Even in a strong performance period, not everything goes well—small net losses came from the Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Staples sectors. Housed in the latter sector, Nu Skin Enterprises (NUS) makes and distributes personal care products and was the Fund’s top contributor in 2013. In the first half of 2014, however, it led all of the portfolio’s detractors by a sizable margin. The company encountered trouble when a report in a Chinese newspaper alleged that it was running a pyramid scheme back in January. Nu Skin then voluntarily suspended promotional meetings and new sales representative signups before paying modest fines to Chinese regulators in March. The firm also tightened its training procedures. Its shares recovered a bit before falling again in May, as opinion seemed divided as to whether this episode would register a short- or long-term effect on its global business, about a third of which is based in China. We were hopeful at the end of June that the company could eventually return to its former condition.
From Chuck Royce (Trades, Portfolio)’s Royce Premier Fund Second Quarter 2014 Manager Commentary.
