PACRA Maintains Stability Rating of PIML Islamic Income Fund (PIML IIF)

The objective of the fund is to generate consistent returns with minimal risk by investing primarily in Government Securities, cash and near cash instruments.

The rating reflects the fund's credit risk profile emanating from its portfolio which is 69% allocated towards 'A+ rated banks. The fund continued to remain invested predominantly in banks over the last few quarters. The remaining 15% portfolio is invested in 'A' rated Sukuk. The top 10 unit holding pattern of the fund is concentrated with ~ 91% investors. Meanwhile, the group's own investment represents ~57% in total portfolio which exposes the fund to a very low level of redemtion pressure.

Going forward, PIML Islamic Income Fund intends to maintain its exposure towards banks rated 'A' and above while having some exposure towards short duration placement/ instruments having good credit quality. This practice is mainly done by the management to protect the fund from downside risk in case of an interest rate hike in upcoming monetary policies due to current rising interest rate scenario.

About the Entity
AWT Investments Limited (Formerly: Primus Investment Management Limited) is a public unlisted company, incorporated in 2011. It is a Non-Banking Finance Company, licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to manage open and closed-end funds and Investment Advisory Services. The company is currently managing six open-end schemes with assets under management of ~PKR 2.2bln at end-Jun 2018. In the month of March 2017, Army Welfare Trust (AWT) acquired 70% shares of the company from Pak Brunei Investment Company Limited. On October 13, 2017, the Board of Directors of PBICL approved the disinvestment, remaining 30% shareholding in the company through the exercise of put option contained in shareholder’s agreement. The transaction was approved by the Commission on Mar 5, 2018, subject to completion of certain formalities. Subsequent to June 30, 2018, the remaining formalities were fulfilled and remaining shareholding of AWT Investments Limited was also transferred by PBICL to Army Welfare Trust.

The CEO, Mr. Salman Haider possesses over two decades of local and international experience in Investment management industry including almost 10 years on Wall Street in New York, USA. His experience on Wall Street included NASD licenses of series 7 and 63 along with working at reputable institutions within the investment management industry.