According to the latest data1, the number of ‘dog’ funds have increased by 27% since February this year, that represents 56 equity investment funds versus 44 earlier in the year, but a reduction on the 86 dog funds identified in January 2022.
A ‘dog’ fund is defined as one which has failed to beat its benchmark over three consecutive 12-month periods and has underperformed by 5% or more over that entire three-year period.
Almost three-quarters of the dog funds’ total asset value (£32.14bn, up from £4.49bn) can be attributed to the global sector, where the number of dog funds rose from 11 to 24 during the period.
A sense of perspective
We all know that investment performance can be impacted by many factors and as the risk warning says – past performance is no guide to the future. If a fund has found itself in the doghouse it doesn’t necessarily mean it should be disposed of immediately. The fund managers are likely to be taking action to improve the performance, perhaps changing managers or redesigning the fund’s investment strategy. Sometimes it can be worth retaining a fund while it’s undergoing this process. Importantly, knowing why a fund is underperforming will inform the right course of action. That’s what we can determine.
Review review review
Trust us to identify any poor performers and advise you whether it’s worth sticking with those funds for the time being, or whether it’s time to look for other opportunities. There are many factors to consider in addition to fund performance before taking any action, such as your risk attitude, tax position and overall asset allocation, so rely on us to advise the appropriate course of action.
1Bestinvest, 2023
The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated.
