Our Philosophy

At SouthernSun, six core beliefs drive us every day in our approach to managing money.

  • Be thorough: Sweat the small stuff
  • Be systematic: Stick to a proven methodology
  • Don't assume: Rigorously employ principles of logic
  • Face facts: Reality trumps hype every time
  • Reduce the influence of bias
  • Remember: Risk equals not knowing

With these principles in mind, we evaluate companies in three critical areas: financial strength, management adaptability, and niche dominance.

Financial Strength

SouthernSun invests in companies we believe to be financially strong. It is important to us that these companies not be reliant on capital markets to execute their business plan. We seek financial strength as evidenced by:

  • Internally generated discretionary cash flow
  • Excess working capital
  • Organic revenue growth

Management Adaptability

At SouthernSun, we believe there is no substitute for knowing the management of the companies in which we invest our clients' assets. It is critical that management be experienced. We want to know how management has reacted in the past to negative events as well as positive ones. Were they able to maintain their focus on long-term goals while moving through current conditions? In brief, we look for management that is:

  • Experienced
  • Forward thinking
  • Focused on measurable goals
  • Execution oriented

Philosophy

Niche Dominance

An equally important aspect of our investment process is that the businesses in which SouthernSun invests are niche dominant. Our portfolio companies distinguish themselves by the product(s) or service(s) they offer and are at a point in their life cycle when they are not readily recognized or rewarded in the marketplace. The primary competition for these entities is often a division or subsidiary of a large public company or a private company.

Portfolio Monitoring

Once companies make it into our portfolios at SouthernSun, our analysts conduct continuous evaluations of their financials, as well as monitor the business environment in which they operate. This work is performed from SouthernSun headquarters as well as in the field.

We visit management and their facilities on a regular basis. We do not believe we can truly know what is happening at a company unless we maintain regular contact with them. We also take advantage of event-driven market anomalies and adjust our positions, as determined by our investment committee.