Dawning of a new Epoch: $1 billion FUM from retail and SMSF demand

The Grant Samuel Epoch Global Equity Shareholder Yield funds have surpassed the $1 billion mark in assets under management, more than doubling in size over the past 12 months, says Mr Andrew McKinnon, chief executive officer of Grant Samuel Funds Management.

The funds are managed by New York-based equity manager, Epoch Investment Partners, having been launched to retail investors in Australia in May 2008 during the GFC. These funds are unique in the Australian market place, Mr McKinnon says.

Grant Samuel Epoch Global Equity Shareholder Yield Funds offer a globally diversified equity portfolio consisting primarily of listed global companies that have a history of attractive dividend yields and positive growth in free cash flow.

Mr William Priest, chief executive officer of Epoch and co-CIO says: “We believe the key to producing superior risk-adjusted returns is to focus on companies that are generating free cash flow and are run by management teams committed to deploying that free cash flow for the benefit of shareholders.

“This strategy identifies companies that return approximately 6 per cent of their market capitalisation to shareholders on a per annum basis in the form of cash dividends, share buybacks and debt reductions as well as possessing an annual underlying growth rate of free cash flow of at least three percent.”

These distributions are characterized as “shareholder yield” in that they represent capital returned to shareholders, Mr Priest says.

Mr McKinnon says there is no other global equity fund on offer in Australia with such characteristics.

“The funds are attractive because they offer lower volatility than most equity products and distribute high levels of income. This has proven to be of great interest to SMSF investors who desire capital growth with substantial income as an investment objective.”

The Grant Samuel Epoch Global Equity Shareholder Yield Funds provides income on a quarterly basis, which has great appeal to both superannuates and retirees drawing down a portion of their allocated pensions.

“About 20 per cent of the funds’ net cash-flows are from SMSF investors,” McKinnon says.

The $1 billion FUM milestone follows Grant Samuel’s decision to open offices in Perth and Brisbane in 2013, significantly increasing its business development capabilities.

The Grant Samuel Epoch Global Equity Shareholder Yield fund is on the platforms of all the major banks and life insurers. It has an A rating from van Eyk Research, a Recommended rating from Lonsec and Zenith and a Bronze rating from Morningstar.