Fidelity Special Values
Benefiting from UK value stocks’ return to favour
9 February 2021
Fidelity Special Values (FSV) offers a value-based, contrarian investment approach aimed at achieving long-term capital growth through investment in overlooked and undervalued UK equities. Value investing has been out of favour for some years and the underperformance of UK value stocks worsened during last year’s market sell-off. However, this created many opportunities which FSV’s managers Alex Wright and Jonathan Winton sought to exploit and, with value stocks now returning to favour, their efforts are beginning to pay off. After a period of disappointing performance, particularly in Q120, FSV’s returns have recently improved. The trust returned 24.7% in NAV terms in the three months to end January 2021, outperforming the UK market, which returned 16.5%. Despite the recent improvement in UK value stocks, they still offer value and there is scope for further upside if the improving economic outlook supports continued rotation into value stocks. FSV’s managers believe the trust is well-positioned to take full advantage of this trend. MORE »
Opportunities and value in an undervalued market
14 October 2020
Fidelity Special Values (FSV) employs a value-based, contrarian investment style aiming to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through investment in UK companies, which the managers believe are undervalued or where potential has not been recognised by the market. FSV has endured a challenging period of underperformance. However, lead manager Alex Wright and co-manager Jonathan Winton believe the Q120 market sell-off created many investment opportunities, which they have sought to exploit. In their view, UK value stocks, and FSV in particular, now offer great value, which is further amplified by the trust’s current discount making for a good valuation starting point for investment. The managers see significant scope for the trust to outperform not only growth strategies and UK equities in general, but also other asset classes. MORE »
Sell-off providing wide-ranging opportunities
20 April 2020
Fidelity Special Values (FSV) was launched in November 1994 and is run by Alex Wright (lead manager since January 2014) and Jonathan Winton (co-manager since February 2020). They have a value-based investment style, aiming to generate long-term capital growth – while limiting downside risk – from a diversified portfolio of UK equities, although up to 20% of the fund may be invested in companies listed overseas. FSV’s positive long-term relative performance record has been negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic; however, the managers are taking advantage of what they consider to be mispriced opportunities and are selectively adding to the trust’s holdings. FSV currently offers a 3.2% dividend yield. MORE »
Celebrating 25-year anniversary
28 November 2019
Fidelity Special Values (FSV), launched in November 1994, is celebrating its 25-year anniversary. Manager Alex Wright has a contrarian investment style, aiming to generate long-term capital growth from a diversified portfolio of primarily UK equities (up to 20% of the fund may be held in companies listed overseas). The manager seeks undervalued companies with the potential for positive change. He says the UK market is relatively attractively valued versus global stocks and, in an environment of softening company fundamentals, he is finding opportunities in more defensive businesses. FSV has a strong investment performance track record; its NAV total returns are ahead of the FTSE All-Share index over the last three, five and 10 years. Although the last 12 months have proved more challenging, Wright has confidence in the trust’s future prospects. MORE »
Outperforming despite a stylistic headwind
23 July 2019
Fidelity Special Values (FSV) has been managed by Alex Wright since September 2012. He aims to generate long-term capital growth from a diversified portfolio of primarily UK-listed companies (up to 20% of the fund may be held in companies listed overseas, and two of its top three holdings are ex-UK). The manager has a value, contrarian approach and is currently finding a broad spread of attractively valued investment opportunities across the UK market: in companies with both domestic and international businesses; in cyclical and more defensive areas; and across the market cap spectrum. Given the strength of the UK market so far this year, in spite of a deteriorating macro backdrop, Wright is more cautious on the near-term outlook for UK equities in general, but remains very positive on the opportunity set for a contrarian investor. MORE »
Increasingly positive view on UK market outlook
7 January 2019
Fidelity Special Values (FSV) aims to achieve long-term capital growth from a special situations portfolio of primarily UK equities. The manager has a contrarian approach, looking for unloved stocks and opportunities created by share price volatility and market uncertainty. Although market volatility has been unhelpful to shorter-term performance, FSV’s NAV total return has outperformed its benchmark FTSE All-Share index over five and 10 years. While seeing broadly negative sentiment towards UK equities, FSV’s manager is increasingly positive on the UK stock market outlook, irrespective of the outcome of Brexit negotiations, and has been adding to portfolio holdings by increasing FSV’s net gearing. MORE »
