Le capital-investisseur Ibersuizas (600 millions d’euros d’encours) est en négociations exclusives pour l’acquisition de Multiasistencia, le leader Espagne des services de réparations et de sinistres pour les portefeuilles multirisques des assureurs et des groupes bancaires, rapporte Cotizalia. D’après les proches du secteur, la transaction pourrait porter sur 150-200 millions d’euros. Multiasistencia est présente en France au travers de Smabtp.
Le 9 juillet, les courtiers CA Cheuvreux (axé sur l’Europe) et CLSA (sur l’Asie) ont lancé leur offre commune de «Global Portfolio Trading» (exécution de grands ordres complexes sur plusieurs marchés), rapporte l’Agefi. La plate-forme en question doit couvrir 45 pays et plus de 85% de la capitalisation boursière mondiale.Pour Cheuvreux, ce lancement marque une étape dans sa réorganisation autour de la notion de services au client à un niveau mondial, ajoute le quotidien.
Selon l’Agefi, les sociétés de gestion Primia et Anima vont fusionner pour représenter 40 milliards d’euros d’actifs sous gestion. L’opération, précise le quotidien, est estimée entre 400 et 600 millions d’euros, avec une plus-value de 200 millions pour le propriétaire d’Anima.
Pour le deuxième trimestre, Morgan Stanley fait état d’un bénéfice net de 1,4 milliard de dollars pour les activités conservées, comme pour avril-juin et contre une perte de 138 millions de dollars en avriol-juin 2009, période qui avait été plombée par Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, fermé le 31 mai 2009.Le pôle global wealth management affiche pour le deuxième trimestre un bénéfice avant impôt de 207 millions de dollars contre 278 millions en janvier-mars et une perte de 71 millions pour la période correspondante de l’an dernier, tandis que le pôle gestion d’actifs accuse une perte avant impôt de 86 millions contre un bénéfice de 173 millions au premier trimestre et une perte de 210 millions pour avril-juin 2009.Pour la gestion de fortune, les encours au 30 juin se situaient à 1.500 milliards de dollars contre 1.600 milliards fin mars et 1.420 milliards un an plus tôt tandis que pour la gestion d’actifs, ils avaient fondu à 251 milliards de dollars contre 262 milliards trois plus auparavant et 361 milliards au 31 mars (242 milliards sans Smith Barney).
Pour avril-juin, le bénéfice net de BlackRock est ressorti à 432 millions de dollars contre 423 millions au premier trimestre à et 218 millions pour la période correspondante de l’an dernier. Pour le premier semestre, le bénéfice atteint 855 millionsde dollars contre 302 millions.Le gestionnaire américain a indiqué mercredi que ses encours à fin juin ressortaient à 3.150,8 milliards de dollars contre 3.363,9 milliards fin mars et 1.373,2 milliards douze mois plus tôt (avant l’intégration de Barclays Global Investors). En d’autres termes, le bénéfice de BlackRock s’est accru de 2 % alors que l’encours chutait de 6 % (213,31 milliards de dollars).La baisse des marchés (surtout d’actions) explique 156,5 milliards de dollars de diminution des actifs sous gestion, tandis que les pertes de change ont amputé l’encours de 22,5 milliards de dollars. Cela posé, les rentrées nettes de 28,4 milliards de dollars sur les produits de long terme et l’activité de conseil ont été «surcompensées» par 33,9 milliards de dollars de sorties nettes liées à la fusion et aux produits quantiatifs actifs ainsi que par 24,9 milliards de dollars de sorties nettes pour les produits de trésorerie.
Comme annoncé en début d’année (lire notre article du 15 janvier) Wells Fargo a désormais terminé la procédure d’ajustement de sa gamme dans le cadre de la fusion de la société de gestion Wells Fargo Advantage Funds avec Evergreen Funds, la société de gestion de Wachovia. Au 31 mai, l’encours de la nouvelle famille de produits, qui comporte 132 mutual funds ouverts et fermés ainsi que des variable trust funds (hors fonds offshore), se situait à 224,1 milliards de dollars. L’intégration d’Evergreen s’est traduite par le reconditionnement de 27 fonds Evergreen en fonds Wells Fargo Advantage, et par la fusion de 53 mutual funds appartenant aux deux gammes.
