Roen
Not all alternative energy mutual funds are created equal. In a
recent interview with the Wall
Street Journal, a reporter asked me which alternative energy
mutual funds were the most focused on renewables, noting that many
mutual funds hold non-energy related companies such as Apple,
PepsiCo and Google. The answer to this question is not as straight
forward as one might think. This article sorts out which mutual
funds are truly invested in the dynamic and growing green energy
sector, and which ones are more peripheral.
Greener Than Thou-Revealing How Much a Mutual Fund is Focused on
Alternative Energy
Despite the desire of many investors to keep their portfolios
clean of polluting investments, there is no perfectly pure
alternative energy mutual fund. There is, however, a wide range of
how focused the different green mutual funds are on alternative
energy. Finding out which mutual funds have the highest
concentration of alternative energy investments takes a
multipronged approach.
First, the "Roen Financial Report" scrutinizes the
prospectus of each fund to see if its principles align with
alternative energy investment goals. Second, for each company that
the mutual fund holds, the annual report and financial filings are
thoroughly examined to determine exactly how much of a company's
operations are related to the various green sectors that the Roen
Financial Report covers - energy
efficiency, environmental*,
fuel
alternatives, smart
grid, solar
and wind.
Sometimes it is easy to tell whether a mutual fund holds stocks
that are in one or more of the alternative energy sectors, but in
other cases it is not so obvious. Clearly, pure play companies
like First Solar, Inc (FSLR),
Renewable Energy Group Inc (REGI)
and SolarCity Corp (SCTY)
are stocks that alternative energy investors are seeking. There
are other companies, though, that have alternative energy products
and services as part of their business model, but those operations
are not the company's bread-and-butter.
For example, Johnson Controls (JCI)
is a large industrial conglomerate that has two business units
which address alternative energy themes -building efficiency and
renewable power solutions. I estimate that alternative energy
accounts for perhaps half of JCI's revenues. Interestingly, shares
of JCI are owned by 8 out of 12 alternative energy mutual funds,
more than any other single company.
Another example of a company with partial alternative energy
operations is Valmont Industries (VMI). Valmont manufactures
support towers for wind turbines, anemometers, power line
transmission, mass transit poles, lighting and related structures.
This company cannot be ignored-its contribution is critical to the
infrastructure needed to support utility-scale solar, wind and
smart grid projects that will continue to be built over the coming
decades. However, my analysis attributes an estimated 15% of
Valmont's current earnings are a result of alternative energy
projects.
Google is another company that blurs into alternative energy,
though it is obviously not its main business. Google realizes that
it is basically an electricity-based service-no electricity, no
Google. Because of this, Google has made a significant commitment
to moving toward a more clean and sustainable electric supply.
Google has moved on this in no small way, having invested
in over 1.5 billion in wind and solar projects.
In order to simplify the analysis of how much of a company's
business relates to alternative energy, only the stocks needed to
reach at least 50% of a fund's weighted holdings were included (or
at a minimum, the fund's top 10 holdings).
Also, two mutual funds that the "Roen Financial Report"
tracks were left out of the rating system, Allianz RCM Global
Water A (AWTAX) and Calvert Green Bond A (CGAFX).
AWATX invests in stocks and securities engaged in water-related
activities, a sector related to green energy but with more of an
environmental focus. Calvert Green Bond is another good choice for
green investors, but is a different kind of animal than a stock
fund, so it is hard to make an apples-to-apples comparison. Its
prospectus states that investments include:
...securities of companies that develop or provide products or
services that address environmental solutions and/or support
efforts to reduce their own environmental footprint; bonds that
support environmental projects; structured securities that are
collateralized by assets supporting environmental themes; and
securities that, in the opinion of the Fund's Advisor, have no
more than a negligible direct environmental impact, which may
include securities issued by the U.S. government or its
agencies, and U.S. government-sponsored entities."
THE GREENEST ALTERNATIVE ENERGY MUTUAL FUNDS
Three funds clearly top the list of having the greatest
alternative energy focus: Firsthand Alternative Energy (ALTEX),
New Alternatives (NALFX) and Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy
(GAAEX). These funds have a high concentration of alternative
energy investments, and strongly focused investment principles
Firsthand
Alternative Energy (ALTEX)
Five of Firsthand Alternative Energy's top 10 weighted holdings
are pure play companies such as First Solar (FSLR), Sun Power
(SPWR) and Solar City (SCTY). Firsthand Alternative Energy is very
specific in their prospectus, stating that they:
...invest at least 80% of the Fund's assets in alternative energy
and alternative energy technology companies, both U.S. and
international. Alternative energy currently includes energy
generated through solar, hydrogen, wind, geothermal,
hydroelectric, tidal, biofuel, and biomass. Alternative energy
technologies currently include, but are not limited to,
technologies that enable energies to be tapped, stored, or
transported, such as fuel cells; services or technologies that
conserve or enable more efficient utilization of energy; and
technologies that help minimize harmful emissions from existing
energy sources, such as helping reduce carbon emissions."
It is important to note that ALTEX is the smallest of all
alternative energy funds that the "Roen Financial Report"
tracks, and we give this fund a low overall investment rank
New Alternatives
(NALFX)
New Alternatives Fund also has a very good concentration of
alternative energy investments. The top six of its holdings are
100% pure play alternative energy companies. Additionally, the top
50% of its weighted portfolio is estimated to be over 75% involved
in alternative energy. The investment objective of the fund is not
the strongest of all alternative energy funds, but it is very
specific:
At least 25% of the Fund's total assets will be invested in
equity securities of companies in the alternative energy
industry. 'Alternative Energy' means the production and
conservation of energy in a manner that reduces pollution and
harm to the environment, particularly when compared to
conventional coal, oil or nuclear energy... The Advisor also
considers the perceived prospects for the company and its
industry, with concern for economic, political and social
conditions at the time. In addition the Advisor considers its
expectations for the investment based on, among other things,
the company's technological and management strength."
Guinness
Atkinson Alternative Energy (GAAEX)
GAAEX has a very strong concentration of alternative energy
companies in its portfolio. When looking at the top two-thirds of
its holdings, about 90% of those investments are involved in green
energy production. Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy also has
one of the tightest investment principles guiding the fund:
The Alternative Energy Fund invests at least 80% of its net
assets in equity securities of alternative energy companies
(both U.S. and non-U.S.). Alternative energy companies include,
but are not limited to companies that generate power through
solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal wave, geothermal, biomass or
biofuels and the various companies that provide the equipment
and technologies that enable these sources to be tapped, used,
stored or transported, including companies that create,
facilitate or improve technologies that conserve or enable more
efficient use of energy."
MUTUAL FUNDS WITH A LESSER ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FOCUS
Funds that the Roen Financial Report rate as having the least
alternative energy stocks are Gabelli SRI Green AAA (SRIGX),
Portfolio 21 R (PORTX) and Green Century Balanced Fund (GCBLX).
0 comments:
Post a Comment