Fund of the Week: Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Welcome to MutualFunds.com

Please help us personalize your experience and select the one that best describes you.

Your personalized experience is almost ready.

Join other Individual Investors receiving FREE personalized market updates and research. Join other Institutional Investors receiving FREE personalized market updates and research. Join other Financial Advisors receiving FREE personalized market updates and research.
Not interested

Thank you!

Check your email and confirm your subscription to complete your personalized experience.

Thank you for your submission

We hope you enjoy your experience

Channels

Fixed Income Channel

Fixed income news, reports, video and more.

Municipal Bonds Channel

Municipal bonds news, reports, video and more.

Practice Management Channel

Practice management news, reports, video and more.

Portfolio Management Channel

Portfolio management news, reports, video and more.

Retirement Channel

Retirement news, reports, video and more.

Strategists Channel

Learn from industry thought leaders and expert market participants.

Charles Schwab IMPACT 2019 Channel

Find the latest content and information here about the 2019 Charles Schwab Impact Conference.

Screener
Funds
Categories

18 Most Popular Mutual Fund Categories

Canada Equity Funds Global Equity Funds Micro-Cap Equity Funds Precious Metals Equity Funds Water Equity Funds
Consumer Staples Funds US Funds China Funds Israel Funds Retirement Income Funds
Bear Market Strategy Funds Market Neutral Funds Alternative Funds Commodity Funds
Currency Funds Mortgage-Backed Securities Funds High Yield Municipal Bond Funds Money Market Funds

View All Categories

Fund Companies

15 Most Popular Fund Companies

Vanguard Fidelity Investments American Funds T. Rowe Price
JPMorgan BlackRock Dimensional Fund Advisors Franklin Templeton
PIMCO Goldman Sachs Federated MFS
Charles Schwab John Hancock Invesco

View All Fund Companies

15 Most Popular Fund Company Quick Screens

Vanguard Index Funds Vanguard Retirement Funds Vanguard Money Market Funds Fidelity Index Funds
Fidelity Money Market Funds Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Equity Funds American Balanced Funds T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Equity Funds
Blackrock Global Allocation Funds Franklin Income Funds PIMCO Income Funds Charles Schwab Index Funds
Charles Schwab Money Market Funds Invesco Real Estate Funds Matthews Asia International Funds

View All Fund Company Quick Screens

Articles

Articles

Mutual Fund Education Index Fund Center Domestic Stock Funds International and Global Stock Funds Target-Date Funds
Fixed-Income Funds Asset Allocation Specialized Funds Enhanced Index Funds Actively Managed Funds
No-Load Funds Bond Funds Equity Funds Hybrid Funds Resources For Mutual Fund Investors
Q&As and Interviews Lighter Side: Quizzes and More Taxation Expert Analysis and Commentary News
Advisors

Advisor Access

Receive email updates about fund flows, news, upcoming CE accredited webcasts from industry thought leaders and more.

Practice Management

Content focused on helping financial advisors build successful client relationships and grow their business.

Portfolio Management

Content geared towards helping financial advisors build better client portfolios.

Expert Opinion

Get insights on the industry trends and investment news from leading fund managers and experts.

Advisor Access
You have successfully subscribed to Advisor Access. Thank you!
Help us personalize your experience.
Which type of investor describes you best?
Help us personalize your experience.
What is your AUM?
Knowing your investable assets will help us build and prioritize features that will suit your investment needs.

Congratulations on personalizing your experience.

Email is verified. Thank you!

Fund of the Week: Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Stoyan Bojinov

|

Matthews Asia Growth Fund
Asia-Pacific markets saw a jolt of euphoria on the last trading day of October after the Bank of Japan announced it would be ramping up its ongoing stimulus measures in an effort to spur economic growth in the country. The Federal Reserve-like liquidity pump announcement is still resonating well among investors overseas, which is why this week we’re turning our spotlight to a mutual fund focused on opportunities across Asian markets.
Given the export-heavy nature of most economies in the region, namely Japan, the recent stimulus announcement should serve as a tailwind as it offers strength for the U.S. dollar; this should in turn increase consumption of foreign goods, which would drive up the profits of exporters, especially Japanese firms with a global presence.

In light of the central bank-induced euphoria in the region, this week we will be focusing on foreign equities by taking a look at the Matthews Asia Growth Fund (MPACX) – our fund of the week for November 12.

Inside the Fund

The Matthews Asia Growth Fund was launched in October of 2003 and is managed by Taizo Ishida. The fund currently has approximately $862 million in assets under management (AUM).

The fund features exposure to all countries and markets in Asia, including developed and emerging nations. With that being said, over 40% of the fund’s asset are allocated to Japanese stocks, with China accounting for the second largest allocation at around 15%.

