Maple-Brown Abbott launches new fund

Fund manager, Maple-Brown Abbott has launched a new Asian equities product into the market.

The company announced it had established the Maple-Brown Abbott Asian Dividend Growth Fund which provides investors with a portfolio exposed to both sustainable and growing income streams across Asia.

Launching the fund, it said the product aims to deliver an attractive total return over a five-year period while maintaining a dividend yield in excess of the MSCI All Countries Asia excluding Japan Net Index (AUD).

The fund focuses on companies with both the ability and intention to offer sustainable and growing income.

Commenting on the launch Maple-Brown Abbott chief executive, Sophia Rahmani said the company had been investing in the Asian region for nearly 20 years and the new fund took advantage of the team’s in-depth understanding and knowledge of the region and its potential.

“The Asian Dividend Growth Fund is a natural extension of the team’s deep experience in managing Asian equity portfolios. We have one of the largest Sydney-based Asian equity teams, and our team developed this new strategy recognising the importance dividends play in the long-term return provided by Asian equity markets,” she said.

Geoff Bazzan, head of Asia Pacific equities and co-portfolio manager for the new fund, said the team had been considering a dividend growth fund in Asia for some time.

“The Asia region is home to more companies with a net cash balance sheet than anywhere else in the world, and there are many companies across the region with the potential to significantly increase their returns to shareholders,” he said.