Investor Summary
Fund Strategy
FUND PERFORMANCE AS OF 30th June 2026
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 8.29% | 12.24% | 5.3% |
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| 8.29% | 12.24% | 5.3% |
The Davenport Core Leaders Fund returned 12.24% in Q2 2026, trailing the S&P 500's 15.20% gain due to underweight positioning in semiconductors, which experienced an unprecedented 88% quarterly rally. The semiconductor industry now represents a record 19% of the S&P 500 and trades at 11x next 12-month sales, up from 5x in early 2023. While the managers acknowledge strong near-term fundamentals for AI infrastructure, they express concern about extreme investor crowding and the fundamental risk that AI model revenue may not support the entire value chain. Top contributors included Marvell Technology, Palo Alto Networks, and UnitedHealth Group, while Accenture detracted on concerns about structural challenges from AI-driven consulting budget shifts. The managers trimmed outperformers and added to quality names like Constellation Energy and Berkshire Hathaway, viewing them as better risk/reward opportunities. They initiated Stryker as a high-quality medical device compounder. The team remains committed to intrinsic value investing despite significant opportunity cost, believing current market concentration and valuation extremes are unsustainable. They expect eventual market broadening to favor their quality-focused, diversified portfolio of compounding businesses.
The Davenport Core Leaders Fund maintains a disciplined focus on owning market-leading franchises with strong balance sheets, high returns on invested capital, and management teams capable of compounding intrinsic value across full market cycles, while avoiding the temptation to chase momentum in overvalued areas despite near-term opportunity cost.
The managers expect that environments in which market breadth is limited and returns are concentrated in a small number of highly cyclical names have not persisted indefinitely. A broadening of participation, a moderation in semiconductor cyclical enthusiasm, or a shift in the rate outlook would each represent potential tailwinds for the type of businesses they own. They remain focused on owning market-leading franchises with strong balance sheets, high returns on invested capital, and management teams capable of compounding intrinsic value across full market cycles. Their process is unchanged, their conviction in the underlying holdings is intact, and their attention remains fixed on the long-term interests of shareholders.
| Date | Letter | Tickers | Keywords | Pitches | Quick Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27 2026 | 2026 Q2 | AAPL, ABT, ACN, ADI, AMZN, BRK/B, CEG, EOG, GOOGL, ICE, ISRG, MRVL, MSFT, NVDA, PANW, ROK, SYK, UNH | AI, large cap, Market Concentration, Quality, semiconductors, technology, valuation, value | - | Core Leaders returned 12.24% in Q2 but lagged the S&P 500's 15.20% due to underweight semiconductor exposure during an 88% sector rally. The managers view unprecedented investor crowding and 11x sales valuations as unsustainable despite strong AI infrastructure fundamentals. They trimmed winners like Marvell and UnitedHealth while adding defensive quality positions including Constellation Energy and Berkshire Hathaway. The team maintains discipline on intrinsic value investing, expecting eventual market broadening to favor their quality-focused approach. |
| Apr 13 2026 | 2026 Q1 | AAPL, ACN, ADI, AVGO, CEG, EOG, ISRG, META, MRVL, MSFT, NOW, PWR, UNH | AI, energy, Iran, large cap, nuclear, Quality, technology |
CEG FWONK TKO CNS RYN |
Core Leaders Fund declined 6.18% in Q1 2026 as AI disruption fears hammered technology stocks while Iran conflict drove energy surge. Fund benefited from energy exposure but suffered from tech detractors. Managers used volatility to add to quality technology names and initiated nuclear power position via Constellation Energy. Long-term focus on high-quality, competitively advantaged growth companies remains unchanged despite market turbulence. |
| Jan 18 2026 | 2025 Q4 | AAPL, ACN, ADBE, AMZN, AVGO, CTAS, EOG, GOOG, ISRG, META, MRVL, MSFT, NOW, NVDA, ROK, SPOT, UBER, UNH, UNP, VRTX | AI, diversification, large cap, Quality, risk management, technology, value |
GOOG CTAS MRVL |
Davenport Core Leaders returned 10.71% in 2025, lagging the S&P 500's 17.88% due to disciplined diversification in an AI-dominated market. The Fund maintained focus on quality businesses with durable advantages while avoiding speculative momentum plays. Management believes their conservative approach will pay off as market leadership eventually broadens beyond expensive AI stocks. |
