Robeco, The Investments Engineers

Credits

Contrarian style underpinned by rigorous fundamental research

Key points

  1. Consistent alpha generation based on rigorous fundamental research and contrarian investment style

  2. Integration of two performance drivers: top-down beta positioning & bottom-up issuer selection

  3. Sustainability research integral part of fundamental credit analysis to assess downside risk

Credit markets are prone to behavioral biases, causing inefficiencies and a tendency to overshoot either on the upside or the downside. Many participants are not only driven by traditional risk-return considerations but also by market segmentation, herd behavior and regulatory constraints. We believe that we can identify and capture these inefficiencies in valuation, risk and reward by combining in-depth fundamental research with a contrarian investment style and strict risk control.

Alpha drivers

Our credit strategies capture market inefficiencies through the use of two low-correlated performance drivers:

Top-down positioning

Top-down positioning

An essential element for adding value to a credit portfolio is to determine what level of risk to run at any given moment in the market cycle. We assess the expected credit environment on a quarterly basis and change the portfolio’s credit beta accordingly. As a result, the portfolio is positioned to benefit from or weather against the anticipated stage of the market cycle.

Credit issuer selection

Credit issuer selection

We use fundamental analysis to target mispriced bonds and instruments. Research is concentrated on the issuer’s business position, corporate strategy, ESG profile, corporate structure and financial profile. The focus of all sustainability analysis is on downside risk, on absolute impact and on financially material issues.

Risk management

Accurately measuring credit risk is a significant challenge for credit investors. We have developed an innovative method that provides insight into the nature and extent of risk in credit portfolios. Based on the duration time spread (DTS) of each bond, portfolio managers can implement their views more effectively. DTS was originally co-developed by Robeco researchers in 2003. The results were published in The Journal of Portfolio Management in 20071. DTS is now widely accepted and market standard among investors, and has been implemented in leading risk management software, including MSCI RiskMetrics and Bloomberg PORT.
1“Duration Times Spread: A new measure of spread exposure in credit portfolios”, The Journal of Portfolio Management, 2007, vol. 33. no. 2, pp. 77-100

Team

This strategy is managed by the Credit team, consisting of around 10 portfolio managers and more than 25 credit analysts with a clear split in responsibilities. The portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the portfolio construction. Analysts are focused on creating the deepest possible issuer research and are clustered around sector specializations, covering issuers across the rating spectrum from investment grade to high yield and emerging markets. This allows them to identify and exploit crossover opportunities including fallen angels and rising stars. Analysts have the same remuneration package as portfolio managers.

Sub-strategies

Our fundamental credit strategies are available for European, Global and Emerging Markets universes. In addition, we offer a range of quantitative credit strategies.

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Sustainability

This strategy promotes, among other characteristics, environmental and/or social characteristics, which can include exclusionary screening, ESG integration, ESG risk monitoring and active ownership. It is classified as Article 8 under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).

We also offer a range of SDG credit portfolios with sustainable investment as their objective and a Paris-aligned Climate Global Credit solution; all classified as SFDR Article 9.

Our analysis of issuers goes beyond the traditional financial factors and includes the issuers’ performance on ESG factors. It is essential for a well-informed investment decision to take into account those ESG factors that have the potential to materially impact the financial performance of the issuer. This perfectly matches the basic need to avoid the losers in credit management, as many past credit events can be attributed to issues such as poorly designed governance frameworks, environmental issues or weak health and safety standards. The aim of ESG integration is to improve the risk-return profile of the investments; it does not have an impact goal. ESG analysis is fully integrated in the bottom-up issuer analysis. We have defined key ESG factors per industry, and for every company we analyze how the firm is exposed to these key ESG factors, and how this impacts the fundamental credit quality.

Ingredients

01

Contrarian

Unmoved by market sentiment and herd behavior, and instead making decisions based on research, conviction and long-term focus

02

Quality issuers

Preference for higher credit quality of corporate debt issuers

03

Research-driven

A true understanding of the topic has been in our DNA since the start

04

Stability

Team has long-term experience and low turnover

Defining fair value in global credit markets

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Robeco aims to enable its clients to achieve their financial and sustainability goals by providing superior investment returns and solutions.

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In all cases where historical performance is presented, please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and should not be relied upon as the basis for making an investment decision. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“Robeco”) expressly prohibits any redistribution of the Information without the prior written consent of Robeco. The Information is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use is contrary to law, rule or regulation. Certain information contained in the Information includes calculations or figures that have been prepared internally and have not been audited or verified by a third party. Use of different methods for preparing, calculating or presenting information may lead to different results. Robeco Institutional Asset Management UK Limited (“RIAM UK”) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. RIAM UK, 30 Fenchurch Street, Part Level 8, London EC3M 3BD (FCA Reference No:1007814). The company is registered in England and Wales under Ref No. 15362605.

In all cases where historical performance is presented, please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and should not be relied upon as the basis for making an investment decision. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“Robeco”) expressly prohibits any redistribution of the Information without the prior written consent of Robeco. The Information is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use is contrary to law, rule or regulation. Certain information contained in the Information includes calculations or figures that have been prepared internally and have not been audited or verified by a third party. Use of different methods for preparing, calculating or presenting information may lead to different results. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. is authorised as a manager of UCITS and AIFs by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and subject to limited regulation in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.