Harris | Oakmark’s international investment team addresses several of the most important questions facing investors today. The discussion explores why international equities may play a valuable role in portfolios increasingly concentrated in U.S. stocks, how currency movements can affect companies and shareholder returns and where the team is finding selective opportunities in Japan amid higher valuations and a strengthening yen. The team also explains how the portfolio’s quality and risk profile have improved without compromising its value discipline, how a growing pipeline of new ideas is raising the bar for existing holdings, and how rigorous thesis reviews inform decisions to buy, hold or sell.
Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice and are not intended as recommendations of individual stocks.
All investments carry a certain degree of risk, including possible loss of principal. There is no assurance that an investment will provide positive performance over any time period. Equity investments are subject to market risk or the risk that stocks will decline in response to such factors as adverse company news or industry developments or a general economic decline. Non-U.S. investments involve risks such as currency fluctuation, political and economic instability, lack of liquidity and differing legal and accounting standards. These risks are magnified in emerging markets. Value stocks may fall out of favor with investors and underperform growth stocks during given periods
This material is not intended to be a recommendation or investment advice, does not constitute a solicitation to buy, sell or hold a security or an investment strategy, and is not provided in a fiduciary capacity. The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on an investor’s objectives and circumstances and in consultation with his or her advisors.
The information, data, analyses, and opinions presented herein (including current investment themes, the portfolio managers’ research and investment process, and portfolio characteristics) are for informational purposes only and represent the investments and views of the portfolio managers and Harris Associates L.P. as of the date written and are subject to change and may change based on market and other conditions and without notice. This content is not a recommendation of or an offer to buy or sell a security and is not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate.
Certain comments herein are based on current expectations and are considered “forward-looking statements”. These forward looking statements reflect assumptions and analyses made by the portfolio managers and Harris Associates L.P. based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors they believe are relevant. Actual future results are subject to a number of investment and other risks and may prove to be different from expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements.
The specific securities identified and described in this report do not represent all the securities purchased, sold, or recommended to advisory clients. There is no assurance that any securities discussed herein will remain in an account’s portfolio at the time one receives this report or that securities sold have not been repurchased. It should not be assumed that any of the securities, transactions, or holdings discussed herein were or will prove to be profitable.
The STOXX Europe 600, also called STOXX 600, SXXP, is a stock index of European stocks designed by STOXX Ltd. This index has a fixed number of 600 components representing large, mid and small capitalization companies among 17 European countries, covering approximately 90% of the free-float market capitalization of the European stock market. This index is unmanaged and investors cannot invest directly in this index.
The MSCI World ex USA Index (Net) is a free float-adjusted, market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure international developed market equity performance, excluding the U.S. The index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. This benchmark calculates reinvested dividends net of withholding taxes. This index is unmanaged and investors cannot invest directly in this index.
The MSCI World ex USA Value Index (Net) represents returns for large- and mid-cap securities exhibiting overall value style characteristics across 22 of 23 Developed Markets (excluding the United States). The value investment style characteristics for index construction are based on book value-to-price, 12-month forward earnings-to-price, and dividend yield. The Total Return Index (Net) includes reinvested dividends net of foreign withholding tax. This index is unmanaged and investors cannot invest directly in this index.