| Oct 20 2025 | 2025 Q3 | AAPL, ACN, AMZN, AVGO, EA, ELV, GOOGL, ISRG, META, MSFT, NOW, NVDA, NVO, ORCL, SPOT, TEL, UNH, UPS, WMT, XOM | AI, earnings, Fed policy, momentum, small caps, technology, Valuations |
NVDA NVO |
Davenport navigates Q3 2025's momentum-driven markets with disciplined value investing, facing headwinds from AI-fueled speculation and elevated S&P 500 valuations at 23x forward earnings. Despite supportive fiscal and monetary policy backdrop, the firm maintains conviction in finding asymmetric opportunities outside popular tech themes, expecting long-term outperformance while acknowledging near-term challenges from speculative market dynamics. |
| Jul 21 2025 | 2025 Q2 | AAPL, ACN, AMZN, AVGO, EA, ELV, GOOGL, ISRG, META, MSFT, NOW, NVDA, NVO, ORCL, SPOT, TEL, UNH, UPS, WMT, XOM | AI, growth, large cap, momentum, technology, Valuations, value |
NVDA PWR |
Davenport navigates strong Q3 markets driven by AI enthusiasm and policy support while maintaining valuation discipline. Despite S&P 500 gains of 8.12% quarterly and 14.83% year-to-date, the firm warns of elevated valuations at 23x forward earnings and speculative behavior. They focus on asymmetric opportunities outside momentum trades, positioning for potential market broadening. |
| Mar 31 2025 | 2025 Q1 | AAPL, ADBE, ADI, AMZN, AVGO, BN, BRK-B, DHR, ICE, MA, META, MSFT, NOW, NVDA, NVO, SPOT, TT, UBER, UNH, VRTX | AI, growth, large cap, Quality, risk management, technology | - | Core Leaders Fund outperformed during Q1's challenging environment by maintaining underweight positions in technology as the AI trade faltered. The fund focuses on high-quality, competitively advantaged growth companies while carefully managing Trump administration policy risks including tariffs and potential stagflation. Managers are selectively deploying capital into areas hit hard, expecting more moderate returns ahead. |
| QUARTER | THEMES | TAGS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q2 |
AIAI infrastructure drove exceptional market gains in Q2 2026, with semiconductors advancing 88% in the quarter. The managers acknowledge insatiable demand for computing power bodes well for the AI infrastructure complex in the near-to-intermediate term, but express concern about investor crowding at unprecedented levels and fundamental risk that the revenue pool from AI models may not be large enough to support the entire value chain. They warn of potential 'Wile E. Coyote moment' where marginal buyers could face material declines. |
Semiconductors Infrastructure Computing Hyperscalers Crowding |
SemiconductorsThe semiconductor index advanced 88% in Q2 2026, its best quarter ever, and is now up 102% year-to-date. The semi-industry now accounts for a record 19% of the S&P 500 and trades at roughly 11x next 12-month sales, up from about 5x at the start of 2023. The managers hold positions in MRVL, NVDA, and ADI but maintain less exposure than the indices, viewing current valuations with caution despite strong business fundamentals. |
Valuation Market concentration Sales multiples Cyclicality | |
CybersecurityPalo Alto Networks added meaningfully to Fund performance, benefiting from platform consolidation trends and a sharp rerating of security software. The company represents a core holding where business fundamentals continue to compound at attractive rates. |
Platform consolidation Security software Rerating | |
Managed CareUnitedHealth Group contributed strongly as the company recovered from prior-quarter headwinds and reasserted its scale advantages in managed care. The managers trimmed the position twice during the quarter after the sharp recovery to bring position size back in line with their risk framework. |
Scale advantages Recovery Healthcare | |
AutomationRockwell Automation helped results on improving industrial capex signals and factory automation demand tied to reshoring. The position reflects the managers' view of improving industrial fundamentals and domestic manufacturing trends. |
Factory automation Reshoring Industrial capex | |
NuclearThe managers added to Constellation Energy on weakness, viewing the pullback as an opportunity to increase exposure to a differentiated nuclear generation asset that remains structurally advantaged in a power-hungry AI economy. They see the position as having long-term value despite near-term volatility. |
Power generation AI infrastructure Energy demand | |
ValueThe managers emphasize their commitment to intrinsic value investing despite significant opportunity cost from avoiding momentum stocks. They note many value-oriented areas have languished as investors sell positions across virtually all other industries to fund the AI trade, with the notion of intrinsic value being thrown out the door in favor of AI FOMO. They struggle to give chase to names that have been working and instead focus on areas where risk/reward profiles look much more favorable. |
