We've been informed by Ninety One that the business has conducted a strategic review of its fund range, and as a result, intends to merge this fund into the Ninety One Global Sustainable Equity fund, subject to shareholder resolution. This reflects a reduction in the number of UK equity funds the business will run, from five to three and means the UK Sustainable Equity fund will no longer exist in its current form.
Our conviction in the fund has largely laid with its manager Matt Evans, who we think is a committed and passionate sustainable investor. Until the fund merges, Evans will continue running the UK Sustainable Equity fund in the same manner as he has done since its launch in 2018. He will then remain with the business, conducting research as part of the sustainable equity team.
The Global Sustainable Equity fund, which does not currently feature on our Wealth Shortlist, is co-managed by Stephanie Niven and Miles Hamilton. These managers have been running this fund since March 2022 and November 2023 respectively and they work as part of the same broader Ninety One sustainable equity team as Evans.
As this fund invests in companies across the globe, its level of investment in the UK is much lower than the UK Sustainable Equity fund. This makes it a different proposition from the UK fund that Evans currently runs. At the end of October 2024, it had 6.1% of its assets invested in UK listed companies.
Given the fund will no longer be available to invest in its current form in due course, or be managed by Matt Evans, we feel it's right to remove the fund from the list.
Investors will be informed of further details on timelines in due course.
Annual percentage growth
Nov 19 - Nov 20 | Nov 20 - Nov 21 | Nov 21 - Nov 22 | Nov 22 - Nov 23 | Nov 23 - Nov 24 | |
Ninety One UK Sustainable Equity | 5.07% | 12.50% | -10.44% | -3.51% | 11.31% |
FTSE All Share | -10.29% | 17.40% | 6.54% | 1.79% | 15.75% |