Snapshot
- Seeks alpha in Asia’s emerging economies by capitalizing on the rising Asia consumer
- High-conviction equity portfolio focused on sustainable growth companies
- All-cap fundamental approach driven by on-the-ground, proprietary research
09/12/1994
Inception Date
-1.29%
YTD Return
(as of 06/07/2023)
$19.90
NAV
(as of 06/07/2023)
-0.10
1 Day NAV Change
(as of 06/07/2023)
Objective
Long-term capital appreciation
Strategy
Under normal circumstances, the Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia Ex Japan. The Fund seeks to invest in companies capable of sustainable growth based on the fundamental characteristics of those companies, including balance sheet information; number of employees; size and stability of cash flow; management’s depth, adaptability and integrity; product lines; marketing strategies; corporate governance; and financial health.
Risks
Investments in Asian securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Investing in emerging and frontier markets involves different and greater risks, as these countries are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets.
These and other risks associated with investing in the Fund can be found in the prospectus.
Fund Facts
| Inception Date | 09/12/1994 | |
| Fund Assets | $3.61 billion (05/31/2023) | |
| Currency | USD | |
| Ticker | MAPTX | |
| Cusip | 577-130-107 | |
| Portfolio Turnover | 5.6% | |
| Benchmark | MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index | |
| Geographic Focus | Asia Ex Japan - Consists of all countries and markets in Asia, including developed, emerging, and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region, excluding Japan | |
Fees & Expenses
| Gross Expense Ratio | 1.10% | |
| Net Expense Ratio | 1.09% | |
| Objective | Long-term capital appreciation |
| Strategy | Under normal circumstances, the Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia Ex Japan. The Fund seeks to invest in companies capable of sustainable growth based on the fundamental characteristics of those companies, including balance sheet information; number of employees; size and stability of cash flow; management’s depth, adaptability and integrity; product lines; marketing strategies; corporate governance; and financial health. |
| Risks |
Investments in Asian securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Investing in emerging and frontier markets involves different and greater risks, as these countries are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets.
The risks associated with investing in the Fund can be found in the prospectus |
Performance
- Monthly
- Quarterly
- Calendar Year
As of 05/31/2023
As of 03/31/2023
For the years ended December 31st
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index since inception value calculated from 08/31/94.
Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. All performance is in US$.
Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund’s fees and expenses had not been waived. Performance differences between the Institutional class and the Investor class may arise due to differences in fees charged to each class.
Additional performance, attribution, liquidity, value at risk (VaR), security classification and holdings information is available on request for certain time periods.
Growth of a Hypothetical $10,000 Investment Since Inception
(as of 03/31/2023)Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. All performance is in US$.
The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gain distributions or redemption of fund shares.
Ratings
(as of 03/31/2023)
CATEGORY: Pacific/Asia ex-Japan Stk
| OVERALL | 3 stars | out of 48 funds |
| 3 YEAR | 3 stars | out of 48 funds |
| 5 YEAR | 3 stars | out of 46 funds |
| 10 YEAR | 3 stars | out of 32 funds |
(as of 03/31/2023)
CATEGORY: Pacific Ex Japan Funds
| 1 YEAR | 3rd | 17 out of 32 funds |
| 3 YEAR | 2nd | 16 out of 31 funds |
| 5 YEAR | 3rd | 23 out of 30 funds |
| 10 YEAR | 2nd | 9 out of 18 funds |
| SINCE INCEPTION | 2nd | 2 out of 4 funds |
Ratings agency calculation methodology
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. High ratings and rankings does not assure favorable performance.
The Overall Morningstar® Rating for a fund is derived from a weighted-average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five- and (if applicable) ten-year ratings.
Morningstar RatingTM for funds, or "star rating", is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange-traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product's monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The Morningstar Rating does not include any adjustment for sales loads. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods.
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., rankings are based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods. Funds are assigned a rank within a universe of funds similar in investment objective as determined by Lipper. For the absolute rankings shown the lower the number rank, the better the Fund performed compared to other funds in the classification group. Lipper also calculates a quartile ranking which divides the peer group into quartiles to identify funds of similar quality. Funds in the 1st or 2nd quartile had outperformed the average fund in the peer group while funds in the 3rd or 4th quartile had underperformed.
