Portfolio manager comments — Q3 2025
The market performed very strongly during the third quarter, gaining close to 8%. The fund was unable to keep pace despite several holdings delivering robust performance. One of the prevailing themes during the period was the decline in companies perceived by the market as negatively exposed to AI developments. This impacted holdings in both software and financial services, with examples including Intuit, S&P Global, Cadence Design, TMX, and Descartes, all of which underperformed.
Based on this assessment, the fund divested Cadence Design and ADP. While ADP is classified as a service company, it sells HR software, making it particularly vulnerable in the current environment. At the same time, interest rate cuts in the U.S. propelled high‑risk segments – such as unprofitable and highly cyclical companies – sharply higher.
Automotive manufacturers and component suppliers were notable examples. The fund’s exposure in this area is limited, with Continental being a representative holding; this position was partially realized during the quarter. Beyond general market trends, Tesla contributed significantly to the index gains. As Tesla is excluded under Handelsbanken Fonder’s sustainability screening, the fund maintains a structural underweight in the company, which negatively affected relative returns. From a sector and country perspective, financial services and Canada were the largest negative contributors to performance. On the positive side, the relatively new holding Comfort Systems rose by more than 50% during the quarter. Alphabet, ING, and Broadcom also appreciated strongly. The fund returned to an overweight position in Apple, a move that proved advantageous as the stock rose by nearly 18% in USD from the point of repositioning.
Infineon was added to the portfolio during the quarter. The company is considered high‑quality, and its cyclical segment is assessed to have reached a trough.