Four Best-Performing Equity Mutual Funds of Q1 2018

May 3, 2018
Four Best-Performing Equity Mutual Funds of Q1 2018

By Quantitative Financial Analytics Ltd

Nigeria’s equity market witnessed some calmness and subdued volatility in the first quarter of the year.

Quantitative Financial Analytics Realized Volatility index (NSErealVol) stood at 12.98, as at March 29, 2018 down from 15.68 recorded by the end of the previous year.

In addition, inflation in Nigeria moderated while the Dollar exchange rate stabilized around the N360 range within the quarter even as yields continued to fall along all maturities. All those had some positive effect on equity market which got translated into the equity mutual funds.

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During the Q1 of 2018, the Nigeria All Share Index (ASI) increased by 3,261.32 points representing a positive performance of 8.53 percent. The market grew by 15 percent in Jan, 2018, losing marginally by 2 percent and 4 percent in February and March to end the quarter with a positive return.

In spite of the market performance within the quarter, we have identified four mutual funds that did much better in the quarter. Here they are:

Meristem Equity Mutual Fund

Meristem Equity Market fund seeks capital appreciation for the long run by investing in a basket of high quality equity securities in Nigeria. The fund gained about N95 million or 46 percent in 2017 and has gained about 52.7 million or 17 percent in Q1, 2018, according to our analysts. In Q1, 2018, it attracted an estimated 8.5 million of inflows to leave its net asset value at N364 million by the end of the first quarter.

Stanbic IBTC Aggressive Fund

Stanbic IBTC Aggressive fund seeks to provide liquidity whilst maintaining low to medium volatility of return over the long-run. The fund invests a minimum of 60 percent of its assets in the equity market and the other 40 percent in fixed income market according to its fact sheet. Stanbic IBTC Aggressive fund gained about N95 million or 48 percent in 2017 and has gained about N43.6 million or 12.58 percent in Q1, 2018, according to our analysts.

In 2017, it suffered a net outflow of about N10 million but in Q1, 2018, it attracted an estimated N169 million of inflows to leave its net asset value at N502 million by the end of the first quarter

Frontier Fund

The Frontier Fund has the primary objective of achieving long-term capital appreciation to unit holders by investing in carefully selected money and capital market instruments.

The Fund gained about N42 million or 22 percent in 2017 and has gained about N27 million or 10.55 percent in Q1, 2018, according to our analysts.

In 2017, it suffered a net outflow of about N3 million but has attracted net inflow of N5 million in Q1, 2018 to leave its net asset value at N286 million by the end of the first quarter

UBA Equity Fund

The United Capital Equity Fund Invests in quoted equities that are traded on the Floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Its objective is to achieve high returns over a medium to long-term period by investing in select portfolio of equity securities according to its fact sheet.

The Fund which is suitable for investors with a long-term outlook gained about N420 million or 45.8 percent in 2017 and has gained about N145 million or 10.45 percent in Q1, 2018, according to our analysts.

In 2017, it suffered a net outflow of about N122 million and has also suffered about N15 million net outflow in Q1, 2018 to leave its net asset value at N1.5 billion by the end of the first quarter.

Though these funds have been stellar in their performance, it is worthy of note to state that past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Aduragbemi Omiyale

Aduragbemi Omiyale is a journalist with Business Post Nigeria, who has passion for news writing. In her leisure time, she loves to read.

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