Fundamental Investment Process

October 26, 2007

Each week, we here at TWST speak to a number of different portofolio managers- each with a unique investment philosophy. For example:

 

Speaking this week with portfolio manager Beth Dater, we learned a little bit about  the kind of fundamental investing that goes on at her company, AG Asset Management.

TWST: Would you take us through the investment process and tell us what criteria you’re looking for in potential holdings?

Ms. Dater: First of all, it’s fair to say that throughout the firm we are fundamentally driven, and that all of our teams achieved their returns through engaging in detailed and very systematic fundamental research. Incorporated into that is risk management. In addition to that, our investment process incorporates the desire to be able to identify the best long-term investment opportunities at the earliest possible time. The way that we go about that is to look for what we might call a dynamic of change or a catalyst and that could be any number of things. It could be a new business, it could be a new product, it could be a management change, it could be a financial restructuring or it could be a geographic diversification. Basically we are looking to identify that element, and then to understand where we are in that process and whether the company or the prospective investment meets our valuation criteria, which may differ slightly from team to team…In terms of the criteria for companies, we’re looking at unique products and services; we’re looking for a strong financial condition or the potential to achieve a strong financial condition.

For the full interview with Ms. Dater, including an overview of fundamental investing and stock picks, click here.