FIRST High Yield (Nordic High Yield)
FIRST High Yield is an actively managed Nordic high yield bond fund where the fund manager takes active credit exposure. Through close monitoring of the portfolio, we aim to generate a good risk-adjusted absolute return over time. This is achieved through investments in bonds with returns significantly higher than government bonds.
Furthermore, through deliberate positioning for changes in credit premiums, all in a well-diversified portfolio. The Interest rate duration in the fund will normally be around 1 year. Investment decisions are based on fundamental analysis of individual companies and assessments of the interest and credit markets in general. Central to these assessments is where the portfolio manager believes you get the best reward for the risk you take.
In 2019 FIRST High Yield was the winner of Lipper Fund Awards in the category "Best Bond Fund Europe High Yield 3 Years".
The fund is managed by Henry Grepstad
FIRST Yield (Investment Grade)
Through active management FIRST Yield aims to provide an annual relative excess return after costs of 1 - 3%. The fund will also try to achieve a positive absolute return on an annual basis.
The fund takes active positions based on analysis and assessments of the interest rate and credit markets. The fund will also take specific exposures to changes in interest rates and the slope of the yield curve. Exposure to the credit market is taken through investments in bonds where the fund considers the payment for the risk to be good. The fund will always have a minimum of 80% of the portfolio invested in Investment Grade bonds.
The fund's investments will be in bonds that generally have a higher credit and liquidity risk than the benchmark index, which consists solely of government bonds. The fund's return is expected to be higher than the return on the benchmark because of the higher risk, but at the same time, one must expect greater fluctuations in the fund's return.
In 2019 FIRST Yield was the winner of Morningstar Fund Awards in the category "Best Norwegian Bond Fund".
The fund is managed by Henry Grepstad