Industry funds-backed asset manager, IFM Investors has acknowledged the importance of industry funds flows in reporting a significant increase in client numbers and funds under management (FUM).
The company said that its valuation had increased 23 per cent a year over the past five years to be independently valued at $1.045 billion.
The IFM Investors formal announcement said that its strong full-year results were underpinned by 86 per cent of products and mandates across all four asset classes (infrastructure, debt, listed equities and private equity) outperforming client objectives, highlighting the success of its “investor-first model”.
“Globally, for the period to 30 June 2019, investors have entrusted IFM Investors with an additional $22 billion in funds on behalf of their member beneficiaries, contributing to funds under management increasing by 31 per cent to $140 billion,” it said.
IFM Investors’ chief executive, Brett Himbury said the company’s results highlighted its continued record of strong, long-term net returns to investors and the effectiveness of our uniquely-aligned investor-owned model, which prioritised the interests of working Australians and pension fund members globally.
“IFM Investors’ trusted and efficient operating model has again proven that when an investment manager focuses first on investors the rest follows,” he said.
“While other fund managers are looking to preserve margins in increasingly competitive markets, IFM Investors continues to think innovatively and build on our position as a leading provider of net returns for the benefit of the millions of people on whose behalf we ultimately invest,” Himbury said.
The Australian Retirement Trust is adopting a “healthy level of conservatism” towards the US as the end of the 90-day tariff pause approaches, with “anything possible”.
Uncertainty around tariffs and subdued growth may lead to some short-term constraints in relation to the private credit market, the fund manager has said.
Just three active asset managers are expected to attract net inflows over the coming year, according to Morningstar, with those specialising in fixed income or private markets best positioned to benefit.
Taking a purely passive investment approach is leaving many investors at risk of heightened valuation risks, Allan Gray and Orbis Investments have cautioned.