Our funds posted positive returns and outperformed the benchmark for November.
Markets surged higher on lower oil prices, expectations of smaller rate hikes and the easing of China’s COVID restrictions. Uncertainty remains around where the US terminal interest rate will finish, and whether this will result in a recession and large falls in corporate earnings in 2023. The overwhelming consensus is very negative on the outlook for markets and the economy for 2023. This has often proved to be a contrarian indicator.
In prior cycles, when coming out of +20% correction, ‘Quality’ companies tended to prevail. This is not surprising as Quality (compared to Growth and Value) companies tend to be; highly profitable, generate prodigious amounts of cash flow and don’t rely on external capital to continue to grow.
Further boosting the Quality companies Insync holds are the megatrend tailwinds. So, whilst their growth rates may experience a temporary slowdown in a recession, the cash flows these businesses generate over their lifecycle, alongside their long-term valuations, does not change because of broader economic slowdowns. Any temporary weakness in the stock prices of these companies provides astute investors an opportunity to invest.
Silver is valuable!
The graying of the global population, often coined as the silver economy, is one of Insync’s 16 megatrends.
Did you know that the 60+ age cohort is set to accelerate then more than double to 2.1 billion by 2050? The fastest ageing group within this are those aged 70-75. This is where Insync has identified prime opportunities.
As the population ages so does the incidence of chronic disease. Older people often suffer from multiple chronic conditions at the same time too. The second leading causes of death within those aged 70-75, behind heart disease, is cancer.
Cancer’s clear genetic signatures and its speed of progression provide opportunities for innovative profitable companies to extend lives. New treatments like immunotherapy are producing astonishing outcomes for many. Five-year survival rates have continued to increase dramatically. These medicines command high prices as they often represent one of few, or no, treatment alternatives for patients.
Worldwide drug sales are forecast to grow at +6.4% annual compound growth rates for 2021 - 2026, much faster than global GDP! Oncology is forecasted to be the largest therapy area in 2026, accounting for 22% of its drug sales. Insync has exposure to high ROIC companies that have made remarkable clinical progress on cancer therapies.
