Portfolio manager comments — Q2 2025
Fund performance was positive during the second quarter, rising by just over 2% in SEK. This was slightly weaker than the benchmark index*, primarily due to weak performance from some of the fund’s healthcare holdings.
The top contributors to returns were Autoliv, Kesko, Embla and Novonesis. Autoliv held a capital markets day where it outlined growth prospects in new safety solutions and with Chinese brands, as well as ongoing efficiency improvements.
The largest negative contributors were Coloplast, AstraZeneca and Essity. Concerns about US regulations aimed at lowering drug costs weighed on AstraZeneca and Coloplast, as well as Novo Nordisk. In addition, both Coloplast and Novo Nordisk reported sales growth below market expectations, which in both cases led to CEO changes. The holding in Hexagon also weighed on returns after a weak Q1 report.
The fund added a new holding in Fortum, a Nordic provider of sustainable energy to both households and businesses. The company is dependent on energy price levels but has demonstrated strong ability to optimize pricing and invest in additional services and increased power production in a disciplined and profitable way. Fortum adds a diversifying exposure to the fund with attractive dividend yield. The fund instead divested its holdings in ABB and Kone, which have delivered strong returns in recent years and are now considered less attractively valued.
The fund focuses on maintaining a concentrated portfolio of quality companies with diverse drivers that can deliver strong and competitive returns over time. We continue to focus on companies with sustainable business models and competitive offerings that support resilient and profitable growth.
* SIX SRI Nordic 200 Net Index