N-CSRS 1 a12-16002_2ncsrs.htm N-CSRS

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-08510

 

Matthews International Funds

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 550

San Francisco, CA 94111

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

William J. Hackett, President

Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 550

San Francisco, CA  94111

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

415-788-7553

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

December 31

 

 

Date of reporting period:

June 30, 2012

 

 

Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

 

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

 



 

Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

 

The Report to Shareholders is attached herewith.

 



Matthews Asia Funds | Semi-Annual Report

June 30, 2012 | matthewsasia.com

ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGY

Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund

ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

Matthews China Dividend Fund

ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

Matthews China Fund

Matthews India Fund

Matthews Japan Fund

Matthews Korea Fund

ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

ASIA SPECIALTY STRATEGY

Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund

'12




Performance and Expenses

        Average Annual Total Return       2011 Gross
Annual
 
    1 year   5 years   10 years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
  Operating
Expenses*
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund  
Investor Class (MAINX)     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       3.64 %1     11/30/11       1.93 %2  
After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement                                   1.40 %3  
Institutional Class (MINCX)     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       3.73 %1     11/30/11       1.78 %2  
After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement                                   1.25 %3  
Matthews Asian Growth & Income Fund  
Investor Class (MACSX)     -3.68 %     4.08 %     12.33 %     10.49 %     9/12/94       1.12 %  
Institutional Class (MICSX)     -3.55 %     n.a.       n.a.       0.33 %     10/29/10       0.99 %  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund  
Investor Class (MAPIX)     -3.30 %     6.95 %     n.a.       9.51 %     10/31/06       1.10 %  
Institutional Class (MIPIX)     -3.21 %     n.a.       n.a.       0.51 %     10/29/10       1.00 %  
Matthews China Dividend Fund  
Investor Class (MCDFX)     -7.25 %     n.a.       n.a.       6.50 %     11/30/09       1.52 %  
After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement                                   1.50 %4  
Institutional Class (MICDX)     -7.05 %     n.a.       n.a.       -1.04 %     10/29/10       1.31 %  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund  
Investor Class (MPACX)     -8.58 %     1.94 %     n.a.       8.86 %     10/31/03       1.18 %  
Institutional Class (MIAPX)     -8.46 %     n.a.       n.a.       -3.12 %     10/29/10       1.03 %  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund  
Investor Class (MAPTX)     -8.34 %     4.73 %     14.57 %     8.68 %     9/12/94       1.11 %  
Institutional Class (MIPTX)     -8.20 %     n.a.       n.a.       -2.80 %     10/29/10       0.95 %  
Matthews China Fund  
Investor Class (MCHFX)     -17.13 %     2.81 %     14.40 %     10.72 %     2/19/98       1.13 %  
Institutional Class (MICFX)     -16.94 %     n.a.       n.a.       -11.45 %     10/29/10       0.96 %  
Matthews India Fund  
Investor Class (MINDX)     -23.88 %     -0.16 %     n.a.       9.33 %     10/31/05       1.18 %  
Institutional Class (MIDNX)     -23.72 %     n.a.       n.a.       -18.35 %     10/29/10       0.99 %  
Matthews Japan Fund  
Investor Class (MJFOX)     -5.69 %     -3.92 %     2.98 %     3.52 %     12/31/98       1.21 %  
Institutional Class (MIJFX)     -5.54 %     n.a.       n.a.       3.59 %     10/29/10       1.07 %  
Matthews Korea Fund  
Investor Class (MAKOX)     -10.28 %     -0.76 %     10.84 %     5.13 %     1/3/95       1.18 %  
Institutional Class (MIKOX)     -10.08 %     n.a.       n.a.       3.51 %     10/29/10       1.07 %  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund  
Investor Class (MSMLX)     -17.24 %     n.a.       n.a.       17.56 %     9/15/08       1.52 %  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund  
Investor Class (MCSMX)     -26.16 %     n.a.       n.a.       -27.23 %     5/31/11       5.32 %2  
After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement                                   2.00 %5  
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund  
Investor Class (MATFX)     -12.69 %     -0.38 %     9.12 %     -0.71 %     12/27/99       1.21 %  

 

*  These figures are from the Funds' current prospectus and may differ from the actual expense ratios for the preceding fiscal year, as shown in the Financial Highlights section of this report.

1  Actual return for fiscal period beginning 11/30/11 through 6/30/12, not annualized.

2  Gross annual operating expenses for 2011 are annualized.

3  Matthews has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses until August 31, 2014 to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses to 1.25% for the Institutional Class and agreed to reduce the expense ratio by an equal amount for the Investor Class. Because certain expenses of the Investor Class may be higher than the Institutional Class, the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may exceed 1.25%. The amounts of the waivers and reimbursements are based on estimated Fund expenses. The fee waiver and expense reimbursement may be terminated at any time by the Fund on 60 days' written notice.

4  The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the Fund's fees and reimburse expenses until at least August 31, 2013 to the extent needed to limit total annual operating expenses to 1.50%.

5  The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive the Fund's fees and reimburse expenses until at least August 31, 2014 to the extent needed to limit total annual operating expenses to 2.00%.

Past Performance: All performance quoted in this report is past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with changing market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. If certain of the Funds' fees and expenses had not been waived, returns would have been lower. For the Funds' most recent month-end performance, please call 800.789.ASIA (2742) or visit matthewsasia.com.

Investment Risk: Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depositary institution. Shares are not insured by the FDIC, Federal Reserve Board or any government agency and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal amount invested. Investing in international and emerging markets may involve additional risks, such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Fixed income investments are subject to additional risks, including, but not limited to, interest rate, credit and inflation risks. In addition, single-country and sector funds may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of concentration in a specific industry, sector or geographic location. Investing in small and mid-size companies is more risky than investing in large companies as they may be more volatile and less liquid than larger companies. Please see the Funds' prospectus and Statement of Additional Information for more risk disclosure.




Contents

Message to Shareholders   2  
Manager Commentaries, Fund Characteristics and Schedules of Investments:  
ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGY  
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   4  
ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund   9  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund   14  
Matthews China Dividend Fund   19  
ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund   24  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund   29  
Matthews China Fund   34  
Matthews India Fund   39  
Matthews Japan Fund   44  
Matthews Korea Fund   49  
ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund   54  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund   59  
ASIA SPECIALTY STRATEGY  
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund   64  
Disclosures   68  
Index Definitions   69  
Disclosure of Fund Expenses   70  
Statements of Assets and Liabilities   72  
Statements of Operations   75  
Statements of Changes in Net Assets   78  
Financial Highlights   85  
Notes to Financial Statements   98  

 

Cover photo: Open umbrella under tree, Kyoto, Japan

This report has been prepared for Matthews Asia Funds shareholders. It is not authorized for distribution to prospective investors unless accompanied or preceded by a current Matthews Asia Funds prospectus, which contains more complete information about the Funds' investment objectives, risks and expenses. Additional copies of the prospectus may be obtained at matthewsasia.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.

The views and opinions in this report were current as of June 30, 2012. They are not guarantees of performance or investment results and should not be taken as investment advice. Investment decisions reflect a variety of factors, and the managers reserve the right to change their views about individual stocks, sectors and the markets at any time. As a result, the views expressed should not be relied upon as a forecast of a Fund's future investment intent. Current and future portfolio holdings are subject to risk.

Statements of fact are from sources considered reliable, but neither the Funds nor the Investment Advisor makes any representation or guarantee as to their completeness or accuracy.

Matthews Asia Funds are distributed in the United States by Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, Berwyn, Pennsylvania

Matthews Asia Funds are distributed in Latin America by HMC Partners



"We focus on companies that we believe will be good stewards of capital; that allocate investments carefully and delight in creating value for shareholders..."

Message to Shareholders
from the Investment Advisor

July 2012

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

According to legend, King Midas gained the power to turn everything that he touched into gold. Delighted with this power, he touched the branch of a tree and it turned to gold. But he soon found himself unable to drink or eat as anything that touched his lips aurified instantly. His final tragedy came when, heedless of his despairing protests, his daughter embraced him and thus was transformed into a priceless, lifeless golden statue. Midas had managed to deprive his life of all value.

I see parallels in the current market environment. Cash, cash and cash—it is all that anyone seems to care about at the moment. European nations need it to pay down debt as do U.S. homeowners and China's local governments. Central banks, meanwhile, seem disinclined to increase the rate at which new cash is supplied. That is the case even in the U.S. and Europe, but it is particularly striking in Asia where central banks have been following quite a tight policy. This has all led to a scramble for cash and, as a consequence, machines idle and rust and labor languishes unemployed. At least in my view, these investors appear to be focusing on the value of cash to the extent that they lose sight of value elsewhere. Midas eventually starved for his love of gold and it is hard not to draw the conclusion that love of cash is starving the world of economic activity and starving labor of potential productivity.

Investors have also bid up prices of the "next best thing to cash"—U.S. treasuries, for example. And they have bid down prices of what are seen as riskier assets such as Asian equities. The notion of a "risk on, risk off" narrative has also added the fuel of a short-term mentality to this investment approach. It has brought valuations in Asia's markets down to levels that are below historic 20-year averages. At the end of the second quarter, a broad-based universe of Asia ex-Japan stocks was trading on about 10X forward 12-month earnings. This is about a 20% discount to that 20-year average, which has historically been an infrequent occurrence. The current Asia ex-Japan dividend yield of 2.7% is similarly infrequently seen. Given the slow drips of bad news out of the U.S. and Europe, the markets have had plenty of time to ruminate on risks to short-term and long-term growth. This is not a fast-moving crisis, and much analysis has been focused on the issues concerning investors. This means it is not something that the markets have had to try to digest quickly with no past knowledge, insight or experience. Consequently, the low valuations are based on relatively subdued forecasts for the near term. Margins are expected to decline year-over-year.

For us, it does mean that there is more value in the markets than there has been in a while. And as a portfolio manager, it is always enticing to see established, seasoned businesses offering good dividend or cash flow yields, particularly when convinced of the long-term demand for their services or products. The frustration of a portfolio manager is, of course, that at the very time when there are so many enticing options, you often don't have the cash to capture that value. At Matthews, portfolio managers witness the high value many investors place on cash—one of the things that we value least. Cash levels in the Funds reflect this. We generally remain fully invested.

2 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



It is not that we don't care about cash—indeed we focus on companies that we believe will be good stewards of capital; that allocate investments carefully, and delight in creating value for shareholders or returning cash to them. As portfolio managers, we are interested in cash only to immediately put it to work, for we see a greater value in what we believe to be the underappreciated potential of Asia's 4 billion people. In the past, extreme demand for cash has often been transitory—which is not the assumption that markets seem to be making about today's world. The "new normal" and similar discussions of a loss of potential output in the global economy make sense to me only if they are a surrender to the idea that this love of cash will be much longer-lasting. Whether or not that assumption is right, it seems to be less appropriate for Asia, where the proximate cause of demand for cash may be the fact that policymakers and central banks have been following relatively tight policies. Compare this policy conservatism with the rest of the world in which one can blame the accumulation of excessive debt over years, even decades. For us, it remains a view that seems to be at odds with the broad sweep of Asia's development and also with our discussions in recent company meetings.

We are meeting companies at a faster pace this year than we did last year. This is partly because we are in the enviable position of having been able to increase our investment team's research resources over the past year and now have "more hands on the wheel." It is also because during these times, when everyone is focusing on cash, short-term trends and the macro picture, we think it is best to take a view which the market may view as contrarian.

As I mentioned in some of my previous communications, we spend a lot of time looking at India and China, particularly small-capitalization companies. But, in truth, the opportunities are quite broad-based across countries and industries. We have seen some effect of the slowdown in global growth. Nevertheless, many of the companies we visit are focused on domestic demand and are somewhat insulated from the weakness in Europe and the U.S.

The portfolios remain fully invested: biased toward businesses that we believe will grow profitably over the coming decades from the growth in spending of Asia's households, the development of new products, the enjoyment of new services and the enhanced expression of individual tastes and preferences. As such we hope to avoid King Midas's fate, to focus instead on what can be valued over the long term.

As always, it is a privilege to act as your investment advisor.

Robert Horrocks, PhD
Chief Investment Officer
Matthews International Capital Management, LLC

Shareholder Notification

Dear Valued Investor,

Beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2012, Matthews will cease its production of the First Quarter and Third Quarter shareholder reports. The information previously contained in these reports has been and will continue to be available on matthewsasia.com.

As many of our communications are now accessed primarily online, we believe that eliminating these reports—and publishing the information online—is not only a more time-efficient means of communicating updates, but will also result in cost savings for shareholders. All elements previously contained in the First and Third Quarter reports can be found on matthewsasia.com, including:

•  Message to Shareholders from the Investment Advisor

•  Fund Manager Commentaries

•  Performance and Expenses

•  Top 10 and Portfolio Holdings

•  Fund Characteristics

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 3




ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGY

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Teresa Kong, CFA

Lead Manager

Gerald M. Hwang, CFA, Robert J. Horrocks, PhD

Co-Managers

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MAINX   MINCX  
CUSIP   577125503   577125602  
Inception   11/30/11   11/30/11  
NAV   $10.18   $10.18  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.93%   1.78%  
After fee waiver,
Reimbursement and
Recoupment
  1.40%   1.25%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   46  
Net Assets   $23.2 million  
Modified Duration   5.1 years2  
Portfolio Turnover   3.66%3  

 

Benchmarks

HSBC Asian Local Bond Index

J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Total return over the long term with an emphasis on income.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in income-producing securities including, but not limited to, debt and debt-related instruments issued by governments, quasi-governmental entities, supra-national institutions, and companies in Asia. Investments may be denominated in any currency, and may represent any part of a company's capital structure from debt to equity or with features of both.

1  Gross annual operating expenses for the Fund for 2011 are annualized. The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses until August 31, 2014 to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses to 1.25% for the Institutional Class and agreed to reduce the expense ratio by an equal amount for the Investor Class. Because certain expenses of the Investor Class may be higher than the Institutional Class, the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may exceed 1.25%. The amounts of the waivers and reimbursements are based on estimated Fund expenses. The fee waiver and expense reimbursement may be terminated at any time by the Fund on 60 days' written notice. Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  Modified duration measures the percent change in value of the fixed income portion of the portfolio in response to a 1% change in interest rates. In a multi-currency denominated portfolio with sensitivities to different interest rate regimes, modified duration will not accurately reflect the change in value of the overall portfolio from a change in any one interest rate regime.

3  Not annualized. The Fund commenced operations on November 30, 2011. The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund gained 4.18% (Investor Class) and 4.27% (Institutional Class) while its primary benchmark, the HSBC Asian Local Bond Index and its secondary benchmark, the J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index, gained 2.35% and 6.68%, respectively. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund returned 0.59% (Investor Class) and 0.64% (Institutional Class), while the indices returned –0.42% and 2.60%, respectively.

Overall, securities with consistent and sustainable cash flows did well during this period of uncertainty and low global yields. The top contributor to performance by issuer was the Republic of Philippines during the second quarter. Philippines bonds rallied on positive performance in credit, currency and interest rates. The credit spread on the U.S. dollar-denominated Republic of Philippines bonds tightened on expectations that this sovereign will be the next to be upgraded to investment grade status. The Philippine peso was the second best returning currency after the Japanese yen over the quarter with a spot return of 1.82%. The country's robust economy and continued foreign inflows sustained the strength of the peso. The policy rate remained stable at 4%, with inflation coming in lower than expected despite robust GDP growth. Local interest rates fell with greater demand for the Republic of Philippines bonds, driving up prices.

The biggest detractors to performance during the second quarter included positions denominated in Indonesian rupiah and Malaysian ringgit and the Japanese yen. The Fund's Indonesian rupiah-denominated, Indonesian Government bonds (due 2021) and Malaysian ringgit-denominated Malaysian Government bonds (due 2021) lagged due to the underperformance of these currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. Conversely, the Fund's short position in a Japanese yen currency forward underperformed due to the outperformance of the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar.

Across global bond markets, government yields have hit historic lows. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield reached 1.45% in June, the lowest yield since the founding of the New York Stock Exchange in 1792. At the same time, yields for Hong Kong and Singapore government bonds also hit multi-decade lows of 0.97% and 1.40%, respectively. This leads us to conclude that central banks are willing to keep interest rates low so capital remains cheap in order to re-start growth. It is at times like this when investors seem to have an insatiable appetite for assets considered "risk-free." We believe a contrarian approach is appropriate. Hence, we have adjusted the portfolio's credit, currency and interest rate positioning.

First on credit, we want to highlight the Fund's increased exposure to Chinese property. Chinese property is going through a perfect storm on three fronts: A slowdown in exports driven by the recession in Europe and slow recovery in the U.S.; the oversupply of residential property driven by China's stimulus in 2008—2009; and uncertainty stemming from China's once in a decade power transition. While the problems in Europe and the U.S. are persistent, we see China's housing oversupply and political issues as temporary in nature and may already be on the mend. While the property sector as a whole still faces challenges, we are finding value in solid companies whose bonds have priced in much of the downside. Specifically, we like developers with large shares in their local markets, strong balance sheets and access to capital. We believe these developers are likely going to gain market share at the detriment of

(continued)

4 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

    Actual Return,
Not Annualized
     
    3 Months   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAINX)     0.59 %     3.64 %   11/30/11  
Institutional Class (MINCX)     0.64 %     3.73 %   11/30/11  
HSBC Asian Local Bond Index4     -0.42 %     3.13 %        
J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index4     2.60 %     7.63 %        
Lipper Emerging Market Debt Category Average5     -0.07 %     6.83 %        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance visit matthewsasia.com.

The performance data does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

4  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from HSBC and J.P. Morgan; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

INCOME DISTRIBUTION HISTORY

    2012   2011  
    Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   Total   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   Total  
Investor Class (MAINX)   $ 0.09     $ 0.07       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.02     $ 0.02    
Institutional Class (MINCX)   $ 0.10     $ 0.07       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.02     $ 0.02    

 

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

30-DAY YIELD:

3.87% (Investor Class) 4.02% (Institutional Class)

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/12, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on the Fund's share price at the end of the 30-day period. The 30-Day Yield should be regarded as an estimate of the Fund's rate of investment income, and it may not equal the Fund's actual income distribution rate.

Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc

YIELD TO WORST:

4.93%

Yield to worst is the lowest yield that can be received on a bond assuming that the issuer does not default. It is calculated by utilizing the worst case assumptions for a bond with respect to certain income-reducing factors, including prepayment, call or sinking fund provisions. It does not represent the yield that an investor should expect to receive. Past yields are no guarantee of future yields.

Source: FactSet Research Systems

TOP TEN POSITIONS6

    Sector   Currency   % Net Assets  
Malaysian Government Bond, 4.160%, 7/15/2021   Government Bonds   Malaysian Ringgit     7.1 %  
Indonesia Government Bond, 8.250%, 7/15/2021   Government Bonds   Indonesian Rupiah     4.7 %  
Korea Treasury Bond, 3.500%, 9/10/2016   Government Bonds   Korean Won     3.8 %  
Longfor Properties Co., Ltd., 9.500%, 4/7/2016   Financials   U.S. Dollar     3.4 %  
Melco Crown Entertainment, Ltd., 3.750%, 5/9/2013   Consumer Discretionary   Chinese Renminbi     3.3 %  
Republic of Philippines, 6.250%, 1/14/2036   Government Bonds   Philippine Peso     3.3 %  
KWG Property Holding, Ltd., 12.500%, 8/18/2017   Financials   U.S. Dollar     3.1 %  
Galaxy Entertainment Group, Ltd., 4.625%, 12/16/2013   Consumer Discretionary   Chinese Renminbi     3.1 %  
Axiata SPV1 Labuan, Ltd., 5.375%, 4/28/2020   Telecommunication Services   U.S. Dollar     3.0 %  
Global Logistic Properties, Ltd., 3.375%, 5/11/2016   Financials   Chinese Renminbi     3.0 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             37.8 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

CURRENCY ALLOCATION (%)7,8

U.S. Dollar (USD)     44.1    
Chinese Renminbi (CNY)     11.4    
Korean Won (KRW)     8.9    
Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)     8.5    
Philippine Peso (PHP)     6.1    
Singapore Dollar (SGD)     5.3    
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)     4.7    
Thai Baht (THB)     3.4    
Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)     2.7    
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.9    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

8  Cash and other assets may include forward currency exchange contracts and certain derivative instruments that have been marked-to-market.

COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)8

(By issuer's country of risk)

China/Hong Kong     27.7    
Philippines     14.7    
South Korea     12.5    
Malaysia     11.5    
Indonesia     9.8    
Thailand     7.1    
Singapore     6.6    
Australia     2.6    
Sri Lanka     1.6    
Japan     1.0    
Cash And Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.9    

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 5



SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)9

Government Bonds     34.9    
Financials     28.7    
Consumer Discretionary     8.6    
Industrials     8.2    
Telecommunication Services     5.0    
Energy     4.9    
Utilities     3.2    
Information Technology     1.6    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    4.9    

 

ASSET TYPE BREAKDOWN (%)9,10

Corporate Bonds     53.4    
Government Bonds     34.9    
Common Equities and ADRs     6.8    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    4.9    

 

9  Cash and other assets may include forward currency exchange contracts and certain derivative instruments that have been marked-to-market.

10  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

smaller players who are over-leveraged or do not have the balance sheets to ride out this downturn.

Second, in terms of our currency exposure, on the margin, we have found more interesting opportunities in U.S. dollar-denominated Asian corporate bonds. Our U.S. dollar exposure is approximately 5% higher than it was at the end of the first quarter and is about 10% higher than it was at the end of 2011. During the quarter, we reduced the portfolio's exposure to the Indonesian rupiah (by selling rupiah-denominated Indonesian Government bonds) given the country's overly loose monetary policy and increasingly protectionist policies that could depress foreign interest going forward. These policies include limiting participation of foreign banks in Indonesia's foreign exchange market, as well as potential limitations on foreign ownership of Indonesian banks.

Finally, in terms of interest rate exposure, we moderated our exposure to Indonesia given our view that interest rates were much more likely to rise than fall. We saw the long end of the yield curve as being especially vulnerable given the relative flatness of the curve. As such, we sold our long-dated Indonesian Government bonds. We believe shorter-term rates are relatively anchored since we don't anticipate Bank Indonesia lowering or raising rates in the medium term.

As always, we will continue to focus on valuations. We believe the market is overly focused on macro events and outcomes rather than security selection, leaving certain issues undervalued. Accordingly, we anticipate taking positions in securities where our own views may differ from implied market expectations of the securities' credit, currency and interest rates.

Fixed income investments are subject to additional risks, including, but not limited to, interest rate, credit and inflation risks. Investing in emerging markets involves different and greater risks, as these countries are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets.

6 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS: 34.9%

    Face Amount*   Value  
SOUTH KOREA: 8.9%  
Korea Treasury Bond
3.500%, 09/10/16
  KRW 1,000,000,000     $ 875,701    
Korea Treasury Bond
5.750%, 09/10/18
  KRW 500,000,000       489,742    
Korea Treasury Bond
3.250%, 12/10/14
  KRW 500,000,000       436,138    
Korea Treasury Bond
4.000%, 09/10/15
  KRW 300,000,000       266,846    
Total South Korea         2,068,427    
MALAYSIA: 8.5%  
Malaysian Government Bond
4.160%, 07/15/21
  MYR 5,000,000       1,655,390    
Malaysian Government Bond
3.580%, 09/28/18
  MYR 1,000,000       318,904    
Total Malaysia         1,974,294    
PHILIPPINES: 7.9%  
Republic of Philippines
6.250%, 01/14/36
  PHP 30,000,000       759,167    
Republic of Philippines
6.375%, 01/15/32
    500,000       631,250    
Republic of Philippines
4.950%, 01/15/21
  PHP 18,000,000       445,087    
Total Philippines         1,835,504    
INDONESIA: 6.0%  
Indonesia Government Bond
8.250%, 07/15/21
  IDR 9,000,000,000       1,094,037    
Republic of Indonesia
5.875%, 03/13/20
    250,000       288,125    
Total Indonesia         1,382,162    
THAILAND: 2.0%  
Thailand Government Bond
4.250%, 03/13/13
  THB 15,000,000       475,884    
Total Thailand         475,884    
SRI LANKA: 1.6%  
Republic of Sri Lanka
7.400%, 01/22/15
    350,000       374,500    
Total Sri Lanka         374,500    
TOTAL FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS         8,110,771    
(Cost $8,094,663)            

CORPORATE BONDS: 53.4%

    Face Amount*   Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 25.0%  
Longfor Properties Co., Ltd.
9.500%, 04/07/16
    750,000     $ 783,750    
Melco Crown Entertainment, Ltd.
3.750%, 05/09/13
  CNY 5,000,000       777,925    
KWG Property Holding, Ltd.
12.500%, 08/18/17
    750,000       726,039    
Galaxy Entertainment Group, Ltd.
4.625%, 12/16/13
  CNY 4,500,000       708,895    
FPT Finance, Ltd.
6.375%, 09/28/20
    550,000       573,312    
Hutchison Whampoa International 11, Ltd.
4.625%, 01/13/22b
    500,000       524,540    
Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong, Ltd.
4.150%c, 10/27/21
  SGD 500,000       406,627    
Wharf Finance No. 1, Ltd.
4.500%, 07/20/21
  SGD 500,000       392,801    
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.
4.625%, 12/12/16b
    350,000       361,389    
Fita International, Ltd.
7.000%, 02/10/20
    300,000       312,217    
Beijing Enterprises Water Group, Ltd.
3.750%, 06/30/14
  CNY 1,500,000       234,165    
Total China/Hong Kong         5,801,660    
PHILIPPINES: 5.9%  
Alliance Global Group, Inc.
6.500%, 08/18/17
    550,000       579,958    
SM Investments Corp.
5.500%, 10/13/17
    500,000       507,002    
International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
7.375%, 03/17/20
    250,000       276,929    
Total Philippines         1,363,889    
SINGAPORE: 4.7%  
Global Logistic Properties, Ltd.
3.375%, 05/11/16
  CNY 4,500,000       687,924    
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp., Ltd.
3.750%c, 11/15/22
    400,000       401,941    
Total Singapore         1,089,865    
THAILAND: 3.8%  
Bangkok Bank Public Co., Ltd.
9.025%, 03/15/29
    500,000       612,500    
PTTEP Canada International Finance, Ltd.
5.692%, 04/05/21b
    250,000       266,680    
Total Thailand         879,180    
INDONESIA: 3.8%  
PT Berau Coal Energy
7.250%, 03/13/17b
    400,000       389,000    
PT Adaro Indonesia
7.625%, 10/22/19b
    250,000       265,000    
Berau Capital Resources Pte., Ltd.
12.500%, 07/08/15
    200,000       220,000    
Total Indonesia         874,000    

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 7



Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

CORPORATE BONDS (continued)

    Face Amount*   Value  
SOUTH KOREA: 3.6%  
Kia Motors Corp.
3.625%, 06/14/16
    500,000     $ 513,385    
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.
4.750%, 07/13/21
    300,000       326,133    
Total South Korea         839,518    
MALAYSIA: 3.0%  
Axiata SPV1 Labuan, Ltd.
5.375%, 04/28/20
    650,000       705,871    
Total Malaysia         705,871    
AUSTRALIA: 2.6%  
Macquarie Bank, Ltd.
6.625%, 04/07/21
    600,000       602,001    
Total Australia         602,001    
JAPAN: 1.0%  
ORIX Corp.
4.000%, 11/29/14
  CNY 1,500,000       234,839    
Total Japan         234,839    
TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS         12,390,823    
(Cost $12,242,828)          

 

COMMON EQUITIES: 6.8%

    Shares      
CHINA/HONG KONG: 2.7%  
The Link REIT     55,000       225,437    
HSBC Holdings PLC     24,000       212,330    
Power Assets Holdings, Ltd.     25,000       187,605    
Total China/Hong Kong         625,372    
SINGAPORE: 1.9%  
StarHub, Ltd.     90,000       243,939    
Ascendas REIT     110,000       187,654    
Total Singapore         431,593    
THAILAND: 1.3%  
Kasikornbank Public Co., Ltd.     60,000       309,371    
Total Thailand         309,371    
    Shares   Value  
PHILIPPINES: 0.9%  
Globe Telecom, Inc.     8,000     $ 212,495    
Total Philippines         212,495    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         1,578,831    
(Cost $1,423,659)      
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.1%         22,080,425    
(Cost $21,761,150d)  
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.9%
        1,147,620    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 23,228,045    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The security may be resold in transactions exempt from registration normally to qualified institutional buyers. The security has been determined to be liquid in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of Directors.

c  Variable rate security. The rate represents the rate in effect at June 30, 2012.

d  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $21,761,150 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 484,699    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (165,424 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 319,275    

 

*  All values are in USD unless otherwise noted.

CNY  Chinese Renminbi (Yuan)

IDR  Indonesian Rupiah

JPY  Japanese Yen

KRW  Korean Won

MYR  Malaysian Ringgit

PHP  Philippine Peso

REIT  Real Estate Investment Trust

SGD  Singapore Dollar

THB  Thai Baht

USD  U.S. Dollar

 

FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS:

    Currency Purchased   Currency Sold   Counterparty   Settlement Date   Unrealized
Appreciation
 
LONG   SGD 1,000,000     USD 776,072     Brown Brothers Harriman   09/05/12   $ 13,397    
SHORT   USD 776,072     JPY 60,927,861     Brown Brothers Harriman   09/05/12   $ 13,116    

 

FINANCIAL FUTURES CONTRACTS SOLD AS OF JUNE 30, 2012 WERE AS FOLLOWS:

Contracts   Issue   Exchange   Expiration   Notional Value   Unrealized
Appreciation
 
  10     U.S. Treasury Notes (10 Year)   Chicago Board of Trade   September, 2012   $ 1,333,750     $ 7,525    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

8 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Robert J. Horrocks, PhD

Lead Manager

Kenneth Lowe, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MACSX   MICSX  
CUSIP   577130206   577130842  
Inception   9/12/94   10/29/10  
NAV   $16.30   $16.30  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.12%   0.99%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   67  
Net Assets   $3.3 billion  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $26.1 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   16.54%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation. The Fund also seeks to provide some current income.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in dividend-paying common stock, preferred stock and other equity securities, and convertible securities as well as fixed-income securities, of any duration or quality, of companies located in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund gained 9.51% (Investor Class) and 9.67% (Institutional Class), outperforming its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index, which returned 6.10%. While Asia's stock markets declined in the second quarter, the Fund was able to outperform in this environment. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund fell –1.35% (Investor Class) and –1.28% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark returned –6.74%.

Detractors to Fund performance over the quarter included, perhaps not surprisingly, the more cyclical industries such as energy, materials and industrials. Contributors to performance included telecommunications businesses, broadcast media, health care companies and some select consumer businesses. We believe the divergences in performance were mainly due to marginal investors taking a very short-term view of profits and trying to guess the course of major macroeconomic events for the remainder of the year.

We continue to evaluate new opportunities with the same philosophy as in the past. The strategy has sought downside protection with some participation on the upside—or what we sometimes refer to as "optionality" in the securities we own. This can be found through the type of security purchased, such as a convertible bond; by the kind of business purchased; or by taking advantage of valuations (particularly dividend yield) and what we see as perverse market sentiment. More recently, we have focused on identifying gaps between what we judge to be short-term market sentiment and our longer-term view of the world.

Starting with convertible bonds, we added to our position in the long-dated convertible bond of an Australian-based insurer, QBE Funding Trust. The bond offers a U.S. dollar yield to put of about 3%—the annualized yield should investors decide to sell back to the company at the next available call date. In addition, since the maturity date for the bond is May 2030, we stand to benefit from any improvement in the underlying business, which has been depressed now for five years. We exited smaller convertible bond positions that had less attractive risk-return profiles.

During the quarter, we also exited two relatively volatile equity positions—one was a Japanese manufacturer of photonics equipment and the other an Australian retailer. Shedding these positions allowed us to add a new position in BHP Billiton, an Australian-based natural resource giant. Typically, the energy and materials sectors have not held major weightings in the Fund. However, BHP is a large, dominant company in control of assets for which there should be long-term demand and its common stock was yielding close to 4% at the end of the second quarter, an attractive yield for this portfolio. BHP management has also postponed some capital expenditure and its CEO has announced: "We are not in the commodity business; we are in the shareholder return business." We wholeheartedly embrace the sentiments behind his comments.

We also added two holdings with long histories in Asia: AIA Group, a regional insurance company founded in 1919 and Jardine Matheson Holdings, a conglomerate that was founded in the 1800s. AIA has a leading position in developed markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore and a footprint in Asia's developing markets. Besides its long history in the region, AIA also exhibits an impressive professionalism and focus on

(continued)

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 9



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MACSX)     -1.35 %     -3.68 %     11.46 %     4.08 %     12.33 %     10.49 %   9/12/94  
Institutional Class (MICSX)     -1.28 %     -3.55 %     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       0.33 %   10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index3     -6.74 %     -13.15 %     10.25 %     0.82 %     11.78 %     3.42 %4      
Lipper Pacific Region Funds Category Average5     -5.56 %     -9.80 %     7.39 %     -3.10 %     7.37 %     3.12 %4      

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

INCOME DISTRIBUTION HISTORY

    2012   2011  
    June   December   Total   June   December   Total  
Investor Class (MACSX)   $ 0.20     n.a   n.a   $ 0.27     $ 0.21     $ 0.48    
Institutional Class (MICSX)   $ 0.21     n.a   n.a   $ 0.28     $ 0.22     $ 0.50    

 

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Institutional Class Shares were first offered on October 29, 2010. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

30-DAY YIELD:

2.91% (Investor Class) 3.07% (Institutional Class)

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/12, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on the Fund's share price at the end of the 30-day period. The 30-Day Yield should be regarded as an estimate of the Fund's rate of investment income, and it may not equal the Fund's actual income distribution rate.

Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.

DIVIDEND YIELD: 3.43%

The dividend yield (trailing) for the portfolio is the weighted average sum of the dividend paid per share during the last 12 months divided by the current price. The annualized dividend yield for the Fund is for the equity-only portion of the portfolio. Please note that this is based on gross portfolio holdings and does not reflect the actual yield an investor in the Fund would receive. Past yields are no guarantee of future yields.

