We seek the best quality growth companies in Europe – businesses with differentiated products and economic moats that command pricing power. These companies can generate high and sustainable returns enabling them to invest excess cash in long-term growth and maintaining their competitive advantages, in this way compounding shareholder value.

We focus on fundamental research to unearth these companies — particularly those exposed to long-term secular trends that can transcend business cycles and short-term market challenges. An example of a quality growth company that we hold in our European smaller companies strategy is Carel Industries, a global leader in heating, ventilation and air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) for industrial, commercial, and residential buildings. Carel makes products including programmable controls, heat exchangers, humidifiers, valves, speed controls and sensors.

Competitive advantage: Research, engineering and technological excellence has led to leadership in market niches around energy efficiency. Carel can tailor and « design in’’ solutions for customers, which generates customer loyalty and pricing power.

Factbox: Over 70% of Carel’s top customers have been with the company for 10 years. Carel has 60% of the European rooftop control market (these units produce hot and cold air for commercial buildings).

Secular growth: We see Carel benefiting from secular growth trends including:
  • Energy Efficiency: Carel heat pumps and HVAC/R controls help to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption, and its products improve indoor air quality, which was vital during the Covid-19 pandemic
  • Digitalisation, the company leverages IoT (Internet of Things) and AI to offer connected solutions and services


We believe that Carel has an attractive long-term growth trajectory. The company doubled its revenues from 2018 to 2022.
performance chart
Source: Bloomberg as at 14/12/2023

Please note: Company example is for illustrative purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell.

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