volatility and liquidity, counterparty, sovereign debt, valuation, credit rating agency, company-specific, currency  (in particular RMB), RMB debt securities and Mainland China tax risks. 

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in convertible bonds, high-yield, non-investment grade investments and unrated securities that may subject to higher risks (include volatility, loss of principal and interest, creditworthiness and downgrading, default, interest rate, general market and liquidity risks) and therefore may adversely impact the net asset value of the Sub-Funds. Convertibles will be exposed prepayment risk, equity movement and greater volatility than straight bond investments.

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest a significant portion of the assets in interest-bearing securities issued or guaranteed by a non-investment grade sovereign issuer (e.g. Philippines) and is subject to higher risks of liquidity, credit, concentration and default of the sovereign issuer as well as greater volatility and higher risk profile that may result in significant losses to the investors. 

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in European countries. The economic and financial difficulties in Europe may get worse and adversely affect the Sub-Funds (such as increased volatility, liquidity and currency risks associated with investments in Europe).

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in the China A-Shares market, China B-Shares market and/or debt securities directly  via the Stock Connect or the China Interbank Bond Market or Bond Connect and or other foreign access regimes and/or other permitted means and/or indirectly through all eligible instruments the qualified foreign institutional investor program regime and thus is subject to the associated risks (including quota limitations, change in rule and regulations, repatriation of the Fund’s monies, trade restrictions, clearing and settlement, China market volatility and uncertainty, China market volatility and uncertainty, potential clearing and/or settlement difficulties and, change in economic, social and political policy in the PRC and taxation Mainland China tax risks).  Investing in RMB share classes is also exposed to RMB currency risks and adverse impact on the share classes due to currency depreciation.

    • Some Sub-Funds may adopt the following strategies, Sustainable and Responsible Investment Strategy, SDG-Aligned Strategy, Sustainability Key Performance Indicator Strategy (Relative), Green Bond Strategy, Multi Asset Sustainable Strategy, Sustainability Key Performance Indicator Strategy (Absolute Threshold), Environment, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Score Strategy, and Sustainability Key Performance Indicator Strategy (Absolute). The Sub-Funds may be exposed to sustainable investment risks relating to the strategies (such as foregoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, selling securities when it might be disadvantageous to do so, and/or relying on information and data from third party ESG research data providers and internal analyses which may be subjective, incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable and/or reducing risk diversifications compared to broadly based funds) which may result in the Sub-Fund being more volatile and have adverse impact on the performance of the Sub-Fund and consequently adversely affect an investor’s investment in the Sub-Fund. Also, some Sub-Funds may be particularly focusing on the GHG efficiency of the investee companies rather than their financial performance which may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in share class with fixed distribution percentage (Class AMf). Investors should note that fixed distribution percentage is not guaranteed. The share class is not an alternative to fixed interest paying investment. The percentage of distributions paid by these share classes is unrelated to expected or past income or returns of these share classes or the Sub-Funds. Distribution will continue even the Sub-Fund has negative returns and may adversely impact the net asset value of the Sub-Fund.  Positive distribution yield does not imply positive return.

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    Note: Dividend payments may, at the sole discretion of the Investment Manager, be made out of the Sub-Fund’s capital or effectively out of the Sub-Fund’s capital which represents a return or withdrawal of part of the amount investors originally invested and/or capital gains attributable to the original investment. This may result in an immediate decrease in the NAV per share and the capital of the Sub-Fund available for investment in the future and capital growth may be reduced, in particular for hedged share classes for which the distribution amount and NAV of any hedged share classes (HSC) may be adversely affected by differences in the interests rates of the reference currency of the HSC and the base currency of the respective Sub-Fund. Dividend payments are applicable for Class A/AM/AMg/AMi/AMgi/AQ Dis (Annually/Monthly/Quarterly distribution) and for reference only but not guaranteed.  Positive distribution yield does not imply positive return. For details, please refer to the Sub-Fund’s distribution policy disclosed in the offering documents.


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    • Allianz Global Investors Asia Fund (the “Trust”) is an umbrella unit trust constituted under the laws of Hong Kong pursuant to the Trust Deed. Allianz Thematic Income and Allianz Selection Income and Growth and Allianz Yield Plus Fund are the sub-funds of the Trust (each a “Sub-Fund”) investing in fixed income securities, equities and derivative instrument, each with a different investment objective and/or risk profile.

    • Some Sub-Funds are exposed to significant risks which include investment/general market, company-specific, emerging market, creditworthiness/credit rating/downgrading, default, volatility and liquidity, valuation, sovereign debt, thematic concentration, thematic-based investment strategy, counterparty, interest rate changes, country and region, asset allocation risks and currency (such as exchange controls, in particular RMB), and the adverse impact on RMB share classes due to currency depreciation.  

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in other underlying collective schemes and exchange traded funds. Investing in exchange traded funds may expose to additional risks such as passive investment, tracking error, underlying index, trading and termination. While investing in other underlying collective schemes (“CIS”) may subject to the risks associated to such CIS. 

    • Some Sub-Funds may invest in high-yield (non-investment grade and unrated) investments and/or convertible bonds which may subject to higher risks, such as volatility, creditworthiness, default, interest rate changes, general market and liquidity risks and therefore may  adversely impact the net asset value of the Fund. Convertibles may also expose to risks such as prepayment, equity movement, and greater volatility than straight bond investments.

    • All Sub-Funds may invest in financial derivative instruments (“FDI”) which may expose to higher leverage, counterparty, liquidity, valuation, volatility, market and over the counter transaction risks.  The use of derivatives may result in losses to the Sub-Funds which are greater than the amount originally invested. A Sub-Fund’s net derivative exposure may be up to 50% of its NAV.

    • These investments may involve risks that could result in loss of part or entire amount of investors’ investment.

    • In making investment decisions, investors should not rely solely on this website.

    Note: Dividend payments may, at the sole discretion of the Investment Manager, be made out of the Sub-Fund’s income and/or capital which in the latter case represents a return or withdrawal of part of the amount investors originally invested and/or capital gains attributable to the original investment. This may result in an immediate decrease in the NAV per distribution unit and the capital of the Sub-Fund available for investment in the future and capital growth may be reduced, in particular for hedged share classes for which the distribution amount and NAV of any hedged share classes (HSC) may be adversely affected by differences in the interests rates of the reference currency of the HSC and the base currency of the Sub-Fund. Dividend payments are applicable for Class A/AM/AMg/AMi/AMgi Dis (Annually/Monthly distribution) and for reference only but not guaranteed.  Positive distribution yield does not imply positive return. For details, please refer to the Sub-Fund’s distribution policy disclosed in the offering documents.

     

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