|
|
|
|
|
Firsthand Technology Leaders Fund
Investment Strategy |
The Fund invests primarily in securities of high-technology companies that we believe hold dominant competitive positions in high-growth industries. While the Fund's investments are not restricted by market capitalization, they tend to include well-established companies with mid to large capitalizations. |
 |
What sets the Fund apart from other Firsthand Funds?
|
Compared with Firsthand's other mutual funds, Firsthand Technology Leaders Fund tends to have the most concentrated portfolio of investments and the greatest exposure to large-cap technology companies. |
|
|
Total net assets: |
$40.5 million |
|
|
Number of companies: |
19 |
|
|
2007 turnover: |
35% |
|
|
Inception date: |
12/10/97 |
|
|
Ticker symbol: |
TLFQX |
|
|
CUSIP: |
337941306 |
|
|
Sales load: |
None |
|
|
Redemption fee: |
None |
|
|
2007 expense ratio: |
1.95% |
|
|
ß (beta):1 |
1.46 |
|
|
r2 (r-squared):2 |
0.74 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Annual Total Returns vs. Indices3 |
|
As of September 30, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Since inception (12/10/97) |
|
|
|
|
10-Year |
|
|
|
|
5-Year |
|
|
|
|
3-Year |
|
|
|
|
1-Year |
|
|
|
|
Q3 '08 (not annualized) |
|
|
|
|
|
The Fund's performance information assumes reinvestment of all dividends and includes all Fund expenses, but does not reflect the impact of taxes. Performance data quoted represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results, and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Both the return from and the principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that any investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. |
|
|
The Fund’s total operating expenses are 1.95%. Under the Investment Advisory Agreements, the Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce its fees and/or make expense reimbursements so that the Fund’s total operating expenses are limited to 1.95% of the Fund’s average daily net assets up to $200 million, 1.90% of such assets from $200 million to $500 million, 1.85% of such assets from $500 million to $1 billion, and 1.80% of such assets in excess of $1 billion. |
|
|
Month-End Performance Update |
|
As of October 31, 2008 |
|
TOTAL
RETURNS |
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
YTD |
1-Year |
3-Year |
5-Year |
10-Year |
Since Inception (12/10/97) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-40.76% |
-46.05% |
-8.43% |
-3.96% |
0.00% |
3.04% |
|
|
|
|
Growth of a Hypothetical $10,000 Investment |
|
As of September 30, 2008 |
|
 |
|
| |
Chart represents the growth of a hypothetical $10,000 investment from Fund inception date until the end of the quarter indicated. The Fund's performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and includes all Fund expenses but does not reflect the impact of taxes. |
|
| |
| Top 10 Holdings |
As of September 30, 2008 |
|
1. |
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
|
6. |
|
|
7. |
|
|
8. |
|
|
9. |
|
|
10. |
|
|
|
|
Top 10 holdings represent 53.27% of net assets.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Firsthand includes only public companies in listings of top 10 holdings; other portfolio assets such as cash, treasuries, options, warrants, and investments in private companies are not presented in the top 10 list. |
|
| |
The information provided should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell a particular security and there is no assurance that, as of the date of publication, the securities purchased remain in the Fund's portfolio or that securities sold have not been repurchased. Also, you should note that the securities discussed, even if they have been purchased by the Fund, do not represent the Fund's entire portfolio and, in the aggregate, may represent only a small percentage of the Fund's holdings. There can be no assurance that any Firsthand Fund will buy, sell, or hold any particular security after the date referred to in the discussion. |
|
|
|
| |
| Holdings by Market Cap |
As of September 30, 2008 |
|
Giant Cap (>$25B) |
45.5% |
Large Cap ($5-$25B) |
29.0% |
Mid Cap ($1-$5B) |
9.5% |
Net Cash |
16.0% |
|
|
| Holdings by Country |
As of September 30, 2008 |
|
United States |
63.2% |
Cayman Islands |
12.5% |
Finland |
5.7% |
Hong Kong |
5.6% |
South Korea |
4.5% |
Israel |
4.4% |
Netherlands |
3.1% |
Other |
1.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Holdings by Industry |
| |
As of September 30, 2008 |
|
| |
Semiconductors |
17.2% |
Software |
11.9% |
Peripherals |
9.4% |
Other Electronics |
8.5% |
Networking |
6.0% |
Renewable Energy |
5.9% |
Internet |
5.4% |
Advanced Materials |
4.8% |
Communications Equipment |
4.8% |
Communications |
4.7% |
Computer |
4.5% |
Other |
0.9% |
Net Cash |
16.0% |
|
|
The holdings by industry are presented to illustrate examples of the industries in which the Fund has bought securities and may not be representative of the Fund's current or future industry investments. |
|
|
Firsthand Technology Leaders Fund is managed by Kevin Landis. |
|
 |
|
Kevin Landis is Firsthand's Chief Investment Officer and currently manages four funds: Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund, Firsthand Technology Value Fund, Firsthand Technology Leaders Fund, and Firsthand e-Commerce Fund.
|
|
|
Distribution History |
|
2007 total distributions: |
None |
|
2006 total distributions: |
None |
|
2005 total distributions: |
None |
|
2004 total distributions: |
None |
|
2003 total distributions: |
None |
|
2002 total distributions: |
None |
|
2001 total distributions: |
None |
|
2000 total distributions: |
$0.0141 |
|
1999 total distributions: |
$0.4887 |
|
|
1998 total distributions: |
$0.0009 |
|
|
1997 total distributions: |
None |
|
|
Most Recent Distribution |
|
Record date: |
12/14/00 |
|
Ex-date: |
12/15/00 |
|
Reinvestment price: |
$36.99 |
|
Expected distribution frequency: |
Annual |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Beta is a measure of a given fund's historical performance as compared to the S&P 500 Index (the "benchmark"). A beta greater than 1 indicates that the fund's performance has tended to magnify the movements of the benchmark (in either direction). A high beta suggests that a fund has responded strongly to variations in the market, and a low beta suggests relative insensitivity to variations in the market. |
|
2 |
R-squared measures the portion of a fund's historical movements that can be explained by the movements of a benchmark index (usually the S&P 500 Index). An r-squared of 1.00 means that all of the fund's historical movements can be explained by the benchmark index's movements. An r-squared of 0.00 indicates that none of the fund's movements can be explained by movements in the benchmark index.
|
|
3 |
The NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQ) and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500) each represent an unmanaged, broad-based basket of stocks and are typically used as benchmarks for overall market performance. The indices' performance figures assume the reinvestment of all dividends (except where noted), but do not reflect the impact of taxes. Additionally, because an investor cannot invest in an index directly, indices' performance figures do not reflect the expenses associated with the management of an actual mutual fund portfolio. |
|
| |
Firsthand Technology Leaders Fund is subject to greater risk than more diversified funds because of its investments in fewer securities and because of its concentration of investments in certain industries in the technology sector. Specific risks associated with investments in the technology sector (as described in the prospectus) could cause the Fund's share price to fluctuate dramatically. The Fund invests in several industries within the technology sector and the relative weightings of these industries in the Fund's portfolio may change at any time. Equity investing involves risks, including the potential loss of the principal amount invested. |
|
|
