Global Core Equity

The AB Approach

14 May 2020
3 min read

The Strategy…

AB Global Core Equity aims to deliver returns in excess of the broad global market through a combination of active stock selection and risk-controlled portfolio construction. We use a bottom-up approach to find and invest in attractively priced companies with sustainable returns on invested capital. The portfolio has a high active share and is diversified by sector, region, market cap and style, maintaining market-like risk characteristics.

Our stock-picking methodology applies long-term oriented fundamental research coupled with cash-flow based valuation models. We invest in around 60 stocks, which seeks to give enough concentration to offer material alpha potential, and enough diversification to concentrate risk on stock selection.

As fundamental stock-pickers we aim to ensure that most relative risk is stock specific by limiting factor and style risk exposures. We construct our portfolio seeking to minimize unintended risk exposures to different factors relative to the benchmark. This has generally meant that the strategy has a very high active share (above 90%) with a low tracking-error of 3-4% and a beta targeted to be between 0.95 and 1.05.

A Long History of Delivering consistent Outperformances for Clients

Cumulative Excess Returns in USD

A Long History of Delivering consistent Outperformances for Clients

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Data are pulmonary.
The previous history performance refers to a strategy started at Bankinvest, investment manager based in Denmark, in 1989. David Dalgas was responsible for this strategy beginning January 1, 2004 along with Klaus Ingemann. On March 31, 2010, these individuals left Bankinvest and started their own company, CPH Capital. performance of the strategy resumed on July 1, 2011, which is the start date of the composite. AB acquired CPH capital in June 2014. Period of more than one year annualized. This is supplemental information to the GIPS-compliant performance and disclosure page. The returns presented above our gross of fees. The results do not reflect the deduction of investment – management fees; the clients return will be reduced by the management fees and any other expenses incurred in the management of its account. For example, a US $100 million account paying a0.50%% annual fee With a given rate of 10% compounded over a 10-year. Would result in a net end of-C return of 9.5%. Investment advisory fees are described in part to a of AB’s form ADV.
Composite inception July 1, 2011. Gross of fees
As of December 31, 2019.
Source: Bankinvest, MSCI and AB; See important information and performance. disclosure.

…And Our Commitment to Clients' Success

AllianceBernstein is a leading global investment management firm that offers high-quality research and diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals and private wealth clients in major world markets. We are one of the largest investment management firms in the world, with US$623 billion in assets under management as of 31 December 2019.

Our global client base includes some of the world’s leading institutions as well as private wealth clients and retail investors. We maintain research, portfolio management, wealth-management and client service offices around the world, reflecting our global capabilities and the needs of our clients. Partnering closely with our clients, our research and portfolio management teams collaborate across asset classes, regions, sectors, and investment strategies to spark new thinking and deliver superior outcomes to keep our clients “Ahead of Tomorrow.”

Singular Focus: We believe our exclusive focus on asset management—without the potential distractions or conflicts associated with investment banking, insurance writing, commercial banking, or proprietary trading—helps us maintain a highly effective investment organization with a culture that exists solely to benefit our clients.

Defined by a Legacy of Research Excellence: We maintain large and experienced teams of in-house fundamental and quantitative analysts. We focus the full scope of our research expertise and innovation on the global investing landscape with the goal of making a difference for our clients.

Responsible Investor: As a global firm, we care deeply about environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and the impact they can have on the world and our clients’ financial interests. Our long-standing disciplined research process includes ESG factors, and our fundamental analysts carefully assess whether ESG factors could have a material impact on our forecasts and investment decisions. We take a three-pronged approach to active ownership—directly engaging with issuers as part of our research/investment process, utilizing an engagement framework to assist us in identifying companies we should engage with on ESG issues, and selectively engaging as part of our proxy voting process.

Committed to Delivering Better investment Outcomes for Our Clients
Diverse Perspectives Lead to Differentiated Insights and Innovative Solutions
Committed to Delivering Better investment Outcomes for Our Clients

ESG: environmental, social and governance
*Principles for Responsible Investment
As of September 30, 2019
Source: AB

Performance Disclosure
Global Core Equity Composite (in US Dollar)
Performance Disclosure

NM = not meaningful, fewer than two accounts were included in the composite for the full period
N/A = Not Applicable, less than minimum time period
*annualized though most recent year-end

PRESENTATION OF THE FIRM— AllianceBernstein L.P. (“ABLP”) is a registered investment advisor with the US securities and exchange commission. AV institutional investments and EB investments (collectively, “the firm”) are the institutional in retail sales, marketing and client service units of a ABLP. In February 2006, Alliance Capital Management LP changed its name to ABLP.

COMPLIANCE STATEMENT– the firm claims compliance with the global investment performance standards (GIPS) And has prepared and presented this report in compliance with the GIPS standardAnd hass. The firm has been independently verified for the periods from 1993 through two 2018. The verification reports are available upon request. Verification assesses whether (1) The firm has complied with all the composite construction requirements of the GIPS standards on a firmwide basis and (2) The firms policies and procedures are designed to calculate and present performance in compliance with the G.I. PS standards. Verification does not ensure the accuracy of any specific composite presentation.

COMPOSITE DESCRIPTION– the performance results displayed here in represent the investment performance record for the Global Core Equity Composite (“the composite”). The composite includes all fee paying discretion accounts and, when applicable, pool investment vehicles. The investment team employees a discipline process that combines quantitative screens with proprietary fundamental research and manager insights focus on companies with strong business characteristics and attractive valuations relative to general equity markets. Acquired firm performance has been linked to firms performance affective June 20, 2014 with the acquisition of CPH capital fondsmaeglerselkab A/S. The investment management process has remained substantially the same. The creation date of this composite is May 2014.