Source: FactSet Research Systems, Bloomberg, MICM

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 8/31/94.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   Country   % Net Assets  
Singapore Technologies Engineering, Ltd.   Industrials   Singapore     3.9 %  
Telstra Corp., Ltd.   Telecommunication Services   Australia     3.6 %  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.   Information Technology   Taiwan     3.3 %  
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec), Cnv., 0.000%, 4/24/2014   Energy   China/Hong Kong     3.1 %  
CLP Holdings, Ltd.   Utilities   China/Hong Kong     3.1 %  
HSBC Holdings PLC   Financials   China/Hong Kong     3.0 %  
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc.   Health Care   Japan     3.0 %  
Ascendas REIT   Financials   Singapore     2.8 %  
PTT Public Co., Ltd.   Energy   Thailand     2.7 %  
AMMB Holdings BHD   Financials   Malaysia     2.4 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             30.9 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

10 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

maintaining this competitive advantage over the long term. Whilst the absolute yield of the equity is not high—forecasts for the next 12 months suggest yield just short of 1.5%, that yield is growing due to careful management of the firm's capital and the breadth and quality of the franchise offers some protection from market volatility.

Focused traditionally on China, Jardine Matheson Holdings has more recently expanded into the fast-growing Indonesian economy and its businesses span across several industries including consumer staples, leisure, real estate, motor distribution and logistics. The common stock enjoys a dividend yield of about 2.4% and a free cash flow yield of about 7.4%. The company has been able to navigate Asia's political and financial upheavals throughout nearly two centuries. Its management has proven itself to be careful stewards of capital and we expect this to continue.

Undoubtedly, there are still risks in the markets—not least, the continued slowdown in China due to the determination of authorities to try to prevent a real estate bubble. Fumbles in Western economic policy still affect sentiment toward Asian markets. However, we approach the future with optimism, as we see opportunities to buy compelling business in various sectors at attractive valuations.

COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7

China/Hong Kong     26.8    
Singapore     18.9    
Australia     9.4    
Thailand     7.8    
Japan     6.3    
South Korea     5.9    
India     5.5    
Taiwan     5.3    
Malaysia     5.1    
Indonesia     2.9    
United Kingdom     1.9    
Philippines     1.7    
Vietnam     1.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.3    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Financials     29.7    
Telecommunication Services     14.7    
Industrials     14.2    
Utilities     7.7    
Energy     6.9    
Health Care     6.7    
Consumer Discretionary     6.3    
Consumer Staples     5.3    
Information Technology     4.6    
Materials     2.6    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.3    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8

Large Cap (over $5B)     68.6    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     23.9    
Small Cap (under $1B)     6.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.3    

 

ASSET TYPE BREAKDOWN (%)9

Common Equities     80.4    
Convertible Bonds     15.0    
Preferred Equities     3.1    
Corporate Bonds     0.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.3    

 

7  Australia, United Kingdom and Japan are not included in the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index.

8  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

9  Bonds are not included in the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 11



Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 80.4%

    Shares   Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 22.0%  
CLP Holdings, Ltd.     11,771,700     $ 100,045,971    
HSBC Holdings PLC ADR     2,230,333       98,424,595    
AIA Group, Ltd.     19,459,600       67,214,617    
China Pacific Insurance Group Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    20,355,800       66,428,693    
Hang Lung Properties, Ltd.     19,139,920       65,470,376    
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.     8,897,000       62,021,468    
China Mobile, Ltd. ADR     905,500       49,503,685    
Shandong Weigao Group Medical
Polymer Co., Ltd. H Shares
    43,012,000       48,013,455    
Vitasoy International Holdings, Ltd.†     51,771,000       43,506,325    
VTech Holdings, Ltd.     3,405,300       40,675,652    
Jardine Matheson Holdings, Ltd.     736,000       35,850,779    
Citic Telecom International
Holdings, Ltd.†
    132,231,000       24,130,131    
Cafe' de Coral Holdings, Ltd.     6,726,000       17,995,324    
I-CABLE Communications, Ltd.b     2,870,000       138,360    
Total China/Hong Kong         719,419,431    
SINGAPORE: 14.6%  
Singapore Technologies
Engineering, Ltd.
    52,104,125       128,450,746    
Ascendas REIT     53,925,000       91,993,304    
Keppel Corp., Ltd.     8,415,900       68,947,418    
United Overseas Bank, Ltd.     3,861,000       57,334,053    
SIA Engineering Co., Ltd.     10,768,000       34,038,381    
Cerebos Pacific, Ltd.     7,740,000       32,342,880    
ARA Asset Management, Ltd.     28,381,100       32,133,029    
Singapore Post, Ltd.     38,209,000       31,880,558    
Total Singapore         477,120,369    
THAILAND: 7.8%  
PTT Public Co., Ltd.     8,719,200       89,316,850    
BEC World Public Co., Ltd.     30,807,800       49,373,261    
Glow Energy Public Co., Ltd.     21,887,400       42,986,711    
Land & Houses Public Co., Ltd. NVDR     145,090,300       36,019,558    
Banpu Public Co., Ltd.     2,480,250       35,253,914    
Total Thailand         252,950,294    
AUSTRALIA: 7.4%  
Telstra Corp., Ltd.     31,377,088       118,885,252    
CSL, Ltd.     1,758,532       71,329,094    
Macquarie Group, Ltd.     1,879,326       50,749,103    
Total Australia         240,963,449    
JAPAN: 6.3%  
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc.     1,983,600       97,622,058    
Japan Real Estate Investment Corp., REIT     7,889       72,332,312    
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.     22,250       37,024,057    
Total Japan         206,978,427    
    Shares   Value  
TAIWAN: 5.3%  
Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co., Ltd.b
    20,673,187     $ 56,592,193    
Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ADRb
    3,558,724       49,679,787    
Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. ADR     1,277,525       40,152,611    
Taiwan Hon Chuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.     9,901,193       22,303,528    
CyberLink Corp.     1,146,770       3,346,798    
Total Taiwan         172,074,917    
MALAYSIA: 5.1%  
AMMB Holdings BHD     40,175,100       79,985,252    
Axiata Group BHD     29,634,423       51,298,507    
Telekom Malaysia BHD     20,245,551       36,189,871    
Total Malaysia         167,473,630    
INDONESIA: 2.9%  
PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Persero     141,686,000       53,640,056    
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia
Persero ADR
    1,153,600       40,179,888    
Total Indonesia         93,819,944    
SOUTH KOREA: 2.8%  
S1 Corp.     771,922       38,873,383    
KT Corp. ADR     2,089,505       27,539,676    
GS Home Shopping, Inc.     298,935       25,255,502    
Total South Korea         91,668,561    
UNITED KINGDOM: 1.9%  
BHP Billiton PLC     2,153,817       61,216,545    
Total United Kingdom         61,216,545    
PHILIPPINES: 1.7%  
Globe Telecom, Inc.     2,065,510       54,863,987    
Total Philippines         54,863,987    
INDIA: 1.4%  
Housing Development Finance Corp.     3,875,750       45,703,421    
Total India         45,703,421    
VIETNAM: 1.2%  
Vietnam Dairy Products JSC     5,842,535       24,581,995    
Bao Viet Holdings     7,539,961       15,898,531    
Total Vietnam         40,480,526    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         2,624,733,501    
(Cost $2,268,374,958)          

 

12 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

PREFERRED EQUITIES: 3.1%

    Shares   Value  
SOUTH KOREA: 3.1%  
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance
Co., Ltd., Pfd.
    515,311     $ 33,248,774    
Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., Pfd.     541,280       31,670,606    
Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., 2nd Pfd.     305,760       20,089,861    
LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., Pfd.     121,855       16,255,597    
Total South Korea         101,264,838    
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES         101,264,838    
(Cost $48,826,622)          

 

CORPORATE BONDS: 15.2%

    Face Amount*    
CHINA/HONG KONG: 4.8%  
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.
(Sinopec), Cnv.
0.000%, 04/24/14
  HKD 676,210,000       100,978,904    
Power Regal Group, Ltd., Cnv.
2.250%, 06/02/14
  HKD 234,020,000       35,293,267    
PB Issuer No. 2, Ltd., Cnv.
1.750%, 04/12/16
    21,820,000       19,583,450    
Total China/Hong Kong         155,855,621    
SINGAPORE: 4.3%  
CapitaLand, Ltd., Cnv.
3.125%, 03/05/18
  SGD 62,000,000       51,256,759    
CapitaLand, Ltd., Cnv.
2.875%, 09/03/16
  SGD 41,750,000       32,362,372    
Wilmar International, Ltd., Cnv.
0.000%, 12/18/12
    26,500,000       30,713,500    
Olam International, Ltd., Cnv.
6.000%, 10/15/16
    24,300,000       25,223,400    
Total Singapore         139,556,031    
INDIA: 4.1%  
Tata Power Co., Ltd., Cnv.
1.750%, 11/21/14
    56,200,000       55,160,300    
Larsen & Toubro, Ltd., Cnv.
3.500%, 10/22/14
    41,200,000       41,117,600    
Sintex Industries, Ltd., Cnv.
0.000%, 03/13/13
    26,900,000       30,733,250    
Housing Development
Finance Corp.
0.000%, 08/24/12
  INR 300,000,000       6,648,518    
Total India         133,659,668    
    Face Amount*   Value  
AUSTRALIA: 2.0%  
QBE Funding Trust, Cnv.
0.000%, 05/12/30
    104,571,000     $ 66,402,585    
Total Australia         66,402,585    
TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS         495,473,905    
(Cost $514,114,277)          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.7%         3,221,472,244    
(Cost $2,831,315,857c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.3%
        43,357,468    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 3,264,829,712    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $2,834,173,847 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 538,220,758    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (150,922,361 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 387,298,397    

 

†  Affiliated Issuer, as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ownership of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of this issuer)

*  All values are in USD unless otherwise noted.

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

BHD  Berhad

Cnv.  Convertible

HKD  Hong Kong Dollar

INR  Indian Rupee

JSC  Joint Stock Co.

NVDR  Non-voting Depositary Receipt

Pfd.  Preferred

REIT  Real Estate Investment Trust

SGD  Singapore Dollar

USD  U.S. Dollar

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 13



ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Jesper O. Madsen, CFA

Lead Manager

Yu Zhang, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MAPIX   MIPIX  
CUSIP   577125107   577130750  
Inception   10/31/06   10/29/10  
NAV   $13.37   $13.36  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.10%   1.00%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   61  
Net Assets   $2.8 billion  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $24.4 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   16.48%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Total return with an emphasis on providing current income.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in income-paying equity securities of companies located in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region. The Fund may also invest in convertible debt and equity securities.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Asia Dividend Fund gained 8.76% (Investor Class) and 8.75% (Institutional Class), outperforming its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index, which rose 4.58%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –2.50% (Investor Class) and –2.47% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark fell –6.70%. In June, the Fund distributed 13.9 cents per share (Investor Class), bringing its total year-to-date income distribution to 19.9 cents per share (Investor Class).

Volatility in financial markets picked up during the second quarter as it became evident that a political consensus around a clear resolution to Europe's debt crisis was not forthcoming. Furthermore, economic data continued to reflect a slowdown in economic activity, not just in Europe and the U.S., but also China. Earlier this year, China's leaders revised down the country's target for 2012 annual GDP growth to 7.5% from 8%—a sign that a moderation in economic expansion should be expected. Since taking its first steps toward opening its economy in 1978, China has evolved from an agrarian economy of about US$220 billion into the world's second-largest economy at almost US$7.3 trillion. Given the sheer scale of the economy, it should come as no surprise that China is likely to face a structural moderation in growth.

Investors and policymakers tend to be overly reliant on headline GDP growth as an indicator of economic activity. However, economic growth is neither one dimensional nor of uniform "quality." In China's case, a moderation in growth could result in growth of higher quality and sustainability—less fueled by fixed asset investments and powered instead by domestic consumption and services-based companies. While a slowdown in China's headline GDP growth may create short-term volatility in equities, investors that are exposed to companies catering to the rising consumption within China should find that such a moderation in growth may not be for the worst.

While May was a tough month in terms of absolute performance, the Fund held up well relative to its benchmark during the second quarter, mainly due to its Japanese holdings. Among the top three performers were Pigeon, a manufacturer of baby care products and Lawson, a convenience store retailer—both Japanese consumer staples firms—and EPS Corporation, a Japanese health care company. Given Japan's dour macroeconomic outlook, we are often asked why we invest in the country. Quite simply, the Fund invests in companies that we believe can grow dividends and pay investors an attractive yield relative to that growth. Since our portfolio construction is not dictated by its benchmark, we invest in companies, including Japanese companies, precisely because we believe they offer the attractive combination of growth and dividend yield. The overall positive performance of the Fund's Japanese holdings during the quarter also illustrated that they can act as effective diversifiers in choppy markets.

Not surprisingly, the Fund's Chinese holdings were the main detractors to performance during the second quarter, given general worries regarding the severity of an economic slowdown. Our Chinese holdings within the energy and materials sectors, which are perceived to be proxies for economic growth, were among the worst performers.

(continued)

14 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAPIX)     -2.50 %     -3.30 %     14.62 %     6.95 %     9.51 %   10/31/06  
Institutional Class (MIPIX)     -2.47 %     -3.21 %     n.a.       n.a.       0.51 %   10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index3     -6.70 %     -10.48 %     7.17 %     -2.62 %     0.43 %4      
Lipper Pacific Region Funds Category Average5     -5.56 %     -9.80 %     7.39 %     -3.10 %     0.64 %4      

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

INCOME DISTRIBUTION HISTORY

    2012   2011  
    Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   Total   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   Total  
Investor Class (MAPIX)   $ 0.06     $ 0.14       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.10     $ 0.11     $ 0.12     $ 0.03     $ 0.36    
Institutional Class (MIPIX)   $ 0.06     $ 0.14       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.11     $ 0.12     $ 0.12     $ 0.03     $ 0.38    

 

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Institutional Class Shares were first offered on October 29, 2010. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

30-DAY YIELD:

3.13% (Investor Class) 3.25% (Institutional Class)

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/12, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on the Fund's share price at the end of the 30-day period. The 30-Day Yield should be regarded as an estimate of the Fund's rate of investment income, and it may not equal the Fund's actual income distribution rate.

Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.

DIVIDEND YIELD: 4.09%

The dividend yield (trailing) for the portfolio is the weighted average sum of the dividend paid per share during the last 12 months divided by the current price. The annualized dividend yield for the Fund is for the equity-only portion of the portfolio. Please note that this is based on gross portfolio holdings and does not reflect the actual yield an investor in the Fund would receive. Past yields are no guarantee of future yields.

Source: FactSet Research Systems, Bloomberg, MICM.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 10/31/06.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   Country   % Net Assets  
Japan Tobacco, Inc.   Consumer Staples   Japan     3.8 %  
ITOCHU Corp.   Industrials   Japan     3.6 %  
ORIX Corp.   Financials   Japan     3.3 %  
HSBC Holdings PLC   Financials   China/Hong Kong     3.1 %  
Metcash, Ltd.   Consumer Staples   Australia     3.1 %  
KT&G Corp.   Consumer Staples   South Korea     2.9 %  
China Mobile, Ltd.   Telecommunication Services   China/Hong Kong     2.8 %  
Singapore Technologies Engineering, Ltd.   Industrials   Singapore     2.7 %  
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, Ltd.   Utilities   China/Hong Kong     2.7 %  
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.   Telecommunication Services   Japan     2.6 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             30.6 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 15



COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7

China/Hong Kong     30.2    
Japan     24.0    
Singapore     11.8    
Australia     8.2    
Taiwan     7.9    
Thailand     5.6    
South Korea     4.1    
Indonesia     3.1    
Philippines     1.6    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    3.5    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Consumer Staples     20.6    
Financials     19.5    
Consumer Discretionary     12.4    
Industrials     10.8    
Telecommunication Services     9.3    
Utilities     6.3    
Health Care     5.5    
Energy     5.4    
Information Technology     4.6    
Materials     2.1    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    3.5    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8

Large Cap (over $5B)     49.7    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     25.2    
Small Cap (under $1B)     21.6    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    3.5    

 

7  The United Kingdom is not included in the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index.

8  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

Also in the second quarter, the Fund's holdings within the health care and telecommunications services sectors were main contributors to performance, while holdings in more cyclical sectors such as consumer discretionary and information technology hurt performance. Two of the Fund's consumer discretionary holdings, Esprit Holdings and Li Ning, continued to face ongoing challenges in turning around their businesses and both stocks suffered as a result. We continue to monitor these companies, which remain holdings as we believe their businesses are worth more than their current market capitalization reflects. More importantly, we believe both companies have the capacity to deliver dividend growth if and when they turn around their businesses.

Metcash, an Australian distribution and marketing company mainly within the grocery and liquor wholesaling industries, was the main detractor to performance during the quarter. Competition among Australia's supermarket chains has become increasingly fierce as two larger rivals have engaged in a price war to gain market share. In response, Metcash has attempted to apply its know-how as a wholesaler in other product categories. The company has previously engaged in acquisitions to support this type of expansion, and, during the second quarter, the company sold additional shares to fund further acquisitions. The uncertainty surrounding this broader business scope, alongside heightened competition, contributed to a sell-off in its shares.

Volatility tends to make it difficult for investors to maintain a long-term focus, and may cause some investors to overlook the longer-term potential for dividend growth and income that Asia offers. Of the 46 holdings in the portfolio that have paid a dividend year-to-date, 31 raised their dividends while nine cut them and six maintained them. In times of volatility it helps to tune out macro noise and instead focus on fundamentals. Companies in Asia generally continue to offer investors higher dividend yields than U.S. companies alongside the potential for long-term dividend growth.

16 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Dividend Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 96.3%

    Shares   Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 30.2%  
HSBC Holdings PLC ADR     2,009,791     $ 88,692,077    
China Mobile, Ltd. ADR     1,463,300       79,998,611    
Cheung Kong Infrastructure
Holdings, Ltd.
    12,468,000       75,478,748    
China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    18,850,000       66,697,063    
Shenzhou International Group
Holdings, Ltd.
    35,791,000       62,264,908    
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.     8,815,000       61,449,842    
Guangdong Investment, Ltd.     68,798,000       49,803,174    
Jiangsu Expressway Co., Ltd. H Shares     46,944,000       44,196,760    
Cafe' de Coral Holdings, Ltd.     16,350,000       43,744,207    
Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.†     86,530,000       42,736,057    
The Link REIT     10,220,000       41,890,366    
Minth Group, Ltd.     34,441,000       37,361,791    
China Fishery Group, Ltd.     40,671,000       28,283,642    
Sichuan Expressway Co., Ltd. H Shares†     74,946,000       25,437,685    
Xingda International Holdings, Ltd.     67,852,000       22,425,344    
Esprit Holdings, Ltd.     15,574,700       20,172,876    
Kingboard Laminates Holdings, Ltd.     52,379,500       19,376,840    
Li Ning Co., Ltd.     30,961,000       17,420,125    
Haitian International Holdings, Ltd.     15,816,000       15,758,470    
Yip's Chemical Holdings, Ltd.     14,912,000       9,580,657    
Total China/Hong Kong         852,769,243    
JAPAN: 24.0%  
Japan Tobacco, Inc.     3,580,000       106,059,811    
ITOCHU Corp.     9,663,000       101,564,514    
ORIX Corp.     996,140       92,836,101    
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.     44,250       73,632,113    
Pigeon Corp.†     1,501,800       65,795,724    
Lawson, Inc.     815,100       57,001,146    
Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc.     979,200       48,190,925    
Miraca Holdings, Inc.     1,078,200       44,765,125    
EPS Corp.†     14,592       40,002,876    
Shinko Plantech Co., Ltd.†     3,760,200       32,656,661    
Hokuto Corp.     848,200       16,937,251    
Total Japan         679,442,247    
SINGAPORE: 11.8%  
Singapore Technologies
Engineering, Ltd.
    30,906,000       76,191,640    
Ascendas REIT     39,325,000       67,086,448    
United Overseas Bank, Ltd.     3,675,000       54,572,040    
CapitaRetail China Trust, REIT†     43,127,000       44,690,705    
Super Group, Ltd.     20,514,000       34,100,268    
ARA Asset Management, Ltd.     26,180,600       29,641,627    
Ascendas India Trust†     46,280,000       27,879,247    
Total Singapore         334,161,975    
    Shares   Value  
AUSTRALIA: 8.2%  
Metcash, Ltd.     25,417,446     $ 88,055,006    
QBE Insurance Group, Ltd.     4,484,726       61,982,242    
Coca-Cola Amatil, Ltd.     2,994,730       41,154,831    
David Jones, Ltd.     14,887,739       39,808,613    
Total Australia         231,000,692    
TAIWAN: 7.9%  
Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ADRb
    4,005,040       55,910,358    
Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.†     13,807,100       33,673,037    
TXC Corp.†     21,549,524       31,288,322    
Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. ADR     985,701       30,980,582    
Taiwan Hon Chuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.     12,151,948       27,373,602    
St. Shine Optical Co., Ltd.     1,911,000       21,386,975    
Taiwan Semiconductor
Manufacturing Co., Ltd.b
    4,646,469       12,719,561    
CyberLink Corp.     3,451,973       10,074,433    
Total Taiwan         223,406,870    
THAILAND: 5.4%  
Thai Beverage Public Co., Ltd.     240,437,000       64,763,469    
PTT Exploration & Production
Public Co., Ltd.
    10,135,000       54,019,887    
Tisco Financial Group Public Co., Ltd.     28,100,000       34,428,534    
Total Thailand         153,211,890    
SOUTH KOREA: 4.1%  
KT&G Corp.     1,143,000       81,033,396    
Woongjin Thinkbig Co., Ltd.†     2,079,870       18,180,703    
MegaStudy Co., Ltd.     232,984       15,964,465    
Total South Korea         115,178,564    
INDONESIA: 3.1%  
PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Persero     142,302,000       53,873,264    
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia
Persero ADR
    717,634       24,995,192    
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero     9,036,500       7,895,049    
Total Indonesia         86,763,505    
PHILIPPINES: 1.6%  
Globe Telecom, Inc.     1,703,820       45,256,793    
Total Philippines         45,256,793    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         2,721,191,779    
(Cost $2,645,696,674)          

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 17



Matthews Asia Dividend Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

CLOSED-END INVESTMENT COMPANY: 0.2%

    Shares   Value  
THAILAND: 0.2%  
Tesco Lotus Retail Growth Freehold &
Leasehold Property Fundb
    18,820,900     $ 7,288,951    
Total Thailand         7,288,951    
TOTAL CLOSED-END INVESTMENT COMPANY         7,288,951    
(Cost $7,098,764)          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 96.5%         2,728,480,730    
(Cost $2,652,795,438c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 3.5%
        98,338,633    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 2,826,819,363    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $2,653,648,185 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 363,378,203    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (288,545,658 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 74,832,545    

 

†  Affiliated Issuer, as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ownership of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of this issuer)

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

REIT  Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

18 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Jesper O. Madsen, CFA

Lead Manager

Yu Zhang, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MCDFX   MICDX  
CUSIP   577125305   577130735  
Inception   11/30/09   10/29/10  
NAV   $10.86   $10.86  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.52%   1.31%  
After Fee Waiver and
Reimbursement
  1.50%   n.a.  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   33  
Net Assets   $27.6 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $27.5 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   22.31%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI China Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Total return with an emphasis on providing current income.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in income-paying equity securities of companies located in China and Taiwan. The Fund may also invest in convertible debt and equity securities. China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong.

1  The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive Matthews China Dividend Fund's fees and reimburse expenses until at least August 31, 2013 to the extent needed to limit total annual operating expenses to 1.50%. Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews China Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews China Dividend Fund gained 10.22% (Investor Class) and 10.25% (Institutional Class), outperforming its benchmark, the MSCI China Index, which rose 4.14%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –3.58% (Investor Class) and –3.55% (Institutional Class) while the benchmark dropped –5.26%. In June, the Fund paid a semi-annual income distribution of 22.27 cents per share (Investor Class).

As the year progressed, China's economic slowdown increasingly weighed on equity markets. Incremental macroeconomic indicators and business activity all pointed to a further weakening. China's policymakers turned more aggressive in the second quarter, resetting economic policy priorities in an effort to stem further declines. A shift toward policy loosening was evidenced by the central bank's two consecutive interest rate cuts during the same month. In addition, Chinese banks were allowed more flexibility in setting their own rates, indicating an important step toward interest rate liberalization. This latest move, alongside lackluster loan demand and potential risks from non-performing-loans, could further squeeze bank profit margins. While Chinese banks are significant dividend payers within our investment universe, we continue to question the sustainability of their business model as it is difficult to estimate future dividend payments with enough confidence, and we therefore have continued to avoid direct investments in this sector.

During the first half of the year, our consumer discretionary holdings were the top contributors to the Fund's performance, thanks mainly to Shenzhou International, a textile group in mainland China, and Johnson Health Tech, a Taiwanese fitness equipment manufacturer. While both companies are involved in traditional export businesses, they have managed to overcome some industry headwinds. Shenzhou's integrated business model has helped the company benefit from scale and maintain its cost competitiveness. In addition, its research and development capability led to product differentiation, allowing Shenzhou to command better pricing power. Johnson Health Tech, which has traditionally made home fitness equipment, successfully penetrated the commercial fitness equipment segment, thereby adding this new growth driver to its core business. Both companies experienced strong earnings growth in 2011, and shareholders were rewarded with significant dividend growth. Shenzhou announced a 39% increase in dividends, while the dividend growth for Johnson was even higher at 300%.

The Fund's holdings in energy and materials, sectors which tend to be cyclical, were the main performance detractors during the first half of the year. Companies within these sectors faced strong short-term challenges, as both demand and pricing for their products quickly deteriorated during the economic slowdown. However, when we identify compelling opportunities within these sectors, particularly firms that can maintain their competitiveness and long-term growth prospects, we consider adding them should valuations appear attractive. In the first half of the year, we initiated positions in Xingda International, a Chinese materials company with leading domestic market share in certain tire components, and Haitian International, another mainland-based company with a dominant position in the plastic-injection molding machine industry. While industrial activities were rapidly weakening in China, affecting the

(continued)

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 19



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual
Total Returns
     
    3 Months   1 Year   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MCDFX)     -3.58 %     -7.25 %     6.50 %   11/30/09  
Institutional Class (MICDX)     -3.55 %     -7.05 %     -1.04 %   10/29/10  
MSCI China Index3     -5.26 %     -15.78 %     -4.14 %4        
Lipper China Region Funds Category Average5     -6.45 %     -19.33 %     -3.80 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

INCOME DISTRIBUTION HISTORY

    2012   2011  
    June   December   Total   June   December   Total  
Investor Class (MCDFX)   $ 0.22     n.a   n.a   $ 0.15     $ 0.20     $ 0.35    
Institutional Class (MICDX)   $ 0.23     n.a   n.a   $ 0.17     $ 0.21     $ 0.38    

 

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Institutional Class Shares were first offered on October 29, 2010. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

30-DAY YIELD:

3.03% (Investor Class) 3.12% (Institutional Class)

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/12, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on the Fund's share price at the end of the 30-day period. The 30-Day Yield should be regarded as an estimate of the Fund's rate of investment income, and it may not equal the Fund's actual income distribution rate.

Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.

DIVIDEND YIELD: 4.10%

The dividend yield (trailing) for the portfolio is the weighted average sum of the dividend paid per share during the last 12 months divided by the current price. The annualized dividend yield for the Fund is for the equity-only portion of the portfolio. Please note that this is based on gross portfolio holdings and does not reflect the actual yield an investor in the Fund would receive. Past yields are no guarantee of future yields.

Source: FactSet Research Systems, Bloomberg, MICM.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 11/30/09.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   % Net Assets  
HSBC Holdings PLC   Financials     4.3    
Vitasoy International Holdings, Ltd.   Consumer Staples     4.3    
China Mobile, Ltd.   Telecommunication Services     4.1    
Guangdong Investment, Ltd.   Utilities     4.0    
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, Ltd.   Utilities     4.0    
Taiwan Hon Chuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.   Materials     3.9    
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.   Consumer Discretionary     3.9    
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.   Information Technology     3.8    
CNOOC, Ltd.   Energy     3.8    
The Link REIT   Financials     3.8    
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN         39.9 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

20 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews China Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

near-term business performance of both companies, we believe these firms have a sustainable competitive advantage over their competitors, and felt their valuations were compelling following the market sell-off.

During such volatile times, we continue to employ the same investment approach. As a bottom-up dividend-oriented investor, we believe a balanced approach that emphasizes both dividend yield and dividend growth is an effective tool to filter out short-term market noises and to capture long-term investment opportunities. Based on our fundamental analysis, we develop a view regarding forward-looking dividend growth rates that generally reflect our expectations for future business prospects. We also look at current dividend yield, which is a simple, yet powerful valuation yardstick: equity investors need to be adequately compensated for the risk taken by receiving a cash dividend stream while waiting for the business to deliver its growth. By combining those two factors, we aim to capture in a diversified portfolio both growth companies—those with higher dividend growth rates and moderate dividend yield—and more mature companies—those with higher, more stable dividend yields and moderate growth prospects. Our aim is to try to deliver capital appreciation supported by underlying dividend growth, while concurrently generating a dividend income stream.

Despite a weak economic environment and short-term market noise, our portfolio as a whole delivered on dividend growth. During the first half of 2012, all 33 portfolio holdings declared dividends. Out of these, 18 companies increased dividends, six companies maintained their dividends and nine companies showed a cut to their dividends. While the volatile equity market conditions are likely to persist in the near-term, we continue to find companies that offer attractive dividend yields and are well-positioned to grow dividends over time.

COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7

China/Hong Kong     73.7    
Taiwan     21.9    
Singapore     3.5    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    0.9    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Consumer Discretionary     19.5    
Financials     15.2    
Industrials     14.5    
Information Technology     10.7    
Energy     9.3    
Materials     8.3    
Utilities     8.0    
Telecommunication Services     6.4    
Consumer Staples     4.3    
Health Care     2.9    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    0.9    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8

Large Cap (over $5B)     35.9    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     29.7    
Small Cap (under $1B)     33.5    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    0.9    

 

7  The United Kingdom is not included in the MSCI China Index

8  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 21



Matthews China Dividend Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 99.1%

    Shares   Value  
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 19.5%  
Auto Components: 5.0%  
Minth Group, Ltd.     868,000     $ 941,611    
Xinyi Glass Holdings, Ltd.     812,000       437,838    
          1,379,449    
Media: 3.9%  
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.     153,000       1,066,571    
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 3.8%  
Cafe' de Coral Holdings, Ltd.     388,000       1,038,089    
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods: 3.4%  
Shenzhou International Group
Holdings, Ltd.
    549,000       955,085    
Leisure Equipment & Products: 3.4%  
Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.     388,425       947,299    
Total Consumer Discretionary         5,386,493    
FINANCIALS: 15.2%  
Real Estate Investment Trusts: 7.3%  
The Link REIT     257,500       1,055,457    
CapitaRetail China Trust, REIT     930,000       963,720    
          2,019,177    
Commercial Banks: 4.3%  
HSBC Holdings PLC ADR     27,000       1,191,510    
Real Estate Management & Development: 3.6%  
Swire Pacific, Ltd. A Shares     53,000       616,435    
E-House China Holdings, Ltd. ADS     70,000       385,000    
          1,001,435    
Total Financials         4,212,122    
INDUSTRIALS: 14.5%  
Transportation Infrastructure: 9.3%  
Jiangsu Expressway Co., Ltd. H Shares     996,000       937,712    
Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.     1,282,000       633,163    
China Merchants Holdings International
Co., Ltd.
    182,000       556,784    
Sichuan Expressway Co., Ltd. H Shares     1,356,000       460,245    
          2,587,904    
Machinery: 3.2%  
Haitian International Holdings, Ltd.     880,000       876,799    
Air Freight & Logistics: 2.0%  
Shenzhen Chiwan Petroleum, B Sharesb     473,116       561,406    
Total Industrials         4,026,109    
    Shares   Value  
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 10.7%  
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 4.5%  
TXC Corp.     585,199     $ 849,666    
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.     222,000       391,215    
          1,240,881    
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 3.8%  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Co., Ltd.b
    388,000       1,062,138    
Software: 2.4%  
CyberLink Corp.     226,963       662,382    
Total Information Technology         2,965,401    
ENERGY: 9.3%  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 9.3%  
CNOOC, Ltd. ADR     5,250       1,056,562    
China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd. H Shares     238,000       842,117    
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. ADR     7,440       663,574    
Total Energy         2,562,253    
MATERIALS: 8.3%  
Containers & Packaging: 4.0%  
Taiwan Hon Chuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.     483,354       1,088,808    
Chemicals: 2.2%  
Yip's Chemical Holdings, Ltd.     950,000       610,356    
Metals & Mining: 2.1%  
Xingda International Holdings, Ltd.     1,777,000       587,305    
Total Materials         2,286,469    
UTILITIES: 8.0%  
Water Utilities: 4.0%  
Guangdong Investment, Ltd.     1,536,000       1,111,917    
Electric Utilities: 4.0%  
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, Ltd.     182,000       1,101,791    
Total Utilities         2,213,708    
TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES: 6.4%  
Wireless Telecommunication Services: 4.1%  
China Mobile, Ltd. ADR     20,530       1,122,375    
Diversified Telecommunication Services: 2.3%  
Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. ADR     20,604       647,584    
Total Telecommunication Services         1,769,959    

 

22 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews China Dividend Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

    Shares   Value  
CONSUMER STAPLES: 4.3%  
Food Products: 4.3%  
Vitasoy International Holdings, Ltd.     1,406,000     $ 1,181,547    
Total Consumer Staples         1,181,547    
HEALTH CARE: 2.9%  
Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 2.9%  
St. Shine Optical Co., Ltd.     72,000       805,789    
Total Health Care         805,789    
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 99.1%         27,409,850    
(Cost $26,885,199c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 0.9%
        239,340    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 27,649,190    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $26,885,199 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 3,104,555    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (2,579,904 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 524,651    

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

ADS  American Depositary Share

REIT  Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 23




ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Taizo Ishida

Lead Manager

Sharat Shroff, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MPACX   MIAPX  
CUSIP   577130867   577130776  
Inception   10/31/03   10/29/10  
NAV   $16.19   $16.23  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.18%   1.03%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   61  
Net Assets   $363.6 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $16.1 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   28.06%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region. The Fund may also invest in the convertible securities, of any duration or quality, of Asian companies.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Asia Growth Fund returned 5.54% (Investor Class) and 5.60% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index, returned 4.58%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –5.65% (Investor Class) and –5.64% (Institutional Class) while the benchmark fell –6.70%.

