The timing is almost perfect: the eighteenth edition of the list of the best European management companies established by the Fundclass firm is based on an extraordinary period, going from 1er April 2020 to December 31, 2023. The counters therefore start almost at the lowest point in the stock markets, at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The CAC 40 index rose from 3,600 points in March 2020 to more than 7,500 points at the end of 2023. But this beautiful journey has not been without bumps, the index having fallen by 9.5% in 2022. period is just as unique for interest rates: initially in negative territory, the key rates of the European Central Bank (ECB) began a spectacular rise in July 2022.
The management companies highlighted by Fundclass were therefore able to maneuver in a complex environment, both for stocks and bonds. The winners for France are HMG Finance for the category of management companies with between 4 and 7 funds, AG2R La Mondiale Asset Management (from 8 to 15 funds), Pro BTP Finance (from 16 to 25 funds), CPR Asset Management (AM, from 26 to 40 funds), Crédit Mutuel AM (from 41 to 70 funds) and Lazard Frères Gestion (from 71 to 100 funds). Four of them (HMG Finance, AG2R La Mondiale Asset Management, Pro BTP Finance and Lazard Frères Gestion) are also crowned best management companies in Europe in their category.
“This is the first time that we have counted so many French actors among the European winners in the eight categories”, indicates François Chauvet, president of Fundclass. This analysis firm also awards trophies to managers displaying the best results compared to their peers over seven years, in order to reward regularity of performance. Palatine AM, Groupama and Lazard Frères Gestion received awards.
Insurers in the spotlight
In total, three of the eight French management companies winning an award this year are subsidiaries of insurance groups. A random ? Not for Xavier Hoche, deputy general manager of Groupama AM, a heavyweight managing 102.4 billion euros, mainly in bonds: “As a mutual insurer, we think over a long horizon. This allows time for a product to prove itself, even if it does not collect because its strategy is not fashionable. » A paid method since Groupama has regularly been rewarded by Fundclass in recent years. “This also results in team stability, a crucial element for implementing long-term conviction management”continues Mr. Hoche.
You have 57.94% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.