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Based on transaction prices, the fund's return was -0.94%. The global high yield index experienced the weakest month of the year. The fund outperformed its index on a gross performance basis, lifting year-to-date relative performance above 50 bps. Our underweight beta contributed positively as excess returns were very negative, as did our overweight in European financials. Our quality bias added to our performance as BBs outperformed single Bs and CCCs – all on a risk adjusted basis. By far the biggest contributor for the month was our significant underweight in the energy sector on the back of oil prices dropping another 15% in December. On an issuer level the largest contributor was our underweight in Frontier. This CCC-rated issuer provides communication services via satellites to residential and business customers in urban, suburban and rural communities in the United States. We consider this credit to be a melting ice cube as wireless solutions will be available in this area. Largest detractor was our overweight in Nabors, which was dragged down together with the decline in oil prices.
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Global high yield bond spreads got a heavy beating in December. Total returns were negative as excess returns had the worst month of the year and underlying treasury yields contributed positively in this risk-off market. US high yield had been the best performing asset class until December with excess returns just below zero, but this all vanished this month with excess returns closing at -3.5%. Many of the issues impacting the market over the previous months persisted in December. Growth indicators slowing down, sharp equity and oil price declines and continued large outflows in high yield and leveraged loans, all weighed on sentiment. December’s Fed meeting was considered a disappointment as it lacked any policy guidance. The OPEC production cuts failed to stem the slide that started in October. Oil prices are now USD 30 a barrel lower from the peak. All sectors printed in negative territory for the month, with energy the largest underperformer for the second consecutive month. Global high yield bond spreads widened close to 100 bps and yields widened around 50 bps, finishing 2018 at a spread level of 531 bps with an average yield of 7.44%.
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Sustainability Themed Fund |
All currency risks are hedged.
Robeco High Yield Bonds make use of derivatives for hedging purposes as well as for investment purposes. These derivatives are very liquid.
The fund does not distribute dividend. The income earned by the fund is reflected in its share price. The fund's entire result is thus reflected in its share price development.
The prime goal of integrating ESG factors in our analysis is to strengthen our ability to assess the downside risk of our credit investments. Our analysts include RobecoSAM sustainability data and use external sources to make an ESG assessment as a part of the fundamental analysis.
Robeco High Yield Bonds invests in corporate bonds with a sub-investment grade rating, issued primarily by US and European issuers. The portfolio is broadly diversified across circa 250 issuers, with a structural bias to the higher rated part in high yield (BB/B). Performance drivers are the top-down beta positioning as well as bottom-up issuer selection. The fund aims to outperform its index Barclays US Corporate High Yield & Pan European High Yield ex Financials 2.5% Issuer Cap. The index excludes high yield financials based on relatively high systematic risk, and applies an issuer cap to avoid concentration risk. The investment philosophy is based on managing a solid diversified portfolio with a long term view. Top-down beta positioning is based on the outcome of our credit quarterly outlook meeting, in which the team is discussing the fundamental market outlook, valuation of bond markets and market technicals. Bottom-up issuer research is executed by our credit analysts, who execute the fundamental analysis. The analysts research reports are being discussed in approx. 500 credit committees per year. In addition, a proprietary quant issuer selection model is used as an independent performance driver. The portfolio managers are responsible for the portfolio construction. A proprietary developed risk management approach avoids high risk concentration in the portfolio. Holdings in equities can only appear in the portfolio as a result of corporate actions and/or debt restructuring. It is not the intention of the portfolio manager to use options or swaptions. As the investment process is well-structured and proven over time, it contributes to repeatable performance delivery. The Robeco High Yield fund is managed by our credit team which consists of eight portfolio managers and thirteen credit analysts. Within the team, Sander Bus and Roeland Moraal are responsible for high yield. Sander has been involved in the fund since inception in 1998, Roeland joined in 2003. The portfolio managers are responsible for the construction and management of the credit portfolios, whereas the analysts cover the team's fundamental research. Duration of the portfolio is managed in line with the index and currency exposure is hedged.
Risk management is fully embedded in the investment process to ensure that positions always meet predefined guidelines.
The strength of the US high yield market has surprised us this year. Despite our repeated concerns about corporate leverage and too much risk appetite, it is only now that we are seeing markets beginning to react as they have clearly done in December. The emperor is naked now, people realize it and a recession is being discussed. We expect fundamentals to become more important than technicals in 2019. On a more positive note, credit has been in a bear market now for already 9 months. Typically, it should last another 6 months or so, not more. We are patient in this rolling bear market and expect to see better investment opportunities in 2019. Valuations in some parts of the market have adjusted already and are entering attractive levels. Market technicals are still weak. The reduction of treasuries on the Federal Reserve balance sheet is weighing on USD liquidity. Combined with the end of QE in Europe and wider credit spreads, monetary conditions are now becoming significantly tighter. In this respect, we expect 2019 to be a turning point too. Central banks will have to change their course in 2019 to a more neutral stance. We keep our beta close to one.
Mr. Bus is Head of the Credit team and manages our high yield portfolios. Prior to joining Robeco in 1998, Mr. Bus worked for Rabobank as a fixed income analyst for two years. Mr. Bus holds a Master's degree in Financial Economics from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. He became a CFA charter holder in 2003 and is registered with the Dutch Securities Institute. Mr. Bus has been active in the industry since 1996. Mr. Roeland Moraal, Vice President, CEFA, Portfolio Manager. Roeland is a Senior Portfolio Manager High Yield within Robeco's Credit team since January 2004. Before assuming this role, he was portfolio manager in our Rates team for two years and worked as an analyst with the Institute for Research and Investment Services for three years. Roeland started his career in the investment industry in 1997 at Robeco. He holds a Master's degree in applied mathematics from the University of Twente and a Master's degree in Law from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Roeland became a CEFA charter holder in 2000 and he is registered with the Dutch Securities Institute.
The Robeco High Yield fund is managed within Robeco’s credit team, which consists of nine portfolio managers and twenty-three credit analysts. The portfolio managers are responsible for the construction and management of the credit portfolios, whereas the analysts cover the team’s fundamental research. Our analysts have long term experience in their respective sectors which they cover globally. Each analyst covers both investment grade and high yield, providing them an information advantage and benefiting from inefficiencies that traditionally exist between the two segmented markets. Furthermore, the credit team is supported by three dedicated quantitative researchers and four fixed income traders. On average, the members of the credit team have an experience in the asset management industry of seventeen years, of which eight years with Robeco.
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ISIN | LU0398248921 |
Bloomberg | RGHYBID LX |
Valoren | 3251005 |
WKN | A0YFGL |
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1st quotation date | 1231804800000 |
Close financial year | 31-12 |
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The fund is established in Luxembourg and is subject to the Luxembourg tax laws and regulations. The fund is not liable to pay any corporation, income, dividend or capital gains tax in Luxembourg. The fund is subject to an annual subscription tax ('tax d'abonnement') in Luxembourg, which amounts to 0.01% of the net asset value of the fund. This tax is included in the net asset value of the fund. The fund can in principle use the Luxembourg treaty network to partially recover any withholding tax on its income.
Investors who are not subject to (exempt from) Dutch corporate-income tax (e.g. pension funds) are not taxed on the achieved result. Investors who are subject to Dutch corporate-income tax can be taxed for the result achieved on their investment in the fund. Dutch bodies that are subject to corporate-income tax are obligated to declare interest and dividend income, as well as capital gains in their tax return. Investors residing outside the Netherlands are subject to their respective national tax regime applying to foreign investment funds. We advise individual investors to consult their financial or tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in this fund in their specific circumstances before deciding to invest in the fund.