N-CSRS 1 d941782dncsrs.htm N-CSRS N-CSRS
Table of Contents

 

 

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, 2020

 

 

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, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

 

 

 


Table of Contents
Item 1.

Reports to Stockholders.

The Report to Shareholders is attached herewith.


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Funds  |  Semi-Annual Report

June 30, 2020  |  matthewsasia.com

 

GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS STRATEGY

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund

Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund

ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

Matthews China Dividend Fund

ASIA VALUE STRATEGY

Matthews Asia Value Fund

ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

Matthews Asia ESG Fund

Matthews Emerging Asia Fund

Matthews Asia Innovators 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

 

 

LOGO

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on the Funds’ website matthewsasia.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800.789.ASIA (2742).

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, you can call 800.789.ASIA (2742) to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all Funds held directly with Matthews Asia Funds.

 

LOGO


Table of Contents

Investor Class Performance and Expenses (June 30, 2020)

 

Investor Class         Average Annual Total Return    

Inception
Date

    Prospectus
Expense
Ratios*
   

Prospectus
Expense Ratios
after Fee Waiver

and Expense
Reimbursement*

 
  1 year     5 years     10 years     Since
Inception
 

GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS STRATEGY

             

Emerging Markets Equity Fund (MEGMX)

    n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       16.70%       4/30/20       2.77%       1.15% 1 

ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES

             

Asia Total Return Bond Fund (MAINX)**

    0.45%       4.26%       n.a.       4.22%       11/30/11       1.08%       1.07% 1 

Asia Credit Opportunities Fund (MCRDX)

    -1.30%       n.a.       n.a.       4.13%       4/29/16       1.24%       1.12% 1 

ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

             

Asian Growth and Income Fund (MACSX)

    -3.38%       2.06%       4.74%       8.48%       9/12/94       1.08%       1.08%  

Asia Dividend Fund (MAPIX)

    2.31%       4.09%       6.95%       7.98%       10/31/06       1.03%       1.02% 2 

China Dividend Fund (MCDFX)

    3.56%       6.94%       9.99%       9.76%       11/30/09       1.15%       1.15%  

ASIA VALUE STRATEGY

             

Asia Value Fund (MAVRX)

    -3.33%       n.a.       n.a.       6.40%       11/30/15       1.85%       1.37% 3 

ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

             

Asia Growth Fund (MPACX)

    18.17%       9.04%       9.53%       9.49%       10/31/03       1.09%       1.09%  

Pacific Tiger Fund (MAPTX)

    -2.00%       3.64%       7.01%       8.11%       9/12/94       1.08%       1.05% 2 

Asia ESG Fund (MASGX)

    3.32%       4.90%       n.a.       4.42%       4/30/15       1.54%       1.38% 3 

Emerging Asia Fund (MEASX)

    -24.51%       -3.34%       n.a.       -0.25%       4/30/13       1.65%       1.42% 3 

Asia Innovators Fund (MATFX)

    38.22%       12.33%       13.19%       5.24%       12/27/99       1.19%       1.19%  

China Fund (MCHFX)

    23.58%       9.21%       7.30%       10.26%       2/19/98       1.09%       1.09%  

India Fund (MINDX)

    -21.86%       -1.80%       4.06%       8.08%       10/31/05       1.11%       1.11%  

Japan Fund (MJFOX)

    10.88%       5.86%       10.27%       6.07%       12/31/98       0.93%       0.93%  

Korea Fund (MAKOX)

    0.41%       0.73%       6.83%       5.33%       1/3/95       1.15%       1.15%  

ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES

             

Asia Small Companies Fund (MSMLX)

    14.74%       3.10%       6.72%       10.29%       9/15/08       1.60%       1.41% 3 

China Small Companies Fund (MCSMX)

    79.85%       18.72%       n.a.       11.40%       5/31/11       1.62%       1.38% 3 

 

 

 

Annualized performance for periods of at least one year, otherwise cumulative.

 

*

These figures are from the Funds’ prospectus dated as of April 29, 2020, and may differ from the actual expense ratios for fiscal year 2020, as shown in the financial highlights section of this report.

 

**

The Fund’s name changed from Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund to Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund on January 31, 2020.

 

1

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 0.90% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 0.90% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 0.90%. Pursuant to this agreement, any amount waived for prior fiscal years with respect to the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund is not subject to recoupment. For the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund, if the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

 

2

Matthews has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fee and administrative and shareholder services fee if the Fund’s average daily net assets are over $3 billion, as follows: for every $2.5 billion average daily net assets of the Fund that are over $3 billion, the advisory fee rate and the administrative and shareholder services fee rate for the Fund with respect to such excess average daily net assets will be each reduced by 0.01%, in each case without reducing such fee rate below 0.00%. Any amount waived by Matthews pursuant to this agreement may not be recouped by Matthews. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated (i) at any time by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior written notice to Matthews; or (ii) by Matthews at the annual expiration date of the agreement upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the Trust, in each case without payment of any penalty.

 

3

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 1.20% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

 

   MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Institutional Class Performance and Expenses (June 30, 2020)

 

Institutional Class         Average Annual Total Return     Inception
Date
    Prospectus
Expense
Ratios*
    Prospectus
Expense Ratios
after Fee Waiver
and Expense
Reimbursement*
 
  1 year     5 years     10 years     Since
Inception
 

GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS STRATEGY

             

Emerging Markets Equity Fund (MIEFX)

    n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       16.70%       4/30/20       2.57%       0.90% 1 

ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES

             

Asia Total Return Bond Fund (MINCX)**

    0.51%       4.51%       n.a.       4.44%       11/30/11       0.97%       0.90% 1 

Asia Credit Opportunities Fund (MICPX)

    -1.09%       n.a.       n.a.       4.37%       4/29/16       1.07%       0.90% 1 

ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES

             

Asian Growth and Income Fund (MICSX)

    -3.17%       2.22%       n.a.       3.60%       10/29/10       0.94%       0.94%  

Asia Dividend Fund (MIPIX)

    2.48%       4.21%       n.a.       5.89%       10/29/10       0.93%       0.92% 2 

China Dividend Fund (MICDX)

    3.72%       7.12%       n.a.       8.85%       10/29/10       1.01%       1.01%  

ASIA VALUE STRATEGY

             

Asia Value Fund (MAVAX)

    -3.21%       n.a.       n.a.       6.65%       11/30/15       1.74%       1.20% 3 

ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES

             

Asia Growth Fund (MIAPX)

    18.29%       9.23%       n.a.       7.92%       10/29/10       0.94%       0.94%  

Pacific Tiger Fund (MIPTX)

    -1.88%       3.82%       n.a.       5.26%       10/29/10       0.93%       0.91% 2 

Asia ESG Fund (MISFX)

    3.48%       5.15%       n.a.       4.65%       4/30/15       1.41%       1.20% 3 

Emerging Asia Fund (MIASX)

    -24.39%       -3.12%       n.a.       -0.03%       4/30/13       1.51%       1.20% 3 

Asia Innovators Fund (MITEX)

    38.36%       12.53%       n.a.       14.80%       4/30/13       1.05%       1.05%  

China Fund (MICFX)

    23.83%       9.40%       n.a.       5.66%       10/29/10       0.91%       0.91%  

India Fund (MIDNX)

    -21.76%       -1.62%       n.a.       2.31%       10/29/10       0.94%       0.94%  

Japan Fund (MIJFX)

    10.92%       5.94%       n.a.       9.38%       10/29/10       0.88%       0.88%  

Korea Fund (MIKOX)

    0.19%       0.81%       n.a.       5.45%       10/29/10       1.05%       1.05%  

ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES

             

Asia Small Companies Fund (MISMX)

    14.99%       3.33%       n.a.       4.77%       4/30/13       1.46%       1.20% 3 

China Small Companies Fund (MICHX)

    79.99%       n.a.       n.a.       27.58%       11/30/17       1.51%       1.20% 3 

 

Annualized performance for periods of at least one year, otherwise cumulative.

 

*

These figures are from the Funds’ prospectus dated as of April 29, 2020, and may differ from the actual expense ratios for fiscal year 2020, as shown in the financial highlights section of this report.

 

**

The Fund’s name changed from Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund to Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund on January 31, 2020.

 

1

Matthews has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 0.90%. Pursuant to this agreement, any amount waived for prior fiscal years with respect to the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund is not subject to recoupment. For the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund, if the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

 

2

Matthews has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fee and administrative and shareholder services fee if the Fund’s average daily net assets are over $3 billion, as follows: for every $2.5 billion average daily net assets of the Fund that are over $3 billion, the advisory fee rate and the administrative and shareholder services fee rate for the Fund with respect to such excess average daily net assets will be each reduced by 0.01%, in each case without reducing such fee rate below 0.00%. Any amount waived by Matthews pursuant to this agreement may not be recouped by Matthews. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated (i) at any time by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior written notice to Matthews; or (ii) by Matthews at the annual expiration date of the agreement upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the Trust, in each case without payment of any penalty.

 

3

Matthews has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

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.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA   


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

Cover photo: Asian Palace

 

 

This report has been prepared for Matthews International Funds (d/b/a 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 or summary 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, 2020. 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.


Table of Contents

Contents

 

Message to Shareholders from the Investment Advisor     4  
Manager Commentaries, Fund Characteristics and Schedules of Investments:  
GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS STRATEGY  

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

    6  
ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund*     11  
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund     16  
ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund     20  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund     25  
Matthews China Dividend Fund     30  
ASIA VALUE STRATEGY  
Matthews Asia Value Fund     35  
ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund     39  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund     43  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund     48  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund     53  
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund     57  
Matthews China Fund     61  
Matthews India Fund     66  
Matthews Japan Fund     71  
Matthews Korea Fund     76  
ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund     81  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund     85  
Index Definitions     90  
Disclosures     91  
Disclosure of Fund Expenses     92  
Statements of Assets and Liabilities     95  
Statements of Operations     107  
Statements of Changes in Net Assets     113  
Financial Highlights     122  
Notes to Financial Statements     140  
1. Organization     140  
2. Significant Accounting Policies     140  
3. Derivative Financial Instruments     146  
4. Capital Shares Transactions     148  
5. Investment Advisory Fees and Other Transactions with Affiliates     151  
6. Investments     154  
7. Holdings of 5% Voting Shares of Portfolio Companies     155  
8. Income Tax Information     155  
9. Public Health Emergency Risks     156  
10. Subsequent Events     157  

*The Fund’s name changed from Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund to Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund on January 31, 2020.

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 a 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’ Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information for more risk disclosure.


Table of Contents

LOGO

Message to Shareholders from the

Investment Advisor

Dear Valued Investors,

I feel like saying something like “It’s a funny old world.” That’s the kind of cliché that the editors normally strike out of the first draft. But not this time. For the developments in the fight against COVID-19, the increased tensions between the U.S. and China and the performance of the markets appear to be completely out of step. It is, after all, a funny old world.

The virus seems to be spiking again—the hopes that warm weather would slow its progress appear to be unfounded. The rhetoric between the Trump administration and China has picked up—“The China virus” is a common catchphrase. Changes in visa processing in the U.S. and potentially more stringent moves on both the movement of people and goods, as well as measures that may harm Hong Kong’s special treatment by the U.S. would all seem to argue for caution. And yet the markets have been climbing ever higher—for Asia ex Japan, we are very close to the high point for the year. It has also been gratifying to see the performance of many of the Matthews Asia portfolios outperforming their benchmarks and even in positive territory for the year. The portfolio managers and analysts have been able to keep in close contact with holdings as well as keep up the steady flow of new ideas to which we are accustomed during more normal times.

However, it is undeniably strange to me that markets should have reacted this strongly. Clearly investors believe that governments have done enough to battle the virus and to support the economies for the moment. They also appear to believe that governments stand prepared and able to deliver the necessary economic medicine for a long-term recovery. I can understand this kind of optimism when it comes to the Chinese market—where China’s authorities have the will to close down the economy and its citizens will cooperate with a strict enforcement. The mildness of the second wave also gives some hope; earnings reports and economic data suggest China is functioning quite like normal.

In the U.S., I am less sure of the response to the virus—the second wave seems more acute. And I am troubled by some of the Trump administration’s moves on trade and visas. Although one can concoct short-term arguments for protectionism at times like this, my suspicion is the moves are meant to be for the foreseeable future. However, the Federal Reserve has shown itself capable and willing to do what is necessary not only for the U.S. economy but also for the global financial system. In that sense they are worthy of the market’s optimism. Europe, on the other hand, may be most at odds with the market’s optimism about recovery and the authorities’ willingness and ability to stimulate economies and support business. For the initial European stimulus has been small relative to other parts of the world and the European Central Bank (ECB) has not been as successful as other central banks in creating accelerated growth in monetary aggregates.

Should we worry too much about Europe? In one sense, no. Our portfolios are built around the growth in Asia’s domestic demand and other emerging economies. On the other hand, Europe is a significant part of the world economy, and how successful it is in reflating will have an impact on the world and the attractiveness of various markets. My main concern is that if the U.S. is able to successfully support its own economy while Europe continues to be weak, this may raise U.S. yields relative to Europe. The U.S. long bond would re-emerge as an attractive investment for Europeans trying to shelter from domestic weakness. In so doing, they are likely to prevent the dollar from weakening and may even push it higher—something that is likely to be a headwind for Asia stock markets and particularly for the non-Asia parts of the emerging market asset class. In such an atmosphere, it is likely to be the economies of North Asia, with their

 

 

4    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

significant current account surpluses that are best placed to perform. However, there is one aspect where Europe does seem increasingly better placed than the U.S.: Europe still seems (for the moment) to be reaching out to Asia, both central and eastern Asia, in terms of building trade routes. This is all part of China’s One Belt One Road initiative, of course, which will have the added benefit of some potential infrastructure and stimulus spending in Europe. In this sense, Europe seems committed to the ideas of global economic cooperation that the U.S. finds so troubling.

It is in this relationship that I see the best prospects for the continued growth in world trade. It would be a realignment of diplomatic influence away from the U.S. and towards China. A world split between two poles. In this scenario, China’s attempts to build trust in its capital markets, and its bond markets in particular, start to play a very significant role. Are we moving to a stage where China enjoys perpetual current account deficits financed by foreign purchases of its government bonds and the increased internationalization of its currency? That seems an increasingly likely scenario and one that is likely to raise the profile of Chinese assets in the minds of international asset allocators. Just as China increases its significance in the global economy and global politics, so, too it is increasing its significance in global benchmarks. But there is one caveat—the Chinese have made some missteps. The new security law in Hong Kong raises questions about their ability to manage an international financial center and creates mistrust between China and Europe and may yet get in the way of improved economic relations. Certainly, there have been increased signs of nervousness towards China in parts of core Europe.

At Matthews Asia, we stand in the middle of this, trying to monitor the developments that seem to be occurring on a daily basis. Yet, we remain mindful of the longer-term trends and committed to helping our shareholders protect and grow their investments in countries that seemed destined to still have the fastest-growing economies and growing domestic markets that will be the breeding ground for their own corporate champions. Ultimately, it is those businesses that we try to identify and to hold for many years.

 

LOGO

Robert Horrocks, PhD

Chief Investment Officer

Matthews International Capital Management, LLC

    

 

 

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Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS*
John Paul Lech  

Lead Manager

 

*   As of August 31, 2020

 
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MEGMX   MIEFX

CUSIP

  577130651   577130644

Inception

  4/30/20   4/30/20

NAV

  $11.67   $11.67

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  2.77%   2.57%

After fee waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.15%   0.90%

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions

    53

Net Assets

    $9.2 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $125.8 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

      N/A

Benchmark

 

MSCI Emerging Markets Index

OBJECTIVE

 

 

Long-term capital appreciation.

STRATEGY

 

 

Under normal circumstances, the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries generally include every country in the world except the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and most of the countries in Western Europe. Certain emerging market countries may also be classified as “frontier” market countries, which are a subset of emerging market countries with newer or even less developed economies and markets, such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The list of emerging market countries and frontier market countries may change from time to time. The Fund may also invest in companies located in developed countries; however, the Fund may not invest in any company located in a developed country if, at the time of purchase, more than 20% of the Fund’s assets are invested in developed market companies.

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

The Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund was launched on April 30, 2020. Since inception, the Fund returned 16.70% (Investor Class) and 16.70% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, returned 8.25% over the same period. This is the first commentary for the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund.

Market Environment:

The first half of 2020 has been like no other. The expansion of the COVID-19 around the world led to a dramatic selloff across most asset classes in March and a dash into USD cash. Market volatility exceeded the levels seen during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Emerging markets were no different as many currencies, country indices and individual company stock prices moved up over the course of the second quarter. As investors gained confidence that the plumbing would not break, the selloff abated and markets began to recover from their March lows. Within emerging markets, the first part of the year saw very strong relative performance from China, but the rebound since the bottom has been led by other markets that were particularly hard hit. While volatility—as measured by the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s CBOE Volatility Index—has come down, we remain quite cautious as asset prices remain high and the duration and economic damage of the pandemic remain hard to dimension.

Year-to-date, the Shanghai Composite Index led most major emerging market country indices, followed by Taiwan. While the aforementioned were slightly negative year-to-date, the return was roughly in line with the S&P 500 Index. Russia, Mexico, Brazil, India and much of Southeast Asia remain down more than 10% in U.S. dollar terms year-to-date.

Market dislocations allowed us to invest in high conviction companies at what we believe are compelling valuations as we built the portfolio. We believe constructing an emerging markets portfolio designed for sustainable growth requires identifying companies that have higher growth metrics, as well as higher quality metrics, than the broader market. Good companies worldwide share common traits. They require a strong competitive position and the ability to allocate capital well. We tend to focus on companies that can serve the needs of domestic consumer within their markets, although we may invest in commodities and companies that serve a global marketplace. We also tend to look for companies that can withstand economic cycles. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio management team takes an all-cap approach, believing that smaller cap companies may offer attractive potential for generating alpha.

Contributors and Detractors:

The Fund outperformed its benchmark since its inception on April 30, 2020 through June 30, 2020 driven by strong stock selection. During the reporting period, our largest positive attribution came from China/HK, followed by Brazil and Russia.

From a sector standpoint, consumer staples and discretionary sectors were contributors to absolute performance but slight detractors from relative performance.

(continued)

 

 

1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 0.90% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 0.90% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 0.90%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

 

6    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
     
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020              
 

 

   Actual Return, Not Annualized  
     Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MEGMX)      16.70%        4/30/20  
Institutional Class (MIEFX)      16.70%        4/30/20  
MSCI Emerging Markets Index4      8.25%     

 

  4

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 90 for index definition.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector      Country      % of Net Assets  
Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        6.8%  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      Taiwan        4.6%  
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong        4.3%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.    Information Technology      South Korea        3.6%  
AIA Group, Ltd.    Financials      China/Hong Kong        3.3%  
Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong        2.2%  
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE    Consumer Discretionary      France        2.2%  
NAVER Corp.    Communication Services      South Korea        2.2%  
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.    Financials      India        2.2%  
Banco BTG Pactual SA    Financials      Brazil        2.2%  
Total                33.6%  

 

  5

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

 

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Table of Contents
 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
China/Hong Kong     32.2  
South Korea     9.9  
India     7.7  
Brazil     7.1  
Russia     7.0  
Taiwan     5.9  
Mexico     3.9  
France     3.8  
Singapore     3.1  
Philippines     3.0  
Poland     2.0  
United Kingdom     1.7  
Indonesia     1.6  
Argentina     1.6  
United States     1.3  
Canada     1.1  
Vietnam     1.0  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7  
Information Technology     17.5  
Consumer Discretionary     15.0  
Financials     13.9  
Communication Services     13.5  
Health Care     9.0  
Consumer Staples     8.8  
Energy     5.9  
Materials     3.7  
Real Estate     3.4  
Industrials     3.2  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Lliabilities     6.1  
Total     100.0  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     49.4  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     18.6  
Mid Cap ($3B–$10B)     17.7  
Small Cap (under $3B)     8.2  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Lliabilities     6.1  
Total     100.0  

 

6

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

However, this was more than offset by very strong relative attribution in other consumer facing sectors like communication services, where our holdings tend to be concentrated in media and entertainment. The Fund takes a holistic approach to considering consumer behavior and increasingly digitally driven behavior. Companies that do similar things can often be classified differently. Alibaba and Sea Ltd, for example, are both e-commerce companies yet one is classified as consumer discretionary and the other as communication services. We focus less on classifications and more on how and where companies make money. Our holdings are the natural outcome of our bottom-up stock selection process.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

The Fund added to its overweight in software over the reporting period by increasing position sizes in existing holdings and starting a position in Livechat, a Polish software company. Health care has been an increasing focus for the Fund, and we currently maintain seven positions in the sector—three in China/HK, one in South Korea, one in India, one in Brazil and a company listed in the U.S. whose largest market is China. While we are (or have been) cautious in the financials sector, we have increased our exposure during the reporting period.

Outlook:

Media coverage of the ongoing health pandemic of COVID-19 has been intense. Very few people alive have lived through something similar, and the scope of every economy being impacted is without recent precedent. All companies, too, have been impacted. For some, this has been an acceleration of trends that were in place and the pandemic appears to have improved their long term business prospects. For others, the pandemic has decreased line of sight on strategy or end demand. It is far too early to predict with certainty the near-term or long term impacts of a global event like the one we’re all living through.

Experiences both at the company and country level have been highly heterodox. In China, the disease hit before the economic lockdown and we’re seeing some green shoots. In much of emerging markets, the lockdown hit before the disease. Some, like South Korea, appear to have managed the pandemic well. Others, like Brazil, are still seeing increases in cases. Similarly, fiscal budgets and monetary responses have varying amounts of firepower across emerging markets. Many of the EM geographies are quite constrained versus the G3 (U.S., Europe, and Japan) in terms of the fiscal or monetary expansions that they can proffer without detrimental impact to currencies or local market conditions. Political tensions, too, remain elevated. China’s relationship with the U.S. is a focus for many investors, as is China’s engagement with other emerging markets geographies like India.

We do not pretend to have more clarity on such macro events. For the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund, our philosophy starts at the company level and we believe the attributes of great companies are similar across geographies. The heightened uncertainty of the pandemic has accentuated our focus on quality balance sheets and business model. We remain cautious on banks in a world of low rates and loose government balance sheets. History has often shown that the best time to pick up great assets may be in times of great stress. While we are very concerned about the global pandemic and its social and economic impacts, we are optimistic about the long-term prospects of our holdings.

 

 

8    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 90.3%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
CHINA/HONG KONG: 32.2%    

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. ADRb

    2,900       $625,530  

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    6,200       397,283  

AIA Group, Ltd.

    32,600       305,058  

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.b,c,d

    11,000       201,912  

Midea Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    21,400       181,421  

Bilibili, Inc. ADRb

    3,600       166,752  

Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd. A Shares

    6,100       148,284  

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

    3,000       144,210  

Techtronic Industries Co., Ltd.

    13,500       133,576  

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. A Shares

    12,800       129,612  

Anhui Conch Cement Co., Ltd. A Shares

    16,500       124,172  

China East Education Holdings, Ltd.c,d

    62,500       113,613  

Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer Co., Ltd. H Shares

    44,000       98,245  

Lepu Medical Technology Beijing Co., Ltd. A Shares

    18,500       95,630  

China International Capital Corp., Ltd. H Sharesb,c,d

    46,800       92,596  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      2,957,894  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 7.7%    

Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.

    11,004       198,622  

Reliance Industries, Ltd.

    7,368       167,596  

Colgate-Palmolive India, Ltd.

    6,830       127,407  

HDFC Bank, Ltd. ADR

    2,400       109,104  

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Ltd. ADR

    2,000       106,020  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      708,749  
   

 

 

 
   
     
BRAZIL: 7.1%    

Banco BTG Pactual SA

    11,400       160,368  

Pagseguro Digital, Ltd. Class Ab

    4,200       148,428  

Vale SA ADR

    11,200       115,472  

Hapvida Participacoes e Investimentos SAc,d

    8,500       98,316  

Raia Drogasil SA

    4,600       94,451  

Banco BTG Pactual SAb

    2,700       37,982  
   

 

 

 

Total Brazil

      655,017  
   

 

 

 
   
     
RUSSIA: 7.0%    

LUKOIL PJSC ADR

    2,556       189,998  

Novatek PJSC GDRd

    1,310       185,683  

Yandex N.V. Class Ab

    3,100       155,062  

Mail.Ru Group, Ltd. GDRb,d

    5,058       114,091  
   

 

 

 

Total Russia

      644,834  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 6.2%    

NAVER Corp.

    888       199,785  

LG Household & Health Care, Ltd.

    150       168,122  

Hugel, Inc.b

    271       106,668  

Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Fund

    10,283       97,774  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      572,349  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TAIWAN: 5.9%    

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ADR

    7,400       420,098  

Advantech Co., Ltd.

    12,000       120,765  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      540,863  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
   
MEXICO: 3.9%    

Prologis Property Mexico SA de CV, REIT

    77,300       $138,259  

Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV ADR

    1,900       117,819  

America Movil SAB de CV ADR

    7,900       100,251  
   

 

 

 

Total Mexico

      356,329  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FRANCE: 3.8%    

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    455       200,880  

Pernod Ricard SA

    956       150,537  
   

 

 

 

Total France

      351,417  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 3.1%    

CapitaLand, Ltd.b

    82,300       173,871  

Sea, Ltd. ADRb

    1,000       107,240  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      281,111  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PHILIPPINES: 3.0%    

Ayala Corp.

    10,070       158,064  

Wilcon Depot, Inc.

    373,600       116,083  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      274,147  
   

 

 

 
   
     
POLAND: 2.0%    

LiveChat Software SA

    11,545       186,318  
   

 

 

 

Total Poland

      186,318  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED KINGDOM: 1.8%    

Avast PLCc,d

    24,354       159,174  
   

 

 

 

Total United Kingdom

      159,174  
   

 

 

 
   
     
ARGENTINA: 1.6%    

Globant SAb

    1,000       149,850  
   

 

 

 

Total Argentina

      149,850  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 1.6%    

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero

    690,600       147,404  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      147,404  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED STATES: 1.3%    

STAAR Surgical Co.b

    1,900       116,926  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      116,926  
   

 

 

 
   
     
ZAMBIA: 1.1%    

First Quantum Minerals, Ltd.

    12,500       99,624  
   

 

 

 

Total Zambia

      99,624  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 1.0%    

FPT Corp.

    46,044       91,213  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      91,213  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES       8,293,219  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $7,327,711)

   
 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

PREFERRED EQUITIES: 3.6%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
SOUTH KOREA: 3.6%

 

 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    8,594       $334,773  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

 

    334,773  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES

 

    334,773  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $306,070)

 

 
   
   
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 93.9%

 

    8,627,992  

(Cost $7,633,781)

 

 
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 6.1%

 

    556,390  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

 

    $9,184,382  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $665,611, which is 7.25% of net assets.

 

d

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

GDR

Global Depositary Receipt

 

Pfd.

Preferred

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

    

 

 

10    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

 

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Teresa Kong, CFA  

Lead Manager

 
Satya Patel   Wei Zhang

Co-Manager

 

Co-Manager

FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MAINX   MINCX

CUSIP

  577125503   577125602

Inception

  11/30/11   11/30/11

NAV

  $10.54   $10.54

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.08%   0.97%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.07%   0.90%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

  41           

Net Assets

  $102.1
million
 
                

Modified Duration3

  5.0           

Portfolio Turnover4

  84.38%                   

Benchmark

 
50% Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index, 50% J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index*

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in debt and debt-related instruments issued by governments, quasi-governmental entities, supra-national institutions, and companies in Asia. Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia, such as China and India, and includes developed, emerging, and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region. The Fund’s investments in debt securities may be denominated in any currency, may be of any quality or may be unrated, and may have no stated maturity or duration target.

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund returned –3.65% (Investor Class) and –3.55% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark, the 50% Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index/50% J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index (JACI), returned 1.87%. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 10.32% (Investor Class) and 10.39% (Institutional Class) compared to the benchmark return of 5.75%.

Market Environment:

Just as the recovery from Covid-19 has been uneven globally, the recovery in markets has also been uneven. For some asset classes, it’s as if the virus never happened, posting positive gains for the year. These are generally the less risky parts of the market, such as developed market government bonds, investment grade corporates and gold. The riskier parts of the market have also rebounded from March lows but given the lingering uncertainty to economic activity and corporate fundamentals due to the coronavirus, these markets still faced losses year to date.

For Asia fixed income, this means that investment-grade corporates and rates performed the best in the first half of the year, followed by high yield. Within credit, issuers from more developed countries such as China have outperformed issuers from emerging countries such as Indonesia and India. Within Asian currencies, the most punished in the first quarter rebounded the most in the second quarter, including the Indonesian rupiah and the Thai baht.

Global central banks continue to provide ample liquidity, which we believe undergirds a lot of the markets’ return to normalcy. The U.S. Federal Reserve continues to signal it will do “whatever it takes” to remain accommodative and to support the smooth functioning of financial markets. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank increased the size of its bond buying program by 600 billion euros in June. Many Asian countries are also in the enviable position of having ample fiscal flexibility to boost spending. For instance, Thailand and Singapore have already started disbursing fiscal stimulus packages.

We also see increased experimentation with support from emerging markets central banks. For instance, the Indonesian central bank has announced a program to buy government bonds in both the primary and secondary markets. For now, it looks like the Indonesian central bank’s goal is to act as a buyer of last resort and cap government bond yields, rather than monetizing the debt. As such, this alleviates pressure on the government without debasing the currency. However, we are watching carefully as emerging market countries tread the narrow path between fiscal prudence to provide the needed social support for a health crisis and fiscal largess that could lead to a financial crisis.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

A key driver of positive performance was the Fund’s exposure to U.S. dollar high yield issuers, which recouped much of their first quarter losses. In general, lower-rated bonds outperformed higher-rated bonds. The top contributors were our positions in Chinese property developer Dalian Wanda, Tata Steel, a top three global steel producer, and Bharti Airtel, one the three largest wireless companies in India. These large blue chip companies recovered most quickly as their probability of survival, even in a protracted economic downturn, is materially higher than their peers. Top detractors were Modernland Reality, Franshion Brilliant and Sino-Ocean. As a real estate developer in Indonesia, Modernland faced both a revenue shortfall as well as potential liquidity issues due to the economic lockdown in response to Covid-19. Both Franshion Brilliant and Sino-Ocean are fundamentally sound, with their long-dated perpetual bonds slower to recover than their shorter dated ones.

(continued)

 

The Fund’s name changed from Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund to Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund on January 31, 2020.

*

Effective January 31, 2020, the Fund changed its benchmark to a blended benchmark comprised of 50% Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index and 50% J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index. Prior to January 31, 2020, the Fund’s benchmark was the Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index. Matthews believes that the blended benchmark is more appropriate in light of the Fund’s current investment strategy. The Markit iBoxx Local Bond Index performance reflects the returns of the discontinued predecessor HSBC Asia Local Bond Index up to December 31, 2012 and the returns of the successor Markit iBoxx Local Bond Index thereafter.

1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 0.90% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g. custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 0.90% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 0.90%. Pursuant to this agreement, any amount waived for prior fiscal years with respect to the Fund is not subject to recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

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.

4

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
               
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                               
 

 

   

 

     

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
    3 Months     YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAINX)     10.32%       -3.65%        0.45%        2.64%        4.26%        4.22%        11/30/11  
Institutional Class (MINCX)     10.39%       -3.55%        0.51%        2.88%        4.51%        4.44%        11/30/11  
50% Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index, 50% J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index5     5.75%       1.87%        5.22%        4.79%        4.77%        4.36%     

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  
    2020

 

          2019

 

 
 

Jan.

   

Feb.

    Mar.     Apr.     May     June     July     Aug.     Sept.     Oct.    

Nov.

   

Dec.

   

Total

          Q1     Q2     Q3     Q4     Total  
Investor (MAINX)     n.a.     $ 0.06     $ 0.04     $ 0.00     $ 0.03     $ 0.04       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.17       $ 0.08     $ 0.10     $ 0.14     $ 0.12     $ 0.44  
Inst’l (MINCX)     n.a.     $ 0.07     $ 0.04     $ 0.01     $ 0.03     $ 0.04       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.19       $ 0.09     $ 0.11     $ 0.14     $ 0.12     $ 0.46  

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Totals may differ by $0.02 due to rounding. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

   

30-DAY YIELD:

 

Investor Class: 5.65% (5.63% excluding waivers)

Institutional Class: 5.89% (5.80% excluding waivers)

 

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/20, 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: 6.24%

 

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

 

 

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

 

LOGO

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$.

 

  5

It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from HSBC, Markit iBoxx and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definitions. Effective January 31, 2020, the Fund changed its benchmark to a blended benchmark comprised of 50% Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index and 50% J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index. Prior to January 31, 2020, the Fund’s benchmark was the Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index. Matthews believes that the blended benchmark is more appropriate in light of the Fund’s current investment strategy. The Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index performance reflects the returns of the discontinued predecessor HSBC Asian Local Bond Index up to December 31, 2012 and the returns of the successor Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index thereafter.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS                     
     Sector      Currency      % of Net Assets  
Wanda Properties International Co., Ltd., 7.250%, 01/29/2024    Real Estate      U.S. Dollar        4.9%  
Network i2i, Ltd., 5.650%, 04/15/2068    Communication Services      U.S. Dollar        4.7%  
Viet Nam Debt & Asset Trading Corp., 1.000%, 10/10/2025    Financials      U.S. Dollar        4.6%  
CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd., 6.550%, 03/28/2024    Real Estate      U.S. Dollar        4.5%  
Luye Pharma Group, Ltd., Cnv., 1.500%, 07/09/2024    Health Care      U.S. Dollar        4.4%  
PB International BV, 7.625%, 01/26/2022    Consumer Discretionary      U.S. Dollar        4.4%  
Bosideng International Holdings, Ltd., Cnv., 1.000%, 12/17/2024    Consumer Discretionary      U.S. Dollar        4.1%  
ABJA Investment Co. Pte, Ltd., 5.450%, 01/24/2028    Materials      U.S. Dollar        4.0%  
Logan Group Co., Ltd., 5.250%, 02/23/2023    Real Estate      U.S. Dollar        3.8%  
Malaysia Government Bond, 4.642%, 11/07/2033    Foreign Government Bonds      Malaysian Ringgit        3.4%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                42.8%  

 

12    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Local currency bond exposures also added to performance as most Asian currencies appreciated relative to the U.S. dollar, and interest rates across Asia fell in the quarter. Relative to our benchmark, overweights to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand were the top rate contributors while underweights to the Philippines and Singapore detracted, even though these positions still posted positive total returns. Our exposure to local currency-denominated bonds of Indonesia contributed most in our local currency positions as the rupiah was one of the best performing currencies globally, appreciating 14% in the second quarter.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the second quarter, we exited our position in Sri Lanka sovereign bonds. We believe these bonds have limited upside after the pandemic-driven sell-off. We expect developing countries across the world to seek external assistance in the coming quarters and think that will weigh on performance in Sri Lanka. We also exited Chinese auto manufacture Geely perpetual bonds, and Huaneng, a state owned Chinese utility company. Both of these bonds carry investment-grade level risk and had reached our price targets after the pandemic-induced sell-off. We decided to take profit and re-deploy into bonds with more upside. Finally, we exited the bonds of Modernland Realty as the company seemed less willing and able to refinance its maturities.

In the second quarter, we initiated new positions in a handful of high-quality bonds where we see the potential for upside. These include the bonds of JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce company, and Sygenta, a global chemicals company headquartered in Switzerland and wholly owned by ChemChina, a state owned enterprise.

In terms of currencies, we slightly reduced our overweight to the Indonesian rupiah after its strong performance in the quarter via a currency hedge.

Outlook:

We expect the Asia credit, currency and interest rate markets to continue to be driven by policy makers’ response to the coronavirus in the coming quarters. Countries that have been the most effective in stopping the spread of the coronavirus have also had the fastest economic rebounds. Given this view, we remain most concerned about the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. and emerging market countries. While the U.S. remains behind the curve in terms of curtailing the spread of the coronavirus, it has been ahead of the curve in terms of stimulus, which has been supportive for its asset prices. Emerging markets are in a tough spot since many countries lack the resources to control the virus as well as the monetary and fiscal space to stimulate their markets.

Our strategy is to hold issuers that we believe have the best fundamentals to survive the coronavirus and its related economic challenges. Taken altogether, we believe Asia to be well positioned in this crisis, given their early control of the virus and space for economic stimulus. We continue to be overweight to Asia high yield, especially to credits which have a positive skew in price. In terms of Asia currencies, we have positioned the portfolio to be slightly long U.S. dollar given our expectations of continued volatility which still favors safe haven currencies such as the U.S. dollar. Among rates, we continue to be overweight countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia where we think rates are stable and provide attractive carry. Our biggest overweight in interest rates remains in the U.S., where the U.S. Fed has effectively signaled structurally lower rates for the coming quarters to buoy the markets. As the market recovers, we expect the credit spread compression to more than compensate for a mild rise and steepening of the U.S. yield curve.

 
CURRENCY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
US Dollar     53.5  

South Korean Won

    9.7  

China Renminbi

    7.0  

Thailand Baht

    5.9  

Malaysian Ringgit

    5.8  

Singapore Dollar

    5.7  

Indonesian Rupiah

    5.5  
Philippines Peso     4.2  

China Renminbi Offshore

    2.7  

Total

    100.0  

 

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7,8  
China/Hong Kong     48.8  
Indonesia     13.8  
India     11.1  
Philippines     6.7  
Malaysia     5.6  
Vietnam     4.6  
Switzerland     3.1  
Thailand     2.4  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.0  
Total     100.1  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
Real Estate     24.1  
Foreign Government Bonds     18.7  

Consumer Discretionary

    14.2  

Financials

    14.0  

Communication Services

    8.7  
Materials     7.1  

Health Care

    4.4  

Energy

    3.9  
Industrials     1.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.0  
Total     100.1  

Please note: Foreign Government Bonds category includes Supranationals.

 

 
ASSET TYPE BREAKDOWN (%)6,7  
Non-Convertible Corporate Bonds     61.3  

Government Bonds

    23.3  

Convertible Corporate Bonds

    11.5  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    4.0  

 

6

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

7

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

 

8

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      13  


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

NON-CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS: 61.3%

 

     Face Amount*     Value  
   
CHINA/HONG KONG: 37.2%

 

Wanda Properties International Co., Ltd.
7.250%, 01/29/24b

    5,300,000       $4,975,375  

CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd.
6.550%, 03/28/24b

    4,500,000       4,611,977  

Logan Group Co., Ltd.
5.250%, 02/23/23b

    3,900,000       3,870,521  

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd.
5.875%, 11/10/24b

    3,400,000       3,238,003  

King Talent Management, Ltd.
5.600%c, 12/04/22b,d

    3,500,000       3,011,641  

Franshion Brilliant, Ltd.
5.750%c, 01/17/22b,d

    3,400,000       2,928,420  

JD.com, Inc.
4.125%, 01/14/50

    2,200,000       2,327,291  

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd.
7.875%, 09/01/23b

    2,050,000       2,121,724  

HSBC Holdings PLC
6.375%c, 03/30/25d

    2,000,000       2,053,760  

CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd.
7.750%, 09/20/20b

    CNY 12,000,000       1,715,963  

CITIC Telecom International Finance, Ltd.
6.100%, 03/05/25b

    1,631,000       1,687,784  

China Cinda Asset Management Co., Ltd.
5.500%, 03/14/28

    CNY 10,000,000       1,555,585  

Agricultural Bank of China, Ltd.
4.300%, 04/11/29b

    CNY 10,000,000       1,445,405  

Sino-Ocean Land Treasure III, Ltd.
4.900%c, 09/21/22b,d

    1,400,000       1,162,658  

Honghua Group, Ltd.
6.375%, 08/01/22b

    1,100,000       1,075,208  

Deutsche Bank AG
3.670%c, 04/10/25b,e

    CNY 2,000,000       256,695  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      38,038,010  
   

 

 

 
   
 
INDIA: 11.1%

 

Network i2i, Ltd.
5.650%c, 01/15/25d,f

    5,000,000       4,840,000  

ABJA Investment Co. Pte, Ltd.
5.450%, 01/24/28b

    4,440,000       4,098,079  

ICICI Bank UK PLC
5.375%c, 09/26/28b

    SGD 1,750,000       1,248,219  

Network i2i, Ltd.
5.650%c, 01/15/25b,d

    1,200,000       1,161,600  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      11,347,898  
   

 

 

 
   
 
INDONESIA: 7.3%

 

PB International BV
7.625%, 01/26/22b

    5,100,000       4,475,154  

Indika Energy Capital III Pte, Ltd.
5.875%, 11/09/24b

    3,300,000       2,938,487  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      7,413,641  
   

 

 

 
   
 
SWITZERLAND: 3.1%

 

Syngenta Finance N.V.
5.182%, 04/24/28b

    2,400,000       2,560,072  

Syngenta Finance N.V.
4.892%, 04/24/25f

    300,000       315,394  

Syngenta Finance N.V.
5.676%, 04/24/48b

    300,000       303,709  
   

 

 

 

Total Switzerland

      3,179,175  
   

 

 

 
     Face Amount*     Value  
   
PHILIPPINES: 2.6%

 

Jollibee Worldwide Pte, Ltd.
3.900%c, 01/23/25b,d

    1,729,000       $1,613,157  

Royal Capital BV
4.875%c, 05/05/24b,d

    1,041,000       1,014,975  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      2,628,132  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL NON-CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS

 

    62,606,856  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $63,336,665)

   
   

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS: 23.2%

 

 
 
INDONESIA: 6.5%

 

Indonesia Government Bond
9.000%, 03/15/29

    IDR 38,000,000,000       2,945,299  

Indonesia Government Bond
8.250%, 05/15/29

    IDR 34,550,000,000       2,574,138  

Indonesia Government Bond
8.375%, 04/15/39

    IDR 15,000,000,000       1,102,660  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      6,622,097  
   

 

 

 
   
 
MALAYSIA: 5.6%

 

Malaysia Government Bond
4.642%, 11/07/33

    MYR 13,000,000       3,454,790  

Malaysia Government Bond
3.478%, 06/14/24

    MYR 4,800,000       1,163,717  

Malaysia Government Investment Issue
4.119%, 11/30/34

    MYR 4,500,000       1,131,887  
   

 

 

 

Total Malaysia

      5,750,394  
   

 

 

 
   
 
VIETNAM: 4.6%

 

Viet Nam Debt & Asset Trading Corp.
1.000%, 10/10/25b

    6,219,000       4,726,440  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      4,726,440  
   

 

 

 
   
 
PHILIPPINES: 4.1%

 

Republic of Philippines
3.900%, 11/26/22

    PHP 123,000,000       2,493,778  

Republic of Philippines
6.250%, 01/14/36

    PHP 70,000,000       1,731,945  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      4,225,723  
   

 

 

 
   
 
THAILAND: 2.4%

 

Thailand Government Bond
1.600%, 12/17/29

    THB 72,000,000       2,411,962  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      2,411,962  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS

 

    23,736,616  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $22,877,543)

   
   
 

 

14    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS: 11.5%

 

     Face Amount*     Value  
   
CHINA/HONG KONG: 11.5%

 

Luye Pharma Group, Ltd., Cnv.
1.500%, 07/09/24b

    4,700,000       $4,478,395  

Bosideng International Holdings, Ltd., Cnv.

   

1.000%, 12/17/24b

    5,000,000       4,225,000  

Baozun, Inc., Cnv.
1.625%, 05/01/24

    1,900,000       1,832,096  

Weibo Corp., Cnv.
1.250%, 11/15/22

    1,268,000       1,179,171  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

 

    11,714,662  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS

 

    11,714,662  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $12,519,515)

   
   
   
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 96.0%

 

    98,058,134  

(Cost $98,733,723)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.0%

 

    4,047,106  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

 

    $102,105,240  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

c

Security is a fix-to-float security, which carries a fixed coupon until a certain date, upon which it switches to a floating rate. Reference rate and spread are provided if the rate is currently floating.

 

d

Perpetual security with no stated maturity date. First call date is disclosed.

 

e

Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs and is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. The aggregate value of Level 3 security is $256,695 and 0.25% of net assets.

 

f

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $5,155,394, which is 5.05% of net assets.

 

*

All Values in USD unless otherwise specified

 

3M MYR-KLIBOR

Three Month Kuala Lumpur Interbank Offered Rate

 

6M THB-THBFIX

Six Month Thai Baht Interest Rate Fixing

 

Cnv.

Convertible

 

 

CNY

Chinese Renminbi (Yuan)

 

IDR

Indonesian Rupiah

 

KRW

Korean Won

 

MYR

Malaysian Ringgit

 

OTC

Over-the-counter

 

PHP

Philippine Peso

 

SGD

Singapore Dollar

 

THB

Thai Baht

 

USD

U.S. Dollar

 

FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS

 

Currency
Purchased
     Currency Sold        Counterparty   Settlement
Date
       Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
CNY 14,368,260        USD 2,020,000       

Bank of America, N.A.

    09/21/20          $3,528  
                

 

 

 
USD 1,000,000        IDR 16,495,000,000       

Bank of America, N.A.

    07/09/20          (147,259
KRW 5,270,220,000        USD 4,600,000       

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    07/16/20          (211,777
THB 90,630,000        USD 3,000,000       

Bank of America, N.A.

    07/21/20          (67,895
KRW 6,677,976,000        USD 5,756,876       

Bank of America, N.A.

    07/29/20          (189,494
SGD 6,374,892        USD 4,700,000       

Bank of America, N.A.

    07/30/20          (125,299
CNY 19,250,000        USD 2,750,000       

Bank of America, N.A.

    08/04/20          (32,550
                

 

 

 
                   (774,274
                

 

 

 
Net Unrealized Depreciation

 

              ($770,746
                

 

 

 

OTC INTEREST RATE SWAPS*

 

Floating Rate
Paid by Fund

 

Fixed Rate

Received by Fund

 

     Counterparty

 

Termination

Date

    Notional
Amount (000)
   

Value

   

Upfront
Premium
Paid

(Received)

   

Unrealized

Appreciation

 
Rate   Frequency   Rate   Frequency

3M MYR-KLIBOR, 2.280%

  Quarterly   3.300%  

Quarterly

  Bank of America, N.A.     06/19/2024       MYR 13,000     $ 143,964           $ 143,964  

6M THB-THBFIX, 0.526%

  Semi-annual   1.610%  

Semi-annual

  Bank of America, N.A.     06/21/2024       THB 281,000       324,763             324,763  

6M THB-THBFIX, 0.914%

  Semi-annual   1.265%  

Semi-annual

  Bank of America, N.A.     09/04/2024       THB 210,000       160,092             160,092  
             

 

 

 

Total

              $ 628,819           $ 628,819  
             

 

 

 

 

*

Swaps are not centrally cleared.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      15  


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Teresa Kong, CFA   Satya Patel

Lead Manager

 

Lead Manager

FUND FACTS        
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MCRDX   MICPX

CUSIP

  577130677   577130669

Inception

  4/29/16   4/29/16

NAV

  $9.88   $9.88

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.24%   1.07%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.12%   0.90%

Portfolio Statistics

 

Total # of Positions

  35

Net Assets

  $92.0 million

Modified Duration3

  3.3

Portfolio Turnover4

  81.08%

Benchmark

   

J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index

OBJECTIVE

 

 

Total return over the long term.

STRATEGY

 

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in debt and debt-related instruments issued by companies as well as governments, quasi-governmental entities, and supra-national institutions in Asia. Debt and debt-related instruments typically include bonds, debentures, bills, securitized instruments (which are vehicles backed by pools of assets such as loans or other receivables), notes, certificates of deposit and other bank obligations, bank loans, senior secured bank debt, convertible debt securities, exchangeable bonds, credit-linked notes, inflation-linked instruments, repurchase agreements, payment-in-kind securities and derivative instruments with fixed income characteristics. Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia, such as China and Indonesia, in addition to the developed, emerging, and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region.

Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund returned –4.74 (Investor Class) and –4.62% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark, the J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index, returned 2.26%. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund returned 9.15% (Investor Class) and 9.23% (Institutional Class) compared to the benchmark return of 6.08% over the same period.

Market Discussion:

We have now witnessed the end of a credit cycle in Asia after an unusually long run of 11 years. The old adage in credit analysis that “cash is king but liquidity rules” is important in this part of the cycle as credit markets begin their recovery. Differentials in access to liquidity across companies, industries, countries and regions are dictating the recovery for issuers.

For the most credit-worthy issuers, liquidity is ample. In fact, issuance in U.S. investment grade hit all-time highs in the first half. Asian investment grade issuance has also recovered reasonably well in recent months. The combination of central bank buying and investors’ demand for safety means that recovery in the investment grade market has been broad, having a positive spillover to Asia bonds through relative value. Asian investment-grade credit spreads narrowed 40 basis points (0.40%) in the second quarter, after rising by 123 basis points (1.23%) in the first quarter.

For high yield issuers, liquidity is more segmented, leading to an uneven recovery. Issuance within Asian high yield is down significantly year-on-year. Issuers from countries like China and in industries like its domestic property sector have been able to borrow in the international capital markets, albeit at a higher cost than earlier in the year. But other countries across emerging and frontier Asia have yet to see meaningful new high yield issuance from their corporates. The biggest uncertainty in the Asian high yield market is whether companies with imminent maturities will be able to refinance their debt. This has led to some parts of the Asian high yield market to be bifurcated between issuers with no refinancing risk, where spreads have tightened substantially, and issuers with refinancing risk, where spreads have tightened much less or even widened since the first quarter.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

The primary driver of the Fund’s outperformance during the second quarter has been the portfolio’s exposure to high yield, which outpaced gains in investment grade issuers. In terms of sectors, exposures in basic industry and consumer discretionary were the top contributors. Within these sectors, issuers such as Indika, an Indonesian coal miner, Tata Steel, an Indian steel producer, and PB International, an Indonesia textile manufacturer, were the top contributors. These names had been among the most punished within the portfolio in the first quarter and therefore, had substantial room to rebound.

Amongst the biggest detractors to performance were the perpetual bonds. Within these, China Jinmao and Sino-Ocean perpetual bonds were the top detractors. Perpetual bonds suffered from poor liquidity and wide bid-offer spreads during the crisis and therefore, recovery was much slower in the second quarter due to these liquidity risks. Vietnam Debt and Asset Trading Corporation bonds have been

(continued)

 

 

1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 0.90% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 0.90% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 0.90%. Pursuant to this agreement, any amount waived for prior fiscal years with respect to the Fund is not subject to recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

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.

4

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

16    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
             
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                          
 

 

    

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Retuns

 

      

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years     

Since

Inception

    

Inception

Date

 
Investor Class (MCRDX)      9.15%        -4.74%        -1.30%        2.39%        4.13%        4/29/16  
Institutional Class (MICPX)      9.23%        -4.62%        -1.09%        2.65%        4.37%        4/29/16  
J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index5      6.08%        2.26%        5.39%        4.81%        4.72%     

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  
    2020

 

          2019

 

 
 

Jan.

    Feb.     Mar.     Apr.     May     June     July     Aug.     Sept.    

Oct.

   

Nov.

   

Dec.

   

Total

          Q1     Q2     Q3     Q4     Total  
Investor (MCRDX)     n.a.     $ 0.04     $ 0.03     $ 0.04     $ 0.04     $ 0.04       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.18       $ 0.10     $ 0.10     $ 0.13     $ 0.11     $ 0.44  
Inst’l (MICPX)     n.a.     $ 0.04     $ 0.03     $ 0.04     $ 0.04     $ 0.04       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.       n.a.     $ 0.20       $ 0.10     $ 0.11     $ 0.14     $ 0.11     $ 0.46  

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Totals may differ by $0.02 due to rounding. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

   

30-DAY YIELD:

 

Investor Class: 6.14% (6.14% excluding waivers)

Institutional Class: 6.38% (6.33% excluding waivers)

 

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/20, 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: 7.07%

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

LOGO

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$.

 

  5

It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from J.P. Morgan and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definition.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS                     
     Sector      Currency      % of Net Assets  
Network i2i, Ltd., 5.650%, 04/15/2068    Communication Services      U.S. Dollar        5.5%  
Honghua Group, Ltd., 6.375%, 08/01/2022    Energy      U.S. Dollar        5.1%  
PB International BV, 7.625%, 01/26/2022    Consumer Discretionary      U.S. Dollar        5.1%  
Sino-Ocean Land Treasure III, Ltd., 4.900%, 03/21/2068    Real Estate      U.S. Dollar        5.1%  
King Talent Management, Ltd., 5.600%, 06/04/2068    Financials      U.S. Dollar        5.0%  
Indika Energy Capital III Pte, Ltd., 5.875%, 11/09/2024    Energy      U.S. Dollar        4.8%  
Viet Nam Debt & Asset Trading Corp., 1.000%, 10/10/2025    Financials      U.S. Dollar        4.7%  
Bosideng International Holdings, Ltd., Cnv., 1.000%, 12/17/2024    Consumer Discretionary      U.S. Dollar        4.5%  
Franshion Brilliant, Ltd., 5.750%, 07/17/2067    Real Estate      U.S. Dollar        4.4%  
Luye Pharma Group, Ltd., Cnv., 1.500%, 07/09/2024    Health Care      U.S. Dollar        4.2%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                48.4%  

 

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Table of Contents
 
CURRENCY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
US Dollar     100.0  

 

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7,8  
China/Hong Kong     53.8  
Indonesia     20.4  
India     8.4  
Vietnam     6.2  
Australia     2.4  
Philippines     2.4  
Switzerland     2.1  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    4.3  
Total     100.0  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
Real Estate     27.5  
Financials     18.0  
Consumer Discretionary     15.7  
Energy     12.6  
Materials     7.5  
Communication Services     5.5  
Health Care     4.2  
Utilities     2.4  
Foreign Government Bonds     1.5  
Industrials     0.8  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    4.3  
Total     100.0  

 

 
ASSET TYPE BREAKDOWN (%)6,7  
Non-Convertible Corporate Bonds     77.8  
Government Bonds     11.7  
Convertible Corporate Bonds     6.2  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.3  

 

6

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

7

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

 

8

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

remarkably stable this year and were among the top performers in the crisis, but they were marked marginally lower in the second quarter, leading to a small loss in the position.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

We made a number of changes to the portfolio in the second quarter. We exited our positions in sovereign U.S. dollar bonds of the Pakistan and Sri Lanka sovereigns. Given the heavy fiscal burden to be borne by these frontier markets and the limited assistance available from multi-lateral and bilateral institutions, we believe the upside in these bonds were limited. We also exited China’s Weibo and Citic Telecom bonds. These bonds carry investment-grade level risk and had performed well during the sell-off. We decided to take profits and redeploy into bonds with a more positive skew. Finally, we exited the bonds of Modernland Realty, an Indonesian property developer because we became less convinced on the company’s willingness and ability to refinance its upcoming maturities.

We also added a number of bonds in which we saw potential upside in the coming quarters and years. We added Sritex, an Indonesia textile manufacturer, Adaro, an Indonesian energy producer, and Syngenta, a chemicals company based in Switzerland wholly owned by ChemChina, a state owned enterprise. These bonds had a slower pace of recovery since the first quarter sell-offs, but we felt that their fundamentals warrant further recovery.

Outlook:

Many Asian high yield companies are asset-rich and have little solvency risk. In fact, in terms of economic fundamentals, Asia in many ways actually looks better than the U.S. The economic reopening in Asia is further along than that in the U.S., giving companies in Asia a better environment to operate in. For instance, for China real estate developers, which represent the biggest overweight in the portfolio, many are seeing sales match or surpass levels from a year ago and they’ve seem to be experiencing a V-shaped recovery. As such, we expect Asia high yield default rates to be lower than that of U.S. and global high yields. However, companies typically do not default because of solvency, but because of lack of liquidity. As such, we see liquidity as both a near-term challenge and a long-term opportunity. Our top priority is a careful evaluation of each company’s capital structure, liquidity profile and refinancing channel to help us navigate the recovery and uncover opportunities.

For long-term investors, we believe it is currently an attractive entry opportunity because yields are elevated due to continued financing risk. As the new issue market normalizes in the coming quarters, we believe the liquidity premium in Asia high yield will continue to go down, driving bond price appreciation.

 

 

18    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

 

NON-CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS: 77.8%  

 

     Face Amount*     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 42.1%    

Honghua Group, Ltd. 6.375%, 08/01/22b

    4,800,000       $4,691,819  

Sino-Ocean Land Treasure III, Ltd. 4.900%c, 09/21/22b,d

    5,600,000       4,650,633  

King Talent Management, Ltd. 5.600%c, 12/04/22b,d

    5,300,000       4,560,485  

Franshion Brilliant, Ltd. 5.750%c, 01/17/22b,d

    4,700,000       4,048,110  

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd. 5.875%, 11/10/24b

    3,200,000       3,047,532  

Standard Chartered PLC 7.750%c, 04/02/23b,d

    2,850,000       2,974,687  

CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd. 6.550%, 03/28/24b

    2,600,000       2,664,698  

HSBC Holdings PLC 6.375%c, 03/30/25d

    2,400,000       2,464,512  

Wanda Group Overseas, Ltd. 7.500%, 07/24/22b

    2,500,000       2,325,289  

Wanda Properties International Co., Ltd. 7.250%, 01/29/24b

    2,400,000       2,253,000  

CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd. 5.375%c, 08/24/22b,d

    2,000,000       1,947,420  

Logan Group Co., Ltd. 5.250%, 02/23/23b

    1,500,000       1,488,662  

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd. 7.875%, 09/01/23b

    1,300,000       1,345,483  

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd. 7.400%, 03/05/24b

    300,000       306,342  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      38,768,672  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 20.4%    

PB International BV 7.625%, 01/26/22b

    5,300,000       4,650,651  

Indika Energy Capital III Pte, Ltd. 5.875%, 11/09/24b

    5,000,000       4,452,253  

PT Adaro Indonesia 4.250%, 10/31/24b

    2,600,000       2,453,750  

PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium Perser 6.757%, 11/15/48b

    1,900,000       2,308,811  

Listrindo Capital BV 4.950%, 09/14/26b

    2,200,000       2,211,000  

PT Sri Rejeki Isman 7.250%, 01/16/25b

    1,600,000       1,491,085  

Theta Capital Pte, Ltd. 6.750%, 10/31/26b

    1,500,000       1,191,522  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      18,759,072  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 8.4%    

Network i2i, Ltd. 5.650%c, 01/15/25d,e

    3,000,000       2,904,000  

ABJA Investment Co. Pte, Ltd. 5.450%, 01/24/28b

    2,900,000       2,676,674  

Network i2i, Ltd. 5.650%c, 01/15/25b,d

    2,200,000       2,129,600  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      7,710,274  
   

 

 

 
   
     
AUSTRALIA: 2.4%    

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, Ltd. 6.750%c, 06/15/26b,d

    2,000,000       2,218,760  
   

 

 

 

Total Australia

      2,218,760  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PHILIPPINES: 2.4%    

Jollibee Worldwide Pte, Ltd. 3.900%c, 01/23/25b,d

    1,556,000       1,451,748  

Royal Capital BV 4.875%c, 05/05/24b,d

    782,000       762,450  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      2,214,198  
   

 

 

 
   
     Face Amount*     Value  
SWITZERLAND: 2.1%    

Syngenta Finance N.V. 5.182%, 04/24/28b

    1,400,000       $1,493,375  

Syngenta Finance N.V. 4.892%, 04/24/25e

    200,000       210,262  

Syngenta Finance N.V. 5.676%, 04/24/48b

    200,000       202,473  
   

 

 

 

Total Switzerland

      1,906,110  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL NON-CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS

 

    71,577,086  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $73,265,838)

   
   

CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS: 11.7%

 

 
     
CHINA/HONG KONG: 11.7%    

Bosideng International Holdings, Ltd., Cnv. 1.000%, 12/17/24b

    4,900,000       4,140,500  

Luye Pharma Group, Ltd., Cnv. 1.500%, 07/09/24b

    4,100,000       3,906,685  

Baozun, Inc., Cnv. 1.625%, 05/01/24

    2,800,000       2,699,931  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      10,747,116  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS

 

    10,747,116  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $11,528,829)

   
   

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS: 6.2%

 

 
     
VIETNAM: 6.2%    

Viet Nam Debt & Asset Trading Corp. 1.000%, 10/10/25b

    5,689,000       4,323,640  

Socialist Republic of Vietnam 5.500%, 03/12/28

    1,350,000       1,356,750  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      5,680,390  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS

 

    5,680,390  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $5,805,057)

   
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.7%       $88,004,592  

(Cost $90,534,789)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.3%

 

    3,994,508  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $91,999,100  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

c

Security is a fix-to-float security, which carries a fixed coupon until a certain date, upon which it switches to a floating rate. Reference rate and spread are provided if the rate is currently floating.

 

d

Perpetual security with no stated maturity date. First call date is disclosed.

 

e

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $3,114,262, which is 3.39% of net assets.

 

*

All Values in USD unless otherwise specified

 

Cnv.

Convertible

 

USD

U.S. Dollar

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS*
Robert J. Horrocks, PhD   Kenneth Lowe, CFA

Lead Manager

  Lead Manager
Satya Patel  

Co-Manager

   

*   As of August 31, 2020

FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MACSX   MICSX

CUSIP

  577130206   577130842

Inception

  9/12/94   10/29/10

NAV

  $14.53   $14.51

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.08%   0.94%

Portfolio Statistics

 

Total # of Positions

  60

Net Assets

  $1.3 billion

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $84.6 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

  21.89%

Benchmark

 

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

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 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, including high yield securities, of companies located in Asia, which consists of all countries and markets in Asia, including developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region.

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund returned –6.95% (Investor Class) and –6.83% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index returned –4.65% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 14.71% (Investor Class) and 14.82% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 16.79%.

Market Environment:

The deep drops suffered across risk assets during the first quarter were almost entirely reversed over the last three months, a move that was far swifter than most would have anticipated. Although meant to be strong discounting mechanisms, one can’t help but view the more recent recovery in markets as being driven by other forces to some extent. Those include the ongoing tinkering by central banks and governments in underpinning market prices, as well as the increase in retail investor participation across the globe, which has added yet more liquidity. Despite the continued uncertain outlook, the recent recovery in equities has been one of the quickest on record.

For Asia, these moves have been equally fierce. However, it could be argued that they are more justified than elsewhere, particularly in the case of China where the recovery appeared to be ahead of the curve and V-shaped in nature. The rebound in areas such as auto and property sales, fixed asset investment and Purchasing Managers Index data (a measure of the prevailing direction of economic trends in manufacturing) suggests an impressive return to normalcy. This confluence of improving sentiment globally, solid Chinese economic data and a gradually weakening U.S. dollar helped all Asian markets to double digit returns for the quarter.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Although trailing the market rebound, the Fund had a respectable 90% upside capture during the quarter. This was despite our more conservative investment approach and growth stocks leading the charge. The largest contributors to performance came from China, where stay-at-home economy stocks including Tencent and Netease gained significantly. Tencent, the country’s dominant social network rose on continued growth in games through its key titles and ongoing updates as well as via e-commerce advertising and payments. Games company Netease rose partly as it successfully launched a second listing in Hong Kong, and as its games pipeline looks strong with additional growth expected to come from overseas. Further Netease’s online education business Youdao and its cloud music operations also appear to be performing well. Elsewhere in China leading white goods company Midea gained as China’s consumption recovery continues and due to further market share wins. Leading baijiu producer Jiangsu Yanghe also performed strongly as its ongoing sales channel restructure bears fruit.

In Hong Kong, Techtronic Industries delivered solid performance again as the pandemic is causing a surge in DIY activity. The firm is also using the environment to invest in the business when others are cutting costs. The largest detractor over the quarter also came from the city state. Conglomerate Jardine Matheson dropped as its consumer facing businesses in areas like auto, retail and property are struggling and caused the company to profit warn. HSBC also fell following a worsened outlook for global trade, questions over Hong Kong’s role in international finance and a suspension of its dividend. We exited our position during the quarter. China Mobile sputtered as its first quarter results saw weaker users and decreased roaming fees whilst domestic Hong Kong REITs Fortune and LINK REIT dropped on concerns of weak sales amongst their tenants.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

20    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
                 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                                        
 

 

    

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MACSX)      14.71%        -6.95%        -3.38%        1.01%        2.06%        4.74%        8.48%        9/12/94  
Institutional Class (MICSX)      14.82%        -6.83%        -3.17%        1.16%        2.22%        n.a.        3.60%        10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index3      16.79%        -4.65%        1.97%        3.80%        4.70%        6.21%        4.40% 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                                                         
       2020

 

          2019

 

 
       June        December        Total           June        December        Total  
Investor (MACSX)      $ 0.11          n.a.        $ 0.11       $ 0.17        $ 0.18        $ 0.35  
Inst’l (MICSX)      $ 0.12          n.a.        $ 0.12       $ 0.18        $ 0.19        $ 0.38  

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Totals may differ by $0.02 due to rounding. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

   

30-DAY YIELD:

 

3.78% (Investor Class) 3.92% (Institutional Class)

 

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/20, 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: 3.16%

 

The dividend yield (trailing) for the portfolio is the weighted average sum of the dividends paid by each equity security held by the Fund over the 12 months ended 6/30/20 divided by the current price of each equity as of 6/30/20. The annualized dividend yield for the Fund is for the equity-only portion of the portfolio. Please note that this is based on gross equity 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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

 

 

LOGO

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 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 8/31/94.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector      Country      % of Net Assets  
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong        5.2%  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      Taiwan        4.9%  
AIA Group, Ltd.    Financials      China/Hong Kong        3.7%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      South Korea        2.9%  
Techtronic Industries Co., Ltd.    Industrials      China/Hong Kong        2.1%  
Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Fund    Financials      South Korea        2.1%  
LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., Pfd.    Consumer Staples      South Korea        2.0%  
Ascendas, REIT    Real Estate      Singapore        1.9%  
Advantech Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      Taiwan        1.9%  
NetEase, Inc.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong        1.8%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                28.5%  

 

  5

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

 

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Table of Contents
 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
China/Hong Kong     45.4  
Singapore     10.3  
South Korea     9.8  
Taiwan     8.4  
India     6.5  
France     3.2  
Indonesia     2.8  
United States     1.9  
Japan     1.5  
Philippines     1.4  
Vietnam     1.4  
United Kingdom     1.4  
Australia     1.3  
Thailand     1.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.8  
Total     100.1  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7  
Consumer Discretionary     17.2  
Financials     15.7  
Information Technology     14.3  
Communication Services     13.5  
Industrials     10.8  
Consumer Staples     9.5  
Real Estate     7.4  
Utilities     4.2  
Health Care     3.6  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.8  
Total     100.0  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     42.9  
Large Cap ($10B-$25B)     23.2  
Mid Cap ($3B-10B)     23.9  
Small Cap (under $3B)     6.2  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.8  

 

 
ASSET TYPE BREAKDOWN (%)7,8  
Common Equities and ADRs     86.0  
Convertible Corporate Bonds     8.2  
Preferred Equities     2.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.8  

 

6

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

8

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

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the second quarter, we added seven new holdings and exited eight holdings amidst an environment where the outlook for companies is changing rapidly. In general terms, this has caused an increase to our weighting within mainland China and a decrease in Hong Kong as we remain concerned about the impacts of the new security law. Within equities, we added new positions in Lepu Medical, China Yangtze Power, LINK REIT, Digital Telecom Infrastructure Fund in Thailand and TCS in India. To fund these, we exited Pacific Textiles, Fortune REIT, HSBC, Cognizant in the U.S. and Kasikornbank in Thailand.

This is significant change for the portfolio. We had noted in the first quarter that part of our process during periods of volatility was to look to upgrade our holdings. Many of these transitions are a manifestation of this. As an example, we believe that LINK REIT is better positioned in Hong Kong than Fortune REIT, in our view, due to its superior diversity, quality of assets and asset enhancement history. Recent weakness allowed this switch. We have also purposefully cut our weightings in commercial banks given stress on asset quality, margins, capital and dividends.

There has also been some change in our convertible bonds, with Chinese sportswear company Anta being added after exiting bonds in China Mengniu, Zhongsheng and Top Glove. This followed strong performance in the latter two.

Outlook:

After what has been an unprecedented first half of the year in 2020, the second half and beyond requires continued caution. It appears that Asia, and China in particular, is well placed in our view, relative to the rest of the globe in the speed at which it may be able to return to 2019 levels of economic activity. However, it remains unclear what the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic will have upon consumer behavior as well as the attitude that corporate management teams will have toward risk taking. This could impinge upon consumer spending, capital expenditure budgets, dividend policies and views around what appropriate capital structures are in an era of outlandish debt levels. Further, market performance may also be dictated by the forces of an impending U.S. election and once again rising geopolitical tensions between the globe’s two largest economies. Not only is there a risk of increasing barriers to trade, but a move away from just in time toward just in case supply chains and a potential technological divide between the two countries could hamper global growth and productivity.

At a fundamental level, it will be some time before companies are able to recover prior levels of profitability. Ongoing stimulus measures should help smooth this path, but it remains bumpy. Despite this, markets have priced in an imminent resumption of growth with Asia ex. Japan earnings expected to rise over 20% in 2021, and the benchmark trading at 13.9x those earnings estimates.

For the Fund, we remain constructive. Asia’s relative economic standing is solid, but volatility is likely to persist and growth across the globe weaker. We believe that a focus on quality investing that incorporates both a keen eye on mitigating volatility and producing total returns through the steadier means of balancing growth and income should be well placed to deliver for clients.

 

 

22    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 86.0%

 

     Shares     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 39.0%    

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    1,014,400       $65,000,635  

AIA Group, Ltd.

    4,998,400       46,773,053  

Techtronic Industries Co., Ltd.

    2,632,000       26,042,471  

NetEase, Inc. ADR

    53,200       22,843,016  

Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,513,444       22,600,173  

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

    449,300       21,597,851  

Midea Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    2,372,079       20,119,418  

Jiangsu Expressway Co., Ltd. H Shares

    16,770,000       19,710,180  

China Yangtze Power Co., Ltd. A Shares

    7,295,600       19,598,899  

HKT Trust & HKT, Ltd.

    13,284,000       19,493,852  

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    4,376,775       19,335,196  

Shanghai International Airport Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,834,462       18,740,098  

Zhejiang Supor Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,809,028       18,229,917  

CLP Holdings, Ltd.

    1,726,200       16,953,427  

CK Asset Holdings, Ltd.

    2,810,172       16,852,024  

Guangdong Investment, Ltd.

    9,648,000       16,641,726  

CK Hutchison Holdings, Ltd.

    2,540,172       16,449,105  

Link REIT

    1,827,400       15,003,259  

Minth Group, Ltd.

    5,196,000       14,915,133  

BOC Hong Kong Holdings, Ltd.

    4,545,000       14,552,611  

Lepu Medical Technology Beijing Co., Ltd.

   

A Shares

    2,661,573       13,758,148  

Jardine Matheson Holdings, Ltd.

    289,300       12,095,875  

China Mobile, Ltd. ADR

    334,100       11,239,124  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      488,545,191  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 8.6%    

Ascendas, REIT

    10,266,184       23,554,859  

Singapore Technologies Engineering, Ltd.

    8,765,425       20,920,854  

Venture Corp., Ltd.

    1,614,300       18,865,847  

Singapore Telecommunications, Ltd.

    10,515,700       18,706,356  

United Overseas Bank, Ltd.

    1,193,000       17,431,958  

Ascendas India Trust

    8,946,700       8,675,461  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      108,155,335  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TAIWAN: 8.4%    

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    5,754,187       61,451,957  

Advantech Co., Ltd.

    2,302,000       23,166,740  

Taiwan Secom Co., Ltd.

    7,112,000       21,049,990  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      105,668,687  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 7.8%    

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

    823,968       36,475,113  

Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Fund

    2,708,261       25,750,987  

Coway Co., Ltd.

    330,466       19,978,153  

Hanon Systems

    2,016,529       15,282,684  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      97,486,937  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
     
INDIA: 6.5%    

Housing Development Finance Corp., Ltd.

    979,513       $22,775,756  

Sanofi India, Ltd.

    165,908       17,307,445  

Tata Consultancy Services, Ltd.

    628,279       17,294,967  

ITC, Ltd.b

    6,217,860       16,055,088  

Embassy Office Parks, REIT

    1,644,000       7,481,180  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      80,914,436  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FRANCE: 3.2%    

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    46,973       20,738,257  

Pernod Ricard SA

    121,618       19,150,657  
   

 

 

 

Total France

      39,888,914  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 2.8%    

PT Ace Hardware Indonesiab

    167,711,400       17,760,287  

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero

    78,744,300       16,807,430  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      34,567,717  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED STATES: 1.8%    

Broadcom, Inc.

    70,600       22,282,066  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      22,282,066  
   

 

 

 
   
     
JAPAN: 1.5%    

KDDI Corp.

    624,900       18,645,233  
   

 

 

 

Total Japan

      18,645,233  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PHILIPPINES: 1.4%    

Bank of the Philippine Islands

    12,247,404       17,746,490  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      17,746,490  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 1.4%    

Vietnam Dairy Products JSC

    3,596,093       17,578,658  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      17,578,658  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED KINGDOM: 1.3%    

Prudential PLC

    1,125,099       16,953,010  
   

 

 

 

Total United Kingdom

      16,953,010  
   

 

 

 
   
     
AUSTRALIA: 1.3%    

Macquarie Group, Ltd.

    197,166       16,363,176  
   

 

 

 

Total Australia

      16,363,176  
   

 

 

 
   
     
THAILAND: 1.0%    

Digital Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund F Shares

    25,577,000       12,539,899  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      12,539,899  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES       1,077,335,749  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $968,561,957)

   
 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

 

CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS: 8.2%   PREFERRED EQUITIES: 2.0%

 

     Face Amount*     Value  
   
CHINA/HONG KONG: 6.4%    

Bosideng International Holdings, Ltd., Cnv.

 

1.000%, 12/17/24c

    24,700,000       $20,871,500  

ANLLIAN Capital, Ltd., Cnv. 0.000%, 02/05/25c

    EUR 14,800,000       15,439,375  

China Education Group Holdings, Ltd., Cnv.

 

 

2.000%, 03/28/24c

    HKD 111,000,000       15,218,773  

Harvest International Co., Cnv.
0.000%, 11/21/22c

    HKD 111,000,000       14,658,090  

Luye Pharma Group, Ltd., Cnv.
1.500%, 07/09/24c

    14,101,000       13,436,138  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      79,623,876  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 1.7%    

CapitaLand, Ltd., Cnv.
1.950%, 10/17/23c

    SGD 31,250,000       21,448,497  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      21,448,497  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED STATES: 0.1%    

JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, Cnv.
0.125%, 01/01/23d

    1,539,000       1,623,645  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      1,623,645  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL CONVERTIBLE CORPORATE BONDS

 

    102,696,018  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $109,688,509)

   
     Shares     Value  
   
SOUTH KOREA: 2.0%    

LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., Pfd.

    41,042       $24,863,573  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      24,863,573  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES       24,863,573  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $11,577,044)

   
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 96.2%       1,204,895,340  

(Cost $1,089,827,510)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 3.8%
      47,338,340  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $1,252,233,680  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

d

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $1,623,645, which is 0.13% of net assets.

 

*

All Values in USD unless otherwise specified

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

Cnv.

Convertible

 

EUR

Euro

 

HKD

Hong Kong Dollar

 

JSC

Joint Stock Co.

 

Pfd.

Preferred

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

 

SGD

Singapore Dollar

 

USD

U.S. Dollar

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

24    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Yu Zhang, CFA  

Lead Manager

 
Robert Horrocks, PhD   S. Joyce Li, CFA

Co-Manager

  Co-Manager
Sherwood Zhang, CFA  

Co-Manager

 
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MAPIX   MIPIX

CUSIP

  577125107   577130750

Inception

  10/31/06   10/29/10

NAV

  $16.84   $16.84

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.03%   0.93%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.02%   0.92%

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions

  57

Net Assets

  $3.8 billion

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $45.5 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

  30.32%

Benchmark

   

MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in dividend-paying equity securities of companies located in Asia. Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia, and includes developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region. The Fund may also invest in convertible debt and equity securities of companies located in Asia.

 

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Dividend Fund returned –2.62% (Investor Class) and –2.57% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index, returned –6.29% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund returned 20.37% (Investor Class) and 20.40% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 15.99%.

Market Environment:

Asian equities staged a sharp rally during the second quarter of 2020, recovering a significant portion of the steep losses incurred during the first quarter. Having learned from previous crisis moments, central banks and governments in Asia responded very quickly with an unprecedented liquidity injection and fiscal stimulus measures, providing a much-needed backstop to the real economy and to the capital market. As the Asian region, led by North Asia, effectively flattened the COVID-19 curve and started shifting focus towards economic recovery, equity investors also looked beyond the near-term corporate earnings headwind. Instead, investors were positioning for an economic rebound by bidding up equity prices.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

The Fund performed well during the current market rally. Using a barbell approach, which invests in both higher-yielding dividend paying stocks together with faster-growing dividend growth stocks, we steadily increased the portfolio’s overall exposure towards dividend growth stocks amid the first quarter market volatility. The “dividend growth” bucket of the portfolio delivered strong returns during the second quarter. Among some of the top-performing dividend growth stocks during the quarter was China Int’l Travel Service (CITS), a Chinese duty-free store operator listed in the mainland A-share market. While travel retail industry is going through a very challenging operating environment globally, CITS saw its underlying duty-free store business in Hainan Island—a famous tourist spot for Chinese consumers, recover swiftly thanks to a favorable policy change which increased the duty-free allowance from RMB 30,000 per annum to RMB 100,000 per annum for Chinese visitors to the island. The market responded very favorably towards this latest change, and CITS’s share price more than doubled during the quarter (the company recently changed its corporate name from CITS to China Tourism Duty Free Corp, a better reflection of its underlying duty-free shopping business).

On the other hand, stocks with defensive earnings streams but with more moderated growth profiles became the relative laggards during the quarter. Top detractors to performance included Japanese wireless telecom carrier NTT DoCoMo and Japanese small-cap medical device manufacturer Eiken Chemical. Both DoCoMo and Eiken outperformed during the first quarter, as the underlying business was either minimally affected, in the case of DoCoMo’s telecom business, or was benefiting from new demand due to the pandemic (Eiken introduced a COVID-19 testing kit). However, as the market moved from a defensive posture into more of a “risk-on” mode, these defensive businesses became less of a focus area for the market.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the second quarter, we initiated several new positions, focusing on firstly finding new dividend growth stocks whose underlying business is

(continued)

 

 

1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fee and administrative and shareholder services fee if the Fund’s average daily net assets are over $3 billion, as follows: for every $2.5 billion average daily net assets of the Fund that are over $3 billion, the advisory fee rate and the administrative and shareholder services fee rate for the Fund with respect to such excess average daily net assets will be each reduced by 0.01%, in each case without reducing such fee rate below 0.00%. Any amount waived by Matthews pursuant to this agreement may not be recouped by Matthews. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated (i) at any time by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior written notice to Matthews; or (ii) by Matthews at the annual expiration date of the agreement upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the Trust, in each case without payment of any penalty.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAPIX)      20.37%        -2.62%        2.31%        2.26%        4.09%        6.95%        7.98%        10/31/06  
Institutional Class (MIPIX)      20.40%        -2.57%        2.48%        2.39%        4.21%        n.a.        5.89%        10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index4      15.99%        -6.29%        1.35%        3.50%        4.33%        6.30%        4.03% 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.

 

                   
INCOME DISTRIBUTION HISTORY                                                               
    2020

 

          2019

 

 
    Q1      Q2      Q3      Q4      Total           Q1      Q2      Q3      Q4      Total  
Investor (MAPIX)   $ 0.04      $ 0.12        n.a.        n.a.      $ 0.16       $ 0.03      $ 0.12      $ 0.11      $ 0.09      $ 0.36  
Inst’l (MIPIX)   $ 0.05      $ 0.12        n.a.        n.a.      $ 0.17       $ 0.04      $ 0.12      $ 0.12      $ 0.10      $ 0.37  

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Totals may differ by $0.02 due to rounding and a return of capital. For distribution history please visit matthewsasia.com.

 

   

30-DAY YIELD:

 

Investor Class: 1.18% (1.17% excluding waivers)

Institutional Class: 1.27% (1.26% excluding waivers)

 

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/20, 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: 2.35%

 

The dividend yield (trailing) for the portfolio is the weighted average sum of the dividends paid by each equity security held by the Fund over the 12 months ended 6/30/20 divided by the current price of each equity as of 6/30/20. The annualized dividend yield for the Fund is for the equity-only portion of the portfolio. Please note that this is based on gross equity 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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

 

 

LOGO

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$.

 

  4

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 90 for index definition.

 

  5

Calculated from 10/31/06.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS6                     
     Sector      Country      % of Net Assets  
Minth Group, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        4.9%  
China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp., Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        3.8%  
Anritsu Corp.    Information Technology      Japan        3.8%  
Chongqing Brewery Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong        3.3%  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      Taiwan        3.2%  
Breville Group, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      Australia        3.1%  
Hoya Corp.    Health Care      Japan        3.0%  
LG Chem, Ltd., Pfd.    Materials      South Korea        3.0%  
MISUMI Group, Inc.    Industrials      Japan        3.0%  
Shenzhou International Group Holdings, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        2.7%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                33.8%  

 

  6

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

 

26    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

positively exposed to more secular growth trends. Secondly, we also added certain cyclical businesses whose fundamentals are negatively affected by the virus outbreak to pair with the dividend growers. The valuation discount on these cyclical businesses is very significant, but we believe the long-term strength of these companies remains intact and have the potential to rebound back from the current downturn. Among the new dividend growth names is Pharmaron Beijing, a Chinese contract-research-organization (CRO) company providing research and development outsourcing services to global pharmaceutical firms. The company is in a rapid growth phase. With rising scale, Pharmaron has seen a meaningful expansion of its profit margin and has turned free-cash-flow positive. Dividend payment was also initiated and has been growing rapidly.

Among the cyclical recovery names is our new position in BOC Aviation, an aircraft leasing company based in Singapore. BOC Aviation’s stock was heavily punished by the market, down about 35% as of the end of the second quarter because of the deep disruption to the global aviation industry. While we share the market’s concern on the aviation industry headwind, from a bottom-up perspective we consider BOC Aviation to be one of the higher-quality aircraft financing vendors globally. The company is run by a well-seasoned management team who has been through multiple industry cycles. Owning one of the newer aircraft fleet assets with long-term leasing contracts, the company is also receiving a strong financial backing from its parent company Bank of China. With these relative competitive advantages, the company is adopting a counter-cycle strategy, actively expanding its aircraft leasing business during the current industry downturn. Trading at 0.8 times price-to-book against a normalized mid-teen ROE, and with a 6% trailing dividend yield, we think the risk-reward profile on the stock is quite attractive.

Outlook:

Looking ahead we see two potential risks that could have major market implications. First, the risk of the coronavirus resurgence and its impact on the re-opening of global economy could continue to dictate short-term market volatility. While the Asian economy as a whole is better positioned for a strong revival due to more effective virus suppression, individual countries, such as India, are still struggling with its virus control efforts and economic recovery is being pushed out. Second, the downward spiral of U.S.—China relations has the potential of upending the decades’-long geopolitical stability, a crucial factor behind the booming of Asia’s economy. Notwithstanding, improving signs of economic recovery, led by China, are building a solid fundamental foundation to sustain the current equity rally. In the current environment, we believe our dividend investment approach of balancing stable dividend payers with fast-growing dividend growers continues to offer a sensible way of tapping Asian-regional’s long-term growth potential.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7,8  
China/Hong Kong     35.5  
Japan     31.9  
South Korea     8.6  
Singapore     7.5  
Australia     6.2  
Taiwan     3.7  
Philippines     2.0  
India     1.6  
Thailand     1.6  
Bangladesh     1.2  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    0.1  
Total     99.9  

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)8  
Consumer Discretionary     29.2  
Consumer Staples     13.4  
Information Technology     13.0  
Industrials     11.8  
Communication Services     11.5  
Real Estate     8.8  
Health Care     6.6  
Materials     3.5  

Financials

    2.0  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    0.1  
Total     99.9  

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     31.6  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     15.8  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     29.8  
Small Cap (under $3B)     22.7  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     0.1  

 

7

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

8

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 95.1%

 

     Shares     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 35.5%

 

Minth Group, Ltd.

    64,635,000       $185,534,957  

China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp., Ltd. A Shares

    6,576,311       144,198,885  

Chongqing Brewery Co., Ltd. A Shares

    12,305,570       127,394,420  

Shenzhou International Group Holdings, Ltd.

    8,406,100       102,194,759  

Zhongsheng Group Holdings, Ltd.

    17,974,000       100,523,713  

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    1,392,900       89,254,125  

Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai A Shares

    10,169,803       81,719,079  

HKBN, Ltd.

    46,034,623       80,724,641  

China Education Group Holdings, Ltd.b

    45,563,000       73,477,679  

Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.

    93,902,000       65,871,323  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

    16,316,000       62,362,937  

Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd. A Shares

    4,327,964       60,222,510  

Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd. A Shares

    2,427,344       59,005,809  

China East Education Holdings, Ltd.b,c

    31,845,000       57,887,928  

Sun Art Retail Group, Ltd.

    27,221,500       46,701,821  

Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd. H Sharesb,c

    1,609,500       16,668,620  

WH Group, Ltd.b,c

    2,255,000       1,948,758  

Crystal International Group, Ltd.b,c

    6,860,000       1,496,529  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      1,357,188,493  
   

 

 

 
   
 
JAPAN: 31.9%

 

Anritsu Corp.

    6,038,300       143,453,217  

Hoya Corp.

    1,206,400       115,523,653  

MISUMI Group, Inc.

    4,559,400       114,479,202  

KATITAS Co., Ltd.

    4,210,800       97,964,485  

Pigeon Corp.

    2,198,400       85,089,258  

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

    173,000       77,342,911  

Bandai Namco Holdings, Inc.

    1,376,500       72,456,306  

BELLSYSTEM24 Holdings, Inc.

    5,137,700       66,858,350  

LIXIL Group Corp.

    4,632,900       65,065,720  

Disco Corp.

    263,600       64,289,053  

TDK Corp.

    598,500       59,581,529  

Kao Corp.

    718,700       57,034,463  

Oriental Land Co., Ltd.

    428,600       56,637,832  

MANI, INC.

    2,038,000       54,103,758  

Shiseido Co., Ltd.

    678,200       43,215,334  

Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.

    2,403,000       30,145,767  

Daifuku Co., Ltd.

    129,800       11,374,646  

Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd.

    403,000       6,450,892  
   

 

 

 

Total Japan

      1,221,066,376  
   

 

 

 
   
 
SINGAPORE: 7.5%

 

Keppel DC, REIT

    39,365,580       72,091,241  

NetLink NBN Trustb

    98,664,300       68,918,175  

Ascendas India Trust

    57,288,600       55,551,772  

CapitaLand Retail China Trust, REIT

    51,969,100       47,424,750  

BOC Aviation, Ltd.b,c

    6,857,300       44,144,186  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      288,130,124  
   

 

 

 
   
 
AUSTRALIA: 6.2%

 

Breville Group, Ltd.

    7,564,257       119,567,691  

Macquarie Group, Ltd.

    765,538       63,533,436  

Sydney Airport

    13,935,221       54,996,429  
   

 

 

 

Total Australia

      238,097,556  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  
SOUTH KOREA: 3.9%

 

Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.

    457,734       $73,475,102  

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

    914,230       40,470,797  

BGF Retail Co., Ltd.

    287,799       33,361,026  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      147,306,925  
   

 

 

 
   
 
TAIWAN: 3.7%

 

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ADR

    1,210,140       68,699,648  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    4,934,469       52,697,762  

China Steel Chemical Corp.

    5,272,000       18,818,417  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      140,215,827  
   

 

 

 
   
 
PHILIPPINES: 2.0%

 

Globe Telecom, Inc.

    1,872,220       77,816,261  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      77,816,261  
   

 

 

 
   
 
INDIA: 1.6%

 

Minda Industries, Ltd.

    13,532,234       49,285,693  

HDFC Bank, Ltd.

    965,013       13,563,762  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      62,849,455  
   

 

 

 
   
 
THAILAND: 1.6%

 

Thai Beverage Public Co., Ltd.

    123,128,000       60,106,538  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      60,106,538  
   

 

 

 
   
 
BANGLADESH: 1.2%

 

GrameenPhone, Ltd.

    16,665,233       45,173,878  
   

 

 

 

Total Bangladesh

      45,173,878  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES

 

    3,637,951,433  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $2,868,519,144)

   
   

PREFERRED EQUITIES: 4.8%

   
 
SOUTH KOREA: 4.8%

 

LG Chem, Ltd., Pfd.

    545,384       114,740,796  

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    1,733,915       67,543,453  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      182,284,249  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES

 

    182,284,249  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $112,743,798)

   
   
   
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 99.9%

 

    3,820,235,682  

(Cost $2,981,262,942)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 0.1%
      3,980,374  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $3,824,216,056  
   

 

 

 
 

 

28    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

c

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $122,146,021, which is 3.19% of net assets.

 

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

 

Pfd.

Preferred

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

    

 

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      29  


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Sherwood Zhang, CFA  

Lead Manager

   
Yu Zhang, CFA   S. Joyce Li, CFA

Co-Manager

  Co-Manager
FUND FACTS        
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MCDFX   MICDX

CUSIP

  577125305   577130735

Inception

  11/30/09   10/29/10

NAV

  $16.48   $16.48

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.15%   1.01%

Portfolio Statistics

 

Total # of Positions

  46

Net Assets

  $321.8 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $62.8 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

  65.69%

Benchmark

   

MSCI China Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in dividend-paying equity securities of companies located in China. China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong. The Fund may also invest in convertible debt and equity securities of companies located in China.

Matthews China Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews China Dividend Fund returned 4.02% (Investor Class) and 4.09% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI China Index, returned 3.58%. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Matthews China Dividend Fund returned 19.18% (Investor Class) and 19.26% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI China Index, returned 15.37%.

Market Environment:

Asia’s markets experienced considerable volatility related the global COVID-19 pandemic, but Chinese equities generated the strongest returns in the region, as domestic Chinese sentiment gained strength on the back of a quick resumption of economic activity. China, along with South Korea and Taiwan, made considerable progress in flattening its curve of new virus infections in the reporting period. Amid strong returns, we also saw some volatility related to the Chinese government’s amendment of national security laws in Hong Kong during China’s annual gathering of its top legislative body, the People’s Congress. Although the nature and legislative process of this law is arguably controversial, it was passed and became effective in Hong Kong on July 1, which attracted international attention and protests from Hong Kong citizens.

On the economic polices front, China’s central bank refrained from adopting unconventional monetary policy tools such as Quantitative Easing and a zero interest rate. It only guided down the benchmark lending rate by 10 to 20 basis points (0.10% to 0.20%) during April, while cutting the required reserve ratio to release liquidity from the banking system. In terms of fiscal policy, the People’s Congress adopted a budget with historical high fiscal deficit of 3.76 trillion renminbi, and for the first time, it breached 3% of China’s GDP.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Stock selection made a significant contribution to relative performance in the first half of the year, with Hope Education Group, Tencent Holdings and Sun Art Retail Group contributing the most. Hope Education, a provider of educational services including training and knowledge point sharing, had very limited revenue impact from the COVID-19 outbreak, and the company also reported strong earnings. Tencent Holdings, the leading social media company in China has a wide range of product offerings including online games, mobile messaging and mobile payment. These offerings significantly gained their popularity during lock down and social distancing period in China. The Fund’s third largest contributor was Sun Art Retail Group, China’s largest hypermarket operator. Sun Art Retail benefited significantly from consumers stocking up on food and groceries and spending less time eating out. From a sector perspective, the Fund’s significant underweight allocation to financials and security selection in real estate contributed most to the Fund’s outperformance during the first half of the year.

On the other hand, Geely Automobile was the largest performance detractor as passenger car sales plunged due to the pandemic. However, we believe the company will continue to be a leader among China’s domestic branded passenger car makers. However, the planned merger with its parent controlled Volvo Cars could impair its ability to pay dividends in the near future, thus we decided to exit the position. Security selection in communication services and industrials sectors also caused a significant drag to Fund performance during the first half of the year. Two of the top three detractors were China B share market listed industrial companies, Shanghai Mechanical & Electrical Industry, a leading elevator maker in China, and Guangdong Provincial Expressway Development, a regional toll road operator in

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

30    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
   
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020         
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Year      5 Year      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MCDFX)      19.18%        4.02%        3.56%        8.18%        6.94%        9.99%        9.76%        11/30/09  
Institutional Class (MICDX)      19.26%        4.09%        3.72%        8.34%        7.12%        n.a.        8.85%        10/29/10  
MSCI China Index3      15.37%        3.58%        13.28%        8.73%        5.49%        6.60%        5.66% 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

               
INCOME DISTRIBUTION HISTORY                                                         
       2020           2019  
       June        December        Total           June        December        Total  
Investor (MCDFX)      $ 0.36          n.a.        $ 0.36       $ 0.24        $ 0.02        $ 0.26  
Inst’l (MICDX)      $ 0.38          n.a.        $ 0.38       $ 0.25        $ 0.03        $ 0.28  

Note: This table does not include capital gains distributions. Totals may differ by $0.02 due to rounding. For income distribution history, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

   

30-DAY YIELD:

 

1.64% (Investor Class) 1.77% (Institutional Class)

 

The 30-Day Yield represents net investment income earned by the Fund over the 30-day period ended 6/30/20, 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: 3.23%

 

The dividend yield (trailing) for the portfolio is the weighted average sum of the dividends paid by each equity security held by the Fund over the 12 months ended 6/30/20 divided by the current price of each equity as of 6/30/20. The annualized dividend yield for the Fund is for the equity-only portion of the portfolio. Please note that this is based on gross equity 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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

 

LOGO

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 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 11/30/09.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector             % of Net Assets  
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services             7.6%  
Livzon Pharmaceutical Group, Inc.    Health Care             3.4%  
Hope Education Group Co., Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary             3.0%  
China International Capital Corp., Ltd.    Financials             3.0%  
Chengdu Hongqi Chain Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples             3.0%  
Shanghai Baosight Software Co., Ltd.    Information Technology             3.0%  
KWG Group Holdings, Ltd.    Real Estate             2.8%  
Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai    Consumer Discretionary             2.8%  
CITIC Telecom International Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services             2.8%  
WH Group, Ltd.    Consumer Staples             2.8%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                34.2%  

 

  5

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

 

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Table of Contents
 

COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7

 
China/Hong Kong     88.7  
Taiwan     5.5  
Singapore     3.1  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     2.6  
Total     99.9  

 

   

SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7

     
Consumer Discretionary     20.1  
Communication Services     18.3  
Consumer Staples     12.2  
Information Technology     9.9  
Industrials     8.5  
Health Care     7.4  
Financials     6.9  
Real Estate     6.1  
Energy     4.1  
Materials     3.9  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     2.6  
Total     100.0  

 

 

MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7

 
Mega Cap (over $25B)     24.0  
Large Cap ($10B-$25B)     12.5  
Mid Cap ($3B-10B)     28.7  
Small Cap (under $3B)     32.1  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     2.6  

 

6

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

Matthews China Dividend Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Guangdong province. China’s B share market, originally designed for only foreign investors, has been gradually marginalized as A shares are now accessible to global investors. However, there are still companies listed as B shares on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges in foreign currency with sound fundamental while offering attractive dividend yields and valuations. But, due to the less liquid nature of the B share market, they could underperform further in a severe sell off.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the second quarter, we initiated a new position in Tsingtao Brewery, one of the oldest Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong. We believe the Chinese beer industry is entering into a market share consolidation phase with top four market share leaders all focusing on premium products and profitability. In addition, for the first time of its history, Tsingtao Brewery launched a share based management incentive program to align management’s interest with minority shareholders. We believe the positive industry dynamics and management incentive could revitalize one of the best known consumer brands in China. We also initiated a position in Zhongsheng Group Holdings, a large premium car dealership network operator in China to replace Geely Automobile.

During the quarter, we exited our position in Hua Hong Semiconductor as the company decided to cut its dividend to maintain financial flexibility. We also exited China Merchants Bank as we expect the liquidity injection by central banks both domestic and globally will impact commercial banks’ ability to keep their profitability.

Outlook:

As China has started to recover its economic activity, its leaders have also been cautioning that the country is increasingly likely to be isolated politically and economically due to potential sanctions and diversification of global supply chain. “Internal Circulation” strategy of domestic consumption and home grown technology—key investment themes for us—has been proposed as a potential solution. We believe these themes will become even more attractive investment areas.

In the meantime, we are encouraged to see China has not given up its effort to open further to the world. In June, the Chinese government announced some major policy initiatives to make Hainan Island a free trade port benchmarked to Dubai and Singapore. These include significantly increasing Chinese tourists’ duty free spending limit, lowering corporate and personal income tax on the island to a low rate comparable to Hong Kong and Singapore and allowing more business areas for foreign investors to invest. These efforts could sow early seeds of a much freer open economy very much like China launching a few special economic zones along its coast 40 years ago.

 

 

32    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews China Dividend Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 97.4%

 

     Shares     Value  
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 20.1%    

Specialty Retail: 7.1%

   

China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp., Ltd. A Shares

    402,396       $8,823,344  

Zhongsheng Group Holdings, Ltd.

    1,439,000       8,047,937  

Topsports International Holdings, Ltd.b,c

    4,620,000       5,943,923  
   

 

 

 
      22,815,204  
   

 

 

 
   

Diversified Consumer Services: 5.2%

   

Hope Education Group Co., Ltd.b,c

    28,296,000       9,746,569  

China Education Group Holdings, Ltd.c

    4,251,000       6,855,423  
   

 

 

 
      16,601,992  
   

 

 

 
   

Household Durables: 2.8%

   

Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai A Shares

    1,137,104       9,137,158  
   

 

 

 
   

Auto Components: 2.0%

   

Minth Group, Ltd.

    2,272,000       6,521,783  
   

 

 

 
   

Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods: 1.7%

 

Nan Liu Enterprise Co., Ltd.

    612,000       5,455,303  
   

 

 

 
   

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 1.3%

   

Shanghai Jin Jiang Capital Co., Ltd. H Shares

    23,872,000       4,235,728  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      64,767,168  
   

 

 

 
   
     
COMMUNICATION SERVICES: 18.3%    

Diversified Telecommunication Services: 7.9%

 

CITIC Telecom International Holdings, Ltd.

    28,155,000       8,969,837  

HKBN, Ltd.

    5,069,957       8,890,492  

China Tower Corp., Ltd. H Sharesb,c

    41,965,136       7,457,454  
   

 

 

 
      25,317,783  
   

 

 

 
   

Interactive Media & Services: 7.6%

   

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    382,300       24,496,986  
   

 

 

 
   

Entertainment: 2.8%

   

NetEase, Inc. ADR

    20,800       8,931,104  
   

 

 

 

Total Communication Services

      58,745,873  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER STAPLES: 12.2%    

Food & Staples Retailing: 5.2%

   

Chengdu Hongqi Chain Co., Ltd. A Shares

    6,163,641       9,561,648  

Sun Art Retail Group, Ltd.

    4,219,000       7,238,212  
   

 

 

 
      16,799,860  
   

 

 

 
   

Food Products: 2.8%

   

WH Group, Ltd.b,c

    10,357,000       8,950,462  
   

 

 

 
   

Beverages: 2.5%

   

Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd. H Shares

    1,100,000       8,209,482  
   

 

 

 
   

Household Products: 1.7%

   

Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.

    1,507,000       5,413,573  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      39,373,377  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 9.9%    

Software: 4.2%

   

Shanghai Baosight Software Co., Ltd. B Shares

    4,090,073       9,504,172  

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

    1,668,000       3,902,926  
   

 

 

 
      13,407,098  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 2.0%

 

 

MediaTek, Inc.

    326,000       $6,445,225  
   

 

 

 
   

IT Services: 2.0%

   

SUNeVision Holdings, Ltd.

    8,162,000       6,426,432  
   

 

 

 
   

Communications Equipment: 1.7%

   

Accton Technology Corp.

    728,000       5,653,359  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      31,932,114  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDUSTRIALS: 8.5%    

Machinery: 2.4%

   

Shanghai Mechanical and Electrical Industry Co., Ltd. B Shares

    4,976,114       5,055,264  

Guangzhou Guangri Stock Co., Ltd. A Shares

    2,703,110       2,633,413  
   

 

 

 
      7,688,677  
   

 

 

 
   

Marine: 2.2%

   

SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd.

    6,550,000       7,013,350  
   

 

 

 
   

Trading Companies & Distributors: 2.0%

   

BOC Aviation, Ltd.b,c

    993,100       6,393,127  
   

 

 

 
   

Transportation Infrastructure: 1.9%

   

Guangdong Provincial Expressway Development Co., Ltd. B Shares

    10,498,218       6,136,721  
   

 

 

 
   

Road & Rail: 0.0%

   

Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway Co., Ltd. A Sharesd

    6,000       5,308  
   

 

 

 

Total Industrials

      27,237,183  
   

 

 

 
   
     
HEALTH CARE: 7.4%    

Pharmaceuticals: 3.5%

   

Livzon Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. H Shares

    2,180,800       11,069,299  
   

 

 

 
   

Life Sciences Tools & Services: 3.4%

   

Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd. H Sharesb,c

    761,900       7,890,538  

Genscript Biotech Corp.d

    1,484,000       3,069,044  
   

 

 

 
      10,959,582  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 0.4%

   

Kangji Medical Holdings, Ltd.d

    342,000       1,314,960  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Providers & Services: 0.1%

   

Hygeia Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.b,c,d

    103,600       356,896  
   

 

 

 
   

Biotechnology: 0.0%

   

Legend Biotech Corp. ADRd

    503       21,408  
   

 

 

 

Total Health Care

      23,722,145  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FINANCIALS: 6.9%    

Capital Markets: 5.1%

   

China International Capital Corp., Ltd. H Sharesb,c,d

    4,848,400       9,592,823  

China Everbright, Ltd.

    4,622,000       6,733,662  
   

 

 

 
      16,326,485  
   

 

 

 
   

Insurance: 1.8%

   

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. H Shares

    597,000       5,951,488  
   

 

 

 

Total Financials

      22,277,973  
   

 

 

 
   
 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews China Dividend Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

 

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)  

 

     Shares     Value  
REAL ESTATE: 6.1%    

Real Estate Management & Development: 5.0%

 

 

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd.

    5,391,500       $9,160,479  

Powerlong Commercial Management Holdings, Ltd.c

    2,918,500       6,793,533  
   

 

 

 
      15,954,012  
   

 

 

 
   

Equity REITs: 1.1%

   

CapitaLand Retail China Trust, REIT

    3,948,961       3,603,651  
   

 

 

 

Total Real Estate

      19,557,663  
   

 

 

 
   
     
ENERGY: 4.1%    

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 4.1%

   

China Suntien Green Energy Corp., Ltd. H Sharesd

    31,235,000       7,187,855  

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. H Shares

    14,440,000       6,039,659  
   

 

 

 

Total Energy

      13,227,514  
   

 

 

 
   
     
MATERIALS: 3.9%    

Construction Materials: 2.5%

   

Huaxin Cement Co., Ltd. B Shares

    4,276,992       7,811,575  
   

 

 

 
   

Containers & Packaging: 1.4%

   

Greatview Aseptic Packaging Co., Ltd.

    12,919,000       4,578,640  
   

 

 

 

Total Materials

      12,390,215  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 97.4%       313,231,225  

(Cost $271,310,193)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 2.6%
      8,523,927  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $321,755,152  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by 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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $56,331,792, which is 17.51% of net assets.

 

c

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

d

Non-income producing security.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

34    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER*
Robert Horrocks, PhD

Lead Manager

*   As of August 31, 2020

   
FUND FACTS        
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MAVRX   MAVAX

CUSIP

  577130693   577130685

Inception

  11/30/15   11/30/15

NAV

  $10.57   $10.50

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.85%   1.74%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.37%   1.20%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

  27

Net Assets

 

$13.4 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

 

$53.1 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

 

32.03%

Benchmark

   

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in common stock, preferred stock and other equity securities, and convertible securities of companies located in Asia. The Fund seeks to create an investable universe of value companies that it believes trade at market values with discounts to their intrinsic value, have strong financial and market positions, have strong management and are oriented to creating value for their shareholders. Matthews assesses companies within this universe according to each of these factors.

Matthews Asia Value Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Value Fund returned –4.43% (Investor Class) and –4.28 (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index, returned –4.65%. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 16.28% (Investor Class and Institutional Class) vs. the benchmark, which returned 16.79%.

Market Environment:

The first half of the year was a tale of two halves—a global market plunge that set quite a few records in the first quarter followed by a huge rally in the second. Central banks worldwide have pumped an unprecedented amount of liquidity into the system to stem potential COVID-19 lockdown-induced economic collapse. We believe that this extraordinary amount of liquidity has found its way to the global equity market, fueling one of the biggest quarterly rallies seen in modern history. The extent of the logic-defying rally, however, contrasts sharply with the underlying bleak economic and unemployment data worldwide. The two are increasingly detached from each other, particularly for the U.S. market. Value stocks in Asia, as well as elsewhere, continued to lag substantially whereas investors cannot seemingly buy enough of growth and momentum driven stocks, particularly in the technology sector.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

The Fund slightly outperformed the index in the first half of the year and held onto the big rally in the second quarter without lagging much, thanks to stock selection. Our top contributor was again South Korea’s Samsung SDI, which specializes in lithium ion battery technology, with the market getting bullish on long-term profitability of its electric vehicle (EV) battery business. We suspect that Tesla’s recent meteoric rise in its share price has also brought a halo effect to many stocks plugged into the EV supply chain. We took advantage of the euphoria and trimmed our stakes in Samsung SDI substantially in the quarter.

Bharti Infratel, the largest telecom tower business in India, was the other major positive contributor in the second quarter. We initiated our position in the first quarter when there was substantial fear in the market that one of their biggest customers, Vodafone Idea, was going to collapse. This remains an overhang as a final supreme court ruling—on how much and over how long of a payment term that all telecom carriers can pay back overdue tax to the government—is now further postponed. However, news flows throughout the second quarter signaled to the market that pricing in the overall mobile telecom industry hit bottom last year. This has likely eased concerns around the tower business, hence the big share price rally in the quarter. Regardless of the eventual ruling outcome, we continue to believe that Bharti Infratel will remain a strategically important asset for the industry players for many years to come.

On the other hand, China Mobile as well as the three Japanese small-cap holdings, Asante, Gakujo, and San-A, did not participate in the market rally. The Japanese names are all facing various degrees of challenges in their offline businesses due to COVID-19, but detraction from these names were fairly modest.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 1.20% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
             
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                          
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total
Returns
      

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAVRX)      16.28%        -4.43%        -3.33%        1.04%        6.40%        11/30/15  
Institutional Class (MAVAX)      16.28%        -4.28%        -3.21%        1.25%        6.65%        11/30/15  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index4      16.79%        -4.65%        1.97%        3.90%        8.48%     

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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

 

LOGO

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gain 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 Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definition.

 

         
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                              
     Sector      Country               % of Net Assets  
Bharti Infratel, Ltd.    Communication Services      India             6.6%  
Cie Financiere Richemont SA    Consumer Discretionary      Switzerland             4.5%  
CK Hutchison Holdings, Ltd.    Industrials      China/Hong Kong             4.4%  
China Isotope & Radiation Corp.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong             3.9%  
Straits Trading Co., Ltd.    Materials      Singapore             3.9%  
Prosus N.V.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong             3.8%  
NAVER Corp.    Communication Services      South Korea             3.8%  
China Mobile, Ltd.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong             3.4%  
Geumhwa PSC Co., Ltd.    Industrials      South Korea             3.3%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.    Information Technology      South Korea             3.2%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                     40.8%  

 

  5

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

 

36    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Value Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Notable Portfolio Changes:

We did not initiate any new names in the quarter as the big market rally made many stocks on our watch list less compelling. We eliminated one name, Anhui Gujing Distillery B-share, in the quarter as its share price reached our estimated intrinsic value. Its share price has more than doubled since we initiated the position in early 2017. It’s a solid branded liquor business in China and we’d be happy to revisit it if its share price has a major correction.

We participated in the Fund’s first IPO in the quarter, Agora Inc., a Chinese software business listed in the U.S. with the ticker API. Its ticker reveals its business model—a software application programming interface (API) business rather than a software business. Software APIs are building blocks used by software developers to produce end software products, akin to Lego pieces that kids use to build all kinds of things. In this instance, Agora’s API is used to enable real-time video communications. In the parlance that’s now seeped into our daily language, Agora is democratizing Zoom to enable their customers to do what Zoom does—whether their customers’ app is in education, gaming, social networking, or dating, etc. On its debut day, its share price went up around 150%, which exceeded even our most optimistic scenario. We did not expect to unload our shares so soon but we could not justify holding onto them so we sold our shares on day one when its share price multiple hit 25x sales ex cash.

Outlook:

The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has brought severe impacts on human lives and unprecedented challenges to society. However, if we only looked at our stock market, it appears there are no signs of the pandemic we are going through right now. Either the market will come down to meet with humdrum corporate reality or corporate reality will have to deliver earnings growth in the midst of a partial global economic lockdown to meet the market’s lofty expectations. There’s no third possibility here. Impact from this pandemic will be felt long after it’s gone. Therefore, we’ve been adjusting companies’ post-COVID-19 profit level to reflect the new reality. We are looking for businesses that are structural beneficiaries of the pandemic as well as those that are temporarily hurt by the pandemic, as long as we believe there remains a meaningful gap between the share price and our estimated post-COVID intrinsic value of the business.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
South Korea     21.8  
China/Hong Kong     17.2  
Japan     8.1  
India     7.6  
Singapore     6.6  
Switzerland     4.5  
Netherlands     3.8  
Taiwan     1.6  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     28.7  
Total     99.9  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7  
Consumer Discretionary     14.9  
Communication Services     13.7  
Industrials     12.4  
Health Care     12.3  
Materials     5.7  
Information Technology     5.0  
Financials     3.9  
Consumer Staples     3.4  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     28.7  
Total     100.0  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     23.4  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     7.6  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     9.8  
Small Cap (under $3B)     30.4  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     28.7  

 

6

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Value Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

 

COMMON EQUITIES: 63.3%   PREFERRED EQUITIES: 8.0%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
CHINA/HONG KONG: 21.1%    

CK Hutchison Holdings, Ltd.

    92,000       $595,754  

China Isotope & Radiation Corp.

    185,200       531,208  

Prosus N.V.b

    5,563       517,125  

China Mobile, Ltd.

    67,000       452,388  

China National Accord Medicines Corp., Ltd. B Shares

    101,807       286,655  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. ADRb

    1,200       258,840  

Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer Co., Ltd. H Shares

    84,000       187,559  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      2,829,529  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 13.8%    

NAVER Corp.

    2,242       504,413  

Geumhwa PSC Co., Ltd.

    20,736       444,787  

Shinyoung Securities Co., Ltd.

    10,318       366,593  

Hyundai Greenfood Co., Ltd.

    46,750       301,970  

Young Poong Corp.

    627       242,254  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      1,860,017  
   

 

 

 
   
     
JAPAN: 8.1%    

Medikit Co., Ltd.

    8,400       276,220  

YAMADA Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

    22,100       275,984  

Asante, Inc.

    17,700       240,769  

San-A Co., Ltd.

    4,200       161,002  

Gakujo Co., Ltd.

    12,500       139,241  
   

 

 

 

Total Japan

      1,093,216  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 7.6%    

Bharti Infratel, Ltd.

    299,732       881,000  

Wipro, Ltd.

    46,474       135,663  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      1,016,663  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 6.6%    

Straits Trading Co., Ltd.

    454,700       523,284  

Haw Par Corp., Ltd.

    51,900       367,057  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      890,341  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SWITZERLAND: 4.5%    

Cie Financiere Richemont SA

    9,283       598,757  
   

 

 

 

Total Switzerland

      598,757  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TAIWAN: 1.6%    

P-Duke Technology Co., Ltd.

    95,500       218,643  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      218,643  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES

 

    8,507,166  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $8,584,518)

   
   
     Shares     Value  
   
SOUTH KOREA: 8.0%    

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    10,917       $425,264  

Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., 2nd Pfd.

    8,095       387,069  

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    1,497       156,699  

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    584       109,503  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      1,078,535  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES       1,078,535  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $1,333,455)

   
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 71.3%       9,585,701  

(Cost $9,917,973)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 28.7%
      3,863,423  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $13,449,124  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

Pfd.

Preferred

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

38    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS*
Taizo Ishida  

Lead Manager

 
Michael J Oh, CFA  

Co-Manager

 

*   As of August 31, 2020

FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MPACX   MIAPX

CUSIP

  577130867   577130776

Inception

  10/31/03   10/29/10

NAV

  $30.47   $30.75

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.09%   0.94%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

    60

Net Assets

    $1.3 billion

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $39.6 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

  38.05%

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia. Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia, and includes 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.

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Growth Fund returned 8.43% (Investor Class) and 8.50% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index, returned –6.29% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund returned 30.94% (Investor Class) and 30.96% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 15.99%.

Market Environment:

Asia’s capital markets were volatile in the first half, falling sharply in the first quarter on fears of slowing growth related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cyclically sensitive sectors such as energy, materials, industrials and financials suffered most in the first quarter, while companies related to communication services and technology performed better. In the second quarter, most Asian markets moved higher as major economies continued to relax shelter-in-place restrictions. Although Covid-19 cases continued to rise significantly in the second quarter, the gradual reopening of businesses helped bolster sentiment. The health care sector outperformed the broader markets by a wide margin in the second quarter and cyclicals such as materials and energy stocks bounced back. Financials continued to lag in the second quarter.

Chinese equities generated strong absolute returns in the first half, as domestic Chinese sentiment gained strength on the back of a quick resumption of economic activity. China, South Korea and Taiwan each made considerable progress in flattening their curves of new virus infections in the reporting period. Stimulus in China remains modest, but supportive of economic growth. Amid strong returns, we also saw some volatility related to the Chinese government’s amendment of national security laws in Hong Kong, which attracted international attention and protests from Hong Kong citizens.

Japan’s broader equity market was negative in the first half, but recovered quite a bit of lost ground in the second quarter. At the start of 2020, Japanese equities experienced steeper declines than those of other developed economies in anticipation of the global manufacturing cycle deteriorating to a recession territory. However, since March, Japan has been one of the strongest equity markets globally. The country experienced lower COVID-19 cases than other developed countries due to widespread adoption of masks and extensive contact tracing. Japanese corporates had strong cash positions to weather the economic downturn.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

The Fund outperformed its benchmark in the first half. Contributors included the health care sector, where strong stock selection and an overweight allocation generated attractive returns. Companies such as Innovent Biologics, Wuxi Biologics and M3, Inc. were each contributors. Innovent is one of the leading Chinese biopharmaceutical companies with the recent success of the country’s first domestic PD-1 cancer drug. Wuxi Biologics is one the largest CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) in the world that helps many of large global and smaller regional pharma companies get drugs developed. M3 Inc. is a Japanese med-tech company providing many online medical solutions including clinical trials to doctors and medical practices not only in Japan, but also in China, U.S. and Europe. Stock selection in China, as well as a slight overweight to China, was also a notable contributor. Chinese video content company Bilibili generated significant gains in the reporting period. The company, which caters to young viewers attracted new users as the pandemic accelerated demand for online entertainment and social media interaction.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MPACX)      30.94%        8.43%        18.17%        10.30%        9.04%        9.53%        9.49%        10/31/03  
Institutional Class (MIAPX)      30.96%        8.50%        18.29%        10.48%        9.23%        n.a.        7.92%        10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index3      15.99%        -6.29%        1.35%        3.50%        4.33%        6.30%        6.58% 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

 

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

 

LOGO

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 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 10/31/03.

 

         
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                            
     Sector      Country             % of Net Assets  
Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong             5.2%  
Bilibili, Inc.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong             5.1%  
Innovent Biologics, Inc.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong             4.0%  
PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero    Financials      Indonesia             3.4%  
BeiGene, Ltd.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong             3.2%  
HDFC Bank, Ltd.    Financials      India             3.0%  
Sony Corp.    Consumer Discretionary      Japan             2.9%  
Terumo Corp.    Health Care      Japan             2.7%  
Nintendo Co., Ltd.    Communication Services      Japan             2.6%  
Keyence Corp.    Information Technology      Japan             2.4%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                     34.5%  

 

  5

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

 

40    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Detractors included small positions in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which are not in the Fund’s benchmark. Bangladeshi financials company Brac Bank and Sri Lankan financials company Sampath Bank experienced share price declines amid worries that economies in South and Southeast Asia might face a longer road to recovery from the economic impacts of the pandemic. These are very small positions that we continue to monitor. The Fund’s underweight in information technology, as well as stock selection in the sector, also detracted from performance. Shares of Japanese computer software company Kudan Inc. fell in the reporting period. The company specializes in artificial perception, helping computers “see” for tasks such as autonomous driving. This position was small and we exited the position in the second quarter.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

We initiated several new positions in the second quarter, including Burning Rock Biotech and Legend Biotech. Burning Rock Biotech is a leading Chinese molecule diagnostics company focused on cancer detection. Legend Biotech is a Chinese biopharma company developing CAR-T cell therapies, which help patient’s T cells combat cancer more effectively. We also initiated a position in Chinese information technology company Silergy Corp, which mainly makes power management analog semiconductors. With high margin products and a strong management team, we believe that Silergy is well positioned to take advantage of growing demand for local tech solutions in China. We also trimmed a handful of stocks to reallocate capital to higher growth names.

Outlook:

While China’s economic recovery is still in very early stages, recent data suggests the pace and progress of the recovery may be sustainable. CapEx spending among businesses, auto sales among consumers and property sales all began to rebound in the second quarter of 2020. This is not to suggest that China is out of the woods yet. The potential for a second wave of virus infections remains, particularly as Chinese citizens return home from abroad. Unemployment remains high in China, as it does globally, which could create a drag on spending. And a slowing global economy could slow China’s rebound.

Japanese corporates had strong cash positions to weather the economic downturn. Furthermore, while economic conditions remain weak globally, sentiment is improving. In regard to monetary and fiscal policy, recent central bank actions and government spending bills offer ballast for Japan’s overall market and economy. The Bank of Japan, Japan’s central bank, announced plans to double its purchases of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Reflecting monetary easing efforts around the globe, Japan’s central bank is committed to providing liquidity. The Japanese government has also passed a stimulus package that are one of the largest in terms of percentage of GDP, both headline numbers and direct spending.

Turning to South and Southeast Asia, we’ve reduced our exposure over the past year as an outcome of our bottom up stock selection process. In terms of broader macroeconomic conditions, the pandemic may have an outsized impact on Asia’s less developed economies, which have generally had a harder time flattening their rates of new infections. In addition, smaller government balance sheets may allow for less fiscal and monetary stimulus.

Over the long term, we continue to see attractive opportunities in the health care sector. In our view, the sector is still in the very early stages of its growth potential, particularly in Asia, where rising incomes are naturally leading to a desire for greater quality of life and patient care. We believe health care companies that compete on innovation and improved patient outcomes will continue to expand their role in Asia’s economies.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
China/Hong Kong     40.1  
Japan     33.6  
United States     7.1  
Indonesia     4.0  
Australia     3.4  
India     3.0  
Bangladesh     1.6  
Vietnam     1.2  
Switzerland     0.9  
Sri Lanka     0.7  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.4  
Total     100.0  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7  
Health Care     48.4  
Consumer Discretionary     14.8  
Communication Services     9.7  
Financials     7.7  
Information Technology     6.1  
Industrials     5.0  
Energy     2.0  
Consumer Staples     1.8  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.4  
Total     99.9  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     31.6  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     20.9  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     20.7  
Small Cap (under $3B)     22.4  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.4  

 

6

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 95.6%

 

     Shares     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 40.1%    

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.b,c,d

    3,693,000       $67,787,291  

Bilibili, Inc. ADRc

    1,434,500       66,446,040  

Innovent Biologics, Inc.b,c,d

    6,984,500       51,983,526  

BeiGene, Ltd. ADRc

    225,200       42,427,680  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. ADRc

    146,700       31,643,190  

Baozun, Inc. ADRc

    818,500       31,471,325  

Shenzhou International Group Holdings, Ltd.

    2,365,300       28,755,459  

Alphamab Oncologyb,c,d

    11,948,000       27,807,800  

Burning Rock Biotech, Ltd. ADRc

    907,209       24,503,715  

Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,789,348       23,396,468  

Shenzhen Inovance Technology Co., Ltd. A Shares

    4,069,575       21,951,020  

Genscript Biotech Corp.c

    9,144,000       18,910,601  

Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co.,
Ltd.b,c,d

    3,472,000       16,420,520  

InnoCare Pharma, Ltd.b,c,d

    8,323,000       15,814,574  

Kangji Medical Holdings, Ltd.c

    3,989,000       15,337,359  

Silergy Corp.

    228,000       14,935,893  

Peijia Medical, Ltd.b,c,d

    3,008,000       13,622,450  

AK Medical Holdings, Ltd.b,d

    4,212,000       13,426,732  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      526,641,643  
   

 

 

 
   
     
JAPAN: 33.6%    

Sony Corp.

    552,500       38,139,174  

Terumo Corp.

    921,900       35,090,073  

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

    74,900       33,485,457  

Keyence Corp.

    76,600       32,100,114  

SoftBank Group Corp.

    552,400       27,856,245  

PeptiDream, Inc.c

    555,300       25,585,709  

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    690,400       24,804,669  

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

    33,600       19,312,337  

HEALIOS KKc

    1,149,400       18,473,243  

Eisai Co., Ltd.

    221,500       17,597,939  

Rozetta Corp.c

    516,600       17,437,065  

M3, Inc.

    400,400       17,009,446  

Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd.

    80,900       15,861,988  

Kyoritsu Maintenance Co., Ltd.

    432,900       14,809,775  

Sansan, Inc.c

    378,700       14,535,636  

Hikari Tsushin, Inc.

    61,100       13,970,406  

Nidec Corp.

    200,600       13,514,179  

Japan Elevator Service Holdings Co., Ltd.

    402,600       13,023,943  

Sysmex Corp.

    153,200       11,759,891  

AI inside, Inc.c

    37,900       11,400,477  

Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

    146,600       9,196,714  

Sosei Group Corp.c

    550,900       8,408,272  

Freee KKc

    158,000       7,192,077  
   

 

 

 

Total Japan

      440,564,829  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED STATES: 6.7%    

Schrodinger, Inc.c

    279,700       25,612,129  

Legend Biotech Corp. ADRc

    537,538       22,877,617  

Frequency Therapeutics, Inc.c

    476,465       11,077,811  

Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc.c

    118,000       7,621,620  

Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.c

    225,000       6,498,000  

ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc.c

    191,568       6,461,589  

NextCure, Inc.c

    253,300       5,430,752  

REVOLUTION Medicines, Inc.c

    93,307       2,945,702  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      88,525,220  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  
INDONESIA: 4.0%    

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero

    205,971,900       $43,963,287  

PT Mayora Indah

    54,105,900       8,582,255  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      52,545,542  
   

 

 

 
   
     
AUSTRALIA: 3.4%    

Oil Search, Ltd.

    11,936,340       26,452,766  

CSL, Ltd.

    89,666       17,833,522  
   

 

 

 

Total Australia

      44,286,288  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 3.0%    

HDFC Bank, Ltd.

    2,837,251       39,879,046  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      39,879,046  
   

 

 

 
   
     
BANGLADESH: 1.6%    

Square Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.

    6,658,497       13,183,589  

BRAC Bank, Ltd.

    24,353,713       8,266,198  
   

 

 

 

Total Bangladesh

      21,449,787  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 1.2%    

Vietnam Dairy Products JSC

    3,116,592       15,234,729  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      15,234,729  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SWITZERLAND: 0.9%    

ADC Therapeutics SAc

    239,500       11,210,995  
   

 

 

 

Total Switzerland

      11,210,995  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SRI LANKA: 0.7%    

Sampath Bank PLC

    13,125,953       8,953,965  
   

 

 

 

Total Sri Lanka

      8,953,965  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CANADA: 0.4%    

Zymeworks, Inc.c

    129,700       4,678,279  
   

 

 

 

Total Canada

      4,678,279  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.6%

 

    1,253,970,323  

(Cost $897,299,213)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.4%
      58,238,276  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $1,312,208,599  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by 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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $206,862,893, which is 15.76% of net assets.

 

c

Non-income producing security.

 

d

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

JSC

Joint Stock Co.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

42    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Sharat Shroff, CFA    

Lead Manager

   

Inbok Song

  Raymond Deng

Co-Manager

  Co-Manager
FUND FACTS        
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MAPTX   MIPTX

CUSIP

  577130107   577130834

Inception

  9/12/94   10/29/10

NAV

  $27.38   $27.36

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.08%   0.93%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.05%   0.91%

Portfolio Statistics

 

Total # of Positions

  55

Net Assets

  $6.7 billion

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $142.6 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

  17.08%

Benchmark

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia ex Japan, which consists of all countries and markets in Asia excluding Japan, but including all other developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region.

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund returned –4.73% (Investor Class) and –4.70% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index, returned –4.65% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 20.35% (Investor Class) and 20.37% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 16.79%.

Market Environment:

Asia’s markets experienced considerable volatility stemming from the global COVID-19 pandemic with significant decline in capital markets in the first quarter followed by a sharp recovery in the second. As the efforts to contain the spread of the virus are starting to take hold, especially in North Asia, the narrative is clearly shifting from survival to the revival in many of these economies. While most of the country-specific indices and currencies recovered from the sharp drop in the first quarter, there remained noticeable bifurcation between sectoral indices with health care, technology and consumer discretionary being the best performing, and real estate and utilities barely recovering. This dynamic reflects a world of intangible investments, automation, and low to zero interest rates.

Chinese equities generated the strongest returns in the region on the back of expectations around a return to normalcy in economic activity. The continued recovery and unattractiveness of other investing alternatives is drawing investors into China’s equity markets, albeit the participation is still narrowly focused on a select group of sectors. Towards the end of the quarter, expectations have started to build around greater infrastructure spending as is being reflected in some of the high frequency indicators, but the Chinese government remains mindful of the risks stemming from excessive stimulus.

South Korea and Taiwan also made considerable progress in flattening their curves of new virus infections in the reporting period. South Korean equities were roughly flat on fears of slowing global growth. Korea’s valuations are some of the region’s most attractive although a significant shift in corporate capital allocation decisions may be needed for a sustained rerating of equities. Meanwhile, Taiwanese equities are well positioned to benefit from the increasing adoption of technology in everyday lives.

Elsewhere, equity prices in parts of South and Southeast Asia—including India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand—suffered as investors feared a slower recovery from the pandemic for these economies, in spite of a partial recovery in the second quarter. Less developed parts of Asia have had a harder time flattening their rates of new infections. And smaller government balance sheets may allow for less fiscal and monetary stimulus. However, we continue to see these economies playing a vital role in Asia’s growth over the long term.

Contributors and Detractors:

In the first half, the Fund’s performance was roughly in line with its benchmark. The portfolio’s overweight to India and Indonesia detracted from performance in the first half. From a sector perspective, stock selection in health care and real estate detracted from performance. Turning to contributors, strong stock selection in China was additive to relative performance. China’s equity markets experienced a notable rebound in the second quarter as sentiment improved on progress toward containing the spread of COVID-19 in China.

In the second quarter, the Fund outperformed its benchmark, primarily driven by strong stock selection. Stock selection in China and South Korea contributed to relative performance. In China, domestic tourism is starting to resume, consumer spending is recovering and businesses are looking for improved productivity solutions, trends that benefited portfolio holdings. In South Korea, portfolio holdings benefited from the potential for increased demand for IT solutions and online games and entertainment. Meanwhile, stock selection in India and Indonesia detracted from performance in the second quarter. Consumer spending in India and Indonesia was particularly weak amid the pandemic. Many of the portfolio’s consumer-related stocks, while generating positive absolute returns in the quarter, trailed the benchmark.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus Expense Ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fee and administrative and shareholder services fee if the Fund’s average daily net assets are over $3 billion, as follows: for every $2.5 billion average daily net assets of the Fund that are over $3 billion, the advisory fee rate and the administrative and shareholder services fee rate for the Fund with respect to such excess average daily net assets will be each reduced by 0.01%, in each case without reducing such fee rate below 0.00%. Any amount waived by Matthews pursuant to this agreement may not be recouped by Matthews. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated (i) at any time by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ prior written notice to Matthews; or (ii) by Matthews at the annual expiration date of the agreement upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the Trust, in each case without payment of any penalty.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAPTX)      20.35%        -4.73%        -2.00%        2.97%        3.64%        7.01%        8.11%        9/12/94  
Institutional Class (MIPTX)      20.37%        -4.70%        -1.88%        3.12%        3.82%        n.a.        5.26%        10/29/10  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index4      16.79%        -4.65%        1.97%        3.80%        4.70%        6.21%        4.40% 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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

LOGO

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$.

 

  4

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 90 for index definition.

 

  5

Calculated from 8/31/94.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS6                     
     Sector      Country      % of Net Assets  
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong        7.2%  
Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        7.0%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      South Korea        4.9%  
NAVER Corp.    Communication Services      South Korea        4.3%  
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Ltd.    Financials      China/Hong Kong        3.9%  
AIA Group, Ltd.    Financials      China/Hong Kong        3.4%  
China Resources Land, Ltd.    Real Estate      China/Hong Kong        3.1%  
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      Taiwan        3.0%  
China Resources Beer Holdings Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong        2.9%  
Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong        2.6%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                42.3%  

 

  6

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

 

44    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Among individual securities, a contributor to relative performance in the first half was Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. The prospect of dual listing for some of the larger Chinese companies currently listed in U.S. exchange, coupled with continued capital raising by mainland Chinese companies may lead to greater trading volumes on the exchange. The portfolio’s holdings in Indian financials HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the biggest detractors from relative performance in the first half as worries about the impact of the lockdown on banking balance sheets weighed on investor sentiment.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

From a country perspective, the Fund’s exposure to China has continued to increase during the first half with new additions, especially in the first quarter. From a sector perspective, we continue to add exposure to consumer discretionary, industrial businesses and IT. With new types of companies emerging within IT across Asia, we are interested in companies that compete on intellectual property, companies with strong competitive moats and companies that capture the growth of consumer spending.

In the second quarter, we initiated a position in Tata Consultancy Services, a leading IT services company with clients in a variety of economic sectors. The company remains well positioned to help their clients navigate the journey towards higher digitization in their businesses, and has been able to secure larger-sized deals which create a moat for the company. We also exited Surya Citra Media Tbk PT, an Indonesian mass media company. Although the company remains a respectable player in the market with leading market share, we believe the overall shift from TV to digital advertising is a significant structural headwind for the company. While it has taken steps to address this shift to digital it was hard for us to see meaningful progress going forward, given the competitive environment. As such, we decided to exit our position in order to pursue other opportunities.

Outlook:

The pace of recovery from economic lockdowns across Asia varies by geography. In some parts of Asia like China, the worry is about a potential second wave, while in other countries like India, the first wave still continues unabated. These challenges can act as a stimulant for structural reforms. China continues to open up the capital markets to allow for greater flow of capital across borders and ease the constraints for companies to access funding. In India, there has been an effort on the part of the government to deregulate the agricultural market, and some state/local governments have also eased onerous labor provisions.

In addition to the health care and economic challenges, the political climate has also deteriorated with tensions between the U.S. and China ratcheting up as we close in on U.S. elections in November. It is hard to predict the course of actions by either administration. But from an economic standpoint, China has become increasingly self-sufficient, with the ability to drive economic growth within the country although sectors like technology are still dependent on critical imports. The portfolio’s Chinese holdings are less exposed to trade between the U.S. and China.

In spite of all the above headwinds, it is encouraging to see a steady recovery in economic activity in countries like China, South Korea, and Taiwan—all of which have benefited from decisive action early on in controlling the spread of the virus. However, equity markets remain quite focused on sectors like IT, consumer discretionary, and communication services. This reflects a conundrum whereby there is a clear and widening gap between stocks in the top quintile and bottom quintile of valuation multiples. Some of this dichotomy may be justified as there continues to be considerable change in corporate Asia, which may favor those companies with access to capital and a willingness to embrace technological disruption. At the same time, as economic recovery strengthens, there may be an opportunity in a broader variety of sectors, which may have been ignored so far. We continue to remain vigilant for such opportunities in businesses that are capable of sustained growth with good profitability and cash flows.

 

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7,8  
China/Hong Kong     53.7  
South Korea     11.4  
India     10.0  
Taiwan     9.6  
Indonesia     5.6  
Philippines     2.4  
Switzerland     1.5  
Vietnam     1.4  
Thailand     1.3  
Malaysia     1.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     2.2  
Total     100.1  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)8  
Consumer Discretionary     17.8  
Financials     17.3  
Communication Services     15.2  
Consumer Staples     14.6  
Information Technology     14.1  
Real Estate     6.0  
Health Care     5.6  
Industrials     4.3  
Utilities     3.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     2.2  
Total     100.1  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     59.9  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     20.2  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     13.9  
Small Cap (under $3B)     3.7  
Unassigned     0.1  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     2.2  

 

7

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

8

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 97.8%

 

     Shares     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 53.7%    

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    7,567,800       $484,928,830  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.b

    12,961,800       349,758,646  

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Ltd.

    6,114,000       260,405,848  

AIA Group, Ltd.

    24,134,000       225,836,441  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

    53,912,000       206,062,188  

China Resources Beer Holdings Co., Ltd.

    34,721,775       193,816,975  

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. A Shares

    832,173       172,899,764  

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. H Shares

    17,334,000       172,802,504  

China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp., Ltd. A Shares

    6,754,078       148,096,785  

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    31,574,808       139,487,429  

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.b,c,d

    7,409,500       136,005,938  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. ADRb

    540,075       116,494,178  

Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. A Shares

    8,525,841       111,478,913  

ENN Energy Holdings, Ltd.

    8,936,700       100,989,058  

China East Education Holdings, Ltd.c,d

    52,703,000       95,803,657  

Guotai Junan Securities Co., Ltd. H Sharesc,d

    66,072,000       91,885,867  

Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co., Ltd. H Sharesc,d,

    37,397,200       89,539,503  

Topsports International Holdings, Ltd.c,d

    65,513,000       84,286,622  

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

    1,741,201       83,699,532  

Midea Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    8,999,536       76,331,952  

Tencent Music Entertainment Group ADRb

    4,655,200       62,658,992  

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

    24,954,000       58,389,453  

Weichai Power Co., Ltd. A Shares

    21,684,069       42,231,801  

Midea Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    4,206,937       35,664,850  

Kingsoft Cloud Holdings, Ltd. ADRb

    992,754       31,291,606  

CITIC Securities Co., Ltd. H Shares

    10,908,000       20,806,758  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      3,591,654,090  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 11.4%    

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

    7,392,883       327,265,427  

NAVER Corp.

    1,271,618       286,092,784  

NCSoft Corp.

    105,867       78,757,347  

Orion Holdings Corp.

    3,198,402       35,540,544  

Hanon Systems

    4,206,299       31,878,311  

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.b

    93,484       3,808,219  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      763,342,632  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 10.0%    

Housing Development Finance Corp., Ltd.

    6,708,642       155,990,164  

Dabur India, Ltd.

    16,112,505       99,517,751  

Tata Power Co., Ltd.

    165,316,487       98,536,843  

Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.

    5,354,922       96,656,434  

Container Corp. of India, Ltd.

    16,080,979       88,921,748  

Titan Co., Ltd.

    6,423,426       80,878,554  

Tata Consultancy Services, Ltd.

    1,202,565       33,103,640  

HDFC Bank, Ltd.

    1,171,079       16,460,128  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      670,065,262  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
TAIWAN: 9.6%    

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    18,700,000       $199,707,030  

MediaTek, Inc.

    8,174,000       161,605,122  

President Chain Store Corp.

    14,521,608       146,082,633  

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

    7,610,000       77,565,129  

Delta Electronics, Inc.

    9,973,182       56,910,928  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      641,870,842  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 5.6%    

PT Bank Central Asia

    59,006,900       118,061,077  

PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero

    479,046,700       102,617,733  

PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur

    147,199,100       96,605,772  

PT Mitra Keluarga Karyasehatd

    358,729,800       57,066,512  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      374,351,094  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PHILIPPINES: 2.4%    

SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

    159,670,771       102,693,017  

GT Capital Holdings, Inc.

    6,376,833       58,531,087  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      161,224,104  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SWITZERLAND: 1.4%    

DKSH Holding AG

    1,509,437       97,249,858  
   

 

 

 

Total Switzerland

      97,249,858  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 1.4%    

Vietnam Dairy Products JSC

    18,849,190       92,139,847  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      92,139,847  
   

 

 

 
   
     
THAILAND: 1.3%    

Central Pattana Public Co., Ltd.

    56,511,100       89,828,984  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      89,828,984  
   

 

 

 
   
     
MALAYSIA: 1.0%    

IHH Healthcare BHD

    50,774,600       65,453,140  
   

 

 

 

Total Malaysia

      65,453,140  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 97.8%       6,547,179,853  

(Cost $4,472,778,772)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 2.2%
      146,465,749  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $6,693,645,602  
   

 

 

 
 

 

46    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $497,521,587, which is 7.43% of net assets.

 

d

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

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.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Vivek Tanneeru  

Lead Manager

 
Winnie Chwang  

Co-Manager

   
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MASGX   MISFX

CUSIP

  577130727   577130719

Inception

  4/30/15   4/30/15

NAV

  $11.15   $11.14

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.54%   1.41%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.38%   1.20%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

  56

Net Assets

  $55.5 million

Weighted Average
Market Cap

  $20.9 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

  29.67%

Benchmark

 

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies of any market capitalization located in Asia that Matthews believes satisfy one or more of its environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) standards. Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia and includes developed, emerging, and frontier countries and markets in the Asia region. The Fund may also invest in convertible securities and fixed-income securities, of any duration or quality, including high yield securities, of Asian companies.

 

Matthews Asia ESG Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia ESG Fund returned 0.63% (Investor Class) and 0.72% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index, returned –4.65. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Matthews Asia ESG Fund returned 31.80% (Investor Class) and 31.83% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 16.79.

Market Environment:

Asia’s markets experienced considerable volatility stemming from the global COVID-19 pandemic with significant decline in equity markets in the first quarter followed by a sharp recovery in the second. As the efforts to contain the spread of the virus are starting to take hold, especially in North Asia, the narrative is clearly shifting from survival to the revival in many of these economies. While most country-specific indices and currencies recovered from the sharp drop in the first quarter, there remained noticeable bifurcation between sectoral indices with health care, technology and consumer discretionary being the best performing, with financials and real estate suffering. This dynamic reflects a world of intangible investments, increased use of consumer internet in a pandemic, and low to zero interest rates.

The Taiwan dollar appreciated relative to the U.S. dollar (up 1.60%) in the first half, as did the Hong Kong dollar (up 0.53%). Most other Asian currencies depreciated, including the Chinese renminbi (–1.53%) and the South Korean won (–3.86%). Turning to financial markets, China’s equity markets were among the strongest in the region for the first half, despite U.S.—China trade tensions. South Korea’s equity markets were slightly negative, but made up considerable ground toward the end of the first half. Equity prices in parts of South and Southeast Asia—including India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand—suffered as investors feared a slower recovery from the pandemic for these economies, in spite of a partial recovery in the second quarter. Less developed parts of Asia have had a harder time flattening their rates of new infections. And smaller government balance sheets may allow for less fiscal and monetary stimulus.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Stock selection in South Korea—particularly among information technology stocks—contributed to relative performance in the first half. Samsung SDI is one of the world’s leading small, automotive and energy storage battery suppliers. It also has a minority equity stake in the world’s largest display company. In addition, Samsung SDI also has an electronic materials division. The company is one of the global leaders in the large battery chemicals used in electric vehicles (EVs) and utility-grade energy storage systems. Samsung SDI has spent the last decade heavily investing in the large battery R&D and production capacity and the market now expects the company to breakeven in this segment. Given the strong performance of EV vehicle sales in Europe, the main end market for Samsung SDI’s automotive battery cells, the market is beginning to recognize its strengths even amid the COVID19 pandemic.

The Fund’s Indian financial holdings detracted from performance during the first half of the year. Going into 2020, Indian banking system that was already dealing

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 1.20% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

48    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 years      5 years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MASGX)      31.80%        0.63%        3.32%        4.70%        4.90%        4.42%        4/30/15  
Institutional Class (MISFX)      31.83%        0.72%        3.48%        4.93%        5.15%        4.65%        4/30/15  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index4      16.79%        -4.65%        1.97%        3.90%        4.70%        3.27%     

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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

LOGO

Plotted Monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gain 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 Morgan Stanley Capital International; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definition.

 

         
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                              
     Sector      Country               % of Net Assets  
Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Pfd.    Information Technology      South Korea             5.0%  
Bandhan Bank, Ltd.    Financials      India             5.0%  
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Ltd.    Financials      China/Hong Kong             4.7%  
Unicharm Corp.    Consumer Staples      Japan             4.1%  
Meituan Dianping Class B    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong             4.1%  
Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting Co., Ltd.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong             3.5%  
Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      India             3.4%  
China Conch Venture Holdings, Ltd.    Industrials      China/Hong Kong             3.3%  
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group, Ltd.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong             3.2%  
Yonghui Superstores Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong             3.1%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                     39.4%  

 

  5

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

 

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Table of Contents
   
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7      
China/Hong Kong     35.3  
India     16.4  
Taiwan     10.7  
South Korea     9.2  
Japan     7.6  
United States     6.2  
Bangladesh     3.5  
Indonesia     2.4  
Thailand     2.3  
Singapore     1.8  
Philippines     1.7  
Vietnam     0.9  
Pakistan     0.1  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    1.9  
Total     100.0  

 

   
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7      
Financials     17.8  
Consumer Discretionary     16.1  
Health Care     16.1  
Information Technology     14.7  
Industrials     9.8  
Consumer Staples     8.9  
Communication Services     8.3  
Materials     3.3  
Real Estate     3.1  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    1.9  
Total     100.0  

 

   
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7      
Mega Cap (over $25B)     20.8  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     21.4  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     28.0  
Small Cap (under $3B)     27.6  
Unassigned     0.3  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     1.9  

 

6

Not all countries are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

Matthews Asia ESG Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

with the after effects of several years of anemic growth and the resultant credit cycle was presented with a new challenge in the form of COVID-19-related lockdown in India. In addition, Yes Bank, a troubled small private Indian bank, was rescued in March by a bank consortium and temporary restrictions were imposed on deposit withdrawals from the bank. This led to worries about a systemic risk in the Indian banking system and some small- and mid-sized banks were sold-off aggressively, as the market worried about the possibility of deposit flight. Non-Banking Financial Services Companies (NBFCs) also bore the brunt of worries about a funding crunch, especially, after Franklin Templeton closed six of its Indian bond funds abruptly. A combination of worries about liquidity as well as the as-yet-unknown credit costs emanating from COVID-19 induced lockdowns led to a sharp sell-off. India’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), stepped in to ease rates, provide liquidity and also offer a moratorium to borrowers on account of COVID-19. India’s central government also announced a slew of fiscal measures to support the economy. Our bank holdings recovered well from their first quarter bottoms in the second quarter. We continue to remain vigilant about the liquidity and credit risks. Given the strong capital position of our holdings, attractive asset yields, improving deposit profiles and very attractive valuations, we remain positive on their long-term potential.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

We initiated a position in Legend Biotech in the second quarter. Legend Biotech is a Chinese biopharma company developing breakthrough CAR-T cell therapies, which help patient’s T cells combat cancer more effectively. In China, where the incidence of certain cancers such as lung cancer and gastric cancer is higher, there is a strong need for local and relatively affordable drugs and therapies. Legend has a very strong R&D capability and also a strong product pipeline. Its flagship CAR-T therapy’s global clinical trials, in partnership with global health care major Johnson & Johnson, have demonstrated promising data so far. Legend has a strong and well-rounded management team.

Outlook:

The pace of recovery from economic lockdowns across Asia varies by geography. In some parts of Asia like China, the worry is about a potential second wave, while in other countries like India, the first wave still continues unabated. These challenges can act as a stimulant for structural reforms. China continues to open up its capital markets to allow for greater flow of capital across borders and ease the constraints for companies to access funding. In India, there has been an effort on the part of the government to deregulate the agricultural market, and some state/local governments have also eased onerous labor provisions.

The pandemic has brought into clear focus ESG issues related to health care services and access, employment opportunities and the climate. Generating sustainable economic growth will require more inclusive economic growth. Asia remains at the epicenter of essential ESG issues globally. Looking ahead, we will continue to engage with our portfolio companies on issues related to sustainability, inclusiveness and profitability.

 

 

50    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia ESG Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 90.3%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
CHINA/HONG KONG: 35.3%    

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Ltd.

    61,700       $2,627,910  

Meituan Dianping Class Bb,c

    102,000       2,279,330  

Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting Co., Ltd. A Shares

    134,076       1,930,951  

China Conch Venture Holdings, Ltd.

    427,500       1,814,475  

CSPC Pharmaceutical Group, Ltd.

    945,600       1,790,860  

Yonghui Superstores Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,313,895       1,747,557  

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.b,c,d

    72,000       1,321,604  

Tencent Music Entertainment Group ADRb

    93,600       1,259,856  

HKBN, Ltd.

    688,500       1,207,329  

New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. ADRb

    8,300       1,080,909  

Xinyi Glass Holdings, Ltd.

    522,000       644,212  

ASM Pacific Technology, Ltd.

    53,900       569,615  

AIA Group, Ltd.

    46,800       437,936  

Innovent Biologics, Inc.b,c,d

    54,000       401,906  

Kingsoft Cloud Holdings, Ltd. ADRb

    11,545       363,898  

MTR Corp., Ltd.

    20,500       106,615  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      19,584,963  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 16.4%    

Bandhan Bank, Ltd.c,d

    645,506       2,752,766  

Mahindra & Mahindra, Ltd.

    276,738       1,878,419  

IndusInd Bank, Ltd.

    203,435       1,281,835  

Shriram City Union Finance, Ltd.

    109,588       969,612  

Minda Industries, Ltd.

    213,544       777,748  

NBCC India, Ltd.

    2,324,874       717,476  

Lupin, Ltd.

    32,205       389,133  

Lemon Tree Hotels, Ltd.b,c,d

    1,053,619       318,435  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      9,085,424  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TAIWAN: 10.7%    

Zhen Ding Technology Holding, Ltd.

    384,000       1,685,178  

Sporton International, Inc.

    152,903       1,252,136  

Poya International Co., Ltd.

    55,000       1,086,882  

Merida Industry Co., Ltd.

    88,000       601,572  

Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.

    305,000       534,493  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    50,000       533,976  

Taiwan Sakura Corp.

    153,000       246,028  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      5,940,265  
   

 

 

 
   
     
JAPAN: 7.6%    

Unicharm Corp.

    55,600       2,280,296  

UT Group Co., Ltd.b

    26,700       614,402  

Tsukui Corp.

    81,500       383,005  

Koa Corp.

    36,800       344,072  

Sosei Group Corp.b

    21,300       325,098  

Fuji Seal International, Inc.

    12,800       249,100  
   

 

 

 

Total Japan

      4,195,973  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
   
UNITED STATES: 6.2%    

Legend Biotech Corp. ADRb

    31,088       $1,323,105  

STAAR Surgical Co.b

    14,500       892,330  

Micron Technology, Inc.b

    14,300       736,736  

Universal Display Corp.

    1,800       269,316  

Applied Materials, Inc.

    3,900       235,755  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      3,457,242  
   

 

 

 
   
     
BANGLADESH: 3.5%    

BRAC Bank, Ltd.

    3,201,170       1,086,549  

GrameenPhone, Ltd.

    319,501       866,060  
   

 

 

 

Total Bangladesh

      1,952,609  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 2.4%    

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero

    3,413,400       728,567  

PT Jaya Real Property

    21,603,300       618,602  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      1,347,169  
   

 

 

 
   
     
THAILAND: 2.3%    

Total Access Communication Public Co., Ltd. NVDR

    1,009,100       1,287,867  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      1,287,867  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 1.8%    

Ascendas India Trust

    612,100       593,543  

SATS, Ltd.

    187,500       388,656  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      982,199  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PHILIPPINES: 1.7%    

Puregold Price Club, Inc.

    1,005,830       938,697  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      938,697  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 1.4%    

Eugene Technology Co., Ltd.

    28,069       644,492  

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.b

    3,804       154,962  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      799,454  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 0.9%    

Nam Long Investment Corp.

    462,599       489,361  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      489,361  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PAKISTAN: 0.1%    

Abbott Laboratories Pakistan, Ltd.

    9,450       37,316  
   

 

 

 

Total Pakistan

      37,316  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES       50,098,539  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $46,453,423)

   
   
 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asia ESG Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

PREFERRED EQUITIES: 7.8%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
SOUTH KOREA: 7.8%

 

 

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    14,734       $2,762,711  

LG Chem, Ltd., Pfd.

    7,395       1,555,800  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      4,318,511  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES

 

    4,318,511  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $2,558,844)

   
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.1%       54,417,050  

(Cost $49,012,267)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.9%
      1,076,810  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $55,493,860  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

d

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $4,794,711, which is 8.64% of net assets.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

NVDR

Non-voting Depositary Receipt

 

Pfd.

Preferred

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

52    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Taizo Ishida   Robert Harvey, CFA

Lead Manager

  Lead Manager
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MEASX   MIASX

CUSIP

  577125883   577125875

Inception

  4/30/13   4/30/13

NAV

  $9.05   $9.11

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.65%   1.51%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.42%   1.20%

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions

  53

Net Assets

  $165.1 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $2.0 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

  18.77%

Benchmark

MSCI Emerging Markets Asia Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia excluding Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Fund may also invest in the convertible securities, of any duration or quality, of companies located in Asia excluding Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. Under normal market conditions, the Fund is expected to invest a substantial portion of its net assets in the emerging countries and markets in the Asian region, including, but not limited to, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (including Taiwan, but excluding Hong Kong), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Matthews Emerging Asia Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Emerging Asia Fund returned –25.02% (Investor Class) and –24.90% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI Emerging Markets Asia Index, returned –3.39% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Matthews Emerging Asia Fund returned 19.55% (Investor Class) and 19.71% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 17.91%.

Market Environment:

Asia’s markets experienced considerable volatility stemming from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Equity prices in parts of South and Southeast Asia—including India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand—suffered as investors feared a slower recovery from the pandemic for these economies, in spite of a partial recovery in the second quarter. Less developed parts of Asia have had a harder time flattening their rates of new infections. In addition, smaller government balance sheets may allow for less fiscal and monetary stimulus. However, we continue to see these economies playing a vital role in Asia’s growth over the long term.

Stock exchanges in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh periodically halted trading temporarily in the first half, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These stock exchanges are not yet running on fully electronic trading systems, making it challenging for traders to work remotely during lockdown periods. Market closures meant that liquidity was temporarily frozen for any securities trading on those exchanges.

Foreign investor sentiment remained weak toward less developed markets in Asia in the first half, creating further downward pressure on these equity markets. Chinese equities, representing a more developed economy, generated the strongest returns in the region on the back of expectations around a quicker return to normalcy in economic activity. The continued recovery is drawing investors into China’s equity markets, albeit the participation is still narrowly focused on a select group of sectors. China’s equity returns tend to drive the benchmark’s overall returns. As before, we invest in a manner that is benchmark-agnostic, maintaining a sharp focus on less developed economies.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

In first half, the Fund’s absolute and relative returns were disappointing. In the second quarter, absolute and relative returns were much improved. Amid the second quarter market rally, the Fund’s focus on well managed, high-quality companies with strong cash flows bore fruit. Stock selection in financials and consumer staples sectors contributed to Fund performance. Among individual securities, Bank Mandiri, a large bank in Indonesia, was a contributor. The company corrected more than the benchmark in the first quarter and bounced back in the second quarter. Bank Mandiri has a large book of loans for small and medium-sized enterprises. Investors worried about the strength of small businesses in Indonesia sold the stock early in the pandemic. The stock price later began to rise as investors realized the bank was in better shape than the market expected. The company benefits from a good management team, large balance sheet and strong market position.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 1.20% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MEASX)      19.55%        -25.02%        -24.51%        -13.32%        -3.34%        -0.25%        4/30/13  
Institutional Class (MIASX)      19.71%        -24.90%        -24.39%        -13.11%        -3.12%        -0.03%        4/30/13  
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia Index4      17.91%        -3.39%        5.21%        4.45%        5.19%        5.39%     

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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

LOGO

Plotted monthly. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gain 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 Morgan Stanley Capital International and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definition.

 

         
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                              
     Sector      Country               % of Net Assets  
Vinh Hoan Corp.    Consumer Staples      Vietnam             4.2%  
British American Tobacco Bangladesh Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      Bangladesh             3.9%  
Square Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.    Health Care      Bangladesh             3.6%  
PT Kino Indonesia    Consumer Staples      Indonesia             3.4%  
Berger Paints Bangladesh, Ltd.    Materials      Bangladesh             3.3%  
John Keells Holdings PLC    Industrials      Sri Lanka             3.1%  
Sampath Bank PLC    Financials      Sri Lanka             3.1%  
Jollibee Foods Corp.    Consumer Discretionary      Philippines             2.9%  
Mobile World Investment Corp.    Consumer Discretionary      Vietnam             2.9%  
Cosco Capital, Inc.    Consumer Staples      Philippines             2.7%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                     33.1%  

 

  5

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

 

54    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Emerging Asia Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

In contrast, stock selection in health care and communication services sectors was a detractor. While the Fund is overweight the health care in aggregate versus its benchmark, Chinese health care stocks led the charge in the second quarter. We are underweight both China and Chinese health care because we view China as a more developed market. Stock selection in the Philippines was also a detractor in the second quarter. Among individual securities, STI Education Systems Holdings, which owns and operates college campuses in the Philippines, was a detractor. The stock price suffered amid disruptions in classroom education.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the second quarter, we initiated new positions in Thai Beverage Public Co., Ltd., Jollibee Foods Corp. and Central Retail Corp. Thai Beverage PCL is a large beer and spirits producer and distributor in Thailand. Jollibee Foods Corp. runs hamburger and other food franchises in the Philippines, as well as globally. Central Retail Corp. runs general merchandise stores in Thailand. We exited Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures, a restaurant chain serving fast food in the Philippines, as well as Expolanka Holdings, a diversified conglomerate in Sri Lanka.

Outlook:

While the COVID-19 pandemic remains a challenge for economies globally, we remain optimistic about the growth potential of Asia’s less developed economies and markets. The path forward may not be easy. However, we expect many lesser-developed economies will find ways to continue essential economic activities during the ongoing health care crisis. Our investment universe includes many countries with attractive demographics in terms of young workforces. We also see many of these economies having favorable geographic locations in terms of trade routes within and across Asia. In addition, we see very low current valuations for equities with attractive earnings growth. All of these provide the ingredients for attracting future investment and generating long-term growth.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7  
Vietnam     18.5  
Indonesia     15.9  
Bangladesh     14.3  
Pakistan     13.9  
Sri Lanka     10.8  
Philippines     7.7  
Thailand     4.9  
India     2.8  
Australia     1.7  
Singapore     1.3  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     8.1  
Total     99.9  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7  
Consumer Staples     33.0  
Consumer Discretionary     21.9  
Financials     16.1  
Industrials     6.2  
Health Care     6.1  
Materials     4.5  
Real Estate     2.3  
Energy     1.7  
Information Technology     0.1  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     8.1  
Total     100.0  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     0  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     4.9  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     13.2  
Small Cap (under $3B)     73.8  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     8.1  

 

6

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Emerging Asia Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 91.9%

 

     Shares     Value  
VIETNAM: 18.5%    

Vinh Hoan Corp.b

    4,545,600       $6,944,753  

Mobile World Investment Corp.b

    1,360,605       4,785,975  

Military Commercial Joint Stock Bankb

    6,050,438       4,364,001  

Phu Nhuan Jewelry JSC

    1,689,494       4,212,160  

Taisun International Holding Corp.

    676,000       3,007,484  

Vietnam National Seed Group JSC

    996,222       2,704,558  

Thien Long Group Corp.

    1,068,330       1,658,725  

Nam Long Investment Corp.

    1,483,082       1,568,881  

Lix Detergent JSC

    299,655       699,408  

Domesco Medical Import Export JSC

    175,230       376,265  

FPT Corp.

    103,000       204,044  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      30,526,254  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 16.0%    

PT Kino Indonesia

    23,448,700       5,692,588  

PT Bank Mandiri Persero

    11,812,400       4,101,620  

PT Mayora Indah

    16,785,800       2,662,557  

PT Adira Dinamika Multi Finance

    5,188,400       2,627,878  

PT Ramayana Lestari Sentosa

    61,600,200       2,578,481  

PT Gudang Garam

    756,500       2,505,058  

PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur

    3,756,200       2,465,169  

PT Hexindo Adiperkasa

    10,781,800       2,405,375  

PT Catur Sentosa Adiprana

    52,249,000       1,275,654  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      26,314,380  
   

 

 

 
   
     
BANGLADESH: 14.3%    

British American Tobacco Bangladesh Co., Ltd.c

    644,765       6,380,020  

Square Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.

    3,003,514       5,946,852  

Berger Paints Bangladesh, Ltd.

    364,446       5,454,878  

Marico Bangladesh, Ltd.

    130,603       2,332,999  

BRAC Bank, Ltd.

    5,336,335       1,811,272  

Olympic Industries, Ltd.

    994,735       1,735,071  
   

 

 

 

Total Bangladesh

      23,661,092  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PAKISTAN: 13.9%    

Indus Motor Co., Ltd.

    700,030       4,148,439  

Meezan Bank, Ltd.

    9,354,697       3,836,039  

PAK Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd.b

    3,845,400       3,738,193  

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Pakistan, Ltd.

    1,564,757       2,531,943  

United Bank, Ltd.

    3,643,622       2,251,847  

Hascol Petroleum, Ltd.b

    25,492,510       2,064,908  

ICI Pakistan, Ltd.

    468,800       1,949,760  

Shifa International Hospitals, Ltd.

    1,346,251       1,883,430  

Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan, Ltd.

    468,000       543,206  
   

 

 

 

Total Pakistan

      22,947,765  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SRI LANKA: 10.8%    

John Keells Holdings PLC

    7,836,716       5,168,078  

Sampath Bank PLC

    7,399,518       5,047,635  

Teejay Lanka PLC

    18,318,101       2,990,159  

Ceylon Cold Stores PLC

    710,896       2,634,744  

Ceylon Tobacco Co. PLC

    245,624       1,258,282  

LB Finance PLC

    1,050,515       794,845  
   

 

 

 

Total Sri Lanka

      17,893,743  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  
PHILIPPINES: 7.7%    

Jollibee Foods Corp.

    1,714,290       $4,840,042  

Cosco Capital, Inc.

    44,191,200       4,481,456  

Universal Robina Corp.

    929,900       2,434,315  

STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc.

    149,395,000       899,572  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      12,655,385  
   

 

 

 
   
     
THAILAND: 4.9%    

Central Retail Corp. Public Co., Ltd.b

    3,786,700       4,057,591  

Thai Beverage Public Co., Ltd.

    8,283,400       4,043,650  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      8,101,241  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 2.8%    

L&T Finance Holdings, Ltd.

    2,007,708       1,752,157  

Poly Medicure, Ltd.

    263,369       1,028,736  

Praj Industries, Ltd.

    1,124,808       946,905  

Caplin Point Laboratories, Ltd.

    219,706       907,912  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      4,635,710  
   

 

 

 
   
     
AUSTRALIA: 1.7%    

Oil Search, Ltd.

    1,284,334       2,846,282  
   

 

 

 

Total Australia

      2,846,282  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 1.3%    

Yoma Strategic Holdings, Ltd.b

    9,555,766       2,184,284  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      2,184,284  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 91.9%       151,766,136  

(Cost $190,175,208)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 8.1%
      13,341,923  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $165,108,059  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs and is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. The aggregate value of Level 3 security is $6,380,020 and 3.86% of net assets.

 

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

 

JSC

Joint Stock Co.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

56    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS*
Michael J. Oh, CFA  

Lead Manager

   
Raymond Deng  

Co-Manager

 

*   As of August 31, 2020

 
FUND FACTS        
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MATFX   MITEX

CUSIP

  577130883   577125859

Inception

  12/27/99   4/30/13

NAV

 

$18.48

 

$18.61

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

 

1.19%

 

1.05%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

  40

Net Assets

  $835.7 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $124.1 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

  80.10%

Benchmark

   

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index

 

 

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Asia that Matthews believes are innovators in their products, services, processes, business models, management, use of technology, or approach to creating, expanding or servicing their markets. Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia, including developed, emerging, and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region.

Matthews Asia Innovators Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Innovators Fund returned 27.01% (Investor Class) and 27.12% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index, returned –4.65% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2019, the Fund returned 38.74% (Investor Class) and 38.78% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 16.79%.

Market Environment:

Asia’s markets experienced considerable volatility related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but parts of Asia ended the first half with a rebound. Chinese equities generated the strongest returns in the region, as domestic Chinese sentiment gained strength on the back of a quick resumption of economic activity. China, South Korea and Taiwan each made considerable progress in flattening their curves of new virus infections in the reporting period. Stimulus in China remains modest, but supportive of economic growth. Amid strong returns, we also saw some volatility related to the Chinese government’s amendment of national security laws in Hong Kong, which attracted international attention and protests from Hong Kong citizens.

South Korean equities were roughly flat on fears slowing global growth. On the plus side, Korea’s response to COVID-19 was prompt and effective. The country’s health care infrastructure and resources appear well positioned to fend off a second wave of infections. What’s more, Korea has plenty of fiscal firepower for stimulus and has begun to use its resources. Korea’s valuations are some of the region’s most attractive and the prospect of earnings growth from a very low base is a good possibility, especially if its influential neighbor, China, continues to recover. Elsewhere, equity prices in parts of South and Southeast Asia—including India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand—suffered as investors feared a slower recovery from the pandemic for these economies.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Stock selection in China made a significant contribution to relative performance in the first half of the year. Among individual securities, contributors included Chinese video content company Bilibili. The company, which caters to young viewers, attracted new users as the pandemic accelerated demand for online entertainment and social media interaction. We see Bilibili emerging as a new, distinct social media platform in its own right. With a growing user base and distinctive value proposition for its users, we find the company to have attractive long-term prospects. Another contributor was Meituan Dianping, China’s largest food delivery service. The company enjoys a dominant market share in food delivery, capturing roughly 60% of the market. In addition to its core operations around food delivery, the company also runs a successful business review service, similar to Yelp, as well as a travel booking service for hotels. Forecasts of increased profitability caused the stock to rise in May. Meituan Dianping is also leveraging the benefits of scale to drive down its logistics costs.

The Fund’s small allocation to Vietnam, which is not in the Fund’s benchmark, was a detractor in the first half. Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam’s equity markets suffered steeper drops than more developed parts of Asia. Vietnamese markets rebounded in the second quarter, but had not fully recovered to pre-crisis levels by the end of the reporting period. Jewelry maker Phu Nhuan Jewelry, which we exited during the reporting period, was a detractor. Vietnamese retailer Mobile World Investment Corp. was another detractor. The company’s stock price suffered on lower retail sales and weak consumer demand. We continue to monitor the position. A slight overweight in India and stock selection, including HDFC Banks,

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

            Average Annual Total Returns       

 

      

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MATFX)      38.74%        27.01%        38.22%        16.33%        12.33%        13.19%        5.24%        12/27/99  
Institutional Class (MITEX)      38.78%        27.12%        38.36%        16.52%        12.53%        n.a.        14.80%        4/30/13  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Index3      16.79%        -4.65%        1.97%        3.90%        4.70%        6.21%        6.03% 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

 

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

LOGO

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 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 12/31/99.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector      Country      % of Net Assets  
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong        6.0%  
Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        5.9%  
Bilibili, Inc.    Communication Services      China/Hong Kong        5.3%  
Sea, Ltd.    Communication Services      Singapore        5.0%  
Meituan Dianping Class B    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        4.8%  
TAL Education Group    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        4.2%  
Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong        4.2%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      South Korea        3.7%  
Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong        3.4%  
Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      China/Hong Kong        3.1%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                45.6%  

 

  5

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

 

 

58    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Innovators Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

were also detractors. Financials were weak in the reporting period, but we continue to like the company’s long-term prospects. As one of India’s oldest private sector banks, HDFC is a high-quality bank primarily serving retail customers.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

Notable additions in the second quarter included South Korean search engine and internet content provider NAVER. As South Korea lacks a dominant e-commerce platform, consumers increasingly are using NAVER’s search-engine functions as a primary shopping tool. NAVER also has introduced its own digital-payments service, turning its search engine into an e-commerce platform. We also initiated a position in South Korean pharmaceutical company Hugel, which manufactures botulinum toxin, the main ingredient for Botox. Market volatility created opportunities to buy both companies at attractive valuations. Meanwhile, we exited a position in Chinese appliance maker Midea Group. In addition, we sold Venus Medtech and consolidated the proceeds into another medical device holding in China.

Outlook:

While China’s economic recovery is still in very early stages, recent data suggests the pace and progress of the recovery may be sustainable. Containment of COVID-19 has been effective in the second quarter, although small outbreaks still occasionally emerge. CapEx spending among businesses, auto sales among consumers and property sales all began to rebound in April and May. However, unemployment remains high in China, as it does globally, which could create a drag on spending. In addition, a slowing global economy could slow China’s rebound. South Korea, another leader in containing the pandemic, continues to roll out considerable fiscal stimulus. Key stimulus efforts include bolstering domestic demand and supporting labor markets. Turning to India, containment of the virus remains a work in progress. New cases rose in the second quarter as lockdowns eased.

Looking ahead, risks remain to the global economy. At the same, we expect companies with strong organic structural growth to remain more resilient. Sectors such as health care, communication services, software and online education continue to perform strongly. Price-to-earnings multiples for innovative companies have risen sharply in the first half. The major players in the market are changing, with innovative companies growing quickly and at very low marginal costs. Intangibles—such as intellectual property, network and data—are the main determinants of future cash flows. These companies now trade higher multiples than other types of businesses. Volatility could linger in the near term. On a long-term view, we believe it is still a good time to invest in innovative companies. Fundamental research and active security selection remain key.

   
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6,7      
China/Hong Kong     63.3  
South Korea     11.8  
India     7.5  
Singapore     6.5  
France     2.7  
Taiwan     1.5  
United States     1.3  
Vietnam     0.4  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.7  
Total     99.7  

 

   
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7      
Consumer Discretionary     23.7  
Communication Services     20.2  
Health Care     18.1  
Consumer Staples     12.6  
Information Technology     10.8  
Financials     6.5  
Energy     2.0  
Industrials     1.5  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.7  
Total     100.1  

 

   
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7      
Mega Cap (over $25B)     53.7  
Large Cap ($10B-$25B)     14.7  
Mid Cap ($3B-10B)     18.1  
Small Cap (under $3B)     8.7  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.7  

 

  6

Not all countries are included in the benchmark index.

 

  7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Innovators Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa  (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 95.3%

 

     Shares     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 63.4%    

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    777,000       $49,788,538  

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.b

    1,817,900       49,053,854  

Bilibili, Inc. ADRb

    954,344       44,205,214  

Meituan Dianping Class Bb,c

    1,801,300       40,252,529  

TAL Education Group ADRb

    512,500       35,044,750  

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.b,c,d

    1,904,000       34,949,093  

Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,182,795       28,752,322  

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

    11,234,000       26,286,251  

China Tourism Group Duty Free Corp., Ltd. A Shares

    913,794       20,036,777  

Silergy Corp.

    301,000       19,717,999  

AIA Group, Ltd.

    2,097,600       19,628,512  

Peijia Medical, Ltd.b,c,d

    3,974,000       17,997,213  

Jonjee Hi-Tech Industrial And Commercial Holding Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,788,090       14,834,179  

Sun Art Retail Group, Ltd.

    8,360,000       14,342,605  

Li Ning Co., Ltd.

    4,347,500       13,922,610  

Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,044,395       13,655,899  

Haidilao International Holding, Ltd.c,d

    3,041,000       12,924,080  

Innovent Biologics, Inc.b,c,d

    1,615,000       12,019,958  

Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. A Shares

    275,230       11,900,475  

Kangji Medical Holdings, Ltd.b

    2,939,500       11,302,122  

Alphamab Oncologyb,c,d

    4,773,000       11,108,690  

Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd. A Shares

    404,244       10,316,939  

Burning Rock Biotech, Ltd. ADRb

    327,500       8,845,775  

InnoCare Pharma, Ltd.b,c,d

    4,627,000       8,791,786  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      529,678,170  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 11.8%    

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

    707,108       31,301,997  

NAVER Corp.

    91,793       20,651,890  

Orion Corp.

    180,286       20,182,989  

LG Household & Health Care, Ltd.

    14,854       16,648,509  

Hugel, Inc.b

    25,704       10,117,329  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      98,902,714  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDIA: 7.6%    

HDFC Bank, Ltd.

    1,482,191       20,832,969  

Reliance Industries, Ltd.

    721,422       16,409,768  

Housing Development Finance Corp., Ltd.

    596,168       13,862,171  

Info Edge India, Ltd.

    327,569       11,962,211  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      63,067,119  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SINGAPORE: 6.5%    

Sea, Ltd. ADRb

    391,400       41,973,736  

SATS, Ltd.

    5,873,700       12,175,190  
   

 

 

 

Total Singapore

      54,148,926  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FRANCE: 2.7%    

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    51,486       22,730,716  
   

 

 

 

Total France

      22,730,716  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TAIWAN: 1.5%    

MediaTek, Inc.

    651,000       12,870,679  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      12,870,679  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
UNITED STATES: 1.3%    

Legend Biotech Corp. ADRb

    256,851       $10,931,579  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      10,931,579  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 0.5%    

Mobile World Investment Corp.b

    1,047,293       3,683,889  

Phu Nhuan Jewelry JSC

    3       8  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      3,683,897  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.3%       796,013,800  

(Cost $563,622,837)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.7%
      39,693,146  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $835,706,946  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

d

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $97,790,820, which is 11.70% of net assets.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

JSC

Joint Stock Co.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

60    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Andrew Mattock, CFA  

Lead Manager

 
Winnie Chwang           

Co-Manager

 

    

FUND FACTS        
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MCHFX   MICFX

CUSIP

  577130701   577130818

Inception

  2/19/98   10/29/10

NAV

 

$21.47

 

$21.45

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

 

1.09%

 

0.91%

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions

  39

Net Assets

 

$1.1 billion

Weighted Average
Market Cap

 

$205.7 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

 

68.93%

Benchmarks

MSCI China Index

MSCI China All Shares Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in China. China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong.

Matthews China Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews China Fund returned 12.29% (Investor Class) and 12.42% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI China Index, returned 3.58% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2019, the Matthews China Fund returned 23.04% (Investor Class) and 23.13% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 15.37%.

Market Environment:

Chinese equities were resilient in the first half. Our colleagues on the ground in China report the country was highly successful at flattening its curve of COVID-19 infections through testing, contact tracing and mask adoption. Reports from our local offices and official economic data imply that recovery is well under way. Factory workers have reported back to the assembly line, local shops and restaurants are accepting walk-in customers and some travel restrictions are being lifted. Life in China is slowly normalizing. However in the second quarter, volatility in Chinese equities resurfaced as the Chinese government proposed—and eventually passed—an amendment to the national security laws in Hong Kong. This action attracted international attention and protests from Hong Kong citizens. Uncertainty around this legislation combined with feared backlash from foreigners caused additional pockets of volatility. However, Chinese equities were strong diversifiers for global investors, posting double-digit positive returns in the first half, while U.S. equities were slightly negative. The Chinese government’s track record of willingness and ability to support markets and their economy during volatile times has become a source of confidence for investors.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Strong stock selection drove the Fund’s outperformance in the first half. From a sector perspective, stock selection in the consumer discretionary and information technology sectors contributed to relative performance. In the consumer discretionary space, strong online sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic benefited the Fund’s holdings and we continue to see ecommerce attracting new consumers. A contributor among individual stocks was Meituan Dianping, China’s largest food delivery service. The company enjoys a dominant market share in food delivery, capturing roughly 60% of the market. In addition to its core operations around food delivery, the company also runs a successful business review service, similar to Yelp, as well as a travel booking service for hotels. Forecasts of increased profitability caused the stock to rise in May. Meituan Dianping is also leveraging the benefits of scale to drive down its logistics costs.

Turning to detractors, stock selection in the health care sector was a slight detractor from relative performance. The portfolio remains overweight the sector relative to the benchmark, which was a plus for relative performance. However, one health care stock in the portfolio experienced share price weakness amid market volatility. Sinopharm is China’s largest pharmaceutical distributor. It is one of China’s few distributors with a meaningful nationwide presence. Sinopharm saw weak results in the first half of 2020 owing to negative economic impact from the COVID-19 outbreak. Hospital visitation during the pandemic fell, which reduced pharmaceutical distribution needs. At the same time, the company saw increased operational expenses associated with the prevention and containment of the virus situation. Sinopharm trades at attractive valuations and commands a still large and dominant presence in China’s health care distribution industry. We continue to monitor this position for updates and operational improvements.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MCHFX)      23.04%        12.29%        23.58%        13.31%        9.21%        7.30%        10.26%        2/19/98  
Institutional Class (MICFX)      23.13%        12.42%        23.83%        13.54%        9.40%        n.a.        5.66%        10/29/10  
MSCI China Index3      15.37%        3.58%        13.28%        8.73%        5.49%        6.60%        4.85% 4     
MSCI China All Shares Index3      15.52%        4.11%        13.11%        6.61%        1.19%        n.a.        n.a. 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

 

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

 

LOGO

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 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 2/28/98.

 

  5

Index performance data prior to 11/25/08 is not available.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector             % of Net Assets  
Tencent Holdings, Ltd.    Communication Services             12.9%  
Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary             11.9%  
JD.com, Inc.    Consumer Discretionary             5.5%  
China Construction Bank Corp.    Financials             4.3%  
China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd.    Financials             4.3%  
AIA Group, Ltd.    Financials             4.0%  
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Ltd.    Financials             3.8%  
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd.    Financials             3.0%  
CITIC Securities Co., Ltd.    Financials             2.8%  
China International Capital Corp., Ltd.    Financials             2.7%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                55.2%  

 

  5

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

 

62    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews China Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Notable Portfolio Changes:

In the second quarter, we added two new communication services stocks, as well as a utilities stock. Demand for digital entertainment and online social media platforms continues to grow and is being accelerated by social distancing conventions. Joyy Inc. is a social media platform we recently added that allows users to interact in real time. Utilities stocks experienced price declines in the reporting period, creating the opportunity to pick up a high-quality provider at a very attractive valuation. ENN Energy Holdings is one of the largest clean energy distributors in China. We also exited a position in outdoor advertising amid falling ad sales company Focus Media, while also reducing exposure to U.S.-listed Chinese ADRs. We also sought to take advantage of the volatility to increase the quality and concentration of the portfolio by trimming some smaller/lower conviction holdings on valuation opportunities elsewhere.

Outlook:

While China’s economic recovery is still in very early stages, recent data suggests the pace and progress of the recovery may be sustainable. CapEx spending among businesses, auto sales among consumers and property sales all began to rebound in the second quarter of 2020. This is not to suggest that China is out of the woods yet. The potential for a second wave of virus infections remains, particularly as Chinese citizens return home from abroad. Unemployment remains high in China, as it does globally, which could create a drag on spending. And a slowing global economy could slow China’s rebound.

On the positive side, China has done a much better job of flattening its curve of new infections than any other large economy. Public health policy is, in our view, robust and run by the central government, providing coordinated response. China still has considerable dry powder in its arsenal of stimulus tool, and long-term secular growth trends in China remain in play. Consumers continue to seek upgrades across all facets of quality of life. Some of these upgrades may be delayed, but we believe consumer behavior remains remarkably consistent over the long term.

While additional volatility could lie ahead, we believe the long-term prospects for Chinese companies with strong competitive positions remain attractive. The pandemic has enabled some strong players to become even stronger and gain market share. And periods of market disruption have historically spurred new opportunities for innovation and business investment.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6  
China/Hong Kong     95.7  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    4.3  
Total     100.0  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)6  
Consumer Discretionary     25.9  
Financials     24.9  
Communication Services     15.2  
Information Technology     7.7  
Health Care     7.3  
Real Estate     6.1  
Consumer Staples     4.0  
Materials     2.0  
Industrials     1.5  
Utilities     0.9  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    4.3  
Total     99.8  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)6  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     66.2  
Large Cap ($10B-$25B)     12.1  
Mid Cap ($3B-10B)     12.6  
Small Cap (under $3B)     4.7  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.3  

 

6

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews China Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 95.7%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 26.0%    

Internet & Direct Marketing Retail: 19.3%

   

Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd.b

    4,804,000       $129,630,185  

JD.com, Inc. ADRb

    998,779       60,106,520  

Meituan Dianping Class Bb,c

    906,200       20,250,287  
   

 

 

 
      209,986,992  
   

 

 

 
   

Household Durables: 2.1%

   

Midea Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    2,740,752       23,246,415  
   

 

 

 
   

Specialty Retail: 1.9%

   

Zhongsheng Group Holdings, Ltd.

    3,595,000       20,105,861  
   

 

 

 
   

Diversified Consumer Services: 1.8%

   

New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. ADRb

    150,700       19,625,661  
   

 

 

 
   

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 0.9%

   

Galaxy Entertainment Group, Ltd.

    1,434,000       9,836,881  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      282,801,810  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FINANCIALS: 24.9%    

Capital Markets: 9.3%

   

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, Ltd.

    967,000       41,186,204  

CITIC Securities Co., Ltd. H Shares

    16,199,000       30,899,219  

China International Capital Corp., Ltd. H Sharesb,c,d

    14,751,200       29,186,052  
   

 

 

 
      101,271,475  
   

 

 

 
   

Banks: 8.6%

   

China Construction Bank Corp. H Shares

    58,204,660       47,342,689  

China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd. A Shares

    9,730,523       46,607,486  
   

 

 

 
      93,950,175  
   

 

 

 
   

Insurance: 7.0%

   

AIA Group, Ltd.

    4,696,400       43,947,056  

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd. A Shares

    3,214,346       32,548,282  
   

 

 

 
      76,495,338  
   

 

 

 

Total Financials

      271,716,988  
   

 

 

 
   
     
COMMUNICATION SERVICES: 15.2%    

Interactive Media & Services: 14.1%

   

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    2,202,400       141,125,196  

JOYY, Inc.b

    145,480       12,882,254  
   

 

 

 
      154,007,450  
   

 

 

 
   

Entertainment: 1.1%

   

Tencent Music Entertainment Group ADRb

    901,400       12,132,844  
   

 

 

 

Total Communication Services

      166,140,294  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 7.8%    

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 3.4%

 

Luxshare Precision Industry Co., Ltd. A Shares

    2,925,262       21,398,196  

NAURA Technology Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    500,916       12,148,496  

AVIC Jonhon Optronic Technology Co., Ltd. A Shares

    500,284       2,914,133  
   

 

 

 
      36,460,825  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
   

Software: 2.3%

   

Weimob, Inc.b,c,d

    10,312,000       $13,040,338  

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

    5,313,000       12,431,801  
   

 

 

 
      25,472,139  
   

 

 

 
   

IT Services: 2.1%

   

Chinasoft International, Ltd.

    40,894,000       22,530,212  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      84,463,176  
   

 

 

 
   
     
HEALTH CARE: 7.3%    

Life Sciences Tools & Services: 2.6%

   

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.b,c,d

    811,000       14,886,405  

Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting Co., Ltd. A Shares

    906,686       13,058,015  
   

 

 

 
      27,944,420  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 1.8%

   

Lepu Medical Technology Beijing Co., Ltd. A Shares

    3,786,679       19,574,022  
   

 

 

 
   

Pharmaceuticals: 1.7%

   

Sino Biopharmaceutical, Ltd.

    10,133,000       19,098,640  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Providers & Services: 1.2%

   

Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. H Shares

    5,203,600       13,378,238  
   

 

 

 

Total Health Care

      79,995,320  
   

 

 

 
   
     
REAL ESTATE: 6.1%    

Real Estate Management & Development: 6.1%

 

 

Times China Holdings, Ltd.

    10,717,000       19,983,714  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

    4,998,000       19,103,332  

CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd.

    23,328,000       18,376,899  

China Overseas Property Holdings, Ltd.

    8,520,000       9,082,808  
   

 

 

 

Total Real Estate

      66,546,753  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER STAPLES: 4.0%    

Beverages: 4.0%

   

Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd. A Shares

    908,477       22,083,981  

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. A Shares

    102,423       21,280,326  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      43,364,307  
   

 

 

 
   
     
MATERIALS: 2.0%    

Construction Materials: 1.0%

   

Anhui Conch Cement Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,440,144       10,837,895  
   

 

 

 
   

Chemicals: 1.0%

   

Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,501,419       10,655,350  
   

 

 

 

Total Materials

      21,493,245  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDUSTRIALS: 1.5%    

Machinery: 0.8%

   

Estun Automation Co., Ltd. A Sharesb

    5,342,825       9,068,556  
   

 

 

 
   

Transportation Infrastructure: 0.7%

   

Beijing Capital International Airport Co., Ltd. H Shares

    11,338,000       7,095,769  
   

 

 

 

Total Industrials

      16,164,325  
   

 

 

 
   
 

 

64    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews China Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

 

     Shares     Value  
   
UTILITIES: 0.9%    

Gas Utilities: 0.9%

   

ENN Energy Holdings, Ltd.

    878,900       $9,931,998  
   

 

 

 

Total Utilities

      9,931,998  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.7%       1,042,618,216  

(Cost $847,902,826)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 4.3%
      47,257,713  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $1,089,875,929  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

d

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $57,112,795, which is 5.24% of net assets.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Peeyush Mittal,CFA  

Lead Manager

 
Sharat Shroff, CFA  

Co-Manager

 
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MINDX   MIDNX

CUSIP

  577130859   577130768

Inception

  10/31/05   10/29/10

NAV

  $18.77   $19.00

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.11%   0.94%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

  58

Net Assets

  $552.2 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $34.9 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

  24.00%

Benchmark

 

S&P Bombay Stock Exchange 100 Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in publicly traded common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities of companies located in India.

Matthews India Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews India Fund returned –19.37% (Investor Class) and –19.32% (Institutional Class) while its benchmark, the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange 100 Index, returned –19.29%. For the quarter ending June 30, the Fund returned 19.40% (Investor Class) and 19.42% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark returned 19.99%.

Market Environment:

Amid fears over the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian equities were highly volatile in the first half of 2020. India’s COVID-19 cases increased exponentially in March, albeit from low reported levels. Investors worried that India reacted late in containing the virus and that the country’s health care infrastructure may not be adequate. To slow the spread of the virus, the government implemented a nationwide lockdown at the end of March, which lasted through early June. The most notable market declines occurred in March, with India’s broader markets down approximately 25% in a single month.

Equity prices then began a rebound from April through June as the lockdown measures started to get relaxed from April onwards. Although Indian shares were some of the strongest regional performers in the second quarter of 2020, their gains were not enough to make up first quarter losses. The government has announced large headline stimulus of approximately 10% of GDP. Loan guarantees and liquidity injections made up the majority of the stimulus, as opposed to direct fiscal spending, which could limit short-term effectiveness.

In terms of economic activity, we are witnessing normalization of economic activity based on high frequency data like power consumption, fuel consumption, highway toll collection etc. While the pace of improvement in May and the early part of June was very quick, we have seen plateauing of the same in the second half of June.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Fund performance was roughly in line with its benchmark for the first half. Contributors to performance included an overweight and stock selection in the health care sector. Among individual securities, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited, an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Vadodara city of Gujarat, was a contributor. Alembic Pharma has been expanding its export business on back of more generic product launches in United States. Further, company has also benefitted from substantial market share gains in specific molecules targeting cardio-vascular ailments.

Detractors from performance included a slight overweight and stock selection in the financials sectors. As a cyclical sector, financial stocks were pummeled in the first quarter of 2020 during the market panic phase of the global pandemic. At the same time, financials play an important role in India’s equity markets, making up roughly one third of the Fund’s benchmark universe. Among individual securities, Shriram City Union Finance (SCUF) Limited was a detractor. A non-banking financial company (NBFC), SCUF is among the largest lenders making small business loans. NBFCs were hit hard in the first half amid liquidity fears, as asset manager Franklin Templeton abruptly liquidated six of its Indian debt funds in April. We continue to monitor our position in SCUF. SCUF is very well capitalized with equity capital in excess of 20%. Over the long term, we believe lending to small businesses has a long runway for additional growth in India, so we remain constructive on the company’s future prospects.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

66    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020  
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MINDX)      19.40%        -19.37%        -21.86%        -7.22%        -1.80%        4.06%        8.08%        10/31/05  
Institutional Class (MIDNX)      19.42%        -19.32%        -21.76%        -7.08%        -1.62%        n.a.        2.31%        10/29/10  
S&P Bombay Stock Exchange 100 Index3      19.99%        -19.29%        -19.28%        -2.11%        2.03%        3.00%        8.11% 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

 

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

 

LOGO

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 S&P BSE 100 Index and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 10/31/05.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector             % of Net Assets  
Reliance Industries, Ltd.    Energy             9.1%  
HDFC Bank, Ltd.    Financials             8.1%  
Infosys, Ltd.    Information Technology             4.8%  
Housing Development Finance Corp., Ltd.    Financials             4.1%  
ICICI Bank, Ltd.    Financials             4.0%  
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.    Financials             3.9%  
VST Industries, Ltd.    Consumer Staples             3.7%  
Info Edge India, Ltd.    Communication Services             3.5%  
Bharti Airtel, Ltd.    Communication Services             3.3%  
Zydus Wellness, Ltd.    Consumer Staples             3.0%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                47.5%  

 

  5

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

 

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Table of Contents
 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6  
India     95.6  
Japan     1.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.4  
Total     100.0  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)6  
Financials     31.4  
Consumer Staples     14.3  
Information Technology     13.2  
Energy     9.1  
Consumer Discretionary     7.8  
Communication Services     7.6  
Health Care     6.9  
Industrials     4.3  
Materials     1.9  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.4  
Total     99.9  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)6  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     41.7  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     8.4  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     16.8  
Small Cap (under $3B)     29.7  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     3.4  

 

6

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

Matthews India Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Notable Portfolio Changes:

We took advantage of market volatility to add several new positions in the second quarter of 2020. Tata Consultancy Services is an Indian multinational information technology (IT) services and consulting company with headquarters in Mumbai. The pandemic continues to accelerate the need for better enterprise IT solutions, creating growing demand for products that can help companies enhance employee productivity. We also initiated a position in HDFC Life Insurance. HDFC’s distribution network spans 401 outlets catering to approx. 2,400 towns and cities across India. It also has offices in London, Singapore and Dubai to services associates in the Middle East. Meanwhile, we exited Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co., Ltd. (CIFC), a non-banking financial company. CIFC has substantial exposure to commercial vehicle financing segment. It is expected that credit quality in this asset class is going to deteriorate substantially given the inability of asset owners to put their asset to productive use under COVID-19 related lockdown imposed by central government. Given the risk associated, we decided to exit the investment.

Outlook:

We expect economic recovery from COVID-19-induced stress to be gradual. Urban India is going to take longer to recover given that social distancing requirements in dense cities is affecting the pace of economic recovery. However, rural parts of the country has spurred a surprise. After a robust monsoon last year, we are again seeing good rainfall, which bodes well for rural demand and consumption. We are already witnessing strong growth in demand for tractors, two wheelers and crop inputs. Expectation is that demand is going to remain strong through the course of year barring unforeseen circumstances.

While we do not anticipate further fiscal spending announcements, we continue to believe that India’s central bank would remain accommodative on the monetary policy side despite the more recent elevated inflation print. However, the uncertain economic outlook is going to keep the financial sector risk averse and that is likely going to affect any near-term monetary policy transmission. Highly rated corporates with stable cash flows will likely see substantial benefit accrue to them on the back of cheap financing.

There has been a lot written about inadequate fiscal spending by the central government. In our view, there may be a positive aspect to fiscal restraint, which is likely to create price and foreign exchange stability for India. In the long run, we believe this will help attract foreign capital, as investors would have greater confidence in underlying fiscal stability of the country. Additionally, the government’s concerted efforts more recently to further improve the ease of doing business in India, along with tax and financial incentives, will likely create the necessary backdrop for global corporations to consider India as an investment destination.

On the equity markets front, valuations on the surface might look stretched. However, when compared with the anticipated reduction in cost of capital, valuations start to look a lot more reasonable. Given existing conditions today, we think markets are neither cheap nor expensive and hence the path forward would be solely determined by pace of earnings growth.

 

 

68    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews India Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 96.6%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
FINANCIALS: 31.4%    

Banks: 19.8%

   

HDFC Bank, Ltd.

    3,177,984       $44,668,226  

ICICI Bank, Ltd.

    4,709,461       21,956,195  

Kotak Mahindra Bank, Ltd.

    1,190,196       21,483,058  

Bandhan Bank, Ltd.b,c

    3,511,810       14,976,143  

DCB Bank, Ltd.d

    6,122,208       6,145,588  
   

 

 

 
      109,229,210  
   

 

 

 
   

Thrifts & Mortgage Finance: 4.7%

   

Housing Development Finance Corp., Ltd.

    979,767       22,781,662  

Aavas Financiers, Ltd.d

    197,713       3,490,791  
   

 

 

 
      26,272,453  
   

 

 

 
   

Consumer Finance: 4.6%

   

Shriram City Union Finance, Ltd.

    1,333,549       11,798,971  

Bajaj Finance, Ltd.

    209,492       7,884,894  

Sundaram Finance, Ltd.

    303,133       5,832,891  
   

 

 

 
      25,516,756  
   

 

 

 
   

Capital Markets: 1.5%

   

Indian Energy Exchange, Ltd.b,c

    1,729,716       4,132,291  

Multi Commodity Exchange of India, Ltd.

    236,732       4,030,425  
   

 

 

 
      8,162,716  
   

 

 

 
   

Insurance: 0.8%

   

HDFC Life Insurance Co., Ltd.b,c,d

    588,556       4,298,902  
   

 

 

 

Total Financials

      173,480,037  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER STAPLES: 14.3%    

Tobacco: 4.8%

   

VST Industries, Ltd.

    495,531       20,612,088  

ITC, Ltd.d

    2,293,801       5,922,806  
   

 

 

 
      26,534,894  
   

 

 

 
   

Food Products: 4.2%

   

Zydus Wellness, Ltd.

    993,440       16,785,991  

Britannia Industries, Ltd.

    126,580       6,053,558  
   

 

 

 
      22,839,549  
   

 

 

 
   

Personal Products: 3.8%

   

Marico, Ltd.

    1,911,004       8,909,947  

Dabur India, Ltd.

    1,091,104       6,739,127  

Bajaj Consumer Care, Ltd.d

    2,802,123       5,444,305  
   

 

 

 
      21,093,379  
   

 

 

 
   

Household Products: 1.0%

   

Hindustan Unilever, Ltd.

    195,789       5,660,413  
   

 

 

 
   

Food & Staples Retailing: 0.5%

   

Avenue Supermarts, Ltd.b,c,d

    95,462       2,929,751  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      79,057,986  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 13.2%    

IT Services: 13.2%

   

Infosys, Ltd.

    2,709,355       26,336,857  

Tata Consultancy Services, Ltd.

    472,418       13,004,499  

Wipro, Ltd.

    4,361,116       12,730,617  

Larsen & Toubro Infotech, Ltd.b,c

    446,973       11,602,941  

Mphasis, Ltd.

    466,577       5,443,681  

Tech Mahindra, Ltd.

    529,073       3,806,756  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      72,925,351  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  
   
ENERGY: 9.1%    

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 9.1%

   

Reliance Industries, Ltd.

    2,135,196       $48,568,066  

Reliance Industries, Ltd.

    142,346       1,503,702  
   

 

 

 

Total Energy

      50,071,768  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 7.8%    

Automobiles: 3.8%

   

Eicher Motors, Ltd.

    32,536       7,900,227  

Hero MotoCorp, Ltd.

    222,917       7,533,025  

Suzuki Motor Corp.

    164,300       5,610,206  
   

 

 

 
      21,043,458  
   

 

 

 
   

Household Durables: 2.6%

   

Symphony, Ltd.

    627,172       7,296,429  

Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, Ltd.

    1,544,217       4,884,281  

Amber Enterprises India, Ltd.

    121,560       2,316,282  
   

 

 

 
      14,496,992  
   

 

 

 
   

Multiline Retail: 0.7%

   

Trent, Ltd.

    461,454       3,758,795  
   

 

 

 
   

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 0.7%

   

Delta Corp., Ltd.

    3,240,807       3,718,713  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      43,017,958  
   

 

 

 
   
     
COMMUNICATION SERVICES: 7.6%    

Interactive Media & Services: 3.5%

   

Info Edge India, Ltd.

    532,072       19,430,280  
   

 

 

 
   

Wireless Telecommunication Services: 3.3%

   

Bharti Airtel, Ltd.d

    2,447,838       18,180,030  
   

 

 

 
   

Media: 0.6%

   

Affle India, Ltd.d

    160,101       3,093,214  
   

 

 

 
   

Entertainment: 0.2%

   

Saregama India, Ltd.

    238,020       1,352,574  
   

 

 

 

Total Communication Services

      42,056,098  
   

 

 

 
   
     
HEALTH CARE: 6.9%    

Pharmaceuticals: 4.4%

   

Lupin, Ltd.

    593,043       7,165,748  

Caplin Point Laboratories, Ltd.

    1,305,429       5,394,547  

Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.

    402,416       4,858,543  

Laurus Labs, Ltd.b,c

    544,586       3,750,759  

Natco Pharma, Ltd.

    397,187       3,338,672  
   

 

 

 
      24,508,269  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 1.0%

   

Poly Medicure, Ltd.

    1,405,323       5,489,280  
   

 

 

 
   

Life Sciences Tools & Services: 1.0%

   

Syngene International, Ltd.b,c

    1,018,203       5,428,934  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Providers & Services: 0.5%

   

Metropolis Healthcare, Ltd.b,c

    161,085       2,894,897  
   

 

 

 

Total Health Care

      38,321,380  
   

 

 

 
   
 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews India Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

 

     Shares     Value  
   
INDUSTRIALS: 4.4%    

Machinery: 2.8%

   

AIA Engineering, Ltd.

    309,580       $6,570,983  

Escorts, Ltd.

    436,073       6,008,446  

Ashok Leyland, Ltd.

    4,533,453       2,823,902  
   

 

 

 
      15,403,331  
   

 

 

 
   

Air Freight & Logistics: 1.1%

   

Blue Dart Express, Ltd.

    216,887       5,856,750  
   

 

 

 
   

Airlines: 0.5%

   

InterGlobe Aviation, Ltd.b,c

    209,796       2,738,970  
   

 

 

 

Total Industrials

      23,999,051  
   

 

 

 
   
     
MATERIALS: 1.9%    

Construction Materials: 1.0%

   

Ambuja Cements, Ltd.

    2,210,044       5,665,967  
   

 

 

 
   

Metals & Mining: 0.6%

   

NMDC, Ltd.

    2,844,621       3,079,926  
   

 

 

 
   

Chemicals: 0.3%

   

PI Industries, Ltd.

    79,797       1,587,384  
   

 

 

 

Total Materials

      10,333,277  
   

 

 

 
   
   
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 96.6%

 

    533,262,906  

(Cost $564,661,837)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 3.4%
      18,908,219  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $552,171,125  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by 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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $52,753,588, which is 9.55% of net assets.

 

c

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

d

Non-income producing security.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

70    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Taizo Ishida    

Lead Manager

   
Shuntaro Takeuchi    

Co-Manager

   
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional

Ticker

  MJFOX   MIJFX

CUSIP

  577130800   577130792

Inception

  12/31/98   10/29/10

NAV

 

$21.52

 

$21.56

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

 

0.93%

 

0.88%

Portfolio Statistics

   

Total # of Positions

  47

Net Assets

 

$1.5 billion

Weighted Average Market Cap

 

$34.5 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

 

25.42%

Benchmark

MSCI Japan Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Japan.

Matthews Japan Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Japan Fund returned 0.05% (Investor Class) and 0.05% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI Japan Index, returned –6.92% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 18.18% (Investor Class) and 18.14% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark returned 11.64%.

Market Environment:

The first half of 2020 was turbulent for the economy and equity markets. In January and February, Japanese equities experienced steeper declines than those of other developed economies in anticipation of the global manufacturing cycle deteriorating to a recession territory. However, since March, Japan has been one of the strongest equity markets globally. The country experienced lower COVID 19 cases than other developed countries due to widespread adoption of masks and extensive contact tracing. Japanese corporates had strong cash positions to weather the economic downturn. Furthermore, while economic conditions remain weak globally, sentiment is improving.

Turning to monetary and fiscal policy, recent central bank actions and government spending bills offer ballast for Japan’s overall market and economy. The Bank of Japan, Japan’s central bank, announced plans to double its purchases of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Reflecting monetary easing efforts around the globe, Japan’s central bank is committed to providing liquidity. The Japanese government has also passed a stimulus package that are one of the largest in terms of percentage of GDP, both headline numbers and direct spending.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

On a relative basis, the Fund outperformed its benchmark in the first half of the year. Mega-cap and large-cap stocks (those over US$10 billion in market cap) outperformed small- and mid-cap stocks (those under US$10 billion) in the reporting period. Although small- and mid-size companies make up nearly half of the Fund’s portfolio, portfolio managers overcame the Fund’s underweight to mega caps via strong stock selection. From a sector perspective, information technology (IT) and industrials were contributors to performance. The consumer staples sector was a lone detractor to overall results.

Turning to individual securities, Lasertec, which makes photomask inspection equipment, contributed to overall performance in the first half. The company is currently the only provider of mask and mask-blank inspection equipment using EUV (extreme ultraviolet) as a light source. EUV adoption in major foundries and increased usage in memory makers is, in our view, likely to further enhance the business opportunity of the company. Property, casualty, and life insurance company Tokio Marine Holdings detracted from performance. Amid widening credit spreads, the firm announced no buybacks in the most recent fiscal year results. However, we continue to find the company’s long-term prospects attractive. We believe the company is well run and growing globally with solid bolt-on acquisitions.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

In the quarter ending June 30, 2020, we continued to take advantage of the market correction to enhance the quality of the portfolio, making several changes in the quarter and reducing our total number of portfolio holdings.

New positions include ERP software and service company OBIC. The company mainly serve medium-size businesses in Japan with a core software product called OBIC7. OBIC7 is a Microsoft SQL based ERP (enterprise resource planning) program that is component based (personnel, payroll, working hours management,

(continued)

 

 

1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
   
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020         
 

 

    

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MJFOX)      18.18%        0.05%        10.88%        5.36%        5.86%        10.27%        6.07%        12/31/98  
Institutional Class (MIJFX)      18.14%        0.05%        10.92%        5.42%        5.94%        n.a.        9.38%        10/29/10  
MSCI Japan Index3      11.64%        -6.92%        3.51%        3.34%        3.81%        6.39%        3.37% 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

 

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

 

LOGO

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 90 for index definitions.

 

  4

Calculated from 12/31/98.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector             % of Net Assets  
Lasertec Corp.    Information Technology             4.6%  
ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corp.    Information Technology             3.9%  
Daikin Industries, Ltd.    Industrials             3.8%  
Sony Corp.    Consumer Discretionary             3.8%  
Keyence Corp.    Information Technology             3.8%  
Nintendo Co., Ltd.    Communication Services             3.6%  
Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.    Materials             3.4%  
Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.    Communication Services             3.1%  
Nihon M&A Center, Inc.    Industrials             3.0%  
Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary             2.9%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                35.9%  

 

  5

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

 

72    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Japan Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

marketing and production system) and configured by client base. The ongoing shift to cloud-based software is expanding the company’s growth opportunities.

We have also re-initiated a position in HOYA, a manufacturer of semiconductor mask blanks, optical lenses and endoscopes. We believe the firm may benefit from accelerating development of cutting-edge technology in the EUV area. To fund these positions, we exited several positions, including MUFG, Kyowa Exeo and Shimadzu.

Outlook:

Following the initial outbreak of the pandemic, economic conditions and the outlook for corporate profits were “less worse” than investors initially feared. The rally in global equity prices in the first half was driven by rising investor optimism, regardless of the absolute level of economic activity globally. Japanese equity prices shared in this sentiment-driven rally. Japanese equities are currently trading in a middle range of their long-term historical averages. Prospects for a strong recovery scenario are somewhat already reflected in share prices. In the near term, we expect to see a tug of war between the trajectory of COVID-19 infections globally and the magnitude of the government and central bank stimulus around the world.

In our view, Japanese equities are well positioned relative to other developed and emerging market peers because of their strong balance sheets. If the recovery of the economy becomes slower than expected by reacceleration in COVID-19 cases, Japanese corporates have some cushion available with high levels of cash reserves. Nearly half of Japanese listed companies are net cash. On the other hand, if COVID-19 case growth subside and we see faster recovery globally, Japanese corporate profits may benefit as well, as profits tend to rise when global manufacturing activity increases. Valuation levels are still at a discount to U.S. and European markets, both in PER and PBR basis.

From a structural point of view, we continue to believe the earnings capability of Japanese companies has improved meaningfully over the past economic cycle, driven by better corporate governance and a higher focus on capital efficiency. Multiyear trends such as productivity growth, health care, technology and material science innovation—where Japanese corporations excel versus global peers—remain intact. What’s more, we expect the pace of change to accelerate as COVID-19 continues to stress test health care systems and costs. The pandemic also highlights the need for greater labor productivity among white-collar jobs as more people work remotely. Against this backdrop, we are optimistic about opportunities for generating long-term alpha within Japanese equities.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6  
Japan     94.8  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    5.2  
Total     100.0  

 

   
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)6      
Information Technology     27.0  
Health Care     19.1  
Consumer Discretionary     14.9  
Industrials     14.1  
Communication Services     9.6  
Financials     5.3  
Materials     3.4  
Consumer Staples     1.5  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    5.2  
Total     100.1  

 

   
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)6      
Mega Cap (over $25B)     48.4  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     17.2  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     21.5  
Small Cap (under $3B)     7.8  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     5.2  

 

6

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Japan Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 94.8%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 27.0%    

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 10.7%

 

Keyence Corp.

    132,200       $55,399,936  

TDK Corp.

    428,400       42,647,832  

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    627,100       36,966,607  

Ibiden Co., Ltd.

    753,000       22,040,206  
   

 

 

 
      157,054,581  
   

 

 

 
   

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 6.6%

 

Lasertec Corp.

    708,500       66,974,915  

Disco Corp.

    121,700       29,681,251  
   

 

 

 
      96,656,166  
   

 

 

 
   

IT Services: 5.8%

   

ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corp.

    1,540,300       57,925,767  

OBIC Co., Ltd.

    128,300       22,611,462  

Hennge KKb

    118,100       5,346,222  
   

 

 

 
      85,883,451  
   

 

 

 
   

Software: 2.4%

   

Sansan, Inc.b

    360,000       13,817,875  

Freee KKb

    152,600       6,946,272  

Infomart Corp.

    783,700       5,423,881  

Oracle Corp. Japan

    42,400       5,029,177  

Kaonavi, Inc.b

    97,100       3,969,833  
   

 

 

 
      35,187,038  
   

 

 

 
   

Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals: 1.5%

 

FUJIFILM Holdings Corp.

    511,900       21,910,196  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      396,691,432  
   

 

 

 
   
     
HEALTH CARE: 19.1%    

Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 7.1%

   

Terumo Corp.

    1,050,700       39,992,558  

Hoya Corp.

    385,200       36,886,365  

Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.

    981,400       28,009,504  
   

 

 

 
      104,888,427  
   

 

 

 
   

Pharmaceuticals: 6.7%

   

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    1,016,300       36,513,594  

Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    1,459,900       26,875,970  

Eisai Co., Ltd.

    298,700       23,731,397  

Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

    174,800       10,965,795  
   

 

 

 
      98,086,756  
   

 

 

 
   

Biotechnology: 2.8%

   

PeptiDream, Inc.b

    880,300       40,560,237  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Technology: 2.5%

   

M3, Inc.

    879,100       37,345,165  
   

 

 

 

Total Health Care

      280,880,585  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 14.9%    

Specialty Retail: 6.5%

 

 

Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd.

    220,600       43,252,837  

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

    52,000       29,888,141  

Hikari Tsushin, Inc.

    98,300       22,476,119  
   

 

 

 
      95,617,097  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
   

Household Durables: 3.8%

   

Sony Corp.

    808,300       $55,797,094  
   

 

 

 
   

Multiline Retail: 1.7%

   

Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp.

    1,116,700       24,586,041  
   

 

 

 
   

Leisure Products: 1.5%

   

Bandai Namco Holdings, Inc.

    407,700       21,460,542  
   

 

 

 
   

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 1.1%

   

Kyoritsu Maintenance Co., Ltd.

    488,500       16,711,886  
   

 

 

 
   

Distributors: 0.3%

   

PALTAC Corp.

    93,800       4,327,306  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      218,499,966  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDUSTRIALS: 14.1%    

Professional Services: 6.8%

   

Nihon M&A Center, Inc.

    953,700       43,372,345  

SMS Co., Ltd.

    1,151,800       25,919,562  

Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.

    639,800       22,002,850  

TechnoPro Holdings, Inc.

    152,600       8,809,534  
   

 

 

 
      100,104,291  
   

 

 

 
   

Building Products: 3.8%

   

Daikin Industries, Ltd.

    347,700       56,257,866  
   

 

 

 
   

Machinery: 2.8%

   

SMC Corp.

    80,400       41,319,252  
   

 

 

 
   

Electrical Equipment: 0.7%

   

Nidec Corp.

    139,400       9,391,209  
   

 

 

 

Total Industrials

      207,072,618  
   

 

 

 
   
     
COMMUNICATION SERVICES: 9.6%    

Entertainment: 3.6%

   

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

    119,700       53,514,142  
   

 

 

 
   

Diversified Telecommunication Services: 3.1%

 

 

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.

    1,956,900       45,594,698  
   

 

 

 
   

Wireless Telecommunication Services: 2.9%

 

 

SoftBank Group Corp.

    835,700       42,142,404  
   

 

 

 

Total Communication Services

      141,251,244  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FINANCIALS: 5.3%    

Insurance: 3.7%

   

Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.

    929,800       40,700,162  

Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc.

    1,164,700       13,941,460  
   

 

 

 
      54,641,622  
   

 

 

 
   

Diversified Financial Services: 1.6%

   

eGuarantee, Inc.

    952,300       22,602,302  
   

 

 

 

Total Financials

      77,243,924  
   

 

 

 
   
     
MATERIALS: 3.3%    

Chemicals: 3.3%

   

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

    419,800       49,268,367  
   

 

 

 

Total Materials

      49,268,367  
   

 

 

 
   
 

 

74    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Japan Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

 

     Shares     Value  
   
CONSUMER STAPLES: 1.5%    

Personal Products: 1.5%

   

Kao Corp.

    279,000       $22,140,831  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      22,140,831  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 94.8%       1,393,048,967  

(Cost $1,112,170,226)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 5.2%
      75,868,088  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $1,468,917,055  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

    

 

 

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Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Michael J. Oh, CFA  

Lead Manager

   
Elli Lee  

Co-Manager

   
FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional  

Ticker

  MAKOX   MIKOX

CUSIP

  577130305   577130826

Inception

  1/3/95   10/29/10

NAV

  $4.20   $4.23

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.15%   1.05%

Portfolio Statistics

Total # of Positions

  32

Net Assets

  $113.1 million

Weighted Average
Market Cap

  $77.8 billion

Portfolio Turnover2

  36.63%

Benchmark

Korea Composite Stock Price Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in South Korea.

Matthews Korea Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Korea Fund returned –4.11% (Investor Class) and –4.30% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index, returned –7.33% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Matthews Korea Fund returned 23.53% (Investor Class) and 23.32% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 21.95%.

Market Environment:

Following a drop in the first quarter, South Korean equities began to recover in the second quarter. Looking back to the beginning of 2020, early optimism surrounding the U.S.—China trade resolution faded quickly as investors weighed potential negative spillover of the coronavirus into slower trade, tourism and global demand. So far, the economic slowdown has been relatively mild, and external demand-driven weakness seems to be fading. Countries which are thought to be linked to the global economy, like South Korea, are beginning to recover as major economies gradually reopen.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

The Fund outperformed its benchmark in the first half, primarily due to strong selection in the information technology (IT) and communication services sectors. Among individual securities, Leeno Industrial Inc., which develops and manufactures testing socket and pin used in the semiconductor industry, was a contributor in the first half. In addition, Leeno is successfully expanding its exposure to the health care industry with higher profitability. In the communication services sector, Kakao, which operates a dominant mobile messaging app, was also a contributor. With COVID-19, Kakao’s presence has been growing even bigger in daily life of users. Kakao’s profitability is improving meaningfully as the company starts monetizing its advertising capabilities and moving into e-commerce. In addition, it is expanding its fintech arm, Kakao Pay, more aggressively.

Detractors in the first half included stock selection in health care and a slight overweight to consumer discretionary. Share prices of Interojo, a vision care manufacturer and wholesaler, declined in the first half. We exited the position as we saw higher-than-expected competition environment globally. Hyundai Mobis was also a detractor. Hyundai Mobis is the core parts and after service arm of the Hyundai Group. As the global automotive industry is seeing not only demand disruption, but also production and supply chain disruption, automotive stocks share prices were weak. While we are closely monitoring the Group’s cash flow and liquidity, we believe our automotive holdings have the potential to emerge stronger than global peers over the long term with improving product cycles and its stronger position in new energy vehicle opportunity.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the second quarter, we initiated a position in drug maker SK Biopharmaceuticals Co Ltd, which develops treatments for epilepsy and central nervous system disorders with superior efficacy vs. existing players. It received both FDA and marketing approval in U.S. for a new product. In addition, we exited Interojo Co Ltd.

Outlook:

South Korea has a few potential tailwinds going into the second half of 2020. The country’s health care infrastructure and resources are adequate to reduce the impact of a potential second wave of COVID-19. In addition, the country’s external vulnerability and financing risks are low. Korea’s valuations are one of the regions’

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

76    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
                 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                                        
 

 

    

 

      

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MAKOX)      23.53%        -4.11%        0.41%        -4.28%        0.73%        6.83%        5.33%        01/03/95  
Institutional Class (MIKOX)      23.32%        -4.30%        0.19%        -4.23%        0.81%        n.a.        5.45%        10/29/10  
Korea Composite Stock Price Index3      21.95%        -7.33%        -2.69%        -3.72%        0.84%        4.03%        2.78% 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. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, visit matthewsasia.com.

 

 

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

 

LOGO

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

Korea Composite Stock Price Index performance data may be readjusted periodically by the Korea Exchange due to certain factors, including the declaration of dividends. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Source: Index data from Korea Composite Stock Price Index and Bloomberg; total return calculations performed by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. Please see page 90 for index definition.

 

  4

Calculated from 1/3/95.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS5                     
     Sector             % of Net Assets  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.    Information Technology             15.6%  
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.    Information Technology             6.5%  
Orion Corp.    Consumer Staples             5.9%  
NAVER Corp.    Communication Services             5.3%  
Kakao Corp.    Communication Services             5.0%  
SK Hynix, Inc.    Information Technology             4.8%  
LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., Pfd.    Consumer Staples             4.7%  
Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary             4.5%  
Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.    Financials             3.8%  
LG Chem, Ltd., Pfd.    Materials             3.6%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                59.7%  

 

  5

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

 

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Table of Contents
 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)6  
South Korea     98.5  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    1.5  
Total     100.0  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)6  
Information Technology     34.3  
Consumer Staples     16.9  
Communication Services     13.8  
Consumer Discretionary     12.2  
Financials     7.4  
Health Care     7.0  
Materials     3.6  
Real Estate     1.3  
Energy     1.1  
Industrials     1.0  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     1.5  
Total     100.1  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)6  
Mega Cap (over $25B)     39.3  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     24.4  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     11.1  
Small Cap (under $3B)     23.4  
Unassigned     0.2  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     1.5  

 

6

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

Matthews Korea Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

most attractive and the prospect of earnings growth from a very low base is a good possibility, especially if its influential neighbor, China, continues to recover.

We continue to look for companies with strong structural growth potential—those that can grow organically without the assistance of strong macroeconomic tailwinds. Our portfolio includes companies that can drive and benefit from structural changes in consumption within Korea, as well as those companies headquartered in Korea that are effectively competing and innovating in global markets. Over the longer term, we expect innovative companies to continue to provide attractive growth opportunities.

 

 

78    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Korea Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 68.9%

 

     Shares     Value  
   
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 18.7%    

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 9.0%

 

 

SK Hynix, Inc.

    76,482       $5,460,701  

Koh Young Technology, Inc.

    31,363       2,621,263  

LEENO Industrial, Inc.

    22,205       2,102,233  
   

 

 

 
      10,184,197  
   

 

 

 
   

Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals: 6.5%

 

 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

    165,299       7,317,395  
   

 

 

 
   

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 3.2%

 

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.

    11,831       3,617,466  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      21,119,058  
   

 

 

 
   
     
COMMUNICATION SERVICES: 13.8%    

Interactive Media & Services: 12.1%

   

NAVER Corp.

    26,805       6,030,677  

Kakao Corp.

    25,446       5,710,149  

AfreecaTV Co., Ltd.

    36,089       1,914,104  
   

 

 

 
      13,654,930  
   

 

 

 
   

Entertainment: 1.7%

   

NCSoft Corp.

    2,652       1,972,895  
   

 

 

 

Total Communication Services

      15,627,825  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER STAPLES: 11.2%    

Food Products: 7.1%

   

Orion Corp.

    59,138       6,620,489  

Maeil Dairies Co., Ltd.

    20,959       1,387,363  
   

 

 

 
      8,007,852  
   

 

 

 
   

Tobacco: 2.1%

   

KT&G Corp.

    36,592       2,389,692  
   

 

 

 
   

Food & Staples Retailing: 2.0%

   

BGF Retail Co., Ltd.

    19,377       2,246,139  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      12,643,683  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 8.6%    

Auto Components: 5.4%

   

Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.

    31,393       5,039,179  

Hanon Systems

    144,824       1,097,579  
   

 

 

 
      6,136,758  
   

 

 

 
   

Household Durables: 1.7%

   

Lock&Lock Co., Ltd.b

    200,694       1,886,676  
   

 

 

 
   

Automobiles: 1.5%

   

Kia Motors Corp.

    64,400       1,740,254  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      9,763,688  
   

 

 

 
   
     
FINANCIALS: 7.4%    

Banks: 3.8%

   

Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.

    176,755       4,271,499  
   

 

 

 
   

Capital Markets: 3.6%

   

Shinyoung Securities Co., Ltd.

    67,629       2,402,824  

Kiwoom Securities Co., Ltd.

    22,615       1,653,416  
   

 

 

 
      4,056,240  
   

 

 

 

Total Financials

      8,327,739  
   

 

 

 
   
     Shares     Value  
   
HEALTH CARE: 7.0%    

Pharmaceuticals: 4.5%

   

Yuhan Corp.

    68,150       $2,887,247  

DongKook Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    20,571       2,076,059  

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.b

    4,668       190,158  
   

 

 

 
      5,153,464  
   

 

 

 
   

Biotechnology: 2.5%

   

Hugel, Inc.b

    7,075       2,784,785  
   

 

 

 

Total Health Care

      7,938,249  
   

 

 

 
   
     
REAL ESTATE: 1.3%    

Equity REITs: 1.3%

   

LOTTE Reit Co., Ltd., REIT

    317,568       1,462,296  
   

 

 

 

Total Real Estate

      1,462,296  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDUSTRIALS: 0.9%    

Machinery: 0.9%

   

SFA Engineering Corp.

    39,632       1,084,311  
   

 

 

 

Total Industrials

      1,084,311  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL COMMON EQUITIES       77,966,849  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $71,409,395)

   
   

PREFERRED EQUITIES: 29.6%

 

 
     
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 15.6%    

Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals: 15.6%

 

 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    452,443       17,624,602  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      17,624,602  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER STAPLES: 5.7%    

Personal Products: 5.7%

   

LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., Pfd.

    8,754       5,303,244  

Amorepacific Corp., Pfd.

    20,064       1,195,161  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      6,498,405  
   

 

 

 
   
     
MATERIALS: 3.6%    

Chemicals: 3.6%

   

LG Chem, Ltd., Pfd.

    19,241       4,048,024  
   

 

 

 

Total Materials

      4,048,024  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 3.6%    

Automobiles: 3.6%

   

Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd., Pfd.

    86,680       4,012,876  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      4,012,876  
   

 

 

 
   
 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Korea Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

PREFERRED EQUITIES (continued)

 

     Shares     Value  
   
ENERGY: 1.1%    

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels: 1.1%

   

S-Oil Corp., Pfd.

    40,100       $1,253,389  
   

 

 

 

Total Energy

      1,253,389  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL PREFERRED EQUITIES       33,437,296  
   

 

 

 

(Cost $26,025,327)

   
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 98.5%       111,404,145  

(Cost $97,434,722)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 1.5%
      1,712,878  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $113,117,023  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security. Pfd. Preferred

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

80    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS*
Vivek Tanneeru  
Lead Manager  

*   As of August 31, 2020

FUND FACTS
    Investor   Institutional  

Ticker

  MSMLX   MISMX

CUSIP

  577125206   577125867

Inception

  9/15/08   4/30/13

NAV

  $19.93   $19.90

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

 

1.60%

 

1.46%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.41%   1.20%

Portfolio Statistics

 

Total # of Positions

  63

Net Assets

  $171.7 million

Weighted Average
Market Cap

  $3.6 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

  59.10%

Benchmark

 

MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of Small Companies located in Asia ex Japan, which consists of all countries and markets in Asia excluding Japan, but including all other developed, emerging and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region. The Fund defines Small Companies as companies with market capitalization no higher than the greater of $5 billion or the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Fund’s primary benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index.

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund returned 10.11% (Investor Class) and 10.19% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index, returned –6.45%. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 37.26% (Investor Class) and 37.34% (Institutional Class), outperforming its benchmark, which returned 26.28%.

Market Environment:

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic continued to deeply affect global communities during the second quarter of 2020. Asian countries acted swiftly to contain the virus with varying degrees of success. The impact on Asia has been twofold: the impact on local economic activity due to lock-downs and social distancing and the impact on exports to non-Asian countries, where demands for goods have dropped as well due to the virus. We see the impact on the company earnings across the region with China, South Korea and Taiwan being the most resilient while harder hit economies suffered, such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

China has been a resilient market year to date due to its strong measures to contain the virus and its domestic consumption engine that is nimble enough to shift from physical to virtual within months. Taiwan and South Korea continued to benefit from a supply chain reshuffling in Asia driven by ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China. During the first quarter, harsher impact on Southeast Asian and Indian equity markets have been more pronounced as these economies could no longer rely on tourism as global travel comes to a halt and worries about currency volatility. However, these markets recovered partially into the second quarter from the first quarter’s oversold levels due to central bank interventions to maintain global liquidity.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Stock selections in China/Hong Kong contributed to the portfolio’s relative outperformance over the benchmark during the second quarter. Among individual securities, Silergy Corp., one of China’s largest analog semiconductor companies and Kingdee International, a Chinese enterprise software provider registered strong positive performance. On the other hand, DCB Bank in India was a detractor, where the financial sector was particularly hard hit after COVID-19 lockdowns. From a sector perspective, there were no detractors during the quarter. The top sector performers were in information technology, health care and real estate. As earnings in these sectors have been more resilient overall, their share prices have performed better as well.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

In the second quarter, we rotated capital within the portfolio. We exited DCB Bank in India in the quarter due to lack of visibility on the asset quality post the COVID pandemic and social platform JOYY Inc., a Chinese social media platform operator, due to valuations. We initiated a few new positions in China and South Korea during the quarter to capture next generation innovators. The portfolio’s exposure in Southeast Asia was also reduced due to concerns over prolonged earnings

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 1.20% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
                 
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                                        
 

 

    

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date
 
Investor Class (MSMLX)      37.26%        10.11%        14.74%        6.51%        3.10%        6.72%        10.29%        09/15/08  
Institutional Class (MISMX)      37.34%        10.19%        14.99%        6.71%        3.33%        n.a.        4.77%        04/30/13  
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index4      26.28%        -6.45%        -4.46%        -1.94%        -1.39%        2.70%        5.48% 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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

 

LOGO

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$.

 

  4

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 90 for index definition.

 

  5

Calculated from 9/15/08.

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS6                     
     Sector      Country      % of Net Assets  
Silergy Corp.    Information Technology      China/Hong Kong        6.5%  
Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.    Information Technology      China/Hong Kong        3.5%  
Innovent Biologics, Inc.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong        2.7%  
Joyoung Co., Ltd.    Consumer Discretionary      China/Hong Kong        2.6%  
Peijia Medical, Ltd.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong        2.6%  
Jiajiayue Group Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong        2.5%  
Alphamab Oncology    Health Care      China/Hong Kong        2.4%  
Venus MedTech Hangzhou, Inc.    Health Care      China/Hong Kong        2.4%  
Hua Hong Semiconductor, Ltd.    Information Technology      China/Hong Kong        2.2%  
Sichuan Teway Food Group Co., Ltd.    Consumer Staples      China/Hong Kong        2.1%  
% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN                29.5%  

 

  6

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

 

82    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

contraction and better risk reward in North Asia. We trimmed our positions in several companies in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia that we believe would fare unfavorably for the remainder of 2020.

We initiated new positions in Korean health care company, Hugel, which manufactures botulinum toxin, the main ingredient in Botox. We also added Hong Kong-listed structural heart device company, Peijia Medical, and A-share listed power relay company, Hongfa Technology. Hugel has demonstrated strong execution in product development and marketing. We expect its entry into the China market as the next significant catalyst. Peijia is an IPO during the second quarter with products that help patients with stroke management and avoid open-heart surgery. Hongfa has reasonable valuations and a broad exposure to electric vehicles, power grid investments and automation.

Outlook:

The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has brought severe impacts on human lives and unprecedented challenges to society. The near-term economic weakness globally is unavoidable due to sudden demand shock and supply chain disruptions. We are mindful of the challenges under the current macroeconomic environment. Meanwhile many Asian countries have established various containment and stimulus policies in response to counter economic shocks. Small companies in Asia are not immune to these challenges; however, the degree of impact on company fundamentals vary from industry to industry, as well as the financial strengths of their underlying businesses.

We believe companies that are in cyclical industries may have to be conservative with their use of cash and cost management as demand shock could be prolonged. Corporate managers may need to adjust their policies in adapting to the new normal as various stakeholders are affected, which might affect profitability in the short term. Businesses that are leveraged to virtual or digital economy will, in our view, likely be beneficiaries in the short to medium term while travel spending would be subdued but home improvement spending may pick up. We believe that domestically oriented companies in Asia that deliver innovative and differentiated products and services continue to present attractive long-term investment opportunities as domestic demands continue to evolve and normalcy is gradually restored.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7,8  

China/Hong Kong

    52.4  

Taiwan

    16.0  

South Korea

    9.0  

India

    8.1  

Vietnam

    2.6  

Thailand

    2.1  

United States

    1.7  

Philippines

    1.6  

Indonesia

    0.8  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    5.6  

Total

    99.9  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)8  

Information Technology

    27.2  

Health Care

    24.8  

Industrials

    12.9  

Consumer Discretionary

    10.5  

Consumer Staples

    7.9  

Real Estate

    4.0  

Communication Services

    3.7  

Financials

    2.1  

Materials

    1.3  

Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities

    5.6  
Total     100.0  

 

 
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)8,9  

Mega Cap (over $25B)

    0  

Large Cap ($10B-$25B)

    2.9  

Mid Cap ($3B-10B)

    46.1  

Small Cap (under $3B)

    45.4  

Unassigned

    0.1  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     5.6  

 

7

Not all countries where the Fund may invest are included in the benchmark index.

 

8

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

9

The Fund defines Small Companies as companies with market capitalization no higher than the greater of $5 billion or the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Fund’s primary benchmark, the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 94.4%

 

     Shares     Value  
CHINA/HONG KONG: 52.4%    

Silergy Corp.

    171,000       $11,201,920  

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

    2,572,000       6,018,180  

Innovent Biologics, Inc.b,c,d

    612,000       4,554,931  

Joyoung Co., Ltd. A Shares

    854,948       4,518,596  

Peijia Medical, Ltd.b,c,d

    989,000       4,478,924  

Jiajiayue Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    622,389       4,342,279  

Alphamab Oncologyb,c,d

    1,795,000       4,177,687  

Venus MedTech Hangzhou, Inc. H Sharesb,c,d

    413,000       4,080,018  

Hua Hong Semiconductor, Ltd.b,c,d

    1,075,000       3,768,595  

Sichuan Teway Food Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    460,310       3,631,151  

Times China Holdings, Ltd.

    1,894,000       3,531,693  

InnoCare Pharma, Ltd.b,c,d

    1,848,000       3,511,394  

Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. A Shares

    86,714       2,982,532  

Hangzhou Onechance Tech Corp. A Shares

    119,025       2,952,707  

Zai Lab, Ltd. ADRc

    34,100       2,800,633  

Winning Health Technology Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    847,080       2,764,007  

Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd. H Sharesb,d

    265,100       2,745,481  

Centre Testing International Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    932,174       2,614,865  

Airtac International Group

    148,000       2,614,448  

Yihai International Holding, Ltd.

    210,000       2,164,061  

Yantai China Pet Foods Co., Ltd. A Shares

    312,800       1,812,594  

Hongfa Technology Co., Ltd. A Shares

    315,100       1,794,757  

Jiumaojiu International Holdings, Ltd.b,c,d

    987,000       1,712,878  

SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd.

    1,535,000       1,643,587  

Aoyuan Healthy Life Group Co., Ltd.d

    1,370,000       1,415,885  

Koolearn Technology Holding, Ltd.b,c,d

    295,500       1,192,588  

Kangji Medical Holdings, Ltd.c

    178,000       684,395  

Hygeia Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.b,c,d

    53,200       183,271  
   

 

 

 

Total China/Hong Kong

      89,894,057  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TAIWAN: 16.0%    

WIN Semiconductors Corp.

    338,000       3,451,005  

Accton Technology Corp.

    431,000       3,346,975  

Chief Telecom, Inc.

    261,000       3,323,251  

Sunny Friend Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.

    344,000       3,012,148  

Foxsemicon Integrated Technology, Inc.

    477,000       2,934,904  

Voltronic Power Technology Corp.

    100,000       2,881,515  

Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.

    1,533,000       2,686,486  

Chroma ATE, Inc.

    481,000       2,489,267  

Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

    176,000       1,793,885  

Great Tree Pharmacy Co., Ltd.

    527,282       1,604,160  
   

 

 

 

Total Taiwan

      27,523,596  
   

 

 

 
   
     
SOUTH KOREA: 9.0%    

LEENO Industrial, Inc.

    32,833       3,108,427  

Koh Young Technology, Inc.

    32,566       2,721,807  

Douzone Bizon Co., Ltd.

    30,163       2,577,143  

Vitzrocell Co., Ltd.

    146,753       2,020,789  

Hugel, Inc.c

    4,817       1,896,015  

AfreecaTV Co., Ltd.

    30,169       1,600,117  

KINX, Inc.

    29,197       1,444,382  

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.c

    3,474       141,519  
   

 

 

 

Total South Korea

      15,510,199  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  
INDIA: 8.2%    

Dr. Lal PathLabs, Ltd.b,d

    146,798     $ 3,041,543  

ICICI Securities, Ltd.b,d

    338,096       2,104,255  

Galaxy Surfactants, Ltd.d

    102,137       2,007,341  

Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, Ltd.

    580,756       1,836,902  

Shankara Building Products, Ltd.

    351,683       1,656,510  

Amrutanjan Health Care, Ltd.

    345,519       1,651,330  

Gabriel India, Ltd.

    1,252,483       1,435,722  

M.M. Forgings, Ltd.

    71,268       172,722  

Elgi Equipments, Ltd.

    39,733       76,860  
   

 

 

 

Total India

      13,983,185  
   

 

 

 
   
     
VIETNAM: 2.6%    

Nam Long Investment Corp.

    1,778,822       1,881,731  

Saigon Cargo Service Corp.

    261,820       1,305,841  

FPT Corp.

    644,000       1,275,768  
   

 

 

 

Total Vietnam

      4,463,340  
   

 

 

 
   
     
THAILAND: 2.1%    

Humanica Public Co., Ltd.

    7,293,300       2,061,679  

Muangthai Capital Public Co., Ltd.c

    905,800       1,538,575  
   

 

 

 

Total Thailand

      3,600,254  
   

 

 

 
   
     
UNITED STATES: 1.7%    

Legend Biotech Corp. ADRc

    68,659       2,922,127  
   

 

 

 

Total United States

      2,922,127  
   

 

 

 
   
     
PHILIPPINES: 1.6%    

Wilcon Depot, Inc.

    8,837,700       2,746,012  
   

 

 

 

Total Philippines

      2,746,012  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDONESIA: 0.8%    

PT Arwana Citramulia

    53,015,500       1,415,836  
   

 

 

 

Total Indonesia

      1,415,836  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 94.4%       162,058,606  

(Cost $116,589,521)

   
   
CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,
LESS LIABILITIES: 5.6%
      9,630,776  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $171,689,382  
   

 

 

 

 

a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by 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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $35,551,565, which is 20.71% of net assets.

 

c

Non-income producing security.

 

d

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

 

84    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

LOGO

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS*    
Winnie Chwang    

Lead Manager

   
Andrew Mattock, CFA    

Lead Manager

   

*   As of August 31, 2020

FUND FACTS    
    Investor   Institutional  

Ticker

  MCSMX   MICHX

CUSIP

  577125404   577125842

Inception

  5/31/11   11/30/17

NAV

  $20.24   $20.28

Initial Investment

  $2,500   $100,000

Gross Expense Ratio1

  1.62%   1.51%

After Fee Waiver and Reimbursement2

  1.38%   1.20%

Portfolio Statistics

 

Total # of Positions

  51

Net Assets

  $373.7 million

Weighted Average Market Cap

  $4.9 billion

Portfolio Turnover3

  68.17%

Benchmark

 

MSCI China Small Cap Index

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 net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of Small Companies located in China. China includes its administrative and other districts, such as Hong Kong. The Fund defines Small Companies as companies with market capitalization no higher than the greater of $5 billion or the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Fund’s primary benchmark, the MSCI China Small Cap Index.

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited)

For the first half of 2020, the Matthews China Small Companies Fund returned 57.63% (Investor Class) and 57.70% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI China Small Cap Index, returned -1.75% over the same period. For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, the Fund returned 42.64% (Investor Class) and 42.62% (Institutional Class), while the benchmark returned 13.18%.

Market Environment:

During the first half of the year, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to cause significant disruption to businesses around the world. The deep drops suffered across risk assets during the first quarter were almost entirely reversed over the last three months with central bank and government intervention. Governments around the world continue to provide monetary and fiscal support.

Pre-COVID-19, China was on track for a strong earnings recovery 2020 after a first phase trade deal was signed in January by the U.S. and China. Business spending, which was muted for three years due to the U.S.—China trade conflict, was set to rebound and domestic consumption continued to be strong. The recovery in 2020 was briefly disrupted by COVID-19. Given China’s quick response to quarantining the epicenter city of Wuhan and other high-infection rate cities, businesses in China have largely resumed work. The government has also put into place targeted stimulus towards elevating small to medium business cash flow disruptions with easier access to loans and reduced tax burdens. Overall, we expect gradual recovery in business activity in China for the rest of the year despite localized second and third wave infections.

From both a top-down and bottom-up perspective, we anticipate long-term sustainable growth in the Chinese economy and in corporate earnings. Market concerns over trade disruption should, in our view, have little impact on China’s smaller companies, given their domestic focus and lower dependence on financial leverage.

Performance Contributors and Detractors:

Our focus on finding innovative and capital-efficient small companies that are relatively insulated from macroeconomic uncertainties served us well during the first half of the year. Strong stock selection in the information technology, health care and consumer staples sectors contributed the most to the Fund’s outperformance versus the benchmark. There were no sector level detractors on performance during the second quarter.

Top contributors to Fund performance were our two largest positions in the portfolio, Silergy Corp. and Kingdee International. Silergy is a top analog semiconductor company from China. Its main power management integrated circuit products are going through an accelerated structural growth phase with more complex power management needs in data centers, 5G network equipment and laptops for working remotely. Kingdee, China’s top enterprise resource software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, helps firms managing their businesses digitally. The COVID-19 pandemic has quickened the pace of connecting the real world to the digital economy, and we expect Kingdee to benefit longer term from this structural trend.

There were no significant detractors during the quarter. Burning Rock Biotech, a new position in the portfolio, detracted slightly from performance this quarter.

(continued)

 
1

Prospectus expense ratios.

2

Matthews has contractually agreed (i) to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization or extraordinary expenses such as litigation) of the Institutional Class to 1.20% first by waiving class specific expenses (i.e., shareholder service fees specific to a particular class) of the Institutional Class and then, to the extent necessary, by waiving non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) of the Institutional Class, and (ii) if any Fund-wide expenses (i.e., expenses that apply to both the Institutional Class and the Investor Class) are waived for the Institutional Class to maintain the 1.20% expense limitation, to waive an equal amount (in annual percentage terms) of those same expenses for the Investor Class. The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may vary from year to year and will in some years exceed 1.20%. If the operating expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount that does not cause the expenses for that year to exceed the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. This agreement will remain in place until April 30, 2021 and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

3

The lesser of fiscal year 2019 long-term purchase costs or sales proceeds divided by the average monthly market value of long-term securities.

 

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Table of Contents
               
PERFORMANCE AS OF JUNE 30, 2020                                                 
 

 

    

 

      

 

     Average Annual Total Returns       

 

 
     3 Months      YTD      1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      Since
Inception
     Inception
date
 
Investor Class (MCSMX)      42.64%        57.63%        79.85%        29.98%        18.72%        11.40%        05/31/11  
Institutional Class (MICHX)      42.62%        57.70%        79.99%        n.a.        n.a.        27.58%        11/30/17  
MSCI China Small Cap Index4      13.18%        -1.75%        -2.99%        -1.15%        -4.44%        -0.37% 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 HYPOTHETICAL $10,000 INVESTMENT SINCE INCEPTION—INVESTOR CLASS

 

LOGO

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$.

 

  4

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 90 for index definition.

 

  5

Calculated from 5/31/11

 

       
TOP TEN HOLDINGS6                     
     Sector             % of Net Assets  

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

   Information Technology             7.5%  

Silergy Corp.

   Information Technology             7.4%  

China Youzan, Ltd.

   Information Technology             3.1%  

Jiajiayue Group Co., Ltd.

   Consumer Staples             3.1%  

Zai Lab, Ltd.

   Health Care             3.0%  

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd.

   Real Estate             2.9%  

Sichuan Teway Food Group Co., Ltd.

   Consumer Staples             2.8%  

Times China Holdings, Ltd.

   Real Estate             2.8%  

Peijia Medical, Ltd.

   Health Care             2.4%  

China Meidong Auto Holdings, Ltd.

   Consumer Discretionary             2.3%  

% OF ASSETS IN TOP TEN

               37.3%  

 

  6

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

 

86    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

Portfolio Manager Commentary  (unaudited) (continued)

Burning Rock is a front runner in the precision diagnostics space in China. The company uses next generation sequencing technology to facilitate cancer diagnosis and for determining course of treatment through identification of cancer biomarkers such as Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB). We believe the company has a long runway of growth in this growing space.

Notable Portfolio Changes:

During the quarter, we also initiated positions in Peijia Medical and Hongfa Technology. Peijia completed its initial public offering during the second quarter. Peijia’s products help patients with stroke management to avoid open heart surgery. Hongfa is a top power relay company in China with reasonable valuations and a broad exposure to electric vehicles, power grid investments and automation.

During the quarter we exited our positions in Cstone Pharmaceutical and TK Group as we identified better risk-reward candidates from our watch list. Cstone Pharmaceutical has an impressive pipeline of clinical stage oncology assets but it may be too much for a young biotech company to manage. TK Group continues to be a respectable plastic mold and parts producer in China but its end exposures in consumer electronics, automotive and household appliances may be a negative drag for longer than expected due to COVID-19.

Outlook:

We remain optimistic about China’s small-cap market amid heightened market volatility as we continue to focus rigorously on the sound fundamentals of our portfolio companies. From a macroeconomic perspective, we believe China can stabilize its economy through monetary flexibility, fiscal spending, tax reform, interest-rate adjustments and currency management. In addition, we believe that steps to correct China’s structural issues are on the right track. We will continue to seek companies with sustainable, quality earnings streams, strong cash flows and good balance sheets that can weather uncertain economic conditions. We believe sectors such as industrial automation, consumer, health care and technology are among the most attractive from a secular growth perspective.

 
COUNTRY ALLOCATION (%)7  
China/Hong Kong     91.2  
Taiwan     2.7  

United States

    1.5  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     10.6  

 

 
SECTOR ALLOCATION (%)7  
Health Care     28.8  
Information Technology     22.4  
Consumer Staples     13.2  
Consumer Discretionary     10.7  
Industrials     9.4  
Real Estate     7.2  
Communication Services     2.3  
Materials     1.4  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     10.6  

 

   
MARKET CAP EXPOSURE (%)7,8      
Mega Cap (over $25B)     0.0  
Large Cap ($10B–$25B)     4.1  
Mid Cap ($3B–10B)     69.0  
Small Cap (under $3B)     22.3  
Cash and Other Assets, Less Liabilities     4.6  

 

7

Source: FactSet Research Systems. Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.

 

8

The Fund defines Small Companies as companies with market capitalization no higher than the greater of $5 billion or the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Fund’s primary benchmark, the MSCI China Small Cap Index.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited)

COMMON EQUITIES: 95.4%

 

     Shares     Value  
HEALTH CARE: 28.8%    

Biotechnology: 12.8%

   

Zai Lab, Ltd. ADRb

    135,400       $11,120,402  

Amoy Diagnostics Co., Ltd. A Shares

    781,530       8,517,862  

Burning Rock Biotech, Ltd. ADRb

    269,700       7,284,597  

Alphamab Oncologyb,c,d

    3,108,000       7,233,566  

Legend Biotech Corp. ADRb

    133,525       5,682,824  

Innovent Biologics, Inc.b,c,d

    596,500       4,439,569  

InnoCare Pharma, Ltd.b,c,d

    1,866,000       3,545,596  
   

 

 

 
      47,824,416  
   

 

 

 

Health Care Equipment & Supplies: 8.4%

   

Peijia Medical, Ltd.b,c,d

    1,982,000       8,975,963  

Venus MedTech Hangzhou, Inc. H Sharesb,c,d

    752,500       7,433,931  

AK Medical Holdings, Ltd.c,d

    2,262,000       7,210,652  

Shanghai MicroPort Endovascular MedTech Co., Ltd. A Shares

    127,476       6,274,701  

Kangji Medical Holdings, Ltd.b

    352,000       1,353,409  
   

 

 

 
      31,248,656  
   

 

 

 

Life Sciences Tools & Services: 3.0%

   

Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd. H Sharesc,d

    537,100       5,562,420  

Genscript Biotech Corp.b

    2,640,000       5,459,754  
   

 

 

 
      11,022,174  
   

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals: 2.8%

   

Asymchem Laboratories (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. A Shares

    157,137       5,404,735  

CanSino Biologics, Inc. H Sharesb,c,d

    188,000       5,176,647  
   

 

 

 
      10,581,382  
   

 

 

 

Health Care Technology: 1.7%

   

Winning Health Technology Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,971,927       6,434,363  
   

 

 

 
   

Health Care Providers & Services: 0.1%

   

Hygeia Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.b,c,d

    107,000       368,609  
   

 

 

 

Total Health Care

      107,479,600  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 22.4%    

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment: 10.7%

 

 

Silergy Corp.

    424,000       27,775,520  

StarPower Semiconductor, Ltd. A Shares

    238,592       7,112,076  

WIN Semiconductors Corp.

    495,000       5,053,988  
   

 

 

 
      39,941,584  
   

 

 

 

Software: 10.6%

   

Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd.

    11,950,000       27,961,608  

China Youzan, Ltd.b

    69,964,000       11,642,296  
   

 

 

 
      39,603,904  
   

 

 

 

Communications Equipment: 1.1%

   

Accton Technology Corp.

    513,000       3,983,754  
   

 

 

 

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components: 0.0%

 

 

China High Precision Automation Group, Ltd.b,e

    195,000       252  
   

 

 

 

Total Information Technology

      83,529,494  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER STAPLES: 13.2%    

Food Products: 6.8%

   

Sichuan Teway Food Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,336,306       10,541,438  

Jonjee Hi-Tech Industrial And Commercial Holding Co., Ltd. A Shares

    702,946       5,831,713  

Yantai China Pet Foods Co., Ltd. A Shares

    973,449       5,640,882  

Yihai International Holding, Ltd.

    327,000       3,369,752  
   

 

 

 
      25,383,785  
   

 

 

 
     Shares     Value  

Food & Staples Retailing: 3.1%

   

Jiajiayue Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,662,527       $11,599,107  
   

 

 

 

Personal Products: 1.8%

   

Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd. A Shares

    263,725       6,741,948  
   

 

 

 

Household Products: 1.5%

   

Vinda International Holdings, Ltd.

    1,589,000       5,708,141  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Staples

      49,432,981  
   

 

 

 
   
     
CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY: 10.7%    

Diversified Consumer Services: 3.1%

   

Koolearn Technology Holding, Ltd.b,c,d

    1,639,500       6,616,747  

China Yuhua Education Corp., Ltd.c,d

    6,186,000       5,108,571  
   

 

 

 
      11,725,318  
   

 

 

 

Specialty Retail: 2.4%

   

China Meidong Auto Holdings, Ltd.

    3,548,000       8,751,223  
   

 

 

 

Household Durables: 2.2%

   

Joyoung Co., Ltd. A Shares

    1,576,383       8,331,545  
   

 

 

 

Internet & Direct Marketing Retail: 2.0%

   

Hangzhou Onechance Tech Corp. A Shares

    300,060       7,443,723  
   

 

 

 

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure: 1.0%

   

Jiumaojiu International Holdings, Ltd.b,c,d

    2,156,000       3,741,607  
   

 

 

 

Total Consumer Discretionary

      39,993,416  
   

 

 

 
   
     
INDUSTRIALS: 9.4%    

Commercial Services & Supplies: 3.6%

   

Ever Sunshine Lifestyle Services Group, Ltd.d

    4,586,000       7,153,903  

Greentown Service Group Co., Ltd.d

    4,254,000       5,042,296  

Sunny Friend Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.

    124,000       1,085,774  
   

 

 

 
      13,281,973  
   

 

 

 

Professional Services: 1.8%

   

Centre Testing International Group Co., Ltd. A Shares

    2,404,759       6,745,651  
   

 

 

 

Marine: 1.5%

   

SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd.

    5,286,500       5,660,470  
   

 

 

 

Electrical Equipment: 1.4%

   

Hongfa Technology Co., Ltd. A Shares

    922,592       5,254,929  
   

 

 

 

Machinery: 1.1%

   

Airtac International Group

    243,000       4,292,641  
   

 

 

 

Total Industrials

      35,235,664  
   

 

 

 
   
     
REAL ESTATE: 7.2%    

Real Estate Management & Development: 7.2%

 

 

KWG Group Holdings, Ltd.

    6,468,000       10,989,516  

Times China Holdings, Ltd.

    5,545,000       10,339,619  

China Overseas Property Holdings, Ltd.

    5,395,000       5,751,379  
   

 

 

 

Total Real Estate

      27,080,514  
   

 

 

 
   
     
COMMUNICATION SERVICES: 2.3%    

Entertainment: 1.7%

   

Bilibili, Inc. ADRb

    135,700       6,285,624  
   

 

 

 

Media: 0.6%

   

Mobvista, Inc.c,d

    3,974,000       2,284,769  
   

 

 

 

Total Communication Services

      8,570,393  
   

 

 

 
   
 

 

88    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

June 30, 2020

Schedule of Investmentsa (unaudited) (continued)

COMMON EQUITIES (continued)

 

     Shares     Value  
     
MATERIALS: 1.4%    

Construction Materials: 1.4%

   

Asia Cement China Holdings Corp.

    5,328,000       $5,264,686  
   

 

 

 

Total Materials

      5,264,686  
   

 

 

 
   
     
TOTAL INVESTMENTS: 95.4%       356,586,748  

(Cost $245,956,440)

   
   

CASH AND OTHER ASSETS,

LESS LIABILITIES: 4.6%

      17,119,929  
   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS: 100.0%

      $373,706,677  
   

 

 

 
a

Certain securities were fair valued under the valuation policies approved by the Board of Trustees (Note 2-A).

 

b

Non-income producing security.

 

c

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 Funds’ Board of Trustees. At June 30, 2020, the aggregate value is $67,698,647, which is 18.12% of net assets.

 

d

The securities may be resold to qualified foreign investors and foreign institutional buyers under Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

e

Security is valued using significant unobservable inputs and is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. The aggregate value of Level 3 security is $252 and 0.00% of net assets.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents

Index Definitions

 

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

The Markit iBoxx 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: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

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 capitalization-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, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, 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, Pakistan, 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 H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, 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), and foreign listings (e.g., ADRs).

The MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Asia Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The MSCI China All Shares Index captures large and mid-cap representation across China A shares, B shares, H shares, Red Chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China), P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g., ADRs). The index aims to reflect the opportunity set of China share classes listed in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen and outside of China.

The S&P 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 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, Pakistan, 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), and foreign listings (e.g., ADRs).

 

 

90    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Disclosures

 

Fund Holdings: The Fund holdings shown in this report are as of June 30, 2020. 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-PORT. The Funds’ Forms N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Complete schedules of investments are also available without charge, upon request, from the Funds by calling us at 800.789.ASIA (2742).

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).

 

 

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Table of Contents

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.

Matthews Asia Funds does 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.

 

 

92    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

June 30, 2020

Disclosure of Fund Expenses (unaudited) (continued)

 

    Investor           Institutional  
     Beginning
Account
Value
1/1/20
     Ending
Account
Value
6/30/20
     Expense
Ratio1
     Operating
Expenses
Paid During
Period
1/1/20–
6/30/202
           Beginning
Account
Value
1/1/20
     Ending
Account
Value
6/30/20
     Expense
Ratio1
     Operating
Expenses
Paid During
Period
1/1/20–
6/30/202
 
GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS STRATEGY                                                                              

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund3

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,167.00        1.15%        $2.08         $1,000.00        $1,167.00        0.90%        $1.63  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,006.42        1.15%        $1.92         $1,000.00        $1,006.83        0.90%        $1.51  
ASIA FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES                                                                              

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $963.50        1.13%        $5.52         $1,000.00        $964.50        0.90%        $4.40  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.24        1.13%        $5.67               $1,000.00        $1,020.39        0.90%        $4.52  

Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $952.60        1.15%        $5.58         $1,000.00        $953.80        0.90%        $4.37  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.14        1.15%        $5.77         $1,000.00        $1,020.39        0.90%        $4.52  
ASIA GROWTH AND INCOME STRATEGIES                                                                              

Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $930.50        1.13%        $5.42         $1,000.00        $931.70        0.97%        $4.66  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.24        1.13%        $5.67               $1,000.00        $1,020.04        0.97%        $4.87  

Matthews Asia Dividend Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $973.80        1.07%        $5.25         $1,000.00        $974.30        0.97%        $4.76  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.54        1.07%        $5.37               $1,000.00        $1,020.04        0.97%        $4.87  

Matthews China Dividend Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,040.20        1.17%        $5.93         $1,000.00        $1,040.90        1.04%        $5.28  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.05        1.17%        $5.87         $1,000.00        $1,019.69        1.04%        $5.22  
ASIA VALUE STRATEGY                                                                              

Matthews Asia Value Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $955.70        1.45%        $7.05         $1,000.00        $957.20        1.20%        $5.84  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,017.65        1.45%        $7.27         $1,000.00        $1,018.90        1.20%        $6.02  
ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES                                                                              

Matthews Asia Growth Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,084.30        1.11%        $5.75         $1,000.00        $1,085.00        0.97%        $5.03  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.34        1.11%        $5.57               $1,000.00        $1,020.04        0.97%        $4.87  

Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $952.70        1.11%        $5.39         $1,000.00        $953.00        0.96%        $4.66  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.34        1.11%        $5.57               $1,000.00        $1,020.09        0.96%        $4.82  

Matthews Asia ESG Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,006.30        1.39%        $6.93         $1,000.00        $1,007.20        1.20%        $5.99  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,017.95        1.39%        $6.97               $1,000.00        $1,018.90        1.20%        $6.02  

Matthews Emerging Asia Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $749.80        1.45%        $6.31         $1,000.00        $751.00        1.20%        $5.22  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,017.65        1.45%        $7.27               $1,000.00        $1,018.90        1.20%        $6.02  

Matthews Asia Innovators Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,270.10        1.11%        $6.27         $1,000.00        $1,271.20        0.96%        $5.42  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.34        1.11%        $5.57               $1,000.00        $1,020.09        0.96%        $4.82  

Matthews China Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,122.90        1.11%        $5.86         $1,000.00        $1,124.20        0.93%        $4.91  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.34        1.11%        $5.57               $1,000.00        $1,020.24        0.93%        $4.67  

Matthews India Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $806.30        1.25%        $5.61         $1,000.00        $806.80        1.10%        $4.94  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,018.65        1.25%        $6.27               $1,000.00        $1,019.39        1.10%        $5.52  

 

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 182 days, then divided by 366.

 

3

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020. Operating expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 61 days, then divided by 366.

 

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Table of Contents

June 30, 2020

Disclosure of Fund Expenses (unaudited) (continued)

 

    Investor           Institutional  
     Beginning
Account
Value
1/1/20
     Ending
Account
Value
6/30/20
     Expense
Ratio1
     Operating
Expenses
Paid During
Period
1/1/20–
6/30/202
           Beginning
Account
Value
1/1/20
     Ending
Account
Value
6/30/20
     Expense
Ratio1
     Operating
Expenses
Paid During
Period
1/1/20–
6/30/202
 
ASIA GROWTH STRATEGIES (continued)

 

Matthews Japan Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,000.50        0.98%        $4.87         $1,000.00        $1,000.50        0.93%        $4.63  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,019.99        0.98%        $4.92               $1,000.00        $1,020.24        0.93%        $4.67  

Matthews Korea Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $958.90        1.25%        $6.09         $1,000.00        $957.00        1.18%        $5.74  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,018.65        1.25%        $6.27         $1,000.00        $1,019.00        1.18%        $5.92  
ASIA SMALL COMPANY STRATEGIES                                                                              

Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,101.10        1.42%        $7.42         $1,000.00        $1,101.90        1.20%        $6.27  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,017.80        1.42%        $7.12               $1,000.00        $1,018.90        1.20%        $6.02  

Matthews China Small Companies Fund

                       

Actual Fund Return

    $1,000.00        $1,576.30        1.33%        $8.52         $1,000.00        $1,577.00        1.20%        $7.69  

Hypothetical 5% Returns

    $1,000.00        $1,018.25        1.33%        $6.67               $1,000.00        $1,018.90        1.20%        $6.02  

 

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 182 days, then divided by 366.

 

 

94    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)    June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Emerging
Markets Equity Fund1
       Matthews Asia
Total Return
Bond Fund
       Matthews Asia
Credit
Opportunities Fund
 

ASSETS:

              

Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):

              

Unaffiliated issuers

       $8,627,992          $98,058,134          $88,004,592  

Cash

       591,123          2,212,568          3,246,027  

Cash pledged collateral for OTC derivatives

                520,000           

Segregated foreign currency at value

       195          19,930          6,733  

Foreign currency at value (B)

       8,923          576          208  

Dividends, interest and other receivable

       11,585          1,763,666          1,734,949  

Receivable for securities sold

       27,475                    

Receivable for capital shares sold

       17,450          26,203          29,080  

Due from Advisor (Note 5)

       13,230                    

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                3,528           

Unrealized appreciation on interest rate swaps

                628,819           

Prepaid expenses

       39,514          15,178          29,881  

TOTAL ASSETS

       9,337,487          103,248,602          93,051,470  

LIABILITIES:

              

Payable for securities purchased

       142,981                    

Payable for capital shares redeemed

                233,869          948,595  

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                774,274           

Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-F)

       776          23,175           

Due to Advisor (Note 5)

                40,902          39,593  

Administration and accounting fees payable (Note 5)

       101          1,353          1,251  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable (Note 5)

       1,040          12,715          11,665  

Custodian fees payable

                5,648          137  

Intermediary service fees payable (Note 5)

       776          18,419          4,329  

Professional fees payable

                23,907          45,168  

Transfer agent fees payable

       290          975          269  

Accrued other expenses payable

       7,141          8,125          1,363  

TOTAL LIABILITIES

       153,105          1,143,362          1,052,370  

NET ASSETS

       $9,184,382          $102,105,240          $91,999,100  

NET ASSETS:

              

Investor Class

       $1,683,257          $36,245,173          $10,382,063  

Institutional Class

       7,501,125          65,860,067          81,617,037  

TOTAL

       $9,184,382          $102,105,240          $91,999,100  

 

1

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Emerging
Markets Equity Fund1
       Matthews Asia
Total Return
Bond Fund
       Matthews Asia
Credit
Opportunities Fund
 

SHARES OUTSTANDING:

              

(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively, unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)

              

Investor Class

       144,223          3,438,820          1,050,566  

Institutional Class

       642,510          6,247,235          8,259,186  

TOTAL

       786,733          9,686,055          9,309,752  

NET ASSET VALUE:

              

Investor Class, offering price and redemption price

       $11.67          $10.54          $9.88  

Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price

       $11.67          $10.54          $9.88  

NET ASSETS CONSISTS OF:

              

Capital paid-in

       $7,995,540          $106,414,240          $97,084,674  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss)

       1,188,842          (4,309,000        (5,085,574

NET ASSETS

       $9,184,382          $102,105,240          $91,999,100  

(A) Investments at cost:

              

Unaffiliated Issuers

       $7,633,781          $98,733,723          $90,534,789  

(B) Foreign Currency at Cost

       $8,919          $576          $211  

 

1

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

96    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
       Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
       Matthews China
Dividend Fund
 

ASSETS:

              

Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):

              

Unaffiliated issuers

       $1,204,895,340          $3,235,153,183          $313,231,225  

Affiliated issuers

                585,082,499           

Cash

       41,903,058                   4,727,753  

Segregated foreign currency at value

                155,696          19,496  

Foreign currency at value (B)

       641,564          10,948,995          1,282,631  

Dividends, interest and other receivable

       4,812,616          9,514,560          1,501,878  

Receivable for securities sold

       2,267,086          25,079,035          746,334  

Receivable for capital shares sold

       1,576,385          2,629,185          1,274,034  

Prepaid expenses

       71,067                   44,241  

TOTAL ASSETS

       1,256,167,116          3,868,563,153          322,827,592  

LIABILITIES:

              

Cash overdraft

                5,443,467           

Payable for securities purchased

       800          5,472,257          199,110  

Payable for capital shares redeemed

       1,552,299          29,046,330          490,037  

Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-F)

       1,063,827                    

Due to Advisor (Note 5)

       682,680          2,095,498          170,360  

Administration and accounting fees payable (Note 5)

       16,463          50,317          4,096  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable (Note 5)

       152,893          463,237          38,174  

Custodian fees payable

       61,722          349,323          20,161  

Intermediary service fees payable (Note 5)

       261,687          993,482          81,768  

Professional fees payable

       45,918          87,012          32,901  

Transfer agent fees payable

       11,307          21,627          2,969  

Accrued other expenses payable

       83,840          324,547          32,864  

TOTAL LIABILITIES

       3,933,436          44,347,097          1,072,440  

NET ASSETS

       $1,252,233,680          $3,824,216,056          $321,755,152  

NET ASSETS:

              

Investor Class

       $581,679,400          $1,748,123,813          $227,148,086  

Institutional Class

       670,554,280          2,076,092,243          94,607,066  

TOTAL

       $1,252,233,680          $3,824,216,056          $321,755,152  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
       Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
       Matthews China
Dividend Fund
 

SHARES OUTSTANDING:

              

(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively, unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)

              

Investor Class

       40,025,743          103,781,893          13,779,169  

Institutional Class

       46,226,408          123,295,511          5,739,182  

TOTAL

       86,252,151          227,077,404          19,518,351  

NET ASSET VALUE:

              

Investor Class, offering price and redemption price

       $14.53          $16.84          $16.48  

Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price

       $14.51          $16.84          $16.48  

NET ASSETS CONSISTS OF:

              

Capital paid-in

       $1,194,161,017          $3,233,799,759          $302,997,215  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss)

       58,072,663          590,416,297          18,757,937  

NET ASSETS

       $1,252,233,680          $3,824,216,056          $321,755,152  

(A) Investments at cost:

              

Unaffiliated Issuers

       $1,089,827,510          $2,547,095,933          $271,310,193  

Affiliated Issuers

                434,167,009           

(B) Foreign Currency at Cost

       $641,264          $10,934,432          $1,284,824  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

98    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asia
Value Fund
       Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
       Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
 

ASSETS:

              

Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):

              

Unaffiliated issuers

       $9,585,701          $1,253,970,323          $6,323,562,963  

Affiliated issuers

                         223,616,890  

Cash

       3,790,070          59,981,556          113,579,025  

Segregated foreign currency at value

                         206,222  

Foreign currency at value (B)

       3,510          687,193          858,442  

Dividends, interest and other receivable

       40,291          1,032,799          28,124,979  

Receivable for securities sold

       88,665          5,100,521          24,072,282  

Receivable for capital shares sold

       29,006          7,990,787          7,904,019  

Due from Advisor (Note 5)

       3,039                    

Prepaid expenses

       11,432          21,127           

TOTAL ASSETS

       13,551,714          1,328,784,306          6,721,924,822  

LIABILITIES:

              

Payable for securities purchased

                13,615,056          1,243,523  

Payable for capital shares redeemed

                1,777,373          19,207,210  

Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-F)

       27,125                   1,093,060  

Due to Advisor (Note 5)

                688,243          3,554,174  

Administration and accounting fees payable (Note 5)

       169          15,965          85,120  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable (Note 5)

       1,608          154,110          766,076  

Custodian fees payable

       2,977          81,683          615,304  

Intermediary service fees payable (Note 5)

       3,154          167,703          1,332,438  

Professional fees payable

       45,954          41,853          115,566  

Transfer agent fees payable

       550          6,407          23,142  

Accrued other expenses payable

       21,053          27,314          243,607  

TOTAL LIABILITIES

       102,590          16,575,707          28,279,220  

NET ASSETS

       $13,449,124          $1,312,208,599          $6,693,645,602  

NET ASSETS:

              

Investor Class

       $8,104,886          $524,586,664          $2,029,934,322  

Institutional Class

       5,344,238          787,621,935          4,663,711,280  

TOTAL

       $13,449,124          $1,312,208,599          $6,693,645,602  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asia
Value Fund
       Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
       Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
 

SHARES OUTSTANDING:

              

(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively, unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)

              

Investor Class

       766,815          17,218,916          74,152,356  

Institutional Class

       508,908          25,611,550          170,447,771  

TOTAL

       1,275,723          42,830,466          244,600,127  

NET ASSET VALUE:

              

Investor Class, offering price and redemption price

       $10.57          $30.47          $27.38  

Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price

       $10.50          $30.75          $27.36  

NET ASSETS CONSISTS OF:

              

Capital paid-in

       $17,779,306          $900,602,896          $4,418,030,806  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss)

       (4,330,182        411,605,703          2,275,614,796  

NET ASSETS

       $13,449,124          $1,312,208,599          $6,693,645,602  

(A) Investments at cost:

              

Unaffiliated Issuers

       $9,917,973          $897,299,213          $4,050,817,956  

Affiliated Issuers

                         421,960,816  

(B) Foreign Currency at Cost

       $3,531          $688,851          $858,403  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

100    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asia
ESG Fund
       Matthews Emerging
Asia Fund
       Matthews Asia
Innovators Fund
 

ASSETS:

              

Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):

              

Unaffiliated issuers

       $54,417,050          $149,061,578          $796,013,800  

Affiliated issuers

                2,704,558           

Cash

       983,693          10,666,954          28,177,653  

Segregated foreign currency at value

       717                   7,861  

Foreign currency at value (B)

       9,615          1,260,321          4,689,306  

Dividends, interest and other receivable

       146,695          966,298          197,067  

Receivable for securities sold

                1,899,012          978,833  

Receivable for capital shares sold

       73,994          85,802          17,385,599  

Prepaid expenses

       19,608          22,725          22,779  

TOTAL ASSETS

       55,651,372          166,667,248          847,472,898  

LIABILITIES:

              

Payable for securities purchased

                         10,124,771  

Payable for capital shares redeemed

       42,223          833,732          249,600  

Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-F)

       2,008          292,743          793,625  

Due to Advisor (Note 5)

       27,696          42,274          402,804  

Administration and accounting fees payable (Note 5)

       668          2,161          8,807  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable (Note 5)

       6,469          20,221          90,184  

Custodian fees payable

       23,803          223,393          28,826  

Foreign capital gains tax payable (Note 2-F)

                2,553           

Intermediary service fees payable (Note 5)

       6,387          77,412          16,094  

Professional fees payable

       30,994          28,780          34,742  

Transfer agent fees payable

       280          2,569          4,066  

Accrued other expenses payable

       16,984          33,351          12,433  

TOTAL LIABILITIES

       157,512          1,559,189          11,765,952  

NET ASSETS

       $55,493,860          $165,108,059          $835,706,946  

NET ASSETS:

              

Investor Class

       $21,699,566          $49,595,798          $286,839,165  

Institutional Class

       33,794,294          115,512,261          548,867,781  

TOTAL

       $55,493,860          $165,108,059          $835,706,946  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asia
ESG Fund
       Matthews Emerging
Asia Fund
       Matthews Asia
Innovators Fund
 

SHARES OUTSTANDING:

              

(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively, unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)

              

Investor Class

       1,946,097          5,478,189          15,522,569  

Institutional Class

       3,033,248          12,676,753          29,495,736  

TOTAL

       4,979,345          18,154,942          45,018,305  

NET ASSET VALUE:

              

Investor Class, offering price and redemption price

       $11.15          $9.05          $18.48  

Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price

       $11.14          $9.11          $18.61  

NET ASSETS CONSISTS OF:

              

Capital paid-in

       $51,820,040          $285,582,015          $603,321,618  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss)

       3,673,820          (120,473,956        232,385,328  

NET ASSETS

       $55,493,860          $165,108,059          $835,706,946  

(A) Investments at cost:

              

Unaffiliated Issuers

       $49,012,267          $186,637,865          $563,622,837  

Affiliated Issuers

                3,537,343           

(B) Foreign Currency at Cost

       $9,611          $1,255,442          $4,689,058  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

102    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews
China Fund
       Matthews
India Fund
       Matthews
Japan Fund
 

ASSETS:

              

Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):

              

Unaffiliated issuers

       $1,042,618,216          $533,262,906          $1,393,048,967  

Cash

       39,382,909          18,549,282          45,548,082  

Segregated foreign currency at value

       34,355                    

Foreign currency at value (B)

       1,458          838,603          4,430,138  

Dividends, interest and other receivable

       4,839,937          3,495,333          776,198  

Receivable for securities sold

       3,946,882          1,041,875          43,361,995  

Receivable for capital shares sold

       2,016,815          697,872          1,015,919  

Prepaid expenses

       36,206          6,045          11,843  

TOTAL ASSETS

       1,092,876,778          557,891,916          1,488,193,142  

LIABILITIES:

              

Payable for securities purchased

       744,550          471,377          9,568,396  

Payable for capital shares redeemed

       1,139,040          1,040,318          8,051,021  

Deferred foreign capital gains tax liability (Note 2-F)

                3,210,660           

Due to Advisor (Note 5)

       573,909          298,729          814,078  

Administration and accounting fees payable (Note 5)

       13,122          7,159          20,702  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable (Note 5)

       128,601          66,722          182,273  

Custodian fees payable

       24,420          181,565          48,221  

Intermediary service fees payable (Note 5)

       125,958          324,559          285,383  

Professional fees payable

       34,402          28,781          48,167  

Transfer agent fees payable

       15,229          16,198          24,966  

Accrued other expenses payable

       201,618          74,723          232,880  

TOTAL LIABILITIES

       3,000,849          5,720,791          19,276,087  

NET ASSETS

       $1,089,875,929          $552,171,125          $1,468,917,055  

NET ASSETS:

              

Investor Class

       $740,104,504          $477,579,100          $961,996,490  

Institutional Class

       349,771,425          74,592,025          506,920,565  

TOTAL

       $1,089,875,929          $552,171,125          $1,468,917,055  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews
China Fund
       Matthews
India Fund
       Matthews
Japan Fund
 

SHARES OUTSTANDING:

              

(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively, unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)

              

Investor Class

       34,467,078          25,449,434          44,705,554  

Institutional Class

       16,309,310          3,925,436          23,508,154  

TOTAL

       50,776,388          29,374,870          68,213,708  

NET ASSET VALUE:

              

Investor Class, offering price and redemption price

       $21.47          $18.77          $21.52  

Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price

       $21.45          $19.00          $21.56  

NET ASSETS CONSISTS OF:

              

Capital paid-in

       $891,213,359          $620,521,583          $1,155,018,140  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss)

       198,662,570          (68,350,458        313,898,915  

NET ASSETS

       $1,089,875,929          $552,171,125          $1,468,917,055  

(A) Investments at cost:

              

Unaffiliated Issuers

       $847,902,826          $564,661,837          $1,112,170,226  

(B) Foreign Currency at Cost

       $1,458          $839,186          $4,440,832  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

104    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews
Korea Fund
       Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
       Matthews China
Small Companies
Fund
 

ASSETS:

              

Investments at value (A) (Note 2-A and 7):

              

Unaffiliated issuers

       $111,404,145          $162,058,606          $356,586,748  

Cash

       1,755,886          9,909,417          11,809,550  

Segregated foreign currency at value

                3,302          15,169  

Foreign currency at value (B)

                214,960          383,241  

Dividends, interest and other receivable

       273,005          510,575          1,048,244  

Receivable for securities sold

                120,702           

Receivable for capital shares sold

       11,116          127,910          8,695,594  

Prepaid expenses

       16,236          11,099          53,736  

TOTAL ASSETS

       113,460,388          172,956,571          378,592,282  

LIABILITIES:

              

Payable for securities purchased

                48          3,950,764  

Payable for capital shares redeemed

       172,211          986,896          600,918  

Due to Advisor (Note 5)

       61,778          99,104          248,448  

Administration and accounting fees payable (Note 5)

       1,437          2,069          3,982  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees payable (Note 5)

       13,820          19,766          39,657  

Custodian fees payable

       11,500          47,961          5,047  

Intermediary service fees payable (Note 5)

       31,028          39,398           

Professional fees payable

       27,332          50,282          30,579  

Transfer agent fees payable

       4,335          3,029          1,168  

Accrued other expenses payable

       19,924          18,636          5,042  

TOTAL LIABILITIES

       343,365          1,267,189          4,885,605  

NET ASSETS

       $113,117,023          $171,689,382          $373,706,677  

NET ASSETS:

              

Investor Class

       $105,138,108          $83,269,574          $213,237,378  

Institutional Class

       7,978,915          88,419,808          160,469,299  

TOTAL

       $113,117,023          $171,689,382          $373,706,677  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited) (continued)   June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews
Korea Fund
       Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
       Matthews China
Small Companies
Fund
 

SHARES OUTSTANDING:

              

(shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding, respectively, unlimited number of shares authorized with a $0.001 par value)

              

Investor Class

       25,042,402          4,177,723          10,538,009  

Institutional Class

       1,885,747          4,442,317          7,912,022  

TOTAL

       26,928,149          8,620,040          18,450,031  

NET ASSET VALUE:

              

Investor Class, offering price and redemption price

       $4.20          $19.93          $20.24  

Institutional Class, offering price and redemption price

       $4.23          $19.90          $20.28  

NET ASSETS CONSISTS OF:

              

Capital paid-in

       $109,269,137          $160,107,853          $257,962,360  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated loss)

       3,847,886          11,581,529          115,744,317  

NET ASSETS

       $113,117,023          $171,689,382          $373,706,677  

(A) Investments at cost:

              

Unaffiliated Issuers

       $97,434,722          $116,589,521          $245,956,440  

(B) Foreign Currency at Cost

       $—          $214,686          $383,241  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

106    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Operations (unaudited)   Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Emerging
Markets Equity Fund1
       Matthews Asia
Total Return
Bond Fund
       Matthews Asia
Credit
Opportunities Fund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

              

Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers

       $39,801          $10,253          $8,735  

Interest

                3,155,491          2,769,312  

Foreign withholding tax

       (4,145        (87,731        (82,958

TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME

       35,656          3,078,013          2,695,089  

EXPENSES:

              

Investment advisory fees (Note 5)

       8,425          295,480          261,358  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)

       101          4,298          3,802  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)

       1,897          79,356          70,259  

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       4,541          12,328          9,973  

Custodian fees

       9,330          19,928          10,342  

Printing fees

       2,957          14,368          12,281  

Intermediary service fees (Note 5)

       926          69,733          33,797  

Professional fees

       11,847          30,707          30,111  

Registration fees

       7,166          21,672          22,298  

Transfer agent fees

       316          2,864          1,007  

Trustees fees

       126          3,110          2,150  

Other expenses

       2,163          8,543          2,135  

TOTAL EXPENSES

       49,795          562,387          459,513  

Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)

       (38,005        (36,242        (17,723

NET EXPENSES

       11,790          526,145          441,790  

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

       23,866          2,551,868          2,253,299  
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS, FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS, SWAPS, AND FOREIGN CAPITAL GAINS TAXES:               

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       178,885          (2,520,007        (3,103,571

Net realized gain (loss) on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                (56,573         

Net realized gain (loss) on swaps

                21,732           

Net realized foreign capital gains tax

       (5,711        (29,129         

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions

       (1,542        (110,160        (668

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       994,211          (4,164,191        (4,066,821

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on forward foreign currency exchange contracts

                (909,133         

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on swaps

                460,955           

Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

       (776        38,552           

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency related translations

       (91        4,055          (61

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, foreign currency related transactions, swaps, and foreign capital gains taxes

       1,164,976          (7,263,899        (7,171,121

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

       $1,188,842          ($4,712,031        ($4,917,822

 

1

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Operations (unaudited) (continued)   Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
       Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
       Matthews China
Dividend Fund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

              

Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers

       $18,691,963          $42,415,952          $5,223,312  

Dividends—Affiliated Issuers (Note 7)

                10,624,903           

Interest

       936,534                    

Foreign withholding tax

       (1,341,026        (3,185,559        (180,245

TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME

       18,287,471          49,855,296          5,043,067  

EXPENSES:

              

Investment advisory fees (Note 5)

       4,354,888          14,112,838          1,087,808  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)

       52,268          169,422          13,056  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)

       965,343          3,121,944          241,040  

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       19,563          19,083          16,126  

Custodian fees

       201,117          714,191          70,238  

Printing fees

       79,441          204,849          32,987  

Intermediary service fees (Note 5)

       981,090          2,753,858          302,271  

Professional fees

       42,673          98,807          27,652  

Registration fees

       32,484          79,343          29,289  

Transfer agent fees

       30,490          50,357          8,020  

Trustees fees

       38,516          143,245          9,487  

Other expenses

       32,079          153,381          7,647  

TOTAL EXPENSES

       6,829,952          21,621,318          1,845,621  

Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)

                (62,600         

Administration fees waived (Note 5)

                (62,600         

NET EXPENSES

       6,829,952          21,496,118          1,845,621  

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

       11,457,519          28,359,178          3,197,446  
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND FOREIGN CAPITAL GAINS TAXES:               

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (48,828,440        (131,657,830        (12,811,072

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                6,259,519           

Net realized foreign capital gains tax

       (107,997                  

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions

       (544,433        (1,695,734        (17,885

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (72,758,910        (110,059,759        17,642,870  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                (68,789,746         

Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

       (404,318                  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency related translations

       2,472          (92,184        (4,901

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

       (122,641,626        (306,035,734        4,809,012  

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

       ($111,184,107        ($277,676,556        $8,006,458  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

108    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Operations (unaudited) (continued)   Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asia
Value Fund
       Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
       Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

              

Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers

       $168,929          $6,700,153          $60,556,257  

Foreign withholding tax

       (14,137        (489,884        (5,347,716

TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME

       154,792          6,210,269          55,208,541  

EXPENSES:

              

Investment advisory fees (Note 5)

       50,560          3,779,819          23,675,895  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)

       607          45,362          284,211  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)

       11,165          838,340          5,239,139  

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       13,748          17,185          19,371  

Custodian fees

       12,082          261,568          1,663,954  

Printing fees

       10,893          44,665          208,637  

Intermediary service fees (Note 5)

       14,873          687,078          4,312,534  

Professional fees

       30,162          38,714          149,003  

Registration fees

       20,941          36,334          109,907  

Transfer agent fees

       1,530          19,014          60,172  

Trustees fees

       559          31,030          269,759  

Other expenses

       7,731          24,742          203,976  

TOTAL EXPENSES

       174,851          5,823,851          36,196,558  

Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)

       (71,279                 (296,352

Administration fees waived (Note 5)

                         (296,141

NET EXPENSES

       103,572          5,823,851          35,604,065  

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

       51,220          386,418          19,604,476  
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND FOREIGN CAPITAL GAINS TAXES:               

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (1,015,912        51,411,473          303,754,401  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                         (184,976,125

Net realized foreign capital gains tax

       (1,250                 (4,654

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions

       (19,051        (405,647        (2,500,843

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (783,624        50,119,527          (809,993,389

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                         87,876,273  

Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

       (19,474        246,697          29,522,255  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency related translations

       (112        33,548          93,335  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

       (1,839,423        101,405,598          (576,228,747

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

       ($1,788,203        $101,792,016          ($556,624,271

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Operations (unaudited) (continued)   Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews Asia
ESG Fund
       Matthews Emerging
Asia Fund
       Matthews Asia
Innovators Fund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

              

Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers

       $371,375          $3,389,007          $1,867,176  

Dividends—Affiliated Issuers (Note 7)

                          

Foreign withholding tax

       (34,854        (325,376        (147,367

TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME

       336,521          3,063,631          1,719,809  

EXPENSES:

              

Investment advisory fees (Note 5)

       169,359          1,074,009          1,531,947  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)

       2,033          8,592          18,374  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)

       37,521          157,705          341,475  

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       17,850          17,872          14,340  

Custodian fees

       54,284          471,713          102,342  

Printing fees

       10,998          25,401          23,776  

Intermediary service fees (Note 5)

       26,265          170,579          237,437  

Professional fees

       26,325          37,365          32,405  

Registration fees

       18,489          30,437          27,176  

Transfer agent fees

       814          6,657          11,360  

Trustees fees

       1,399          9,302          8,428  

Other expenses

       7,742          15,052          11,610  

TOTAL EXPENSES

       373,079          2,024,684          2,360,670  

Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)

       (50,390        (661,452         

NET EXPENSES

       322,689          1,363,232          2,360,670  

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

       13,832          1,700,399          (640,861
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND FOREIGN CAPITAL GAINS TAXES:               

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (1,738,797        (53,989,898        222,790  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                (30,892         

Net realized foreign capital gains tax

       (26,447        111,969           

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions

       8,084          (533,698        (191,164

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       1,604,861          (24,048,275        164,958,944  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                (1,275,061         

Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

       96,012          1,452,652          207,304  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency related translations

       577          (41,869        (24,434

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

       (55,710        (78,355,072        165,173,440  

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

       ($41,878        ($76,654,673        $164,532,579  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

110    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents
Statements of Operations (unaudited) (continued)   Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews
China Fund
       Matthews
India Fund
       Matthews
Japan Fund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

              

Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers

       $9,027,629          $4,942,255          $15,399,988  

Foreign withholding tax

       (452,252        (45,827        (1,558,341

TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME

       8,575,377          4,896,428          13,841,647  

EXPENSES:

              

Investment advisory fees (Note 5)

       3,057,357          2,317,081          5,915,541  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)

       36,687          27,825          71,012  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)

       679,010          511,245          1,309,350  

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       14,977          16,551          17,154  

Custodian fees

       161,394          285,998          106,344  

Printing fees

       51,319          69,310          192,929  

Intermediary service fees (Note 5)

       739,854          830,112          693,339  

Professional fees

       33,854          66,752          49,284  

Registration fees

       30,110          38,144          38,650  

Transfer agent fees

       42,939          42,682          67,536  

Trustees fees

       23,313          29,371          62,177  

Other expenses

       14,522          25,157          50,277  

TOTAL EXPENSES

       4,885,336          4,260,228          8,573,593  

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

       3,690,041          636,200          5,268,054  
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND FOREIGN CAPITAL GAINS TAXES:               

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       32,940,685          (51,188,168        40,935,090  

Net realized foreign capital gains tax

                (1,747,851         

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions

       (21,458        (416,955        (38,941

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       83,386,795          (146,924,852        (124,761,127

Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

                10,100,989           

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency related translations

       7,230          (40,832        29,931  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

       116,313,252          (190,217,669        (83,835,047

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

       $120,003,293          ($189,581,469        ($78,566,993

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
Statements of Operations (unaudited) (continued)   Six-Month Period Ended June 30, 2020

 

        Matthews
Korea Fund
       Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
       Matthews China
Small Companies
Fund
 

INVESTMENT INCOME:

              

Dividends—Unaffiliated Issuers

       $419,823          $1,142,951          $2,492,364  

Dividends—Affiliated Issuers (Note 7)

                          

Foreign withholding tax

       (69,016        (61,548        (42,653

TOTAL INVESTMENT INCOME

       350,807          1,081,403          2,449,711  

EXPENSES:

              

Investment advisory fees (Note 5)

       375,457          802,549          964,292  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 5)

       4,507          6,420          7,714  

Administration and shareholder servicing fees (Note 5)

       83,084          118,511          143,882  

Accounting out-of-pocket fees

       15,078          19,549          16,592  

Custodian fees

       27,620          106,266          48,290  

Printing fees

       15,132          19,286          14,728  

Intermediary service fees (Note 5)

       114,195          124,158          85,396  

Professional fees

       23,430          32,592          24,326  

Registration fees

       19,654          23,429          21,800  

Transfer agent fees

       11,648          8,504          5,177  

Trustees fees

       4,431          4,880          2,601  

Other expenses

       4,906          9,751          2,386  

TOTAL EXPENSES

       699,142          1,275,895          1,337,184  

Advisory fees waived and expenses waived or reimbursed (Note 5)

                (222,432        (106,645

NET EXPENSES

       699,142          1,053,463          1,230,539  

NET INVESTMENT INCOME (LOSS)

       (348,335        27,940          1,219,172  
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS) ON INVESTMENTS, FOREIGN CURRENCY RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND FOREIGN CAPITAL GAINS TAXES:               

Net realized gain (loss) on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (4,183,548        (32,747,997        4,905,848  

Net realized foreign capital gains tax

                (380,107         

Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency related transactions

       (222,044        (45,775        (20,351

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Unaffiliated Issuers

       (1,841,080        45,379,939          99,386,779  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments—Affiliated Issuers

                          

Net change in deferred foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

                1,058,762           

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on foreign currency related translations

       (5,961        (10,728        3,398  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

       (6,252,633        13,254,094          104,275,674  

NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

       ($6,600,968        $13,282,034          $105,494,846  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

112    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

MATTHEWS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND      For the Period
Ended June 30,  20201
(unaudited)
 

OPERATIONS:

    

Net investment income (loss)

       $23,866  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

       171,632  

Net unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

       994,120  

Net foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

       (776

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

       1,188,842  

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

       7,995,540  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

       9,184,382  

NET ASSETS:

          

Beginning of period

        

End of period

       $9,184,382  

 

1

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

MATTHEWS ASIA TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $2,551,868        $5,275,508  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (2,694,137      2,760,825  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (5,069,269      5,339,732  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     38,552        (61,630

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on swaps

     460,955        167,864  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (4,712,031      13,482,299  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

     (597,697      (1,587,247

Institutional Class

     (1,233,765      (3,115,399

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

     (1,831,462      (4,702,646

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (8,064,931      7,218,828  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (14,608,424      15,998,481  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     116,713,664        100,715,183  

End of period

     $102,105,240        $116,713,664  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS ASIA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $2,253,299        $2,714,178  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (3,104,239      1,177,604  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (4,066,882      2,960,665  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (4,917,822      6,852,447  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

     (204,011      (524,567

Institutional Class

     (1,697,185      (2,481,265

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

     (1,901,196      (3,005,832

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     6,383,390        48,835,145  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (435,628      52,681,760  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     92,434,728        39,752,968  

End of period

     $91,999,100        $92,434,728  
MATTHEWS ASIAN GROWTH AND INCOME FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $11,457,519        $24,839,454  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (49,480,870      33,418,182  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (72,756,438      169,842,257  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     (404,318      (415,629

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (111,184,107      227,684,264  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

     (4,224,486      (27,564,628

Institutional Class

     (5,432,329      (26,611,609

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

     (9,656,815      (54,176,237

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (94,691,737      (101,433,061

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (215,532,659      72,074,966  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     1,467,766,339        1,395,691,373  

End of period

     $1,252,233,680        $1,467,766,339  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

114    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $28,359,178        $102,330,702  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (127,094,045      (18,513,511

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (178,941,689      510,591,484  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

            4,810,331  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (277,676,556      599,219,006  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

     (17,561,281      (53,870,328

Institutional Class

     (22,639,878      (70,646,662

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

     (40,201,159      (124,516,990

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (1,228,362,103      (872,071,489

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (1,546,239,818      (397,369,473

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     5,370,455,874        5,767,825,347  

End of period

     $3,824,216,056        $5,370,455,874  
MATTHEWS CHINA DIVIDEND FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $3,197,446        $7,645,006  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (12,828,957      (4,537,088

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     17,637,969        39,016,746  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     8,006,458        42,124,664  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

     (4,927,611      (4,319,260

Institutional Class

     (2,126,434      (1,789,894

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

     (7,054,045      (6,109,154

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (59,937,880      75,065,788  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (58,985,467      111,081,298  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     380,740,619        269,659,321  

End of period

     $321,755,152        $380,740,619  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS ASIA VALUE FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $51,220        $344,009  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (1,036,213      (982,277

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (783,736      2,169,863  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     (19,474      (3,548

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (1,788,203      1,528,047  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (781,895

Institutional Class

            (402,259

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (1,184,154

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (4,582,546      (3,719,029

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (6,370,749      (3,375,136

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     19,819,873        23,195,009  

End of period

     $13,449,124        $19,819,873  
MATTHEWS ASIA GROWTH FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $386,418        ($715,202

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     51,005,826        19,441,989  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     50,153,075        228,921,472  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     246,697        511,519  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     101,792,016        248,159,778  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (4,892,092

Institutional Class

            (6,690,700

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (11,582,792

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     7,082,194        36,423,847  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     108,874,210        273,000,833  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     1,203,334,389        930,333,556  

End of period

     $1,312,208,599        $1,203,334,389  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

116    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS PACIFIC TIGER FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $19,604,476        $66,894,383  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     116,272,779        216,614,527  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (722,023,781      599,062,809  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     29,522,255        (14,695,530

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (556,624,271      867,876,189  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (85,396,598

Institutional Class

            (218,660,671

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (304,057,269

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (1,475,588,817      (145,194,433

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (2,032,213,088      418,624,487  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     8,725,858,690        8,307,234,203  

End of period

     $6,693,645,602        $8,725,858,690  
MATTHEWS ASIA ESG FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $13,832        $222,042  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (1,757,160      918,570  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     1,605,438        3,585,929  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     96,012        (64,762

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (41,878      4,661,779  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (254,181

Institutional Class

            (519,330

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (773,511

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     236,906        18,878,771  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     195,028        22,767,039  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     55,298,832        32,531,793  

End of period

     $55,493,860        $55,298,832  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS EMERGING ASIA FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $1,700,399        $5,409,950  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (54,442,519      (28,825,183

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (25,365,205      15,008,562  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     1,452,652        825,523  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (76,654,673      (7,581,148

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (2,211,813

Institutional Class

            (6,143,721

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (8,355,534

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (78,419,267      (39,111,583

REDEMPTION FEES

            55,503  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (155,073,940      (54,992,762

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     320,181,999        375,174,761  

End of period

     $165,108,059        $320,181,999  
MATTHEWS ASIA INNOVATORS FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     ($640,861      $46,812  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     31,626        2,617,309  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     164,934,510        68,307,210  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     207,304        (579,902

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     164,532,579        70,391,429  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (517,344

Institutional Class

            (360,553

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (877,897

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     366,625,188        (9,182,208

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     531,157,767        60,331,324  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     304,549,179        244,217,855  

End of period

     $835,706,946        $304,549,179  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

118    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS CHINA FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $3,690,041        $8,157,012  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     32,919,227        (10,571,367

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     83,394,025        228,077,121  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     120,003,293        225,662,766  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (8,017,681

Institutional Class

            (2,383,141

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (10,400,822

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     67,477,611        74,020,367  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     187,480,904        289,282,311  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     902,395,025        613,112,714  

End of period

     $1,089,875,929        $902,395,025  
MATTHEWS INDIA FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $636,200        $26,423  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (53,352,974      32,455,342  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (146,965,684      (48,195,961

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     10,100,989        (1,438,891

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (189,581,469      (17,153,087

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (88,576,196

Institutional Class

            (20,261,209

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (108,837,405

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (222,654,310      (451,382,627

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (412,235,779      (577,373,119

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     964,406,904        1,541,780,023  

End of period

     $552,171,125        $964,406,904  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS JAPAN FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $5,268,054        $13,902,590  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     40,896,149        120,429,499  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (124,731,196      491,227,271  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (78,566,993      625,559,360  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (120,196,392

Institutional Class

            (74,901,937

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (195,098,329

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (759,185,142      (995,366,160

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (837,752,135      (564,905,129

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     2,306,669,190        2,871,574,319  

End of period

     $1,468,917,055        $2,306,669,190  
MATTHEWS KOREA FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     ($348,335      $413,405  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (4,405,592      (2,970,527

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     (1,847,041      7,136,355  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     (6,600,968      4,579,233  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (9,142,261

Institutional Class

            (1,778,394

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (10,920,655

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (17,095,952      (3,301,705

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (23,696,920      (9,643,127

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     136,813,943        146,457,070  

End of period

     $113,117,023        $136,813,943  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

120    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

 

MATTHEWS ASIA SMALL COMPANIES FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $27,940        $1,449,817  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (33,173,879      (465,246

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     45,369,211        29,646,396  

Net change on foreign capital gains taxes on unrealized appreciation/depreciation

     1,058,762        (61,919

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     13,282,034        30,569,048  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (493,289

Institutional Class

            (598,845

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (1,092,134

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     (22,826,908      (34,658,494

REDEMPTION FEES

            25,416  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     (9,544,874      (5,156,164

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     181,234,256        186,390,420  

End of period

     $171,689,382        $181,234,256  
MATTHEWS CHINA SMALL COMPANIES FUND    Six-Month Period
Ended June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended
December 31, 2019
 

OPERATIONS:

     

Net investment income (loss)

     $1,219,172        $966,048  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     4,885,497        (928,242

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related translations

     99,390,177        22,074,402  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     105,494,846        22,112,208  

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

     

Investor Class

            (636,765

Institutional Class

            (367,639

Net decrease in net assets resulting from distributions

            (1,004,404

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (net) (Note 4)

     172,403,538        12,164,538  

REDEMPTION FEES

            56,296  

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     277,898,384        33,328,638  

NET ASSETS:

     

Beginning of period

     95,808,293        62,479,655  

End of period

     $373,706,677        $95,808,293  

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Financial Highlights

Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund

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

 

INVESTOR CLASS    Period Ended
June 30, 20201
(unaudited)
 

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

  

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.03  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     1.64  

Total from investment operations

     1.67  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $11.67  

TOTAL RETURN

     16.70% 3 

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

  

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $1,683  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     3.96% 4  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.15% 4  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.88% 4  

Portfolio turnover5

     58.23% 3 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   

Period Ended
June 30, 2020
(unaudited)1

 

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

  

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.03  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     1.64  

Total from investment operations

     1.67  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $11.67  

TOTAL RETURN

     16.70% 3 

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

  

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $7,501  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     3.94% 4  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.90% 4  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.89% 4  

Portfolio turnover5

     58.23% 3 

 

1

Commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

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.

 

122    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia Total Return Bond 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,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $11.12        $10.25        $10.98        $10.43        $9.96        $10.31  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.24        0.50        0.40        0.51        0.50        0.47  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, swaps, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

     (0.65      0.81        (0 84      0.46        0.38        (0 53

Total from investment operations

     (0.41      1.31        (0.44      0.97        0.88        (0.06

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

     (0.17      (0.44      (0.25      (0.42      (0.41      (0.29

Return of capital

                   (0.04                     

Total distributions

     (0.17      (0.44      (0.29      (0.42      (0.41      (0.29

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $10.54        $11.12        $10.25        $10.98        $10.43        $9.96  

TOTAL RETURN

     (3.65% )3       13.00%        (4.05%      9.40%        8.85%        (0.58%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $36,245        $39,485        $40,698        $63,437        $55,409        $51,130  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.15% 4        1.08%        1.23%        1.29%        1.33%        1.28%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.13% 4        1.07%        1.15%        1.15%        1.15%        1.12%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     4.60% 4        4.61%        3.76%        4.70%        4.85%        4.57%  

Portfolio turnover5

     21.45% 3       84.38%        82.32%        36.58%        71.50%        50.09%  
 

 

   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $11.12        $10.25        $10.97        $10.42        $9.96        $10.30  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.25        0.52        0.42        0.53        0.53        0.49  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, swaps, foreign currency related transactions, and foreign capital gains taxes

     (0.65      0.81        (0 83      0.47        0.36        (0 52

Total from investment operations

     (0.40      1.33        (0.41      1.00        0.89        (0.03

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

     (0.18      (0.46      (0.27      (0.45      (0.43      (0.31

Return of capital

                   (0.04                     

Total distributions

     (0.18      (0.46      (0.31      (0.45      (0.43      (0.31

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $10.54        $11.12        $10.25        $10.97        $10.42        $9.96  

TOTAL RETURN

     (3.55% )3       13.20%        (3.78%      9.67%        9.02%        (0.27%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $65,860        $77,228        $60,017        $31,155        $13,398        $11,001  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.99% 4        0.97%        1.04%        1.08%        1.12%        1.09%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.90% 4        0.90%        0.90%        0.90%        0.90%        0.90%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     4.83% 4        4.81%        4.03%        4.93%        5.13%        4.81%  

Portfolio turnover5

     21.45% 3       84.38%        82.32%        36.58%        71.50%        50.09%  

 

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      123  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities 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,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31      Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20161
 
   2019      2018      2017  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $10.57        $9.76        $10.39        $10.13        $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

              

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.23        0.47        0.37        0.44        0.29  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, swaps, and foreign currency related transactions

     (0.74      0.82        (0.67      0.35        0.18  

Total from investment operations

     (0.51      1.29        (0.30      0.79        0.47  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

              

Net investment income

     (0.18      (0.44      (0.33      (0.43      (0.32

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.04             (0.10      (0.02

Total distributions

     (0.18      (0.48      (0.33      (0.53      (0.34

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $9.88        $10.57        $9.76        $10.39        $10.13  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.74% )3       13.34%        (2.88%      7.86%        4.66% 3  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

              

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $10,382        $12,997        $8,668        $10,201        $10,119  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.15% 4        1.24%        1.44%        1.86%        2.24% 4  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.15% 4        1.12%        1.15%        1.15%        1.15% 4  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     4.49% 4        4.55%        3.62%        4.17%        4.12% 4  

Portfolio turnover5

     14.86% 3       81.08%        49.06%        27.86%        18.80% 3 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31      Period Ended
Dec. 31, 20161
 
   2019      2018      2017  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $10.57        $9.75        $10.39        $10.13        $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

              

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.24        0.50        0.39        0.46        0.30  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, swaps, and foreign currency related transactions

     (0.73      0.82        (0.67      0.36        0.18  

Total from investment operations

     (0.49      1.32        (0.28      0.82        0.48  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

              

Net investment income

     (0.20      (0.46      (0.36      (0.46      (0.33

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.04             (0.10      (0.02

Total distributions

     (0.20      (0.50      (0.36      (0.56      (0.35

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $9.88        $10.57        $9.75        $10.39        $10.13  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.62% )3       13.69%        (2.75%      8.13%        4.82% 3  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

              

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $81,617        $79,438        $31,085        $21,491        $6,205  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.94% 4        1.07%        1.25%        1.62%        1.99% 4  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.90% 4        0.90%        0.90%        0.90%        0.90% 4  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     4.78% 4       4.79%        3.90%        4.45%        4.28% 4  

Portfolio turnover5

     14.86% 3       81.08%        49.06%        27.86%        18.80% 3 

 

1

Commenced operations on April, 29 2016.

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.

 

124    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $15.73        $13.92        $17.46        $14.94        $16.03        $18.01  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.12        0.25        0.32        0.33        0.32        0.39  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (1.21      2.13        (2.20      2.92        (0.06      (1.19

Total from investment operations

     (1.09      2.38        (1.88      3.25        0.26        (0.80

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

     (0.11      (0.35      (0.32      (0.46      (0.48      (0.42

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.22      (1.34      (0.27      (0.87      (0.76

Total distributions

     (0.11      (0.57      (1.66      (0.73      (1.35      (1.18

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                          2               2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $14.53        $15.73        $13.92        $17.46        $14.94        $16.03  

TOTAL RETURN

     (6.95% )3       17.26%        (10.96%      21.85%        1.34%        (4.50%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $581,679        $723,815        $799,328        $1,535,746        $1,684,987        $2,045,435  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.13% 4        1.08%        1.08%        1.07%        1.09%        1.09%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.65% 4        1.67%        1.95%        1.95%        1.90%        2.17%  

Portfolio turnover5

     17.90% 3        21.89%        32.24%        23.23%        15.64%        16.48%  
 

 

   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $15.70        $13.89        $17.43        $14.92        $16.02        $18.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.13        0.27        0.35        0.36        0.34        0.42  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (1.20      2.14        (2.20      2.91        (0.07      (1.19

Total from investment operations

     (1.07      2.41        (1.85      3.27        0.27        (0.77

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

     (0.12      (0.38      (0.35      (0.49      (0.50      (0.45

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.22      (1.34      (0.27      (0.87      (0.76

Total distributions

     (0.12      (0.60      (1.69      (0.76      (1.37      (1.21

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                          2               2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $14.51        $15.70        $13.89        $17.43        $14.92        $16.02  

TOTAL RETURN

     (6.83% )3       17.46%        (10.84%      22.00%        1.44%        (4.33%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $670,554        $743,951        $596,364        $1,310,168        $809,254        $823,619  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.97% 4        0.94%        0.93%        0.93%        0.94%        0.92%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.84% 4        1.80%        2.14%        2.16%        2.06%        2.34%  

Portfolio turnover5

     17.90% 3        21.89%        32.24%        23.23%        15.64%        16.48%  

 

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      125  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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,  2020
(unaudited)
    Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS   2019     2018     2017     20161     20151  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $17.47       $16.05       $19.74       $15.52       $15.36       $15.26  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

            

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.11       0.28       0.37       0.31       0.28       0.29  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (0.58     1.50       (2.83     5.02       0.37       0.31  

Total from investment operations

     (0.47     1.78       (2.46     5.33       0.65       0.60  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

            

Net investment income

     (0.16     (0.36     (0.31     (0.69     (0.29     (0.27

Net realized gains on investments

                 (0.92     (0.42     (0.11     (0.23

Return of capital

                             (0.09      

Total distributions

     (0.16     (0.36     (1.23     (1.11     (0.49     (0.50

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                       3             3  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $16.84       $17.47       $16.05       $19.74       $15.52       $15.36  

TOTAL RETURN

     (2.62% )4       11.17%       (12.72%     34.69%       4.13%       3.86%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

            

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $1,748,124       $2,312,560       $2,728,599       $3,713,276       $2,650,611       $2,757,910  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.08% 5       1.03%       1.02%       1.03%       1.06%       1.06%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.07% 5       1.02%       1.01%       1.02%       1.06%       1.05%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.33% 5       1.68%       1.97%       1.67%       1.79%       1.82%  

Portfolio turnover6

     22.60% 4       30.32%       39.75%       28.11%       39.76%       35.98%  
 

 

   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30,  2020
(unaudited)
    Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   2019     2018     2017     20161     20151  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $17.47       $16.04       $19.73       $15.52       $15.35       $15.26  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

            

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.11       0.30       0.39       0.33       0.30       0.32  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (0.57     1.50       (2.83     5.01       0.38       0.29  

Total from investment operations

     (0.46     1.80       (2.44     5.34       0.68       0.61  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

            

Net investment income

     (0.17     (0.37     (0.33     (0.71     (0.31     (0.29

Net realized gains on investments

                 (0.92     (0.42     (0.11     (0.23

Return of capital

                             (0.09      

Total distributions

     (0.17     (0.37     (1.25     (1.13     (0.51     (0.52

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                       3             3  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $16.84       $17.47       $16.04       $19.73       $15.52       $15.35  

TOTAL RETURN

     (2.57% )4       11.35%       (12.64%     34.77%       4.33%       3.93%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

            

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $2,076,092       $3,057,896       $3,039,226       $3,284,070       $2,034,276       $2,045,713  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.98% 5       0.93%       0.91%       0.92%       0.94%       0.93%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.97% 5       0.92%       0.90%       0.91%       0.93%       0.92%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.35% 5       1.80%       2.09%       1.81%       1.91%       1.98%  

Portfolio turnover6

     22.60% 4       30.32%       39.75%       28.11%       39.76%       35.98%  

 

1

Consolidated Financial Highlights. See Note 2-C.

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

126    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $16.20        $14.32        $17.61        $14.09        $13.79        $13.37  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.15        0.34        0.41        0.35        0.31        0.29  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     0.49        1.80        (2.09      4.85        0 47        1 01  

Total from investment operations

     0.64        2.14        (1.68      5.20        0.78        1.30  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

     (0.36      (0.26      (0.40      (0.49      (0.28      (0.28

Net realized gains on investments

                   (1.21      (1.19      (0.20      (0.60

Total distributions

     (0.36      (0.26      (1.61      (1.68      (0.48      (0.88

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $16.48        $16.20        $14.32        $17.61        $14.09        $13.79  

TOTAL RETURN

     4.02% 3        15.00%        (9.98%      37.69%        5.70%        9.54%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $227,148        $258,111        $196,626        $260,593        $160,400        $165,514  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.17% 4        1.15%        1.15%        1.19%        1.22%        1.19%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.96% 4        2.14%        2.33%        2.12%        2.28%        1.97%  

Portfolio turnover5

     38.27% 3        65.69%        66.47%        69.14%        72.96%        79.91%  
 

 

   Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $16.20        $14.32        $17.61        $14.09        $13.79        $13.37  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.15        0.35        0.42        0.37        0.29        0.28  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     0 51        1 81        (2.07      4.85        0.51        1 04  

Total from investment operations

     0.66        2.16        (1.65      5.22        0.80        1.32  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

     (0.38      (0.28      (0.43      (0.51      (0.30      (0.30

Net realized gains on investments

                   (1.21      (1.19      (0.20      (0.60

Total distributions

     (0.38      (0.28      (1.64      (1.70      (0.50      (0.90

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $16.48        $16.20        $14.32        $17.61        $14.09        $13.79  

TOTAL RETURN

     4.09% 3        15.16%        (9.83%      37.88%        5.90%        9.71%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $94,607        $122,630        $73,033        $54,147        $27,758        $15,406  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.04% 4        1.01%        1.01%        1.04%        1.06%        1.00%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.96% 4        2.25%        2.44%        2.25%        2.09%        1.89%  

Portfolio turnover5

     38.27% 3        65.69%        66.47%        69.14%        72.96%        79.91%  

 

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      127  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia Value 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, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31    

Period Ended

Dec. 31, 20151

 
   2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $11.06        $10.86        $12.83        $9.96        $9.85       $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.03        0.15        0.10        0.14        0.09       0.02  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (0.52      0.73        (1.49      3.45        0.65       (0.16

Total from investment operations

     (0.49      0.88        (1.39      3.59        0.74       (0.14

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                

Net investment income

            (0.68      (0.16      (0.29      (0.59     (0.01

Net realized gains on investments

                   (0.42      (0.43      (0.04      

Total distributions

            (0.68      (0.58      (0.72      (0.63     (0.01

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $10.57        $11.06        $10.86        $12.83        $9.96       $9.85  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.43% )3       8.23%        (10.93%      36.12%        7.43%       (1.35% )3 

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $8,105        $13,246        $16,326        $27,346        $2,548       $1,589  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     2.36% 4        1.85%        1.77%        2.32%        11.48%      
36.42%

 

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.45% 4        1.42%        1.50%        1.50%        1.50%       1.50% 4  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.51% 4       1.35%        0.81%        1.10%        0.84%       2.70% 4 

Portfolio turnover5

     21.77% 3       32.03%        48.29%        31.93%        19.60%       10.80% 3 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31    

Period Ended

Dec. 31, 20151

 
   2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $10.97        $10.78        $12.73        $9.85        $9.83       $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.05        0.17        0.14        0.32        0.10       0.02  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (0.52      0.72        (1.49      3.25        0.67       (0.15

Total from investment operations

     (0.47      0.89        (1.35      3.57        0.77       (0.13

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                

Net investment income

            (0.70      (0.18      (0.26      (0.71     (0.04

Net realized gains on investments

                   (0.42      (0.43      (0.04      

Total distributions

            (0.70      (0.60      (0.69      (0.75     (0.04

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $10.50        $10.97        $10.78        $12.73        $9.85       $9.83  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.28% )3       8.35%        (10.65%      36.35%        7.72%       (1.30% )3 

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $5,344        $6,574        $6,869        $3,388        $155       $143  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     2.20% 4       1.74%        1.54%        2.08%        11.26%       36.17% 4 

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.20% 4       1.24%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%       1.25% 4  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.99% 4       1.49%        1.18%        2.59%        1.01%       2.41% 4 

Portfolio turnover5

     21.77% 3       32.03%        48.29%        31.93%        19.60%       10.80% 3 

 

1

Commenced operations on November 30, 2015.

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.

 

128    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia Growth 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,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
   2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $28.10        $22.49        $27.25        $21.05        $21.09        $21.10  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     2        (0.03      2        0.04        0.06        0.11  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     2.37        5.91        (4.41      8.14        0.13        (0.12

Total from investment operations

     2.37        5.88        (4.41      8.18        0.19        (0.01

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.03      (0.16      (0.23       

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.27      (0.32      (1.82              

Total distributions

            (0.27      (0.35      (1.98      (0.23       

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $30.47        $28.10        $22.49        $27.25        $21.05        $21.09  

TOTAL RETURN

     8.43% 3        26.18%        (16.25%      39.39%        0.92%        (0.05%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $524,587        $504,538        $463,600        $554,309        $419,516        $526,969  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.11% 4        1.09%        1.10%        1.12%        1.14%        1.11%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.01% )4        (0.14%      —% 5        0.16%        0.30%        0.49%  

Portfolio turnover6

     26.63% 3        38.05%        12.12%        23.19%        13.61%        29.51%  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
   2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $28.34        $22.65        $27.45        $21.19        $21.24        $21.19  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.02        2        0.05        0.09        0.10        0.16  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     2.39        5.96        (4.45      8.20        0.13        (0.11

Total from investment operations

     2.41        5.96        (4.40      8.29        0.23        0.05  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.08      (0.21      (0.28       

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.27      (0.32      (1.82              

Total distributions

            (0.27      (0.40      (2.03      (0.28       

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $30.75        $28.34        $22.65        $27.45        $21.19        $21.24  

TOTAL RETURN

     8.50% 3        26.34%        (16.10%      39.64%        1.06%        0.24%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $787,622        $698,797        $466,733        $296,253        $195,949        $249,886  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     0.97% 4        0.94%        0.93%        0.93%        0.96%        0.91%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.13% 4        —% 5        0.17%        0.35%        0.47%        0.72%  

Portfolio turnover6

     26.63% 3        38.05%        12.12%        23.19%        13.61%        29.51%  

 

1

Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2

Less than $0.01 per share.

3

Not annualized.

4

Annualized.

5

Less than 0.01%.

6

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      129  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Pacific Tiger 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,  2020
(unaudited)
    Year Ended Dec. 31  
  2019     2018     2017     2016     2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $28.74       $26.86       $31.66       $22.92       $23.54       $26.57  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

            

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.06       0.19       0.24       0.17       0.11       0.42  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (1.42     2.68       (3.75     8.96       (0.13     (0.82

Total from investment operations

     (1.36     2.87       (3.51     9.13       (0.02     (0.40

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

            

Net investment income

           (0.15     (0.21     (0.17     (0.13     (0.42

Net realized gains on investments

           (0.84     (1.08     (0.22     (0.47     (2.21

Total distributions

           (0.99     (1.29     (0.39     (0.60     (2.63

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

           2             2             2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $27.38       $28.74       $26.86       $31.66       $22.92       $23.54  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.73% )3       10.72%       (11.11%     39.96%       (0.16%     (1.30%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

            

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $2,029,934       $2,536,844       $2,618,155       $3,335,795       $2,445,183       $2,720,869  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.13% 4       1.08%       1.07%       1.08%       1.09%       1.09%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.11% 4       1.05%       1.04%       1.06%       1.08%       1.07%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.47% 4       0.66%       0.79%       0.63%       0.47%       1.53%  

Portfolio turnover5

     15.62% 3       17.08%       11.48%       9.18%       5.73%       12.56%  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
    Year Ended Dec. 31  
  2019     2018     2017     2016     2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $28.71       $26.83       $31.63       $22.90       $23.52       $26.56  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

            

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.08       0.23       0.28       0.22       0.16       0.44  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (1.43     2.68       (3.74     8.95       (0.14     (0.80

Total from investment operations

     (1.35     2.91       (3.46     9.17       0.02       (0.36

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

            

Net investment income

           (0.19     (0.26     (0.22     (0.17     (0.47

Net realized gains on investments

           (0.84     (1.08     (0.22     (0.47     (2.21

Total distributions

           (1.03     (1.34     (0.44     (0.64     (2.68

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

           2             2            2 

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $27.36       $28.71       $26.83       $31.63       $22.90       $23.52  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.70% )3       10.90%       (10.94%     40.17%       0.03%       (1.15%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

            

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $4,663,711       $6,189,015       $5,689,079       $6,389,242       $4,207,508       $3,964,547  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.97% 4       0.93%       0.90%       0.91%       0.91%       0.91%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.96% 4       0.91%       0.88%       0.89%       0.90%       0.89%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.59% 4       0.80%       0.95%       0.80%       0.65%       1.61%  

Portfolio turnover5

     15.62% 3       17.08%       11.48%       9.18%       5.73%       12.56%  

 

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

130    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia ESG 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, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31     

Period Ended

Dec. 31, 20151

 
   2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $11.08        $9.98        $11.56        $8.97        $9.23        $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)2

     3        0.04        0.03        0.05        0.07        0.02  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     0.07        1.21        (1.16      2.97        (0.20      (0.75

Total from investment operations

     0.07        1.25        (1.13      3.02        (0.13      (0.73

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.03      (0.02      (0.27      (0.13      (0.04

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.12      (0.43      (0.16              

Total distributions

            (0.15      (0.45      (0.43      (0.13      (0.04

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $11.15        $11.08        $9.98        $11.56        $8.97        $9.23  

TOTAL RETURN

     0.63% 4        12.55%        (9.73%      33.79%        (1.40%      (7.30% )4 

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $21,700        $19,291        $9,283        $10,695        $5,376        $3,248  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.55% 5        1.54%        2.20%        2.65%        3.54%        9.09% 5  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.39% 5        1.42%        1.50%        1.50%        1.48%        1.44% 5  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.03% )5       0.41%        0.27%        0.45%        0.77%        0.25% 5  

Portfolio turnover6

     51.33% 4       29.67%        22.93%        28.82%        16.10%        21.72% 4 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31     

Period Ended

Dec. 31, 20151

 
   2019      2018      2017      2016  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $11.06        $9.96        $11.50        $8.92        $9.17        $10.00  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.01        0.06        0.06        0.08        0.09        0.05  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     0.07        1.21        (1.16      2.95        (0.19      (0.77

Total from investment operations

     0.08        1.27        (1.10      3.03        (0.10      (0.72

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.05      (0.01      (0.29      (0.15      (0.11

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.12      (0.43      (0.16              

Total distributions

            (0.17      (0.44      (0.45      (0.15      (0.11

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $11.14        $11.06        $9.96        $11.50        $8.92        $9.17  

TOTAL RETURN

     0.72% 4        12.74%        (9.52%      34.11%        (1.16%      (7.14% )4 

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $33,794        $36,008        $23,249        $7,359        $3,382        $1,686  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.42% 5        1.41%        2.01%        2.46%        3.36%        8.90% 5  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.20% 5        1.24%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25% 5  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.11% 5        0.54%        0.55%        0.71%        0.97%        0.75% 5  

Portfolio turnover6

     51.33% 4       29.67%        22.93%        28.82%        16.10%        21.72% 4 

 

1

Commenced operations on April 30, 2015.

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      131  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Emerging Asia 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,  2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
   2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $12.07        $12.50        $15.51        $13.18        $11.27        $11.60  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.07        0.14        0.10        0.07        0.15        0.04  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (3.09      (0.27      (2.82      2.35        2.01        (0.34

Total from investment operations

     (3.02      (0.13      (2.72      2.42        2.16        (0.30

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.10      (0.04      (0.13      2  

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.30      (0.19      (0.05      (0.13      (0.03

Total distributions

            (0.30      (0.29      (0.09      (0.26      (0.03

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

            3        2        2        0.01        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $9.05        $12.07        $12.50        $15.51        $13.18        $11.27  

TOTAL RETURN

     (25.02% )4       (1.01%      (17.58%      18.42%        19.25%        (2.56%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $49,596        $84,543        $118,505        $219,596        $145,164        $114,590  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.98% 5        1.65%        1.66%        1.70%        1.77%        1.75%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.45% 5        1.46%        1.48%        1.48%        1.47%        1.50%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.42% 5        1.15%        0.72%        0.49%        1.26%        0.33%  

Portfolio turnover6

     10.65% 4        18.77%        26.09%        7.74%        34.90%        12.14%  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020
(unaudited)
     Year Ended Dec. 31  
   2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $12.13        $12.54        $15.57        $13.22        $11.29        $11.60  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.08        0.17        0.14        0.10        0.21        0.07  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (3.10      (0.28      (2.85      2.37        1.99        (0.34

Total from investment operations

     (3.02      (0.11      (2.71      2.47        2.20        (0.27

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.13      (0.07      (0.15      (0.01

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.30      (0.19      (0.05      (0.13      (0.03

Total distributions

            (0.30      (0.32      (0.12      (0.28      (0.04

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

            3        2        2        0.01        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $9.11        $12.13        $12.54        $15.57        $13.22        $11.29  

TOTAL RETURN

     (24.90% )4       (0.85%      (17.41%      18.70%        19.61%        (2.33%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $115,512        $235,639        $256,669        $275,233        $95,724        $55,278  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.85% 5        1.51%        1.50%        1.52%        1.62%        1.57%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.20% 5        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.65% 5        1.39%        0.97%        0.70%        1.72%        0.65%  

Portfolio turnover6

     10.65% 4        18.77%        26.09%        7.74%        34.90%        12.14%  

 

1

Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2

Less than $0.01 per share.

3

The Fund charged redemption fees through October 31, 2019.

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

132    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia Innovators 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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
   2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $14.55        $11.26        $14.19        $10.10        $12.32        $13.61  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     (0.03      (0.01      (0.01      (0.02      (0.02      (0.05

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     3.96        3.34        (2.62      5.31        (1.07      0.64  

Total from investment operations

     3.93        3.33        (2.63      5.29        (1.09      0.59  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.04      (0.24              

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.04      (0.26      (0.96      (1.13      (1.88

Total distributions

            (0.04      (0.30      (1.20      (1.13      (1.88

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $18.48        $14.55        $11.26        $14.19        $10.10        $12.32  

TOTAL RETURN

     27.01% 2        29.60%        (18.62%      52.88%        (9.10%      4.48%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $286,839        $177,639        $152,449        $175,331        $83,926        $129,763  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.11% 3        1.19%        1.19%        1.24%        1.24%        1.18%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.44% )3        (0.04%      (0.07%      (0.18%      (0.19%      (0.33%

Portfolio turnover4

     42.24% 2        80.10%        85.73%        66.51%        92.25%        72.85%  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS   

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
   2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $14.64        $11.32        $14.26        $10.14        $12.34        $13.61  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     (0.01      0.01        0.01        0.01        0.01        (0.02

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     3.98        3.35        (2.62      5.33        (1.08      0.63  

Total from investment operations

     3.97        3.36        (2.61      5.34        (1.07      0.61  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.07      (0.26              

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.04      (0.26      (0.96      (1.13      (1.88

Total distributions

            (0.04      (0.33      (1.22      (1.13      (1.88

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $18.61        $14.64        $11.32        $14.26        $10.14        $12.34  

TOTAL RETURN

     27.12% 2        29.71%        (18.40%      53.18%        (8.92%      4.63%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $548,868        $126,911        $91,769        $30,957        $16,545        $36,770  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     0.96% 3        1.05%        1.02%        1.05%        1.01%        0.97%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.15% )3        0.10%        0.07%        0.06%        0.06%        (0.16%

Portfolio turnover4

     42.24% 2        80.10%        85.73%        66.51%        92.25%        72.85%  

 

1

Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2

Not annualized.

3

Annualized.

4

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      133  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      20161      20151  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $19.12        $14.37        $22.20        $15.47        $18.42        $21.46  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.06        0.16        0.21        0.16        0.21        0.20  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     2.29        4.80        (4.84      8.86        (1.04      0.30  

Total from investment operations

     2.35        4.96        (4.63      9.02        (0.83      0.50  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.21      (0.29      (0.37      (0.26      (0.21

Net realized gains on investments

                   (2.91      (1.92      (1.29      (3.33

Return of capital

                                 (0.57       

Total distributions

            (0.21      (3.20      (2.29      (2.12      (3.54

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                 3        3  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $21.47        $19.12        $14.37        $22.20        $15.47        $18.42  

TOTAL RETURN

     12.29% 4        34.56%        (21.42%      59.37%        (5.18%      2.41%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $740,105        $718,633        $566,456        $843,508        $495,900        $709,767  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.11% 5        1.09%        1.10%        1.09%        1.18%        1.14%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.64% 5        0.96%        1.00%        0.78%        1.24%        0.89%  

Portfolio turnover6

     33.43% 4        68.93%        96.98%        78.74%        83.82%        66.22%  
 

 

  

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      20161      20151  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $19.08        $14.33        $22.17        $15.44        $18.39        $21.44  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)2

     0.13        0.20        0.33        0.21        0.22        0.25  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     2.24        4.80        (4.93      8.84        (1.03      0.27  

Total from investment operations

     2.37        5.00        (4.60      9.05        (0.81      0.52  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.25      (0.33      (0.40      (0.28      (0.24

Net realized gains on investments

                   (2.91      (1.92      (1.29      (3.33

Return of capital

                                 (0.57       

Total distributions

            (0.25      (3.24      (2.32      (2.14      (3.57

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                 3        3  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $21.45        $19.08        $14.33        $22.17        $15.44        $18.39  

TOTAL RETURN

     12.42% 4        34.90%        (21.32%      59.71%        (5.06%      2.50%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $349,771        $183,762        $46,657        $61,975        $15,874        $24,276  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     0.93% 5        0.91%        0.91%        0.93%        1.03%        0.99%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.32% 5        1.17%        1.53%        0.99%        1.32%        1.09%  

Portfolio turnover6

     33.43% 4        68.93%        96.98%        78.74%        83.82%        66.22%  

 

1

Consolidated Financial Highlights. See Note 2-C.

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

134    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $23.27        $26.32        $34.31        $25.65        $26.43        $26.46  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.01        (0.01      (0.05      (0.09      0.01        (0.05

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (4.51      (0.24      (3.60      9.24        (0.33      0.26  

Total from investment operations

     (4.50      (0.25      (3.65      9.15        (0.32      0.21  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                                        (0.03

Net realized gains on investments

            (2.80      (4.34      (0.49      (0.46      (0.23

Total distributions

            (2.80      (4.34      (0.49      (0.46      (0.26

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        0.02  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $18.77        $23.27        $26.32        $34.31        $25.65        $26.43  

TOTAL RETURN

     (19.37% )2       (0.88%      (10.09%      35.79%        (1.23%      0.90%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $477,579        $786,881        $1,077,990        $1,484,045        $967,009        $1,151,948  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.25% 3        1.11%        1.09%        1.09%        1.12%        1.11%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.15% 3        (0.03%      (0.16%      (0.30%      0.02%        (0.17%

Portfolio turnover4

     29.46% 2        24.00%        20.87%        16.81%        15.76%        9.51%  
 

 

  

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $23.55        $26.56        $34.51        $25.77        $26.49        $26.49  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.04        0.02        0.01        (0.03      0.04        0.01  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     (4.59      (0.23      (3.62      9.29        (0.30      0.26  

Total from investment operations

     (4.55      (0.21      (3.61      9.26        (0.26      0.27  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                          (0.03             (0.06

Net realized gains on investments

            (2.80      (4.34      (0.49      (0.46      (0.23

Total distributions

            (2.80      (4.34      (0.52      (0.46      (0.29

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        0.02  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $19.00        $23.55        $26.56        $34.51        $25.77        $26.49  

TOTAL RETURN

     (19.32% )2       (0.76%      (9.92%      36.05%        (1.00%      1.12%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $74,592        $177,526        $463,790        $788,388        $551,202        $353,879  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.10% 3        0.94%        0.90%        0.89%        0.91%        0.90%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.37% 3        0.09%        0.02%        (0.08%      0.16%        0.02%  

Portfolio turnover4

     29.46% 2        24.00%        20.87%        16.81%        15.76%        9.51%  

 

1

Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2

Not annualized.

3

Annualized.

4

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      135  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018     2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $21.51        $18.53        $24.12       $18.83        $18.97        $15.70  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.06        0.11        0.09       0.09        0.08        0.04  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (0.05      4.73        (4.91     6.13        (0.01      3.23  

Total from investment operations

     0.01        4.84        (4.82     6.22        0.07        3.27  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                

Net investment income

            (0.12      (0.06     (0.20      (0.16       

Net realized gains on investments

            (1.74      (0.71     (0.73      (0.05       

Total distributions

            (1.86      (0.77     (0.93      (0.21       

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                       2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $21.52        $21.51        $18.53       $24.12        $18.83        $18.97  

TOTAL RETURN

     0.05% 3        26.08%        (20.18%     33.14%        0.40%        20.83%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $961,996        $1,466,194        $1,704,102       $2,155,280        $1,685,872        $1,330,743  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.98% 4        0.93%        0.91%       0.95%        0.98%        0.99%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.98% 4        0.93%        0.91%       0.94%        0.98%        0.99%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.63% 4        0.51%        0.40%       0.40%        0.43%        0.22%  

Portfolio turnover5

     25.20% 3        25.42%        46.11%       44.34%        55.15%        24.19%  
 

 

  

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018     2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $21.55        $18.57        $24.16       $18.86        $19.00        $15.71  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.05        0.11        0.11       0.10        0.10        0.05  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (0.04      4.74        (4.91     6.14        2        3.24  

Total from investment operations

     0.01        4.85        (4.80     6.24        0.10        3.29  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                

Net investment income

            (0.13      (0.08     (0.21      (0.19       

Net realized gains on investments

            (1.74      (0.71     (0.73      (0.05       

Total distributions

            (1.87      (0.79     (0.94      (0.24       

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                       2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $21.56        $21.55        $18.57       $24.16        $18.86        $19.00  

TOTAL RETURN

     0.05% 3        26.10%        (20.08%     33.23%        0.51%        20.94%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $506,921        $840,476        $1,167,472       $1,957,214        $1,302,317        $618,583  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     0.93% 4        0.88%        0.85%       0.87%        0.88%        0.87%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     0.93% 4        0.88%        0.84%       0.86%        0.88%        0.87%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.53% 4        0.53%        0.46%       0.46%        0.54%        0.28%  

Portfolio turnover5

     25.20% 3        25.42%        46.11%       44.34%        55.15%        24.19%  

 

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

136    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $4.38        $4.58        $6.91        $5.25        $6.15        $5.65  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     (0.01      0.01        0.06        0.06        0.02        0.01  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (0.17      0.16        (1.61      2.22        (0.41      0.83  

Total from investment operations

     (0.18      0.17        (1.55      2.28        (0.39      0.84  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.13      (0.29      (0.08      (0.01

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.37      (0.65      (0.33      (0.43      (0.33

Total distributions

            (0.37      (0.78      (0.62      (0.51      (0.34

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $4.20        $4.38        $4.58        $6.91        $5.25        $6.15  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.11% )3       3.80%        (22.21%      43.70%        (6.32%      15.16%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $105,138        $113,388        $127,080        $192,431        $142,726        $147,685  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.25% 4        1.15%        1.14%        1.15%        1.15%        1.10%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.58% )4        0.28%        1.01%        0.90%        0.41%        0.18%  

Portfolio turnover5

     13.73% 3        36.63%        35.60%        25.37%        34.73%        20.36%  
 

 

  

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $4.42        $4.61        $6.95        $5.27        $6.18        $5.68  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     (0.02      0.01        0.04        0.10        (0.02      0.02  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     (0.17      0.17        (1.60      2.21        (0.37      0.83  

Total from investment operations

     (0.19      0.18        (1.56      2.31        (0.39      0.85  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

                   (0.13      (0.30      (0.09      (0.02

Net realized gains on investments

            (0.37      (0.65      (0.33      (0.43      (0.33

Total distributions

            (0.37      (0.78      (0.63      (0.52      (0.35

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

                                        2  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $4.23        $4.42        $4.61        $6.95        $5.27        $6.18  

TOTAL RETURN

     (4.30% )3       4.01%        (22.15%      44.11%        (6.31%      15.27%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $7,979        $23,426        $19,377        $32,587        $7,462        $59,982  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     1.18% 4        1.05%        1.02%        1.01%        0.97%        0.93%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.89% )4        0.29%        0.67%        1.51%        (0.31%      0.28%  

Portfolio turnover5

     13.73% 3        36.63%        35.60%        25.37%        34.73%        20.36%  

 

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      137  


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews Asia Small Companies 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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $18.10        $15.50        $22.89        $19.05        $19.41        $21.46  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     (0.01      0.12        0.12        0.02        0.09        0.02  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     1.84        2.57        (4.20      5.68        (0.37      (2.05

Total from investment operations

     1.83        2.69        (4.08      5.70        (0.28      (2.03

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.09      (0.08      (0.10      (0.08      (0.03

Net realized gains on investments

                   (3.23      (1.76              

Total distributions

            (0.09      (3.31      (1.86      (0.08      (0.03

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

            2        3        3        3        0.01  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $19.93        $18.10        $15.50        $22.89        $19.05        $19.41  

TOTAL RETURN

     10.11% 4       17.38%        (18.05%      30.59%        (1.44%      (9.43%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $83,270        $96,229        $111,456        $208,339        $254,226        $387,747  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.66% 5        1.60%        1.51%        1.49%        1.49%        1.48%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.42% 5        1.45%        1.46%        1.46%        1.47%        1.47%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     (0.08% )5       0.72%        0.53%        0.09%        0.45%        0.08%  

Portfolio turnover6

     57.38% 4       59.10%        69.79%        67.13%        44.44%        48.29%  
 

 

  

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $18.06        $15.46        $22.86        $19.03        $19.40        $21.46  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.01        0.15        0.16        0.07        0.12        0.11  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, foreign currency related transactions and foreign capital gains taxes

     1.83        2.58        (4.19      5.67        (0.36      (2.10

Total from investment operations

     1.84        2.73        (4.03      5.74        (0.24      (1.99

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.13      (0.14      (0.15      (0.13      (0.08

Net realized gains on investments

                   (3.23      (1.76              

Total distributions

            (0.13      (3.37      (1.91      (0.13      (0.08

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

            2        3        3        3        0.01  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $19.90        $18.06        $15.46        $22.86        $19.03        $19.40  

TOTAL RETURN

     10.19% 4       17.65%        (17.86%      30.85%        (1.24%      (9.23%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $88,420        $85,006        $74,935        $232,954        $174,962        $222,168  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.52% 5        1.46%        1.37%        1.35%        1.34%        1.30%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.20% 5        1.24%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%        1.25%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     0.15% 5        0.85%        0.73%        0.34%        0.64%        0.53%  

Portfolio turnover6

     57.38% 4       59.10%        69.79%        67.13%        44.44%        48.29%  

 

1

Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2

The Fund charged redemption fees through October 31, 2019.

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.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

138    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Financial Highlights (continued)

Matthews China Small Companies 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, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31  
INVESTOR CLASS    2019      2018      2017      2016      2015  

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $12.84        $9.58        $11.89        $8.21        $8.79        $9.21  

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.09        0.14        0.09        0.07        0.10        0.08  

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     7.31        3.24        (2.23      4.27        (0.28      0.27  

Total from investment operations

     7.40        3.38        (2.14      4.34        (0.18      0.35  

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.13      (0.05      (0.11      (0.03      (0.06

Net realized gains on investments

                   (0.16      (0.56      (0.37      (0.72

Total distributions

            (0.13      (0.21      (0.67      (0.40      (0.78

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

            0.01 2        0.04        0.01        3        0.01  

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $20.24        $12.84        $9.58        $11.89        $8.21        $8.79  

TOTAL RETURN

     57.63% 4        35.41%        (17.68%      53.88%        (2.35%      4.07%  

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $213,237        $63,432        $41,740        $35,209        $16,101        $21,546  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.43% 5        1.62%        1.97%        2.34%        2.24%        2.10%  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.33% 5        1.42%        1.50%        1.50%        1.50%        1.50%  

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.21% 5        1.25%        0.78%        0.66%        1.17%        0.80%  

Portfolio turnover6

     37.97% 4        68.17%        76.67%        67.22%        63.15%        72.49%  
 

 

  

Six-Month
Period Ended
June 30, 2020

(unaudited)

     Year Ended Dec. 31     

Period Ended

Dec. 31, 20177

      

 

      

 

 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS    2019     

2018

                 

Net Asset Value, beginning of period

     $12.86        $9.59        $11.87        $11.90                    

INCOME (LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

                 

Net investment income (loss)1

     0.11        0.15        0.11        (0.01      

Net realized gain (loss) and unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments and foreign currency related transactions

     7.31        3.26        (2.21      0.67                    

Total from investment operations

     7.42        3.41        (2.10      0.66                    

LESS DISTRIBUTIONS FROM:

                 

Net investment income

            (0.15      (0.05      (0.13      

Net realized gains on investments

                   (0.16      (0.56                  

Total distributions

            (0.15      (0.21      (0.69                  

Paid-in capital from redemption fees (Note 4)

            0.01 2        0.03                           

Net Asset Value, end of period

     $20.28        $12.86        $9.59        $11.87                    

TOTAL RETURN

     57.70% 4        35.68%        (17.48%      6.19% 4                    

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                 

Net assets, end of period (in 000’s)

     $160,469        $32,376        $20,740        $476                    

Ratio of expenses to average net assets before any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator (Note 5)

     1.33% 5        1.51%        1.79%        2.09% 5                    

Ratio of expenses to average net assets after any reimbursement, waiver or recapture of expenses by Advisor and Administrator

     1.20% 5        1.24%        1.25%        1.25% 5                    

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

     1.34% 5        1.34%        1.05%        (1.20% )5                   

Portfolio turnover6

     37.97% 4        68.17%        76.67%        67.22% 4       

 

1

Calculated using the average daily shares method.

2

The Fund charged redemption fees through October 31, 2019.

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

Commenced operations on November 30, 2017.

 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

 

matthewsasia.com  |   800.789.ASIA      139  


Table of Contents

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 eighteen separate series of shares (each a “Fund”, and collectively, the “Funds”): Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund, Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund, Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund, Matthews Asia Dividend Fund, Matthews China Dividend Fund, Matthews Asia Value Fund, Matthews Asia Growth Fund, Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund, Matthews Asia ESG Fund, Matthews Emerging Asia Fund, Matthews Asia Innovators Fund, Matthews China Fund, Matthews India Fund, Matthews Japan Fund, Matthews Korea Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, and Matthews China Small Companies Fund. The Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund commenced investment operations on April 30, 2020. Each Fund currently offers two classes of shares: Investor Class and Institutional Class. 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. Each Fund follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 Financial Services—Investment Companies. The accounting policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

 

A.

SECURITY VALUATION: The value of the Trust’s securities is based on market quotations for those securities, or on their fair value determined by the valuation policies approved by 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 International Capital Management, LLC (“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. Swap agreements are valued utilizing quotes received daily by the Funds’ pricing service or through brokers, which are derived using daily swap curves and models that incorporate a number of market data factors, such as discounted cash flows, trades and values of the underlying reference instruments. 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 to the Board’s Valuation Committee the responsibility for oversight of the fair valuation process under the Trust’s Pricing and Valuation Policy. The Board’s Valuation Committee, in turn, has delegated the determination of fair value prices under Matthews’ Pricing and Valuation Procedures to Matthews’ Valuation Committee (the “Valuation Committee”). The Board’s Valuation Committee will review and approve fair value determinations by Matthews’ Valuation Committee in accordance with the Pricing and Valuation Policy. 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 in accordance with pricing policies. The fair value of a security held by the Funds may be determined using the services of third-party pricing services to assist in this process.

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. The Fund does not isolate the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices on securities held. Accordingly, such changes are included within “Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments” on the Statements of Operations. 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 isolate that portion of gains and losses on investments in fixed income securities that is due to changes in foreign exchange rate from that which is due to changes in market prices of securities.

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

 

B.

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS: The Funds follow a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market data obtained from independent sources (observable inputs) and the Funds’ own market assumptions (unobservable inputs). These inputs are used in determining the value of the Funds’ financial instruments and are summarized in the following fair value hierarchy:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical securities (foreign securities that are valued based on market quotations).

Level 2: Other significant observable inputs. Certain foreign securities may be fair valued by Matthews using information such as quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, and foreign exchange. Additionally, external pricing services are used 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.

Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs. As described in Note 2-A, Level 3 securities are valued based on significant unobservable inputs as determined under the direction of the Board. Characterization of such securities as Level 3 securities are not necessarily an indication of their liquidity or the risk associated with investing in these securities. A significant change in the unobservable inputs could result in a significantly lower or higher value in such Level 3 securities and could impact overall Fund performance. Level 3 securities consisted of equities that, as of June 30, 2020, were suspended from trading.

The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with financial instruments at that level.

 

140    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

Levels for Multi-Country Funds (1 of 2):

Summary of inputs used to determine the fair valuation of multi-country Funds’ investments as of June 30, 2020.

 

     Matthews
Emerging Markets
Equity Fund
    Matthews Asia
Total Return
Bond Fund
    Matthews Asia
Credit
Opportunities
Fund
    Matthews Asian
Growth and
Income Fund
    Matthews Asia
Dividend Fund
    Matthews Asia
Value Fund
    Matthews Asia
Growth Fund
 
Assets:              
Investments:              

Level 1: Quoted Prices

             

Common Equities:

             

Argentina

    $149,850       $—       $—       $—       $—       $—       $—  

Brazil

    617,035                                      

Canada

                                        4,678,279  

China/Hong Kong

    936,492                   55,679,991             775,965       225,451,759  

India

    215,124                                      

Mexico

    356,329                                      

Russia

    155,062                                      

Singapore

    107,240                                      

Switzerland

                                        11,210,995  

Taiwan

    420,098                         68,699,648              

United States

    116,926                   22,282,066                   88,525,220  

Zambia

    99,624                                      

Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs

             

Foreign Government Obligationsa

          23,736,616       5,680,390                          

Non-Convertible Corporate Bondsa

          62,350,161       71,577,086                          

Convertible Corporate Bondsa

          11,714,662       10,747,116       102,696,018                    

Common Equities:

             

Australia

                      16,363,176       238,097,556             44,286,288  

Bangladesh

                            45,173,878             21,449,787  

Brazil

    37,982                                      

China/Hong Kong

    2,021,402                   432,865,200       1,357,188,493       2,053,564       301,189,884  

France

    351,417                   39,888,914                    

India

    493,625                   80,914,436       62,849,455       1,016,663       39,879,046  

Indonesia

    147,404                   34,567,717                   52,545,542  

Japan

                      18,645,233       1,221,066,376       1,093,216       440,564,829  

Philippines

    274,147                   17,746,490       77,816,261              

Poland

    186,318                                      

Russia

    489,772                                      

Singapore

    173,871                   108,155,335       288,130,124       890,341        

South Korea

    572,349                   97,486,937       147,306,925       1,860,017        

Sri Lanka

                                        8,953,965  

Switzerland

                                  598,757        

Taiwan

    120,765                   105,668,687       71,516,179       218,643        

Thailand

                      12,539,899       60,106,538              

United Kingdom

    159,174                   16,953,010                    

Vietnam

    91,213                   17,578,658                   15,234,729  

Preferred Equities:

             

South Korea

    334,773                   24,863,573       182,284,249       1,078,535        

Level 3: Significant Unobservable Inputs

             

Non-Convertible Corporate Bondsa

          256,695                                

Total Market Value of Investments

    $8,627,992       $98,058,134       $88,004,592       $1,204,895,340       $3,820,235,682       $9,585,701       $1,253,970,323  

 

a

Industry, countries, or security types are disclosed on the Schedule of Investments.

 

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Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

Levels for Multi-Country Funds (2 of 2):

Summary of inputs used to determine the fair valuation of multi-country Funds’ investments as of June 30, 2020.

 

     Matthews Pacific
Tiger Fund
    Matthews
Asia ESG
Fund
    Matthews
Emerging Asia
Fund
    Matthews Asia
Innovators
Fund
    Matthews Asia
Small Companies
Fund
 
Assets:          
Investments:          

Level 1: Quoted Prices

         

Common Equities:

         

China/Hong Kong

    $294,144,308       $2,704,663       $—       $117,395,074       $8,147,223  

India

                            1,435,722  

Pakistan

          37,316       12,581,329              

Singapore

                      41,973,736        

South Korea

    3,808,219       154,962                   141,519  

Sri Lanka

                2,634,744              

United States

          3,457,242             10,931,579       2,922,127  

Vietnam

                2,704,558              

Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs

         

Common Equities:

         

Australia

                2,846,282              

Bangladesh

          1,952,609       17,281,072              

China/Hong Kong

    3,297,509,782       16,880,300             412,283,096       81,746,834  

France

                      22,730,716        

India

    670,065,262       9,085,424       4,635,710       63,067,119       12,547,463  

Indonesia

    374,351,094       1,347,169       26,314,380             1,415,836  

Japan

          4,195,973                    

Malaysia

    65,453,140                          

Pakistan

                10,366,436              

Philippines

    161,224,104       938,697       12,655,385             2,746,012  

Singapore

          982,199       2,184,284       12,175,190        

South Korea

    759,534,413       644,492             98,902,714       15,368,680  

Sri Lanka

                15,258,999              

Switzerland

    97,249,858                          

Taiwan

    641,870,842       5,940,265             12,870,679       27,523,596  

Thailand

    89,828,984       1,287,867       8,101,241             3,600,254  

Vietnam

    92,139,847       489,361       27,821,696       3,683,897       4,463,340  

Preferred Equities:

         

South Korea

          4,318,511                    

Level 3: Significant Unobservable Inputs

         

Common Equities:

         

Bangladesh

                6,380,020              

Total Market Value of Investments

    $6,547,179,853       $54,417,050       $151,766,136       $796,013,800       $162,058,606  

 

142    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

Levels for Single Country Funds:

Summary of inputs used to determine the fair valuation of the single country Funds’ investments as of June 30, 2020.

 

     Matthews China
Dividend Fund
   

Matthews

China Fund

    Matthews
India Fund
   

Matthews

Japan Fund

    Matthews
Korea Fund
    Matthews
China Small
Companies
Fund
 
Assets:            
Investments:            

Level 1: Quoted Prices

           

Common Equities:

           

Communication Services

    $8,931,104       $25,015,098       $—       $—       $—       $6,285,624  

Consumer Discretionary

    5,455,303       79,732,181                          

Energy

                1,503,702                    

Health Care

    1,693,264                         190,158       34,785,804  

Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs

           

Common Equities:

           

Communication Services

    49,814,769       141,125,196       42,056,098       141,251,244       15,627,825       2,284,769  

Consumer Discretionary

    59,311,865       203,069,629       43,017,958       218,499,966       9,763,688       39,993,416  

Consumer Staples

    39,373,377       43,364,307       79,057,986       22,140,831       12,643,683       49,432,981  

Energy

    13,227,514             48,568,066                    

Financials

    22,277,973       271,716,988       173,480,037       77,243,924       8,327,739        

Health Care

    22,028,881       79,995,320       38,321,380       280,880,585       7,748,091       72,693,796  

Industrials

    27,237,183       16,164,325       23,999,051       207,072,618       1,084,311       35,235,664  

Information Technology

    31,932,114       84,463,176       72,925,351       396,691,432       21,119,058       83,529,242  

Materials

    12,390,215       21,493,245       10,333,277       49,268,367             5,264,686  

Real Estate

    19,557,663       66,546,753                   1,462,296       27,080,514  

Utilities

          9,931,998                          

Preferred Equities:

           

Consumer Discretionary

                            4,012,876        

Consumer Staples

                            6,498,405        

Energy

                            1,253,389        

Information Technology

                            17,624,602        

Materials

                            4,048,024        

Level 3: Significant Unobservable Inputs

           

Common Equities:

           

Information Technology

                                  252  

Total Market Value of Investments

    $313,231,225       $1,042,618,216       $533,262,906       $1,393,048,967       $111,404,145       $356,586,748  

Levels for Derivatives Financial Instruments:

Summary of inputs used to determine the fair valuation of the Funds’ derivative financial instruments as of June 30, 2020.

 

      Matthews Asia
Total Return
Bond Fund
 

Derivative Financial Instruments1

  

Assets

  
Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs   

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

     $3,528  

Interest Rate Swaps

     628,819  
  

 

 

 
     $632,347  
  

 

 

 

Liabilities

  
Level 2: Other Significant Observable Inputs   

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

     ($774,274)  
  

 

 

 

 

1

Derivative financial instruments are forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate swaps. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate swaps are valued at the unrealized appreciation/depreciation on the instrument.

 

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Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

Changes in the Balances of Level 3 Securities:

The Funds’ policy is to recognize transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 during the reporting period.

 

     Matthews Asia
Total Return Bond
Fund
   

Matthews
Emerging Asia

Fund

   

Matthews China
Small Companies

Fund

 
    Non-Convertible
Corporate Bonds  —
China/Hong Kong
    Common Equities —
Bangladesh
    Common Equities —
Information Technology
 
Balance as of 12/31/19 (market value)   $     $     $ 250  
Accrued discounts/premiums     1,471              
Realized gain/(loss)           (33,526      
Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation)     (6,388     (928,957     2  
Purchases                  
Sales           (1,392,736      
Transfers in to Level 3*     261,612       8,735,239        
Transfer out of Level 3*                  
Balance as of 6/30/20 (market value)   $ 256,695     $ 6,380,020     $ 252  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on Level 3 investments held as of 6/30/20**

  ($ 6,388   ($ 928,957   $ 2  

 

*

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

**

Included in the related amounts on the Statements of Operations.

During the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, transfers into Level 3 resulted from a lack of observable market data for a security and its price as of the reporting date was determined by the Valuation Committee. 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 Input1     

Unobservable Input—

Proxy Factor
Price Movement

 
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund Assets:                  

Common Equity—Bangladesh

     $6,380,020        Market transactions      Point in most recent block trading range        BDT 839.6 - BDT 890.0  

 

1

Increase in unobservable input may result in a significant increase to value, while a decrease in unobservable input may result in a significant decrease to value.

 

BDT

Bangladeshi Taka

 

C.

BASIS OF CONSOLIDATION: The accompanying consolidated financial highlights of Matthews China Fund and Matthews Asia Dividend Fund (the “Investing Funds”) for the 2015-2016 period include the accounts of the Matthews CF-U Series and Matthews ADF-U Series (the “U Series Funds”), respectively. The U Series Funds were series of Matthews A Share Selections Fund, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company registered under the 1940 Act. All of the interests offered by U Series Funds were exclusively owned by the Investing Funds. The U Series Funds primarily invested in the stocks of Chinese companies listed on Mainland China Stock Exchanges, and traded and denominated in the currency of China, the Renminbi. To allow U Series Funds to invest in China A Shares Matthews applied for and received a license from the China Securities Regulatory Commission as a Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (“QFII”) and had been allocated by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of China an initial quota of $100 million in June 2014, and an additional quota of $440 million in July 2015, representing the equivalent value in Renminbi of China A Shares that the Funds could purchase. Access to the quota was subject to Matthews’ trade allocation procedures and access allocation procedures. The U

Series Funds were subject to the same investment policies and restrictions that apply to Investing Funds. Intercompany accounts and transactions had been eliminated in the consolidation process. The U Series Funds were intended to be disregarded entities for tax purposes. Therefore, no federal tax provisions were required. Consolidated financial statements included expenses that were accrued for and paid by the Investing Funds. These included on-going operational costs as well as costs in connection with the launching of the U Series Funds.

In September 2016, the Board of Directors of the Matthews A Share Selections Fund, LLC adopted resolutions authorizing the termination and liquidation of the Matthews A Share Selections Fund, LLC. Consequently, as of September 30, 2016, the U Series Funds sold their securities and effectively ceased investment operations. The outstanding interests of each U Series Fund were redeemed by its respective Investing Fund. The Matthews A Share Selections Fund, LLC filed an initial application for deregistration as a registered investment company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in October 2016, which was subsequently granted in February 2017.

 

D.

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 in countries where the Funds may 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 of 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.

 

144    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

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).

Among other risks of investing in foreign markets are the variable quality and reliability of financial information and related audits of companies. In some cases, financial information and related audits can be unreliable and not subject to verification. Auditing firms in some of these markets are not subject to independent inspection or oversight of audit quality. For example, China does not allow the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to inspect the work that auditors perform in China for Chinese companies that sell stock into U.S. markets. This can result in investment decisions being made based on flawed or misleading information.

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.

Changes in interest rates in each of the countries in which the Funds may invest, as well as interest rates in more-developed countries, may cause a decline in the market value of an investment. Generally, fixed income securities will decrease in value when interest rates rise and can be expected to rise in value when interest rates decline. As interest rates decline, debt issuers may repay or refinance their loans or obligations earlier than anticipated. The issuers of fixed income securities may, therefore, repay principal in advance. This would force the Funds to reinvest the proceeds from the principal prepayments at lower rates, which reduces the Funds’ income.

 

E.

DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS: It is the policy of the Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund and the 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 the Matthews Asia Dividend Fund to distribute net investment income on a quarterly basis and capital gains, if any, annually. It is the policy of the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund to distribute net investment income on a monthly basis and capital gains, if any, annually. Each of the other Funds distributes a 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.

The tax character of distributions paid for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 was as follows:

 

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019    Ordinary
Income
       Net Long-Term
Capital Gains
       Total Taxable
Distributions
 
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund      $4,702,646          $—          $4,702,646  
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund      2,963,829          42,003          3,005,832  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund      35,418,572          22,400,844          57,819,416  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      124,516,990                   124,516,990  
Matthews China Dividend Fund      6,111,641                   6,111,641  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      1,184,154                   1,184,154  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund      373,187          12,060,061          12,433,248  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund      59,773,643          269,683,012          329,456,655  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      204,697          588,349          793,046  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      244          8,355,290          8,355,534  
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund               976,006          976,006  
Matthews China Fund      10,400,822                   10,400,822  
Matthews India Fund      1,864,672          115,678,091          117,542,763  
Matthews Japan Fund      14,895,033          190,758,914          205,653,947  
Matthews Korea Fund      133          10,920,522          10,920,655  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund      1,036,516          79,318          1,115,834  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      1,012,660                   1,012,660  

 

F.

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS AND INCOME: Securities transactions are accounted for on the date the securities are purchased or sold or on the following business day. Financial statements reflect security transactions on trade date. Gains or losses on the sale of securities are determined on the identified cost basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on debt securities, is recognized daily on an accrual basis. For convertible securities, premiums attributable to the conversion feature are not amortized. Dividend income is generally recorded on the ex-dividend date net of any foreign taxes withheld at the source. 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.

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 they invest. 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.

 

G.

FUND EXPENSE ALLOCATIONS: The Funds account separately for the assets, liabilities and operations of each Fund. Estimated expenses are accrued daily. 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.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

H.

CASH, CASH OVERDRAFTS, AND FOREIGN CURRENCY: QFII accounts (i.e., the accounts through which the QFII quota is accessed) are required by the local market to maintain a cash reserve. The cash reserve is based upon a fixed ratio of the QFII’s approved investment quota, which is defined as the amount remitted into its special Renminbi (RMB) cash account. These amounts, if any, are included in “Segregated foreign currency at value” on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. The fixed ratio is set at 0.08 percent for the Shanghai and 0.06 percent for the Shenzhen market. When any of the Funds’ 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.

 

I.

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.

 

J.

RECENT ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE: In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848)—Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The amendments in the ASU provides optional temporary financial reporting relief from the effect of certain types of contract modifications due to the planned discontinuation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank-offered based reference rates as of the end of 2021. The ASU is effective for certain reference rate-related contract modifications that occur during the period March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. Management is currently evaluating the impact, if any, of applying this ASU.

 

3.

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Each of the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund engages in derivative transactions for a variety of purposes, including managing interest rate, currency and credit exposure. Derivative transactions in which each Fund may engage include financial futures contracts, swaps and/or forward foreign currency exchange contracts.

Certain derivative transactions may result in each Fund’s exposure to a currency to exceed the value of the Fund’s assets and the Fund could be exposed to currency risk whether or not it holds a bond or other instrument denominated in that currency. The gross notional value of derivative financial instruments and transactions could exceed the value of the Fund’s net assets, although the net market value of these instruments and transactions, on a marked-to-market basis, at most times, is expected to be substantially lower.

The primary risks associated with the use of derivative financial instruments are: (i) Matthews may not correctly predict the direction of currency exchange rates, interest rates, security prices, or other economic factors; (ii) Matthews may not correctly predict changes in the value of derivative financial instruments and related underlying instruments or assets, which may result in disproportionately increased losses and/or reduced opportunities for gains; (iii) imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the securities held by a Fund and the price of financial futures contracts and credit default swaps contracts; (iv) the lack of, or a reduction in the liquidity of, any secondary market for the instrument, and the resulting inability to close the position (or exit the position) when desired; (v) losses, which are potentially unlimited, due to unanticipated market movements; (vi) the value of the instrument may change unfavorably due to movements in the value of the referenced foreign currencies; (vii) a Fund may suffer disproportionately heavy losses relative to the amount invested; (viii) changes in the value of the derivatives may not match or fully offset changes in the value of hedged or related portfolio securities, thereby failing to achieve the hedging or investment purpose for the derivative transaction; and (ix) the other party to the instrument may fail to fulfill its obligation.

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts: The Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts to gain or reduce exposure to foreign currency exchange rate risk. 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 Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund do not offset financial assets and financial liabilities on forward foreign currency contacts in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as they are not subject to netting arrangements.

Swaps: The Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund enter into swap contracts to manage exposure to issuers, markets and securities to reduce their risk exposure to defaults of corporate and/or sovereign issuers or to create exposure to corporate and/or sovereign issuers to which they are not otherwise exposed (credit risk). Such contracts are agreements between the Funds and a counterparty to make periodic net payments on a specified notional amount or a net payment upon termination. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the OTC market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract (“OTC Swaps”) or centrally cleared (“centrally cleared swaps”).

For OTC swaps, any upfront premiums paid and any upfront fees received are shown as swap premiums paid and swap premiums received, respectively, in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities and amortized over the term of the contract. The daily fluctuation in market value is recorded as unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on OTC Swaps in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or paid are recorded in the Statements of Operations as realized gains or losses, respectively. When an OTC swap is terminated, a realized gain or loss is recorded in the Statements of Operations equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transaction and the Funds’ basis in the contract, if any. Generally, the basis of the contract is the amortized premium received or paid.

The Funds may buy credit default swaps on single-name issuers (corporate or sovereign), a combination or basket of single-name issuers or traded indexes. Credit default swaps are agreements in which the protection buyer pays fixed periodic payments to the seller in consideration for a promise from the protection seller to make a specific payment should a negative credit event take place with respect to the referenced entity (e.g., bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration, repudiation, moratorium or restructuring). As a buyer, if an underlying credit event occurs, the Funds will either (i) receive from the seller an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap and deliver the referenced security or underlying securities comprising the index, or (ii) receive a net settlement of cash equal to the notional amount of the swap less the recovery value of the security or underlying securities comprising the index.

The Funds may enter into interest rate swaps to gain or reduce exposure to interest rates or to manage duration, the yield curve or interest rate (interest rate risk).

Interest rate swaps are agreements to exchange cash flows based on the difference between specified interest rates applied to a notional principal

amount for a specified period of time. Risks related to the use of interest rate swaps include the potential for unanticipated movements in interest or currency rates, the possible failure of a counterparty to perform in accordance with the terms of the swap agreements and potential government regulation that could adversely affect the Funds’ swap investments.

Counterparty Credit Risk: A derivative contract may suffer a mark to market loss if the value of the contract decreases due to an unfavorable change in the market rates or values of the underlying instrument. Losses can also occur if the counterparty does not perform under the contract.

A Fund’s risk of loss from counterparty credit risk on OTC derivatives is generally limited to the aggregate unrealized gain netted against any collateral held by such Fund.

 

146    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

With exchange traded futures and centrally cleared swaps, there is less counterparty credit risk to the Funds since the exchange or clearinghouse, as counterparty to such instruments, guarantees against a possible default. The clearinghouse stands between the buyer and the seller of the contract; therefore, the credit risk is limited to failure of the clearinghouse. While offset rights may exist under applicable law, a Fund does not have a contractual right of offset against a clearing broker or clearinghouse in the event of a default (including the bankruptcy or insolvency) of the clearing broker or clearinghouse. Additionally, credit risk exists in exchange traded futures and centrally cleared swaps with respect to initial and variation margin that is held in a clearing broker’s customer accounts. While clearing brokers are required to segregate customer margin from their own assets, in the event that a clearing broker becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy and at that time there is a shortfall in the aggregate amount of margin held by the clearing broker for all its clients, typically the shortfall would be allocated on a pro rata basis across all the clearing broker’s customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Funds.

In order to better define its contractual rights and to secure rights that will help the Funds mitigate their counterparty risk, a Fund may enter into an International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. Master Agreement (“ISDA Master Agreement”) or similar agreement with its derivative contract counterparties. An ISDA Master Agreement is a bilateral agreement between each Fund and a counterparty that governs OTC derivatives and typically contains, among other things, collateral posting terms and netting provisions in the event of a default and/or termination event. Under an ISDA Master Agreement, each Fund may, under certain circumstances, offset with the counterparty certain derivative financial instruments’ payables and/or receivables with collateral held and/or posted and create one single net payment. The provisions of the ISDA Master Agreement typically permit a single net payment in the event of default including the bankruptcy or insolvency of the counterparty. However, bankruptcy or insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction may impose restrictions on or prohibitions against the right of offset in bankruptcy, insolvency or other events. In addition, certain ISDA Master Agreements allow counterparties to OTC derivatives to terminate derivative contracts prior to maturity in the event a Fund’s net assets decline by a stated percentage or the Fund fails to meet the terms of its ISDA Master Agreements, which would cause the Fund to accelerate payment of any net liability owed to the counterparty.

Collateral requirements: For derivatives traded under an ISDA Master Agreement, the collateral requirements are typically calculated by netting the mark to market amount for each transaction under such agreement and comparing that amount to the value of any collateral currently pledged by a Fund and the counterparty. Cash collateral that has been pledged to cover obligations of a Fund, if any, is reported separately on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as cash pledged as collateral. Non-cash collateral pledged by a Fund, if any, is noted in the Schedules of Investments.

For financial reporting purposes, the Funds do not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities that are subject to netting arrangements in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

As of June 30, 2020, the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund had $628,819 in gross/net assets in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities for OTC Interest Rate Swaps and gross assets of $3,528 and net liabilities of $562,497 for the Forward foreign currency exchange contracts with Bank of America, N.A. The Fund had gross/net liabilities with JPMorgan Chase & Co. of $211,777 for the Forward foreign currency exchange contracts. The Fund pledged cash collateral of $180,000 to Bank of America, N.A. for the open OTC Interest Rate Swaps and Forward foreign currency exchange contracts and pledged $340,000 to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for the open Forward foreign currency exchange contracts.

Levels for Derivative Financial Instruments:

Summary of inputs used to determine the fair valuation of the Funds’ derivatives financial instruments as of June 30, 2020.

 

     Statements of Assets and Liabilities Location          Matthews Asia
Total Return Bond
Fund
 
  Asset Derivatives    
  Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign    
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts   currency exchange contracts       $3,528  
Interest rate contracts   Unrealized appreciation on Swaps       628,819  
     

 

 

 
  Total       $632,347  
     

 

 

 
  Liability Derivatives    
  Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign    
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts   currency exchange contracts       ($774,274
     

 

 

 

For the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the effects of derivative financial instruments on the Statements of Operations were as follows:

 

Derivative type   Statements of Operations Location   Matthews Asia
Total Return Bond
Fund
 

Net Realized Gain (Loss)

   
Foreign currency contracts:    

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

  Net realized gain (loss) on forward foreign  
  currency exchange contracts     ($56,573
Interest rate swaps:    

Interest rate contracts

  Net realized gain (loss) on swaps     21,732  
   

 

 

 
  Total     ($34,841
   

 

 

 

Net Change In Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

   
Foreign currency contracts:    

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts

  Net change in unrealized appreciation/  
  depreciation on forward foreign currency  
  exchange contracts     ($909,133
Interest rate swaps:    

Interest rate contracts

  Net change in unrealized appreciation/  
  depreciation on swaps     460,955  
   

 

 

 
  Total     ($448,178
   

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

In regards to the forward foreign currency exchange contracts entered into by the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund, the average notional ending quarterly amounts purchased in USD were $2,474,627 and the average notional ending quarterly amounts sold in USD were $24,866,876. In regards to the interest rate swap contracts entered into by the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund, where the Fund receives the fixed rate and pays the floating rate, the average notional ending quarterly amounts in USD was $18,445,370.

 

4.

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

 

     For the Period
Ended June 30, 2020 (Unaudited)
 
      Shares      Amount  

MATTHEWS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND1

     

Investor Class

     

Shares sold

     146,902        $1,544,813  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

             

Shares redeemed

     (2,679      (29,407

Net increase

     144,223        $1,515,406  

Institutional Class

     

Shares sold

     642,510        $6,480,134  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

             

Shares redeemed

             

Net increase

     642,510        $6,480,134  

 

     Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2020 (Unaudited)
     Year Ended December 31, 2019  
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  

MATTHEWS ASIA TOTAL RETURN BOND FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     461,210        $4,829,213        531,369        $5,763,612  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     56,855        594,231        145,300        1,576,564  

Shares redeemed

     (631,209      (6,404,444      (1,094,258      (11,768,876

Net (decrease)

     (113,144      ($981,000      (417,589      ($4,428,700

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     592,359        $6,275,500        1,930,123        $20,678,547  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     105,858        1,105,516        247,825        2,689,277  

Shares redeemed

     (1,397,568      (14,464,947      (1,084,707      (11,720,296

Net increase (decrease)

     (699,351      ($7,083,931      1,093,241        $11,647,528  

MATTHEWS ASIA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     222,124        $2,221,986        539,096        $5,563,787  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     20,577        201,164        50,305        523,714  

Shares redeemed

     (421,521      (4,253,567      (248,407      (2,552,245

Net increase (decrease)

     (178,820      ($1,830,417      340,994        $3,535,256  

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     1,803,893        $18,544,862        4,598,478        $48,037,680  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     152,526        1,484,098        188,769        1,969,854  

Shares redeemed

     (1,212,183      (11,815,153      (459,087      (4,707,645

Net increase

     744,236        $8,213,807        4,328,160        $45,299,889  

MATTHEWS ASIAN GROWTH AND INCOME FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     2,243,909        $32,121,911        4,872,266        $72,535,793  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     285,716        4,142,872        1,729,925        26,744,737  

Shares redeemed

     (8,528,496      (120,322,804      (18,009,566      (272,354,103

Net (decrease)

     (5,998,871      ($84,058,021      (11,407,375      ($173,073,573

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     13,274,197        $186,150,093        25,459,302        $387,665,569  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     361,420        5,229,737        1,643,462        25,409,900  

Shares redeemed

     (14,800,750      (202,013,546      (22,634,082      (341,434,957

Net increase (decrease)

     (1,165,133      ($10,633,716      4,468,682        $71,640,512  

 

1

The Fund commenced operations on April 30, 2020.

 

148    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

     Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2020 (Unaudited)
     Year Ended December 31, 2019  
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  

MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     9,780,000        $151,763,861        23,080,251        $386,877,636  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     1,074,747        17,206,239        3,039,442        51,047,011  

Shares redeemed

     (39,439,454      (616,522,453      (63,800,331      (1,067,632,982

Net (decrease)

     (28,584,707      ($447,552,353      (37,680,638      ($629,708,335

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     13,309,272        $206,457,522        47,879,707        $804,748,356  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     1,258,014        20,068,252        3,784,649        63,570,444  

Shares redeemed

     (66,348,004      (1,007,335,524      (66,039,551      (1,110,681,954

Net (decrease)

     (51,780,718      ($780,809,750      (14,375,195      ($242,363,154

MATTHEWS CHINA DIVIDEND FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     3,138,790        $48,032,375        8,109,547        $128,681,746  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     297,355        4,814,184        266,077        4,182,441  

Shares redeemed

     (5,593,627      (85,603,074      (6,173,811      (97,098,245

Net increase (decrease)

     (2,157,482      ($32,756,515      2,201,813        $35,765,942  

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     1,288,811        $20,028,059        4,062,893        $64,306,979  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

     127,181        2,059,058        113,134        1,780,502  

Shares redeemed

     (3,248,048      (49,268,482      (1,706,106      (26,787,635

Net increase (decrease)

     (1,832,056      ($27,181,365      2,469,921        $39,299,846  

MATTHEWS ASIA VALUE FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     103,871        $1,071,332        519,639        $5,951,759  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   71,981        781,711  

Shares redeemed

     (534,794      (4,789,073      (896,532      (10,062,716

Net (decrease)

     (430,923      ($3,717,741      (304,912      ($3,329,246

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     79,508        $838,620        517,708        $5,900,220  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   31,352        337,973  

Shares redeemed

     (169,792      (1,703,425      (586,821      (6,627,976

Net (decrease)

     (90,284      ($864,805      (37,761      ($389,783

MATTHEWS ASIA GROWTH FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     2,474,211        $66,399,223        4,541,007        $115,967,177  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   171,836        4,780,476  

Shares redeemed

     (3,211,940      (85,476,657      (7,367,330      (188,876,592

Net (decrease)

     (737,729      ($19,077,434      (2,654,487      ($68,128,939

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     4,709,555        $126,501,448        7,619,976        $196,483,749  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   173,818        4,875,584  

Shares redeemed

     (3,754,900      (100,341,820      (3,742,483      (96,806,547

Net increase

     954,655        $26,159,628        4,051,311        $104,552,786  

MATTHEWS PACIFIC TIGER FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     6,711,730        $168,812,296        14,430,758        $406,894,363  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   2,845,287        81,033,776  

Shares redeemed

     (20,814,223      (520,264,710      (26,486,333      (742,801,344

Net (decrease)

     (14,102,493      ($351,452,414      (9,210,288      ($254,873,205

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     17,898,903        $455,025,717        49,951,152        $1,407,060,783  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   6,705,677        190,776,524  

Shares redeemed

     (63,039,659      (1,579,162,120      (53,091,456      (1,488,158,535

Net increase (decrease)

     (45,140,756      ($1,124,136,403      3,565,373        $109,678,772  

 

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Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

     Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2020 (Unaudited)
     Year Ended December 31, 2019  
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  

MATTHEWS ASIA ESG FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     534,410        $5,231,398        1,184,049        $12,826,439  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   22,962        252,585  

Shares redeemed

     (329,485      (3,167,495      (395,976      (4,181,719

Net increase

     204,925        $2,063,903        811,035        $8,897,305  

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     446,808        $4,173,494        1,081,878        $11,684,318  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   31,337        344,077  

Shares redeemed

     (669,291      (6,000,491      (191,932      (2,046,929

Net increase (decrease)

     (222,483      ($1,826,997      921,283        $9,981,466  

MATTHEWS EMERGING ASIA FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     798,452        $7,301,113        1,977,945        $25,017,512  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   184,599        2,200,419  

Shares redeemed

     (2,327,465      (22,949,575      (4,636,314      (57,325,455

Net (decrease)

     (1,529,013      ($15,648,462      (2,473,770      ($30,107,524

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     3,543,031        $32,362,649        10,746,157        $135,847,255  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   496,581        5,949,041  

Shares redeemed

     (10,295,148      (95,133,454      (12,287,844      (150,800,355

Net (decrease)

     (6,752,117      ($62,770,805      (1,045,106      ($9,004,059

MATTHEWS ASIA INNOVATORS FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     6,709,677        $100,622,722        3,537,078        $45,933,297  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   34,901        503,279  

Shares redeemed

     (3,394,928      (50,888,488      (4,901,397      (63,792,703

Net increase (decrease)

     3,314,749        $49,734,234        (1,329,418      ($17,356,127

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     23,466,424        $355,928,711        2,497,746        $33,297,458  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   24,526        355,872  

Shares redeemed

     (2,638,144      (39,037,757      (1,965,087      (25,479,411

Net increase

     20,828,280        $316,890,954        557,185        $8,173,919  

MATTHEWS CHINA FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     6,904,667        $130,212,546        9,307,763        $160,049,101  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   413,049        7,823,154  

Shares redeemed

     (10,023,568      (188,940,690      (11,566,339      (197,267,770

Net (decrease)

     (3,118,901      ($58,728,144      (1,845,527      ($29,395,515

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     9,404,449        $178,035,169        8,093,642        $133,433,967  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   47,201        892,099  

Shares redeemed

     (2,727,266      (51,829,414      (1,765,278      (30,910,184

Net increase

     6,677,183        $126,205,755        6,375,565        $103,415,882  

MATTHEWS INDIA FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     2,295,796        $44,130,619        7,731,394        $200,765,536  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   3,684,970        85,638,714  

Shares redeemed

     (10,658,554      (200,743,485      (18,554,986      (473,744,143

Net (decrease)

     (8,362,758      ($156,612,866      (7,138,622      ($187,339,893

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     747,405        $14,807,893        6,857,047        $178,913,179  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   607,390        14,279,727  

Shares redeemed

     (4,360,551      (80,849,337      (17,386,942      (457,235,640

Net (decrease)

     (3,613,146      ($66,041,444      (9,922,505      ($264,042,734

 

150    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

     Six-Month Period Ended
June 30, 2020 (Unaudited)
     Year Ended December 31, 2019  
      Shares      Amount      Shares      Amount  

MATTHEWS JAPAN FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     6,500,547        $125,334,773        14,040,067        $281,660,571  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   5,462,457        117,661,321  

Shares redeemed

     (29,974,061      (583,697,506      (43,276,411      (904,215,429

Net (decrease)

     (23,473,514      ($458,362,733      (23,773,887      ($504,893,537

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     4,075,615        $78,965,213        10,666,389        $222,188,400  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   1,514,104        32,674,366  

Shares redeemed

     (19,577,673      (379,787,622      (36,054,972      (745,335,389

Net (decrease)

     (15,502,058      ($300,822,409      (23,874,479      ($490,472,623

MATTHEWS KOREA FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     1,632,630        $6,345,362        2,059,086        $9,109,614  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   2,084,515        8,984,260  

Shares redeemed

     (2,460,490      (9,561,763      (6,006,394      (26,550,755

Net (decrease)

     (827,860      ($3,216,401      (1,862,793      ($8,456,881

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     429,725        $1,731,785        3,918,143        $17,759,942  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   393,829        1,709,218  

Shares redeemed

     (3,845,310      (15,611,336      (3,210,203      (14,313,984

Net increase (decrease)

     (3,415,585      ($13,879,551      1,101,769        $5,155,176  

MATTHEWS ASIA SMALL COMPANIES FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     476,524        $8,064,884        1,052,343        $17,606,463  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   26,715        477,400  

Shares redeemed

     (1,614,446      (27,263,660      (2,952,819      (50,877,217

Net (decrease)

     (1,137,922      ($19,198,776      (1,873,761      ($32,793,354

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     1,067,251        $18,457,589        2,286,863        $38,931,702  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   31,309        558,232  

Shares redeemed

     (1,332,532      (22,085,721      (2,456,706      (41,355,074

Net (decrease)

     (265,281      ($3,628,132      (138,534      ($1,865,140

MATTHEWS CHINA SMALL COMPANIES FUND

           

Investor Class

           

Shares sold

     9,872,332        $158,402,319        2,414,807        $28,243,922  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   48,885        626,223  

Shares redeemed

     (4,275,321      (68,023,247      (1,880,948      (20,832,077

Net increase

     5,597,011        $90,379,072        582,744        $8,038,068  

Institutional Class

           

Shares sold

     6,758,811        $103,652,043        1,234,398        $13,977,800  

Shares issued through reinvestment of distributions

                   25,389        325,995  

Shares redeemed

     (1,364,782      (21,627,577      (904,930      (10,177,325

Net increase

     5,394,029        $82,024,466        354,857        $4,126,470  

 

5.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Matthews, a registered investment advisor under the 1940 Act, provides the Funds with investment management services. Pursuant to the prior Investment Advisory Agreement dated August 13, 2004, as amended (the “Prior Advisory Agreement”) and the current Investment Advisory Agreement dated February 1, 2016, as amended (the “Current Advisory Agreement,” and together with the Prior Advisory Agreement, 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 Total Return Bond Fund, Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund, Matthews Emerging Asia Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, and Matthews China Small Companies Fund (the “Family-Priced Funds”), pays Matthews 0.75% of their aggregate average daily net assets up to $2 billion, 0.6834% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $2 billion up to $5 billion, 0.65% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $5 billion up to $25 billion, 0.64% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $25 billion up to $30 billion, 0.63% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $30 billion up to $35 billion, 0.62% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $35 billion up to $40 billion, 0.61% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $40 billion up to $45 billion, and

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

0.60% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $45 billion. Each of the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund paid Matthews an annual fee of 0.55% of such Fund’s annual average daily net assets pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. Each of the Matthews Emerging Asia Fund, Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund, and the Matthews China Small Companies Fund pays Matthews an annual fee of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of such Fund up to $1 billion and 0.95% of the average daily net assets of such Fund over $1 billion pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. Each Fund pays Matthews a monthly fee at the annual rate using the applicable management fee calculated based on the actual number of days of that month and based on the Fund’s average daily net asset value for the month.

Pursuant to a fee waiver letter agreement, effective as of September 1, 2014, between the Trust, on behalf of the Family-Priced Funds, and Matthews (as amended from time to time, the “Fee Waiver Agreement”), for each Family-Priced Fund, Matthews has agreed to waive a portion of the fee payable under the Advisory Agreement and a portion of the fee payable under the Administration and Shareholder Services Agreement, if any Family-Priced Fund’s average daily net assets are over $3 billion, as follows: for every $2.5 billion average daily net assets of a Family-Priced Fund that are over $3 billion, the fee rates that otherwise would be applied for calculating fees payable under the Advisory Agreement and the Administration and Shareholder Services Agreement for such Family-Priced Fund with respect to such excess average daily net assets will be each reduced by 0.01%, in each case without reducing such fee rate below 0.00%.

Investment advisory fees charged, waived fees and reimbursed additional expenses for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

     

Gross Advisory Fees

      

Advisory Fees

Waived and

Reimbursed in

Excess of the

Expense Limitation

      

Net Advisory Fee/

Reimbursement

 
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      $8,425          ($38,005        ($29,580
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund      295,480          (36,242        259,238  
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund      261,358          (17,723        243,635  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund      4,354,888                   4,354,888  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      14,112,838          (62,600        14,050,238  
Matthews China Dividend Fund      1,087,808                   1,087,808  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      50,560          (71,279        (20,719
Matthews Asia Growth Fund      3,779,819                   3,779,819  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund      23,675,895          (296,352        23,379,543  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      169,359          (50,390        118,969  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      1,074,009          (661,452        412,557  
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund      1,531,947                   1,531,947  
Matthews China Fund      3,057,357                   3,057,357  
Matthews India Fund      2,317,081                   2,317,081  
Matthews Japan Fund      5,915,541                   5,915,541  
Matthews Korea Fund      375,457                   375,457  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund      802,549          (222,432        580,117  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      964,292          (106,645        857,647  
        
     $63,834,663          ($1,563,120        $62,271,543  
        

 

Under a written agreement between the Funds and Matthews (the “Operating Expense Agreement”), Matthews agrees to waive fees and reimburse expenses to a Fund if its expense ratio exceeds a certain percentage level. Effective April 30, 2020 for all Funds, except the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund, the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund, this level is 1.20% for the Institutional Class. Prior to April 30, 2020, Matthews had agreed to voluntarily reduce the expense limitation to 1.20% for the Institutional Class beginning on November 1, 2019. Matthews agrees to reduce the expense ratio by waiving an equal amount of non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) for the Investor Class. Because certain expenses of the Investor Class may be higher than those of the Institutional Class and because class specific expenses may be waived solely for the Institutional Class, total annual Fund expenses for the Investor Class may exceed 1.20%. For the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund, the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund this level is 0.90% for the Institutional Class. Matthews agrees to reduce the expense ratio by waiving an equal amount of non-class specific expenses (e.g., custody fees) for the Investor Class. Because certain expenses of the Investor Class may be higher than those of the Institutional Class and because class specific expenses may be waived solely for the Institutional Class, total annual Fund expenses for the Investor Class may exceed 0.90%. In turn, if the expenses of a Fund, other than the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund, 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 the lesser of (i) the expense limitation applicable at the time of that fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. For the Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund and the Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund, any amount waived for prior fiscal years is not subject to recoupment. This agreement will continue through April 30, 2021, may be extended for additional periods not exceeding one year, and may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to Matthews. Matthews may decline to renew this agreement by written notice to the Trust at least 30 days before its annual expiration date.

 

152    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

  Waived

Fees Subject to Possible Future Recoupment:

On June 30, 2020, the amounts expired and subject to possible future recoupment under the expense limitation agreement are as follows:

 

     Expiring December 31,  
      2020        2021        2022        2023  
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      $—          $—          $—          $38,005  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      119,683          81,767          111,890          71,279  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      156,429          156,459          67,253          50,390  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      878,171          1,073,964          997,574          661,452  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund      272,597          308,001          336,966          222,432  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      184,162          275,220          167,178          106,645  

The Funds have an Administration and Shareholder Services Agreement dated August 13, 2004, as amended (the “Shareholder Services Agreement” or “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 in the aggregate pay Matthews 0.25% of their aggregate average daily net assets up to $2 billion, 0.1834% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $2 billion up to $5 billion, 0.15% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $5 billion up to $7.5 billion, 0.125% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $7.5 billion up to $15 billion, 0.11% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $15 billion up to $22.5 billion, 0.10% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $22.5 billion up to $25 billion, 0.09% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $25 billion up to $30 billion, 0.08% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $30 billion up to $35 billion, 0.07% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $35 billion up to $40 billion, 0.06% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $40 billion up to $45 billion, and 0.05% of their aggregate average daily net assets over $45 billion.

Administration and shareholder servicing fees charged, for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, were as follows:

 

     

Gross
Administration and
Shareholder
Servicing Fees

       Administration and
Shareholder
Servicing Fees
Waived in Excess of
Expense Limitation
       Net
Administration and
Shareholder
Servicing Fees
 
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      $1,897          $—          $1,897  
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund      79,356                   79,356  
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund      70,259                   70,259  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund      965,343                   965,343  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      3,121,944          (62,600        3,059,344  
Matthews China Dividend Fund      241,040                   241,040  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      11,165                   11,165  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund      838,340                   838,340  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund      5,239,139          (296,141        4,942,998  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      37,521                   37,521  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      157,705                   157,705  
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund      341,475                   341,475  
Matthews China Fund      679,010                   679,010  
Matthews India Fund      511,245                   511,245  
Matthews Japan Fund      1,309,350                   1,309,350  
Matthews Korea Fund      83,084                   83,084  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund      118,511                   118,511  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      143,882                   143,882  

In addition to the fees paid to the Funds’ transfer agent, the Funds bear the cost of fees paid to certain service providers or intermediaries, including supermarkets, which provide transfer agency, record-keeping and shareholder servicing to certain shareholders. These fees are referred to as intermediary service fees on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities as well as the Statements of Operations. Additional information concerning these services and fees is contained in the Funds’ prospectuses.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

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, 2020 were as follows:

 

      Administration and
Accounting fees
 
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      $101  
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund      4,298  
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund      3,802  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund      52,268  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      169,422  
Matthews China Dividend Fund      13,056  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      607  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund      45,362  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund      284,211  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      2,033  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      8,592  
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund      18,374  
Matthews China Fund      36,687  
Matthews India Fund      27,825  
Matthews Japan Fund      71,012  
Matthews Korea Fund      4,507  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund      6,420  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      7,714  

As of June 30, 2020, Matthews and its affiliates held significant shares in the Funds as follows:

 

      Shares held by Matthews
and its Affiliates
       Percentage of
Outstanding Shares
 
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      665,995          85
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      1,041,697          21

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 $832,305 in aggregate for regular compensation during the six-month period ended June 30, 2020.

 

6.

INVESTMENTS

The value of investment transactions made for affiliated and unaffiliated holdings for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 were as follows:

 

      Affiliated Purchases        Proceeds from
Affiliated Sales
       Unaffiliated Purchases        Proceeds from
Unaffiliated Sales
 
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      $—          $—          $10,530,244          $3,075,348  
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund                        22,193,791          27,468,915  
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund                        25,206,868          13,179,317  
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund                        227,064,864          338,154,578  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      2,542,270          25,441,760          949,755,915          2,111,222,550  
Matthews China Dividend Fund                        121,272,754          183,442,749  
Matthews Asia Value Fund                        2,723,531          8,118,589  
Matthews Asia Growth Fund                        293,904,798          312,753,897  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund               59,915,123          1,100,473,030          2,590,074,090  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund                        25,998,211          26,062,949  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund               364,804          21,921,157          109,455,057  
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund                        523,630,166          194,576,361  
Matthews China Fund                        328,049,468          295,924,028  
Matthews India Fund                        204,019,774          434,441,254  
Matthews Japan Fund                        428,693,109          1,203,425,944  
Matthews Korea Fund                        15,063,539          31,808,307  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund                        86,877,304          109,977,967  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund                        236,923,560          70,278,460  

 

154    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

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, 2020, 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, 2020 is as follows:

 

    

Value at

Dec. 31, 2019

    Purchases     Sales    

Net Realized

Gain (Loss)

Jan. 1, 2020–

June 30, 2020

   

Net Change in

Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)

   

Value at

June 30, 2020

   

Shares

June 30, 2020

   

Dividend

Income

Jan. 1, 2020–

June 30, 2020

 
MATTHEWS ASIA DIVIDEND FUND

 

           
Name of Issuer:                

Anritsu Corp.†

    $164,799,203       $—       $41,873,701       $—       $—       $—       6,038,300       $—  

BELLSYSTEM24 Holdings, Inc.

    87,951,535             5,711,909       (1,539,863     (13,841,413     66,858,350       5,137,700       922,190  

Breville Group, Ltd.

    96,607,872             3,947,919       1,725,889       25,181,849       119,567,691       7,564,257       970,044  

China Steel Chemical Corp.†

    58,070,775             30,619,920                         5,272,000        

Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd.†

    67,587,182             56,990,165                         403,000        

KATITAS Co., Ltd.

    92,256,441       2,542,270 ††      2,585,178       569,687       5,181,265       97,964,485       4,210,800       472,883  

Minda Industries, Ltd.

    71,216,192             3,848,324       504,104       (18,586,279     49,285,693       13,532,234       79,287  

Minth Group, Ltd.

    238,203,085             8,604,450       4,721,987       (48,785,665     185,534,957       64,635,000       5,636,386  

Yuexiu Transport Infrastructure, Ltd.

    84,277,091             743,980       277,715       (17,939,503     65,871,323       93,902,000       2,544,113  
                       

Total Affiliates

          $6,259,519       $(68,789,746     $585,082,499         $10,624,903  
                       
MATTHEWS ASIA GROWTH FUND

 

             
Name of Issuer:                

Rozetta Corp.†

    $18,601,381       $—       $—       $—       $—       $—       516,600       $—  

Sampath Bank PLC†

    19,610,214             5,249,643                         13,125,953        
                       

Total Affiliates

          $—       $—       $—         $—  
                       
MATTHEWS PACIFIC TIGER FUND

 

             
Name of Issuer:                

DKSH Holding AG†

    $219,652,228       $—       $143,936,918       $—       $—       $—       1,509,437       $—  

Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co., Ltd. H Shares

    150,920,324             26,788,432       (3,738,866     (30,853,523     89,539,503       37,397,200        

Guotai Junan Securities Co., Ltd. H Shares†

    145,823,286             22,756,501                         66,072,000        

Orion Holdings Corp.

    86,931,374             27,054,024       (150,052,730     125,715,924       35,540,544       3,198,402        

Tata Power Co., Ltd.

    142,780,167             6,072,667       (31,184,529     (6,986,128     98,536,843       165,316,487        
                       

Total Affiliates

          $(184,976,125     $87,876,273       $223,616,890         $—  
                       
MATTHEWS EMERGING ASIA FUND

 

           
Name of Issuer:

 

             

PAK Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd.†

    $7,778,239       $—       $1,378,229       $—       $—       $—       3,845,400       $—  

Vietnam National Seed Group JSC

    4,375,315             364,804       (30,892     (1,275,061     2,704,558       996,222        
                       

Total Affiliates

          $(30,892     $(1,275,061     $2,704,558         $—  
                       
MATTHEWS INDIA FUND

 

             
Name of Issuer:                

VST Industries, Ltd.†

    $48,471,387       $—       $15,296,470       $—       $—       $—       495,531       $—  

 

Issuer was not an affiliated company as of June 30, 2020.

††

Includes stock split during the period.

 

8.

INCOME TAX INFORMATION

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 the six-month period ended June 30, 2020. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required.

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, 2019:

 

     

Late Year

Losses

 
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund      ($40,191
Matthews China Dividend Fund      (3,920,578
Matthews Asia Growth Fund      (1,542,268
Matthews Japan Fund      (10,705,586
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      (440,033

 

*

As permitted by the Internal Revenue Service, the Funds have elected to defer certain qualified late-year losses and recognize such losses in the next fiscal year.

As of December 31, 2019, the Funds have capital loss carryforwards available to offset future realized capital gains through the indicated expiration dates as follows:

 

     Amount With No Expiration           
      Short-term
Losses
       Long-term
Losses
       Total  
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund      $1,503,507          $—          $1,503,507  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      82,955,984                   82,955,984  
Matthews China Dividend Fund      1,827,665                   1,827,665  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      222,757          1,791,146          2,013,903  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      857,272          31,558,227          32,415,499  
Matthews China Fund      8,066,547          16,259,682          24,326,229  
Matthews Korea Fund      1,762,326          3,270,056          5,032,382  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund               453,542          453,542  

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.

As of June 30, 2020, the tax cost of investments, including derivatives, and the related net unrealized appreciation and depreciation were as follows:

 

     

Tax Cost

     Gross
Unrealized
Appreciation
     Gross
Unrealized
Depreciation
     Net Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 
Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund      $7,633,781        $1,023,155        ($28,944      $994,211  
Matthews Asia Total Return Bond Fund      98,733,723        2,079,944        (2,755,533      (675,589
Matthews Asia Credit Opportunities Fund      90,534,789        1,138,482        (3,668,679      (2,530,197
Matthews Asian Growth and Income Fund      1,091,046,650        215,396,202        (101,547,512      113,848,690  
Matthews Asia Dividend Fund      2,985,211,489        1,072,655,472        (237,631,279         835,024,193  
Matthews China Dividend Fund      271,873,614        65,579,901        (24,222,290      41,357,611  
Matthews Asia Value Fund      10,081,308        1,138,252        (1,633,859      (495,607
Matthews Asia Growth Fund      900,801,853        396,928,589        (43,760,119      353,168,470  
Matthews Pacific Tiger Fund      4,473,667,405        2,378,194,424        (304,681,976      2,073,512,448  
Matthews Asia ESG Fund      51,187,204        10,543,966        (7,314,120      3,229,846  
Matthews Emerging Asia Fund      190,194,927        13,159,517        (51,588,308      (38,428,791
Matthews Asia Innovators Fund      566,984,737        234,789,522        (5,760,459      229,029,063  
Matthews China Fund      852,018,151        208,818,622        (18,218,557      190,600,065  
Matthews India Fund      577,277,104        71,854,642        (115,868,840      (44,014,198
Matthews Japan Fund      1,114,042,321        307,930,964        (28,924,318      279,006,646  
Matthews Korea Fund      97,893,019        23,101,735        (9,590,609      13,511,126  
Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund      116,746,714        48,575,836        (3,263,944      45,311,892  
Matthews China Small Companies Fund      246,181,120        112,631,273        (2,225,645      110,405,628  

 

9.

PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RISKS:

Pandemics and other public health emergencies, including outbreaks of infectious diseases such as the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”), can result, and in the case of COVID-19 is resulting, in market volatility and disruption, and materially and adversely impact economic conditions in ways that cannot be predicted, all of which could result in substantial investment losses. Containment efforts and related restrictive actions by governments and businesses have significantly diminished and disrupted global economic activity across many industries. Less

 

156    MATTHEWS ASIA FUNDS


Table of Contents

Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)

 

developed countries and their health systems may be more vulnerable to these impacts. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 or other health emergencies on global economic conditions and businesses is impossible to predict accurately. Ongoing and potential additional material adverse economic effects of indeterminate duration and severity are possible. The resulting adverse impact on the value of investment in the Funds could be significant and prolonged.

 

10.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On August 6, 2020, the Board of Trustees of the Matthews International Funds (d/b/a Matthews Asia Funds) approved a proposal to close the Matthews Asia Value Fund (the “Value Fund”) to purchases and thereafter to liquidate the Value Fund. Accordingly, effective on August 25, 2020, the Value Fund no longer accepted purchase orders. On or about September 30, 2020 (the “Liquidation Date”), all of the assets of the Value Fund will be liquidated completely, the shares of any interest holders on the Liquidation Date will be redeemed at the NAV per share and the Value Fund will then be terminated as a series of the Trust.

 

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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 Post Office Square

Boston, MA 02110

 

ACCOUNT SERVICES

Matthews Asia Funds

P.O. Box 9791

Providence, RI 02940

800.789.ASIA

 

LEGAL COUNSEL

Paul Hastings LLP

101 California Street, 48th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

 

LOGO

 

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

 

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

 

LOGO

 

SAR-0620

 

158


Table of Contents
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 period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.


Table of Contents
Item 12.

Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

 

Item 13.

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.
   (a)(4)   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.


Table of Contents

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   

September 4, 2020

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   

September 4, 2020

By (Signature and Title)*   

Shai Malka

   Shai Malka, Treasurer
   (principal financial officer)
Date   

September 4, 2020

 

* 

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