LaCrosse Global Fund Services a accepté de racheter l’activité mondiale d’administration de fonds alternatifs de Bank of America Merrill Lynch. La transaction doit encore être approuvée par le régulateur. Les détails financiers n’ont pas été divulgés.
John Paulson, le gérant star de hedge fund s’apprête selon Citywire à lancer une version Ucits III de son fonds porte-drapeau. Le fonds en question sera lancé en partenariat avec la Deutsche Bank dans les semaines à venir et devrait s’appeler, selon Citywire, DB Paulson fund.Ce dernier rejoindra la plateforme de Deutsche Bank dédiée aux «Newcits» qui regroupe déjà des hedge funds de sociétés de gestion telles que Ikos, QCM, Winton et Toscafund. De son côté, la Deustche Bank n’a fait aucun commentaire, a précisé Citywire.
L’agence allemande Kommalpha souligne dans une étude sur les ETF sponsorisée par Avana Invest, Wegelin Asset Management et la Deutsche Börse que la multiplication des ETF constitue un défi pour les promoteurs de ces produits, parce qu’ils doivent adapter leur business model à un rétrécissement des marges et à une concentration sur leur cœur de métier. Cela suppose aussi une adaptation et un renforcement de la politique de communication vis-à-vis des investisseurs sur le type des relations investisseurs des entreprises classiques et en prenant en compte les exigences bilancielles des souscripteurs.De surcroît, souligne Kommalpha, plusieurs études montrent qu’il y a pu avoir un début de dérive dans l’instrumentalisation des ETF et que le grand avantage de la transparence est compromis par l’avalanche d'émissions. C’est l’occasion pour les promoteurs de se repositionner avec une politique de communication adaptée et intensive, souligne encore l’agence, qui est spécialiste entre autres du conseil en communication pour les sociétés de gestion.
Sur son site luxembourgeois, Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (Swip) indique que la sicav SWIP et tous ses compartiments sont en cours de liquidation et ne sont donc plus disponibles pour un investissement. En termes concrets, cela signifie qu’après le départ de toute l'équipe marchés émergents chez Martin Currie (lire notre dépêche du 6 mai), le gestionnaire écossais ferme les deux derniers compartiments de la sicav, l’Emerging Market Smaller Companies et l’Emerging Market Infrastructure.Après l’American fund, remboursé fin 2008, cinq autres compartiments de la sicav ont été liquidés en mai (Absolute Return Macro, European Real Estate Securities, European Smaller Companies, High Alpha Euro Bond et US Dollar Absolute Return).
Credit Suisse a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement de CS (Lux) Prima Multi-Strategy fund, un fonds de fonds UCITS III de droit luxembourgeois qui investit dans différentes stratégies alternatives (long/short, event driven, convertibles, macro, credit, managed futures, fixed income, emerging markets equities, taux). Le fonds sera commercialisé dans différents pays européens et disposera d’un «passeport» dans quelques mois. Il est destiné aux investisseurs institutionnels comme aux particuliers et offrira une liquidité hebdomadaire. Caractéristiques : Code Isin :Unit class EUR B: LU0522193027Unit class EUR I: LU0522193613Unit class CHF R: LU0522194009Unit class CHF S: LU0522194348Unit class USD R: LU0522193704Frais de gestion : Unit class B/R: 1.5% + une commission de surperformance de 10%Unit class I/S: : 1% + une commission de surperformance de 5 %Investissement minimum :Unit classes B/R: N.CUnit classes I/S: 3 millions d’euros / 5 millions d’euros
Credit Suisse today announced the launch of the CS (Lux) Prima Multi-Strategy fund, a Luxembourg-registered UCITS III fund of funds, which invests in various alterantive strategies (long/short, event-driven, convertibles, macro, credit, managed futures, fixed income, emerging markets equities, fixed income). The fund will be made available in several European countries, and will have a European “passport” in a few months. It is aimed at institutional as well as retail investors, and will offer weekly liquidity. Characteristics ISIN code:Unit class EUR B: LU0522193027Unit class EUR I: LU0522193613Unit class CHF R: LU0522194009Unit class CHF S: LU0522194348Unit class USD R: LU0522193704Management fees:Unit class B/R: 1.5% + performance commission of 10%Unit class I/S: : 1% + performance commission of 5%Minimal investment:Unit classes B/R: NoneUnit classes I/S: EUR3m / EUR5m
On its Luxembourg website, Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has announced that the SWIP Sicav and all its sub-funds are in the process of liquidation, and that they will no longer be available for investment. In concrete terms, this means that following the departure of the entire emerging markets team to Martin Currie (see Newsmanagers of 6 May), the Scottish management firm is closing down the last two funds in the Sicav, Emerging Market Smaller Companies and Emerging Market Infrastructure. Following the American Fund, which was wound down in late 2008, five other sub-funds of the Sicav were liquidated in May (Absolute Return Macro, European Real Estate Securities, European Smaller Companies, High Alpha Euro Bond et US Dollar Absolute Return).
