ITEM 7 - TYPES OF CLIENTS
Westwood provides portfolio management services to high-net-worth individuals,
investment companies (including mutual funds), corporate pension and profit-sharing
plans, pooled investment vehicles, charitable institutions, foundations, endowments,
municipalities, corporations, and other U.S. and international institutions.
The minimum investment for a separate account is $50 million and the minimum
investment into a commingled account is $10 million. Westwood may, in its sole and
absolute discretion, waive or alter such minimum investment amounts at any time.
WESTWOOD GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LLC – ONE FINANCIAL CENTER, SUITE 1620 – BOSTON, MA 02111
ITEM 8 - METHOD OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS
Westwood principally invests in equity securities of companies operating in developing
world markets. We define developing markets as those countries defined by the World
Bank as having low to middle per capita income, those countries with a stock market
capitalization of less than two percent (2%) of the Morgan Stanley Capital International
World Index (“MSCI”), and those countries that are included within the MSCI Emerging
Markets Free Index or MSCI Small Cap Index.
Westwood will invest, hold, sell, and otherwise deal in securities and tangible investment
instruments including, among others, equities, bonds, warrants, rights, futures contracts,
foreign currency contracts, and other securities and instruments that are traded in public
markets.
Westwood believes that there are significant investment opportunities in global markets
that provide attractive long-term absolute returns. Westwood uses a bottom-up approach
to identify opportunities in developing world markets. In the case of the WGI Global Ex-U.S.
Fund, both Westwood and WGI DM use a bottom-up approach in developing and developed
world markets. This bottom-up approach is driven by management contact, financial
statement analysis, and a focus on valuations relative to cash flow and earnings growth.
Key criteria are cash flow, earnings growth, balance sheet strength, and returns on capital.
We believe that the cost of liquidity is real, but we will invest in companies of all sizes if the
return expected is appropriate.
Risk of Loss:
Investing in securities involves risk of loss that clients should be prepared to bear. In
addition, investing with Westwood may involve the following material risks.
Financial Market Fluctuations
General fluctuations in the market prices of securities affects the value of the
investments held by Westwood. Instability in the securities markets may also increase the
risks inherent in Westwood’s investments.
Equity Risk
The market price of securities managed by Westwood may go up or down, sometimes
rapidly or unpredictably. A risk of investing with Westwood is that the equity securities
WESTWOOD GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LLC – ONE FINANCIAL CENTER, SUITE 1620 – BOSTON, MA 02111
ITEM 8 - METHOD OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS
included in Westwood’s strategy will decline in value due to factors affecting equity
securities markets generally or particular industries represented in those markets. The
value of equity securities may decline due to general market conditions that are not
specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic
conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or
currency rates. They may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or
industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive
conditions within an industry.
Non-U.S. Investments
Westwood generally invests in non-U.S. companies. These investments involve special
risks not usually associated with investing in securities of U.S. companies or the U.S.
government, including political and economic considerations, such as greater risks of
expropriation and nationalization, confiscatory taxation, the potential difficulty of
repatriating funds, general social, political and economic instability and adverse diplomatic
developments; the possibility of imposition of withholding or other taxes on dividends,
interest, capital gain or other income; the small size of the securities markets in such
countries and the low volume of trading, resulting in potential lack of liquidity and in price
volatility; fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies and costs associated with
currency conversion; and certain government policies that may restrict Westwood’s
investment opportunities. In addition, because non-U.S. entities are not subject to uniform
accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements
comparable with those applicable to U.S. companies, there are different types of, and
possibly lower quality, information available about a non-U.S. company than a U.S.
company. There is also less regulation, generally, of the securities markets in foreign
countries, than there is in the U.S., and such markets may not provide the same protections
available in the U.S. With respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of political,
economic or social instability, the imposition of trading controls, import duties or other
protectionist measures, various laws enacted for the protection of creditors, and greater
risks of nationalization or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect
Westwood’s investments in those countries. Furthermore, individual economies can differ
favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross
national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, and
balance of payments position.
WESTWOOD GLOBAL INVESTMENTS, LLC – ONE FINANCIAL CENTER, SUITE 1620 – BOSTON, MA 02111
ITEM 8 - METHOD OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS
Emerging Markets Risk
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