Smart money move: Why Groww MF's equity chief is betting on multicap strategies
While warning about the risk of a looming oil shock, Groww Mutual Fund’s equity chief, CA Anupam Tiwari, says multicap strategy together with bottom-up investing
While warning about the risk of a looming oil shock, Groww Mutual Fund’s equity chief, CA Anupam Tiwari, says multicap strategy together with bottom-up investing can work well in this market.Although there might be valuation concerns in some specific areas, the overall investment environment for active stock picking in mid and small caps has improved to some extent, he says in an interview with ET Markets.Edited excerpts from a chat:Markets have recovered from recent corrections despite geopolitical tensions. What is the market pricing that investors may be underestimating?Markets are showing signs of recovery from the fall due to the prospects of de-escalation and continued talks regarding the resolution of the Middle East crisis. Nevertheless, one possible threat that investors might be overlooking is the possibility of prolonged geopolitical instability that can cause oil prices to remain elevated for an extended period.Sustained higher energy prices could have broader implications for inflation, currency stability, corporate profitability, and economic growth. While markets appear to be pricing in a relatively benign outcome, any disruption that results in persistently elevated crude prices could have a more meaningful impact on the macroeconomic environment than is currently reflected in markets.With valuations still elevated in parts of the market, how should investors think about allocating money across large-, mid- and small-cap stocks today?Broad concerns regarding valuation levels in the market have cooled off in recent months.
At the current juncture, close to one-third of the mid-cap space is priced below its five-year average valuation levels, whereas nearly half of the small-cap space is trading below its own five-year average valuation levels.Under these circumstances, although there might be valuation concerns in some specific areas, the overall investment environment for active stock picking in mid and small caps has improved to some extent. Here, a multicap strategy together with bottom-up investing can work well in uncovering better businesses.The multicap category has seen rising investor interest. What advantages does a multicap strategy offer in the current market environment compared to pure large-cap or mid-cap approaches?While the current phase is marked by heightened volatility, volatility is often uneven across segments. In such an environment, a multicap strategy may provide disciplined exposure across market caps within a single portfolio.This allows investors the relative stability and earnings visibility of larger companies, while also participating in the long-term growth potential of mid- and small-cap businesses. By maintaining exposure across segments, a multicap approach can help reduce over-reliance on any single category and provide a more balanced way to navigate changing market conditions.One of the key benefits of a multicap strategy is that it removes the burden of market-cap allocation from investors. Determining when to allocate across segments can be challenging, particularly as market leadership often shifts across cycles.