Thinking long term consistently pays off for investors. Just ask Bermuda-based Orbis Investment Management Limited.

Orbis was recently awarded three individual Fund Awards in the Offshore Global Equity sector by Standard & Poors (S&P).

These awards are given for performance over one, five and ten year periods and the $1.2 billion Orbis Global Equity Find won the winning spot in all three periods.

The Global Equity Fund is up 14.9 percent (annualised) since inception in January 1990, up 15.5 percent (annualised) for the last five years and up 9 percent year to date.

Orbis' performance was also recently highlighted by Global Fund Analysis, a London-based group that provides independent investment advice and information on offshore funds including hedge funds. They awarded both Orbis Global Equity Fund and the Orbis Japan Equity Fund their highest rating of five stars.

Of the traditional funds that were selected for review by Global Fund Analysis only five others have achieved this level of recognition over the last two years.

The Global Fund Analysis report on the Orbis Global Equity Fund said: “The Orbis Global Equity Find is a value fund that has not only thrived in the defensive environment of the past couple of years, but has also managed to survive the value bloodbath of the late 1990s. It is an attractive vehicle for investors who are seeking a portfolio that is fully invested in global equities and where the manager, because of its strong value approach, often has a contrarian bias. Its track record demonstrates an ability to generate superior absolute return while minimising the risk of loss.”

Director of Fund Management at Orbis Geoffrey Gardner said: “While it is great to receive awards and high ratings, what we find most satisfying is having been able to deliver superior investment returns for our clients over the long term. We focus on achieving significantly above average returns over time while establishing a “margin of safety” against monetary loss by investing in equities that we believe are priced significantly below their intrinsic value.”

Mr. Gardner added: “Having been through major upheavals in the market, it is important to come out with short and long term awards.”

Chairman and director of Orbis William Gray, son of Orbis Founder Allan Gray, said Orbis keeps a low profile and lets the company's performance speak for itself.

Mr. Gray said people were attracted to Orbis because of the good performance and investment philosophy and added: “We would like people to think hard before they invest with us to increase the chances that they make a good decision and stick with it.”

He said of Orbis' performance: “We are most proud that all of the products that we have offered to investors have not only outperformed the bench mark but have significantly outperformed the benchmark.”

Mr. Gray said Orbis manages clients assets as they would manage their own money, namely seeking value and investing for the long term.

Using a combination of equity and hedge products, Mr. Gray said was a very attractive way of building a portfolio and added: “The best opportunities are in areas that are overlooked or where people are fearful. It is difficult to find great investments in areas that are popular.”

S&P's offshore fund awards have come to be globally accepted as the standard by which the performance of funds and investment management groups are assessed.

With the objective of identifying risk and the attainment of performance, S&P's relative risk adjusted calculation highlights the funds and management groups that would typically show gradually rising out performance and limited volatility relative to their sector peers. Orbis was established in Bermuda in 1989 and manages portfolios from the Island using its own research team which is based in London and Bermuda.

In addition to its Global Equity Fund and Japan Equity Funds, Orbis offers an Africa Equity Fund and two hedge fund products. Orbis' clients include both individual investors as well as institutions - primarily pension plans and insurance companies. Minimum investment for individual investors is $50,000.

Orbis employs 25 people in Bermuda, the vast majority of which are Bermudians, and almost half of senior management are Bermudians or spouses of Bermudians.

On the web:

www.orbisfunds.com