JPM Japan Equity D (acc) USD

Analyst Report
Morningstar's Take
|25/04/2025

by Samuel Lo
The strategy continues to benefit from a top-notch lead portfolio manager, well-resourced supporting team, and time-tested investment approach. We reiterate the strategy’s People Pillar of High and Process Pillar of Above Average.

Morningstar has enhanced the way we assess alpha opportunity for funds, which is a key component in our Morningstar Medalist Rating calculation. More of this strategy's Medalist Ratings than usual may therefore change with this update even in the absence of changes to pillar ratings or fund costs.

Nicholas Weindling brings more than two decades of investment experience and has managed this strategy since 2007 via the Hong Kong unit trust. He has consistently provided deep insights into portfolio holdings and how they fit the team’s investment philosophy during our meetings. He has adhered to the strategy’s longstanding growth-oriented approach in various market environments, unfazed by shorter-term headwinds, to produce an impressive track record across multiple market cycles. The investment team consists of about 10 portfolio managers and 15 sector analysts, and it is one of the most well-resourced Japan-dedicated equity teams under our coverage. The team is highly experienced and has been very stable over the years.

The well-codified, quality-growth investment approach is time-tested and has also been employed successfully across other JPMorgan Emerging Markets and Asia Pacific equity strategies. Weindling focuses on the team’s best ideas and is often willing to pay high multiples for them. As such, the portfolio’s average expected growth and return on equity, as well as the portfolio’s valuation, have consistently been markedly higher than the Topix.

The strategy’s salient growth tilt can give rise to lumpy and volatile returns at times. Indeed, it has faced severe stylistic headwinds since 2021, which put a dent in medium-term results. Nonetheless, Weindling has delivered outstanding results over his tenure here since 2007, and the strategy staged an impressive comeback in 2024. We remain confident that the strategy can continue to add value over the long run for investors who can stomach the volatility.
 
Morningstar Medalist Rating™A growth-focused strategy that can deliver over the full market cycle.
To find out how Morningstar rates a fund click here.
Morningstar Pillars
PeopleHigh
ParentAbove Average
ProcessAbove Average
 
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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