Objective

The Portfolio seeks to increase the value of your investment over time through income, while seeking capital preservation.

In actively managing the Portfolio, the Investment Manager invests in securities that it believes are positively exposed to environmentally- or socially-oriented sustainable investment themes derived from the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The Investment Manager employs a combination of “top-down” and “bottom-up” investment processes. For the “top-down” approach, the Investment Manager identifies sustainable investment themes that are broadly consistent with achieving the UNSDGs such as Health, Climate, and Empowerment. as well as the theme of Institutions for sovereign debt. These sustainable investment themes may change over time based on the Investment Manager’s research. For the “bottom-up” approach, the Investment Manager analyses individual debt securities focusing on the use of proceeds, issuer fundamentals, valuation and the issuer’s exposure to environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The Investment Manager emphasises positive selection criteria, in particular by analysing the exposure to such ESG factors of each security or issuer, over broad-based negative screens in assessing an issuer’s exposure to such ESG factors. The Investment Manager invests flexibly across sectors (types of bonds), industries, countries, currencies and credit qualities and seeks to balance risk and return characteristics. The Investment Manager uses a disciplined process integrating fundamental and quantitative research to identify high-conviction opportunities while actively managing duration and yield-curve positioning. The Portfolio may benefit from capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio typically invests at least 80% of its assets in debt securities of issuers that the Investment Manager believes are positively aligned with sustainable investment themes. These issuers may be from anywhere in the world, including Emerging Markets. These securities may be below investment grade. The Portfolio may invest in, or be exposed to, the following asset classes up to the percentages of assets indicated: debt securities rated below investment grade: 50%, structured products such as asset- and mortgage-backed securities (ABSs and MBSs): 20% and CoCos, including those that are issued as additional tier 1 securities or tier 2 securities: 15%. The Portfolio’s exposure to ESG bond structures is at least 15%. The Portfolio may utilise all bond markets where these debt securities are traded including Bond Connect. The Portfolio’s investments may include convertible securities and ETFs. The Portfolio’s exposure to USD is at least 90%.

Portfolio Management Team




Investment Risks to Consider

These and other risks are described in the Portfolio's prospectus

Investment in the Portfolio entails certain risks. Investment returns and principal value of the Portfolio will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Some of the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio include:

  • Sustainability Risk: Sustainability risk means an environmental, social, or governance event or condition that, if it occurs, could potentially or actually cause a material negative impact on the value of the Portfolio’s investment. Sustainability risks can either represent a risk of their own or have an impact on other risks, and may contribute significantly to risks, such as market risks, operational risks, liquidity risks or counterparty risks. Sustainability risks may have an impact on long-term risk adjusted returns for investors. Assessment of sustainability risks is complex and may be based on environmental, social, or governance data which is difficult to obtain and incomplete, estimated, out of date or otherwise materially inaccurate. Even when identified, there can be no guarantee that these data will be correctly assessed.

  • CoCos Risk: CoCos are comparatively untested, their income payments may be cancelled or suspended, they are more vulnerable to losses than equities, they carry extension risk and liquidity risk and they can be highly volatile.

  • Credit Risk: A bond, money market instrument, or other debt security from any type of issuer could fall in price and become more volatile and less liquid, if the security’s credit rating or the issuer’s financial health deteriorates, if interest rates change, or the market believes it might. This risk is greater the lower the credit quality of the debt security. The greater the Portfolio’s exposure to below investment grade bonds may amplify credit risk.

  • Currency Risk: To the extent that the Portfolio holds assets that are denominated in currencies other than its Base Currency, any changes in currency exchange rates could reduce investment gains or income, or increase investment losses, in some cases significantly. Hedging may reduce but not eliminate currency risk.

  • Debt Securities Risk: The value of most bonds and other debt securities will rise when interest rates fall and will fall when interest rates rise. A bond or money market instrument could fall in price and become more volatile and less liquid if the security’s credit rating or the issuer’s financial health deteriorates, or the market believes it might. Debt securities carry, inter alia, interest rate risk, credit risk and default risk. 

  • Derivatives Risk: The portfolio may invest in financial derivative instruments for investment purposes in addition to hedging and/or efficient portfolio management purposes and hence this may lead to a higher volatility to the net asset value of the Portfolio. 

  • Emerging/Frontier Markets Risk: Emerging Markets, including frontier markets, are less established and more volatile than developed markets and more sensitive to challenging market conditions. Compared with developed markets, Emerging Markets involve higher risks, both as to frequency and intensity, particularly market, credit, liquidity, legal and currency risks.

  • Liquidity Risk: The risk that arises when adverse market conditions affect the ability to sell assets when necessary. Reduced liquidity may have a negative impact on the price of the assets.

  • Structured Instruments Risk: Structured instruments (including basket securities) are potentially more volatile and carry greater market risks than traditional debt securities. Structured instruments may be less liquid and more difficult to price than less complex securities. The risk of these investments can be substantial, potentially extending to a Shareholder’s entire investment.



Fund Literature

Investment in the Fund entails certain risks. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The value of an investment in the Fund can go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested. This information is directed solely at persons in jurisdictions where the funds and relevant share class are registered or who may otherwise lawfully receive it. Before investing in AllianceBernstein funds, investors should review the fund’s full prospectus, together with the fund’s Product Highlights Sheet and the most recent financial statements. Copies of these documents, including the latest annual report and, if issued thereafter, the latest semi-annual report, may be obtained free of charge from www.abfunds.com / www.alliancebernstein.com or by contacting the local distributor in the jurisdictions in which the funds are authorized for distribution.

The Portfolio is part of AB SICAV I (referred to as “AB”). AB is an open-ended investment company with variable capital (société d’investissement à capital variable) under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The Portfolio may invest in financial derivative instruments for investment purposes in addition to hedging and/or efficient portfolio management purposes and hence this may lead to a higher volatility to the net asset value of the Portfolio.

Dividends are not paid for all share classes and are not guaranteed.

Please note that dividend distribution is at the discretion of The Board of Director (“Board”) and subject to the dividend policy referred in the Singapore Offering Document. It is dependent on prevailing market conditions and the income generated by the underlying securities of the fund. Any payments of distributions by the portfolio may result in an immediate reduction of the net asset value per share/unit. A high distribution yield does not imply a high return on the fund. Investors should not make any investment decision solely based on dividend information provided.

Currency-hedged share classes (indicated above by a currency denomination and an “H” in the Class name) use hedging techniques in an attempt to reduce—but not eliminate—fluctuations between the investor’s holdings in a particular currency-hedged share class denominated in the investor’s investing currency and the portfolio’s base currency. The goal is to deliver returns that track the portfolio’s base currency returns more closely. 

AllianceBernstein funds are offered only by the offering document with respect to each fund. The sale of shares of AB funds may be restricted in certain jurisdictions. In particular, shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the United States or to U.S. persons, as is more fully described in the Offering Document with respect to each Fund. Shares of AB funds are offered only pursuant to the Fund’s current Offering Document together with the most recent financial statements. The information on this page is for information purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell, or solicitation to buy, or a recommendation for the securities of any AB fund.