Small Cap Select SRI – Q2 2024 Commentary

The Market:

US small-cap stocks gave up some of their gains in the second quarter, but remained positive for the year. After several disappointing inflation readings in the first months of 2024, we saw a return to the disinflation trend that began last year. Along with the positive news regarding prices, we continued to see robust, albeit weakening, labor market growth. These trends, both moving in the Federal Reserve’s desired direction, generally support a gradual easing of interest rates later this year.

Performance:

For the second quarter of 2024, the Select SRI Composite experienced a return of 0.91% (gross of fees) and 0.66% (net of fees) as compared to the Russell 2000®, which returned -3.28%.  Year-to-date, the Select Composite experienced a return of 9.89% (gross of fees) and 9.34% (net of fees) compared to the Russell 2000®, which returned 1.73%.  Certain account performance may vary from this composite performance due to client-initiated account restrictions on certain types of holdings or due to client cash flows.  Additional performance information is included in the table below.

Data as of 6/30/2024

Performance this quarter was driven primarily by strong individual stock performance across multiple sectors, rather than sector allocation.  The diverse range of top-performing stocks, bolstered by strategic acquisitions and effective operational improvements, contributed meaningfully to our outperformance during the second quarter.

Our best-performing sector was Health Care. While Health Care experienced negative returns in the benchmark, our investments achieved double-digit returns during the quarter. Our top performer was a medical device company developing solutions for musculoskeletal disorders. We invested in the company after they acquired a competitor. Since then, they have successfully integrated the company, refined product roadmaps, and executed cost synergies. We believe the combined company continues to have meaningful revenue and margin growth opportunities. and we remain invested here. Another strong performer, in the Info Technology sector, was a provider of electronics manufacturing, engineering, and design services. The company has maintained impressive margins even as revenues declined due to customer inventory corrections. We believe that successfully executing their operational improvement strategy will lead to better-than-anticipated profitability when revenue growth returns. We continue to hold this stock.

Our most challenged sector was Consumer Discretionary, with a company offering vacation ownership and rentals being one of our largest detractors. While the company posted positive quarterly results, concerns about slowing consumer spending, especially on items requiring financing, held the shares back. We remain invested as we believe the company is on track to return to healthy growth and profit levels after experiencing weak results during the wildfires on Maui. In Industrials, a provider of trucking services was our single largest detractor. The stock suffered as shipment volumes across the transportation industry remained well below expectations. While we believe the company has margin improvement processes that they can execute, we sold the position due to concerns about how pricing and volumes will level out after their competitor’s bankruptcy last year.

Portfolio Changes:

This quarter, we sold more positions than we initiated, thereby lowering the total number of holdings.  We used the additional proceeds to add to several existing investments where we have high levels of confidence and see a positive risk-reward balance.  We highlight our three largest new and exited positions below.

Portfolio Characteristics:

As of June 30, 2024, we are less exposed to economically sensitive companies as compared to the benchmark.  We are overweight in the Industrials and Materials sectors and underweight in Information Technology and Energy.

The Future:

With disinflation moving in the right direction and labor market tightness abating, it seems that the US Federal Reserve will soon begin its rate-cutting cycle.  This is coinciding with mixed data out of other economic indicators such as positive GDP growth, weakening PMI levels, and poor consumer confidence.  While there is a path for a smooth landing, we are aware that different rate-cutting paths could lead to very divergent outcomes. Consequently, we continue to maintain a balanced approach regarding the portfolio’s economic sensitivity. Our focus remains on identifying and investing in companies that can implement their unique strategies for value enhancement. This approach positions us to adapt and capitalize on changing market dynamics.

Thank you for your continued confidence in us.  Should you have any questions or concerns, never hesitate to call.

Sincerely,

Portfolio Manager

Important Disclosures

Kennedy Capital Management LLC (“KCM”) is a Delaware limited liability company headquartered in Missouri.  KCM is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. Clients of the Firm include U.S. corporations, pension and profit sharing funds, colleges and universities, trusts, not-for-profit organizations, foundations, and individuals. KCM claims compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®). GIPS® is a registered trademark of CFA Institute. CFA Institute does not endorse or promote this organization, nor does it warrant the accuracy or quality of the content contained herein. GIPS® are a set of standardized, industry-wide ethical principles that provide investment firms with guidance on calculating and reporting their investment results to prospective clients to ensure fair representation and full disclosure of an investment firm’s performance history.

Although the statements of fact and data in this report have been obtained from, and are based upon, sources that the Firm believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee their accuracy, and any such information may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions included in this report constitute the Firm’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. This report is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security. A complete list of all securities recommended by KCM in the preceding year, a fully compliant GIPS composite report, and the list of composite descriptions are available upon request from KCM at 10829 Olive Blvd., Suite 100. St. Louis, MO, 63141.

