Investor Summary
Fund Strategy
FUND PERFORMANCE AS OF 31st December 2025
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 11.0% | -3.0% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|
| -2.0% | 21.0% |
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 11.0% | -3.0% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|
| -2.0% | 21.0% |
The Platinum International Brands Fund returned -3.0% for Q4 2025, bringing the one-year return to -1.8%. Fund performance was impacted by two key forces: AI stocks dominated market gains with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising 45%, while consumer discretionary and staples sectors significantly underperformed. The fund's brand-focused mandate prevented participation in the AI rally, as these businesses compete on technical specifications rather than brand equity. Key detractors included Wolverine Worldwide, which fell 32% despite Saucony's 27% sales growth and retail expansion, and e.l.f. Beauty, down 44% despite strong fundamentals and 40%+ returns on capital. The manager views current share price volatility as temporary misalignment between price and value, with portfolio companies delivering excellent operational performance. The fund has used market weakness to build sizeable positions in high-quality businesses at attractive valuations. Looking ahead, the sustainability of AI investment surge remains questionable, while the fund monitors fiscal shifts, institutional tensions, and housing market dynamics as potential catalysts for 2026.
The fund focuses on high-quality businesses that own brands consumers believe in, which have proven to be terrific long-term investments despite short-term market volatility favoring AI stocks over consumer-facing companies.
The coming year will test the sustainability of the AI investment surge. The fund is monitoring three pivots in the US: fiscal shifts as tariff shocks may fade with 2026 tax refunds, institutional tension from presidential pressure for rate cuts, and the housing lag as the missing piece of the 2025 rally.
| Date | Letter | Tickers | Keywords | Pitches | Quick Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21 2026 | 2025 Q4 | ALLFG.L, AS1R.HE, BIRK, ELF, FICO, GAM.L, GDMA.SW, GOOGL, ITX.MC, STJ.L, V, WWW, ZTS | AI, brands, consumer discretionary, Consumer Staples, global, retail |
WWW ELF |
AI stocks dominated market gains with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising 45% in 2025, nearly triple the S&P 500's 16%. The AI concentration created headwinds… |
| Oct 16 2025 | 2025 Q3 | AS, BIRK, WWW | Brand Strength, Consumer Brands, Footwear, quality growth, retail |
BIRK LX AS WWW UN |
The fund underperformed amid investor rotation toward AI-driven technology, but Platinum remains confident in brand-based businesses like Birkenstock, Amer Sports, and Wolverine Worldwide. These firms… |
| Jul 17 2025 | 2025 Q2 | GALD SW, IDXX, WING | Consumer Staples, global brands, Margins, Pricing Power, Resilience |
GALD SW WING IDXX |
The letter focuses on global consumer brands with pricing power, loyal customer bases, and resilient demand. Management highlights brand equity as a defense against inflation… |
| Mar 31 2025 | 2025 Q1 | GALD SW | - | - | - |
| Dec 31 2024 | 2024 Q4 | AS, BIRK, ELF, GALD SW, JD/ LN, ZTS | - | - | - |
| Sep 30 2024 | 2024 Q3 | 6758 JP, BEI GR, BIRK, HEIA NA, HLN LN, META, ZTS | - | - | - |
| Jun 30 2024 | 2024 Q2 | GALD SW, ZTS | - | - | - |
| Mar 31 2024 | 2024 Q1 | DNOPY, NVDA | - | - | - |
| Dec 31 2023 | 2023 Q4 | 1448 HK, 7974 JP, PLNT, PNDORA DC | - | - | - |
| Sep 30 2023 | 2023 Q3 | SMCP FP | - | - | - |
| Jun 30 2023 | 2023 Q2 | 200 HK, 4819 JP, 5938 JP, 6186 HK, 7974 JP, GOOG, KEI GR, MAPA IJ | - | - | - |
| Mar 31 2023 | 2023 Q1 | 4819 JP, MTCH | - | - | - |
| QUARTER | THEMES | TAGS |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q4 |
AIThe extended federal government shutdown added volatility during what was otherwise a risk-on environment, with a mid-quarter shift in market behavior for AI-related equities as the exuberant narrative evolved to one more balanced in assessing the technology's enormous potential against staggering capital spending plans and high expectations. The team initiated a position in Credo Technology as a more diversified way to gain exposure to strong trends in AI-connectivity. |
Connectivity Semiconductors Infrastructure Capital Spending |
BeautyEstée Lauder drove Consumer Staples performance as the company progresses through its turnaround with outperformance in sales, margins, China, US and Travel Retail. Beauty overall is described as one of the more resilient categories enjoying both volume and value growth, with luxury beauty positioned well in the K-shaped economy. |
Luxury China Travel Retail Resilience Consumer | |
FootwearWolverine Worldwide, with key brands Saucony and Merrill, fell 32% this quarter. Saucony showed strong growth with 27% sales increase in the most recent quarter, expanding retail footprint beyond specialty running stores to generalized retailers. |
Athletic Footwear Retail Expansion Brand Growth | |
| 2025 Q3 |
ConsumerThe consumer segment includes DJL Petfoods (pet food ingredients distributor) and TSDC Wholesale (food and grocery wholesale). DJL exemplifies RDCP 2.0 characteristics as an asset-light but infrastructure-critical business with long-standing customer relationships, exceptional retention rates, and exposure to growing pet ownership and premiumisation trends. These businesses benefit from structural advantages and recurring revenue streams. |
