Billy Hwan, Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst, Parnassus Investments met with Julie Cooling, Founder & CEO, RIA Channel to discuss the firm’s research driven approach to ESG and large cap value.
For more than three decades, Parnassus has been a leader in sustainable investing. The firm manages roughly $38 billion in assets, with every strategy incorporating ESG criteria. The San Francisco-based active manager aims to build wealth responsibly, through its deeply engrained culture of ESG integration, collaborative research, and high-conviction strategies.
The Parnassus Endeavor Fund is a core large cap value strategy, seeking high quality companies trading at competitive valuations. As a active manager, Parnassus’ bottom up approach to stock selection is driven by its in-house research team, ESG analysts, and deep fundamental due diligence. Parnassus avoids investing in any fossil fuels or companies with controversial business practices, and seeks a high conviction portfolio, made up of about 40 U.S. large cap stocks with sustainable business advantages.
Billy Hwan is the Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Endeavor Fund and a Senior Research Analyst. Mr. Hwan has responsibility for portfolio management for the firm’s Endeavor strategy. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2012 after serving as a Parnassus research intern. His prior experience includes equity research at Dodge & Cox in San Francisco and at the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. Mr. Hwan received his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in accountancy from the University of Houston. He graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley with his master’s degree in business administration. Mr. Hwan holds the CPA and CFA designations, and was a former Blakemore Freeman Fellow.
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Before investing, an investor should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of a fund and should carefully read the prospectus or summary prospectus, which contains this and other information about the fund. A prospectus or summary prospectus can be obtained on the Parnassus Investments website, https://www.parnassus.com/literature-and-forms/fund-information?document=prospectus, or by calling (800) 999-3505.
Environmental, Social, And Governance Guidelines: The Fund evaluates financially material ESG factors as part of the investment decision-making process, considering a range of impacts they may have on future revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities and overall risk. The Fund also utilizes active ownership to encourage more sustainable business policies and practices and greater ESG transparency. Active ownership strategies include proxy voting, dialogue with company management and sponsorship of shareholder resolutions, and public policy advocacy. There is no guarantee that the ESG strategy will be successful.
The Parnassus Funds are distributed by Parnassus Funds Distributor, LLC.