RobecoSAM Smart Materials Equities I USD
- Forward-looking concept — Focus on companies that benefit from structural changes resulting from resource scarcity. The fund invests in companies offering products and services that substitute existing materials and processes
- Focus areas — Invests in structural winners along the materials value chain. The most interesting and fastest-growing focus areas are electric mobility, robotics and lightweight materials.
About this fund
Price development
Performance
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundPerformances.date,'llll') ]}}| Fund | Index | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | ||
| 3 months | ||
| YTD | ||
| 1 year | ||
| 2 years | ||
| 3 years | ||
| 5 years | ||
| 10 years | ||
| {{'fund.detail.performance.period.sinceInception' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundPerformances.sinceStart.startDate,'MM-YYYY') ]}} |
Annualized (for periods longer than one year).
Cumulized (total amount of return).
Performances are gross of fees and based on closing values. In reality, costs (such as management fees and other costs) are charged. These have a negative effect on the returns shown.
Performances are net of fees and based on transaction prices.
| Fund | Reference index | |
|---|---|---|
Annualized (for periods longer than one year).
Cumulized (total amount of return).
Performances are gross of fees and based on closing values. In reality, costs (such as management fees and other costs) are charged. These have a negative effect on the returns shown.
Performances are net of fees and based on transaction prices.
Performance explanation
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundInvestmentExplanations.date,'llll') ]}}Based on transaction prices, the fund's return was -8.63%. The performance of the Transformational Materials cluster was very much in line with the strategy. Lightweight Materials slightly outperformed, mainly due to Kaiser Aluminum, the US aluminum producer, as its share price benefited from the strong increase in the price of aluminum on the back of the Russia-Ukraine war. In Circular Systems, the auto parts recycler LKQ rebounded from recent weakness and posted solid results, beating consensus and raising FY22 guidance. Industrial gases companies in Cleaner Industrial Solutions beat consensus expectations and once again showed successful management of rising energy costs with pass-through contracts. . In Automation and Process Control, ONTO tracked the negative performance of the broader semiconductor sector, while Teradyne had a muted reaction on a positive set of results. The Software sub-cluster was up slightly, driven by PTC's and Dassault's solid and resilient results. Robotics and laser stocks were down slightly during the month, with ABB, Fanuc and Yaskawa posting mixed results with stronger-than-expected orders and disappointing top-line growth and profitability, hampered by supply chain issues and Covid-19 restrictions in China.
Statistics
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate( (fund.fundStatistics.date?fund.fundStatistics.date:fund.fundCharacteristics.date) ,'llll') ]}}| 3 years | 5 years | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracking error ex-post (%) |
|
||
| Information ratio | |||
| Sharpe ratio | |||
| Alpha (%) | |||
| Beta |
|
||
| Standard deviation |
|
||
| Max. monthly gain (%) |
|
||
| Max. monthly loss (%) |
|
| 3 years | 5 years | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Months outperformance | |||
| Hit ratio (%) | |||
| Months Bull market | |||
| Months outperformance Bull | |||
| Hit ratio Bull (%) | |||
| Months Bear market | |||
| Months outperformance Bear | |||
| Hit ratio Bear (%) |
| Fund | Reference index | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | |||
| Option Adjusted Modified Duration (years) | |||
| Maturity (years) | |||
| Yield to Worst (%) | |||
| Green Bonds (%) |
Market development
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundInvestmentExplanations.date,'llll') ]}}In April, the Smart Materials theme continued to benefit from growing demand, but was exposed to market movements, which impacted performance. The strongest performance came from Process Technologies, with Analytical Instruments and Recycling and Disposal strong, while Software in Smart Manufacturing also benefited from good earnings. Efficient Lighting and Energy Storage in Transformational Materials were weakest over the month.
Fund allocation
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundAllocations.date,'llll') ]}}| Name | Sector | Weight |
|---|---|---|
Currency policy
The fund is allowed to pursue an active currency policy to generate extra returns and can engage in currency hedging transactions.
Dividend policy
In principle the fund does not intend to distribute dividend and so both the income earned by the fund and its overall performance are reflected in its share price.
ESG Integration policy
The fund's sustainable investment objective is to help mitigate the resource scarcity challenge within industries while supporting economic growth. Resource scarcity and sustainability considerations are incorporated in the investment process by the means of a target universe definition, exclusions, ESG integration, and voting. The fund only invests in companies that have a significant thematic fit as per Robeco's thematic universe methodology. Through screening on both Robeco's internally developed SDG Framework and Robeco’s exclusion policy, the fund does not invest in issuers that have a negative impact on the SDGs, are in breach of international norms or where products have been deemed controversial. Financially material ESG factors are integrated in the bottom-up fundamental investment analysis to assess existing and potential ESG risks and opportunities. In addition, where a stock issuer is flagged for breaching international standards in the ongoing monitoring, the issuer will become subject to exclusion. Lastly, the fund makes use of shareholder rights and applies proxy voting in accordance with Robeco's proxy voting policy.
