SUMMARY
In a month defined by aggressive market rotation, the Fund delivered a 2.0% return. By way of comparison, the RBA cash rate plus 6% returned approximately 0.8%, while the All Ordinaries Accumulation Index rose 1.6%.
We remain focused on our objective of capital preservation while generating a fair return for equity risk. We maintained a stable cash position of 7-8% as profit taking was balanced by new opportunities.







COMMENTARY
It was another month of carnage for technology stocks globally with the ASX IT sector down 9.4%. The narrative continues to shift; while fears of software disintermediation persist, new scepticism is emerging regarding the long-term growth trajectories of “AI winners” and the capital-intensive nature of data centres. We view this return to fundamental scrutiny as a healthy development.
Conversely, resources ripped… and it wasn’t just gold this time. Our Evolution Mining position continued to benefit from the soaring gold price, but our holding in BHP was also a major contributor to performance as it rose 11%. Even better, the upside we saw in BSL was brought forward by the $30 bid by SGH and Steel Dynamics. These are valuable assets, and the battle for them still has some way to run. James Hardie was also a beneficiary of the cyclicals rally and the positive signs from the US government on addressing the gridlock in the housing market.
We lamented the Healthcare sector weakness in our December note, and we saw a more positive start to 2026. Our holdings in ResMed, CSL and Ramsay all contributed positively. On the negative side, Ampol and Aristocrat detracted despite solid operating trends.
Execution during the month focused on disciplined capital recycling. We continued to trim winners Evolution Mining and BHP. Light & Wonder settled its legal dispute with Aristocrat, and we sold into the positive reaction. The proceeds were reinvested in AUB Group, a position we began building in late 2025. AUB raised $400M to purchase UK insurance broking business Prestige, allowing us to purchase stock at a discount. The acquisition is a sensible next step in building out the UK business and shows the company is moving on after the bid from private equity.
Our commitment to high-quality businesses led by proven management teams and supported by resilient cash flows has yielded a productive start to the year. In an environment clouded by short-term “noise” and index-driven volatility, we remain tethered to our absolute-return philosophy, deploying capital only where the risk-adjusted returns are truly compelling.