Financials is a value sector – typically cheap and quite frequently not so cheerful. Or is it? We believe that select high quality companies within financials do exist and make excellent candidates for our portfolios. Well-managed companies with strong intangible assets in balance-sheet light subsectors such as exchanges, payments and insurance niches can achieve the combination of high returns, moderate cyclicality and recurring revenues that we favour.

While society may be driven by immediate rewards, the International Equity team would argue that patience in investing leads to enduring results and positive long-term investment outcomes.

As artificial intelligence enters its next chapter, the early winners of the “AI gold rush” have been the semiconductor and cloud computing providers. But the surge in generative AI also included two surprises: the speed of consumer adoption and the lack of barriers to entry. While the full impact of AI remains unclear, the International Equity Team continues to invest through its high-quality lens, focusing on further opportunities in cost reduction and value creation, and with an eye on risks.

In the world of M&A, not all acquirers are equal. The International Equity Team is cautious of M&A, typically a high-risk choice for a company’s capital allocation. But there are companies out there—some of which they own—with a track record of relatively low-risk acquisitions that add meaningfully to shareholder returns. Good acquirers are a rare breed, but there are common characteristics to their strategies that suggest it is a repeatable process.

The latest edition of Engage, the International Equity Team’s semi-annual update on their ESG engagement activity.

Across the globe, stakeholders – including the International Equity Team – are pushing companies for greater transparency and accountability on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The team discusses.

Blockchain technology not only underpins cryptocurrencies but has the potential to alter existing industry dynamics and encourage cooperation among natural competitors, resulting in greater efficiencies and higher quality. Alex Gabriele of the International Equity team explains.