Investment policy
RobecoSAM Smart Materials Equities is an actively managed fund that invests globally in companies that provide innovative materials and process technologies. The selection of these stocks is based on fundamental analysis. The fund has sustainable investment as its objective within the meaning of Article 9 of the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation. The fund fosters solutions to reduce resource intensity in the economy by investing in more efficient, scalable materials that have lower emissions over the lifetime, mainly investing in companies that advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Responsible Consumption and Production and Climate Action. The fund integrates ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) factors in the investment process and applies Robeco’s Good Governance policy. The fund applies sustainability indicators, including but not limited to, normative, activity-based and region-based exclusions, and proxy voting. The fund's aim is also to achieve a better return than the index. The strategy integrates sustainability criteria as part of the stock selection process and through a theme-specific sustainability assessment. The portfolio is built on the basis of an eligible investment universe that includes companies whose business models contribute to the thematic investment objectives. The assessment regarding relevant SDGs uses an internally developed framework, more information on which can be obtained at www.robeco.com/si. Benchmark: MSCI World Index TRN. The majority of stocks selected will be components of the benchmark, but stocks outside the benchmark may be selected too. While the investment policy is not constrained by a benchmark, the fund may use one for comparison purposes. The fund can deviate substantially from the issuer, country and sector weightings of the benchmark. There are no restrictions on the deviation from the benchmark. The benchmark is a broad market-weighted index that is not consistent with the sustainable objective of the fund.
Risk policy
Risk management is fully integrated into the investment process to ensure that positions always meet predefined guidelines.
Sustainability profile
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundFacts.date,'llll') ]}}
SDG Contribution
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundFacts.date,'llll') ]}}The SDG score shows to what extent the portfolio and the benchmark contribute to the 17 UN Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). Scores are assigned to each underlying company using the Robeco SDG Framework, which utilizes a three-step approach to calculate a company’s contribution to the relevant SDGs. The starting point is an assessment of the products offered by a company, followed by the way in which these products are produced, and finally whether the company is exposed to any controversies. The outcome is expressed in a final score which shows the extent to which a company impacts the SDGs on a scale from highly negative (dark red) to highly positive (dark blue). The bar shows the aggregate percentage exposure of the portfolio and the benchmark (shaded) to the different SDG scores. This is then also split out per SDG. As a company can have an impact on several SDGs (or none), the values shown in the report do not sum to 100%. More information on Robeco’s SDG Framework can be found at: https://www.robeco.com/docm/docu-robeco-explanation-sdg-framework.pdf
Sustainability
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundFacts.date,'llll') ]}}The fund's sustainable investment objective is to help mitigate the resource scarcity challenge within industries while supporting economic growth. Resource scarcity and sustainability considerations are incorporated in the investment process by the means of a target universe definition, exclusions, ESG integration, and voting. The fund only invests in companies that have a significant thematic fit as per Robeco's thematic universe methodology. Through screening on both Robeco's internally developed SDG Framework and Robeco’s exclusion policy, the fund does not invest in issuers that have a negative impact on the SDGs, are in breach of international norms or where products have been deemed controversial. Financially material ESG factors are integrated in the bottom-up fundamental investment analysis to assess existing and potential ESG risks and opportunities. In addition, where a stock issuer is flagged for breaching international standards in the ongoing monitoring, the issuer will become subject to exclusion. Lastly, the fund makes use of shareholder rights and applies proxy voting in accordance with Robeco's proxy voting policy.
Expectation of fund manager
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundFacts.date,'llll') ]}}Strong secular growth themes related to decreased emissions (net zero targets) and more efficient materials and production techniques (e.g. smart manufacturing) are impacting their respective sectors. More specifically, efficient building materials, 3D software, the Internet of Things and robotics companies are presenting attractive investment opportunities. In the Recycling and Circular Systems investment cluster, which focuses on reusing, recycling and repurposing plastics, attractive opportunities are leading to more circular business models.
Pieter Busscher, CFA
Pieter Busscher is the Lead Portfolio Manager responsible for the RobecoSAM Smart Materials Equities and RobecoSAM Smart Mobility Equities strategies. He focuses on sustainable growth opportunities in new materials, efficiency technologies, reuse of resources and new mobility solutions. He joined Robeco in 2007 as a Deputy Portfolio Manager for the Sustainable Water strategy. Pieter became the Lead Portfolio Manager for Smart Materials in 2009 and Deputy Portfolio Manager for Smart Mobility at its launch in 2018. Prior to joining Robeco, he worked at Credit Suisse Asset Management in Zurich. He studied International Business at RSM Erasmus University and Banking and Finance at the University of St. Gallen and is a CFA charterholder.
Details
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundFacts.date,'llll') ]}}| Management company | |
| Fund capital | |
| Size of share class | |
| Outstanding shares | |
| ISIN | LU2145464934 |
| Bloomberg | RSSMIUA LX |
| Valoren | 55753293 |
| WKN | A2QD21 |
| Availability | |
| 1st quotation date | 1603929600000 |
| Close financial year | 31-12 |
| Legal status | |
| Tracking error limit (%) | |
| Morningstar |
|
| Reference index |
Cost of this fund
{{'fund.detail.general.perDate' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundCosts.managementFees.date,'llll') ]}}Ongoing charges |
|
|---|---|
| This fund deducts ongoing charges of |
| These charges comprise | ||
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | ||
| Service fee | ||
Transaction costs |
|
|---|---|
| The expected transaction costs are |
Performance fee |
|
|---|---|
| This fund may also deduct a performance fee of |
Extra fees
| max entry fee | ||
| Max exit fee | ||
| Max sub fee | ||
| Max switch fee |
Fiscal product treatment
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.
Fiscal treatment of investor
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.
