Quick Take:Along with manager Richard Lane, co-manager Glenn Primack takes a moderate approach to investing in smaller- cap stocks with upside potential for the $1.2-billion FMI Focus Fund (FMIOX). The managers look for stocks trading at a discount to the private market values of the underlying companies.
Seeking upside potential at a discount has apparently helped the fund to somewhat limit the volatility of small-cap investing. FMI Focus's 24.37% standard deviation is modestly lower than the 25.44% of the average small-cap growth fund. In addition, the fund has a substantially lower turnover rate (52.6%) relative to the peer group's average (151.4%). The fund also has the added advantage of a lower expense ratio than its peers, 1.47% versus 1.74%.
While the fund generally focuses on small-caps, it currently favors mid-cap stocks, as reflected by its $9.5-billion median market cap. The managers are now stressing mid-cap stocks because they feel small-caps have already enjoyed strong gains. Presently, the fund is overweight in the energy and media sectors.
Long-term, the fund has significantly outpaced its peers, while the fund's recent performance has been competitive. For the five years through last month, the fund rose 19.8% (annualized), compared with a 6.8% gain for small-cap growth funds. For the one-year period through February, the fund was up 59.9%, versus 58.5% for its peers.
The Full Interview:
S&P: What are the fund's investment goals?
PRIMACK: We look for stocks trading at a discount to the private market values of the underlying companies. We determine a company's private market value by looking at mergers and acquisitions of comparable companies. We then see which companies are trading above and below their private market values.
In addition to attractive valuations, we also look for companies with strong earnings growth and good managements.
S&P: How do you follow a focused strategy?
PRIMACK: When the fund started, we had 30 to 40 holdings, but over time we've moved up to about 90 holdings. We are focused in terms of industries.
With respect to sectors, we're overweight in energy and media. We like the media industry because companies with overcapacity will be looking to differentiate their products through advertising. We like energy because of the growing global economy. It is also a play on China, where energy demand is increasing.
S&P: How did recent disclosures that certain major oil companies substantially understated the size of their oil reserves affect your view of the energy sector?
PRIMACK: This issue has opened up Wall Street's eyes — these revelations could trigger more consolidation in the industry.
