Oasis is top manager of offshore funds

Oasis this week claimed the Raging Bull Award for the top-performing manager of offshore funds approved for South African investors.

The asset manager received the award on the basis of its average PlexCrown rating of 4.500 – out of a maximum score of five PlexCrowns – for its three offshore funds that qualify to be rated by PlexCrown Fund Ratings.

The runner-up among the managers of offshore-domiciled foreign-currency-denominated funds was Investec, with an average PlexCrown rating of 4.250, while Jersey-based Lloyds Investment Fund Managers was placed third with an average offshore rating of 4.000 PlexCrowns.

To qualify for consideration for the award, offshore fund managers must have at least three funds registered with the Financial Services Board (FSB) as suitable for South African investors. These funds must have been registered with the FSB for at least three years and must qualify for inclusion in the PlexCrown ratings.

Oasis has a suite of Shari’ah-compliant funds, called the Crescent range, and a suite of conventional funds, branded simply as “Oasis”.

All three of its offshore funds that qualify to be rated by the PlexCrown system achieved above-average ratings of four or more PlexCrowns.

The Oasis Crescent Global Property Equity Fund obtained five PlexCrowns and was ranked first out of the seven funds in the global real estate general sector.

The property fund was best on straight performance over five years to the end of 2014, with an annual average return of 22.17 percent in rands, according to ProfileData.

The Oasis Global Equity Fund and the Oasis Crescent Global Equity Fund obtained four PlexCrowns each. These funds were ranked fifth and seventh respectively in the global equity general sector, which consists of 36 funds.

Oasis and Investec shared third place for the management of offshore equity and real estate funds, with a rating of 4.500.

Investec’s five offshore funds that qualify for a PlexCrown rating achieved above-average ratings of four or more PlexCrowns. They are the GSF Global Strategic Managed Fund, an asset allocation flexible fund, and four global equity funds, the GSF Global Strategic Equity Fund, the GSF Global Dynamic Fund, GSF Global Franchise Fund, and the GSF Global Equity Fund.

The Global Strategic Equity Fund and the Global Dynamic Fund received five PlexCrowns each. The Strategic Equity Fund was ranked first in the global equity general sector.

The Global Franchise Fund, the Global Strategic Managed Fund and the Global Equity Fund were awarded four PlexCrowns each.

Investec was joint-third in the offshore asset allocation sector, with 4.000 PlexCrowns. The other third-ranked companies were Marriott, Contrarius, Foord and Franklin Templeton.

Third-placed Lloyds has six offshore funds that qualify for a PlexCrown rating. They are: the European Fund, an equity fund invested in Europe; the Multi Strategy Fund (Growth Strategy), an asset allocation flexible fund; three global equity general funds: the Multi Strategy Fund (Aggressive Strategy), the Multi Strategy Fund (Global US$ Growth Strategy) and the International Fund; and the North American Fund, an equity fund invested in the United States.

The Growth Strategy obtained the highest PlexCrown rating of five PlexCrowns and was ranked first out of the 33 funds in its sector.

Lloyds received a PlexCrown rating of five and was ranked first out of 17 managers for the management of asset allocation funds.

The Global US$ Growth Strategy and the North American Fund obtained four PlexCrowns each.

The Aggressive Strategy obtained three PlexCrowns, while the European Fund and the International Fund received two PlexCrowns each.

Lloyds was in seventh place in the offshore equity and real estate sector, with 3.000 PlexCrowns.

PlexCrown ranking of offshore management companies to December 31, 2014

1. Oasis: 4.500

2. Investec: 4.250

3. Lloyds: 4.000

4. Marriott: 3.750

4. Stanlib: 3.750

6. Investment Solutions: 3.417