From a 5 star to a 4 star: Have we changed?

As per Value Research’s fund rating for July 31, 2011, the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund moved from a 5 star to a 4 star

So what does this movement mean?
Nothing really! The investment thesis for us to own stocks in the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund continues to remain the same.

Markets may bounce. Share prices may jump all over the place. But the way stocks are researched and picked for the portfolio of the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund has not changed.

But the way the markets price the stocks we own, changes every minute! The last time we checked, the managements of the companies we own still run their businesses the way they ran them last week - or last month. However, on some days, the stock markets love the share prices of certain companies. And on some days it loves some other stocks!

We believe, Ratings are - like the clouds - passing in nature.
We may not be a 5 star fund any longer but the way we manage your savings is still the same. The way we assess risk is still the same. And our risk category is still low even though we have moved from 5 stars to 4 stars (Quantum Long Term Equity Fund - in Equity Multicap Category (43 Schemes for 3 and 5 years period ending July 31, 2011. Past Performance is no guarantee of future results).

Ratings do not change what we do or how we do what we do. Ratings don't rattle us. We focus on assessing and pricing risk. And generating returns over longer periods of time.

We have avoided stocks where we felt that the risk-return reward was not attractive - or where the managements were totally avoidable. We focus on risk we wish to take and the return we wish to be rewarded for the risk we have agreed to take.

That is why you should never buy a fund merely for its ranking or rating – not even the Quantum Long Term Fund.

Sure, you should study the ranking and rating tables, too. But consider a lot more than these 2-minute noodle ranking / rating numbers before you take a call. For instance:

• Check the consistency of the rankings and ratings - over different time periods, over different market conditions.

• Understand the rationale of the buy and sell decisions that makes the fund manager deploy your savings into a stock.

• Find out if there have been any changes in the investment management approach and how these changes reflected in the portfolio over time.

• Understand the philosophy behind the founder or the Sponsor and why they have chosen this particular business.

Remember that the thought process and the research and investment rules that the fund management teams follow is far more important than the rank or the rating of the fund.

An informed investor understands risk. Surely, look at the returns of the fund – but never in isolation. Always consider the risks that the fund management took with your hard earned savings to generate those returns and then try to conclude whether the returns generated justified the risk taken. Refer to parameters like Sharpe Ratio and Volatility to ascertain the risk-return ratio of your specified fund.

To be a successful investor, you must make the effort to understand what you invest in and why you invest. No ranking or rating table will give you these answers.

The research team that looks after your savings in the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund is good - as is the process. However, the times are strange and volatile.

So, if you wish to double your money in a day - or are scared to invest in a Fund that is willing to take it on the chin once in a while for correctly assessing long term risks of buying certain stocks - then, please stay away from the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund.

But if you wish to make sensible long terms returns and plan to stay invested for more than 15 to 18 months - and don't get rattled by ratings and rankings - you could consider the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund. Click here to read about Morningstar’s report on the Quantum Long Term Equity Fund.

You may want to read more about our portfolio and learn about our Sharpe Ratio and Volatility.

Feel good about investing!
Team Quantum

Value Research Rating Methodology:

Statutory Details and Risk Factors:

Above article is authored by Quantum.

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