Portfolio Managers
Sharat Shroff, CFA
Lead Manager
Sharat Shroff, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Sharat Shroff is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews and manages the firm’s Pacific Tiger and Asia ex Japan Total Return Equity Strategies and co-manages the India Strategy. Prior to joining Matthews in 2005, Sharat worked in the San Francisco and Hong Kong offices of Morgan Stanley as an Equity Research Associate. Sharat received a Bachelor of Technology from the Institute of Technology in Varanasi, India and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, in Calcutta, India. He is fluent in Hindi and Bengali.
Inbok Song
Lead Manager
Inbok Song
Portfolio Manager
Inbok Song is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews and manages the firm’s Pacific Tiger Strategy and co-manages the Asia ex Japan Total Return Equity, Emerging Markets Sustainable Future and Asia Innovators Strategies. Prior to rejoining Matthews in 2019, Inbok spent three years at Seafarer Capital Partners as a portfolio manager, the firm’s Director of Research and chief data scientist. Previously she was at Thornburg Investment Management as an associate portfolio manager. From 2007 to 2015, she was at Matthews, most recently as a portfolio manager. From 2005 to 2006, Inbok served as an Analyst and Technology Specialist at T. Stone Corp., a private equity firm in Seoul, South Korea. From 2004 to 2005, she was a research engineer for Samsung SDI in Seoul. Inbok received both a B.A. and Masters in Materials Science and Engineering from Seoul National University. She received a Masters in International Management from the University of London, King’s College, and also an M.A. in Management Science and Engineering, with a concentration in finance from Stanford University. Inbok is fluent in Korean.
Winnie Chwang
Co-Manager
Winnie Chwang
Portfolio Manager
Winnie Chwang is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews and manages the firm’s China Small Companies and China Dividend Strategies and co-manages the China, Pacific Tiger and Asia Dividend Strategies. She joined the firm in 2004 and has built her investment career at the firm. Winnie earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business and received her B.A. in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley. She is fluent in Mandarin and conversational in Cantonese.
Andrew Mattock, CFA
Co-Manager
Andrew Mattock, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Andrew Mattock is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews and manages the firm’s China, China Small Companies and China A-Share Strategies and co-manages the Pacific Tiger, China Dividend and Emerging Markets Equity Strategies. Prior to joining Matthews in 2015, he was a Fund Manager at Henderson Global Investors for 15 years, first in London and then in Singapore, managing Asia Pacific equities. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting from ACU. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Portfolio Characteristics
(as of 03/31/2023)Sources: Factset Research Systems, Inc.
Risk Metrics (3 Yr Return)
(as of 03/31/2023)1.21%
Alpha
1.06
Beta
105.14%
Upside Capture
99.27%
Downside Capture
0.35
Sharpe Ratio
0.29
Information Ratio
5.13%
Tracking Error
94.99
R²
Fund Risk Metrics are reflective of Investor share class.
Sources: Zephyr StyleADVISOR
Top 10 Holdings
(as of 05/31/2023)Top 10 holdings may combine more than one security from the same issuer and related depositary receipts.
Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
Portfolio Breakdown (%)
(as of 03/31/2023)- Sector Allocation
- Country Allocation
- Market Cap Exposure
Sector data based on MSCI’s revised Global Industry Classification Standards. For more details, visit www.msci.com.
Not all countries are included in the benchmark index(es).
Source: FactSet Research Systems.
Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.
Distributions
Explore our Latest Research & Insights
Visit our Glossary of Terms page for definitions and additional information.
The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI China Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of Chinese equities that includes H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China) and foreign listings (e.g. ADRs).
The MSCI China All Shares Index captures large and mid-cap representation across China A shares, B shares, H shares, Red chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China), P chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g. ADRs). The index aims to reflect the opportunity set of China share classes listed in Hong Kong,Shanghai, Shenzhen and outside of China.
The MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Asia Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index of the stock markets of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that captures large and mid cap representation across 23 of the 24 Emerging Markets (EM) countries excluding China: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted small cap index of the stock markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungry, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The S&P Bombay Stock Exchange 100 (S&P BSE 100) Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of 100 stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The MSCI Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of Japanese equities listed in Japan.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) is a market capitalization–weighted index of all common stocks listed on the Korea Stock Exchange.
The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted small cap index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI China Small Cap Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted small cap index of the Chinese equity securities markets, including H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges,Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red Chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g., ADRs).
The MSCI India Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of Indian equities listed in India.
