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Talk about international mutual funds with anyone who's beenin the funds business for a while, and Jean-Marie Eveillard'sname will inevitably pop up. He's the portfolio manager of theFirst Eagle SoGen Global Fund (SGENX), managing the fund since itsinception in 1979.
Eveillard has racked up an impressive track record. In 2001, ahorrific year for funds by any standard, this five-star Morningstarfund was up 10.2 percent. In fact, in the 23 years he's run thefund, it has outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, byabout 300 basis points. According to Eveillard, that puts the FirstEagle SoGen Global Fund's average return at about 15 percentper year, compared with the MSCI World Index's 12 percent.
One reason for the fund's success: Eveillard is a valueinvestor. In addition, he will invest the fund's assetsanywhere in the world where he finds companies that meet hisinvestment criteria- currently that means Europe, North America andJapan. A third key element is, he's a player. "I have myown financial assets invested in my own funds," saysEveillard. "That allows me to eat my own cooking-and think theway an individual shareholder does. They are more interested inabsolute returns than relative returns."
Three-year performance:14.48 percent
Web site:www.firsteaglesogen.com
Dian Vujovich is an author, syndicated columnist andpublisher of fund investing site www.fundfreebies.com.
