Security Selection. NDR begins the security selection process by identifying current market themes that its strategists believe may outperform the broader market over the term of the trust. These themes are picked by NDR macroeconomic and equity strategists from a larger pool of NDR strategists' themes. The themes selected by NDR for this trust are: [NDR to provide themes for this trust under a separate cover.] NDR then employs multiple processes designed to select specific securities that it believes will benefit more than other securities if one or more of the investment themes play out as predicted. NDR's primary method of identifying the relevant securities to represent the theme(s) is by using the industry classification of the individual securities. Since most stocks can be classified by the industry in which they operate, NDR aligns the theme with the relevant industry(s). This selection is made by both qualitative (categorization) and quantitative (correlations of securities with industry(s)) criteria. The sectors/industries that NDR believes may benefit from the investment themes are: [NDR to provide sectors for this trust under a separate cover.] Once the favored industries have been identified, NDR reduces the broader universe down to the final recommended 40 securities using the criteria below. NDR analysts utilize fundamental, technical, and/or macroeconomic factors to rank the filtered securities. o Fundamental factors pertain to the economics of the specific business and are typically drawn from the financial statements (i.e., income statement, balance sheet, etc.). Some common factors are, but are not limited to, earnings growth, dividend payout ratio and debt/equity ratio. o Technical factors pertain to the trading of the security in the capital markets. Technical factors are used to evaluate the supply and demand for the security. Some common factors are, but are not limited to, price momentum, mean reversion or level of volume of shares traded.
Security Selection. NDR begins the security selection process by identifying current market themes that its strategists believe may outperform the broader market over the term of the trust. These themes are picked by NDR macroeconomic and equity strategists from a larger pool of NDR strategists' themes. NDR then employs multiple processes designed to select specific securities that it believes will benefit more than other securities if one or more of the investment themes play out as predicted. NDR's primary method of identifying the relevant securities to represent the theme(s) is by using the industry classification of the individual securities. Since most stocks can be classified by the industry in which they operate, NDR aligns the theme with the relevant industry(s). This selection is made by both qualitative (categorization) and quantitative (correlations of securities with industry(s)) criteria. The sectors/industries that NDR believes may benefit from the investment themes are: o Financials sector, which may experience improved interest margins and an expanded demand for loans in a rising interest rate environment. o Industrials and materials sectors, which may benefit from the proposed federal government policies of increasing spending on infrastructure, deregulation and tax incentives. o Consumer discretionary sector, which may benefit from increased spending by millennials. o Energy sector, which may be well positioned to benefit from global growth and a bull market in oil. Once the favored industries have been identified, NDR reduces the broader universe down to the final recommended 40 securities using the criteria below. NDR analysts utilize fundamental, technical, and/or macroeconomic factors to rank the filtered securities. o Fundamental factors pertain to the economics of the specific business and are typically drawn from the financial statements (i.e., income statement, balance sheet, etc.). Some common factors are, but are not limited to, earnings growth, dividend payout ratio and debt/equity ratio. o Technical factors pertain to the trading of the security in the capital markets. Technical factors are used to evaluate the supply and demand for the security. Some common factors are, but are not limited to, price momentum, mean reversion or level of volume of shares traded.
Security Selection. Every potential company is evaluated using a quality assessment supported by a team- based approach and peer review process. The quality assessment covers each of the following five key factors: 1) the durability of the business model, 2) the attractiveness of the industry, 3) the strength of financials, 4) the capability of management, and 5) the most financially material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors impacting a company. Examples of ESG factors considered include, but are not limited to, carbon emissions, climate risks, labor management, employee safety and corporate governance. The specific factors considered may vary depending on the type of company being evaluated. When selecting portfolio securities to suggest to the sponsor, abrdn seeks to understand what is changing in companies, industries and markets but is not being priced into the market or is being mispriced. Through fundamental research, supported by a global research presence and proprietary tools, abrdn seeks to identify companies whose quality is not yet fully recognized by the market.
Security Selection abrdn uses a fundamental, bottom-up equity investment process, which is based on first-hand research and disciplined company evaluation. Securities are identified for their long-term, fundamental value. The stock selection process contains two filters, first quality and then price. The quality filter determines whether the company has good growth prospects and a balance sheet that supports expansion. Additionally, long-term value is evaluated by examining a spectrum of considerations such as governance and risk management, including those risks often referred to as environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. ESG analysis is fully integrated into investment decisions for all equity holdings. As such, although ESG investing is not a principal strategy of the trust, ESG factors are considered and evaluated as part of the investment analysis process and this analysis forms an integral component of the quality rating for all companies. In the price filter, the value of a company is assessed by reference to financial ratios. Based upon the financial ratios, an estimate of the value of the company relative to its market price and the valuations of other potential investments is calculated.