In second quarter, Wells Fargo earned profits of USD3.06bn, compared with USD2.55bn in first quarter, and USD31.7bn in April-June 2009. All sectors of activity contributed to this result. For first half as a whole, net profits total USD5.6bn, compared with USD6.2bn in the corresponding period of last year. The wealth management, brokerage and retirement division, for its part, has posted net profits of USD270m in April-June, compared with USD282m in January-March, losses of USD16m in fourth quarter, and profits of USD111m in third quarter 2009. In the second quarter of last year, net profits totalled USD258m.
In second quarter, Morgan Stanley has reported net profits of USD1.4bn for ongoing operations, the same as in April-June, compared with losses of USD1.38bn in April-June 2009, when results were negatively impacted by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, which was closed on 31 May 2009. The global wealth management unit in second quarter posted pre-tax profits of USD207m, compared with USD278m in january-March, and losses of USD71m in the corresponding period of last year, while the asset management unit has seen pre-tax losses of USD86m, compared with profits of USD173m in first quarter, and losses of USD210m in April-June 2009. In wealth management, assets as of 30 June totalled USD1.5trn, compared with USD1.6trn as of the end of March, and USD1.42trn one year earlier, while in asset management, assets were down to USD251bn, from USD262bn three months previously, and USD361bn as of 31 March (USD242bn not counting Smith Barney).
As announced earlier this year (see Newsmanagers of 15 January), Wells Fargo has now completed the process of adjusting its range following the merger of the management firm Wells Fargo Advantage Funds with Evergreen Funds, the management firm from Wachovia. As of 31 May, assets in the new family of products, which includes 132 open-end and closed-end mutual funds as well as variable trust funds (and excluding offshore funds), totalled USD224.1bn. The integration of Evergreen has meant the reconditioning of 27 Evergreen funds as Wells Fargo Advantage funds, and the merger of 53 mutual funds from the two product ranges.
Ingo Gefeke, head of distribution and product management at DWS Investments (Deutsche Bank group), has announced that the asset management firm has created a product strategy division, which will be responsible for all of Europe, and which will bring together product specialists with fund analysts and fund research. The new structure will make it possible to intensify cooperation with distribution partners, with key markets in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Germany. The aim is to export the recipes which have been successful in Germany to all of Europe, particularly in the area of structured solutions for products and pensions “with clear profiles.”
As Anita Zuleger is taking up a new role at the parent company, Sal. Oppenheim, Slexander Ciric, who was previously head of “banking and insurance” distribution channels and “partners and cooperation,” has been appointed as director of distribution at Oppenheim Funds Trust (OPFT), effective from 1 July.
Société Générale Securities Services (SGSS) and Credit Suisse (Deutschland) AG on Wednesday announced that they have signed a partnership agreement, by which SGSS will provide Credit Suisse Asset Management with a complete range of fund administration services in Germany (Master KAG type solution). SGSS will provide Credit Suisse (Deutschland) with a complete range of administrative and IT solutions, including front-office services (ASP), fund administration services, and reporting. As a part of the partnership, SGSS will acquire the legal structure Credit Suisse Asset Management KAG mbH, which it will integrate into its existing local entity, SGSS Deutschland KAG mbH. The close of the transaction, which has been submitted to the local regulator for approval, is expected on 30 September 2010. As of 31 March, SGSS had EUR62.2bn in assets under administration in Germany, in nearly 500 funds.
Frank Henes, who is head of the real estate structured finance division of HypoVereinsbank, will join Commerz Real (the real estate arm of Commerzbank) on 1 September, as a member of the managing board in charge of risk management and IT. He replaces Roland Potthast, who has chosen to leave the Commerzbank group at the end of the year, after 20 years.
