EPF invests RM4.86 bln in small, medium cap stocks last year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Employees Provident Fund ( EPF) has invested a total of RM4.86 billion in small and medium capitalised stocks in Malaysia through both its internal and external fund managers as at December 31 last year.

Chief executive officer Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said as of end- 2017, the pension fund had invested in 192 small and medium- cap companies and it was committed to finding more good companies to add to its existing portfolio.

“EPF will constantly monitor and assess the performance of the country’s small and mediumcap companies to see if they are suitable for investment and fit the retirement fund’s risk return profile.

“Among the qualities that the fund looks for in such companies are good governance, cost

EPF will constantly monitor and assess the performance of the country’s small and medium-cap companies to see if they are suitable for investment and fit the retirement fund’s risk return profile.

structure and sound business performance,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said the EPF had also been doing co-investments with the small and medium- cap companies to help in their growth.

“We see future potential in them, which should also help to spur economic growth and boost the fund’s investment income,” he added.

Meanwhile, Shahril Ridza said equities portfolio remained the largest contributor to EPF’s income, which recorded an eight per cent increase to RM334.23 billion as of end-December 2017 from RM309.48 billion in 2016.

“As our funds continue to grow, we are constantly open to new investment opportunities that can provide income that are sustainable and long term,” he said.

According to the EPF Annual Report 2017, the fund’s total gross investment income as at Dec 31, 2017, amounted to RM53.14 billion and total investment asset stood at RM791.48 billion with return on investment of 7.30 per cent. — Bernama