Overview
The International Fund aims to outperform (after deduction of costs) the MSCI ACWI ex-UK Index, as stated in Sterling, by at least 2% per annum over rolling five-year periods. There is no guarantee that this objective will be achieved over any time period and actual investment returns may differ from this objective, particularly over shorter time periods.
The manager believes this is an appropriate benchmark given the investment policy of the Fund and the approach taken by the manager when investing. In addition, the manager believes an appropriate performance comparison for this Fund is the Investment Association Global Sector.
Stocks are picked on the basis of fundamental attractions, irrespective of location. Industry and regional exposure are a derivative of the stock selection process. We focus on companies that we believe can deliver above average growth.
Performance & Portfolio
Periodic performance
All figures to 31/05/2025 6 Months
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
Class B-Acc -5.0% 3.8% 7.2% 6.6% Index* -3.2% 7.7% 10.4% 11.9% Target Benchmark** -2.2% 9.9% 12.6% 14.2% Sector Average*** -3.3% 4.0% 7.1% 8.9% Sector Ranking 365/545 307/539 255/487 322/412 Figures for 3 and 5 years are shown as the annualised rate of return. This is the average yearly return over the specified period.
Annual discrete performance 31 March each year
Annual percentage return (Updated Quarterly) 31/03/2020
31/03/202131/03/2021
31/03/202231/03/2022
31/03/202331/03/2023
31/03/202431/03/2024
31/03/2025Class B-Acc 52.4% -4.4% -7.5% 19.5% -3.7% Index* 40.5% 12.7% -1.2% 21.7% 5.1% Target Benchmark** 43.3% 14.9% 0.8% 24.1% 7.2% Sector Average*** 40.6% 8.4% -2.7% 16.7% -0.3% Please bear in mind that past performance is not a guide to future returns. The value of your investment may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount you invested.
Source: FE, Revolution. Total return net of charges, in sterling.Share class returns calculated using 10am prices, while the Index is calculated close-to-close.
*MSCI ACWI ex UK Index.
**MSCI AC World ex UK Index (in sterling) plus at least 2% per annum over rolling five-year periods.
***IA Global Sector.
Top ten holdings 31/05/2025
Fund % 1 NVIDIA 5.8% 2 Microsoft 4.4% 3 Meta Platforms 4.4% 4 Amazon.com 4.0% 5 Prosus 3.7% 6 TSMC 3.3% 7 Mastercard 2.4% 8 Elevance Health Inc. 2.3% 9 Service Corporation International 2.1% 10 Martin Marietta Materials 2.1% Total 34.6% Geographic analysis of total assets 31/05/2025Fund %
- 1 United States 60.11
- 2 Netherlands 5.96
- 3 Japan 4.77
- 4 China 3.26
- 5 Taiwan 3.25
- 6 Ireland 3.02
- 7 Canada 2.85
- 8 Brazil 2.52
- 9 Sweden 2.50
- 10 France 2.19
- 11 Others 9.06
- 12 Cash 0.52
- Total 100.00
Sector analysis of total assets 31/05/2025Fund %
- 1 Information Technology 23.85
- 2 Consumer Discretionary 20.17
- 3 Financials 13.28
- 4 Industrials 12.09
- 5 Communication Services 11.41
- 6 Health Care 8.43
- 7 Materials 5.76
- 8 Real Estate 1.64
- 9 Energy 1.61
- 10 Consumer Staples 1.24
- 11 Cash 0.52
- Total 100.00
As the Fund invests in overseas securities, changes in the rates of exchange may cause the value of your investment (and any income it may pay) to go down or up.
As well as cash in the bank, this balance includes unsettled cash flows arising from both shareholder flows and outstanding trades. Therefore, a negative balance may arise from timing differences between shareholder flows and security trading, and does not necessarily represent a bank overdraft.
The information contained on this page is intended as a guide only and should not be relied upon when making investment decisions. Source Baillie Gifford & Co.
Please note that totals may not sum due to rounding.
Meet the Managers
Malcolm MacColl
Malcolm is an investment manager in the Global Alpha Team. He has been involved in Global Alpha since the product’s inception in 2005 and this is his sole portfolio responsibility. He joined Baillie Gifford in 1999 and became a partner of the firm in 2011. In 2021 he became a managing partner with overall oversight for the investment department. Malcolm previously worked in the UK Small Cap and North American equity teams. He managed the North American portion of wider global portfolios while in the North American Equity Team. Malcolm graduated MA in Economics and History in 1998 and MLitt in Economics, Politics and Management in 1999, both from the University of St Andrews.
