Page 24 - Profile's Unit Trusts and Collective Investments 2021 issue 2

How to use this book

How to use this book

How to use this book
Profile’s Unit Trusts and Collective Investments has established itself as the reference standard for
the industry. The handbook is used by financial planners, fund managers, investors and students in
three major ways:
As a regulatory reference
The chapter content (pages 29 to 182) summarises most of the rules and regulations governing
the industry. With the aid of the index at the back of the book, users can check on a wide range of
facts, rules and definitions.
As a guide to fund investment principles
The chapters cover a comprehensive array of investment topics and background material. From
stocks to fixed interest markets, from alpha to risk management, the handbook provides a
wide-ranging summary of investment principles.
As an industry quick-reference
As a starting point for screening and fund research, the handbook is the quickest way to
ascertain the basic facts, including the contact details of leading fund managers, consistency of
long-term performance, available fund classes, and the objectives of major industry players.
As a study aid
The handbook is widely used by financial planners preparing to write qualifying exams.
Publication Cycle
Profile’s Unit Trusts and Collective Investments is published twice a year in March and September.
The chapter content is reviewed and edited before each issue in order to maintain the handbook as
a reliable reference. The fund fact sheets, performance figures and other data are completely
updated each issue. If you find any errors or omissions please bring them to the attention of the
editor (email uthb@profile.co.za).
New to this Book?
If you are not familiar with this publication, here’s a quick orientation:
The chapter content is the “how to” section of the handbook. The chapters are designed to
cover both basic and more advanced concepts about collective investment schemes and
broader investment topics. As the book is used extensively by financial advisors, reference
material on the legislation governing the financial services industry is included. All of the
chapter content is indexed in the main index, enabling readers to look up a key term or
aspect of legislation.
Chapter 9 – Fund Manager Interviews – provides market views from selected portfolio
managers.
The Fact Sheet section provides information on registered managers of collective investment
schemes. This content is sponsored by the management companies, and the amount of
information available therefore differs according to what each manager is prepared to make
available.
The Fact Sheet Tips section provides useful information on how to use this book, how to
interpret information, how to use performance statistics, and so on.
The performance tables provide summaries of standardised performance statistics for the
whole South Africa market. ProfileData is an authorised Association of Investments and
Savings SA (ASISA) stats house. Up-to-date performance statistics are available daily at
www.fundsdata.co.za.
In addition to fund fact sheets, the handbook provides information on certain LISPs (Linked
Investment Service Providers) and Outsourcing, Advisory and Software Services, all of
whom play a significant role in the modern collective investment schemes industry.

22 Profile’s Unit Trusts & Collective Investments — Understanding Unit Trusts