Intrinsic value Opportunity cost Risk/reward Discipline | |
Medical DevicesThe managers initiated a new position in Stryker, a high-quality medical device franchise with durable growth in orthopedics, neurotechnology, and surgical instruments. They view Stryker's disciplined capital allocation, consistent margin expansion, and long runway in an aging demographic environment as a natural fit for the Fund's emphasis on compounding businesses with defensible competitive positioning. |
Orthopedics Surgical instruments Demographics Margin expansion | |
| 2026 Q1 |
AITechnology stocks and AI-related names experienced significant declines as investors questioned massive capital expenditures with uncertain paybacks. AI disruption narrative was most acute in software space, with prior winners becoming losers due to fear of disruption and loss of leadership status. |
Disruption Software Technology Capital Expenditures Uncertainty |
EnergyConflict in Iran led to closure of Strait of Hormuz and oil price surge of 77% for the quarter. Energy was the only S&P sector that rose in March, benefiting companies like EOG Resources and Quanta Services with energy-aligned businesses. |
Iran Oil Geopolitical Commodities Conflict | |
NuclearInitiated position in Constellation Energy Corp, the largest nuclear fleet operator in the US with 22 gigawatts of capacity. Nuclear provides competitive advantages including high barriers to entry and growing opportunities for premium-priced contracts as data center demand intensifies. |
Baseload Clean Energy Data Centers Electrification Power Generation | |
| 2025 Q4 |
AIAI and technology stocks led market gains in 2025, with massive capital expenditures driving investor excitement. However, the manager expresses concern about valuations and speculative behavior, noting that many AI investments appear driven by FOMO rather than clear returns on capital. |
Artificial Intelligence Technology Valuations Capital Expenditure |
ValuationsThe manager highlights extreme valuations across AI and momentum stocks, with 18 of the top 20 Russell 3000 performers being unprofitable companies. They note the S&P 500 trades at 22.14x forward earnings while the equal-weighted S&P is more reasonable at 16.74x. |
Expensive Multiples Earnings Overvalued | |
ValueThe manager emphasizes focusing on stocks that have been cast aside as investors chase momentum. They believe their conservative, valuation-sensitive approach will eventually be rewarded, drawing parallels to the late 1990s market dynamic. |
Undervalued Contrarian Conservative Opportunity | |
DividendsMultiple funds highlight strong dividend growth across holdings, with 36 of 42 holdings in one fund increasing dividends by an average of 7% year-over-year. Several companies continued multi-decade streaks of dividend increases. |
Income Growth Yield Consistency | |
| 2025 Q3 |
AIArtificial intelligence is driving enormous spending from tech titans and creating a powerful technology theme. AI has joined forces with monetary stimulus to embolden risk taking, with AI-linked stocks posting explosive moves higher since April. The technology is incredibly promising, though many perceived beneficiaries are prioritizing growth over profit. |
Technology Data Centers Semiconductors Cloud Growth |
ValuationsThe S&P 500 currently trades at approximately 23x earnings estimates for the next 12 months, which is high by historical standards. The equal-weighted S&P trades at 17x earnings estimates, still above recent norms. High-yield spreads stand at record lows, suggesting investors are accepting little compensation for additional risk. |
Risk Appetite Quality Value | |
MomentumMarket dynamics have favored momentum investing with winners continuing to win while losers keep losing. There has been little reward for having differentiated perspectives as investors have given chase to stocks hitting new 52-week highs. This has created a challenging environment for value-oriented managers. |
Growth Momentum Small Caps | |
| 2025 Q2 |
AIArtificial intelligence is prompting enormous spending from tech titans and has joined forces with monetary stimulus to embolden risk taking. AI is incredibly promising and the firm expects to participate via ownership of select technology leaders, though many perceived beneficiaries are prioritizing growth over profit. |
Technology Data Centers Semiconductors Cloud Growth |
