We believe as a standalone US play this may not be the best option for investors but blended with other funds it may work well.
The US market is notoriously difficult for active managers to outperform; the argument is that it is highly efficient and therefore investors would be better to hold a fund that tracks the index rather than paying for active management.
We test all our funds against the index and although over short periods funds may underperform our aim is to identify managers who consistently add value. The Schroder US Mid Cap Fund has posted strong performance figures over the last five years although in 2011 and 2012 the fund struggled against the S&P500.
The manager is Jenny Jones and she has managed the fund since its launch in 2005. One concern we would have as investors is the lack of conviction; the top ten holdings have less than 2% weightings and the number of holdings is around 116. However, blended as part of a portfolio this fund can work well.