Historical Performance

2010 2011 2012 2013 YTD
26.85% -12.70% 17.47% 19.35% 5.01%
Matthews Asia Growth Fund’s Largest Holdings

This fund is fairly well-balanced seeing as how the top five holdings account for less than 20% of total assets. In terms of sectors, MPACX is heavily skewed towards consumer-focused stocks, with staples and discretionary companies each accounting for 20% of total assets.

Ticker Stock Portfolio Weight YTD Performance
TOYOF Toyota Motor Corp 4.94% 8.30%
ORXCF Orix Corp 4.74% -13.90%
SSMXF Sysmex Corporation 2.65% 56.55%
SFTBF SOFTBANK Corp 2.43% -13.90%
MBFJF Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc 2.41% -6.59%

The Bottom Line

This fund offers a fairly well-balanced portfolio for anyone looking to access Asian markets. The fund’s bias towards Japan might make it more appealing to conservative investors who are otherwise wary of dipping their toes in neighboring emerging markets. This fund warrants a closer look from anyone looking to favorably position themselves in anticipation of continued strength across Asian markets.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, sign up for the free MutualFunds.com newsletter; we’ll send you similar content weekly.

Sign up for Advisor Access

Receive email updates about best performers, news, CE accredited webcasts and more.

Popular Articles

Download our free report

Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.

Why 30 trillion is invested in mutual funds book

Why 30 trillion is invested in mutual funds book

Download our free report

Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.

Why 30 trillion is invested in mutual funds book

Download our free report

Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.

Read Next

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Fund of the Week: Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Stoyan Bojinov

|

Asia-Pacific markets saw a jolt of euphoria on the last trading day of October after the Bank of Japan announced it would be ramping up its ongoing stimulus measures in an effort to spur economic growth in the country. The Federal Reserve-like liquidity pump announcement is still resonating well among investors overseas, which is why this week we’re turning our spotlight to a mutual fund focused on opportunities across Asian markets.
Given the export-heavy nature of most economies in the region, namely Japan, the recent stimulus announcement should serve as a tailwind as it offers strength for the U.S. dollar; this should in turn increase consumption of foreign goods, which would drive up the profits of exporters, especially Japanese firms with a global presence.

In light of the central bank-induced euphoria in the region, this week we will be focusing on foreign equities by taking a look at the Matthews Asia Growth Fund (MPACX) – our fund of the week for November 12.

Inside the Fund

The Matthews Asia Growth Fund was launched in October of 2003 and is managed by Taizo Ishida. The fund currently has approximately $862 million in assets under management (AUM).

The fund features exposure to all countries and markets in Asia, including developed and emerging nations. With that being said, over 40% of the fund’s asset are allocated to Japanese stocks, with China accounting for the second largest allocation at around 15%.

Historical Performance

2010 2011 2012 2013 YTD
26.85% -12.70% 17.47% 19.35% 5.01%
Matthews Asia Growth Fund’s Largest Holdings

This fund is fairly well-balanced seeing as how the top five holdings account for less than 20% of total assets. In terms of sectors, MPACX is heavily skewed towards consumer-focused stocks, with staples and discretionary companies each accounting for 20% of total assets.

Ticker Stock Portfolio Weight YTD Performance
TOYOF Toyota Motor Corp 4.94% 8.30%
ORXCF Orix Corp 4.74% -13.90%
SSMXF Sysmex Corporation 2.65% 56.55%
SFTBF SOFTBANK Corp 2.43% -13.90%
MBFJF Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc 2.41% -6.59%

The Bottom Line

This fund offers a fairly well-balanced portfolio for anyone looking to access Asian markets. The fund’s bias towards Japan might make it more appealing to conservative investors who are otherwise wary of dipping their toes in neighboring emerging markets. This fund warrants a closer look from anyone looking to favorably position themselves in anticipation of continued strength across Asian markets.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, sign up for the free MutualFunds.com newsletter; we’ll send you similar content weekly.

Sign up for Advisor Access

Receive email updates about best performers, news, CE accredited webcasts and more.

Popular Articles

Download our free report

Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.

Why 30 trillion is invested in mutual funds book

Why 30 trillion is invested in mutual funds book

Download our free report

Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.

Why 30 trillion is invested in mutual funds book

Download our free report

Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.

Read Next

Advertisement

×

Wait! Do you know all the important aspects of mutual funds?

×

Free Advisor Access newsletter emailed to you.

Receive free and exclusive email updates for financial advisors about best performers, news, CE accredited webcasts and more.

Sign up for Advisor Access

Receive email updates about best performers, news, CE accredited webcasts and more.

Disclaimer: By registering, you agree to share your data with MutualFunds.com and opt-in to receiving occasional communications about projects and events. The contents of this form are subject to the MutualFunds.com Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.

X