ValuationsThe S&P 500 currently trades for approximately 23x earnings estimates for the next 12 months, which is high by historical standards. The equal-weighted S&P is more reasonable at 17x earnings estimates although still above recent norms. |
Risk Appetite Quality Value Earnings | |
MomentumThere has been little reward for having differentiated perspectives as winners keep on winning while losers keep on losing. Investors have flocked towards richly valued momentum stocks and given chase to stocks hitting new 52-week highs. |
Growth Quality Risk Appetite | |
| 2025 Q1 |
AIThe artificial intelligence investment theme waned in Q1 as the Magnificent 7 cooled off and declined 15.79%. Markets were due for a rotation away from hot, momentum-oriented areas and this proved to be the case as the AI trade faltered. Although we maintain robust exposure to technology companies including six of the seven companies in the Magnificent 7, we continue to remain underweight the sector. |
Artificial Intelligence Technology Semiconductors Data Centers GPUs |
TechnologyThe Information Technology sector experienced double-digit declines in the quarter. The Fund's relative underweight stance in the technology sector benefited quarterly performance. The decline in the Magnificent 7 significantly outpaced that of the broader market as interest in exposure to the Artificial Intelligence investment theme waned. |
Software Semiconductors Cloud Enterprise Software Tech Hardware | |
QualityOur strategy remains consistent and targeted towards owning high quality, competitively advantaged growth companies which we believe can support attractive performance over the long-term. We continue to exercise diligence in our position sizing and sector exposure decisions with thoughtful risk management and continuous optimization. |
Growth Competitive Advantage Risk Management Long Term Fundamentals |
| Date | Pitch Type | Author | Ticker | Company | Industry | Sub Industry | Bull / Bear | Exchange | Keywords | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2026 | Fund Letters | The Davenport Core Leaders Fund | CEG | Constellation Energy Corp | Utilities - Independent Power Producers | Electric Utilities | Bull | NASDAQ | Baseload Generation, clean energy, data centers, Electric Utilities, Electrification, investment grade, Nuclear Power, Power generation | Login |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Fund Letters | The Davenport Core Leaders Fund | FWONK | Liberty Formula One Group | Entertainment | Entertainment | Bull | NASDAQ | AI-Resistant, Contractual Revenue, entertainment, Formula One, live events, Media rights, Motorsports, Premium Content | Login |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Fund Letters | The Davenport Core Leaders Fund | TKO | TKO Group Holdings Inc | Entertainment | Entertainment | Bull | New York Stock Exchange | AI-Resistant, Combat Sports, Contractual Revenue, entertainment, live events, Media rights, Premium Content, UFC, WWE | Login |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Fund Letters | The Davenport Core Leaders Fund | CNS | Cohen & Steers Inc | Asset Management | Asset Management & Custody Banks | Bull | New York Stock Exchange | asset management, Fortress Balance Sheet, market leader, operating leverage, Real assets, Real Estate, REITs, Valuation Disparity | Login |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Fund Letters | The Davenport Core Leaders Fund | RYN | Rayonier Inc | REIT - Specialty | Specialized REITs | Bull | New York Stock Exchange | dividend yield, Hard assets, Housing recovery, inflation hedge, Real assets, Timber REIT, timberland, valuation discount | Login |
| Jan 18, 2026 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | GOOG | Alphabet Inc. | Communication Services | Interactive Media & Services | Bull | NASDAQ | advertising, AI, cloud, scale, Search | Login |
| Jan 18, 2026 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | CTAS | Cintas Corporation | Industrials | Diversified Support Services | Bull | NASDAQ | buybacks, dividends, Execution, recurring revenue, services | Login |
| Jan 18, 2026 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | MRVL | Marvell Technology, Inc. | Information Technology | Semiconductors | Bull | NASDAQ | AI, custom chips, datacenters, Networking, Semi Conductors | Login |
| Oct 20, 2025 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | NVDA | NVIDIA Corp. | Information Technology | Semiconductors | Bull | NASDAQ | AI, data centers, Ecosystem, Gpu, growth, Pricing power, semiconductors | Login |
| Oct 20, 2025 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | NVO | Novo Nordisk A/S | Health Care | Pharmaceuticals | Bear | NYSE | Competition, Diabetes, GLP-1, healthcare, Obesity, pharmaceuticals, R&D | Login |
