Topic: How To Invest

Pat, may I have your advice on the Compass Growth Portfolio Fund? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: The Compass Growth Portfolio fund is a mutual fund that holds mostly common shares, although it does hold some bonds. The portfolio manager of the Compass funds is ATB Investment Inc. The fund’s MER is 1.94%. The breakdown of the Compass Growth Portfolio fund is as follows: Canadian large-cap stocks (20.8%); international stocks (17.6%); U.S. large-cap stocks (17.0%); global large-cap stocks (13.8%); global small-cap stocks (7.3%); Canadian small-cap stocks (6.5%); U.S. small-cap stocks (5.8%); government and corporate bonds (4.7%); REITs (4.0%) and private securities (2.4%). The fund uses a range of managers to pick its stocks: BlackRock, Mawer Investment Management, QV Investors, Franklin Templeton Investments, Kensington Capital and TriWest Capital. Compass Growth Portfolio fund holds mostly high-quality stocks, although its small-cap holdings add risk. As well, we think that investors who want to hold funds should stay out of “multi-manager” funds. These funds use a number of managers with a view to giving investors “diversification” by combining their different investment styles. We…