Newton’s Clay - We’re on the cusp of 5G: here’s our approach

Listen here - 4 minute video with Nick Clay on the shift from cloud to 5G

How do you avoid getting carried away by the next big thing in tech? That’s a key question for investors as the world of edge computing becomes a reality, says Nick Clay, manager of Newton’s global equity income strategy.

Over the next 24 months, he says, as 5G starts to gain traction, we will begin to see memory and computing power move out of data centres and closer to the devices and apps using them in the real world. “It’s no longer about data centres hosting information in the cloud,” says Clay. “If you think about electric vehicles, there’s no time for information to be moving back and forth between fixed locations. Instead, data has to operate at the edge in real time. Not just cars: buildings, homes, critical infrastructure. The advent of 5G will transform how we store and use data.”

Given the likely speed of innovation in this area it would be all too easy to get swept up in the hype and bet on the next big thing, says Clay. But this would be a mistake: far better to take a discerning approach and look for the quiet winners that can deliver long-term value.

To illustrate the point, Clay describes how his strategy benefited from its investment in US tech firm Microsoft, which entered the portfolio in 2013. At the time, he says, fellow tech firm Apple was riding high and Microsoft might as well have been heading for bankruptcy given its comparative unpopularity with investors. Between 2013 and 2017, however, as cloud technology – and Microsoft’s central role in facilitating it – took off, so did the company’s share price.

In 2017, because of the sell discipline inherent in their investment process, the global equity-income team was forced to exit Microsoft, not because they wanted to, but because the dividend yield had fallen to the level of the wider market.

Today, the team takes the same approach. One avenue is to target ostensibly “old school” or “boring” tech companies – whose sleepy image belies their strategic appeal. US tech firm Cisco is a classic example. “In the fast-moving world of tech, Cisco’s been seen as something of a slow-growth dinosaur. But the reality is far-removed from its pedestrian image,” says Clay. “As hacking becomes ever more prevalent, Cisco technology is integral to maintaining secure networks and that’s reflected not just in its free cash flow but by extension its share price.”

You can find out more on the Newton Global Income Fund here. 

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For Professional Clients only. This is a financial promotion and is not investment advice. Portfolio holdings are subject to change, for information only and are not investment recommendations. Any views and opinions are those of the investment manager, unless otherwise noted. This is not investment research or a research recommendation for regulatory purposes. For further information visit the BNY Mellon Investment Management website.  INV1608 Exp 25 June 2019. Published as at 27 March 2019

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