| Jul 21, 2025 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | NVDA | NVIDIA Corporation | Information Technology | Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment | Bull | NASDAQ | AI, CapEx, datacenters, GPUs, semiconductors | Login |
| Jul 21, 2025 | Fund Letters | George L. Smith III | PWR | Quanta Services, Inc. | Industrials | Construction & Engineering | Bull | New York Stock Exchange | backlog, Electrification, Grid, infrastructure, utilities | Login |
| TICKER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|
| MRVL | Marvell Technology, Inc. (MRVL) was the Fund's largest contributor as custom silicon demand and hyperscaler engagement accelerated. |
| PANW | Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) added meaningfully as well, benefiting from platform consolidation trends and a sharp rerating of security software. |
| UNH | UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (UNH) contributed strongly as the company recovered from prior-quarter headwinds and reasserted its scale advantages in managed care. We trimmed UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (UNH) twice during the quarter, taking advantage of the sharp recovery in the stock to bring the position size back in line with our risk framework. |
| ROK | Rockwell Automation, Inc. (ROK) helped results on improving industrial capex signals and factory automation demand tied to reshoring. |
| GOOGL | Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) each added to results as well, reflecting business fundamentals that in most cases continue to compound at attractive rates. |
| AMZN | Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) each added to results as well, reflecting business fundamentals that in most cases continue to compound at attractive rates. |
| NVDA | Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) each added to results as well, reflecting business fundamentals that in most cases continue to compound at attractive rates. |
| ADI | Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) each added to results as well, reflecting business fundamentals that in most cases continue to compound at attractive rates. |
| ACN | Accenture PLC (ACN) was the Fund's largest detractor. The weakness reflects a slowdown in discretionary consulting spending as clients redirect budgets toward internal AI implementation and rationalize legacy digital transformation programs. We view part of this pressure as cyclical, but part as what may be an emerging structural challenge that we are monitoring closely. |
| ICE | Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE) also weighed on results, giving back some of its strong prior gains as mortgage technology growth expectations were reset. |
| EOG | EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) detracted on softer crude prices following the initial Iran-related spike. |
| CEG | Constellation Energy Corp (CEG) declined in an idiosyncratic pullback within an otherwise strong power theme. We view the ISRG, ABT, and CEG issues as temporary and unrelated to the long-term thesis. We added to Constellation Energy Corp (CEG) on weakness, viewing the pullback as an opportunity to increase exposure to a differentiated nuclear generation asset that we believe remains structurally advantaged in a power-hungry AI economy. |
| ISRG | Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) and Abbott Laboratories (ABT) each gave back modest ground on procedure volume and device mix concerns respectively. We view the ISRG, ABT, and CEG issues as temporary and unrelated to the long-term thesis. |
| ABT | Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) and Abbott Laboratories (ABT) each gave back modest ground on procedure volume and device mix concerns respectively. We view the ISRG, ABT, and CEG issues as temporary and unrelated to the long-term thesis. |
| BRK.B | We also added to Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (BRK.B), both as a source of defensive quality and as a form of embedded optionality on Berkshire's substantial cash position at a moment when we see limited margin of safety in the broader index. |
| SYK | We initiated a new position in Stryker Corp (SYK), a high-quality medical device franchise with durable growth in orthopedics, neurotechnology, and surgical instruments. Stryker's disciplined capital allocation, consistent margin expansion, and long runway in an aging demographic environment make it a natural fit for the Fund's emphasis on compounding businesses with defensible competitive positioning. |
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| Ticker | Put/Call | Amount Sold | Shares Sold | % Change | Weight % | Status |
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