Amundi Fds European Eq Sm Cp A EUR C

Analyst Report
Morningstar's Take
|17/03/2025

by Francesco Paganelli
The group is on steadier ground, but some concerns around the team’s seniority, workload, and breadth of research capabilities continue to detract from Amundi European Equity Small Cap’s appeal. While we see some improvements, the strategy’s results remain underwhelming, and at this stage, we think there are better options in this Morningstar Category.

The strategy’s original portfolio managers Cristina Matti and Sergio Groppi had built a strong record in European small- and mid-caps over almost two decades at Pioneer Investments, which merged into Amundi in 2017. Since then, however, we have seen multiple changes, departures, and reorganizations within the firm’s European small- and mid-cap equity team. This pattern continued in 2022, when two analysts and one portfolio manager left the group, leading to another reshuffle of responsibilities. Team head Matti stepped down from this strategy, leaving Groppi to run the show alongside Chanoine Webb, who was promoted to the post in early 2022. Adding to our concerns is that the supporting analytical resources have seen multiple changes over time. That said, the team added a third junior analyst in late 2023 dedicated to European small caps, which is a welcome addition. The absence of departures in the past two years is also a positive. Team instability is worrying to us, given the analysts' critical role in this fund and the large, heterogeneous universe they have to cover. The research-heavy, bottom-up-driven process rests on their ability to uncover good opportunities. Environmental, social, and governance factors have also increased in prominence in recent years, adding burden given the lower quality of reporting from firms in this space. The fund is classified as SFDR Article 8, and the team must keep the overall portfolio ESG rating above that of its benchmark. The managers build a portfolio of around 60 names, targeting the most liquid segments of the European small- and mid-cap arena. They pick firms based on sound business strategy, resilient balance sheets, strong management, and reasonable valuations. Portfolio construction is also a key element of the process, as factor deviations relative to the fund's MSCI Europe Small Cap Index benchmark tend to be limited and well-calibrated. The strategy's track record remains uninspiring. While performance against the category average has been improving lately, over the three years through February-end 2025, the fund’s I2 shares have trailed both the Morningstar Developed Europe Small-Mid Cap Target Market Exposure category index and the fund’s benchmark (MSCI Europe Small Cap Index). The fund’s risk metrics also give us a reason for caution, as the strategy’s more volatile path isn’t consistent with the team’s focus on more liquid and higher-quality firms for stock selection.
 
Morningstar Medalist Rating™While the team is in better shape, results remain underwhelming.
To find out how Morningstar rates a fund click here.
Morningstar Pillars
PeopleBelow Average
ParentAverage
ProcessAverage
 
Morningstar Medalist RatingMorningstar assigns the Medalist Rating to funds that are qualitatively and quantitatively assessed through manager research and algorithmic processes. The assessment turns on three key “pillars” – People, Process, and Parent – that yield an estimate of how well a fund will perform before fees but after adjusting for risk.
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