The Excel Funds Management Inc. investment team has begun crossing the country to describe India’s growth potential and discuss their investment strategies with over 1,100 investment executives at their largest roadshow ever.

As Canada’s leading authority on emerging markets investing, Excel Funds considers its India Fund a crown jewel. The fund’s portfolio manager, Ajay Argal, is in Canada for the roadshow this week from his office at Birla SunLife in Mumbai, India.

“India is the country of investment opportunity and high potential returns. Almost 70% of its one billion people are under the age of 35. They are well-educated and beginning to consume. This increased consumer spending and huge infrastructure demand are just two of many factors fuelling economic growth,” explains Bhim D. Asdhir, president, CEO and chairman of Excel Funds Management.

“Investors should be allocating at least half the equities component of their investment portfolios to Emerging Markets. There is less risk investing in Emerging Markets today than investing in advanced economies — and the return potential is significantly higher,” Asdhir says.

Paul Mesburis, senior portfolio manager, Excel Investment Counsel Inc. points out that “India is in the early stages of a multi-decade growth phase. Over the last decade, it has been one of the best markets to invest in, and we expect an annual earnings growth rate of 18 to 20% over the next several years. The actively managed Excel India Fund is the ideal way for investors to capitalize on this investment potential. The fund offers an opportunity to invest in what, on a purchasing power parity basis, will soon be the world’s third largest economy.”

The fund’s sub-adviser, Birla SunLife AMC Ltd., has managed the fund since 1998. These local investment experts, resident in Mumbai, India, closely monitor the overall Indian economy and individual investee companies.

“Market valuations in relation to 20% earnings growth are reasonable”, said Ajay Argal, head of offshore equities, Birla SunLife AMC. “We are overweight pharmaceuticals, gas, and automotive and underweight banking, petroleum products and metals.”

“Excel Funds invests only in companies that are growing and globally competitive. Some are in the respective countries’ indices, many are not,” continues Asdhir. “The ‘sweet spot’ for growth is with those companies just outside the index today. It takes active portfolio managers, ‘on-the-ground’ to identify these opportunities.”

Roadshow stops are scheduled for Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. To register, visit www.excelfunds.com/roadshow2011/.


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