BNP Paribas Invesment Partners (BNPP IP), convinced that the German market still offers opportunities for growth, on 1 July recruited two sales managers for its retail team, which previously included two other people, in addition to which two wholesale sector specialists will be added subsequently. They will focus on serving brokerage pools and IFAs in southern Germany. Michael Ruppenthal joins from Axa Investment Managers, while Bozidar Kirstic comes from Pioneer Investments. In the institutional arena, the sales force at BNPP IP also currently includes six people.
Boris Collardi, CEO of the Juluis Baer group, has told Le Temps that he hopes to accelerate the firm’s growth in Germany. “Our fresh inflows in Germany increased by more than 10% in first half. We are going to accelerate that with the recruitment of a new head of private banking,” he says. He hopes to reach critical size in the next three years, and to become profitable. Critical size is between EUR3bn and EUR5bn.
In April-June, net profits at BlackRock totalled USD432m, compared with USD423m in first quarter, and Usd218m in the corresponding period of last year. In first half, profits totalled USD855m, compared with USD302m. The US asset manager on Wednesday announced that assets at the end of June totalled USD3.1508trn, compared with USD3.3639trn at the end of March, and USD1.3732trn twelve months earlier (before the integration of Barclays Global Investors). In other words, profits at BlackRock increased 2% while assets fell by 6%, (USD213.31bn). Falling markets (particularly equities) explain a USD156.5bn decline in assets under management, while currency effects took out USD22.5bn in assets. However, net inflows of USD28.4bn for long-term products, and advising activities, more than compensated for the USD33.9bn in net outflows related to the merger and to quantitative products, as well as USD24.9bn in net outflows from treasury products.
As of 30 June, assets at GLG Partners totalled USD22.956bn, compared with USD23.668bn at the end of March, and USD22.175bn at the end of December. In second quarter, net subscriptions totalled USD1.537bn, for a total of USD2.491bn in first half, but assets fell in April-June, due to the combined impact of a USD1.524bn deterioration in performance, and negative currency effects of USD725m. For first half as a whole, market effects were negative by USD232m, and currency effects wiped out USD1.477bn.
Financial News reports that VCM Fund Management, a small hedge fund management firm based in London, is in talks with other firms to sell a part of its activities via the sale of a minority stake or a controlling stake in its capital. Another option which is being considered is to sign a joint venture agreement for distribution. The search comes as the result of difficulties at VCM Fund Management in raising funds, as well as the sale of Robeco Group’s minority stake in the firm in late 2008.
Following his departure, David Jane, former head of equities and manager of the M*G Cautious Multi-Asset Fund (see Newsmanagers of 09/07/2010), has also resigned from his position as director of the M&G High Income investment trust.
Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has added to its team dedicated to UK equities, with the recruitment of Jeremy Charles as chief investment officer. He was previously a senior manager at Aviva UK Life.
Bruno Crastes and Vincent Chailley, the two star managers who left Amundi in mid-April (see Newsmanagers of 13/04/2010 and 14/04/2010), are putting an end to speculations about their future. On Wednesday, 12 July, they announced the creation of the firm H2O Asset Management, in London, and a partnership with Natixis Asset Management. H2O Asset Management, which in the next few days is expected to submit at application for an asset management firm license from the Financial Services Authority, and which is planning to kick off its operational activities in the next few months, will develop global macro style hedge fund management. According to a statement, “the new structure has chosen to forge a strategic partnership with Natixis Asset Management (NAM), which will acquire a stake in the capital of the firm which will make it the majority owner by the end of the year.” Natixis Asset Management says that the launch comes as part of the multi-boutique model development strategy at Natixis Global Asset Management, the global asset management arm of Natixis.
Mirabaud Investment Management has appointed David Kneale as head of its team dedicated to UK equities. He was previously a manager at the firm. As his previous position as a fund manager has become open, Mirabaud Investment Management is seeking a manager to replace Kneale, Fund Strategy reports.
A verdict of the United Kingdom high court on Wednesday, 21 July required an immediate payment of GBP3.717bn to compensate investors in a collective investment fund managed by Upton & Co. The business was also sentenced to pay GBP10,000 per month – lower than the GBP840,000 sought – to investors. The management firm based in Wakefield, which had no license from the FSA, the British market regulatory authority, managed a “Currency Plan” fund, which promised high returns via investments in currency markets.