Stand aside Warren Buffett, Carl Icahn, and Peter Lynch. The next generation of famous investors might be women. Today is International Women's Day 2022, and we're looking at the women steering funds dominating the ASX benchmark index.
This year's theme is 'Break the Bias'. And while the world of finance is often dominated by male voices, it has the potential to be a great equaliser.
The latest ASX Australia Investor Study – published in 2020 – found that of the nine million Australians who invest, 42% are women.
Additionally, women made up 45% of new investors during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 51% of Australians intending to invest.
Another study, conducted in the United States by Fidelity Investments, found 71% of women aged between 25 and 40 invest outside of retirement.
Now, there's just one more statistic to add – women tend to be better investors than their male counterparts.
Fidelity Investments found female investors, on average, outperform their male counterparts by 0.4%.
Today, for International Women's Day, let's celebrate the female fund managers dominating against the ASX benchmark.
Image source: Getty Images
International Women's Day: 3 female fundies bringing impressive returns
Mary Manning – Alphinity Global Equity Fund
As of 31 January 2022, Aphinity's Global Fund – with Manning at the helm – has brought investors a 12-month return of 32.6%.
For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 5.7% over the 12 months ended 31 January.
Manning is one of five portfolio managers for the Global Fund. She also manages Alphinity's Global Sustainably Equity Fund.
Emma Fisher – Airlie Funds Management's Australian Equity Fund
As portfolio manager for Airlie Funds Management's Australian Equity Fund, Fisher provided investors a 12-month return of 19.3% as of 28 February.
Fisher has managed the $296.9 million fund since 2018, having started her career in equity research eight years earlier.
Catherine Allfrey – WaveStone Capital's Dynamic Australian Equity Fund
As WaveStone Capital principal and portfolio manager, Allfrey provided Dynamic Australian Equity Fund investors a gross 12-month return of 17.1% as of 31 January.
Allfrey also oversees WaveStone Capital's Australian Share Fund. It provided a 14.9% gross return in the same time frame – outperforming the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) by 5.3%.
