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Yeah, Morningstar lists a full 2013 year return. The fund website lists May 1, 2014 as the inception date. I'm on the phone with Dodge and Cox shareholder services trying to get an answer. They are Not having an easy time answering the question! They say it was a private fund when it started in late 2012, apparently invested in by the Dodge and Cox portfolio managers and certain 'others', but they can't say who those 'others' are......I'm not getting a good answer. It seems clear that this was an "internally funded portfolio." They are fumbling. Sounds like it was open to investment maybe by certain employees of Dodge and Cox, and ?possibly by those who have private accounts with Dodge and Cox. My guess is that this was a "trial period" for them before they opened it up to the public. Getting their feet wet in something they were not expert in, before subjecting the public to it? That's my best guess. ________ OK, spoke with someone from Dodge and Cox in San Francisco. If you're determined enough you can eventually speak with the fund itself! It was seed money, "practice money," although that is my term, not theirs. They needed experience with these investments and trading fixed income securities in these markets, and the firm itself put out the seed money, rather than individuals. They also wanted to establish a track record. Another purpose was that to get into some of the foreign fixed income markets, they needed to start with a base level of funds and not just wait for money to come in from those interested in the new fund.
Looks like the Private Fund, with an inception date of December 5, 2012, was managed and funded by Dodge & Cox, and reorganized into DODLX - the Dodge & Cox Global Bond Fund - on May 1, 2014.
Characteristics, performance and attribution were not restated because the net operating expenses of the Private Fund and DODLX ( .60% ) are the same.
Early on, it looks to have nearly 40% of its assets in the US, more than one-quarter in Europe, including the UK, and 25% in Emerging Markets.
@rjb112 You actually were able to speak with someone on the fund's investment team? OMG, I am so not worthy!! You are hereby designated MFO PhoneMaster, the #1 teleschmoozer who henceforth will be called upon to ferret into the bowels of asset management companies to get to the deep-skinny about all that would be obfuscated with a braille card prospectus.
@heezsafe Well, I didn't get very high up. Definitely not one of the portfolio managers or analysts. But further up the mountain than shareholder services, who I believe is in Boston. At least I got to speak with someone in the Dodge and Cox building in San Francisco who is an employee of Dodge and Cox and had some decent information. It's a step in the right direction.
I'm also working on getting a response from the Wintergreen Fund. So far I've been able to get the name and number of someone who works with David Winters and he said he'd get a message to David Winters. So I sent an email out to him about 11-12 days ago. Still awaiting a response. Not happy about the expense ratio of Wintergreen Fund, so I thought I'd address it.
Last month I was able to speak with the actual portfolio manager of a Stable Value fund that is in my 401k plan. Had to go thru multiple hoops to get there, but the fund is not on an exchange and there is not that much information publicly available about it. Fidelity, who manages the 401k, had almost zero information, and didn't even know how to contact the investment team........The fund manager was very nice, open, and very happy to answer questions. Surprisingly candid.
Years ago I was able to speak with one of the stock analysts at the Sequoia Fund.
I've been able to speak with the manager of a Balanced Fund I'm invested in. I called shareholder services, left them my name and phone number, and the manager actually called me back! He was great to talk with.
Small successes..........still working at it. Once you can get past shareholder services and deal with the actual people who run the mutual fund, you've cracked the first barrier. You do have to be willing to get thru several barriers and jump thru some hoops.
The hoops, wickets and obstacles are all intentional. It's bullshit. I can recall asking for a particular transaction by phone, years ago. The ASSHOLE who answered simply said: I can do it this way or I can do it THAT way......
.........And? (Waiting for SOME kind of statement about why the thing I was asking for could not be done......) .....I can do it THIS way or I can do it THAT way...... That's all I got. Was it because the scumbag did not even understand the whole business any better than myself? Just seems to me that if you're calling "shareholder SERVICES" that they might actually provide a SERVICE. To be plain about it, the "shareholder service" outfit I refer to is BNY Mellon. Utter, total stupid dweebs with NO sense, and no bedside manner at all. But come to think of it, the dweebs who answer the phone probably don't even work for BNY Mellon. They probably work for a Call Center somewhere. ....Which put us HOW MANY steps removed from the Matthews funds in San Francisco?????????? Jeez. Your very informative responses have PUSHED MY BUTTONS!
Comments
________
OK, spoke with someone from Dodge and Cox in San Francisco. If you're determined enough you can eventually speak with the fund itself! It was seed money, "practice money," although that is my term, not theirs. They needed experience with these investments and trading fixed income securities in these markets, and the firm itself put out the seed money, rather than individuals. They also wanted to establish a track record. Another purpose was that to get into some of the foreign fixed income markets, they needed to start with a base level of funds and not just wait for money to come in from those interested in the new fund.
Regards,
Ted
Characteristics, performance and attribution were not restated because the net operating expenses of the Private Fund and DODLX ( .60% ) are the same.
Early on, it looks to have nearly 40% of its assets in the US, more than one-quarter in Europe, including the UK, and 25% in Emerging Markets.
Well, I didn't get very high up. Definitely not one of the portfolio managers or analysts. But further up the mountain than shareholder services, who I believe is in Boston. At least I got to speak with someone in the Dodge and Cox building in San Francisco who is an employee of Dodge and Cox and had some decent information. It's a step in the right direction.
I'm also working on getting a response from the Wintergreen Fund. So far I've been able to get the name and number of someone who works with David Winters and he said he'd get a message to David Winters. So I sent an email out to him about 11-12 days ago. Still awaiting a response. Not happy about the expense ratio of Wintergreen Fund, so I thought I'd address it.
Last month I was able to speak with the actual portfolio manager of a Stable Value fund that is in my 401k plan. Had to go thru multiple hoops to get there, but the fund is not on an exchange and there is not that much information publicly available about it. Fidelity, who manages the 401k, had almost zero information, and didn't even know how to contact the investment team........The fund manager was very nice, open, and very happy to answer questions. Surprisingly candid.
Years ago I was able to speak with one of the stock analysts at the Sequoia Fund.
I've been able to speak with the manager of a Balanced Fund I'm invested in. I called shareholder services, left them my name and phone number, and the manager actually called me back! He was great to talk with.
Small successes..........still working at it. Once you can get past shareholder services and deal with the actual people who run the mutual fund, you've cracked the first barrier. You do have to be willing to get thru several barriers and jump thru some hoops.
.........And? (Waiting for SOME kind of statement about why the thing I was asking for could not be done......) .....I can do it THIS way or I can do it THAT way...... That's all I got. Was it because the scumbag did not even understand the whole business any better than myself? Just seems to me that if you're calling "shareholder SERVICES" that they might actually provide a SERVICE. To be plain about it, the "shareholder service" outfit I refer to is BNY Mellon. Utter, total stupid dweebs with NO sense, and no bedside manner at all. But come to think of it, the dweebs who answer the phone probably don't even work for BNY Mellon. They probably work for a Call Center somewhere. ....Which put us HOW MANY steps removed from the Matthews funds in San Francisco?????????? Jeez. Your very informative responses have PUSHED MY BUTTONS!