Investment objective & strategy
As of April 30, 2025 · prospectusObjective. The Global Franchise Portfolio (the Fund) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Strategy. The Funds Adviser, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., and the Funds Sub-Adviser, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited (MSIM Limited), seek long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of issuers located throughout the world that they believe have, among other things, sustainable competitive advantages, capable management and financial strength. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in securities of issuers from at least three different countries, which may include the United States. The Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser seek to invest in high quality companies they believe have strong business franchises, strong cash flows, modest capital requirements, strong balance sheets, capable management, and that typically return cash to shareholders. The franchise focus of the Fund is based on the Advisers and/or … The Funds Adviser, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., and the Funds Sub-Adviser, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited (MSIM Limited), seek long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of issuers located throughout the world that they believe have, among other things, sustainable competitive advantages, capable management and financial strength. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in securities of issuers from at least three different countries, which may include the United States. The Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser seek to invest in high quality companies they believe have strong business franchises, strong cash flows, modest capital requirements, strong balance sheets, capable management, and that typically return cash to shareholders. The franchise focus of the Fund is based on the Advisers and/or Sub-Advisers belief that the intangible assets underpinning a strong business franchise (such as brands and networks) are difficult to create or to replicate and that carefully selected franchise companies can yield above-average potential for long-term capital appreciation. As an integrated part of the investment process, the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser assesses relevant factors potentially material to long- term sustainably high returns on operating capital including environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and seeks to engage with companies as part of this. Subject to the Funds investment objective the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser retains discretion over which investments are selected. In exercising this discretion, ESG factors are not the sole determinant of whether an investment can be made or a holding can remain in the Funds portfolio, but instead the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser considers potentially material risks or opportunities in any of the ESG areas which could potentially threaten or enhance high returns on operating capital of a company. The Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser rely on their research capabilities, analytical resources and judgment to identify and monitor franchise businesses meeting their investment criteria. The Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser believe that the number of issuers with strong business franchises meeting their criteria may be limited, and accordingly, the Fund may concentrate its holdings in a relatively small number of companies. The Funds equity investments may include convertible securities. The Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser generally consider selling a portfolio holding when they determine that the holding no longer satisfies their investment criteria or that replacing the holding with another investment should improve the Funds valuation and/or quality. The Fund may utilize foreign currency forward exchange contracts, which are derivatives, for currency hedging purposes .
Top holdings
As of March 31, 2026 · N-PORT| Security | Ticker | Value | % of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICROSOFT CORP | — | $72.66M | 5.29% |
| ALPHABET INC CL A | — | $71.71M | 5.22% |
| COCA-COLA CO/THE | — | $70.89M | 5.16% |
| NETFLIX INC | — | $65.13M | 4.74% |
| VISA INC-CLASS A | — | $63.40M | 4.61% |
| L'OREAL SA ORD | — | $60.06M | 4.37% |
| TSMC | — | $58.41M | 4.25% |
| AON PLC | — | $55.44M | 4.03% |
| INTERCONTINENTAL EXCHANGE INC | — | $54.82M | 3.99% |
| HALEON PLC | — | $46.50M | 3.38% |
Portfolio moves
Dec 31, 2025 → Mar 31, 2026How many positions this fund opened, exited, grew, trimmed, or left unchanged between its two most recent N-PORT snapshots — net changes between point-in-time reports, not a trade log.
Similar funds
Funds whose portfolios most overlap this one, by weight| Fund | Overlap | Net exp. |
|---|---|---|
| VY(R) MORGAN STANLEY GLOBAL FRANCHISE PORTFOLIO · IGFAX, IVGTX, IGFSX, VPRDX | 94% | 0.96% |
| American Resilience Portfolio · MSBWX, MSBVX, MSBQX, MSCUX | 66% | 0.65% |
| Global Stars Portfolio · MGQIX, MGQAX, MGQLX, MGQSX, MSGQX | 37% | 0.75% |
Advisers
| Firm | Role |
|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited | Sub-adviser |
| Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. | Adviser |
Footnotes
- Expense ratio as of April 30, 2025, from the fund's prospectus.
- Net assets and holdings count as of March 31, 2026, from the fund's N-PORT filing.
- Total return for calendar year 2025, before tax and after fund expenses. Computed by compounding the twelve monthly total returns the fund reported in its SEC N-PORT filings for 2025 (the latest prospectus does not yet chart this year).
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