The Sicav fund launched in November 2016 and is managed by Giles Parkinson. Over the year, it achieved returns of 11.8%, the same as its FO Equity International benchmark, according to FE Analytics.
Aviva said the Oeic was launched following strong interest from clients in the fund over 2017.
It added that it aims to achieve attractive, defensive returns over the long term by investing globally in a high-conviction, low turnover companies.
Jeremy Leadsom, head of Aviva’s UK wholesale, added: “We have seen strong interest from clients in the SICAV, with the concentrated nature of the portfolio and long-term outlook appealing to those looking for a core unconstrained equity investment.”
The fund’s largest country holdings are in the United States (47.45%), followed by United Kingdom (16.94%) and Netherlands (9.74%). The sector breakdown shows that almost half of its holdings are in consumer staples (45.08%).
Meanwhile, Aviva’s top ten weightings in this fund are in big household names such as Unilever (6.24%), Nestle (5.34%), Heineken (5.14%), British America Tobacco (4.79%) and L’Oréal (4.54%).
Parkinson said: “The record-breaking streak of positive consecutive returns from equities now stands at thirteen months and counting. An outcome of our investment philosophy and process is that we are naturally attracted to companies that are less sensitive to the economic and market cycle.
“Notwithstanding our encouragement for unitholders to assess our performance over longer timeframes, I am satisfied with performance of the fund in its first year. To have matched the return of a very strong market, despite our philosophy being out of favour indicates that our underlying stock picking process works. I am optimistic as we launch this OEIC version of the fund.”
