Methodology.
Seven key areas will be evaluated and factored into an Foresight Analytics rating of a managed fund. These are:
- Corporate and Fund Structure – the way investors can assess the fund or investment and the discharge of fiduciary duties by the responsible entity or sponsor are considered important aspects of the analysis.
- Business Management – a key factor in the rating is the experience of the business management team as well and the business and investor reporting systems.
- Operational Capability – operational aspects reviewed include the competency of the service providers to the fund, information technology used by the manager, procedures for handling cash and personal trading policies.
- Investment Process – the process applied by the manager to construct the portfolio, manage portfolio risk, maintain custody of the securities, and use leverage are evaluated. The experience of the investment team to manage the strategy, their interaction and professionalism are factors also considered in the analysis.
- Risk Management – an assessment is conducted of the framework to manage investment risks in a controlled and independent manner.
- Past Performance – recent performance of the fund is evaluated to provide insight into the ability of the manager to achieve stated investment objectives and relative performance to peers.
- Economic Cycle and Fund Style – in forming a forward looking view of the fund, the style of fund and its investment objectives are considered in the context of the economic cycle and outlook. For example, a small-cap equity fund may underperform in a period of increasing interest rates.