JP Morgan US Equity Income Fund

Over the last few years, investors in the US stock market have flocked to technology stocks. And why not? After all, technology companies make up a large part of the US investment market, and many of them are global leaders in the market they operate in. But there is another way. A different approach, which Clare Hart has been using for many years.

Clare manages the JP Morgan US Equity Income Fund. As its name suggests, the fund invests in the shares of US companies, and it is looking to deliver an income that is higher than that of the S&P 500 Index. But it’s not all about generating an income – the fund also seeks to generate long-term capital growth.

Simple

There’s nothing complex about this fund. Clare simply looks for good quality companies that pay dividends. In the back of her mind, she is aware that many investors rely on the dividends as part of their income, so she and the team have to be certain that the companies they invest in are able to continue to pay those dividends. This is what Clare means by a ‘good quality’ company.

Technology and dividends

This fund does not currently have a lot invested in the shares of technology companies. The reason why is because technology companies typically don’t pay dividends. Instead, the JP Morgan US Equity Income Fund finds its good quality companies in areas such as health care, utility companies, and banks. And, while technology companies continue to take the limelight, adding this fund to your investment portfolio may well add a bit of diversification. It is a fund that we believe should deliver good returns over the longer term.

In addition to the JP Morgan US Equity Income Fund, there are more funds on the Barclays Funds List that focus on the US market. Find out more information on these funds.

To diversify your investment, you may like to consider our own Barclays Ready-Made Investments (RMI). The RMI are just one example of a range of diversified funds which allow you to select the level of risk you are most comfortable with. These multi-asset funds invest in passive funds across a range of asset classes and regions, offering a globally diversified one-stop solution for investors. Ready-Made Investments are not the only funds that we offer and they won’t be appropriate for everyone.

These are our current opinions but the future, as ever, is uncertain and outcomes may differ. Past performance of the fund and its manager are not a reliable indicator of their future performance.

We don’t offer personal investment advice so if you’re unsure you should seek that independently. Funds are designed for the long term so you should only consider them if you can stay invested for at least five years.

Read the Assessment of Value report [PDF, 683KB] for funds run by Barclays.