FYI: Our guest on the podcast today is Rob Arnott. Arnott is partner and chairman of the board of Research Affiliates, a firm he established in 2002, following stints at First Quadrant and Salomon Brothers. He also runs several prominent mutual funds, including PIMCO All Asset. In addition to these duties, Arnott is an accomplished thought leader, having published more than 100 articles in professional journals. Among other plaudits for his work, he has received seven Graham and Dodd Scrolls, awarded by the CFA Institute to the top financial analyst journal articles of the year. An innovator, Arnott popularized the concept of fundamental indexation, which some refer to as smart beta.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.morningstar.com/articles/943058/arnott-dont-sleep-on-value-investing-especially-emerging-markets-value
Comments
Arnott points out that an active manager can succeed only if another active manager is losing; in other words there has to be a loser on the other side of the trade.
The other point that I found useful is that if you get into an undervalued sector, such as EM, you need to buy in systematically as the asset declines and then be ready to unload it, perhaps gradually, as it appreciates. For me, this suggests that a blind buy-and-hold strategy won't cut the mustard, at least not in EM, the asset he identifies as most undervalued today. PRIJX would be my choice for an MF to buy. Fear and disgust may need to be set aside in favor of Arnott's quite convincing arguments. He also seems humble, noting the periods when his ideas have been excoriated. That's a quality to emulate.