Following a challenging year for bond investors, investment grade corporate bonds are now offering attractive yields and a margin of safety. However, the recent banking sector crisis, sticky inflation, and the seemingly persistent threat of a recession serves as a stark reminder that investors are not out of the woods yet.
Valuations, technicals and fundamentals paint a better picture for euro-denominated corporate bonds against a darkening macro backdrop.
The T. Rowe Price Euro Corporate bond fund follows an all-weather approach that aims to generate consistent alpha in different market environments by holding a diversified portfolio of investment grade corporate issues across a variety of sectors and rating profiles; with a focus on limiting downside risk at times when credit markets are underperforming due to widening of credit spreads. Our intensive proprietary fundamental research is key to identifying the best-performing issuers and avoiding those with poor management or deteriorating creditworthiness.
The Euro Corporate bond fund aims to deliver regular and diversified outperformance in different market environments.
Our disciplined risk management process is designed to manage downside risk, particularly in periods of widening credit spreads.
We focus on high quality securities with the best liquidity characteristics. Our portfolio construction is also based on optimal diversification to avoid concentration risk.
Fundamental research, consistent investment framework and rigorous risk management are key strength of our investment process. Our security selection process is based on proprietary research combining fundamental analysis, valuation, and quantitative inputs. ESG factors are integral throughout our investment process.
The combination of diligent security selection, skilled portfolio construction and credit beta management makes our Euro corporate bond fund a truly all-weather approach.
David Stanley (lead portfolio manager) has been managing the fund for over 20 years and is assisted by sector portfolio manager Howard Woodward. The portfolio management team is supported by both credit research, macro research analysts including economists and sovereign experts, quantitative analysts, as well as dedicated corporate bond traders. Day-to-day portfolio management is a highly collaborative process, with input and insight coming from across the credit research and quantitative analyst teams as well as surrounding teams including high yield, emerging market debt and European equity.
Fund's main features and investment approach
A monthly snapshot of the fund's key data including performance and holdings
Key Fund risks - The following risks are materially relevant to the fund (refer to prospectus for further details): ABS and MBS - Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) and Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) may be subject to greater liquidity, credit, default and interest rate risk compared to other bonds. They are often exposed to extension and prepayment risk. Contingent convertible bond - Contingent Convertible Bonds may be subject to additional risks linked to: capital structure inversion, trigger levels, coupon cancellations, call extensions, yield/valuation, conversions, write downs, industry concentration and liquidity, among others. Credit - Credit risk arises when an issuer's financial health deteriorates and/or it fails to fulfill its financial obligations to the fund. Currency - Currency exchange rate movements could reduce investment gains or increase investment losses. Default - Default risk may occur if the issuers of certain bonds become unable or unwilling to make payments on their bonds. Derivatives - derivatives may result in losses that are significantly greater than the cost of the derivative. Emerging markets - Emerging markets are less established than developed markets and therefore involve higher risks. High yield bond - High yield debt securities are generally subject to greater risk of issuer debt restructuring or default, higher liquidity risk and greater sensitivity to market conditions. Interest rate - Interest rate risk is the potential for losses in fixed-income investments as a result of unexpected changes in interest rates. Issuer concentration - Issuer concentration risk may result in performance being more strongly affected by any business, industry, economic, financial or market conditions affecting those issuers in which the fund's assets are concentrated. Liquidity - Liquidity risk may result in securities becoming hard to value or trade within a desired timeframe at a fair price. Prepayment and extension - Mortgage- and asset-backed securities could increase the fund's sensitivity to unexpected changes in interest rates. Sector concentration - Sector concentration risk may result in performance being more strongly affected by any business, industry, economic, financial or market conditions affecting a particular sector in which the fund's assets are concentrated. Total return swap - Total return swap contracts may expose the fund to additional risks, including market, counterparty and operational risks as well as risks linked to the use of collateral arrangements. Distressed or defaulted debt risk - Distressed or defaulted debt securities may bear substantially higher degree of risks linked to recovery, liquidity and valuation
General fund risks - to be read in conjunction with the fund specific risks above. Counterparty - Counterparty risk may materialise if an entity with which the fund does business becomes unwilling or unable to meet its obligations to the fund. ESG and sustainability - ESG and Sustainability risk may result in a material negative impact on the value of an investment and performance of the fund. Geographic concentration - Geographic concentration risk may result in performance being more strongly affected by any social, political, economic, environmental or market conditions affecting those countries or regions in which the Fund’s assets are concentrated. Hedging - Hedging measures involve costs and may work imperfectly, may not be feasible at times, or may fail completely. Investment fund - Investing in funds involves certain risks an investor would not face if investing in markets directly. Management - Management risk may result in potential conflicts of interest relating to the obligations of the investment manager. Market - Market risk may subject the fund to experience losses caused by unexpected changes in a wide variety of factors. Operational - Operational risk may cause losses as a result of incidents caused by people, systems, and/or processes.