Spencer Adair
Spencer is an investment manager in the Global Alpha Team. He has been an investment manager in the Global Alpha Team since its inception in 2005 and Monks Investment Trust since 2015. Spencer is a co-manager of International Concentrated Growth Strategy. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2000 and became a partner in 2013. Spencer has also spent time working in the Fixed Income, Japanese, European, Emerging Markets and UK Equities teams. He graduated BSc in Medicine from the University of St Andrews in 1997.
Helen Xiong
Helen is an investment manager in the Global Alpha Team. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2008 and became a partner in 2020. In addition to Global Alpha, Helen has spent time working in our Developed Asia, UK, US Equity Growth, and Emerging Markets Equity teams. She graduated BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Warwick in 2007 and MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge in 2008.
Michael Taylor
Michael is an investment manager in the US Alpha Team. Having previously worked at Baillie Gifford from 2009 to 2014, Michael re-joined Baillie Gifford in 2022 to lead our US Alpha Strategy. He is also a trusted advisor for the Global Alpha Team. Prior to returning to the firm, Michael was an investment manager at Marathon Investment Management. He graduated BA (Hons) from the University of Oxford in 2008. Michael is a CFA Charterholder.
How to Invest
You can invest in our funds via a number of fund platforms, please see the links opposite. Information on the range of funds available through platforms can be found in our Platform Matrix.
Please note that we do not have the facility for you to invest directly with us in our Investment Trusts and we do not offer ISAs, SIPPS or Share Plans.
Please also note that we do not have an online service for individual investors.
Further information on our funds can be found in the relevant Key Investor Information and Prospectus Documents, which are available in English and will be sent to you free of charge on request.
Baillie Gifford does not sponsor, maintain or have any control over the content of any other websites. Therefore, we are not responsible for the adequacy or accuracy of any of the information you may view, nor do we undertake to ensure successful transmission to any linked website.
How to Invest
Getting Financial Advice
At Baillie Gifford we don’t provide financial advice, but we do try our best to provide you with all the information we think you might need to make investment decisions. Of course, we realise there are occasions when you may want the advice of an expert.
Using professional financial advice
An authorised intermediary can give you advice and help on how best to manage your financial affairs based on your circumstances and investment aspirations. They can also help keep track of all your different investment interests, saving you a lot of time and bookkeeping.
Finding a financial adviser near you
If you want to use an authorised intermediary, unbiased is a website that allows you to search for authorised intermediaries in your area. You can visit their site on www.unbiased.co.uk
Documents
You can access any literature about the Fund here, either by downloading or requesting a copy by post (where available).
To download any document you will need Adobe Reader. Please note that we can now provide you with Braille and audio transcriptions of our literature on request. It may take up to 10 days for the transcription to be completed dependent on the size of the document.
Application forms
Bulletins
Enhanced disclosure document
Factsheets
Key investor information documents (KIIDs)
Sustainability-related disclosures and climate reports
Value assessment
Risks
General Investment Risk
Investment markets can go down as well as up and market conditions can change rapidly. The value of an investment in the Fund, and any income from it, can fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the amount invested.
Custody
Custody of assets involves a risk of loss if a custodian becomes insolvent or breaches duties of care.
Foreign Currency
The Fund has exposure to foreign currencies and changes in the rates of exchange will cause the value of any investment, and income from it, to fall as well as rise and you may not get back the amount invested.
Emerging Markets
The Fund invests in emerging markets where difficulties in dealing, settlement and custody could arise, resulting in a negative impact on the value of your investment.
Volatility
The Fund’s share price can be volatile due to movements in the prices of the underlying holdings and the basis on which the Fund is priced.
Dilution
A dilution adjustment may apply when you buy or sell shares in the Fund. This is applied to the share price and may reduce the return on your investment.
Fees from Revenue
Where possible, charges are taken from the Fund's revenue. Where there is insufficient revenue, the remainder will be taken from capital. This will reduce the capital value of your investment.
Tax Rates
Tax rates and the tax treatment of OEICs can change at any time.
