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AXA’s new suite of retail unit trusts has been awarded a series of high ratings by leading research and fund rating house, ASSIRT - a week ahead of their formal launch on the Australian market.
National Marketing Manager, Retail Funds & Superannuation at AXA, Mick O’Brien, said ASSIRT’s decision to award five stars to the US Equity - Premier Growth Fund placed it far ahead of key competitors. Mr O’Brien said AXA’s Global Equity - Healthcare Fund, which invests predominantly in health care and pharmaceutical companies was also the only fund of its kind in Australia with a five star rating from ASSIRT. The unit trusts have been developed jointly by AXA and Alliance Capital Management L.P, one of the world’s largest fund managers with more than US$400 billion in assets under management. The two companies joined forces in late 2000 to form an Australian investment operation, Alliance Capital Management Australia (Alliance Capital), to give Australian investors access to Alliance’s globally integrated style and proven performance. In March this year, AXA launched the wholesale unit trust range that can be accessed via master trusts. The same range will be available to retail investors from next week. A further five of the new AXA Australia funds, including the Global Equity - Growth Fund, the Global Equity - Technology Fund, the Australian Income Fund Non-Guaranteed and both of the Australian Equity funds, have received a four star rating from ASSIRT, identifying them as very good funds with strong management, a sound investment strategy and solid past performance. “This makes the Global Equity - Technology Fund the highest rated technology fund in Australia,” Mr O’Brien said. “The ASSIRT ratings underline the fact that Australian retail investors will from next week have access to premium investment products utilising the top quality fund management capabilities provided by Alliance Capital Management”. In a recent review of the capabilities of Alliance Capital Management and AXA, ASSIRT’s finding were also very positive, with AXA’s overall business management, operating capability and asset allocation process receiving a ‘Strong’ rating. In relation to Alliance Capital’s investment management of international equities, ASSIRT commented: “The rigour of Alliance Capital Management L.P.’s analytical portfolio construction process has delivered strong relative performance in Global, US and specialist funds. Teams managing these products are highly experienced, with strong long-term performance records and team structures exhibiting stability and depth. This is a clear point of competitive differentiation for AXA.” CONTACT INFORMATION: AXA Asia Pacific: Media: Mark Triffitt 0413 876 810 Clara Robertson (03) 9618 4934 Investors: Robin Burns (+613) 9616 3631 |
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