How to check fund performance over last 15 years?

Perdu

I've been browsing here for a while now, and it seems that the more I learn, the more I'm losing confidence in what I currently have.

It would appear that my fund is actively managed and quite expensive. This would be fine if the performance has warranted the cost but I'm not succeeding in finding the means to compare.

I've had a look at Trustnet, but can't find how to look back far enough - could someone point me in the right direction please?

dunstonh

The free version has shortened timescales. The paid for versions can go back to fund launch.

I wouldnt be too concerned about 15 years ago. Using 10 to see what happened during the credit crunch and after is more like it.

puk999

On Trustnet's home page you should see a link on the left hand side called multi-plot charting. Use the combo boxes to find the fund and click "< Add" to add it to the chart. Remove the 4 default indices that get automatically added. Then click "Timescale ˅" just above the chart to change the from date.

I was only just using it to look back to 1972 on the JPM Natural Resources A Acc. If I choose the C Acc fund, I can only go back to 2010, so you might like to try different share classes for your fund to see if you can go back further.

BrockStoker

Using the chart tool on Trustnet you can usually go back as far as you like. Simply click on the share class you are interested in, and then on the graph.

dunstonh

Ahh, I didnt realise that they made the free version go back that far. It used to be limited.

Anthorn

Personally, I would not take into account past performance from even as recent as a year ago. First on the agenda is to find out where the fund is investing and if you agree with it. For example what if it is exporting nuclear missiles to Outer Mongolia. Would you agree with that? And what if the fund has all its investments in Greece?


The past is not an indicator of future performance. Now is what matters and the past is dead and buried.

EdGasket

I think the OP was looking into whether the premium being paid for an active management was worthwhile over the long term and hence needs to look further back at how the fund has done relative to peers and indices.

Probably not worth it in most cases is the answer.

tg99

It is likely that within the last 15 years the fund has changed its strategy and manager so also worth doing some digging into this as any performance prior to this will be much less relevant (and would caution placing too much emphasis on past performance in any case).

Perdu

EdGasket wrote: »

Probably not worth it in most cases is the answer.

You could well be right...:o


I have spent a bit of time on Trustnet and have learned the following:-

- I can't find the fund(s) by name (possibly offshore)
- I am unsure what fund type/instrument/sector to look at
- I do not know what I am doing.

Briefly - On moving to France I took financial advice on a capital sum, which was invested in an Offshore Bond in Luxembourg in March 2001. After a right rollercoaster, the value at its peak in March 2015 showed a total gain of 42% - just 3% pa.

This doesn't seem very impressive, and I'm trying to establish the reason(s) - whether it's high charges/wrong funds which I should try to address, or was it simply that I went in at a very bad time, and this sort of return is "to be expected".

I appreciate that past performance is no guide to future, but I feel I need to understand it all more - so I thought I'd try to find a benchmark to see if what I have up to now is typical, or better/worse.

I've begun to dig out and go through all the paperwork and will try and get a bit more clued up...

Many thanks to all for your input.

BrockStoker

Perdu wrote: »

- I can't find the fund(s) by name (possibly offshore)

If you have a SEDOL or ISIN code for the fund/funds in question you could try using the search function on Trustnet. That usually works for me, but as you say, not all funds can be found on Trustnet. When I can't find a fund on Trustnet I search on Morningstar instead, but I'm not sure how much help that would be to you.

Perdu

BrockStoker wrote: »

If you have a SEDOL or ISIN code for the fund/funds in question you could try using the search function on Trustnet. That usually works for me, but as you say, not all funds can be found on Trustnet. When I can't find a fund on Trustnet I search on Morningstar instead, but I'm not sure how much help that would be to you.

Thanks for this, I've now tried Morningstar as well as Trustnet again without luck - I don't have SEDOL/ISIN codes as the documents I have carry an internal ref system - I think it might be due to several layers between me and the actual funds (each, I guess, with various charges.. )

I've had a further thought, that maybe I'm approaching this from the wrong angle. I do have valuation statements so I can work out this fund's return - so where might I find a general benchmark chart/graph to compare an average return over the last x years - or am I being too simplistic?