During the second quarter, Asian markets were disrupted by two global events: a wide-reaching economic slowdown and negative sentiment toward global equity markets due mainly to uncertainties surrounding Europe's financial crisis. We saw downward revisions of GDP figures across the Asia Pacific region. Most closely watched were GDP estimates for China, which were hovering around 8% at the end of the second quarter. Fortunately, inflation in many emerging Asian markets seemed to have come under control due to lower prices for food and energy—a development that should help lower costs of government subsidies.

As trade with the West still accounts for a substantial portion of Asia's economic activity, the region continues to be impacted by global economic movements. However, during the second quarter, Indonesia's economy held up relatively well as its economy is structurally driven by domestic economic activity. Indonesian consumers are encouraged by their relatively high purchasing power, helped by lower inflation, which has been one of the drivers of its economic performance. On the other hand, India's economy showed just 5.3% GDP growth in the first quarter, stemming from sluggish policymaking by India's leaders. India stands to benefit significantly from lower oil prices as the government's costs for fuel, food and fertilizer subsidies is quite high, at more than 2% of GDP, by some estimates.

During the second quarter, the main detractors to performance came from two of the portfolio's most heavily weighted and economically sensitive sectors—industrials and consumer discretionary. The two sectors comprised a combined weighting of approximately 42% of the portfolio during the second quarter. Within industrials, heavy machinery companies, which are often exposed to commodity and mining industries, did not perform well, impacted by lower commodity prices. Sany Heavy Equipment International, a leading Chinese mining equipment firm, performed poorly as a result of lower coal prices. However, the company should continue to benefit from automation in coal mining, supported by a Chinese government policy to reduce mining accidents.

Within the consumer discretionary sector, our holdings in auto companies, such as Japan's Toyota Motor and Fuji Heavy Industries, as well as auto firms in China and Indonesia were negative contributors amid the global economic slowdown. Japanese auto companies continued to face headwinds from a strong yen, yet their production levels and revenues have sharply rebounded from last year's lows caused by natural disasters. However, despite lower short-term demand, we believe our auto-related holdings will continue to benefit over the long term.

During the first half of the year, we saw strong performance in the casino-related tourism industry. However, China's lodging industry has remained weak. By sector, financials were the top contributor to performance

    (continued)

24 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MPACX)     -5.65 %     -8.58 %     11.79 %     1.94 %     8.86 %   10/31/03  
Institutional Class (MIAPX)     -5.64 %     -8.46 %     n.a.       n.a.       -3.12 %   10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index3     -6.70 %     -10.48 %     7.17 %     -2.62 %     6.51 %4        
Lipper Pacific Region Funds Category Average5     -5.56 %     -9.80 %     7.39 %     -3.10 %     6.33 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 10/31/03.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   Country   % Net Assets  
Toyota Motor Corp.   Consumer Discretionary   Japan     4.9 %  
ORIX Corp.   Financials   Japan     4.5 %  
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.   Industrials   Japan     4.1 %  
Rakuten, Inc.   Consumer Discretionary   Japan     2.6 %  
Oil Search, Ltd.   Energy   Australia     2.4 %  
Sysmex Corp.   Health Care   Japan     2.4 %  
Nidec Corp.   Industrials   Japan     2.3 %  
Kakaku.com, Inc.   Information Technology   Japan     2.3 %  
PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur   Consumer Staples   Indonesia     2.3 %  
Rinnai Corp.   Consumer Discretionary   Japan     2.2 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             30.0 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 25



COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)

Japan     34.3    
China/Hong Kong     22.9    
Thailand     7.2    
India     6.7    
Indonesia     6.2    
Australia     5.2    
Taiwan     5.0    
Singapore     3.5    
Cambodia     2.2    
Vietnam     1.8    
Sri Lanka     1.6    
South Korea     1.0    
Malaysia     0.8    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Consumer Discretionary     26.6    
Financials     17.0    
Industrials     14.7    
Health Care     13.0    
Consumer Staples     12.0    
Information Technology     7.9    
Energy     3.7    
Materials     3.5    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

Large Cap (over $5B)     49.0    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     32.9    
Small Cap (under $1B)     16.4    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

during the first six months of the year. Notably, our real estate holdings, predominantly Chinese property companies, contributed positively to performance. In addition, our health care sector holdings, driven by medical device companies also operating mainly in China, performed well as a result of their stable earnings power and defensive nature.

For the remainder of the year, we remain cautious as there does not appear to be a near-term resolution to the current global economic downturn. However, we maintain optimism over the stability and rising purchasing power of Asia's consumers. We look for healthy, domestic consumption rates across the region, and believe they are better indicators of long-term opportunities than headline macroeconomic figures.

26 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Growth Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 98.4%

    Shares   Value  
JAPAN: 34.3%  
Toyota Motor Corp.     441,700     $ 17,827,993    
ORIX Corp.     174,370       16,250,558    
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.     1,004,600       14,928,208    
Rakuten, Inc.     905,900       9,365,802    
Sysmex Corp.     222,100       8,783,573    
Nidec Corp.     109,400       8,318,100    
Kakaku.com, Inc.     244,900       8,310,299    
Rinnai Corp.     117,500       8,107,674    
Start Today Co., Ltd.     529,900       7,405,084    
Komatsu, Ltd.     188,900       4,509,296    
Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.     137,900       4,232,873    
Nitto Denko Corp.     98,400       4,215,922    
Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.     457,000       3,702,647    
Pigeon Corp.     72,700       3,185,077    
FANUC Corp.     18,700       3,073,927    
Calbee, Inc.     39,000       2,449,032    
Total Japan         124,666,065    
CHINA/HONG KONG: 22.9%  
Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. H Shares     2,836,800       7,885,925    
Dairy Farm International Holdings, Ltd.     602,454       6,423,221    
China Kanghui Holdings, Inc. ADRb     305,800       6,024,260    
Sands China, Ltd.     1,692,400       5,444,496    
China Lodging Group, Ltd. ADSb     453,600       5,325,264    
China Vanke Co., Ltd. B Sharesb     3,789,587       4,995,857    
Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. H Shares     3,184,000       4,976,769    
Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp.     1,888,000       4,864,252    
Hang Lung Group, Ltd.     782,000       4,835,238    
Sany Heavy Equipment International
Holdings Co., Ltd.
    7,862,000       4,246,918    
Shandong Weigao Group Medical
Polymer Co., Ltd. H Shares
    3,804,000       4,246,331    
Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    4,165,000       3,998,866    
Haitian International Holdings, Ltd.     3,980,000       3,965,523    
Shenzhou International Group
Holdings, Ltd.
    2,259,000       3,929,938    
Kingdee International Software Group
Co., Ltd.b
    20,269,600       3,815,603    
Baidu, Inc. ADRb     30,300       3,483,894    
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. ADRb     188,000       3,150,880    
EVA Precision Industrial Holdings, Ltd.     19,492,000       1,601,809    
Total China/Hong Kong         83,215,044    
THAILAND: 7.2%  
Major Cineplex Group Public Co., Ltd.     11,921,000       6,570,984    
Siam Commercial Bank Public Co., Ltd.     1,264,400       5,917,053    
SVI Public Co., Ltd.b     47,651,300       5,315,402    
Banpu Public Co., Ltd.     331,800       4,716,157    
SNC Former Public Co., Ltd.     4,457,900       3,566,791    
Total Thailand         26,086,387    
    Shares   Value  
INDIA: 6.7%  
Emami, Ltd.     866,979     $ 7,780,363    
HDFC Bank, Ltd.     627,431       6,390,581    
Castrol India, Ltd.     419,477       4,122,426    
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.     313,520       3,594,188    
Multi Commodity Exchange of India, Ltd.     121,695       2,311,627    
Total India         24,199,185    
INDONESIA: 6.2%  
PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmurb     13,349,000       8,254,161    
PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero     11,610,500       7,952,093    
PT Astra International     8,425,000       6,210,899    
Total Indonesia         22,417,153    
AUSTRALIA: 5.2%  
Oil Search, Ltd.     1,305,704       8,893,857    
CSL, Ltd.     137,045       5,558,782    
BHP Billiton, Ltd.     136,800       4,455,895    
Total Australia         18,908,534    
TAIWAN: 5.0%  
Synnex Technology International Corp.     3,133,000       7,667,124    
St. Shine Optical Co., Ltd.     624,000       6,983,502    
Gourmet Master Co., Ltd.     520,800       3,614,628    
Total Taiwan         18,265,254    
SINGAPORE: 3.5%  
Keppel Land, Ltd.     2,204,000       5,671,700    
CapitaCommercial Trust, REIT     3,676,000       3,697,239    
Goodpack, Ltd.     2,564,000       3,512,011    
Total Singapore         12,880,950    
CAMBODIA: 2.2%  
NagaCorp, Ltd.     17,812,000       7,965,135    
Total Cambodia         7,965,135    
VIETNAM: 1.8%  
Vietnam Dairy Products JSC     1,564,020       6,580,488    
Total Vietnam         6,580,488    
SRI LANKA: 1.6%  
John Keells Holdings PLC     4,298,200       5,895,388    
Total Sri Lanka         5,895,388    
SOUTH KOREA: 1.0%  
Kiwoom Securities Co., Ltd.     67,641       3,635,160    
Total South Korea         3,635,160    

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 27



Matthews Asia Growth Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

    Shares   Value  
MALAYSIA: 0.8%  
Parkson Holdings BHD     2,096,969     $ 3,039,529    
Total Malaysia         3,039,529    
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.4%         357,754,272    
(Cost $308,897,735c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.6%
        5,885,174    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 363,639,446    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $308,897,738 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 71,231,717    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (22,375,183 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 48,856,534    

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

ADS  American Depositary Share

BHD  Berhad

JSC  Joint Stock Co.

REIT  Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

28 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Richard H. Gao

Lead Manager

Sharat Shroff, CFA

Lead Manager

Mark W. Headley

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MAPTX   MIPTX  
CUSIP   577130107   577130834  
Inception   9/12/94   10/29/10  
NAV   $21.69   $21.70  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.11%   0.95%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   70  
Net Assets   $5.9 billion  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $20.0 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   10.51%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region, excluding Japan.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund gained 6.69% (Investor Class) and 6.79% (Institutional Class) while the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index rose 6.10%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –3.81% (Investor and Institutional Class), while the benchmark lost –6.74%. It was a tale of two quarters, as the first quarter marked a partial recovery for equities in Asia that fizzled in the second quarter as hopes of a sustained economic recovery were overshadowed by renewed concerns over growth, particularly in China.

The downside risks to China's economic growth have become more evident, and a common result has been varying forms of restructuring—whether a shake-up of the management team or a complete overhaul of the business processes. Pressures from rising costs, fading demand and shrinking pools of funding have forced a wave of consolidations that are more acute in the small-capitalization universe of Chinese companies. In addition, there has been a spate of governance- related debacles that has raised the risk-premium for Chinese equities, most notably for small-capitalization firms. We are viewing this environment as an opportunity to scout for companies that have reasonable long-term prospects led by management teams that are vigorously taking corrective measures to deal with the current turmoil.

A common risk in investing is that one may be too early in including a stock into a portfolio. This was our experience when we added Li Ning, a leading Chinese company in the sportswear industry, earlier this year. In spite of a relatively modest position in the Fund, Li Ning was one of the biggest detractors to Fund performance during the quarter. After a burst of undisciplined growth leading into the Beijing Olympics, China's sportswear industry entered a phase of consolidation. Li Ning was a firm that had identified its problems early. We continue to own its stock as a more recent spate of management changes gives us some confidence that issues related to the distribution of their products will be reconciled over time. We believe that per capita spending on sportswear goods is still likely to rise in the coming years. However, Li Ning needs to build on its brand proposition to compete and capitalize on this secular economic growth. We will continue to monitor Li Ning, with a focus on its market positioning and branding efforts to gauge its progress.

In evaluating investment ideas, we continue to look for businesses and management teams that are well-suited to deal with the vicissitudes of changing political and macroeconomic environments. In recent periods, the Korean government has become rather active in micro-managing price levels across goods and services, such as insurance and health care, which has impacted some Fund holdings. As such, the shorter-term performance of some of our Korean holdings continues to test our investment thesis.

Relative bright spots across Asia during the quarter occurred in smaller markets, such as the Philippines and Thailand where operating performance remains generally favorable. By contrast, companies in India continued to suffer from an intractable investment climate. However, that did not prevent the portfolio's Indian holdings from delivering positive contributions to returns for the first half of the year. Over the past 18 months, the Fund has been adding to Indian holdings in the industrials sector where we remain comfortable with company-specific risk factors.

(continued)

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 29



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAPTX)     -3.81 %     -8.34 %     13.80 %     4.73 %     14.57 %     8.68 %   9/12/94  
Institutional Class (MIPTX)     -3.81 %     -8.20 %     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       -2.80 %   10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index3     -6.74 %     -13.15 %     10.25 %     0.82 %     11.78 %     3.42 %4        
Lipper Pacific ex Japan Funds Category Average5     -6.76 %     -14.04 %     9.56 %     0.07 %     10.79 %     3.60 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 8/31/94.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   Country   % Net Assets  
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd.   Financials   China/Hong Kong     2.6 %  
Bank of Ayudhya Public Co., Ltd.   Financials   Thailand     2.6 %  
Tata Power Co., Ltd.   Utilities   India     2.5 %  
Delta Electronics, Inc.   Information Technology   Taiwan     2.5 %  
SM Prime Holdings, Inc.   Financials   Philippines     2.4 %  
Hang Lung Group, Ltd.   Financials   China/Hong Kong     2.4 %  
Genting BHD   Consumer Discretionary   Malaysia     2.4 %  
PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Persero   Utilities   Indonesia     2.3 %  
Dairy Farm International Holdings, Ltd.   Consumer Staples   China/Hong Kong     2.3 %  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   Information Technology   South Korea     2.1 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             24.1 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

30 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

A fairly recent addition to the portfolio, GAIL India is a key example. GAIL is the largest distributor of natural gas within the country. The biggest risk facing GAIL is the lack of availability of natural gas, and our contention is that this will change, helped by regulatory and technological shifts that are occurring globally. Common to both Li Ning and GAIL are our efforts to understand company-specific issues, which are currently a drag but can turn into tailwinds in spite of difficult macro conditions.

The last few years have been challenging for both Asian economies and capital markets given shifting business fundamentals and the consequent erosion of equity valuations. Some of these problems are a result of a previously indulgent capital market and benign economic conditions. It is natural that weaker businesses are being forced to exit, but it remains our view that the structural underpinnings of strong household balance sheets and growing prosperity provide a comparatively better outlook for Asia. In our view, the improved outlook and tailwinds from attractive valuations can be an opportunity to generate long-term performance. However a sluggish outlook for global growth doesn't leave room for too many misadventures, particularly with policymaking.

COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)

China/Hong Kong     31.3    
India     15.8    
South Korea     13.9    
Indonesia     8.5    
Taiwan     8.3    
Thailand     7.3    
Malaysia     4.7    
Singapore     2.7    
Philippines     2.4    
Vietnam     0.8    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    4.3    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Financials     30.1    
Information Technology     15.2    
Consumer Discretionary     14.3    
Consumer Staples     13.8    
Utilities     7.1    
Health Care     6.9    
Telecommunication Services     3.3    
Materials     1.9    
Energy     1.9    
Industrials     1.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    4.3    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

Large Cap (over $5B)     68.4    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     25.2    
Small Cap (under $1B)     2.1    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    4.3    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 31



Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 95.7%

    Shares   Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 31.3%  
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of
China, Ltd. H Shares
    19,029,500     $ 153,869,876    
Hang Lung Group, Ltd.     23,365,000       144,469,744    
Dairy Farm International Holdings, Ltd.     12,901,446       137,552,134    
Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. H Shares†     43,503,200       120,933,087    
China Mobile, Ltd. ADR     2,063,150       112,792,410    
China Resources Land, Ltd.     53,478,000       110,579,878    
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.     53,828,000       94,857,377    
Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp.     35,926,000       92,559,911    
Lenovo Group, Ltd.     105,568,000       90,084,485    
Hengan International Group Co., Ltd.     7,996,000       77,890,285    
Li & Fung, Ltd.     35,302,000       68,353,526    
New Oriental Education & Technology
Group, Inc. ADRb
    2,772,409       67,924,020    
Swire Pacific, Ltd. A Shares     5,683,500       66,103,929    
China Vanke Co., Ltd. B Sharesb     48,875,258       64,432,823    
Shangri-La Asia, Ltd.     31,457,333       60,423,941    
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.     2,011,900       59,413,993    
China Resources Enterprise, Ltd.     19,852,000       59,313,127    
Baidu, Inc. ADRb     497,700       57,225,546    
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, Ltd.     3,664,500       52,727,660    
Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. H Shares     30,440,000       47,579,412    
China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd. H Shares     22,182,350       42,059,699    
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. ADRb     2,490,350       41,738,266    
Li Ning Co., Ltd.†     54,193,500       30,491,829    
Total China/Hong Kong         1,853,376,958    
INDIA: 15.8%  
Tata Power Co., Ltd.     78,960,510       149,396,140    
ITC, Ltd.     21,185,000       98,651,661    
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.     8,767,491       93,762,819    
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.     7,676,815       88,006,890    
HDFC Bank, Ltd.     8,635,920       87,959,541    
Housing Development Finance Corp.     7,285,685       85,913,881    
GAIL India, Ltd.     10,609,419       67,387,390    
Container Corp. of India, Ltd.     3,641,969       60,249,237    
Titan Industries, Ltd.     13,593,760       54,737,263    
Dabur India, Ltd.     25,308,038       52,147,259    
Infosys, Ltd.     848,401       38,462,427    
Sun TV Network, Ltd.     4,804,753       26,185,524    
Thermax, Ltd.     1,237,793       10,667,548    
HDFC Bank, Ltd. ADR     319,500       10,415,700    
Infosys, Ltd. ADR     219,611       9,895,672    
Total India         933,838,952    
SOUTH KOREA: 13.9%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.     119,904       126,976,831    
Dongbu Insurance Co., Ltd.     3,031,690       111,927,329    
NHN Corp.     436,302       95,695,902    
Cheil Worldwide, Inc.†     5,916,350       94,499,024    
Green Cross Corp.†     704,049       92,051,949    
Hyundai Mobis     327,719       79,437,829    
Yuhan Corp.†     584,138       68,294,703    
Amorepacific Corp.     67,652       62,885,912    
POSCO     195,584       62,616,625    
MegaStudy Co., Ltd.†     396,412       27,162,833    
Total South Korea         821,548,937    
    Shares   Value  
INDONESIA: 8.5%  
PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Persero     364,396,500     $ 137,954,693    
PT Astra International     146,652,300       108,111,876    
PT Bank Central Asia     115,688,500       90,485,367    
PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmurb     132,314,000       81,814,444    
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero     80,460,500       70,297,079    
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia
Persero ADR
    375,700       13,085,631    
Total Indonesia         501,749,090    
TAIWAN: 8.3%  
Delta Electronics, Inc.     48,296,000       148,249,699    
Synnex Technology International Corp.     50,022,354       122,415,439    
President Chain Store Corp.     19,439,608       103,721,840    
Yuanta Financial Holding Co., Ltd.b     133,911,782       61,357,209    
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Co., Ltd.b
    20,423,513       55,908,719    
Total Taiwan         491,652,906    
THAILAND: 7.3%  
Bank of Ayudhya Public Co., Ltd.     163,168,600       152,862,890    
Central Pattana Public Co., Ltd.     81,096,100       119,768,672    
PTT Exploration & Production Public
Co., Ltd.
    20,425,000       108,865,930    
Siam Cement Public Co., Ltd. NVDR     5,087,900       50,992,132    
Total Thailand         432,489,624    
MALAYSIA: 4.7%  
Genting BHD     47,065,500       140,550,107    
Public Bank BHD     22,511,386       97,839,347    
Top Glove Corp. BHD     25,175,960       41,413,459    
Total Malaysia         279,802,913    
SINGAPORE: 2.7%  
Keppel Land, Ltd.     35,212,000       90,613,381    
Hyflux, Ltd.†     62,284,280       66,709,992    
Total Singapore         157,323,373    
PHILIPPINES: 2.4%  
SM Prime Holdings, Inc.     466,949,271       144,736,199    
Total Philippines         144,736,199    
VIETNAM: 0.8%  
Vietnam Dairy Products JSC     11,907,545       50,100,036    
Total Vietnam         50,100,036    

 

32 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

    Value  
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.7%   $ 5,666,618,988    
(Cost $4,529,040,093c)      
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.3%
    256,767,149    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%   $ 5,923,386,137    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $4,530,302,695 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 1,396,952,230    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (260,635,937 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 1,136,316,293    

 

†  Affiliated Issuer, as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ownership of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of this issuer)

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

BHD  Berhad

JSC  Joint Stock Co.

NVDR  Non-voting Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 33



ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Richard H. Gao

Lead Manager

Henry Zhang, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MCHFX   MICFX  
CUSIP   577130701   577130818  
Inception   2/19/98   10/29/10  
NAV   $21.95   $21.96  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.13%   0.96%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   60  
Net Assets   $2.1 billion  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $29.1 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   8.43%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI China Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in China and Taiwan. China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews China Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews China Fund gained 2.05% (Investor Class) and 2.19% (Institutional Class), underperforming its benchmark, the MSCI China Index, which returned 4.14%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund fell –6.36% (Investor Class) and –6.28% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark returned –5.26%.

After a strong rally in the first quarter, Chinese equities came under significant selling pressure during the second quarter. Uncertainties and worries about Europe's debt crisis, weak economic indicators, such as those for industrial output and retail sales, and downward earnings revisions by analysts were the main reasons behind the stock market decline. Investors had been expecting a recovery of China's economy in the second quarter but domestic consumption and industrial production continued to weaken.

In view of the tough economic environment, the government took more decisive action toward monetary easing: the central bank cut reserve ratios further, sped up new project approvals, lowered barriers for private investments and, most importantly, cut interest rates for the first time since 2008. China's subdued inflationary environment during the quarter was a favorable development, and one that should allow the government more room for easing in the coming months. China's June consumer price index stood at 2.2%, well within the government's 4% target.

During the second quarter, the Matthews China Fund gave up most of its gains from the first quarter mainly due to weak performance among its consumer discretionary and consumer staples holdings. The global economic slowdown and decline in exports, coupled with the government's recent efforts to cool the property market, negatively impacted consumer sentiment and spending. The portfolio's holdings in department store, hotel, supermarket and sportswear companies were some of the hardest hit in the second quarter. These companies continued to report weak growth figures and their near-term operating environments may still be challenging. We believe that our investments in most of these consumer areas are experiencing some short-term headwinds but the long-term secular growth of China's consumer demand remains unchanged. China's sportswear sector is an exception in that it is undergoing a restructuring, and positive results in this industry may take longer to develop.

We believe the country's long-term growth in consumer demand is supported by its growing middle class population and rising income levels of both urban and rural workers. Meanwhile, we are starting to see margin pressures ease for consumer companies as rental costs and commodity prices continue to go down. Overall, our long-term overweight positions in the consumer sectors remain unchanged.

Despite a challenging market environment, China's property sector rallied during the second quarter and our real estate company holdings were among the top contributors to Fund performance. Despite ongoing tightening in the country's real estate markets, the overall market seemed to be stabilizing and demand started to pick up, as shown by the increase in property transaction volume.

During the second quarter, no major changes were made to the Fund. We remained fully invested and diversified. We slightly increased our holdings in select health care and hotel companies as we believe valuations in these

(continued)

34 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MCHFX)     -6.36 %     -17.13 %     7.09 %     2.81 %     14.40 %     10.72 %   2/19/98  
Institutional Class (MICFX)     -6.28 %     -16.94 %     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       -11.45 %   10/29/10  
MSCI China Index3     -5.26 %     -15.78 %     1.79 %     -0.49 %     15.76 %     2.59 %4        
Lipper China Region Funds Category Average5     -6.45 %     -19.33 %     2.58 %     -2.95 %     10.58 %     7.42 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 2/28/98.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   % Net Assets  
China Mobile, Ltd.   Telecommunication Services     3.8 %  
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.   Information Technology     3.0 %  
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd.   Financials     2.8 %  
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, Ltd.   Utilities     2.7 %  
China Life Insurance Co., Ltd.   Financials     2.7 %  
China Resources Land, Ltd.   Financials     2.6 %  
Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp.   Consumer Staples     2.5 %  
China Vanke Co., Ltd.   Financials     2.4 %  
Hang Lung Group, Ltd.   Financials     2.3 %  
China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd.   Financials     2.2 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN         27.0 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 35



SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Financials     22.8    
Consumer Discretionary     21.0    
Information Technology     11.9    
Consumer Staples     11.8    
Industrials     8.9    
Energy     6.9    
Telecommunication Services     5.9    
Utilities     5.3    
Health Care     4.1    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.4    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

Large Cap (over $5B)     70.6    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     24.6    
Small Cap (under $1B)     3.4    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.4    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Matthews China Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

companies are attractive. Home Inns & Hotels Management, one of China's largest and earliest budget hotel chains with operations throughout the country, saw its stock come under selling pressure this year due to investor concerns over the economic slowdown and the effectiveness of the company's recent acquisition. We believe that Home Inns is among China's most efficient budget hotel operators with a strong track record and management team. Our visits and discussions with its management have convinced us of the strategic benefits of its earlier acquisition toward the company's long-term development. What's more, the integration process for the acquisition seems to be well on track.

Going forward, we believe that the Chinese economy will continue to face the challenge of slowing near-term growth. We expect that the recent easing of monetary policies should gradually take effect and help growth momentum recover toward the end of the year. Given that inflation is still in check, additional easing measures, both for monetary and fiscal policy, are likely. We will continue to emphasize our long-term approach and remain focused on companies with strong fundamentals that can hold up through these short-term headwinds and volatilities.

36 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews China Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: CHINA/HONG KONG: 98.6%

    Shares   Value  
FINANCIALS: 22.8%  
Real Estate Management & Development: 8.6%  
China Resources Land, Ltd.     26,366,000     $ 54,518,663    
China Vanke Co., Ltd. B Shares     37,690,868       49,688,311    
Hang Lung Group, Ltd.     8,011,000       49,533,367    
Swire Pacific, Ltd. A Shares     2,411,500       28,047,792    
          181,788,133    
Commercial Banks: 7.2%  
China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd. H Shares     24,978,114       47,360,715    
BOC Hong Kong Holdings, Ltd.     12,788,500       39,368,828    
China Construction Bank Corp. H Shares     51,366,660       35,487,917    
Agricultural Bank of China, Ltd. H Shares     71,103,000       28,797,744    
          151,015,204    
Insurance: 5.4%  
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of
China, Ltd. H Shares
    7,271,000       58,792,289    
China Life Insurance Co., Ltd. H Shares     15,359,000       40,447,993    
China Life Insurance Co., Ltd. ADR     397,100       15,681,479    
          114,921,761    
Diversified Financial Services: 1.6%  
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, Ltd.     2,395,600       34,469,745    
Total Financials         482,194,843    
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 21.0%  
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 7.2%  
Cafe' de Coral Holdings, Ltd.     17,212,100       46,050,745    
Shangri-La Asia, Ltd.     17,767,400       34,128,015    
Sands China, Ltd.     8,637,200       27,786,104    
Home Inns & Hotels
Management, Inc. ADRb
    1,221,746       27,684,764    
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. ADRb     1,032,000       17,296,320    
          152,945,948    
Multiline Retail: 3.0%  
Golden Eagle Retail Group, Ltd.     20,899,000       42,805,086    
Parkson Retail Group, Ltd.     23,756,500       21,221,811    
          64,026,897    
Diversified Consumer Services: 2.2%  
New Oriental Education & Technology
Group, Inc. ADRb
    1,927,900       47,233,550    
Distributors: 2.1%  
Li & Fung, Ltd.     23,298,400       45,111,546    
Specialty Retail: 2.1%  
Belle International Holdings, Ltd.     25,710,000       44,045,348    
Automobiles: 1.9%  
Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    25,626,000       40,054,862    
    Shares   Value  
Media: 1.4%  
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.     4,082,000     $ 28,455,843    
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods: 1.1%  
Ports Design, Ltd.     14,983,500       15,675,279    
Li Ning Co., Ltd.     12,019,000       6,762,458    
          22,437,737    
Total Consumer Discretionary         444,311,731    
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 11.9%  
Internet Software & Services: 4.2%  
Netease, Inc. ADRb     600,900       35,362,965    
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.     1,040,700       30,733,209    
Sina Corp.b     433,300       22,449,273    
          88,545,447    
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 3.0%  
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.     35,645,000       62,814,729    
Computers & Peripherals: 1.9%  
Lenovo Group, Ltd.     46,332,000       39,536,548    
Communications Equipment: 1.7%  
ZTE Corp. H Shares     18,547,104       36,177,046    
Software: 1.1%  
Kingdee International Software Group
Co., Ltd.b
    123,524,800       23,252,635    
Total Information Technology         250,326,405    
CONSUMER STAPLES: 11.8%  
Food Products: 4.4%  
Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp.     20,295,000       52,288,131    
China Mengniu Dairy Co., Ltd.     9,651,000       25,555,806    
China Yurun Food Group, Ltd.     16,111,000       14,230,474    
          92,074,411    
Food & Staples Retailing: 3.3%  
China Resources Enterprise, Ltd.     10,466,000       31,269,957    
Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co., Ltd.
H Shares†
    28,947,800       27,793,131    
Sun Art Retail Group, Ltd.     9,443,000       10,406,427    
          69,469,515    
Personal Products: 2.1%  
Hengan International Group Co., Ltd.     4,671,000       45,500,941    
Beverages: 2.0%  
Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd. H Shares     7,261,000       41,491,356    
Total Consumer Staples         248,536,223    

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 37



Matthews China Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES: CHINA/HONG KONG (continued)

    Shares   Value  
INDUSTRIALS: 8.9%  
Machinery: 3.5%  
CSR Corp., Ltd. H Shares     49,326,000     $ 38,717,268    
Sany Heavy Equipment International
Holdings Co., Ltd.
    34,230,500       18,490,731    
China National Materials Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    55,910,000       17,461,502    
          74,669,501    
Transportation Infrastructure: 3.0%  
China Merchants Holdings International
Co., Ltd.
    12,340,581       37,752,933    
Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.     50,775,000       25,077,121    
          62,830,054    
Airlines: 1.2%  
Air China, Ltd. H Shares     45,027,900       26,731,091    
Industrial Conglomerates: 1.2%  
NWS Holdings, Ltd.     16,914,914       24,739,181    
Total Industrials         188,969,827    
ENERGY: 6.9%  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 5.1%  
CNOOC, Ltd.     19,737,000       39,792,147    
China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    9,873,500       34,935,462    
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.
(Sinopec) H Shares
    36,070,000       32,236,736    
          106,964,345    
Energy Equipment & Services: 1.8%  
China Oilfield Services, Ltd. H Shares     26,168,000       37,999,372    
Total Energy         144,963,717    
TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES: 5.9%  
Wireless Telecommunication Services: 3.9%  
China Mobile, Ltd.     4,795,083       52,637,980    
China Mobile, Ltd. ADR     522,300       28,554,141    
          81,192,121    
Diversified Telecommunication Services: 2.0%  
China Communications Services Corp.,
Ltd. H Sharesb
    85,864,800       42,683,492    
Total Telecommunication Services         123,875,613    
    Shares   Value  
UTILITIES: 5.3%  
Electric Utilities: 2.7%  
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings, Ltd.     9,397,500     $ 56,890,563    
Gas Utilities: 1.9%  
Hong Kong & China Gas Co., Ltd.     19,200,739       40,788,147    
Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders: 0.7%  
China Longyuan Power Group Corp.
H Shares
    20,724,000       13,685,710    
Total Utilities         111,364,420    
HEALTH CARE: 4.1%  
Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 2.1%  
Mindray Medical International, Ltd. ADR     1,470,668       44,546,534    
Health Care Providers & Services: 2.0%  
Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. H Shares     15,334,800       42,628,696    
Total Health Care         87,175,230    
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.6%         2,081,718,009    
(Cost $1,889,236,523c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.4%
        29,932,528    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 2,111,650,537    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $1,890,612,384 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 401,748,744    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (210,643,119 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 191,105,625    

 

†  Affiliated Issuer, as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ownership of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of this issuer)

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

38 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS




ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Sharat Shroff, CFA

Lead Manager

Sunil Asnani

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MINDX   MIDNX  
CUSIP   577130859   577130768  
Inception   10/31/05   10/29/10  
NAV   $15.52   $15.56  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.18%   0.99%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   45  
Net Assets   $604.9 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $7.4 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   3.51%2  

 

Benchmark

Bombay Stock Exchange 100 Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in publicly traded common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities of companies located in India.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews India Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews India Fund gained 14.20% (Investor Class) and 14.33% (Institutional Class), compared to its benchmark, the Bombay Stock Exchange 100 Index, which returned 11.33%. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund declined –7.78% (Investor Class) and –7.71% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark fell –7.98%. The rupee has been among the region's worst-performing currencies thus far this year, suffering a 4.6% depreciation against the U.S. dollar.

The rupee's depreciation marks a contrast to the relatively stronger performance of the equity markets in local currency terms. This reflects the inherent dichotomy between the performance of the corporate sector, and India's deteriorating macroeconomic fundamentals. Earnings expectations across a broad basket of Indian companies are still coming down, but overall earnings growth is still holding up better than in other parts of Asia. Meanwhile, a persistently high fiscal deficit, slowing GDP growth and inconsistent policymaking are weakening India's macro fundamentals.

During the first half of the year, the portfolio's overweight to small- and mid-capitalization holdings, and limited exposure to volatile metal stocks helped it outperform the benchmark. Last year, small- and mid-cap stocks underwent a much larger correction than larger-cap stocks. We remained invested in these smaller holdings and, in fact, added to a few of them. That strategy paid off during the first half of this year, as small cap stocks have partly recovered, and the difference in valuations between small and large firms has started to narrow. While the earnings performance of smaller-cap firms has been mixed relative to their larger-cap peers over the past few quarters, the extent of the valuation disparity may have led the market to become more positive on small caps. However, this strategy has not worked across all industries. For example, in the second quarter the Fund's industrials sector holdings, where certain stock-specific factors coupled with regulatory headwinds, detracted from portfolio performance.

We attempt to find businesses that have steady secular growth with some ability to pass on cost increases to their customers. For example, India's largest paint maker and one of our larger holdings, Asian Paints, was able to pass on to its customers most of the increases in raw material costs last year. This pricing power is attributable to the company's strong brand, availability, scale and dominant market position within the decorative paint segment. The materials sector, including Asian Paints, was a key contributor to the portfolio's relative outperformance in the first half of the year.

During the first half of the year, the portfolio made no major shifts in strategy. However, we replaced a few information technology and financials sector stocks with companies which we believe have more attractive fundamentals. We also exited a few of our convertible bond holdings as we indentified more attractive risk-reward trade-offs in equities, where valuations were running below historical averages. A recent addition to the portfolio is Bajaj Corporation, a small-cap herbal hair oil maker and distributor. We like the company for its established brand name and wide distribution network for hair oils, although we believe more could be done to leverage its existing network. The firm has made recent changes in its leadership and shown renewed focus on expanding its business. We view these developments positively, and believe the company has the opportunity to diversify its product portfolio in coming years.

(continued)

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 39



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MINDX)     -7.78 %     -23.88 %     8.81 %     -0.16 %     9.33 %   10/31/05  
Institutional Class (MIDNX)     -7.71 %     -23.72 %     n.a.       n.a.       -18.35 %   10/29/10  
Bombay Stock Exchange 100 Index3     -7.98 %     -23.69 %     3.60 %     -0.47 %     11.43 %4        
Lipper India Region Funds Category Average5     -8.91 %     -23.96 %     2.61 %     -4.49 %     6.02 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 10/31/05.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   % Net Assets  
Exide Industries, Ltd.   Consumer Discretionary     4.9 %  
Emami, Ltd.   Consumer Staples     4.8 %  
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.   Health Care     4.6 %  
Asian Paints, Ltd.   Materials     4.5 %  
HDFC Bank, Ltd.   Financials     4.1 %  
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.   Financials     3.7 %  
ICICI Bank, Ltd.   Financials     3.7 %  
Info Edge India, Ltd.   Information Technology     3.6 %  
Dabur India, Ltd.   Consumer Staples     3.6 %  
Infosys, Ltd.   Information Technology     3.3 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN         40.8 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

40 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews India Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

Much like Bajaj, companies and management teams continue to see opportunities for expanding their businesses, notably in the infrastructure sector. But some of these prospects are being stymied because of inconsistent government policies. We continue to believe that many of India's current macroeconomic problems are self-inflicted, and can be resolved with strong political leadership and clear policies that foster long-term decision making.

In spite of the lackluster policy environment, some companies are managing to deliver relatively robust results. This is most evident in the banking sector. A handful of private sector banks have reported better operating performance compared to their peers, and we believe this stems from superior management quality. Instead of eschewing investing in the country's long-term prospects, we remain focused on identifying business models run by management teams that stand a better chance of dealing with different micro and macroeconomic environment. Meanwhile, we are encouraged to find that current market valuations offer us opportunities to find compelling investments at reasonable prices, especially among small- and mid-cap names.

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Financials     23.6    
Industrials     17.4    
Consumer Staples     12.8    
Materials     12.6    
Consumer Discretionary     11.6    
Information Technology     8.8    
Utilities     6.0    
Health Care     5.5    
Energy     1.1    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    0.6    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

Large Cap (over $5B)     37.6    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     38.7    
Small Cap (under $1B)     23.1    
Liabilities in Excess of Cash
and Other Assets
    0.6    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 41



Matthews India Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 97.2%

    Shares   Value  
FINANCIALS: 23.6%  
Commercial Banks: 11.7%  
ICICI Bank, Ltd.     1,150,000     $ 18,679,659    
HDFC Bank, Ltd.     1,830,165       18,640,802    
Allahabad Bank     6,544,668       17,703,896    
Axis Bank, Ltd.     333,532       6,136,172    
HDFC Bank, Ltd. ADR     187,635       6,116,901    
ICICI Bank, Ltd. ADR     113,283       3,671,502    
          70,948,932    
Diversified Financial Services: 6.6%  
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.     2,100,000       22,458,183    
Infrastructure Development Finance Co., Ltd.     6,211,855       15,326,553    
Multi Commodity Exchange of India, Ltd.     109,509       2,080,151    
          39,864,887    
Real Estate Management & Development: 2.9%  
Ascendas India Trust     29,043,000       17,495,613    
Thrifts & Mortgage Finance: 2.4%  
Housing Development Finance Corp.     1,225,000       14,445,382    
Total Financials         142,754,814    
INDUSTRIALS: 17.4%  
Machinery: 7.9%  
Ashok Leyland, Ltd.     40,022,554       17,943,729    
AIA Engineering, Ltd.     1,966,467       12,164,983    
Thermax, Ltd.     1,378,128       11,876,983    
Jain Irrigation Systems, Ltd.     3,675,635       5,515,290    
          47,500,985    
Road & Rail: 2.8%  
Container Corp. of India, Ltd.     1,039,216       17,191,791    
Industrial Conglomerates: 2.5%  
MAX India, Ltd.b     4,388,102       15,158,104    
Electrical Equipment: 2.2%  
Crompton Greaves, Ltd.     6,187,500       13,509,704    
Transportation Infrastructure: 2.0%  
Gujarat Pipavav Port, Ltd.b     11,300,000       11,864,253    
Total Industrials         105,224,837    
CONSUMER STAPLES: 12.8%  
Personal Products: 9.6%  
Emami, Ltd.     3,267,712       29,324,799    
Dabur India, Ltd.     10,654,430       21,953,473    
Bajaj Corp., Ltd.     3,362,178       7,128,907    
          58,407,179    
Tobacco: 3.2%  
ITC, Ltd.     4,140,000       19,278,635    
Total Consumer Staples         77,685,814    
    Shares   Value  
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 11.6%  
Media: 5.7%  
Jagran Prakashan, Ltd.b     9,750,207     $ 15,329,304    
Sun TV Network, Ltd.     2,650,127       14,442,983    
Dish TV India, Ltd.b     3,868,505       4,439,974    
          34,212,261    
Auto Components: 4.9%  
Exide Industries, Ltd.     12,106,722       29,772,273    
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods: 1.0%  
Titan Industries, Ltd.     1,538,820       6,196,284    
Total Consumer Discretionary         70,180,818    
MATERIALS: 11.6%  
Chemicals: 8.2%  
Asian Paints, Ltd.     390,500       27,259,646    
Castrol India, Ltd.     1,881,301       18,488,556    
Supreme Industries, Ltd.     915,000       3,675,070    
          49,423,272    
Construction Materials: 1.7%  
Grasim Industries, Ltd.     224,459       10,648,119    
Metals & Mining: 1.7%  
NMDC, Ltd.     2,995,923       10,068,354    
Total Materials         70,139,745    
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 8.8%  
IT Services: 5.1%  
Infosys, Ltd. ADR     238,179       10,732,346    
Infosys, Ltd.     206,281       9,351,790    
CMC, Ltd.     525,130       7,992,484    
MindTree, Ltd.     240,000       2,778,160    
          30,854,780    
Internet Software & Services: 3.7%  
Info Edge India, Ltd.     3,324,978       22,060,673    
Total Information Technology         52,915,453    
HEALTH CARE: 5.5%  
Pharmaceuticals: 5.5%  
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.     2,412,300       27,654,570    
Cipla India, Ltd.     988,275       5,629,782    
Total Health Care         33,284,352    
UTILITIES: 4.8%  
Gas Utilities: 3.1%  
GAIL India, Ltd.     2,944,751       18,704,048    
Electric Utilities: 1.7%  
CESC, Ltd.     2,016,149       10,528,779    
Total Utilities         29,232,827    

 

42 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews India Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

    Shares   Value  
ENERGY: 1.1%  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 1.1%  
Reliance Industries, Ltd.     480,742     $ 6,402,511    
Total Energy         6,402,511    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         587,821,171    
(Cost $604,458,375)          

 

CORPORATE BONDS: 2.2%

    Face Amount    
UTILITIES: 1.2%  
Electric Utilities: 1.2%  
Tata Power Co., Ltd., Cnv.
1.750%, 11/21/14
  $ 7,700,000       7,557,550    
Total Utilities         7,557,550    
MATERIALS: 1.0%  
Metals & Mining: 1.0%  
Welspun Corp., Ltd., Cnv.
4.500%, 10/17/14
    6,900,000       5,830,500    
Total Materials         5,830,500    
TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS         13,388,050    
(Cost $16,596,125)          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 99.4%         601,209,221    
(Cost $621,054,500c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 0.6%
        3,696,446    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 604,905,667    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $621,376,739 and net unrealized depreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 87,626,595    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (107,794,113 )  
Net unrealized depreciation   ($ 20,167,518 )  

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

Cnv.  Convertible

USD  U.S. Dollar

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 43



ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Taizo Ishida

Lead Manager

Kenichi Amaki

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MJFOX   MIJFX  
CUSIP   577130800   577130792  
Inception   12/31/98   10/29/10  
NAV   $11.71   $11.72  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.21%   1.07%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   52  
Net Assets   $116.4 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $15.2 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   34.94%2  

 

Benchmarks

MSCI Japan Index

Tokyo Stock Price Index (TOPIX)

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Japan.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Japan Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Japan Fund returned 3.26% (Investor Class) and 3.35% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark, the MSCI Japan Index, advanced 3.23%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –4.10% (Investor Class) and –4.09% (Institutional Class) while the benchmark fell –7.29%.

Investor sentiment toward Japan soured at the beginning of April as central bank monetary easing, which had been anticipated to continue, did not materialize. As the euphoria of easy money wore off, the realities of Europe's debt crisis settled in. Combined with signs of weaker growth from both China and the U.S., global risk appetite decreased considerably at the start of the second quarter. Risk aversion was apparent as cyclical sectors, such as energy, materials and information technology, performed poorly while defensive sectors such as health care, consumer staples and telecom outperformed.

One positive development during the second quarter was that despite the severity of the external environment, the yen did not revert back to historical high levels against the U.S. dollar. Though the yen did strengthen from its March lows, it hovered between 79 and 80 yen to the dollar for the majority of the second quarter, roughly where it was last fiscal year (most Japanese companies have March-end fiscal years). This response differed from recent years when the yen has continuously strengthened, acting as a safe-haven currency in times of crisis and declining risk tolerance. The Bank of Japan's expansionary policies may be responsible for stemming the yen's further rise, at least for the time being.

By sector, health care was the top contributor for the Fund during the second quarter. Medical consulting firm Ship Healthcare performed well on the back of healthy profit growth and a continued favorable outlook for capital spending among hospitals. Medical equipment company Asahi Intecc also showed strong performance as the company restarted operations at its Thai manufacturing facility, shut down since last autumn due to massive flooding in the country.

On the other hand, the industrials sector was the worst-performing sector for the Fund in the second quarter. EVA Precision Industrial declined considerably as global demand for office automation equipment remained weak amid the poor economic environment in developed markets. Demand for EVA's components did not occur at the pace the company had expected, leaving them with considerable underutilized capacity. To increase utilization, EVA took orders for other components, such as printers, but these products have much lower profit margins. Given the continued weak demand outlook for office automation equipment coupled with the deterioration in product mix, we exited our position toward the end of the quarter.

Precision motor manufacturer Nidec was the largest individual detractor to Fund performance during the quarter, as it faced headwinds from slowing demand for personal computers and hard disk drives. Though the environment for Nidec may remain challenging in the short term, we are encouraged by the advances the company is making in its industrial and automotive motor segments. We continue to view Nidec as one of Japan's premier growth companies with unique technological capability.

(continued)

44 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MJFOX)     -4.10 %     -5.69 %     7.39 %     -3.92 %     2.98 %     3.52 %   12/31/98  
Institutional Class (MIJFX)     -4.09 %     -5.54 %     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       3.59 %   10/29/10  
MSCI Japan Index3     -7.29 %     -7.07 %     2.00 %     -6.37 %     2.63 %     1.07 %4        
Tokyo Stock Price Index3     -6.61 %     -6.53 %     1.91 %     -5.97 %     2.63 %     1.41 %4        
Lipper Japanese Funds Category Average5     -5.70 %     -5.50 %     3.95 %     -4.91 %     2.56 %     2.42 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted montly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definitions.

4  Calculated from 12/31/98.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   % Net Assets  
ITOCHU Corp.   Industrials     4.8 %  
Toyota Motor Corp.   Consumer Discretionary     4.4 %  
ORIX Corp.   Financials     3.8 %  
Rakuten, Inc.   Consumer Discretionary     3.5 %  
Marubeni Corp.   Industrials     3.1 %  
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.   Industrials     3.0 %  
Nidec Corp.   Industrials     3.0 %  
Rinnai Corp.   Consumer Discretionary     2.9 %  
Sysmex Corp.   Health Care     2.9 %  
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.   Consumer Discretionary     2.8 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN         34.2 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 45



SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Industrials     26.0    
Consumer Discretionary     25.2    
Information Technology     14.3    
Financials     12.0    
Health Care     9.9    
Consumer Staples     6.7    
Materials     4.2    
Telecommunication Services     1.0    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    0.7    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

Large Cap (over $5B)     54.3    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     21.8    
Small Cap (under $1B)     23.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    0.7    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Matthews Japan Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

The top contributors to Fund performance for the second quarter were Internet service companies Kakaku.com and Cookpad. After being the Fund's worst performer in the first quarter, Kakaku.com rebounded strongly on the back of solid earnings growth. The stock also got a boost after Japan's leading advertising agency, Dentsu, acquired a 15% stake in the firm. Cookpad, which operates a popular recipe website, surged amid the excitement surrounding the public offering of social networking site Facebook. Cookpad is the only Japanese Internet service company to be an official Facebook partner. Given the surge in the share price, we concluded that the "Facebook effect" had pushed valuations to unsustainable levels and exited the position during the second quarter. However, we maintain a favorable view of Cookpad's business model and will continue to monitor the company.

Looking ahead, Japanese lawmakers are considering a controversial consumption tax hike that is viewed as essential to fund growing social welfare costs while reducing the government's fiscal deficit. The proposal won approval in the Lower House of parliament in late June and if the bill passes in the Upper House, the consumption tax will be increased from 5% to 10% in two phases over the next three years. The bill is largely unpopular among the general public but is considered key to curbing growing costs as Japan's elderly population rises.

We continue to employ our bottom-up research process to identify companies with unique business models that we think can deliver growth over the long term. However, we remain mindful of external developments as we manage the portfolio going into the second half of this year.

46 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Japan Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 99.3%

    Shares   Value  
INDUSTRIALS: 26.0%  
Trading Companies & Distributors: 10.9%  
ITOCHU Corp.     532,800     $ 5,600,080    
Marubeni Corp.     541,000       3,604,629    
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.     238,500       3,544,075    
          12,748,784    
Machinery: 6.9%  
Harmonic Drive Systems, Inc.     101,700       2,299,918    
Nabtesco Corp.     80,400       1,793,249    
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.     399,000       1,622,001    
Komatsu, Ltd.     56,300       1,343,957    
FANUC Corp.     5,800       953,411    
          8,012,536    
Electrical Equipment: 3.0%  
Nidec Corp.     46,500       3,535,573    
Construction & Engineering: 2.1%  
JGC Corp.     83,000       2,406,282    
Commercial Services & Supplies: 2.0%  
JP-Holdings, Inc.     236,500       2,313,824    
Professional Services: 1.1%  
Nihon M&A Center, Inc.     41,200       1,255,199    
Total Industrials         30,272,198    
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 25.2%  
Automobiles: 9.2%  
Toyota Motor Corp.     126,500       5,105,821    
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.     346,100       3,286,472    
Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.     289,000       2,341,499    
          10,733,792    
Internet & Catalog Retail: 5.2%  
Rakuten, Inc.     398,700       4,122,028    
Start Today Co., Ltd.     140,400       1,962,019    
          6,084,047    
Household Durables: 5.0%  
Rinnai Corp.     49,700       3,429,373    
HAJIME CONSTRUCTION Co., Ltd.     80,400       2,334,457    
          5,763,830    
Auto Components: 2.7%  
Nifco, Inc.     78,800       1,904,857    
Bridgestone Corp.     53,800       1,235,469    
          3,140,326    
Specialty Retail: 1.4%  
Sanrio Co., Ltd.     43,300       1,578,642    
Multiline Retail: 1.2%  
H2O Retailing Corp.     145,000       1,453,308    
    Shares   Value  
Diversified Consumer Services: 0.5%  
ESCRIT, Inc.b     25,400     $ 612,599    
Total Consumer Discretionary         29,366,544    
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 14.3%  
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 7.7%  
Kyocera Corp.     35,200       3,046,207    
Hitachi, Ltd.     491,000       3,027,428    
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.     55,000       2,893,033    
          8,966,668    
Internet Software & Services: 2.8%  
Kakaku.com, Inc.     96,200       3,264,397    
IT Services: 2.2%  
GMO Payment Gateway, Inc.     130,800       2,578,525    
Software: 1.6%  
Capcom Co., Ltd.     84,500       1,768,432    
Total Information Technology         16,578,022    
FINANCIALS: 12.0%  
Insurance: 5.3%  
Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.     100,100       2,511,819    
Sony Financial Holdings, Inc.     151,700       2,476,001    
Anicom Holdings, Inc.b     194,000       1,182,779    
          6,170,599    
Diversified Financial Services: 3.8%  
ORIX Corp.     47,390       4,416,551    
Real Estate Investment Trusts: 2.6%  
Kenedix Realty Investment Corp., REIT     558       1,804,131    
Industrial & Infrastructure Fund
Investment Corp., REIT
    198       1,279,248    
          3,083,379    
Real Estate Management & Development: 0.3%  
Global Logistic Properties, Ltd.b     188,000       312,975    
Total Financials         13,983,504    
HEALTH CARE: 9.9%  
Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 5.0%  
Sysmex Corp.     85,200       3,369,475    
Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.     93,200       2,444,415    
          5,813,890    
Health Care Providers & Services: 2.7%  
Ship Healthcare Holdings, Inc.     78,800       1,899,102    
Message Co., Ltd.     383       1,217,149    
          3,116,251    
Pharmaceuticals: 1.4%  
Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.     53,900       1,654,473    

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 47



Matthews Japan Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

    Shares   Value  
Biotechnology: 0.8%  
3-D Matrix, Ltd.b     15,200     $ 943,838    
Total Health Care         11,528,452    
CONSUMER STAPLES: 6.7%  
Food & Staples Retailing: 3.1%  
Ain Pharmaciez, Inc.     30,200       1,821,764    
Daikokutenbussan Co., Ltd.     66,600       1,726,543    
          3,548,307    
Tobacco: 1.5%  
Japan Tobacco, Inc.     58,000       1,718,287    
Food Products: 1.1%  
Calbee, Inc.     20,100       1,262,193    
Household Products: 1.0%  
Pigeon Corp.     27,300       1,196,047    
Total Consumer Staples         7,724,834    
MATERIALS: 4.2%  
Chemicals: 2.4%  
JSR Corp.     86,800       1,506,119    
Nitto Denko Corp.     30,200       1,293,911    
          2,800,030    
Metals & Mining: 1.8%  
Hitachi Metals, Ltd.     177,000       2,112,331    
Total Materials         4,912,361    
TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES: 1.0%  
Wireless Telecommunication Services: 1.0%  
KDDI Corp.     182       1,174,066    
Total Telecommunication Services         1,174,066    
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 99.3%         115,539,981    
(Cost $109,504,510c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 0.7%
        839,840    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 116,379,821    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $109,504,510 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 11,156,297    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (5,120,826 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 6,035,471    

 

REIT  Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

48 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

J. Michael Oh, CFA

Lead Manager

Michael B. Han, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class   Institutional Class  
Ticker   MAKOX   MIKOX  
CUSIP   577130305   577130826  
Inception   1/3/95   10/29/10  
NAV   $4.77   $4.79  
Initial Investment   $2,500   $3 million  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.18%   1.07%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   50  
Net Assets   $156.1 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $28.1 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   30.13%2  

 

Benchmark

Korea Composite Stock Price Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in South Korea.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Korea Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Korea Fund gained 3.92% (Investor Class) and 3.91% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index, returned 2.80%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –5.36% (Investor Class) and –5.34% (Institutional Class) while the benchmark fell –8.75%.

The Korean equity market performed well during the first quarter as major markets showed signs of economic recovery. However, the market reversed course in the second quarter as expectations for global economic growth weakened. The Fund's outperformance against the benchmark was helped by the Fund's underweight positions in industrials and its overweight positions in consumer sectors, as well as by stock selection. Industrials segments, such as shipbuilding and construction, suffered from ongoing troubles in Europe as they tend to be susceptible to global economic cycles. In fact, overseas orders continued to slow during the first half of the year. However, we continue to look for long-term investment opportunities in the industrials sector though we remain underweight in this area due to its cyclical nature.

The rapid appreciation of Korea's currency, the won, was a key investor concern during the first quarter. However, the won weakened against the U.S. dollar during the second quarter, easing worries over its impact on Korean exporters. As the global economy recovers we expect the won will again appreciate; however, at the end of the second quarter the currency was still far below the level it reached before the start of the economic crisis in 2008. Exporters should be able to remain competitive even in the face of a steady appreciation in the currency, although short-term profitability could come under pressure. Many Korean companies have also been expanding their manufacturing capacities in overseas markets in efforts to diversify currency and geopolitical risks.

On a sector basis for the first half of the year, information technology and consumer discretionary firms performed well while materials and financials lagged. During the second quarter, Korea's consumer-related industries that derive earnings mainly from the domestic market outperformed as they were less affected by macroeconomic events. In particular, SBS Media Holdings, a diversified media group engaged in television, cable and radio broadcasting, was a notable new addition and among the top contributors to performance. Korea's television broadcasting companies continue to be among the country's most undervalued segments due to government regulations on such things as foreign investment and advertising rates. However, deregulation in the sector is underway and authorities are liberalizing the television advertising industry by allowing more private companies to operate in the segment. We believe Korean media companies are among the most attractively priced in the region with compelling growth opportunities as they are well-positioned to benefit from both growing discretionary income in Korea and ongoing deregulation in the sector. Prior to these deregulation efforts Korea had just one government-owned entity that controlled all television advertising slots and rates.

In June, Korea became the seventh nation to become a member of the so-called "20-50 club"—a label given to countries with a population over 50 million and average national per capita income exceeding US$20,000. Its peers in this group include the U.S., Japan, France, Italy, Germany and

(continued)

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 49



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns      
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years   Since
Inception
  Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAKOX)     -5.36 %     -10.28 %     17.64 %     -0.76 %     10.84 %     5.13 %   1/3/95  
Institutional Class (MIKOX)     -5.34 %     -10.08 %     n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       3.51 %   10/29/10  
Korea Composite Stock Price Index3     -8.75 %     -17.47 %     15.10 %     -1.80 %     12.15 %     2.75 %4        
Lipper Pacific ex Japan Funds Category Average5     -6.76 %     -14.04 %     9.56 %     0.07 %     10.79 %     4.83 %4        

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 12/31/94.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   % Net Assets  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   Information Technology     15.3 %  
Kia Motors Corp.   Consumer Discretionary     3.6 %  
POSCO   Materials     3.3 %  
Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.   Financials     3.1 %  
Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., 2nd Pfd.   Consumer Discretionary     2.8 %  
NHN Corp.   Information Technology     2.8 %  
Hyundai Motor Co.   Consumer Discretionary     2.6 %  
Hyundai Mobis   Consumer Discretionary     2.6 %  
LG Household & Health Care, Ltd.   Consumer Staples     2.5 %  
Dongbu Insurance Co., Ltd.   Financials     2.5 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN         41.1 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

50 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Korea Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

United Kingdom. Korea is the only member that was not industrialized prior to World War II—a testament to the progress the country has made in a relatively short period of time.

There are still risks to the Korean economy and North Korea remains chief among them, particularly as its transition of power is ongoing and little is known about the North's new leadership. A slower-than-expected global recovery could also continue to negatively impact domestic consumer sentiment. In fact, there are already some signs of slowing domestic spending.

We continue to believe, however, that Korea is well-positioned in this difficult market. Korean companies in general are continuing to climb up the value chain, gaining market share and improved brand reputation in many industries, ranging from semiconductors to cars to cosmetics. We have also been encouraged to note the recent global success of some small- to medium-sized companies, particularly consumer markets in Asia. We expect to maintain a diversified portfolio with particular focus on the technology, financials and consumer sectors, as we believe they are sustainable long-term growth drivers of the Korean economy.

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Consumer Discretionary     27.3    
Information Technology     21.3    
Financials     18.0    
Industrials     9.5    
Consumer Staples     9.4    
Materials     9.0    
Energy     2.3    
Health Care     2.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.0    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

Large Cap (over $5B)     58.6    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     25.7    
Small Cap (under $1B)     14.7    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.0    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 51



Matthews Korea Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: SOUTH KOREA: 93.4%

    Shares   Value  
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 24.5%  
Automobiles: 6.2%  
Kia Motors Corp.     86,100     $ 5,674,824    
Hyundai Motor Co.     19,585       4,020,690    
          9,695,514    
Auto Components: 4.8%  
Hyundai Mobis     16,526       4,005,839    
Hankook Tire Co., Ltd.     74,700       2,978,985    
Motonic Corp.     64,140       389,810    
          7,374,634    
Media: 4.5%  
SBS Media Holdings Co., Ltd.     808,540       2,966,126    
CJ CGV Co., Ltd.     91,190       2,076,727    
Cheil Worldwide, Inc.     125,730       2,008,225    
          7,051,078    
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 4.0%  
Shinsegae Food Co., Ltd.     44,357       3,251,632    
Modetour Network, Inc.     167,436       2,928,662    
          6,180,294    
Multiline Retail: 3.4%  
Hyundai Greenfood Co., Ltd.     205,380       2,990,199    
Hyundai Department Store Co., Ltd.     18,765       2,345,534    
          5,335,733    
Internet & Catalog Retail: 1.6%  
Hyundai Home Shopping Network Corp.     25,728       2,517,823    
Total Consumer Discretionary         38,155,076    
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 21.3%  
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 15.3%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.     22,604       23,937,352    
Internet Software & Services: 5.7%  
NHN Corp.     19,856       4,355,098    
Daum Communications Corp.     26,431       2,377,175    
SBS Contents Hub Co., Ltd.     188,088       2,107,404    
          8,839,677    
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 0.3%  
Uju Electronics Co., Ltd.     25,296       497,322    
Total Information Technology         33,274,351    
FINANCIALS: 16.2%  
Insurance: 6.2%  
Dongbu Insurance Co., Ltd.     103,751       3,830,396    
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd.     15,264       3,029,002    
Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.     109,960       2,865,028    
          9,724,426    
    Shares   Value  
Commercial Banks: 5.6%  
Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.     138,924     $ 4,870,340    
KB Financial Group, Inc.     66,716       2,179,406    
Hana Financial Group, Inc.     51,320       1,640,607    
          8,690,353    
Capital Markets: 3.7%  
Kiwoom Securities Co., Ltd.     69,436       3,731,626    
Samsung Securities Co., Ltd.     47,910       2,075,396    
          5,807,022    
Diversified Financial Services: 0.7%  
NICE Information Service Co., Ltd.     249,760       999,710    
Total Financials         25,221,511    
INDUSTRIALS: 9.5%  
Construction & Engineering: 2.9%  
Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd.     15,473       2,455,079    
Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.     36,243       2,084,111    
          4,539,190    
Commercial Services & Supplies: 1.7%  
KEPCO Plant Service & Engineering Co., Ltd.     64,238       2,709,509    
Industrial Conglomerates: 1.5%  
Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.     35,222       2,399,215    
Building Products: 1.5%  
KCC Corp.     9,410       2,306,791    
Airlines: 1.1%  
Asiana Airlines, Inc.b     252,490       1,656,776    
Electrical Equipment: 0.8%  
LS Corp.     16,548       1,250,444    
Total Industrials         14,861,925    
CONSUMER STAPLES: 9.4%  
Food Products: 3.7%  
Orion Corp.     4,059       3,362,452    
Binggrae Co., Ltd.     37,621       2,365,180    
          5,727,632    
Household Products: 2.5%  
LG Household & Health Care, Ltd.     7,357       3,969,239    
Personal Products: 2.1%  
Amorepacific Corp.     3,531       3,282,240    
Tobacco: 1.1%  
KT&G Corp.     24,806       1,758,630    
Total Consumer Staples         14,737,741    

 

52 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Korea Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES: SOUTH KOREA (continued)

    Shares   Value  
MATERIALS: 8.0%  
Metals & Mining: 4.1%  
POSCO ADR     63,400     $ 5,099,896    
Poongsan Corp.     52,560       1,261,230    
          6,361,126    
Chemicals: 3.9%  
LG Chem, Ltd.     14,694       3,803,916    
OCI Materials Co., Ltd.     32,024       1,160,134    
KPX Chemical Co., Ltd.     26,824       1,128,928    
          6,092,978    
Total Materials         12,454,104    
ENERGY: 2.3%  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 2.3%  
SK Innovation Co., Ltd.     29,285       3,587,632    
Total Energy         3,587,632    
HEALTH CARE: 2.2%  
Pharmaceuticals: 2.2%  
Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.     24,305       1,790,482    
Yuhan Corp.     13,878       1,622,551    
Total Health Care         3,413,033    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         145,705,373    
(Cost $99,520,988)          

PREFERRED EQUITIES: SOUTH KOREA: 5.6%

    Shares   Value  
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 2.8%  
Automobiles: 2.8%  
Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., 2nd Pfd.     67,274     $ 4,420,216    
Total Consumer Discretionary         4,420,216    
FINANCIALS: 1.8%  
Insurance: 1.8%  
Samsung Fire & Marine
Insurance Co., Ltd., Pfd.
    44,809       2,891,156    
Total Financials         2,891,156    
MATERIALS: 1.0%  
Chemicals: 1.0%  
LG Chem, Ltd., Pfd.     19,243       1,504,025    
Total Materials         1,504,025    
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES         8,815,397    
(Cost $7,437,374)          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 99.0%         154,520,770    
(Cost $106,958,362c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.0%
        1,544,020    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 156,064,790    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $108,123,028 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 52,790,746    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (6,393,004 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 46,397,742    

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

Pfd.  Preferred

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 53




ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Lydia So

Lead Manager

Michael B. Han, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class  
Ticker   MSMLX  
CUSIP   577125206  
Inception   9/15/08  
NAV   $15.69  
Initial Investment   $2,500  
Gross Expense Ratio1   1.52%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   70  
Net Assets   $309.4 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $1.2 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   19.97%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of small companies located in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region, excluding Japan.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund returned 6.23%, while its benchmark, MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index, returned 6.63%. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund declined –6.99% and the benchmark fell –7.65%. Increased concerns surrounding Europe's debt crises resurfaced during the second quarter causing weakness in global equities markets and Asian markets were also impacted as investors became more risk averse.

While we are aware of Europe's unfavorable macroeconomic events that remain unresolved, they are beyond our control. More pertinent to our long-term investment approach is monitoring and adapting the portfolio to the structural developments and challenges facing Asian economies, and most importantly, identifying the individual companies poised to grow. During the second quarter, Fund performance was negatively impacted by slowing growth momentum in various sectors in China. Our long-term holding Trinity, a luxury menswear retailer, suffered from concerns over weakening demand for their high-end products. However, we continue hold this security as we believe its fundamentals and competitive advantage within the industry remain intact. We did exit other Chinese holdings in the portfolio for company-specific reasons, including PCD Stores, a Chinese department store operator. PCD was a disappointment due to its poor execution track record in new store openings as well as its foray into operating outlet stores, a business model that is somewhat new to the domestic market.

Another top holding, St. Shine Optical, a Taiwan-based contact lens manufacturer, performed poorly in the second quarter due to rising competition in the domestic market. In addition, one of its competitors was publicly listed in May, contributing to St. Shine's share price weakness. During the second quarter, our Indian holdings were exposed to considerable depreciation in India's rupee on the back of concerns over rising fiscal and trade deficits. The majority of the decline in our Indian holdings was due to the weakening of the rupee against the U.S dollar.

In such a volatile and uncertain investment environment, more defensive sectors, namely consumer staples, utilities, and health care, were among the brighter spots in the portfolio. Nippon Indosari, an Indonesia baked goods producer, registered positive returns in the first half of the year, thanks to the rising acceptance of packaged bread products and the company's growing distribution reach. During the second quarter, we also increased our weightings in other consumer staples names such as Super Group, a Singaporean instant coffee manufacturer, and Shenguan Holdings, a Chinese manufacturer of sausage skins. We believe that the demand for their products should remain resilient despite moderations in global economic outlook. The firms also appear to be on track in furthering their expansion and market penetration plans.

During the market sell-off in May, we continued to build up the small position we had initiated earlier in the year in Security Bank of the Philippines. Security Bank's lending franchise is particularly strong among the consumer segment and among small and medium enterprises. Its profitability is also quite strong for its industry. We think that demand for loans continues to be healthy as the economic growth prospects for the Philippines have strengthened.

(continued)

54 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns  
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   Inception
9/15/08
 
Investor Class (MSMLX)     -6.99 %     -17.24 %     16.66 %     17.56 %  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index3     -7.65 %     -19.14 %     9.47 %     9.84 %  
Lipper Pacific ex Japan Funds Category Average4     -6.76 %     -14.04 %     9.56 %     9.61 %5  

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

5  Calculated from 9/30/08.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   Country   % Net Assets  
St. Shine Optical Co., Ltd.   Health Care   Taiwan     2.8 %  
Towngas China Co., Ltd.   Utilities   China/Hong Kong     2.7 %  
Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.   Consumer Staples   China/Hong Kong     2.4 %  
PT Nippon Indosari Corpindo   Consumer Staples   Indonesia     2.0 %  
PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional   Financials   Indonesia     2.0 %  
Super Group, Ltd.   Consumer Staples   Singapore     1.9 %  
Pacific Hospital Supply Co., Ltd.   Health Care   Taiwan     1.9 %  
Emami, Ltd.   Consumer Staples   India     1.9 %  
Trinity, Ltd.   Consumer Discretionary   China/Hong Kong     1.9 %  
PT Jasa Marga Persero   Industrials   Indonesia     1.8 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             21.3 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 55



COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)

China/Hong Kong     28.2    
Taiwan     15.8    
India     14.9    
South Korea     12.9    
Indonesia     9.1    
Malaysia     6.3    
Singapore     4.9    
Thailand     4.3    
Philippines     2.0    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Consumer Discretionary     17.4    
Industrials     17.3    
Information Technology     14.9    
Financials     14.7    
Consumer Staples     14.3    
Health Care     10.4    
Materials     6.7    
Utilities     2.7    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7,8

Large Cap (over $5B)     1.0    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     47.2    
Small Cap (under $1B)     50.2    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

7  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

8  The Fund defines Small Companies as companies with market capitalization generally between $100 million and $3 billion.

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

During the second quarter, the Fund initiated a position in a top Taiwanese online retailer, PChome Online. The company has demonstrated its ability to increase its shipment units and manage its logistics effectively. As observed in developed countries, e-commerce has gained growing acceptance among consumers and this trend is also now occurring in parts of Asia.

We continue to direct our efforts in bottom-up, fundamental research to uncover compelling investment candidates, with less attention paid to extent forecasting unpredictable international market events. As the current operating environment for small companies remains challenging, we remain cautious over the potential effects of adverse macro events on our holdings. We are also wary of the potential pitfalls we have become attuned to: a lack of discipline in business expansion and cost management and, more importantly, lack of foresight in managing a sustainable franchise over varying business cycles. These are some of the risks associated with investing in small companies, and a diversified portfolio is one way to mitigate them.

In our research approach, we have a preference for seasoned, well-managed companies, and believe these trying times may actually present opportunities to gain market share. Emerging opportunities in Asia still exist in the small-cap universe for patient, long-term investors. Differentiating fundamentals among industry peers across Asia is critical to our stock selection process and we continue to seek companies with a strong domestic presence and good competitive positions in secular growth industries.

56 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 98.4%

    Shares   Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 28.2%  
Towngas China Co., Ltd.     11,357,000     $ 8,207,716    
Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.     4,982,000       7,439,858    
Trinity, Ltd.     9,094,000       5,760,817    
Shenguan Holdings Group, Ltd.     9,524,000       5,496,754    
Yip's Chemical Holdings, Ltd.     8,018,000       5,151,402    
Airtac International Groupb     805,000       4,637,307    
Stella International Holdings, Ltd.     1,869,000       4,632,023    
KWG Property Holding, Ltd.     7,206,000       4,608,421    
Dah Chong Hong Holdings, Ltd.     5,082,000       4,572,626    
Minth Group, Ltd.     4,114,000       4,462,890    
Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings, Ltd.     9,485,000       4,427,329    
Comba Telecom Systems Holdings, Ltd.     9,552,011       4,013,184    
Kosmopolito Hotels International, Ltd.     19,052,000       3,498,221    
AAC Technologies Holdings, Inc.     1,136,000       3,305,937    
Singamas Container Holdings, Ltd.     15,124,000       3,297,806    
China Kanghui Holdings, Inc. ADRb     164,900       3,248,530    
SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd.     11,893,000       3,160,336    
Xingda International Holdings, Ltd.     9,378,000       3,099,465    
TAL Education Group ADRb     231,562       2,278,570    
E-Commerce China Dangdang, Inc. ADRb     290,000       1,931,400    
Fook Woo Group Holdings, Ltd.b,c     24,622,000       190,427    
Total China/Hong Kong         87,421,019    
TAIWAN: 15.8%  
St. Shine Optical Co., Ltd.     763,492       8,544,628    
Pacific Hospital Supply Co., Ltd.b     1,995,155       6,016,155    
TXC Corp.     3,784,792       5,495,239    
Simplo Technology Co., Ltd.     785,310       5,423,652    
WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd.     3,908,000       5,313,077    
Wah Lee Industrial Corp.     3,990,000       5,050,741    
PChome Online, Inc.     856,000       4,852,766    
Chroma ATE, Inc.     2,091,081       4,773,541    
Formosa International Hotels Corp.     315,717       3,380,946    
Total Taiwan         48,850,745    
INDIA: 14.9%  
Emami, Ltd.     662,496       5,945,310    
Ipca Laboratories, Ltd.     808,208       5,192,159    
Page Industries, Ltd.     95,185       4,936,144    
CRISIL, Ltd.     243,954       4,718,953    
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare, Ltd.
    94,290       4,659,980    
Gujarat Pipavav Port, Ltd.b     4,061,512       4,264,319    
Castrol India, Ltd.     398,681       3,918,052    
Federal Bank, Ltd.     479,245       3,885,035    
CMC, Ltd.     220,478       3,355,678    
AIA Engineering, Ltd.     500,705       3,097,468    
Exide Industries, Ltd.     829,267       2,039,294    
Total India         46,012,392    
    Shares   Value  
SOUTH KOREA: 12.9%  
Pyeong Hwa Automotive Co., Ltd.     319,541     $ 5,435,990    
Modetour Network, Inc.     278,388       4,869,350    
Dongbu Insurance Co., Ltd.     120,231       4,438,823    
Daum Communications Corp.     49,259       4,430,300    
KEPCO Plant Service & Engineering Co., Ltd.     102,457       4,321,557    
Cheil Worldwide, Inc.     247,635       3,955,355    
Kiwoom Securities Co., Ltd.     68,166       3,663,374    
POSCO Chemtech Co., Ltd.     25,812       3,076,525    
Korea Zinc Co., Ltd.     8,661       2,946,324    
OCI Materials Co., Ltd.     74,585       2,701,991    
Total South Korea         39,839,589    
INDONESIA: 9.1%  
PT Nippon Indosari Corpindo     14,332,000       6,334,869    
PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasionalb     14,671,500       6,269,301    
PT Jasa Marga Persero     9,869,000       5,716,333    
PT AKR Corporindo     12,888,000       4,817,463    
PT Sumber Alfaria Trijayab     5,659,000       2,897,394    
PT Selamat Sempurna     9,346,000       2,024,878    
Total Indonesia         28,060,238    
MALAYSIA: 6.3%  
Dialog Group BHD     6,995,205       5,215,722    
KPJ Healthcare BHD     2,578,500       4,793,101    
Alliance Financial Group BHD     3,609,900       4,763,073    
LPI Capital BHD     1,081,900       4,582,460    
Total Malaysia         19,354,356    
SINGAPORE: 4.9%  
Super Group, Ltd.     3,626,000       6,027,473    
Petra Foods, Ltd.     2,723,000       5,398,650    
Amtek Engineering, Ltd.     7,700,000       3,801,669    
Total Singapore         15,227,792    
THAILAND: 4.3%  
Tisco Financial Group Public Co., Ltd.     4,198,900       5,144,554    
Dynasty Ceramic Public Co., Ltd.     2,777,000       4,503,515    
SNC Former Public Co., Ltd.     4,676,600       3,741,774    
Total Thailand         13,389,843    
PHILIPPINES: 2.0%  
Security Bank Corp.     1,000,030       3,397,798    
Alliance Global Group, Inc.     10,215,000       2,820,204    
Total Philippines         6,218,002    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         304,373,976    
(Cost $317,309,503)          

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 57



Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

WARRANTS: 0.0%

    Shares   Value  
MALAYSIA: 0.0%  
Dialog Group BHD, expires 02/12/17     582,933     $ 109,225    
Total Malaysia         109,225    
TOTAL WARRANTS         109,225    
(Cost $0)          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.4%         304,483,201    
(Cost $317,309,503d)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.6%
        4,963,025    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 309,446,226    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Illiquid security.

d  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $317,344,786 and net unrealized depreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 36,170,635    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (49,032,220 )  
Net unrealized depreciation   ($ 12,861,585 )  

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

BHD  Berhad

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

58 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Richard H. Gao

Lead Manager

Henry Zhang, CFA

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class  
Ticker   MCSMX  
CUSIP   577125404  
Inception   5/31/11  
NAV   $7.08  
Initial Investment   $2,500  
Gross Expense Ratio1   5.32%  
After Fee Waiver,
Reimbursement and
Recoupment
  2.00%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   44  
Net Assets   $5.2 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $1.4 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   6.08%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI China Small Cap Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of small companies located in China and Taiwan. China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong.

1  Gross annual operating expenses for the Fund for 2011 are annualized. The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive Matthews China Small Companies Fund's fees and reimburse expenses until at least August 31, 2014 to the extent needed to limit total annual operating expenses to 2.00%. Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  Not annualized. The Fund commenced operations on May 31, 2011

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews China Small Companies Fund returned 0.57%, underperforming its benchmark, the MSCI China Small Cap Index, which returned 1.22%. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund declined –8.05%, while its benchmark fell –8.38%.

The weakness in the equity market reflected investor concerns about Europe's debt crisis and some weaker-than-expected economic data in China. The broad slowdown triggered policy loosening, which, on the fiscal policy front, led China to accelerate approvals for new investment projects. In terms of monetary policy, the central bank again cut its bank reserve requirement ratio during the second quarter, and also cut both the benchmark one-year deposit and lending rates by 25 basis points (0.25%). In addition, Chinese banks were allowed more flexibility in setting their own rates—a significant step toward interest rate liberalization. Inflation in China remained benign and declined to 3% in May, remaining below the government's target of 4%.

During the second quarter, the financials sector, dominated by small real estate developers, rallied as China's property market began showing signs of stabilization and investor sentiment showed expectations for a gradually improving credit environment. The Fund had less exposure to the sector than the benchmark, and this underweight was a drag on performance. However, our financials sector holdings were top contributors to performance during the second quarter, as we saw strong returns for these holdings. China Overseas Grand Oceans Group, a Hong Kong-based property developer, was once again among the top contributors to performance. Given its seasoned management team and strong focus on expansion into smaller cities, the company stands to benefit from China's long-term trend of rising inland urbanization and growing household income.

China's health care sector also performed well in the second quarter. Health care companies showed their defensiveness and resilience amid the challenging economic climate, and our holdings in this sector delivered solid operating results. Holding company Sino Biopharmaceutical was among the Fund's top contributors for the second quarter. The firm has a diversified drug portfolio and a strong product pipeline in hepatitis, cardio-cerebral and oncology. While it may face some short-term macroeconomic uncertainties such as policies to centralize drug procurement in different provinces, the company is well-positioned to benefit from rising health care demand and the consequent long-term growth of China's pharmaceutical market.

Conversely, consumer discretionary and consumer staples sectors declined sharply during the quarter and were the major detractors to Fund performance. Investors sold off stocks in these industries due to recent weak consumer sentiment and a slowdown in consumer spending. Hengdeli Holdings, China's largest Swiss watch distributor and retailer, was sold off sharply as demand for mid-range to high-end consumer goods softened following the robust growth of the past two years. Despite the recent sluggish demand, we continue to hold this position as the company's business fundamentals and leading market position remain intact.

We have not made any major changes to the portfolio in terms of sector allocation. However, we did initiate a position in an oil jetty operator,

(continued)

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 59



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual
Total Returns
 
    3 Months   1 Year   Inception
5/31/11
 
Investor Class (MCSMX)     -8.05 %     -26.16 %     -27.23 %  
MSCI China Small Cap Index3     -8.38 %     -30.26 %     -32.08 %  
Lipper China Funds Category Average4     -6.45 %     -19.33 %     -20.98 %  

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

The performance data does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS5

    Sector   % Net Assets  
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.   Information Technology     5.3 %  
China Overseas Grand Oceans Group, Ltd.   Financials     5.1 %  
Towngas China Co., Ltd.   Utilities     5.0 %  
Franshion Properties China, Ltd.   Financials     4.0 %  
Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric Co., Ltd.   Industrials     3.7 %  
Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.   Industrials     3.3 %  
Sino Biopharmaceutical   Health Care     3.3 %  
Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.   Consumer Staples     3.3 %  
WuXi PharmaTech Cayman, Inc.   Health Care     3.2 %  
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.   Consumer Discretionary     3.2 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN         39.4 %  

 

5  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

60 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews China Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

Sinopec Kantons Holdings, during the second quarter as it has a high business entry barrier and attractive assets. The company should benefit from long-term growth in China's oil demand.

We believe there will continue to be uncertainties in China as policymakers make ongoing adjustments to fix structural economic imbalances and set the country on a path to more sustainable growth. Small- and medium- enterprises (SMEs) are one of the main pillars of China's economy, and they currently contribute about 65% of GDP and 80% of urban employment. It is encouraging to see that the government has taken some initiative to lower funding costs and improve access to capital for entrepreneurs. Given the government's prompt response in setting a looser credit environment and speeding up new project approvals, we believe there is an increased chance that the economy should stabilize and regain some strength later this year.

COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)

China/Hong Kong     94.6    
Taiwan     3.3    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    2.1    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Consumer Discretionary     20.5    
Industrials     20.4    
Information Technology     13.9    
Consumer Staples     13.2    
Health Care     9.2    
Financials     9.1    
Utilities     5.0    
Materials     4.9    
Energy     1.7    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    2.1    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)6,7

Large Cap (over $5B)     0.0    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     60.5    
Small Cap (under $1B)     37.4    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    2.1    

 

6  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

7  The Fund defines Small Companies as companies with market capitalization generally between $100 million and $3 billion.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 61



Matthews China Small Companies Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 97.9%

    Shares   Value  
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 20.5%  
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 5.7%  
Home Inns & Hotels Management, Inc. ADRb     5,400     $ 122,364    
Ajisen China Holdings, Ltd.     136,000       94,633    
Gourmet Master Co., Ltd.     11,970       83,078    
          300,075    
Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods: 4.0%  
Trinity, Ltd.     234,000       148,233    
Anta Sports Products, Ltd.     98,000       59,750    
          207,983    
Media: 3.2%  
Television Broadcasts, Ltd.     24,000       167,305    
Specialty Retail: 3.0%  
Hengdeli Holdings, Ltd.     484,000       154,626    
Distributors: 2.1%  
Dah Chong Hong Holdings, Ltd.     85,000       76,480    
Sparkle Roll Group, Ltd.     536,000       34,170    
          110,650    
Diversified Consumer Services: 1.7%  
TAL Education Group ADRb     9,100       89,544    
Leisure Equipment & Products: 0.8%  
Goodbaby International Holdings, Ltd.     151,000       44,312    
Total Consumer Discretionary         1,074,495    
INDUSTRIALS: 20.4%  
Machinery: 6.7%  
Haitian International Holdings, Ltd.     157,000       156,429    
China National Materials Co., Ltd. H Shares     348,000       108,685    
Sany Heavy Equipment International
Holdings Co., Ltd.
    157,000       84,809    
          349,923    
Electrical Equipment: 6.5%  
Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    70,000       192,279    
Hangzhou Steam Turbine Co., Ltd. B Shares     144,088       148,348    
          340,627    
Transportation Infrastructure: 4.5%  
Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.     356,000       175,824    
Dalian Port PDA Co., Ltd. H Sharesb     272,000       60,740    
          236,564    
Industrial Conglomerates: 1.5%  
Chongqing Machinery & Electric Co., Ltd.
H Shares
    570,000       77,563    
Marine: 1.2%  
SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd.     242,000       64,307    
Total Industrials         1,068,984    
    Shares   Value  
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 13.9%  
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 5.9%  
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.     157,000     $ 276,670    
China High Precision Automation
Group, Ltd.c
    195,000       34,408    
          311,078    
Internet Software & Services: 2.5%  
21Vianet Group, Inc. ADRb     11,500       131,675    
Communications Equipment: 2.3%  
Comba Telecom Systems Holdings, Ltd.     285,000       119,740    
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 2.2%  
Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. ADR     3,700       65,305    
RDA Microelectronics, Inc. ADRb     5,000       50,200    
          115,505    
Software: 1.0%  
Kingdee International Software
Group Co., Ltd.b
    276,000       51,955    
Total Information Technology         729,953    
CONSUMER STAPLES: 13.2%  
Household Products: 5.0%  
Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.     115,000       171,735    
NVC Lighting Holdings, Ltd.     481,000       91,531    
          263,266    
Food Products: 4.4%  
Shenguan Holdings Group, Ltd.     198,000       114,275    
Tenfu Cayman Holdings Co., Ltd.     136,000       88,028    
China Fishery Group, Ltd.     46,000       31,990    
          234,293    
Food & Staples Retailing: 3.8%  
Wumart Stores, Inc. H Sharesb     62,000       126,045    
Lianhua Supermarket
Holdings Co., Ltd. H Shares
    75,000       72,008    
          198,053    
Total Consumer Staples         695,612    
HEALTH CARE: 9.2%  
Pharmaceuticals: 3.3%  
Sino Biopharmaceutical     480,000       174,085    
Life Sciences Tools & Services: 3.2%  
WuXi PharmaTech Cayman, Inc. ADRb     12,000       169,440    
Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 2.7%  
China Kanghui Holdings, Inc. ADRb     7,100       139,870    
Total Health Care         483,395    

 

62 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews China Small Companies Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

    Shares   Value  
FINANCIALS: 9.1%  
Real Estate Management & Development: 9.1%  
China Overseas Grand Oceans Group, Ltd.     294,750     $ 266,584    
Franshion Properties China, Ltd.     698,000       212,012    
Total Financials         478,596    
UTILITIES: 5.0%  
Gas Utilities: 5.0%  
Towngas China Co., Ltd.     362,000       261,618    
Total Utilities         261,618    
MATERIALS: 4.9%  
Containers & Packaging: 3.5%  
Greatview Aseptic Packaging Co., Ltd.b     176,000       92,781    
Taiwan Hon Chuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.     39,535       89,057    
          181,838    
Chemicals: 1.4%  
Yip's Chemical Holdings, Ltd.     114,000       73,243    
Total Materials         255,081    
ENERGY: 1.7%  
Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 1.7%  
Sinopec Kantons Holdings, Ltd.     122,000       88,239    
Total Energy         88,239    
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 97.9%         5,135,973    
(Cost $6,018,942d)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 2.1%
        112,786    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 5,248,759    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Illiquid security.

d  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $6,024,204 and net unrealized depreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 313,946    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (1,202,177 )  
Net unrealized depreciation   ($ 888,231 )  

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 63



ASIA SPECIALTY STRATEGY

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

J. Michael Oh, CFA

Lead Manager

Lydia So

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS

    Investor Class  
Ticker   MATFX  
CUSIP   577130883  
Inception   12/27/99  
NAV   $8.62  
Initial Investment   $2,500  
Gross Expense Ratio1    1.21%  

 

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions   58  
Net Assets   $138.5 million  
Weighted Average Market Cap   $21.4 billion  
Portfolio Turnover   65.47%2  

 

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia IT and Telecom Services Index

Redemption Fee

2% within first 90 calendar days of purchase

OBJECTIVE

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region, that derive more than 50% of their revenues from the sale of products or services in science- and technology-related industries and services.

1  Matthews Asia Funds does not charge 12b-1 fees.

2  The lesser of fiscal year 2011 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary

For the first half of 2012, the Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund gained 5.64% while its benchmark, MSCI All Country Asia IT and Telecom Services Index returned 4.39%. For the quarter ended June 30, the Fund declined –7.31%, while its benchmark lost –7.40%.

Following strong performance in the first quarter amid signs of global economic recovery, Asia's technology sector reversed course during the second quarter as Europe's sovereign debt crisis continued and the outlook for global economic growth weakened.

Europe's struggles took a heavy toll on Asian technology companies as the risk appetite among investors continued to decline. Europe continues to be a major importer of technology from Asia and ongoing uncertainty is likely to continue to negatively affect the sector. Concerns over a slowdown in China also significantly impacted performance during the second quarter as the Fund maintained an overweight position in China relative to the benchmark.

Most Asian manufacturers of personal computers faced strong headwinds as consumer computing habits continued to shift toward smartphones and tablets. We expect further consolidation in the sector, and believe this trend may benefit a few large players over the long term. There has also been further consolidation in the semiconductor sector since a major Japanese dynamic random memory (DRAM) manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in February. Although its assets were bought by a U.S. DRAM maker and the extent of any cuts to capacity remains to be seen, we expect reduced competition to benefit the surviving firms in this industry. Our telecommunication services sector holdings, which lagged during the first quarter, performed well during the second quarter as increased risk aversion led investors to shift toward defensive names.

Smartphone-related firms served as a rare bright spot during the first half of the year and Samsung Electronics was the top contributor to Fund performance. Key component suppliers to major smartphone and tablet makers performed well and Samsung maintained its dominant market share. It was one of the few smartphone makers in Asia to see growth during the first half of the year and is expected to continue to do well with the launch of the S3 model of its flagship Galaxy phone in July.

Sunny Optical Technology, a China-based optical lens maker, was the second-largest contributor to Fund performance during the first half of the year. Sunny Optical supplies optical lenses for mobile phones, including smartphones and digital cameras. The company has benefited from the strong growth of so-called "white-box," or unbranded, smartphones in China as well as increased sales of digital single-lens reflex cameras. The company should be well-positioned to benefit from continued growth of China's smartphone market, as it supplies several of the country's smartphone manufacturers.

By country, China was the worst performer during the second quarter. After doing well during the first quarter, Chinese companies underperformed as concerns over China's slowdown increased. Despite short term growth challenges, we continue to overweight China relative to the

(continued)

64 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2012

        Average Annual Total Returns  
    3 Months   1 Year   3 Years   5 Years   10 Years   Inception
12/27/99
 
Investor Class (MATFX)     -7.31 %     -12.69 %     13.02 %     -0.38 %     9.12 %     -0.71 %  
MSCI AC Asia IT and Telecom Services Index3     -7.40 %     -4.95 %     10.12 %     -0.90 %     4.90 %     -4.47 %4  
Lipper Global Sciences and Technology
Funds Category Average5
    -9.08 %     -4.66 %     14.82 %     3.46 %     8.75 %     -1.87 %4  

 

Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. For the Fund's most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

GROWTH OF A $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gains distributions or redemption of Fund shares. Values are in US$.

3  Formerly known as MSCI/Matthews Asian Technology Index. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 69 for index definition.

4  Calculated from 12/31/99.

5  The Lipper Category Average does not reflect sales charges and is based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods.

TOP TEN HOLDINGS6

    Sector   Country   % Net Assets  
Baidu, Inc.   Information Technology   China/Hong Kong     6.8 %  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   Information Technology   South Korea     6.1 %  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.   Information Technology   Taiwan     2.9 %  
Spreadtrum Communications, Inc.   Information Technology   China/Hong Kong     2.9 %  
NHN Corp.   Information Technology   South Korea     2.7 %  
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.   Information Technology   China/Hong Kong     2.7 %  
Hitachi, Ltd.   Information Technology   Japan     2.7 %  
Sunny Optical Technology Group Co., Ltd.   Consumer Discretionary   China/Hong Kong     2.5 %  
Nabtesco Corp.   Industrials   Japan     2.3 %  
Info Edge India, Ltd.   Information Technology   India     2.3 %  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN             33.9 %  

 

6  Holdings may combine more than one security from same issuer and related depositary receipts.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 65



COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7

China/Hong Kong     31.5    
South Korea     20.1    
Japan     19.6    
Taiwan     18.4    
India     3.1    
United States     2.0    
Malaysia     1.6    
Indonesia     1.4    
Vietnam     0.7    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)

Information Technology     69.2    
Industrials     8.4    
Health Care     7.9    
Consumer Discretionary     4.8    
Materials     3.9    
Telecommunication Services     2.8    
Financials     1.4    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8

Large Cap (over $5B)     50.0    
Mid Cap ($1B–$5B)     25.0    
Small Cap (under $1B)     23.4    
Cash and Other Assets,
Less Liabilities
    1.6    

 

7  The United States is not included in the MSCI AC Asia IT and Telecom Services Index.

8  Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent; the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (continued)

benchmark as we still see strong long-term growth potential in Chinese technology companies, especially in the Internet services sector.

Despite its weak performance during the second quarter, Taiwan was the top contributor to Fund performance during the first half of the year. Taiwanese technology companies rebounded in 2012 due to attractive valuations and higher yield, following a tough year last year. In particular, smartphone manufacturers saw improved performance.

During the second quarter, only Southeast Asian countries delivered positive returns while all other countries in the Fund posted negative returns. Domestically driven growth out of Southeast Asia has helped countries in that region remain relatively unharmed by global economic factors. However, valuations are becoming more demanding as the region continues to outperform its neighbors to the north.

Overall market sentiment remains weak for Asia's technology sector as no near-term resolutions to Europe's economic crisis appear forthcoming. However, the sector's valuations still remain attractive and any signs of global economic recovery should positively impact the sector. We continue to look for opportunities in secular growth industries, such as factory automation, Internet and IT services, which stand to benefit from Asia's long-term development.

Sector funds may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of a concentration in a specific sector. The Fund's value may be affected by changes in the science and technology-related industries.

66 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund  June 30, 2012

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 97.9%

    Shares   Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 31.5%  
Baidu, Inc. ADRb     81,800     $ 9,405,364    
Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. ADR     228,600       4,034,790    
Digital China Holdings, Ltd.     2,127,000       3,748,266    
Sunny Optical Technology Group Co., Ltd.     10,264,000       3,496,436    
21Vianet Group, Inc. ADRb     271,301       3,106,396    
Airtac International Groupb     467,000       2,690,214    
AAC Technologies Holdings, Inc.     822,000       2,392,148    
WuXi PharmaTech Cayman, Inc. ADRb     160,900       2,271,908    
Netease, Inc. ADRb     38,300       2,253,955    
China Mobile, Ltd. ADR     36,100       1,973,587    
ZTE Corp. H Shares     991,144       1,933,276    
Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. H Shares     658,400       1,830,264    
Lenovo Group, Ltd.     1,804,000       1,539,410    
51job, Inc. ADRb     32,800       1,494,040    
Sina Corp.b     28,400       1,471,404    
Total China/Hong Kong         43,641,458    
JAPAN: 19.6%  
Hitachi, Ltd.     606,000       3,736,499    
Nabtesco Corp.     144,700       3,227,402    
Toshiba Corp.     610,000       2,321,879    
Hoya Corp.     99,400       2,189,784    
Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.     80,000       2,098,210    
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.     39,200       2,061,943    
Rakuten, Inc.     192,600       1,991,228    
SMC Corp.     10,900       1,889,817    
Hamamatsu Photonics, K.K.     55,400       1,879,493    
Nexon Co., Ltd.b     85,500       1,673,786    
Tokyo Electron, Ltd.     34,200       1,603,806    
FANUC Corp.     8,400       1,380,801    
Kakaku.com, Inc.     33,000       1,119,804    
Total Japan         27,174,452    
SOUTH KOREA: 19.6%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.     7,962       8,431,658    
NHN Corp.     17,194       3,771,230    
Cheil Industries, Inc.     33,514       2,957,056    
Kiwoom Securities Co., Ltd.     35,695       1,918,319    
LG Chem, Ltd.     6,923       1,792,195    
Daum Communications Corp.     19,635       1,765,950    
SBS Contents Hub Co., Ltd.     155,087       1,737,649    
LG Display Co., Ltd.b     88,500       1,670,829    
Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.     10,370       1,388,829    
JVM Co., Ltd.b     29,009       1,007,554    
OCI Materials Co., Ltd.     18,776       680,198    
Total South Korea         27,121,467    
TAIWAN: 18.4%  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Co., Ltd.b
    1,483,933       4,062,220    
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.     887,982       2,684,856    
TXC Corp.     1,733,198       2,516,476    
St. Shine Optical Co., Ltd.     217,000       2,428,558    
Delta Electronics, Inc.     738,000       2,265,369    
Chroma ATE, Inc.     981,360       2,240,259    
Simplo Technology Co., Ltd.     323,980       2,237,530    
    Shares   Value  
PChome Online, Inc.     389,000     $ 2,205,287    
Synnex Technology International Corp.     853,447       2,088,568    
Largan Precision Co., Ltd.     70,000       1,463,713    
Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.     342,350       1,246,468    
Total Taiwan         25,439,304    
INDIA: 3.1%  
Info Edge India, Ltd.     475,636       3,155,765    
Exide Industries, Ltd.     459,586       1,130,192    
Multi Commodity Exchange of India, Ltd.     1,540       29,253    
Total India         4,315,210    
UNITED STATES: 2.0%  
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.
Class Ab
    44,700       2,682,000    
Total United States         2,682,000    
MALAYSIA: 1.6%  
KPJ Healthcare BHD     1,217,600       2,263,362    
Total Malaysia         2,263,362    
INDONESIA: 1.4%  
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero ADR     56,900       1,981,827    
Total Indonesia         1,981,827    
VIETNAM: 0.7%  
FPT Corp.     433,700       976,631    
Total Vietnam         976,631    
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES         135,595,711    
(Cost $123,673,335)          

 

PREFERRED EQUITIES: 0.5%

SOUTH KOREA: 0.5%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.     1,089       718,905    
Total South Korea         718,905    
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES         718,905    
(Cost $695,255)          
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.4%         136,314,616    
(Cost $124,368,590c)          
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.6%
        2,154,134    
NET ASSETS: 100.0%       $ 138,468,750    

 

a  Certain securities were fair valued under the discretion of the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

b  Non-income producing security.

c  Cost for federal income tax purposes is $124,448,514 and net unrealized appreciation consists of:

Gross unrealized appreciation   $ 21,670,805    
Gross unrealized depreciation     (9,804,703 )  
Net unrealized appreciation   $ 11,866,102    

 

ADR  American Depositary Receipt

BHD  Berhad

Pfd.  Preferred

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 67




Disclosures

Fund Holdings: The Fund holdings shown in this report are as of June 30, 2012. Holdings are subject to change at any time, so holdings shown in this report may not reflect current Fund holdings. The Funds file complete schedules of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Funds' Form N-Q is filed with the SEC within 60 days of the end of the quarter to which it relates, and is available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. It may also be reviewed and copied at the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 800-SEC-0330. Complete schedules of investments are also available without charge, upon request, from the Funds by calling us at 800.789.ASIA (2472).

Proxy Voting Record: The Funds' Statement of Additional Information containing a description of the policies and procedures that the Funds have used to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities, along with each Fund's proxy voting record relating to portfolio securities held during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30, is available upon request, at no charge, at the Funds' website at matthewsasia.com or by calling 800.789.ASIA (2742), or on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Shareholder Reports and Prospectuses: To reduce the Funds' expenses, we try to identify related shareholders in a household and send only one copy of the Funds' prospectus and financial reports to that address. This process, called "householding," will continue indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. At any time you may view the Funds' current prospectus, summary prospectus and financial reports on our website. If you prefer to receive individual copies of the Funds' prospectus or financial reports, please call us at 800.789.ASIA (2742).

Redemption Fee Policy: The Funds assess a redemption fee of 2.00% on the total redemption proceeds on most sales or exchanges of shares that take place within 90 calendar days after their purchase as part of the Funds' efforts to discourage short-term trading activity. This fee is payable directly to the Funds. For purposes of determining whether the redemption fee applies, the shares that have been held longest will be redeemed first. The Funds may grant exemptions from the redemption fee in certain circumstances. For more information on this policy, please see the Funds' prospectus.

68 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Index Definitions

The HSBC Asian Local Bond Index (ALBI) tracks the total return performance of a bond portfolio consisting of local-currency denominated, high quality and liquid bonds in Asia ex-Japan. The ALBI includes bonds from the following countries: Korea, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and China.

The J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index (JACI) tracks the total return performance of the Asia fixed-rate dollar bond market. JACI is a market cap-weighted index comprising sovereign, quasi-sovereign and corporate bonds and is partitioned by country, sector and credit rating. JACI includes bonds from the following countries: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.

The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock of markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index is a free float– adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The MSCI China Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of Chinese equities that includes China-affiliated corporations and H shares listed on the Hong Kong Exchange, and B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 100 Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the 100 stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The MSCI Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of Japanese equities listed in Japan.

The Tokyo Stock Price Index (TOPIX) is a market capitalization–weighted index of all companies listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) is a market capitalization–weighted index of all common stocks listed on the Korea Stock Exchange.

The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted small cap index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The MSCI China Small Cap Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted small cap index of the Chinese equity securities markets, including H shares listed on the Hong Kong Exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, and Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red Chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China).

The MSCI AC Asia IT and Telecom Services Index (formerly known as MSCI/Matthews Asian Technology Index) is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of Asian equities tracking a broad range of technology stocks including semiconductor equipment and products, communications equipment, computers and peripherals, electronic equipment and instruments, office electronics, software, IT consulting and services, Internet software and services, diversified telecommunications services, and wireless telecommunications services.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 69



Disclosure of Fund Expenses (Unaudited)

We believe it is important for you to understand the impact of fees regarding your investment. All mutual funds have operating expenses. As a shareholder of a mutual fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund's gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund. A fund's operating expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. This figure is known as the expense ratio. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing fees (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period.

This table illustrates your fund's costs in two ways:

Actual Fund Return: This section helps you to estimate the actual operating expenses, after any applicable fee waivers, that you paid over the period. The "Ending Account Value" shown is derived from the fund's actual return for the past six month period, the "Expense Ratio" column shows the period's annualized expense ratio, and the "Operating Expenses Paid During Period" column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund at the beginning of the period. You may use the information here, together with your account value, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund in the first line under the heading entitled "Operating Expenses Paid During Period."

Hypothetical 5% Return: This section is intended to help you compare your fund's costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had an annual return of 5% before operating expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case, because the return used is not the fund's actual return, the results do not apply to your investment. This example is useful in making comparisons to other mutual funds because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on an assumed 5% annual return. You can assess your fund's costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.

Please note that the operating expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight and help you compare your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs such as sales charges (loads), redemption fees, or exchange fees. The Funds generally assess a redemption fee of 2.00% of the total redemption proceeds if you sell or exchange your shares within 90 calendar days after purchasing them. The redemption fee is paid directly to the Funds and is designed to discourage frequent short-term trading and to offset transaction costs associated with such trading of Fund shares. For purposes of determining whether the redemption fee applies, the shares that have been held the longest will be redeemed first. The Funds may grant exemption from the redemption fee when the Funds have previously received assurances that transactions do not involve market timing activity. The Funds may also waive the imposition of redemption fees in certain circumstances.

For more information on this policy, please see the Funds' prospectus.

The Matthews Asia Funds do not charge any sales loads, exchange fees, or 12b-1 fees, but these may be present in other funds to which you compare this data. Therefore, the hypothetical portions of the table are useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds.

70 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



  June 30, 2012

    INVESTOR CLASS   INSTITUTIONAL CLASS  
    Beginning
Account
Value
1/1/12
  Ending
Account
Value
6/30/12
  Expense
Ratio1
  Operating
Expenses
Paid During
Period
1/1/12–
6/30/122
  Beginning
Account
Value
1/1/12
  Ending
Account
Value
6/30/12
  Expense
Ratio1
  Operating
Expenses
Paid During
Period
1/1/12–
6/30/122
 
ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,041.80       1.11 %   $ 5.67     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,042.70       1.00 %   $ 5.11    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.45       1.11 %   $ 5.60     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.00       1.00 %   $ 5.05    
ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,095.10       1.11 %   $ 5.81     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,096.70       0.98 %   $ 5.14    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.45       1.11 %   $ 5.60     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.10       0.98 %   $ 4.95    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,087.60       1.08 %   $ 5.64     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,087.50       0.98 %   $ 5.11    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.60       1.08 %   $ 5.45     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.10       0.98 %   $ 4.95    
Matthews China Dividend Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,102.20       1.50 %   $ 7.88     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,102.50       1.40 %   $ 7.36    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,017.50       1.50 %   $ 7.57     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,018.00       1.40 %   $ 7.06    
ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,055.40       1.18 %   $ 6.06     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,056.00       1.00 %   $ 5.14    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.10       1.18 %   $ 5.96     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.00       1.00 %   $ 5.05    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,066.90       1.13 %   $ 5.84     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,067.90       0.95 %   $ 4.91    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.35       1.13 %   $ 5.70     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.25       0.95 %   $ 4.80    
Matthews China Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.50       1.14 %   $ 5.76     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,021.90       0.93 %   $ 4.70    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.30       1.14 %   $ 5.76     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.35       0.93 %   $ 4.70    
Matthews India Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,142.00       1.20 %   $ 6.43     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,143.30       1.01 %   $ 5.41    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.00       1.20 %   $ 6.06     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.95       1.01 %   $ 5.10    
Matthews Japan Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,032.60       1.23 %   $ 6.25     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,033.50       1.07 %   $ 5.44    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,018.85       1.23 %   $ 6.21     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.65       1.07 %   $ 5.40    
Matthews Korea Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,039.20       1.18 %   $ 6.02     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,039.10       0.99 %   $ 5.05    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,019.10       1.18 %   $ 5.96     $ 1,000.00     $ 1,020.05       0.99 %   $ 5.00    
ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGY  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,062.30       1.52 %   $ 7.84                    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,017.40       1.52 %   $ 7.67                    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,005.70       2.00 %   $ 10.03                    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,015.00       2.00 %   $ 10.08                    
ASIA SPECIALTY STRATEGY  
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund  
Actual Fund Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,056.40       1.21 %   $ 6.22                    
Hypothetical 5% Return   $ 1,000.00     $ 1,018.95       1.21 %   $ 6.11                    

 

1  Annualized, based on the Fund's most recent fiscal half-year expenses.

2  Operating expenses are equal to the Fund's annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 days, then divided by 366.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 71




Statements of Assets and Liabilities (Unaudited)  June 30, 2012

    Matthews Asia
Strategic
Income Fund
  Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
  Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
  Matthews China
Dividend Fund
  Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
 
ASSETS:  
Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):  
Unaffiliated issuers   $ 22,080,425     $ 3,153,835,788     $ 2,366,139,713     $ 27,409,850     $ 357,754,272    
Affiliated issuers           67,636,456       362,341,017                
Total investments     22,080,425       3,221,472,244       2,728,480,730       27,409,850       357,754,272    
Cash     880,186       31,996,018       82,696,075       91,308       2,603,140    
Cash pledged as collateral for financial futures contracts     11,000                            
Foreign currency at value (B)           6,247,891       4,700,731       60,506       3,020,576    
Dividends, interest and other receivables—Unaffiliated issuers     356,263       7,964,459       7,911,144       168,128       824,284    
Dividends receivable—Affiliated issuers                                
Receivable for securities sold           658,679       541,957                
Receivable for capital shares sold     149,820       3,989,149       11,883,249       10,900       270,547    
Receivable for daily variation margin on financial futures contracts     5,469                            
Due from Advisor (Note 5)     3,104                            
Deferred offering costs (Note 2-E)     59,312                            
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts     26,513                            
Prepaid expenses     8,644       18,564       41,748       6,450       11,227    
TOTAL ASSETS     23,580,736       3,272,347,004       2,836,255,634       27,747,142       364,484,046    
LIABILITIES:  
Payable for securities purchased     286,106             4,406,230                
Payable for capital shares redeemed     5,101       4,133,753       2,415,568       32,669       434,605    
Cash overdraft                                
Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-D)           205,458                      
Due to Advisor (Note 5)           1,823,828       1,556,036       12,750       203,792    
Administration and accounting fees payable     300       43,504       36,605       377       4,912    
Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable     1,424       591,250       464,087       5,650       67,900    
Printing fees payable           131,925       161,519       5,007       23,346    
Professional fees payable     14,291       25,559       23,010       21,605       22,448    
Trustees fees payable           1,023                      
Transfer agent fees payable           384,951       267,057       7,633       53,870    
Offering costs     42,618                            
Accrued other expenses payable     2,851       176,041       106,159       12,261       33,727    
TOTAL LIABILITIES     352,691       7,517,292       9,436,271       97,952       844,600    
NET ASSETS   $ 23,228,045     $ 3,264,829,712     $ 2,826,819,363     $ 27,649,190     $ 363,639,446    
NET ASSETS:  
Investor Class   $ 17,695,792     $ 2,556,381,422     $ 2,258,864,457     $ 27,609,955     $ 258,248,987    
Institutional Class     5,532,253       708,448,290       567,954,906       39,235       105,390,459    
TOTAL   $ 23,228,045     $ 3,264,829,712     $ 2,826,819,363     $ 27,649,190     $ 363,639,446    
SHARES OUTSTANDING:  
(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively,
unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)
 
Investor Class     1,738,092       156,788,211       168,982,502       2,543,517       15,950,264    
Institutional Class     543,588       43,463,466       42,510,833       3,613       6,491,806    
TOTAL     2,281,680       200,251,677       211,493,335       2,547,130       22,442,070    
NET ASSET VALUE:  
Investor Class, offering price and redemption price   $ 10.18     $ 16.30     $ 13.37     $ 10.86     $ 16.19    
Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price   $ 10.18     $ 16.30     $ 13.36     $ 10.86     $ 16.23    
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:  
Capital paid-in   $ 22,994,771     $ 2,941,341,682     $ 2,817,151,943     $ 28,688,291     $ 363,776,601    
Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net investment income (loss)     15,580       (9,904,853 )     (15,278,248 )     (216,886 )     (1,040,068 )  
Undistributed/accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments, financial
futures contracts, and foreign currency related transactions
    (134,011 )     (56,585,590 )     (50,741,493 )     (1,346,896 )     (47,969,652 )  
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments, financial futures
contracts, foreign currency translations and deferred foreign capital gains taxes
    351,705       389,978,473       75,687,161       524,681       48,872,565    
NET ASSETS   $ 23,228,045     $ 3,264,829,712     $ 2,826,819,363     $ 27,649,190     $ 363,639,446    
(A) Investments at cost:  
Unaffiliated issuers   $ 21,761,150     $ 2,765,976,922     $ 2,267,666,788     $ 26,885,199     $ 308,897,735    
Affiliated issuers           65,338,935       385,128,650                
Total investments at cost   $ 21,761,150     $ 2,831,315,857     $ 2,652,795,438     $ 26,885,199     $ 308,897,735    
(B) Foreign currency at cost   $     $ 6,242,348     $ 4,700,346     $ 60,506     $ 3,007,603    

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

72 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
  Matthews
China Fund
  Matthews
India Fund
  Matthews
Japan Fund
  Matthews
Korea Fund
 
ASSETS:  
Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):  
Unaffiliated issuers   $ 5,166,475,571     $ 2,053,924,878     $ 601,209,221     $ 115,539,981     $ 154,520,770    
Affiliated issuers     500,143,417       27,793,131                      
Total investments     5,666,618,988       2,081,718,009       601,209,221       115,539,981       154,520,770    
Cash     278,871,777       17,368,860             332,332       1,185,333    
Cash pledged as collateral for financial futures contracts                                
Foreign currency at value (B)     14,386,985       2,286,102       2,246,329       264,576       155,927    
Dividends, interest and other receivables—Unaffiliated issuers     10,569,080       13,920,950       2,182,778       168,482       66,565    
Dividends receivable—Affiliated issuers     1,106,875       494,668                      
Receivable for securities sold                 3,503,994             472,232    
Receivable for capital shares sold     8,220,048       675,400       97,374       324,537       69,577    
Receivable for daily variation margin on financial futures contracts                                
Due from Advisor (Note 5)                                
Deferred offering costs (Note 2-E)                                
Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts                                
Prepaid expenses     86,903       40,694       5,409       11,583       12,269    
TOTAL ASSETS     5,979,860,656       2,116,504,683       609,245,105       116,641,491       156,482,673    
LIABILITIES:  
Payable for securities purchased     41,826,168             1,010,219                
Payable for capital shares redeemed     8,059,057       2,547,763       1,026,973       102,900       213,322    
Cash overdraft                 1,534,187                
Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-D)     927,214                            
Due to Advisor (Note 5)     3,200,249       1,194,781       335,507       64,763       88,831    
Administration and accounting fees payable     75,590       29,121       8,110       1,556       2,303    
Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable     1,038,184       415,453       117,492       22,849       30,966    
Printing fees payable     205,874       211,181       81,101       15,096       14,971    
Professional fees payable     19,856       26,573       34,697       21,330       22,669    
Trustees fees payable                       70          
Transfer agent fees payable     695,877       348,469       121,910       22,631       29,828    
Offering costs                                
Accrued other expenses payable     426,450       80,805       69,242       10,475       14,993    
TOTAL LIABILITIES     56,474,519       4,854,146       4,339,438       261,670       417,883    
NET ASSETS   $ 5,923,386,137     $ 2,111,650,537     $ 604,905,667     $ 116,379,821     $ 156,064,790    
NET ASSETS:  
Investor Class   $ 2,994,944,504     $ 1,686,057,880     $ 574,490,183     $ 90,218,948     $ 133,511,920    
Institutional Class     2,928,441,633       425,592,657       30,415,484       26,160,873       22,552,870    
TOTAL   $ 5,923,386,137     $ 2,111,650,537     $ 604,905,667     $ 116,379,821     $ 156,064,790    
SHARES OUTSTANDING:  
(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively,
unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)
 
Investor Class     138,102,266       76,809,260       37,006,141       7,707,151       27,968,245    
Institutional Class     134,957,427       19,381,988       1,955,154       2,232,616       4,705,668    
TOTAL     273,059,693       96,191,248       38,961,295       9,939,767       32,673,913    
NET ASSET VALUE:  
Investor Class, offering price and redemption price   $ 21.69     $ 21.95     $ 15.52     $ 11.71     $ 4.77    
Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price   $ 21.70     $ 21.96     $ 15.56     $ 11.72     $ 4.79    
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:  
Capital paid-in   $ 4,734,935,688     $ 1,871,021,629     $ 615,828,107     $ 187,045,067     $ 111,493,738    
Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net investment income (loss)     31,197,884       24,192,110       4,577,507       39,168       (448,040 )  
Undistributed/accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments, financial
futures contracts, and foreign currency related transactions
    20,634,731       23,951,027       4,447,539       (76,741,097 )     (2,543,595 )  
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments, financial futures
contracts, foreign currency translations and deferred foreign capital gains taxes
    1,136,617,834       192,485,771       (19,947,486 )     6,036,683       47,562,687    
NET ASSETS   $ 5,923,386,137     $ 2,111,650,537     $ 604,905,667     $ 116,379,821     $ 156,064,790    
(A) Investments at cost:  
Unaffiliated issuers   $ 3,988,601,903     $ 1,864,345,263     $ 621,054,500     $ 109,504,510     $ 106,958,362    
Affiliated issuers     540,438,190       24,891,260                      
Total investments at cost   $ 4,529,040,093     $ 1,889,236,523     $ 621,054,500     $ 109,504,510     $ 106,958,362    
(B) Foreign currency at cost   $ 14,312,411     $ 2,286,101     $ 2,224,467     $ 264,576     $ 155,927    

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 73



Statements of Assets and Liabilities (Unaudited) (continued)  June 30, 2012

    Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
  Matthews China
Small Companies
Fund
  Matthews Asia
Science and
Technology Fund
 
ASSETS:  
Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):  
Unaffiliated issuers   $ 304,483,201     $ 5,135,973     $ 136,314,616    
Cash     7,394,206       158,899       2,130,493    
Foreign currency at value (B)     365,797             603,057    
Dividends, interest and other receivables—Unaffiliated issuers     746,498       31,237       228,726    
Receivable for securities sold     569,027             310,901    
Receivable for capital shares sold     406,375             2,661    
Due from Advisor (Note 5)           1,896          
Prepaid expenses     4,853       13,881       2,666    
TOTAL ASSETS     313,969,957       5,341,886       139,593,120    
LIABILITIES:  
Payable for securities purchased           35,743       695,255    
Payable for capital shares redeemed     4,069,883             232,098    
Due to Advisor (Note 5)     267,170             78,565    
Administration and accounting fees payable     4,337       77       1,896    
Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable     60,220       766       30,029    
Professional fees payable     23,534       15,003       19,150    
Trustees fees payable                 42    
Offering costs           33,179          
Accrued other expenses payable     98,587       8,359       67,335    
TOTAL LIABILITIES     4,523,731       93,127       1,124,370    
NET ASSETS   $ 309,446,226     $ 5,248,759     $ 138,468,750    
NET ASSETS:  
Investor Class   $ 309,446,226     $ 5,248,759     $ 138,468,750    
SHARES OUTSTANDING:  
(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively,
unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)
 
Investor Class     19,725,943       741,577       16,057,376    
NET ASSET VALUE:  
Investor Class, offering price and redemption price   $ 15.69     $ 7.08     $ 8.62    
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:  
Capital paid-in   $ 333,097,112     $ 6,735,795     $ 138,745,240    
Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net investment income (loss)     1,476,781       30,579       (106,929 )  
Undistributed/accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments
and foreign currency related transactions
    (12,302,583 )     (634,662 )     (12,117,305 )  
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments and foreign
currency translations
    (12,825,084 )     (882,953 )     11,947,744    
NET ASSETS   $ 309,446,226     $ 5,248,759     $ 138,468,750    
(A) Investments at cost: Unaffiliated issuers   $ 317,309,503     $ 6,018,942     $ 124,368,590    
(B) Foreign currency at cost   $ 365,797     $     $ 602,802    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

74 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Statements of Operations (Unaudited)  Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2012

    Matthews Asia
Strategic
Income Fund
  Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
  Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
 
INVESTMENT INCOME:  
Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers   $ 41,562     $ 52,571,693     $ 50,380,652    
Dividends—Affiliated Issuers (Note 7)           1,227,194       7,085,211    
Interest     431,657       10,129,352       4,971    
Foreign withholding tax     (15,592 )     (2,553,427 )     (2,823,299 )  
TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME     457,627       61,374,812       54,647,535    
EXPENSES:  
Investment advisory fees (Note 5)     63,267       10,713,918       8,801,237    
Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)     774       127,257       104,531    
Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)     17,737       3,426,099       2,722,770    
Custodian fees     6,354       466,351       271,440    
Insurance fees     37       9,049       6,921    
Printing fees     1,035       260,669       239,524    
Professional fees     14,055       38,675       34,016    
Registration fees     4,344       115,391       83,059    
Transfer agent fees     7,137       1,989,059       1,519,165    
Trustees fees     379       74,118       58,467    
Offering costs (Note 2-E)     55,010                
Other expenses     6,632       63,198       58,224    
TOTAL EXPENSES     176,761       17,283,784       13,899,354    
Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)     (72,432 )              
NET EXPENSES     104,329       17,283,784       13,899,354    
NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)     353,298       44,091,028       40,748,181    
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS,
FINANCAIL FUTURES CONTRACTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY
RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DEFERRED TAXES:
 
Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers     75,438       (34,152,235 )     3,931,815    
Net realized gain (loss) on financial futures contracts     (143,772 )              
Net realized foreign capital gains tax or refund           (403,929 )        
Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions     (65,267 )     (5,380,612 )     56,726    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     383,456       271,437,472       158,817,185    
Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation     1,249       (205,458 )        
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on financial futures contracts     7,525                
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign
currency related translations
    43,004       35,514       (26,971 )  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, financial futures
contracts, foreign currency related transactions and deferred taxes
    301,633       231,330,752       162,778,755    
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS   $ 654,931     $ 275,421,780     $ 203,526,936    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 75



Statements of Operations (Unaudited) (continued)  Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2012

    Matthews China
Dividend Fund
  Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
  Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
  Matthews
China Fund
  Matthews
India Fund
 
INVESTMENT INCOME:  
Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers   $ 667,259     $ 4,430,808     $ 61,866,449     $ 38,157,797     $ 4,932,282    
Dividends—Affiliated Issuers (Note 7)                 2,100,535       549,500          
Interest     1       10,320       53       10       621,832    
Foreign withholding tax     (16,909 )     (214,609 )     (4,018,451 )     (1,741,769 )        
TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME     650,351       4,226,519       59,948,586       36,965,538       5,554,114    
EXPENSES:  
Investment advisory fees (Note 5)     96,597       1,251,474       18,439,460       7,812,110       2,245,101    
Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)     1,147       14,864       219,010       92,762       26,649    
Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)     32,533       391,322       5,542,468       2,519,389       743,573    
Custodian fees     9,801       93,611       1,058,767       336,239       191,040    
Insurance fees     81       1,050       14,738       6,244       1,943    
Printing fees     4,624       34,826       273,644       253,238       98,988    
Professional fees     17,993       20,260       47,947       28,968       36,395    
Registration fees     24,533       29,660       58,196       53,341       49,812    
Transfer agent fees     25,901       229,115       2,827,020       1,566,322       537,337    
Trustees fees     669       8,692       124,343       55,513       15,951    
Offering costs (Note 2-E)                                
Other expenses     17,928       25,511       78,552       49,302       27,861    
TOTAL EXPENSES     231,807       2,100,385       28,684,145       12,773,428       3,974,650    
Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)     (16,559 )                          
NET EXPENSES     215,248       2,100,385       28,684,145       12,773,428       3,974,650    
NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)     435,103       2,126,134       31,264,441       24,192,110       1,579,464    
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS,
FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DEFERRED TAXES:
 
Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers     (645,620 )     16,941,976       17,091,681       59,194,257       2,103,481    
Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions     186       (39,273 )     (645,778 )     14,094       (464,562 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     2,814,440       (690,684 )     265,255,397       (41,202,857 )     79,599,840    
Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation                 (927,214 )              
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign
currency related translations
    (93 )     16,534       (55,262 )     (22 )     578    
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency
related transactions and deferred taxes
    2,168,913       16,228,553       280,718,824       18,005,472       81,239,337    
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS   $ 2,604,016     $ 18,354,687     $ 311,983,265     $ 42,197,582     $ 82,818,801    

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

76 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Matthews
Japan Fund
  Matthews
Korea Fund
  Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
  Matthews China
Small Companies
Fund
  Matthews Asia
Science and
Technology Fund
 
INVESTMENT INCOME:  
Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers   $ 1,482,376     $ 727,045     $ 4,169,124     $ 88,782     $ 786,186    
Dividends—Affiliated Issuers (Note 7)                                
Interest     16       114       8,243             8    
Foreign withholding tax     (102,731 )     (120,096 )     (191,295 )     (1,387 )     (50,644 )  
TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME     1,379,661       607,063       3,986,072       87,395       735,550    
EXPENSES:  
Investment advisory fees (Note 5)     410,130       617,146       1,592,549       28,543       504,929    
Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)     4,872       7,330       12,669       227       5,997    
Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)     129,807       188,903       353,606       7,213       163,138    
Custodian fees     13,675       31,090       88,072       6,588       42,605    
Insurance fees     409       477       846       14       482    
Printing fees     15,994       18,462       32,807       1,111       19,874    
Professional fees     18,407       18,245       25,262       13,010       19,384    
Registration fees     26,818       23,958       33,901       5,038       18,512    
Transfer agent fees     82,447       111,368       239,381       7,142       108,912    
Trustees fees     3,054       4,224       6,977       122       3,684    
Offering costs (Note 2-E)                       16,363          
Other expenses     22,614       23,265       23,432       14,773       21,100    
TOTAL EXPENSES     728,227       1,044,468       2,409,502       100,144       908,617    
Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)                       (43,328 )        
NET EXPENSES     728,227       1,044,468       2,409,502       56,816       908,617    
NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)     651,434       (437,405 )     1,576,570       30,579       (173,067 )  
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS,
FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DEFERRED TAXES:
 
Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers     2,125,668       (3,348,770 )     (13,654,637 )     (518,091 )     (846,414 )  
Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions     37,977       (64,050 )     (52,479 )     (81 )     (44,646 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     1,190,735       7,877,804       25,088,982       371,711       9,747,918    
Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation                                
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign
currency related translations
    (419 )     (3,562 )     625       15       925    
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency
related transactions and deferred taxes
    3,353,961       4,461,422       11,382,491       (146,446 )     8,857,783    
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS   $ 4,005,395     $ 4,024,017     $ 12,959,061     ($ 115,867 )   $ 8,684,716    

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 77



Statements of Changes in Net Assets

MATTHEWS ASIA STRATEGIC INCOME FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 20111
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 353,298     $ 20,982    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (133,601 )     380    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    426,460       (82,280 )  
Net change on deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation     1,249       (1,249 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on financial futures contracts     7,525          
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     654,931       (62,167 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class     (247,278 )     (13,720 )  
Institutional Class     (92,373 )     (9,676 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions     (339,651 )     (23,396 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     9,891,069       13,096,972    
REDEMPTION FEES     10,287          
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     10,216,636       13,011,409    
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     13,011,409          
End of period (including undistributed net investment
income of $15,580 and $1,933, respectively)
  $ 23,228,045     $ 13,011,409    

 

1  Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund commenced operations on November 30, 2011.

MATTHEWS ASIAN GROWTH AND INCOME FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 44,091,028     $ 99,815,175    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (39,936,776 )     75,127,361    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    271,472,986       (569,899,433 )  
Net change on deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation     (205,458 )     2,051,108    
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     275,421,780       (392,905,789 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class     (30,681,143 )     (76,967,577 )  
Institutional Class     (9,019,939 )     (19,206,528 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (93,455,486 )  
Institutional Class           (22,304,133 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions     (39,701,082 )     (211,933,724 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     156,850,222       (578,220,072 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     159,957       487,841    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     392,730,877       (1,182,571,744 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     2,872,098,835       4,054,670,579    
End of period (including distributions in excess of net investment
income of ($9,904,853) and ($14,294,799), respectively)
  $ 3,264,829,712     $ 2,872,098,835    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

78 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 40,748,181     $ 62,460,078    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     3,988,541       (46,007,986 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    158,790,214       (287,624,247 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     203,526,936       (271,172,155 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class     (32,771,018 )     (55,295,897 )  
Institutional Class     (8,246,825 )     (9,863,378 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (9,863,184 )  
Institutional Class           (1,815,393 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions     (41,017,843 )     (76,837,852 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     389,216,861       640,377,706    
REDEMPTION FEES     227,876       821,527    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     551,953,830       293,189,226    
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     2,274,865,533       1,981,676,307    
End of period (including distributions in excess of net investment
income of ($15,278,248) and ($15,008,586), respectively)
  $ 2,826,819,363     $ 2,274,865,533    
MATTHEWS CHINA DIVIDEND FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 435,103     $ 987,303    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (645,434 )     (475,091 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    2,814,347       (7,111,732 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     2,604,016       (6,599,520 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class     (565,840 )     (1,063,869 )  
Institutional Class     (798 )     (425 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (51,420 )  
Institutional Class           (22 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions     (566,638 )     (1,115,736 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     (885,185 )     (11,203,204 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     18,882       28,586    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     1,171,075       (18,889,874 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     26,478,115       45,367,989    
End of period (including distributions in excess of net investment
income of ($216,886) and ($85,351), respectively)
  $ 27,649,190     $ 26,478,115    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 79



Statements of Changes in Net Assets

MATTHEWS ASIA GROWTH FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 2,126,134     $ 2,302,379    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     16,902,703       3,999,688    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    (674,150 )     (55,786,729 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     18,354,687       (49,484,662 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (5,881,357 )  
Institutional Class           (1,854,156 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (7,735,513 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     1,784,832       56,083,400    
REDEMPTION FEES     31,775       322,245    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     20,171,294       (814,530 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     343,468,152       344,282,682    
End of period (including distributions in excess of net investment
income of ($1,040,068) and ($3,166,202), respectively)
  $ 363,639,446     $ 343,468,152    
MATTHEWS PACIFIC TIGER FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 31,264,441     $ 32,155,967    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     16,445,903       201,652,647    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    265,200,135       (873,676,041 )  
Net change on deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation     (927,214 )     3,089,305    
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     311,983,265       (636,778,122 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (15,129,147 )  
Institutional Class           (14,549,336 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (44,800,205 )  
Institutional Class           (31,562,381 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (106,041,069 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     801,261,894       (185,753,267 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     409,766       1,091,482    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     1,113,654,925       (927,480,976 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     4,809,731,212       5,737,212,188    
End of period (including undistributed/(distributions in excess of) net investment
income of $31,197,884 and ($66,557), respectively)
  $ 5,923,386,137     $ 4,809,731,212    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

80 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



MATTHEWS CHINA FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 24,192,110     $ 24,114,210    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     59,208,351       145,213,641    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    (41,202,879 )     (687,849,829 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     42,197,582       (518,521,978 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (22,545,562 )  
Institutional Class           (1,635,702 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (165,934,653 )  
Institutional Class           (9,954,863 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (200,070,780 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     (55,314,137 )     (138,886,741 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     157,315       906,432    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     (12,959,240 )     (856,573,067 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     2,124,609,777       2,981,182,844    
End of period (including undistributed net investment
income of $24,192,110 and $0, respectively)
  $ 2,111,650,537     $ 2,124,609,777    
MATTHEWS INDIA FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 1,579,464     $ 5,816,036    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     1,638,919       102,093,230    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    79,600,418       (520,083,666 )  
Net change on deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation           4,120,779    
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     82,818,801       (408,053,621 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (2,862,404 )  
Institutional Class           (132,371 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (2,994,775 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     (64,281,613 )     (440,540,693 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     111,781       835,135    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     18,648,969       (850,753,954 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     586,256,698       1,437,010,652    
End of period (including undistributed net investment
income of $4,577,507 and $2,998,043, respectively)
  $ 604,905,667     $ 586,256,698    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 81



Statements of Changes in Net Assets

MATTHEWS JAPAN FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 651,434     $ 655,220    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     2,163,645       (4,003,806 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    1,190,316       (8,805,446 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     4,005,395       (12,154,032 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (2,022,578 )  
Institutional Class           (583,768 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (2,606,346 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     (19,333,223 )     78,411,635    
REDEMPTION FEES     36,854       209,844    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     (15,290,974 )     63,861,101    
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     131,670,795       67,809,694    
End of period (including undistributed/(distributions in excess of) net investment
income of $39,168 and ($612,266), respectively)
  $ 116,379,821     $ 131,670,795    
MATTHEWS KOREA FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   ($ 437,405 )   ($ 210,803 )  
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (3,412,820 )     1,335,161    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    7,874,242       (14,446,852 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     4,024,017       (13,322,494 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (218,988 )  
Institutional Class           (23,737 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (6,521,874 )  
Institutional Class           (706,903 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (7,471,502 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     (4,675,721 )     10,383,940    
REDEMPTION FEES     16,865       115,820    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     (634,839 )     (10,294,236 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     156,699,629       166,993,865    
End of period (including distributions in excess of net investment
loss of ($448,040) and ($10,635), respectively)
  $ 156,064,790     $ 156,669,629    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

82 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



MATTHEWS ASIA SMALL COMPANIES FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 1,576,570     $ 3,154,642    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (13,707,116 )     35,003,030    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    25,089,607       (132,814,165 )  
Net change on deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation           1,174,891    
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     12,959,061       (93,481,602 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (2,890,029 )  
Realized gains on investments:  
Investor Class           (34,232,017 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (37,122,046 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     37,478,247       (157,938,046 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     65,176       391,117    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     50,502,484       (288,150,577 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     258,943,742       547,094,319    
End of period (including undistributed/(distributions in excess of) net investment
income of $1,476,781 and ($99,789), respectively)
  $ 309,446,226     $ 258,943,742    
MATTHEWS CHINA SMALL COMPANIES FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 20111
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   $ 30,579     ($ 12,320 )  
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (518,172 )     (116,195 )  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    371,726       (1,254,679 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     (115,867 )     (1,383,194 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (5,954 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (5,954 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     850,823       5,867,611    
REDEMPTION FEES     20,505       14,835    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     755,461       4,493,298    
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     4,493,298          
End of period (including undistributed net investment
income of $30,579 and $0, respectively)
  $ 5,248,759     $ 4,493,298    

 

1  The Matthews China Small Companies Fund commenced operations on May 31, 2011.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 83



Statements of Changes in Net Assets

MATTHEWS ASIA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FUND   Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
December 31, 2011
 
OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)   ($ 173,067 )   $ 408,640    
Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions     (891,060 )     12,874,420    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign
currency related translations
    9,748,843       (45,054,729 )  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     8,684,716       (31,771,669 )  
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:  
Net investment income:  
Investor Class           (454,558 )  
Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions           (454,558 )  
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)     (23,569,930 )     (5,021,334 )  
REDEMPTION FEES     5,065       160,697    
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     (14,880,149 )     (37,086,864 )  
NET ASSETS:  
Beginning of period     153,348,899       190,435,763    
End of period (including undistributed net investment
income (loss) of ($106,929) and $66,138, respectively)
  $ 138,468,750     $ 153,348,899    

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

84 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS




Financial Highlights

Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

INVESTOR CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20111
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 9.93     $ 10.00    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)2     0.19       0.02    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments, financial futures contracts and foreign currency
    0.21       (0.07 )  
Total from investment operations     0.40       (0.05 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.16 )     (0.02 )  
Total distributions     (0.16 )     (0.02 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     0.01          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 10.18     $ 9.93    
TOTAL RETURN     4.18 %3     (0.52 %)3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 17,696     $ 7,746    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.86 %4     3.20 %4  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator
    1.11 %4     1.00 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     3.65 %4     2.06 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     8.66 %3     3.66 %3  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20111
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 9.93     $ 10.00    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)2     0.19       0.02    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments, financial futures contracts, and foreign currency
    0.22       (0.07 )  
Total from investment operations     0.41       (0.05 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.17 )     (0.02 )  
Total distributions     (0.17 )     (0.02 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     0.01          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 10.18     $ 9.93    
TOTAL RETURN     4.27 %3     (0.52 %)3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 5,532     $ 5,266    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.75 %4     3.20 %4  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator
    1.00 %4     1.00 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     3.66 %4     1.96 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     8.66 %3     3.66 %3  

 

1 Commencement of operations on November 30, 2011.

2 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 85



Financial Highlights

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 15.07     $ 18.04     $ 15.77     $ 11.50     $ 19.78     $ 18.68    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.221       0.471       0.411       0.481       0.541       1.07    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    1.21       (2.36 )     2.57       4.23       (6.73 )     2.93    
Total from investment operations     1.43       (1.89 )     2.98       4.71       (6.19 )     4.00    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.20 )     (0.47 )     (0.47 )     (0.44 )     (0.42 )     (0.90 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.61 )     (0.24 )           (1.67 )     (2.00 )  
Total distributions     (0.20 )     (1.08 )     (0.71 )     (0.44 )     (2.09 )     (2.90 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2       2       2       2       2    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 16.30     $ 15.07     $ 18.04     $ 15.77     $ 11.50     $ 19.78    
TOTAL RETURN     9.51 %3     (10.62 %)     19.18 %     41.44 %     (32.07 %)     21.54 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 2,556,381     $ 2,340,606     $ 3,926,253     $ 2,547,411     $ 1,089,712     $ 2,273,408    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.11 %4     1.12 %     1.13 %     1.18 %     1.16 %     1.16 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.11 %4     1.12 %     1.13 %     1.18 %     1.16 %     1.15 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     2.73 %4     2.71 %     2.47 %     3.47 %     3.19 %     2.59 %  
Portfolio turnover     7.76 %3,5     16.54 %5     19.84 %5     17.51 %     25.16 %     27.93 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 15.06     $ 18.04     $ 18.13    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.24       0.52       0.07    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    1.21       (2.39 )     0.37    
Total from investment operations     1.45       (1.87 )     0.44    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.21 )     (0.50 )     (0.29 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.61 )     (0.24 )  
Total distributions     (0.21 )     (1.11 )     (0.53 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 16.30     $ 15.06     $ 18.04    
TOTAL RETURN     9.67 %3     (10.54 %)     2.49 %3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 708,448     $ 531,493     $ 128,417    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     0.98 %4     0.99 %     0.93 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     2.94 %4     3.05 %     2.46 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     7.76 %3     16.54 %     19.84 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

86 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 12.48     $ 14.33     $ 12.06     $ 8.61     $ 12.00     $ 10.77    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.201       0.361       0.311       0.321       0.381       0.27    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    0.89       (1.78 )     2.40       3.67       (3.47 )     1.67    
Total from investment operations     1.09       (1.42 )     2.71       3.99       (3.09 )     1.94    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.20 )     (0.37 )     (0.41 )     (0.55 )     (0.30 )     (0.27 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.06 )     (0.04 )           (0.02 )     (0.45 )  
Total distributions     (0.20 )     (0.43 )     (0.45 )     (0.55 )     (0.32 )     (0.72 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2       0.01       0.01       0.02       0.01    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 13.37     $ 12.48     $ 14.33     $ 12.06     $ 8.61     $ 12.00    
TOTAL RETURN     8.76 %3     (10.02 %)     22.83 %     47.59 %     (25.97 %)     18.05 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 2,258,864     $ 1,930,363     $ 1,933,383     $ 322,003     $ 141,951     $ 81,624    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.08 %4     1.10 %     1.14 %     1.28 %     1.35 %     1.42 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.08 %4     1.10 %     1.15 %     1.30 %     1.32 %     1.39 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     3.06 %4     2.61 %     2.31 %     3.16 %     3.74 %     2.66 %  
Portfolio turnover     3.38 %3,5     16.48 %5     10.48 %5     32.41 %     25.07 %     26.95 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 12.48     $ 14.33     $ 14.13    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.23       0.41       0.09    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.86       (1.82 )     0.32    
Total from investment operations     1.09       (1.41 )     0.41    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.21 )     (0.38 )     (0.17 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.06 )     (0.04 )  
Total distributions     (0.21 )     (0.44 )     (0.21 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)2                    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 13.36     $ 12.48     $ 14.33    
TOTAL RETURN     8.75 %3     (9.93 %)     2.95 %3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 567,955     $ 344,502     $ 48,293    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     0.98 %4     1.00 %     1.02 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     3.39 %4     3.03 %     3.86 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     3.38 %3     16.48 %     10.48 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of share issues.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 87



Financial Highlights

Matthews China Dividend Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31   Period Ended  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   Dec. 31, 20091  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 10.06     $ 12.17     $ 10.18     $ 10.00    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)2     0.17       0.29       0.17       (0.01 )  
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.84       (2.04 )     2.09       0.19    
Total from investment operations     1.01       (1.75 )     2.26       0.18    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.22 )     (0.35 )     (0.24 )        
Net realized gains on investments           (0.02 )     (0.04 )        
Total distributions     (0.22 )     (0.37 )     (0.28 )        
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     0.01       0.01       0.01       3    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 10.86     $ 10.06     $ 12.17     $ 10.18    
TOTAL RETURN     10.22 %4     (14.44 %)     22.53 %     1.80 %4  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 27,610     $ 26,467     $ 45,364     $ 7,134    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement or
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.62 %5     1.52 %     1.95 %     10.50 %5  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement or
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator
    1.50 %5     1.50 %     1.50 %     1.50 %5  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     3.03 %5     2.47 %     1.49 %     (0.81 %)5  
Portfolio turnover     14.02 %4,6     22.31 %6     6.84 %6     0.00 %4  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec 31, 20107
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 10.06     $ 12.17     $ 11.87    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)2     0.28       0.30       3    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.74       (2.01 )     0.47    
Total from investment operations     1.02       (1.71 )     0.47    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income     (0.23 )     (0.38 )     (0.13 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.02 )     (0.04 )  
Total distributions     (0.23 )     (0.40 )     (0.17 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     0.01       3          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 10.86     $ 10.06     $ 12.17    
TOTAL RETURN     10.25 %4     (14.22 %)     3.91 %4  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 39     $ 12     $ 4    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     1.40 %5     1.31 %     1.24 %5  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     5.07 %5     2.61 %     (0.06 %)5  
Portfolio turnover6     14.02 %4     22.31 %     6.84 %4  

 

1 Investor Class commenced operations on November 30, 2009.

2 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

3 Less than $0.01 per share.

4 Not annualized.

5 Annualized.

6 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

7 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

88 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Growth Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 15.34     $ 17.97     $ 14.29     $ 10.03     $ 17.29     $ 16.92    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.091       0.111       0.101       0.061       0.131       0.09    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    0.76       (2.41 )     3.72       4.44       (6.64 )     2.02    
Total from investment operations     0.85       (2.30 )     3.82       4.50       (6.51 )     2.11    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.35 )     (0.15 )     (0.24 )           (0.09 )  
Net realized gains on investments                             (0.76 )     (1.66 )  
Total distributions           (0.35 )     (0.15 )     (0.24 )     (0.76 )     (1.75 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.02       0.01       2       0.01       0.01    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 16.19     $ 15.34     $ 17.97     $ 14.29     $ 10.03     $ 17.29    
TOTAL RETURN     5.54 %3     (12.70 %)     26.85 %     44.82 %     (37.44 %)     11.92 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 258,249     $ 259,166     $ 335,429     $ 227,651     $ 168,031     $ 471,054    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     1.18 %4     1.19 %     1.19 %     1.28 %     1.23 %     1.20 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.08 %4     0.63 %     0.63 %     0.50 %     0.93 %     0.60 %  
Portfolio turnover     30.36 %3,5     28.06 %5     26.33 %5     58.10 %     37.10 %     40.49 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 15.37     $ 17.98     $ 17.65    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.11       0.14       0.01    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.75       (2.42 )     0.47    
Total from investment operations     0.86       (2.28 )     0.48    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.35 )     (0.15 )  
Total distributions           (0.35 )     (0.15 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.02          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 16.23     $ 15.37     $ 17.98    
TOTAL RETURN     5.60 %3     (12.58 %)     2.76 %3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 105,390     $ 84,302     $ 8,853    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     1.00 %4     1.03 %     0.99 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.32 %4     0.84 %     0.37 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     30.36 %3     28.06 %     26.33 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 89



Financial Highlights

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 20.33     $ 23.44     $ 19.23     $ 11.05     $ 27.86     $ 23.71    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.111       0.101       0.091       0.061       0.241       0.30    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    1.25       (2.78 )     4.20       8.27       (13.31 )     7.78    
Total from investment operations     1.36       (2.68 )     4.29       8.33       (13.07 )     8.08    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.11 )     (0.08 )     (0.15 )     (0.30 )     (0.31 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.33 )                 (3.44 )     (3.62 )  
Total distributions           (0.44 )     (0.08 )     (0.15 )     (3.74 )     (3.93 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.01       2             2       2    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 21.69     $ 20.33     $ 23.44     $ 19.23     $ 11.05     $ 27.86    
TOTAL RETURN     6.69 %3     (11.41 %)     22.30 %     75.37 %     (46.12 %)     33.66 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 2,994,945     $ 2,780,640     $ 5,196,743     $ 3,565,745     $ 1,202,441     $ 3,806,714    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.13 %4     1.11 %     1.09 %     1.13 %     1.12 %     1.11 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.13 %4     1.11 %     1.09 %     1.13 %     1.12 %     1.10 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.03 %4     0.44 %     0.43 %     0.41 %     1.10 %     1.12 %  
Portfolio turnover     2.55 %3,5     10.51 %5     11.43 %5     13.22 %     16.76 %     24.09 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 20.32     $ 23.44     $ 23.37    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.14       0.23       0.01    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    1.24       (2.87 )     0.15    
Total from investment operations     1.38       (2.64 )     0.16    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.15 )     (0.09 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.33 )        
Total distributions           (0.48 )     (0.09 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)2                    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 21.70     $ 20.32     $ 23.44    
TOTAL RETURN     6.79 %3     (11.28 %)     0.67 %3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 2,928,442     $ 2,029,091     $ 540,469    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     0.95 %4     0.95 %     0.95 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.28 %4     1.03 %     0.38 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     2.55 %3     10.51 %     11.43 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

90 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews China Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 21.51     $ 29.36     $ 25.50     $ 14.34     $ 39.73     $ 24.16    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.231       0.261       0.151       0.091       0.301       0.12    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    0.21       (5.78 )     3.86       11.12       (19.78 )     16.85    
Total from investment operations     0.44       (5.52 )     4.01       11.21       (19.48 )     16.97    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.28 )     (0.15 )     (0.07 )     (0.33 )     (0.11 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (2.06 )     (0.02 )           (5.62 )     (1.37 )  
Total distributions           (2.34 )     (0.17 )     (0.07 )     (5.95 )     (1.48 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.01       0.02       0.02       0.04       0.08    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 21.95     $ 21.51     $ 29.36     $ 25.50     $ 14.34     $ 39.73    
TOTAL RETURN     2.05 %3     (18.93 %)     15.77 %     78.30 %     (48.95 %)     70.14 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 1,686,058     $ 1,836,333     $ 2,939,638     $ 2,566,005     $ 781,104     $ 2,335,402    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.14 %4     1.13 %     1.15 %     1.21 %     1.23 %     1.18 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.14 %4     1.13 %     1.15 %     1.21 %     1.23 %     1.17 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     2.02 %4     0.93 %     0.54 %     0.46 %     1.03 %     0.49 %  
Portfolio turnover     7.17 %3,5     8.43 %5     9.98 %5     5.28 %     7.91 %     22.13 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 21.49     $ 29.36     $ 30.02    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.27       0.26       (0.04 )  
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.20       (5.73 )     (0.44 )  
Total from investment operations     0.47       (5.47 )     (0.48 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.34 )     (0.16 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (2.06 )     (0.02 )  
Total distributions           (2.40 )     (0.18 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 21.96     $ 21.49     $ 29.36    
TOTAL RETURN     2.19 %3     (18.80 %)     (1.62 %)3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 425,593     $ 288,277     $ 41,545    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     0.93 %4     0.96 %     0.97 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     2.38 %4     0.99 %     (0.74 %)4  
Portfolio turnover5     7.17 %3     8.43 %     9.98 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 91



Financial Highlights

Matthews India Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 13.59     $ 21.49     $ 16.29     $ 8.37     $ 24.44     $ 15.45    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.041       0.111       0.051       0.071       0.031       (0.01 )  
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    1.89       (7.96 )     5.22       8.06       (15.33 )     9.87    
Total from investment operations     1.93       (7.85 )     5.27       8.13       (15.30 )     9.86    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.07 )     (0.09 )     (0.10 )     (0.11 )     (0.21 )  
Net realized gains on investments                       (0.12 )     (0.69 )     (0.68 )  
Total distributions           (0.07 )     (0.09 )     (0.22 )     (0.80 )     (0.89 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.02       0.02       0.01       0.03       0.02    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 15.52     $ 13.59     $ 21.49     $ 16.29     $ 8.37     $ 24.44    
TOTAL RETURN     14.20 %3     (36.48 %)     32.53 %     97.25 %     (62.32 %)     64.13 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 574,490     $ 559,337     $ 1,388,892     $ 720,925     $ 317,516     $ 1,311,072    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.20 %4     1.18 %     1.18 %     1.27 %     1.29 %     1.29 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.20 %4     1.18 %     1.18 %     1.27 %     1.29 %     1.28 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     0.46 %4     0.58 %     0.25 %     0.59 %     0.16 %     (0.04 %)  
Portfolio turnover     4.90 %3,5     3.51 %5     6.14 %5     18.09 %     26.68 %     25.59 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 13.61     $ 21.48     $ 22.03    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.06       0.16       (0.02 )  
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    1.89       (7.96 )     (0.43 )  
Total from investment operations     1.95       (7.80 )     (0.45 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.07 )     (0.10 )  
Total distributions           (0.07 )     (0.10 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 15.56     $ 13.61     $ 21.48    
TOTAL RETURN     14.33 %3     (36.35 %)     (2.01 %)3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 30,415     $ 26,920     $ 48,119    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     1.01 %4     0.99 %     0.99 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     0.71 %4     0.86 %     (0.51 %)4  
Portfolio turnover5     4.90 %3     3.51 %     6.14 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

92 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Japan Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 11.34     $ 12.53     $ 10.91     $ 10.19     $ 14.55     $ 17.29    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     0.061       0.071       0.021       0.101       0.111       0.03    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    0.31       (1.06 )     2.09       0.92       (4.26 )     (1.86 )  
Total from investment operations     0.37       (0.99 )     2.11       1.02       (4.15 )     (1.83 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.22 )     (0.49 )     (0.31 )           (0.01 )  
Net realized gains on investments                             (0.22 )     (0.91 )  
Total distributions           (0.22 )     (0.49 )     (0.31 )     (0.22 )     (0.92 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.02       2       0.01       0.01       0.01    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 11.71     $ 11.34     $ 12.53     $ 10.91     $ 10.19     $ 14.55    
TOTAL RETURN     3.26 %3     (7.72 %)     19.58 %     10.06 %     (28.38 %)     (10.96 %)  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 90,219     $ 101,369     $ 67,805     $ 88,334     $ 123,674     $ 166,860    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.23 %4     1.22 %     1.30 %     1.31 %     1.23 %     1.24 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.23 %4     1.22 %     1.30 %     1.31 %     1.23 %     1.23 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.05 %4     0.54 %     0.13 %     0.97 %     0.84 %     (0.01 %)  
Portfolio turnover     27.01 %3,5     34.94 %5     46.29 %5     126.75 %     88.97 %     45.51 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 11.34     $ 12.53     $ 11.73    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     0.07       0.06       (0.01 )  
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.31       (1.04 )     1.30    
Total from investment operations     0.38       (0.98 )     1.29    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.22 )     (0.49 )  
Total distributions           (0.22 )     (0.49 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.01          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 11.72     $ 11.34     $ 12.53    
TOTAL RETURN     3.35 %3     (7.72 %)     11.22 %3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 26,161     $ 30,302     $ 4    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     1.07 %4     1.07 %     1.08 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.15 %4     0.46 %     (0.51 %)4  
Portfolio turnover5     27.01 %3     34.94 %     46.29 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of shares issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 93



Financial Highlights

Matthews Korea Fund

The tables below set forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 4.59     $ 5.14     $ 4.31     $ 2.75     $ 6.56     $ 6.23    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     (0.01 )1     (0.01 )1     0.011       (0.01 )1     (0.02 )1     0.07    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/
depreciation on investments and foreign currency
    0.19       (0.31 )     0.93       1.74       (3.48 )     1.15    
Total from investment operations     0.18       (0.32 )     0.94       1.73       (3.50 )     1.22    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.01 )                 (0.06 )     (0.02 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (0.22 )     (0.11 )     (0.17 )     (0.25 )     (0.87 )  
Total distributions           (0.23 )     (0.11 )     (0.17 )     (0.31 )     (0.89 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2       2       2       2       2    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 4.77     $ 4.59     $ 5.14     $ 4.31     $ 2.75     $ 6.56    
TOTAL RETURN     3.92 %3     (6.45 %)     21.86 %     62.92 %     (52.66 %)     18.90 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 133,512     $ 141,590     $ 166,990     $ 138,371     $ 87,253     $ 250,421    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     1.18 %4     1.18 %     1.21 %     1.30 %     1.27 %     1.21 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     (0.55 %)4     (0.18 %)     0.16 %     (0.36 %)     (0.34 %)     1.17 %  
Portfolio turnover     21.61 %3,5     30.13 %5     39.05 %5     52.47 %     28.70 %     24.20 %  

 

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20106
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 4.61     $ 5.14     $ 4.84    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)1     (0.01 )     0.17       0.03    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.19       (0.47 )     0.38    
Total from investment operations     0.18       (0.30 )     0.41    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.01 )        
Net realized gains on investments           (0.22 )     (0.11 )  
Total distributions           (0.23 )     (0.11 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       2          
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 4.79     $ 4.61     $ 5.14    
TOTAL RETURN     3.91 %3     (6.05 %)     8.51 %3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 22,553     $ 15,109     $ 4    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets     0.99 %4     1.07 %     0.91 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     (0.22 %)4     3.37 %     3.74 %4  
Portfolio turnover5     21.61 %3     30.13 %     39.05 %3  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

5 The portfolio turnover rate is calculated on the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between classes of share issued.

6 Institutional Class commenced operations on October 29, 2010.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

94 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

The table below sets forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31   Period Ended  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   Dec. 31, 20081  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 14.77     $ 21.16     $ 15.79     $ 7.89     $ 10.00    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)2     0.08       0.15       0.04       0.02       0.01    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.84       (4.35 )     5.55       8.04       (2.16 )  
Total from investment operations     0.92       (4.20 )     5.59       8.06       (2.15 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.17 )     (0.09 )     (0.05 )     (0.02 )  
Net realized gains on investments           (2.04 )     (0.15 )     (0.15 )        
Total distributions           (2.21 )     (0.24 )     (0.20 )     (0.02 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     3       0.02       0.02       0.04       0.06    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 15.69     $ 14.77     $ 21.16     $ 15.79     $ 7.89    
TOTAL RETURN     6.23 %4     (20.03 %)     35.54 %     103.00 %     (21.03 %)3  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 309,446     $ 258,944     $ 547,094     $ 109,726     $ 3,173    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.52 %5     1.52 %     1.59 %     2.90 %     14.31 %4  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator
    1.52 %5     1.52 %     1.63 %     2.00 %     2.00 %4  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     1.00 %5     0.76 %     0.24 %     0.13 %     0.15 %4  
Portfolio turnover     12.96 %4     19.97 %     23.99 %     21.39 %     3.10 %3  

 

1 Investor Class commenced operations on September 15, 2008.

2 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

3 Less than $0.01 per share.

4 Not annualized.

5 Annualized.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 95



Financial Highlights

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

The table below sets forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

INVESTOR CLASS   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
(unaudited)
  Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20111
 
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 7.04     $ 10.00    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)2     0.04       (0.02 )  
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    (0.03 )     (2.96 )  
Total from investment operations     0.01       (2.98 )  
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.01 )  
Total distributions           (0.01 )  
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     0.03       0.03    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 7.08     $ 7.04    
TOTAL RETURN3     0.57 %     (29.51 %)  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 5,249     $ 4,493    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)4
    3.53 %     5.32 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement,
waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator4
    2.00 %     2.00 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets4     1.08 %     (0.53 %)  
Portfolio turnover3     23.86 %     6.08 %  

 

1 Investor Class commenced operations on May 31, 2011.

2 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

96 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund

The table below sets forth financial data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each period presented.

    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2012
  Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   (unaudited)   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007  
Net Asset Value, beginning of period   $ 8.16     $ 9.89     $ 8.02     $ 4.71     $ 9.80     $ 7.92    
INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:  
Net investment income (loss)     (0.01 )1     0.021       0.031       1,2       0.011       2    
Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation
on investments and foreign currency
    0.47       (1.74 )     1.86       3.31       (5.11 )     1.87    
Total from investment operations     0.46       (1.72 )     1.89       3.31       (5.10 )     1.87    
LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:  
Net investment income           (0.02 )     (0.02 )                    
Total distributions           (0.02 )     (0.02 )                    
Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)     2       0.01       2       2       0.01       0.01    
Net Asset Value, end of period   $ 8.62     $ 8.16     $ 9.89     $ 8.02     $ 4.71     $ 9.80    
TOTAL RETURN     5.64 %3     (17.26 %)     23.58 %     70.28 %     (51.94 %)     23.74 %  
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA  
Net assets, end of period (in 000's)   $ 138,469     $ 153,349     $ 190,436     $ 130,367     $ 74,476     $ 252,304    
Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)
    1.21 %4     1.21 %     1.26 %     1.40 %     1.33 %     1.26 %  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any
reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by
Advisor and Administrator
    1.21 %4     1.21 %     1.26 %     1.40 %     1.33 %     1.25 %  
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets     (0.23 %)4     0.23 %     0.35 %     0.30 %     0.08 %     (0.30 %)  
Portfolio turnover     18.64 %3     65.47 %     61.61 %     83.27 %     44.84 %     33.21 %  

 

1 Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2 Less than $0.01 per share.

3 Not annualized.

4 Annualized.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 97




Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)

1.  ORGANIZATION

Matthews Asia Funds (the "Trust") is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The Trust currently issues thirteen separate series of shares (each a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"): Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund, Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund, Matthews Asia Dividend Fund, Matthews China Dividend Fund, Matthews Asia Growth Fund, Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund, Matthews China Fund, Matthews India Fund, Matthews Japan Fund, Matthews Korea Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, Matthews China Small Companies Fund and Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund. Each Fund except for Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, Matthews China Small Companies Fund and Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund currently offers two classes of shares: Investor Class and Institutional Class. Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, Matthews China Small Companies Fund and Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund currently offer only Investor Class shares. Each class of shares has identical voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights and the same terms and conditions, except each class may be subject to different class expenses as outlined in the relevant prospectus and each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters solely affecting such class.

2.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Funds in preparation of their financial statements.

A.  SECURITY VALUATION: The value of the Funds' securities is based on market quotations for those securities, or on their fair value determined by or under the direction of the Funds' Board of Trustees (the "Board"). Market quotations and valuation information are provided by commercial pricing services or securities dealers that are independent of the Funds and Matthews, in accordance with procedures established by the Funds' Board. Foreign exchange-traded securities are valued as of the close of trading on the primary exchange on which they trade. Securities that trade in over-the-counter markets, including most debt securities (bonds), may be valued by other third-party vendors or by using indicative bid quotations from dealers or market makers, or other available market information. Market values for securities are determined based on quotations, market data or other information from the principal (or most advantageous) market on which the security is traded. Market quotations for equity securities used by the Funds include last reported sale prices, or, if such prices are not reported or available, bid and ask prices. Financial futures contracts traded on exchanges are valued at their settlement price. Foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the mean between the bid and ask prices and are determined at the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). Interpolated values are derived when the settlement date of the contract is an interim date for which quotations are not available. The Funds may also utilize independent pricing services to assist them in determining a current market value for each security based on sources believed to be reliable.

The Board has delegated the responsibility of making fair value determinations to the Funds' Valuation Committee (the "Valuation Committee") subject to the Funds' Pricing Policies. When fair value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a Fund to calculate its Net Asset Value ("NAV") may differ from any quoted or published prices for the same securities for that day. All fair value determinations are made subject to the Board's oversight. Events affecting the value of foreign investments may occur between the time at which they are determined and when the Funds calculate their NAV, which is normally the close of trading on the NYSE. If such events render market quotations unreliable, and the impact of such events can be reasonably determined, the investments will be valued at their fair value. The fair value of a security held by the Funds may be determined using the services of third-party pricing services retained by the Funds or by the Valuation Committee, in either case subject to the Board's oversight.

The books and records of the Funds are maintained in U.S. dollars. Transactions, portfolio securities, and assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency are translated and recorded in U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the close of trading on the NYSE. Translation gains or losses resulting from changes in the exchange rate during the reporting period and realized gains and losses on the settlement of foreign currency transactions are reported in the results of operations for the current period. The Funds do not isolate that portion of gains and losses on investments in equity securities that is due to changes in foreign exchange rate from that which is due to changes in market prices of equity securities.

Foreign securities held by the Funds may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed. Accordingly, the NAV of the Funds may be significantly affected on days when shareholders have no access to the Funds.

B.  FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS: In accordance with the guidance on fair value measurements and disclosures under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"), the Funds disclose the fair value of their investments in a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure the fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to valuations based upon unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to valuations based upon unobservable inputs that are significant to the valuation (Level 3 measurements). Various inputs are used in determining the fair value of investments and derivative financial instruments, which are as follows:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

Level 2: Other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

As of June 30, 2012, Level 3 securities consist primarily of equities that, as of June 30, 2012, were suspended from trading. As described in Note 2-A, these securities are valued based on their fair value as determined under the direction of the Board. The significant unobservable inputs, the methodology used for valuing such securities, and the characterization of such securities as Level 3 securities are not necessarily an indication of liquidity, or the risk associated with investing in these securities. Level 2 equity securities consist primarily of securities that have been fair valued by third-party pricing services (see Note 2-A).

98 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



The summary of inputs used to determine the fair valuation of the Fund's investments and derivative financial instruments as of June 30, 2012 is as follows:

    Matthews Asia
Strategic
Income Fund
  Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
  Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
  Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
  Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
 
Level 1: Quoted Prices  
Common Equities:  
China/Hong Kong   $     $ 147,928,280     $ 168,690,688     $ 17,984,298     $ 279,680,242    
India                       2,311,627       20,311,372    
Indonesia           40,179,888       24,995,192             13,085,631    
South Korea           27,539,676       81,033,396                
Taiwan           89,832,398       86,890,940                
Vietnam           24,581,995             6,580,488       50,100,036    
Preferred Equities:  
South Korea           33,248,774                      
Closed-End Investment Company:  
Thailand                 7,288,951                
Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs  
Foreign Government Obligations     8,110,711                            
Corporate Bonds     12,390,823       488,825,387                      
Common Equities:  
Australia           240,963,449       231,000,692       18,908,534          
Cambodia                       7,965,135          
China/Hong Kong     625,372       571,491,151       684,078,555       65,230,746       1,573,696,716    
India           45,703,421             21,887,558       913,527,580    
Indonesia           53,640,056       61,768,313       22,417,153       488,663,459    
Japan           206,978,427       679,442,247       124,666,065          
Malaysia           167,473,630             3,039,529       279,802,913    
Philippines     212,495       54,863,987       45,256,793             144,736,199    
Singapore     431,593       477,120,369       334,161,975       12,880,950       157,323,373    
South Korea           64,128,885       34,145,168       3,635,160       821,548,937    
Sri Lanka                       5,895,388          
Taiwan           82,242,519       102,842,893       18,265,254       491,652,906    
Thailand     309,371       252,950,294       153,211,890       26,086,387       432,489,624    
United Kingdom           61,216,545                      
Vietnam           15,898,531                      
Preferred Equities:  
South Korea           68,016,064                      
Level 3: Significant Unobservable Inputs  
Common Equities:  
Taiwan                 33,673,037                
Corporate Bonds           6,648,518                      
Total Market Value of Investments   $ 22,080,425     $ 3,221,472,244     $ 2,728,480,730     $ 357,754,272     $ 5,666,618,988    

 

    Matthews Asia
Strategic Income
Fund
 
Derivative Financial Instruments1  
Assets  
Level 1: Quoted Prices  
Interest Rate Contracts   $ 7,525    
Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs  
Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts     26,513    
Total Market Value of Derivative Financial Instruments   $ 34,038    

 

1  Derivative financial instruments are financial futures contracts and foreign currency exchange contracts. Financial futures contracts and foreign currency exchange contracts are valued at the unrealized appreciation/depreciation on the instrument.

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 99



Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

    Matthews China
Dividend Fund
  Matthews
China Fund
  Matthews
India Fund
  Matthews
Japan Fund
  Matthews
Korea Fund
  Matthews
China Small
Companies
Fund
 
Investments  
Level 1: Quoted Prices  
Common Equities:  
Consumer Discretionary   $     $ 92,214,634     $     $     $     $ 211,908    
Consumer Staples                             1,758,630          
Energy     1,720,136                                  
Financials     1,576,510       15,681,479       11,868,554                      
Health Care           44,546,534                         309,310    
Industrials                                      
Information Technology           57,812,238       10,732,346                   247,180    
Materials                             5,099,896          
Telecommunication Services     1,769,959       28,554,141                            
Preferred Equities:  
Financials                             2,891,156          
Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs  
Common Equities:  
Consumer Discretionary     4,439,194       352,097,097       70,180,818       29,366,544       38,155,076       862,587    
Consumer Staples     1,181,547       248,536,223       77,685,814       7,724,834       12,979,111       695,612    
Energy     842,117       144,963,717       6,402,511             3,587,632       88,239    
Financials     2,635,612       466,513,364       130,886,260       13,983,504       25,221,511       478,596    
Health Care     805,789       42,628,696       33,284,352       11,528,452       3,413,033       174,085    
Industrials     4,026,109       188,969,827       105,224,837       30,272,198       14,861,925       1,068,984    
Information Technology     2,965,401       192,514,167       42,183,107       16,578,022       33,274,351       448,365    
Materials     2,286,469             70,139,745       4,912,361       7,354,208       255,081    
Telecommunication Services           95,321,472             1,174,066                
Utilities     2,213,708       111,364,420       29,232,827                   261,618    
Preferred Equities:  
Consumer Discretionary                             4,420,216          
Materials                             1,504,025          
Corporate Bonds                 13,388,050                      
Level 3: Significant Unobservable Inputs  
Common Equities:  
Consumer Discretionary     947,299                                  
Electronic Equipment, Instruments &
Components
                                  34,408    
Total Market Value of Investments   $ 27,409,850     $ 2,081,718,009     $ 601,209,221     $ 115,539,981     $ 154,520,770     $ 5,135,973    

 

100 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
  Matthews Asia
Science and
Technology Fund
 
Level 1: Quoted Prices  
Common Equities:  
China/Hong Kong   $ 7,458,500     $ 26,011,444    
India     5,192,159       29,253    
Indonesia           1,981,827    
United States           2,682,000    
Warrants:  
Malaysia     109,225          
Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs  
Common Equities:  
China/Hong Kong     79,772,092       17,630,014    
India     40,820,233       4,285,957    
Indonesia     28,060,238          
Japan           27,174,452    
Malaysia     19,354,356       2,263,362    
Philippines     6,218,002          
Singapore     15,227,792          
South Korea     39,839,589       27,121,467    
Taiwan     48,850,745       25,439,304    
Thailand     13,389,843          
Vietnam           976,631    
Preferred Equities:  
South Korea           718,905    
Level 3: Significant Unobservable Inputs  
Common Equities:  
China/Hong Kong     190,427          
Total Market Value of Investments   $ 304,483,201     $ 136,314,616    

 

Certain foreign securities may be fair valued by external pricing services when the Funds determine that events affecting the value of foreign securities which occur between the time at which they are determined and the close of trading on the NYSE render market quotations unreliable. Such fair valuations are categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. Foreign securities that are valued based on market quotations are categorized as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy (see Note 2-A). The Funds' policy is to recognize transfers in and transfers out as of the beginning of the reporting period. At June 30, 2012, the Funds utilized third party pricing services to fair value certain markets which were different than markets which utilized third party pricing services at December 31, 2011. As a result, certain securities held by the Funds were transferred from Level 1 into Level 2 with beginning of period values as follows:

    Transfer to Level 2
from Level 1
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 926,898    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     1,504,534,546    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     1,624,303,181    
Matthews China Dividend Fund     18,308,476    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     211,390,627    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     3,064,323,555    
Matthews China Fund     1,864,395,755    
Matthews India Fund     500,327,143    
Matthews Japan Fund     89,275,533    
Matthews Korea Fund     6,740,962    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     162,495,396    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     3,506,060    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     72,260,460    

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

Following is a reconciliation of Level 3 investments for which significant unobservable inputs were used to determine value:

    Matthews Asia
Strategic
Income Fund
  Matthews Asia
Strategic
Income Fund
  Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
  Matthews China
Dividend Fund
  Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
  Matthews
India Fund
 
    Corporate Bonds   Foreign
Government
Obligations
  Common
Equities —
Taiwan
  Common
Equities —
Consumer
Discretionary
  Corporate Bonds   Corporate Bonds  
Balance as of 12/31/11
(market value)
  $ 4,268,354     $ 6,569,135     $     $     $ 468,582,867     $ 40,219,200    
Accrued discounts/premiums                             2,474,995          
Realized gain/(loss)                       129,504       (5,705,306 )        
Change in unrealized
appreciation/depreciation
                5,368,923       99,023       2,855,028          
Net purchases                 4,320,092                      
Net sales                       (260,862 )     (32,921,590 )        
Transfers in to Level 3*                 23,984,022       979,634                
Transfers out of Level 3*     (4,268,354 )     (6,569,135 )                 (428,637,476 )     (40,219,200 )  
Balance as of 6/30/12
(market value)
  $     $     $ 33,673,037     $ 947,299     $ 6,648,518     $    
Net change in unrealized
appreciation/depreciation
on Level 3 investments
held as of 6/30/12**
  $     $     $ 5,368,923     $ 99,023     $ 2,855,028     $    

 

    Matthews
Asia Small
Companies
Fund
  Matthews
China Small
Companies
Fund
 
    Common
Equities —
China
  Common
Equities —
Information
Technology
 
Balance as of 12/31/11 (market value)   $ 3,040,262     $ 37,218    
Accrued discounts/premiums              
Realized gain/(loss)              
Change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation     (2,849,835 )     (2,810 )  
Net Purchases              
Net Sales              
Transfers in to Level 3*              
Transfers out of Level 3*              
Balance as of 6/30/12 (market value)   $ 190,427     $ 34,408    
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on
Level 3 investments held as of 6/30/12**
  ($ 2,849,835 )   ($ 2,810 )  

 

*  The Fund's policy is to recognize transfers in and transfer out as of the beginning of the reporting period.

**  Included in the related amounts on the Statements of Operations.

Certain foreign securities, for which market quotations are not readily available, may be fair valued and classified as either Level 2 or Level 3. When the underlying inputs include significant observable inputs obtained from sources independent of the Funds, the securities are classified as Level 2. When the underlying inputs include significant unobservable inputs and reflect assumptions of market participants, the securities are classified as Level 3. As of June 30, 2012, the Funds utilized significant observable inputs including evaluated price from the Funds' pricing vendors, day-on-day prices changes, primary and ancillary pricing sources, and other available independent market indicators of value. As a result, certain securities held by the Funds that were previously classified as Level 3 were transferred to Level 2. As of June 30, 2012, certain equity securities were suspended from trading and were transferred from Level 1 to Level 3.

102 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



The following table summarizes the valuation techniques used and unobservable inputs developed by the Valuation Committee to determine the fair value of certain, material Level 3 investments:

    Value   Valuation
Technique
  Unobservable
Input
  Range of
Unobservatble
Inputs
  Impact to
Valuation from
an Increase
in Inputs
 
MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND  
Common Equities   $ 33,673,037     Closing Price
Mulitplied by
Circuit Limit Fair
Valuation Factor
  Upward
Circuit Limit Fair
Valuation Factor
    0-2 %   Increase  
MATTHEWS CHINA DIVIDEND FUND  
Common Equities   $ 947,299     Closing Price
Mulitplied by
Circuit Limit Fair
Valuation Factor
  Upward
Circuit Limit Fair
Valuation Factor
    0-2 %   Increase  

 

In the event of a downward circuit limit fair valuation, an increase in input would result in a decrease in value.

