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Experienced Investor

Where are the experts investing their ISAs?

adamlewis
Written By:
adamlewis
Posted:
Updated:
18/04/2017

With the new 2017/18 tax year upon us and a higher £20,000 ISA allowance, we asked several fund buyers where they’re investing their money.

Now the noise of the last ISA season has died down, you may be forgiven for not wanting to think about what to put into this year’s stocks and shares savings account just yet. However as the ISA savings allowance has increased from £15,240 to a whopping £20,000, it’s never too early to start your planning.

With this in mind we asked a number of fund buying experts which one fund they plan on putting into their ISA for the current tax year.

Lindsell Train UK Equity

Both John Husselbee, head of multi asset at Liontrust Asset Management, and Lee Robertson, CEO of Investment Quorum, plumped for the CF Lindsell Train UK Equity fund.

“These days we are used to getting what we want but not necessarily what we need,” says Husselbee. “This is the case with buying funds where impatience can undermine the choice of a good long-term investment.

“After deciding which asset class, a good starting point is a low cost tracker if one is available and suitable. However if looking for the potential for outsized returns then you could look at long-term active management. One to consider is Lindsell Train UK Equity, managed by Nick Train whose style is long-term patient investing seeking to buy quality names at the right price.”

According to statistics from fund data provider FE Trustnet, the £3.4bn fund has returned 125.5% versus its peer group, the IA UK All Companies sector, where the average fund is up 67.4%. Train builds his portfolio around just 25 or so names, with a bias towards durable, cash-generative business franchises.

“It is very stock specific, focusing on companies with real growth potential and it has a very consistent track record of returns for investors,” adds Robertson.

Jupiter India

Looking for something a bit spicy to put in this year’s ISA? Both AJ Bell’s head of fund selection Ryan Hughes and Architas’ investment director Adrian Lowcock are, as both have opted for the Jupiter India fund.

Hughes explains: “For much of 2016, the Indian market was running hot with companies up strongly as investors saw the benefit of Prime Minister Modi’s reforms. However, this came to a halt late in the year when a crackdown on the black economy saw the withdrawal of the 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. This issue has now moved away with Modi convincingly winning a regional election and the Indian economy now the fastest growing economy in the world with 7% GDP growth.

“Avinash Vazirani, manager of the Jupiter India fund, is hugely experienced and as a stock picker is very comfortable investing away from the benchmark through a focus on growth companies. While India is likely to be volatile, the long-term potential of the world’s largest democracy looks compelling for investors prepared to take a high level of risk.”

Set against a difficult backdrop for emerging markets generally in recent years, the £837m fund has generated impressive returns over three and five years of 138.9% and 129.7% respectively.

“The fund can invest in companies of all sizes and has traditionally had a healthy weighting to small and medium-sized companies,” says Lowcock. “This has made a positive contribution to performance over the long-term although it is a higher-risk approach.

“The nature of the Indian market is that is tends to trade at expensive levels compared to other emerging markets, but the economic outlook for the country is very attractive though it has been inefficient and wrapped up in red tape but has a young and growing working population.”

Church House Tenax Absolute Return

Chelsea Financial Services’ managing director Darius McDermott says he is feeling cautious at present, given current stock market levels, so he has gone with an absolute return fund for his pick, in the guise of the Church House Tenax Absolute Return fund.

The fund, which is managed by James Mahon and Jeremy Wharton, is the smallest of all the selections, with assets under management of £83m. Its aim is to achieve positive returns over rolling 12-month periods with as little volatility as possible.

Benchmarked against cash, it has beaten its peers in the IA Targeted Absolute Return sector over one, three and five years, returning 7.6%, 14.9% and 28% respectively.

For more on strategies regarding your ISA this tax year, see YourMoney.com’s ‘s guide on whether it is best to invest monthly, or via a lump sum.