For the performance. Presented, investment professionals may have changed or departed, which in the firm’s view have altered the company strategy.

Accounts in the composite may utilize derivative contracts, including but not limited to, swabs, swap shins, options, futures, options on futures and currency transactions for risk management purposes or for enhancing expected returns by adjusting exposure to the markets, sectors, countries, currencies or specific security is permitted by these guidelines. The impact of all derivatives is fully incorporated into the calculation of risk and return in the use of derivatives shall not violate the investment guidelines that limit exposure to markets, sectors, countries, currencies or specific securities. Investment in non-exchange traded (over the counter) derivatives exposes the accounts within the composite to counter party risk.

A complete list with descriptions of all composites managed by the firm and/or additional information regarding policies for value in accounts, calculating performance, and preparing compliant presentations is available upon request see email to compositerequests@alliancebernstein.com.

Total return methodology and see structure — performance figures in this report have been presented gross and net of investment management fees. Net performance figures have been calculated by deducting the highest fee payable by a separately managed institutional account; 0.80% of assets, annually. The composite may contain mutual funds with share classes that incur higher management fees. The current investment advisory fee schedule applicable for this composite is as follows:

0.800% on the first 25 million in US dollars
0.600% on the first 50 million in US dollars
0.500% on the balance

RATE OF RETURN – no representation is made of the performance shown in this presentation is indicative of a future performance. An account could encourage losses as well as general gains. Performance figures for each account are calculated monthly on a trade date basis using a total rate of return calculation. Investment transactions are recorded on a 3-D basis, and interests and develop dividends are recorded on accrual basis, not of withholding taxes, if applicable. Investments insecurities are valued in accordance with the firms valuation policies and reflect a good faith estimate a fair value levels for all investments, which may not be realized upon liquidation. The Sarah valuation process requires judgment and estimation by the firm. The gross of the returns reflect the deduction of trading costs. Account returns are not a foreign withholding taxes. The benchmark returns are net of withholding taxes from Luxembourg tax perspective. The composite returns are calculated based on the ass it weighed monthly composite constituent account rates where the wait is the beginning fair value of the accounts.

DISPERSION – internal dispersion is calculated using the ass it weighed standard deviation of all accounts included in the composite for the entire year; it is not presented for. Less than one year or when there were fewer than two accounts in a composite for the entire year. The three-year annualized expose standard deviation measures the variability of the composite in the benchmark returns over the preceding 36-month period; It is not presented for periods less than one year or when there were fewer than two accounts in the composite for the entire year. The three-year annualized X post standard deviation measures the variability of the composite and the benchmark returns over the preceding 36 month period; it is not presented for periods of less than three years.

The benchmark, which is not covered by the report of independent verifiers, is the MSCI ACWI index.

This information is for exclusive use of the wholesale person to whom it is provided and is not to be relied upon by any other person. It is not intended for retail or public use and may not be further distributed without prior written consent of ABAL.

This document has been prepared by AllianceBernstein Australia Limited ("ABAL")—ABN 53 095 022 718, AFSL 230 698. Information in this document is only intended for persons that qualify as “wholesale clients,” as defined by the Corporations Act 2001, and is not to be construed as advice. This document is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an offer to buy or sell securities. The information, forecasts and opinions set forth in this document have not been prepared for any recipient’s specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs. Neither this document nor the information contained in it are intended to take the place of professional advice. You should not take action on specific issues based on the information contained in this document without first obtaining professional advice.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Projections, although based on current information, may not be realized. Information, forecasts and opinions can change without notice and ABAL does not guarantee the accuracy of the information at any particular time. Although care has been exercised in compiling the information contained in this document, ABAL does not warrant that this document is free from errors, inaccuracies or omissions. ABAL disclaims any liability for damage or loss arising from reliance upon any matter contained in this document except for statutory liability which cannot be excluded.

No reproduction of the materials in this document may be made without the express written permission of ABAL. This information is provided for persons in Australia only and is not being provided for the use of any person who is in any other country.

Disclosures and Important Information

[Disclosure on Security Examples] References to specific securities are presented to illustrate the application of our investment philosophy only and are not to be considered recommendations by AB. The specific securities identified and described in this presentation do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for the portfolio, and it should not be assumed that investments in the securities identified were or will be profitable. Upon request, we will furnish a listing of all investments made during the prior one-year period. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.

[Additional Information] The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise, and you may not get back the original amount invested. The value of non-domestic securities may be subject to exchange-rate fluctuations. The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are based on AB’s internal forecasts and should not be relied upon as an indication of future market performance or any guarantee of return from an investment in any AB services. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, reviewed or produced by MSCI. CFROI® is a registered trademark of Credit Suisse

[Strategy History] The performance history contained within refers to a strategy started at BankInvest, an investment manager based in Denmark, in 1989. David Dalgas was responsible for this strategy beginning 1 January 2004 along with Klaus Ingemann. On 31 March 2010 David and Klaus left BankInvest and started their own company, CPH Capital. Performance of the strategy resumed on 1 July 2011 which is the start date of the composite. AB acquired CPH Capital in June 2014. See Performance Disclosure.

The [A/B] logo is a service mark of AllianceBernstein and AllianceBernstein® is a registered trademark used by permission of the owner, AllianceBernstein L.P.