Pet Care Food Distribution Consumer Staples Wholesale Distribution |
Quality Growth |
||
| 2025 Q2 |
Brands |
| Date | Pitch Type | Author | Ticker | Company | Industry | Sub Industry | Bull / Bear | Exchange | Keywords | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2025 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | BIRK LX | Birkenstock Holding Plc | Consumer Discretionary | Footwear | Bull | NYSE | brand strength, Footwear, growth, Luxury, margin expansion, profitability, turnaround, valuation | Login |
| Oct 16, 2025 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | AS | Amer Sports Inc | Consumer Discretionary | Sporting Goods | Bull | NASDAQ | Apparel, brands, deleveraging, growth, Margins, Outdoor, Performance, premium | Login |
| Oct 16, 2025 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | WWW UN | Wolverine World Wide Inc | Consumer Discretionary | Footwear | Bull | NYSE | brand portfolio, deleveraging, fashion, Footwear, growth, Retail distribution, turnaround, valuation | Login |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | GALD SW | Galderma Group AG | Health Care | Pharmaceuticals | Bull | Swiss Exchange | Aesthetics, consumer, dermatology, growth, healthcare, Injectables | Login |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | WING | Wingstop Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | Restaurants | Bull | NASDAQ | Brand, consumer, Franchising, growth, Margins, Restaurants | Login |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | IDXX | IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. | Health Care | Health Care Equipment | Bull | NASDAQ | Compounders, diagnostics, healthcare, innovation, Recurring, Veterinary | Login |
| Jan 21, 2026 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | WWW | Wolverine World Wide, Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | Footwear | Bull | New York Stock Exchange | brands, Footwear, growth, retail, valuation | Login |
| Jan 21, 2026 | Fund Letters | Nikola Dvornak | ELF | e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. | Consumer Staples | Personal Care | Bull | New York Stock Exchange | Branding, Cosmetics, Genz, Marketing, valuation | Login |
| TICKER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|
| ALLFG.L | Deutsche Bourse Group has confirmed that it is in exclusive talks with Allfunds Group PLC to explore a possible 100% acquisition of the company. The proposal values Allfunds at approximately €5.3 billion, or around €8.80 per share. |
| BIRK | The biggest laggard in the Consumer Discretionary sector was footwear manufacturer Birkenstock, which provided guidance for fiscal year 2026 that was below expectations, despite reporting a strong third quarter that exceeded both top- and bottom-line estimates. The company cited production constraints, which would limit volume growth to ~10%, and a shift to selling through wholesalers, as customers now prefer buying in-store versus online. We believe the softer Q3 guidance will prove to be conservative and the stock is set up for a solid 2026. |
| ELF | e.l.f. Beauty's earnings report included a decline in core domestic sales growth and fiscal year guidance below expectations. We continue to hold the stock, as the company offers a strong product set addressing a favorable spending category, though additional progress is needed to restore positive fundamental and share-price performance. |
| FICO | Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO), a data and analytics company focused on predicting consumer behavior, contributed to performance. FICO reported strong quarterly financial results and solid fiscal 2026 guidance, which calls for 28% EPS growth. The company also launched its new Direct Licensing Program for mortgage lending, which provides greater flexibility to monetize its intellectual property. |
| GAM.L | Rather than dwelling on healthy contributors like Games Workshop (+33%) |
| GOOGL | In the third quarter, Google, Kairos Power, and the Tennessee Valley Authority announced a major collaboration centered on a novel power purchase agreement. Google followed this announcement with another significant step forward. On October 27, Google and NextEra Energy announced plans to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center. |
| ITX.MC | Inditex, the global fast fashion leader, performed well in Q4 as its products within Zara are resonating with consumers. |
| V | We added to our holdings in Visa Inc. |
| WWW | The stock fell 32% this quarter, returning to our initial entry price. This business has two key footwear brands, Saucony in running and Merrill in outdoor. Saucony is an extremely strong brand among elite runners. The challenge for the company is translating that brand halo to casual runners and lifestyle consumers. Saucony sales grew 27% in the most recent quarter and over 40% the quarter before. An expansion of their retail footprint has helped. At 13x 2025 earnings, the risk-reward calculation is compelling and we have increased our position. |
| ZTS | ZTS: $6B authorized August 2024; $1.5B used as of September 2025 |
| Ticker | Put/Call | Amount Bought | Shares Bought | % Change | Weight % |
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| Ticker | Put/Call | Amount Sold | Shares Sold | % Change | Weight % | Status |
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| Industry | Prev Quarter % | Current Quarter % | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| No industry data available | |||