Analysis of the Polen US Focus Growth Fund

Andrea Sepúlveda Muñoz, Consultant - LatamSelf

The Polen US Focus Growth fund is a Luxembourg-domiciled fund that seeks long-term capital appreciation by primarily investing in a concentrated portfolio of equity instruments of American companies. First and foremost, it is essential to note, as we have always emphasized, that this is an equity fund. Therefore, it is suitable for investors who understand how a portfolio of this type operates, meaning those comfortable with a reasonable level of volatility. Additionally, this fund is relatively concentrated, typically holding 20 to 30 instruments, making it more suitable for investors looking to enhance a focused, high-conviction portfolio in the United States with a growth style. The fund benchmarks against the S&P 500 and the Russell 1000 Growth indices, but the portfolio manager actively manages it, enjoying the freedom to determine the portfolio composition through a Bottom-Up selection process.

A crucial feature of this fund is its Article 8 classification under SFDR, indicating that there is an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) methodology implemented in its investment policy and process. This means that the investment team ensures that the companies in which the fund invests give special consideration to sustainability and proper protection of Environmental, Social, and Governance factors. This Article 8 classification guarantees an explicit treatment of these factors in the investment process of the strategy. Furthermore, the investment team comprises experienced professionals, with an average of over 15 years of experience. This is a key aspect. We have previously discussed the importance of having an experienced team because, in investments, unlike other industries, experience becomes particularly valuable, given that more years of experience often means having navigated through various market crises. As of the end of October 2023, this strategy managed over USD 2.8 billion in assets.