The MSCI Korea Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of Korean equities listed in Korea.
The information contained herein has been derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of compilation, but no representation or warranty (express or implied) is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of this information. Neither the funds nor the Investment Advisor accept any liability for losses either direct or consequential caused by the use of this information.
The views and opinions in the commentary were as of the report date, subject to change and may not reflect current views. They are not guarantees of performance or investment results and should not be taken as investment advice. Investment decisions reflect a variety of factors, and the managers reserve the right to change their views about individual stocks, sectors, and the markets at any time. As a result, the views expressed should not be relied upon as a forecast of the Fund's future investment intent. It should not be assumed that any investment will be profitable or will equal the performance of any securities or any sectors mentioned herein. The information does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any securities mentioned.
Commentary
Period ended March 31, 2023
For the quarter ending March 31, 2023, the Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund returned 4.32% (Investor Class) and 4.37% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index, returned 4.39% over the same period.
Market Environment:
The first quarter of the year was positive, albeit volatile, for emerging markets and Asia following a broadly difficult 2022 for most major equity markets. Chinese equities grinded higher with considerable volatility after strong rebound from October bottom in 2022. The country’s lifting of its long-standing COVID restrictions allowed for a ‘more normal’ Chinese New Year celebration helping to boost consumption indicators especially those focused on domestic tourism and local services. However, more widespread consumption recovery seems to be rather slow and gradual as it is also conditioned to the property market and broad-based employment improvement. On the other hand, continued U.S. interest rates increase amid rather sticky inflation data caused market volatility as markets priced in a ‘higher for longer’ Fed Funds rate. Central banks in Asia didn’t follow the Fed’s path and stronger fiscal situation of the Asian countries were generally supportive for their currencies. All in, it was a positive start to the year for most Asia markets with India being notable exception. Indian equities were the region’s laggard in the quarter with elevated valuations from last year’s strong performance.
Performance Contributors and Detractors:
From a country perspective, Taiwan and South Korea contributed the most to the Fund’s absolute performance. Information technology companies in Taiwan, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, a multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing company, Accton Technology Corporation, which primarily engages in the development and manufacture of networking and communication solutions, and MediaTek, one the largest global fabless semiconductor company, were among the top contributors as they reported better-than-expected earnings, where market expectation was low to begin with. Additionally, a stock selection in South Korea, Samsung Engineering contributed to performance given its continued success in procuring orders and improved margin management.
On the other hand, the biggest detractor from relative performance was the weaker stock selection in China led by a handful of positions in the consumer discretionary sector. E-commerce company JD.com, food-delivery service company Meituan and the a leading duty free shop operator, China Tourism Group were among the weakest performers albeit the businesses are well positioned to participate in the normalization of economic activity in the country.
Notable Portfolio Changes:
The first quarter of the year was a relatively quieter period for the Fund as no major directional shifts were implemented. The biggest active risk in the portfolio stems from a heavier allocation to domestic consumption in China, a bigger position in some of the platform businesses with clear competitive advantages, and a continued belief about a pickup in investment activity in India. Additionally, the Fund’s underweight in South Korea reflects some concern on the outlook for global growth.
Outlook:
Asia’s equity markets partly reversed some of the trends from the last calendar year with Taiwanese and South Korea outperforming India significantly. There was wide divergence in sectoral performance with information technology and telecom services gaining over utilities. There wasn’t any meaningful dispersion between the growth and value version of the MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index. It is notable that the yield environment in many parts of Asia was relatively steadier compared to U.S. Much of the gains in Asia have been driven by multiple expansion. Looking ahead, we continue to expect China and India to deliver mid-to-high-teens rate of growth over the next two years led by post COVID-19 reopening/normalization and recovery in margin. Valuations across Asia look fair although it does mask wide disparity across different countries—China still looks inexpensive, while India is trading at a premium to other Emerging Markets, although that premium has eroded in the past six months.
Top 10 holdings as of March 31, 2023. Current and future holdings are subject to change and risk.
Average Annual Total Returns - MAPTX as of 03/31/2023
All performance quoted is past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with changing market conditions so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. Please see the Fund's most recent month-end performance.
Fees & Expenses
Matthews has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to limit the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses until April 30, 2024. Please see the Fund’s prospectus for additional details.
Investments in Asian securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Investing in emerging and frontier markets involves different and greater risks, as these countries are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets.