The Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund (FBDIX) is a mutual fund from Franklin Templeton Investments that focuses on companies that are involved in biotechnology and drug discovery. As of October 28, 2014, the fund has $1.6 billion in assets under management (AUM).
As biotechnology stocks continue to rally, we have decided to dig into this fund’s details this week.
Inside the Fund
The Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund is currently managed by Franklin Advisors Evan McCulloch (since 1997) and Jerel A. Banks (since 2012).
Year-to-date, the fund is up about 26%, which is in-line with the NASDAQ Biotechnology index. This fund has 100% of its holdings in the healthcare sector. The fund’s holdings range from micro to giant sized. The majority of these holdings are U.S.-based stocks.
Historical Performance
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.28% | 8.35% | 29.35% | 68.64% | 26% |
Franklin Biotechnology Discovery Fund’s Largest Holdings
The fund’s top five holdings account for over 33% of its portfolio. Excluding BIIB, all of its top holdings have rallied over the last three months.
| Symbol | Stock | Portfolio Weight | 3 Month Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CELG | Celgene Corp | 9.44% | +20.26% |
| GILD | Gilead Sciences | 8.44% | +23.56% |
| BIIB | Biogen | 7.32% | -6.14% |
| AMGN | Amgen | 5.08% | +26.81% |
| MDVN | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals | 3.08% | +32.67% |
The Bottom Line
After the collapse of the biotechnology stocks last spring, the industry has been surging. This fund is a great way to gain exposure to this industry without buying individual stocks.