The Small Cap Select SRI Composite invests in small cap value and small cap growth companies that demonstrate valuation below, return on assets above and return on equity above those of the Index, while observing social restriction strategies. For comparison purposes the composite is measured against the Russell 2000® Index. The U.S. Dollar is the currency used to express performance.

Composite specific data provided within this presentation has been calculated from accounts that are discretionary as defined in this paragraph. The assets shown are derived only from discretionary accounts. Non-discretionary accounts, as defined by KCM, are accounts that are not included in the composite due to one or any combination of the following criteria: there were significant cash inflows or outflows within the account; the account’s asset level did not meet the minimum requirement to remain in the composite; the account assets are managed by others using our non-discretionary model. The temporary removal of such an account occurs at the beginning of the month and the account re-enters the composite the month after the criteria has been met.

Performance returns are presented gross and net of investment advisory fees and include the reinvestment of all income. Gross of fee returns reflect the deduction of transaction costs and custodian fees but do not reflect the deduction of investment advisory fees. Net of fee performance is calculated using gross returns less the actual applicable annual management fee applied monthly. Past performance is not indicative of future results. A client’s return will be reduced by the advisory fees as described in Form ADV Part 2A and other expenses incurred by the account. For example, an annual advisory fee of 1% compounded quarterly over 10 years will reduce a gross 14.44% annual return to a net 13.32% annual return. Form ADV Part 2A is available upon request.

The performance figures reported herein are unaudited, may be based upon information obtained via electronic data sources (”feeds”) and may be subject to change. Data feeds from many of KCM clients’ selected custodians are obtained through third party sources, and are used to compare custodial data to KCM’s client account records as frequently as daily. Monthly, KCM reviews clients’ account holdings along with cash and share quantities against the custodial statements. In some instances, variances may exist between final audited custodial information and the information KCM obtains via such data feeds. Generally, any such variances are researched and reconciled within thirty days of the period end.

The information provided should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security. There is no assurance that any securities discussed herein will remain in a KCM portfolio at the time you receive this letter or that securities sold have not been repurchased. Allocations among industries, sectors and securities may vary and are subject to change without notice. Any securities discussed do not represent an account’s entire portfolio and, in the aggregate, may represent only a small percentage of an account’s portfolio holdings. It should not be assumed that any of the industry or sector allocation decisions mentioned, or securities transactions or holdings discussed were or will be profitable, or that the investment recommendations or decisions we make in the future will be profitable or will equal the investment performance of the securities discussed herein.

Sector Weightings are subject to change at any time.  Sectors are based on the Global Industry Classification Standard (“GICS”) classification scheme and are measured as a percentage of the total composites in terms of asset value as of the date indicated above.  Individual client portfolios may be different based on variations in security purchase price and date, and individual client restrictions.

GICS was developed by and is the exclusive property and a service mark of Morgan Stanley Capital International, Inc. (”MSCI”) and Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (”S&P”) and is licensed for the use by KCM. Neither MSCI, S&P, nor any other party involved in making or compiling the GICS or any GICS classifications makes any express or implied warranties or representations with respect to such standard or classification (or the results thereof),and all such parties hereby expressly disclaim all warranties of originality, accuracy, completeness, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to any of such standard or classification. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall MSCI, S&P, any of their affiliates or any third party involved in making or compiling the GICS or any GICS classifications have any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

Allocations to various assets classes change over time and deviate from any stated or targeted percentages of a total portfolio as a result of market conditions and reallocation decisions. Therefore, nothing herein reflects a static portfolio allocation that will remain the same or match stated target allocations of asset classes.

Russell Investment Group is the source and owner of the Russell Index data contained or reflected in this material and all trademarks and copyrights related thereto.  The presentation may contain confidential information and unauthorized use, disclosure, copying, dissemination or redistribution is strictly prohibited.  This is a presentation of Kennedy Capital Management.  Russell Investment Group is not responsible for the formatting or configuration of this material or for any inaccuracy in Kennedy Capital Management’s presentation thereof.   

The Russell 2000® Index measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe. The Russell 2000®  Index is a subset of the Russell 3000® Index representing approximately 7% of the total market capitalization of that index, as of the most recent reconstitution. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership. The Russell 2000® is constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased small-cap barometer and is completely reconstituted annually to ensure larger stocks do not distort the performance and characteristics of the true small-cap opportunity set.

The Russell 2000® Index is used as the benchmark.  The Index is unmanaged and represents total returns including reinvestment of dividends.  The benchmark is used for comparative purposes only and generally reflects the comparable risk or investment style of the Firm’s strategy.  The investment portfolios underlying the Index are different from the investments in the portfolios managed by the Firm. Certain accounts may also use other benchmarks not listed in the GIPS composite report. The Verification and Performance Examination Report does not cover the benchmark returns included in the GIPS composite report.  Investors cannot invest directly in an Index.