Waning returns on equities and the need for portfolio diversification is prompting asset management companies (AMCs) to devise overseas investment products. Consequent to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) raising the aggregate ceiling for mutual funds (MFs) to invest in overseas instruments from $2 billion to $3 billion, fund managers are working overtime to come out with products that will enable investors (HNIs in particular) to park their money in overseas assets.
Moving away from regular fund investing, AMCs are now looking at launching private equity-backed funds that will open ‘indirect’ avenues for investors to put money abroad.
Though there is no clarity about regulatory issues attached to a private equity fund-of-fund (PE FoF) operations, asset managers are keen to know the fate of a couple of PE FoF prospectuses filed with capital market regulator Sebi and the RBI. A PE FoF is a typical fund pooled by an asset management company with a view to entrusting the money with different, high-performing global private equity (PE) players.
The approach of the fund will be to spread the risk and diversify by investing across several PE players with interests in differing asset classes. Such an approach will indirectly help AMCs (and in turn their clients) to increase their exposure across geographies, to a variety of investment styles like venture capital, growth financing, leveraged financing and buyouts.
“Over the past ten years, private equity has increasingly become a significant portion of most institutional portfolios worldwide. During the period from 1996 through year-end 2005, investors committed nearly $1.6 trillion to private equity funds.
In 2005, investors committed more than $267 billion to the asset class, moving closer to the record amount of $304 billion raised during the height of the technology bubble in 2000,” said an introductory paper on PE FoF by US-based Fort Washington Capital Partners. Additionally, global commitments to the private equity asset class continue to increase, as private equity allocations are expected to reach record levels in all markets in 2007, the paper said.
“Private equity as an alternative asset class, should be strongly considered for long-term high net worth investors who seek to outperform public equities and add portfolio diversification. Such funds invest for a period ranging 3-12 years, depending on the type of investment and the expected return from the investment,” said Nipun Mehta, managing director, Unitis Tower Wealth Advisors. Such products would help investors to get multi-manager expertise in managing investments and there is also a probability of higher risk-adjusted returns, Mr Mehta added.
Experts also feel that private equity can be an “excellent diversifier” as it has moderate correlation to equities and bonds.
PE FoF, world over, is aimed at high net worth investors. It would require an investment of about $100 million on the part of AMCs to have in place a well-structured portfolio. “AMCs are awaiting clarity on several issues pertaining to investments in PE funds.
As of now, there is a bar on wealth managers (with MFs) collecting money for making investment in private equity companies,” said Nikhil Johri, managing director, ABN Amro Asset Management Company. Among other issues, AMCs will have to launch a separate vehicle (separate from the mutual fund wing) to float private equity funds,” Mr Johri added.
Source : Economic Times