C.  RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-U.S. COMPANIES: Investments by the Funds in the securities of non-U.S. companies may involve investment risks not typically associated with investments in U.S. issuers. These risks include possible political, economic, social and religious instability, inadequate investor protection; changes in laws or regulations of countries within the Asia Pacific region (including both in countries where you invest, as well as in the broader region); international relations with other nations; natural disasters; corruption; and military activity. Foreign securities may be subject to greater fluctuations in price than securities of domestic corporations or the U.S. government. Foreign investing may also include the risk of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitation on the removal or funds or other assets, currency crises and exchange controls, the imposition of foreign withholding tax on the interest income payable on such instruments, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits or assets, or the adoption of other foreign government restrictions that might adversely affect the foreign securities held by the Funds. Additionally, Asia Pacific countries may utilize formal or informal currency exchange controls or "capital controls" that may limit the ability to repatriate investments or income or adversely affect the value of portfolio investments. The economies of many Asia Pacific countries differ from the economies of more developed countries in many respects, such as their rate of growth, inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and dependence on other economies, financial system stability, the national balance of payments position and sensitivity to changes in global trade. Certain Asia Pacific countries are highly dependent upon and may be affected by developments in the economies of other countries. Non-U.S. companies are subject to different accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, practices, and requirements than U.S. companies. There is generally less government regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies abroad than in the United States, which may result in less transparency with respect to a company's operations, and make obtaining information about them more difficult (or such information may be unavailable).

Foreign stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as those in the United States, and the absence of negotiated brokerage commissions in certain countries may result in higher brokerage fees. The time between the trade and settlement dates of securities transactions on foreign exchanges ranges from one day to four weeks or longer and may result in higher custody charges. Custodial arrangements may be less well developed than in the United States. Foreign securities are generally denominated and pay distributions in foreign currencies, exposing the Funds to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Investing in any country in the Asia Pacific region will also entail risks specific and unique to that country, and these risks can be significant and change rapidly.

D.  INCOME AND WITHHOLDING TAXES: It is the policy of the Funds to comply with all requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("the Code"), applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of their taxable income to their shareholders. The Funds have met the requirements of the Code applicable to regulated investment companies for six-month period ended June 30, 2012. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required. Income and capital gains of the Funds are determined in accordance with both tax regulations and U.S. GAAP. Such treatment may result in temporary and permanent differences between tax basis earnings and earnings reported for financial statement purposes. These reclassifications, which have no impact on the net asset value of the Funds, are primarily attributable to certain differences in computation of distributable income and capital gains under federal tax rules versus U.S. GAAP, and the use of the tax accounting practice known as equalization.

Management has analyzed the Funds' tax positions taken on federal income tax returns for all open tax years (current and prior three tax years), and has concluded that no provision for federal income tax is required in the Funds' financial statements. The Funds' federal and state income and federal excise tax returns for tax years for which the applicable statutes of limitations have not expired are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and state departments of revenue.

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

Under current tax law, the Funds have elected to defer certain qualified late-year losses and recognize such losses in the year ending December 31, 2012.

    Post October
Capital Losses
  Late Year
Ordinary Losses
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 410     $    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     13,790,791       7,343,712    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     5,622,994       807,738    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund           66,556    
Matthews China Fund     33,012,775          
Matthews India Fund           90,831    
Matthews Japan Fund     3,352,918       19,415    
Matthews Korea Fund           10,635    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund           99,789    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     29,356          
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     262,214       401    

 

For federal income tax purposes, the Funds indicated below have capital loss carryforwards as of December 31, 2011, which expire in the year indicated, which are available to offset future capital gains, if any:

LOSSES DEFERRED EXPIRING IN:   2016   2017   With No
Expiration*
  Total  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund   $     $     $ 54,055,529     $ 54,055,529    
Matthews China Dividend Fund                 701,462       701,462    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     1,000,383       58,248,975             59,249,358    
Matthews Japan Fund     30,079,024       44,032,426       1,382,944       75,494,394    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund                 87,134       87,134    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund           10,329,226             10,329,226    

 

*  Post-Enactment Losses: Must be utilized prior to losses subject to expiration. All losses are short-term.

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. However, any losses incurred during those future taxable years will be required to be utilized prior to any losses incurred in pre-enactment taxable years, which generally expire after eight years from when they are incurred. Additionally, post-enactment capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under previous law.

The Funds may be subject to foreign taxation related to income received, capital gains on the sale of securities and certain foreign currency transactions in the foreign jurisdictions in which it invests. Foreign taxes, if any, are recorded based on the tax regulations and rates that exist in the foreign markets in which the Funds invest. When a capital gain tax is determined to apply the Funds record an estimated deferred tax liability in an amount that may be payable if the securities were disposed of on the valuation date.

E.  OFFERING COSTS: Offering costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over one year from each Fund's respective commencement of operations. In the event that any of the initial shares are redeemed during the period of amortization of the Fund's offering costs, the redemption proceeds will be reduced by any such unamortized offering costs in the same proportion as the number of shares being redeemed bears to the number of those shares outstanding at the time of redemption.

F.  DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS: It is the policy of Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund and Matthews China Dividend Fund to distribute net investment income on a semi-annual basis and capital gains, if any, annually. It is the policy of Matthews Asia Dividend Fund and Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund to distribute net investment income on a quarterly basis and capital gains, if any, annually. Each of the other Funds distribute net investment income and capital gains, if any, annually. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with income tax regulations which may differ from U.S. GAAP.Net investment losses may not be utilized to offset net investment income in future periods for tax purposes.

104 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



The tax character of distributions paid for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 was as follows:

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2011   Ordinary Income   Net Long-Term
Capital Gains
  Total Taxable
Distributions
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 23,396     $     $ 23,396    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     99,386,784       112,546,940       211,933,724    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     65,160,891       11,676,961       76,837,852    
Matthews China Dividend Fund     1,087,962       27,774       1,115,736    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     7,735,513             7,735,513    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     28,983,044       77,058,025       106,041,069    
Matthews China Fund     25,170,852       174,899,928       200,070,780    
Matthews India Fund     2,994,775             2,994,775    
Matthews Japan Fund     2,606,346             2,606,346    
Matthews Korea Fund     1,792,530       5,678,972       7,471,502    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     2,884,834       34,237,212       37,122,046    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     5,954             5,954    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     454,558             454,558    

 

G.  INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS AND INCOME: Securities transactions are accounted for on the date the securities are purchased or sold. Gains or losses on the sale of securities are determined on the identified cost basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is generally recorded on the ex-dividend date. Dividend income for certain issuers headquartered in countries which the Funds invest may not be recorded until approved by the shareholders (which may occur after the ex-dividend date) if, in the judgment of management, such dividends are not reasonably determined as of the ex-dividend date. Income and realized and unrealized gains or losses on investments are allocated to each class of shares based on its relative net assets or another appropriate basis.

H.  FUND EXPENSE ALLOCATIONS: The Funds account separately for the assets, liabilities and operations of each Fund. Direct expenses of each Fund or class are charged to that Fund or class while general expenses are allocated pro-rata among the Funds based on net assets or other appropriate methods.

I.  CASH OVERDRAFTS: When cash balances are overdrawn, a Fund is charged an overdraft fee by the custodian of 1.00% above the 30-day LIBOR rate on outstanding balances. These amounts, if any, are included in "Other expenses" on the Statements of Operations.

J.  USE OF ESTIMATES: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

3.  DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund engages in various portfolio investment strategies using derivative contracts to hedge its exposure to foreign currency exchange rate risk. Losses may arise if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument or if the counterparty does not perform under the contract. The Fund's primary risks associated with the use of derivatives include the other party to the derivative contract may fail to fulfill its obligation, reduced liquidity, the Fund may suffer disproportionately heavy losses relative to the amount invested, and changes in the value of the derivatives may not match or fully offset changes in the value of the hedged portfolio securities, thereby failing to achieve the original purpose for using the derivative.

Financial Futures Contracts: Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund may purchase financial futures contracts for hedging purposes or to maintain liquidity. Financial futures contracts are agreements between the Fund and a counterparty to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specified price and at a specified date. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled either through physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on settlement date. Pursuant to the contract, the Fund agrees to receive from or pay an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such receipts or payments are known as variation margin and are recorded by the Fund as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value of the contract at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. The primary risks associated with the use of futures contracts are: (i) imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the securities held by the Fund and the price of futures contracts; (ii) possible lack of a liquid secondary market for a futures contract and the resulting inability to close a futures contract when desired; (iii) losses, which are potentially unlimited, due to unanticipated market movements; and (iv) Matthews' ability to predict correctly the direction of security prices, interest rates and other economic factors.

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: Matthews Asia Strategic Income entered into forward foreign currency exchange contracts as a hedge against either specific transactions or portfolio instruments or to obtain exposure to foreign currencies (foreign currency exchange rate risk). Forward foreign currency exchange contracts, when used by the Fund, may also help to manage the overall exposure to the currencies (currency risk) in which some of the investments held by the Fund are denominated. A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a currency at a set exchange rate on a future date. The contract is marked-to-market daily and the change in market value is recorded by the Fund as an unrealized gain or loss. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the value at the time it was opened and the value at the time it was closed. The use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts involves the risk that the value of a forward foreign currency exchange contract changes unfavorably due to movements in the value of the referenced foreign currencies and the risk that the counterparty to the contract does not perform its obligations under the agreement.

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

Derivative Financial Instruments Categorized by Risk Exposure:

Fair Values of Derivative Financial Instruments as of June 30, 2012  
    Statements of Assets and Liabilities Location   Matthews Asia
Strategic Income
Fund
 
    Asset Derivatives  
Interest rate contracts:   Unrealized appreciation on financial futures contracts*   $ 7,525    
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts   Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency
exchange contracts
    26,513    
    Total   $ 34,038    

 

*  Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation of financial futures contracts as reported in the Schedule of Investments. Only current day's margin variation is reported within the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

The Effect of Derivative Instruments on the Statements of Operations  

 

Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2012   Matthews Asia
Strategic Income
Fund
 
Net Realized Gain (Loss)  
Interest rate contracts:  
Financial futures contracts   ($ 143,772 )  
Forward Currency Exchange Contracts:  
Foreign currency related transactions   ($ 65,267 )  
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)  
Interest rate contracts:  
Financial futures contracts   $ 7,525    
Forward Currency Exchange Contracts:  
Foreign currency related translations   $ 43,004    

 

For the six-month period ended June 30, 2012, the average quarterly balances of outstanding derivative financial instruments were as follows:

    Matthews Asia
Strategic Income
Fund
 
Financial Futures Contracts (Interest Rate Risk):  
Average number of contracts sold     15    
Average notional value of contracts sold   $ 1,961,719    
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts (Foreign Currency Exchange Risk):  
Average number of contracts—U.S. dollars purchased     1    
Average U.S. dollar amounts purchased   $ 788,838    
Average number of contracts—U.S. dollars sold     1    
Average U.S. dollar amounts sold   $ 788,926    

 

4.  CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

Each Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share.

    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Period Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS ASIA STRATEGIC INCOME FUND*   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     1,111,806     $ 11,335,247       778,753     $ 7,781,032    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     23,627       239,374       1,377       13,650    
Shares redeemed     (177,419 )     (1,819,083 )     (52 )     (519 )  
Net increase (decrease)     958,014     $ 9,755,538       780,078     $ 7,794,163    

106 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Period Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     5,962     $ 61,161       529,314     $ 5,293,133    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     9,114       92,374       976       9,676    
Shares redeemed     (1,778 )     (18,004 )              
Net increase (decrease)     13,298     $ 135,531       530,290     $ 5,302,809    

 

*  Investor Class and Institutional Class commenced of operations on November 30, 2011.

    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS ASIAN GROWTH AND INCOME FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     18,901,739     $ 306,087,654       32,060,064     $ 559,112,796    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     1,814,819       28,655,986       10,068,790       158,200,819    
Shares redeemed     (19,295,236 )     (312,606,086 )     (104,375,074 )     (1,819,398,166 )  
Net increase (decrease)     1,421,322     $ 22,137,554       (62,246,220 )   ($ 1,102,084,551 )  
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     10,837,635     $ 177,542,777       42,908,389     $ 768,482,507    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     510,238       8,056,652       2,445,888       38,413,987    
Shares redeemed     (3,171,162 )     (50,886,761 )     (17,185,882 )     (283,032,015 )  
Net increase (decrease)     8,176,711     $ 134,712,668       28,168,395     $ 523,864,479    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     37,785,921     $ 502,767,152       110,243,475     $ 1,519,475,047    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     2,180,675       28,630,288       4,409,967       57,884,041    
Shares redeemed     (25,608,185 )     (340,211,995 )     (94,904,591 )     (1,294,339,749 )  
Net increase (decrease)     14,358,411     $ 191,185,445       19,748,851     $ 283,019,339    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     17,321,247     $ 230,373,541       37,459,944     $ 527,212,815    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     387,207       5,070,173       394,869       5,170,880    
Shares redeemed     (2,807,594 )     (37,412,298 )     (13,615,599 )     (175,025,328 )  
Net increase (decrease)     14,900,860     $ 198,031,416       24,239,214     $ 357,358,367    

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS CHINA DIVIDEND FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     535,697     $ 5,916,457       1,578,670     $ 18,586,260    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     50,548       535,306       98,443       1,066,240    
Shares redeemed     (673,105 )     (7,365,159 )     (2,774,075 )     (30,866,410 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (86,860 )   ($ 913,396 )     (1,096,962 )   ($ 11,213,910 )  
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     2,389     $ 27,413       1,623     $ 20,100    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     75       798       42       446    
Shares redeemed                 (815 )     (9,840 )  
Net increase (decrease)     2,464     $ 28,211       850     $ 10,706    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS ASIA GROWTH FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     1,648,664     $ 27,452,652       5,632,916     $ 97,848,412    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     6       99       348,624       5,393,217    
Shares redeemed     (2,593,072 )     (42,660,447 )     (7,753,246 )     (132,663,366 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (944,402 )   ($ 15,207,696 )     (1,771,706 )   ($ 29,421,737 )  
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     2,731,300     $ 45,877,524       7,003,033     $ 119,247,333    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 118,577       1,837,939    
Shares redeemed     (1,724,898 )     (28,884,996 )     (2,128,608 )     (35,580,135 )  
Net increase (decrease)     1,006,402     $ 16,992,528       4,993,002     $ 85,505,137    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS PACIFIC TIGER FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     16,539,491     $ 361,437,123       41,532,204     $ 934,343,952    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     1       24       2,676,956       55,278,364    
Shares redeemed     (15,205,450 )     (330,190,300 )     (129,175,269 )     (2,984,869,324 )  
Net increase (decrease)     1,334,042     $ 31,246,847       (84,966,109 )   ($ 1,995,247,008 )  

 

108 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     41,944,006     $ 917,949,690       91,157,431     $ 2,125,434,487    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 1,088,887       22,463,738    
Shares redeemed     (6,823,017 )     (147,934,643 )     (15,469,797 )     (338,404,484 )  
Net increase (decrease)     35,120,989     $ 770,015,047       76,776,521     $ 1,809,493,741    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS CHINA FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     6,906,230     $ 159,558,774       16,475,470     $ 462,682,408    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     3       55       8,291,580       182,081,269    
Shares redeemed     (15,466,381 )     (352,803,009 )     (39,534,640 )     (1,062,621,657 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (8,560,148 )   ($ 193,244,180 )     (14,767,590 )   ($ 417,857,980 )  
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     9,607,181     $ 220,388,221       12,452,573     $ 289,794,029    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 254,874       5,591,931    
Shares redeemed     (3,637,716 )     (82,458,178 )     (709,945 )     (16,414,721 )  
Net increase (decrease)     5,969,465     $ 137,930,043       11,997,502     $ 278,971,239    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS INDIA FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     3,012,241     $ 48,586,663       10,457,996     $ 199,418,664    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions     1       17       182,527       2,717,658    
Shares redeemed     (7,156,086 )     (112,446,582 )     (34,128,620 )     (639,558,369 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (4,143,844 )   ($ 63,859,902 )     (23,488,097 )   ($ 437,422,047 )  
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     22,556     $ 364,084       371,582     $ 7,299,291    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 8,878       132,371    
Shares redeemed     (45,897 )     (785,795 )     (641,677 )     (10,550,308 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (23,341 )   ($ 421,711 )     (261,217 )   ($ 3,118,646 )  

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS JAPAN FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     1,584,324     $ 18,650,782       9,300,532     $ 114,703,172    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 167,878       1,900,379    
Shares redeemed     (2,819,730 )     (32,833,094 )     (5,937,057 )     (71,506,114 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (1,235,406 )   ($ 14,182,312 )     3,531,353     $ 45,097,437    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     477,221     $ 5,661,121       2,679,969     $ 33,412,230    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 34,653       392,273    
Shares redeemed     (916,947 )     (10,812,032 )     (42,618 )     (490,305 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (439,726 )   ($ 5,150,911 )     2,672,004     $ 33,314,198    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS KOREA FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     1,322,413     $ 6,456,017       9,980,437     $ 52,613,715    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 1,372,595       6,464,876    
Shares redeemed     (4,170,481 )     (20,356,768 )     (13,035,214 )     (65,292,520 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (2,848,068 )   ($ 13,900,751 )     (1,682,182 )   ($ 6,213,929 )  
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Institutional Class  
Shares sold     8,618,941     $ 42,519,900       3,273,646     $ 16,597,460    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 21,797       102,882    
Shares redeemed     (7,191,186 )     (33,294,870 )     (18,269 )     (102,473 )  
Net increase (decrease)     1,427,755     $ 9,225,030       3,277,174     $ 16,597,869    
    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS ASIA SMALL COMPANIES FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     5,403,785     $ 88,688,403       7,391,135     $ 149,600,807    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 2,209,203       33,557,805    
Shares redeemed     (3,209,881 )     (51,210,156 )     (17,921,097 )     (341,096,658 )  
Net increase (decrease)     2,193,904     $ 37,478,247       (8,320,759 )   ($ 157,938,046 )  

 

110 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Period Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS CHINA SMALL COMPANIES FUND*   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     370,546     $ 2,818,272       850,982     $ 7,444,714    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 824       5,923    
Shares redeemed     (267,579 )     (1,967,449 )     (213,196 )     (1,583,026 )  
Net increase (decrease)     102,967     $ 850,823       638,610     $ 5,867,611    

 

*  The Investor Class commenced operations on May 31, 2011.

    Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
  Year Ended December 31, 2011  
MATTHEWS ASIA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FUND   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount  
Investor Class  
Shares sold     389,457     $ 3,445,528       8,443,941     $ 78,551,775    
Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions                 50,284       420,876    
Shares redeemed     (3,132,408 )     (27,015,458 )     (8,950,512 )     (83,993,985 )  
Net increase (decrease)     (2,742,951 )   ($ 23,569,930 )     (456,287 )   ($ 5,021,334 )  

 

The Funds generally assess a redemption fee of 2.00% of the total redemption proceeds if shareholders sell or exchange their shares within 90 calendar days after purchasing them. The redemption fee is paid directly to the Funds and is designed to offset transaction costs associated with short-term trading of Fund shares. For purposes of determining whether the redemption fee applies, the shares that have been held the longest will be redeemed first. The Funds may grant an exemption from the redemption fee when the Funds have previously received assurances that transactions do not involve a substantial risk of the type of harm that the policy is designed to avoid. The Funds may also waive the imposition of redemption fees in certain circumstances. For more information on this policy, please see the Funds' prospectus. The redemption fees returned to the assets of the Funds are stated in the Statements of Changes in Net Assets.

5.  INVESTMENT ADVISORY FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Matthews International Capital Management, LLC ("Matthews"), a registered investment advisor under the 1940 Act, provides the Funds with investment management services. Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement dated August 13, 2004, as amended (the "Advisory Agreement"), the Funds pay Matthews (i) for management and advisory services; and (ii) for certain administrative services, an annual fee as a percentage of average daily net assets. Under the Advisory Agreement each of the Funds, other than Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund and Matthews China Small Companies Fund pays Matthews 0.75% of their annual aggregate average daily net assets up to $2 billion, 0.6834% of the annual aggregate average daily net assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, and 0.65% of the annual aggregate average daily net assets over $5 billion. Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund pays Matthews an annual fee of 0.65% of its annual average daily net assets pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund and Matthews China Small Companies Fund pay Matthews an annual fee of 1.00% of their annual average daily net assets pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. Each Fund pays Matthews a monthly fee of one-twelfth (1/12) of the management fee of the Fund's average daily net asset value.

Under a written agreement between the Funds and Matthews, Matthews agrees to waive fees and reimburse money to a Fund if its expense ratio exceeds a certain percentage level. For Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund, Matthews China Fund, Matthews India Fund, Matthews Japan Fund, Matthews Korea Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund and Matthews China Small Companies Fund, this level is 2.00%. For Matthews Asia Growth Fund, Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund and Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund, this level is 1.90%. For Matthews Asia Dividend Fund and Matthews China Dividend Fund, this level is 1.50%. For Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund, Matthews agrees to waive fees and reimburse money to the Fund if its expense ratio exceeds 1.25% for the Institutional Class and agrees to reduce the expense ratio by an equal amount for the Investor Class. In turn, if a Fund's expenses fall below the level noted within three years after Matthews has made such a reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount of the recoupment available not to exceed its expense limitation. For each Fund other than Matthews China Dividend Fund, Matthews China Small Companies Fund and Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund, this agreement will continue through at least August 31, 2012. For Matthews China Dividend Fund, this agreement will continue through at least August 31, 2013. For Matthews China Small Companies Fund and Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund, this agreement will continue through at least August 31, 2014. These agreements may be extended for additional periods for each of the Funds.

Matthews has also agreed to waive fees and reimburse additional expenses for the Institutional Class of Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund on a voluntary basis if its expense ratio exceeds 1.00%. Furthermore, any amounts voluntarily waived by Matthews in respect of the Institutional Class of Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund, excluding any voluntary waiver of class-specific shareholder servicing fees, will also be waived for the Investor Class of Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund. These voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements may be terminated at any time in the sole and absolute discretion of Matthews. At June 30, 2012, Matthews China Dividend Fund had $151,750 available for recoupment, of which $30,662 expires in 2012, $96,407 expires in 2013, $8,122 expires in 2014 and $16,559 expires in 2015. Matthews China Small Companies Fund had $120,272 available for recoupment, which $76,945 expires in 2014 and $43,328 expires in 2015. Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund had $95,228 available for recoupment, which $22,796 expires in 2014 and $72,432 expires in 2015. Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund, Matthews Asia Dividend Fund, Matthews Asia Growth Fund, Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund, Matthews China Fund, Matthews India Fund, Matthews Japan Fund, Matthews Korea Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund had no amounts available for recoupment and no amounts recouped during the year.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

Investment advisory fees charged, waived and reimbursed for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012, were as follows:

    Gross Advisory Fees   Advisory Fees
Waived and
Reimbursed in
Excess of the
Expense Limitation
  Net Advisory Fee/
Reimbursement
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 63,267     ($ 72,432 )   ($ 9,165 )  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     10,713,918             10,713,918    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     8,801,237             8,801,237    
Matthews China Dividend Fund     96,597       (16,559 )     80,038    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     1,251,474             1,251,474    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     18,439,460             18,439,460    
Matthews China Fund     7,812,110             7,812,110    
Matthews India Fund     2,245,101             2,245,101    
Matthews Japan Fund     410,130             410,130    
Matthews Korea Fund     617,146             617,146    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     1,592,549             1,592,549    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     28,543       (43,328 )     (14,785 )  
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     504,929             504,929    

 

Certain officers and Trustees of the Funds are also officers and directors of Matthews. All officers serve without compensation from the Funds. The Funds paid the Independent Trustees $338,000 in aggregate for regular compensation during the six-month period ended June 30, 2012.

The Funds have a Shareholder Services Agreement, in which the Funds pay an annual administration and shareholder servicing fee to Matthews, as a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund in aggregate, computed and prorated on a daily basis. Under the Shareholder Services Agreement, the Funds pay 0.25% of their aggregate average daily net assets between $0 and $2 billion, 0.1834% of their aggregate average daily net assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, 0.15% of their aggregate average daily net assets between $5 billion and $7.5 billion, 0.125% of their aggregate average daily net assets between $7.5 billion and $15 billion and 0.11% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $15 billion.

Administration and shareholder servicing fees charged, for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012, were as follows:

    Administration and
Shareholder
Servicing Fees
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 15,176    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     2,495,056    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     2,049,499    
Matthews China Dividend Fund     22,493    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     291,437    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     4,294,084    
Matthews China Fund     1,819,119    
Matthews India Fund     522,763    
Matthews Japan Fund     95,557    
Matthews Korea Fund     143,643    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     248,333    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     4,449    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     117,611    

112 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



The Funds bear a portion of the fees paid to certain service providers (exclusive of the Funds' Transfer Agent) which provide transfer agency and shareholder servicing to certain shareholders. Additional information concerning these services and fees is contained in the Funds' prospectus. Fees accrued to pay to such service providers for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012 are a component of Transfer Agent fees and Administration and Shareholder Servicing Fees in the Statements of Operations as follows:

    Transfer Agent Fees   Administration &
Shareholder
Servicing Fees
  Total  
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 5,121     $ 2,561     $ 7,682    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     1,862,085       931,043       2,793,128    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     1,346,543       673,271       2,019,814    
Matthews China Dividend Fund     20,079       10,040       30,119    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     199,769       99,885       299,654    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     2,496,767       1,248,384       3,745,151    
Matthews China Fund     1,400,541       700,270       2,100,811    
Matthews India Fund     441,620       220,810       662,430    
Matthews Japan Fund     68,500       34,250       102,750    
Matthews Korea Fund     90,519       45,260       135,779    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     210,545       105,273       315,818    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     5,528       2,764       8,292    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     91,055       45,527       136,582    

 

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon"), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, serves as the Funds administrator, and in that capacity, performs various administrative and accounting services for each Fund. BNY Mellon also serves as the Funds' transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and registrar. An officer of BNY Mellon serves as Assistant Treasurer to the Funds. Total fees accrued by the Funds for administration and accounting services for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012 were as follows:

    Administration and
Accounting Fees
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $ 774    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     127,257    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     104,531    
Matthews China Dividend Fund     1,147    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     14,864    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     219,010    
Matthews China Fund     92,762    
Matthews India Fund     26,649    
Matthews Japan Fund     4,872    
Matthews Korea Fund     7,330    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     12,669    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     227    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund     5,997    

 

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. serves as the Funds' custodian. Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, serves as the Funds' distributor in the United States pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement. Matthews Asia Funds are distributed in Latin America by HMC Partners.

On November 30, 2011, Matthews invested USD$10 million in Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund to provide the Fund with its initial investment assets. As of June 30, 2012, the Fund's net assets were $23,228,045, of which 1,018,524 shares held by Matthews represented 45%.

The Funds entered into transactions with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., including its subsidiaries and affiliates ("J.P. Morgan") acting as a broker-dealer in the purchase and sale of portfolio investments on an agency basis. The aggregate value of such transactions with J.P. Morgan by the Funds in 2012 was $379,863. In addition, pursuant to an Administrative Fee Agreement dated July 1, 2009, the Funds received certain shareholder, administrative and sub-transfer agency services from J.P. Morgan (including transmission of purchase and redemption orders in accordance with the Funds' prospectus; maintenance of separate records for its clients; mailing of shareholder confirmations and periodic statements; processing dividend payments; and shareholder information and support). Pursuant to the agreement with J.P. Morgan, the Funds paid J.P. Morgan $487,275 for such services.

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

6.  INVESTMENTS

The value of investment transactions made for affiliated and unaffiliated holdings for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012, excluding short-term investments, were as follows:

    Affiliated Purchases   Unaffiliated
Purchases
  Proceeds from
Unaffiliated Sales
 
Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund   $     $ 11,319,099     $ 1,574,573    
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund           433,969,757       240,555,660    
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     35,658,359       387,814,262       85,545,499    
Matthews China Dividend Fund           3,929,220       5,059,963    
Matthews Asia Growth Fund           117,155,647       110,362,236    
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     142,986,731       694,681,318       135,540,979    
Matthews China Fund           161,872,829       182,213,610    
Matthews India Fund           31,872,636       100,687,393    
Matthews Japan Fund           33,030,714       52,534,265    
Matthews Korea Fund           37,933,371       42,285,649    
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund           78,489,366       39,559,149    
Matthews China Small Companies Fund           2,204,834       1,278,089    
Matthews Asia Science and Technology Fund           27,495,885       52,216,667    

 

7.  HOLDINGS OF 5% VOTING SHARES OF PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

The 1940 Act defines "affiliated companies" to include investments in portfolio companies in which a fund owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting shares. During the six-month period ended June 30, 2012, the Funds below held 5% or more of the outstanding voting shares of the noted portfolio companies. During this period, other Funds in the Trust may also have held voting shares of the issuers at levels below 5%.

Investments in affiliates:
A summary of transactions in securities of issuers affiliated with a Fund for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012 is set forth below:

    Shares Held at
Dec. 31, 2011
  Shares
Purchased
  Shares
Sold
  Shares Held at
June 30, 2012
  Value at
June 30, 2012
  Dividend
Income
Jan. 1, 2012–
June 30, 2012
 
MATTHEWS ASIAN GROWTH AND INCOME FUND  
Name of Issuer:  
Citic Telecom International Holdings, Ltd.     132,231,000                   132,231,000     $ 24,130,131     $ 1,227,194    
Vitasoy International Holdings, Ltd.     51,771,000                   51,771,000       43,506,325          
Total Affiliates                   $ 67,636,456     $ 1,227,194    
MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND  
Name of Issuer:  
Ascendas India Trust     46,280,000                   46,280,000     $ 27,879,247     $ 1,095,604    
CapitaRetail China Trust, REIT     38,501,000       4,626,000             43,127,000       44,690,705       1,369,049    
EPS Corp.     14,592                   14,592       40,002,876       281,665    
Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.     11,713,100       2,094,000             13,807,100       33,673,037          
Pigeon Corp.     1,381,300       120,500             1,501,800       65,795,724       792,040    
Shinko Plantech Co., Ltd.     2,400,200       1,360,000             3,760,200       32,656,661       919,954    
Sichuan Expressway Co., Ltd. H Shares     65,612,000       9,334,000             74,946,000       25,437,685       1,065,449    
TXC Corp.     21,549,524                   21,549,524       31,288,322          
Woongjin Thinkbig Co., Ltd.     2,079,870                   2,079,870       18,180,703          
Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.      69,730,000       16,800,000             86,530,000       42,736,057       1,561,450    
Total Affiliates                   $ 362,341,017     $ 7,085,211    

114 MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS



    Shares Held at
Dec. 31, 2011
  Shares
Purchased
  Shares
Sold
  Shares Held at
June 30, 2012
  Value at
June 30, 2012
  Dividend
Income
Jan. 1, 2012–
June 30, 2012
 
MATTHEWS PACIFIC TIGER FUND  
Name of Issuer:  
Cheil Worldwide, Inc.     5,916,350                   5,916,350     $ 94,499,024     $    
Green Cross Corp.     684,049       20,000             704,049       92,051,949          
Hyflux, Ltd.      28,487,280       33,797,000             62,284,280       66,709,992       870,674    
Li Ning Co., Ltd.           54,193,500             54,193,500       30,491,829          
MegaStudy Co., Ltd.     396,412                   396,412       27,162,833          
Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. H Shares      25,328,800       18,174,400             43,503,200       120,933,087       1,229,861    
Yuhan Corp.     584,138                   584,138       68,294,703          
Total Affiliates                   $ 500,143,417     $ 2,100,535    
MATTHEWS CHINA FUND  
Name of Issuer:  
Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co., Ltd. H Shares     28,947,800                   28,947,800     $ 27,793,131     $ 549,500    
Total Affiliates                   $ 27,793,131     $ 549,500    

 

†  Issuer was not an affiliated company at December 31, 2011.

8.  SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued, and has determined that there no additional subsequent events that require recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA 115






Matthews Asia Funds

INVESTMENT ADVISOR

Matthews International Capital Management, LLC

Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 550

San Francisco, CA 94111

800.789.ASIA

CUSTODIAN

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

50 Milk Street

Boston, MA 02109

ACCOUNT SERVICES

Matthews Asia Funds

P.O. Box 9791

Providence, RI 02940

800.789.ASIA

LEGAL COUNSEL

Paul Hastings LLP

55 Second Street, 24th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105

matthewsasia.com | 800.789.ASIA




P.O. Box 9791  |  Providence, RI 02940  |  matthewsasia.com  |  800.789.ASIA (2742)  

  SAR-0612-277M




 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed registrants.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Investments.

 

(a)                Schedule of Investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers as of the close of the reporting period is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this form.

 

(b)               Not applicable.

 

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable.

 



 

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which the shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s board of directors, where those changes were implemented after the registrant last provided disclosure in response to the requirements of Item 407(c)(2)(iv) of Regulation S-K (17 CFR 229.407) (as required by Item 22(b)(15) of Schedule 14A (17 CFR 240.14a-101)), or this Item.

 

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)          The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(b)) and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d-15(b)).

 

(b)         There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the registrant’s second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12. Exhibits.

 

(a)(1)

Not applicable.

 

 

(a)(2)

Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto.

 

 

(a)(3)

Not applicable.

 

 

(b)

Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the 1940 Act and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto.

 



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

(registrant)

 

Matthews International Funds

 

 

 

 

By (Signature and Title)*

 

/s/ William J. Hackett

 

 

William J. Hackett, President

 

 

(principal executive officer)

 

 

 

Date

8/29/12

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

By (Signature and Title)*

 

/s/ William J. Hackett

 

 

William J. Hackett, President

 

 

(principal executive officer)

 

 

 

Date

8/29/12

 

 

 

By (Signature and Title)*

 

/s/ Shai Malka

 

 

Shai Malka, Treasurer

 

 

(principal financial officer)

 

 

 

Date

8/29/12

 

 


* Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.