When equity markets falter, not every company is affected equally, explains Fidelity’s Jed Weiss. Some businesses operate in segments that are naturally insulated from the crisis at hand, while others – either due to the nature of their operations or market liquidity – may even benefit, potentially making them ideal candidates for investment during periods of uncertainty.
“Take, for instance, the tariff-induced sell-off in early April due to the U.S. administration’s ‘Liberation Day’ announcements,” says Weiss, who manages Fidelity® International Growth Fund (FIGFX). “The art of navigating these near-term challenges can often reveal long-term growth opportunities.”
As manager of the diversified international equity strategy since 2007, Weiss favors companies with multiyear structural growth prospects, high barriers to entry and an attractive valuation, focusing on cyclically out-of-favor businesses with pricing power and limited competition, as well as firms exhibiting strong earnings potential and a share price that has fallen due to macroeconomic events.
Amid the early-April volatility, Weiss added exposure to companies whose core businesses tend to be somewhat insulated from the direct impact of tariffs, including RELX (RELX), a U.K.-based provider of information and analytics that owns the LexisNexis legal database.
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He also bolstered the fund’s stake in U.S.-based Moody’s, a bond- and credit-rating agency offering services that he considers essential regardless of trade conditions.
For similar reasons, Weiss recently stepped into elevator companies, adding to the fund’s stakes in Kone (KNYJF) and Schindler Holding (SHLRF). “Tariffs or not, people still need to safely and reliably get from one floor to another in tall buildings,” he observes. “These businesses derive a significant portion of their operating profit from legally mandated and highly localized maintenance services, fostering steady demand even amid economic uncertainty.”
In other areas, Weiss cites British private-equity firm 3i Group (TGOPY), which owns Dutch international discount retailer Action, one of Europe’s fastest-growing operators of discount stores.
He notes that Action sources many of its goods from China, so if U.S. demand for Chinese products declines, suppliers in China may pivot toward Europe. This shift could reduce costs for European retailers, potentially boosting earnings growth across the region.
According to Weiss, market stress also can unlock opportunities in smaller firms that, under normal circumstances, can be difficult to trade due to poor liquidity and high valuations.
To that point, during the tariff-induced pullback, he noticed a sudden increase in trading volume and a drop in prices for several European businesses he had been eyeing.
“This afforded me the chance to invest in these companies at attractive valuations, including German ticketing and entertainment provider CTS Eventim (CEVMF) and U.K.-based miniature wargaming company Games Workshop Group (GMWKF),” says Weiss.
Volatility does not have to be a cause for panic, he concludes. Instead, it can serve as a catalyst for strategic investment decisions. By focusing on resilient businesses, identifying potential beneficiaries of market shifts, and capitalizing on liquidity events in smaller firms, short-term disruptions could yield long-term investment opportunities.
For specific fund information, including full holdings, please click on the fund trading symbol above. Securities mentioned were fund investments as of July 31.
Jed Weiss is a portfolio manager in the Equity division at Fidelity Investments.
In this role, Mr. Weiss manages Fidelity Series International Growth Fund, Fidelity Series International Small Cap Fund, Fidelity International Small Cap Opportunities Fund, Fidelity Advisor International Small Cap Opportunities Fund, Fidelity International Growth Fund, and Fidelity Advisor International Growth Fund. Additionally, he co-manages Fidelity Total International Equity Fund and Fidelity Advisor Total International Equity Fund.
Prior to assuming his current position in 2007, Mr. Weiss covered the telecommunications, health care, and consumer sectors as an analyst on Fidelity’s Global Emerging Markets team. Previously, he worked as an analyst and portfolio manager of Select Environment Fund, during which he also covered a wide range of industries within the cyclical sector. Prior to that, Mr. Weiss held various other roles at Fidelity, including equity research analyst covering communications, semiconductors, and networking stocks, during which he also managed Select Networking and Infrastructure Portfolio. Additionally, he worked as an equity research analyst covering semiconductors and as an associate analyst covering U.S. regional banks.
Before joining Fidelity in 1997, Mr. Weiss was a summer associate at Goldman Sachs and a legislative affairs intern at the White House. He has been in the financial industry since 1997.
Mr. Weiss earned his bachelor of arts degree in government from Harvard University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.