Tekla Life Sciences Investors

Frequently Asked Questions About HQL

What does HQL invest in?

Tekla Life Sciences Investors, a closed-ended equity mutual fund, is expertly managed by Tekla Capital Management LLC. This U.S.-domiciled fund, which commenced operations on February 20, 1992, and was formerly known as H&Q Life Sciences Investors, seeks investment opportunities in publicly traded companies worldwide. Its primary focus lies within the broad life sciences sector, encompassing a diverse range of industries such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, managed healthcare, medical equipment, hospitals, healthcare information technology and services, and medical devices and supplies. The fund also extends its investment purview to include the agriculture and environmental management sectors. It predominantly allocates capital to growth-oriented businesses, particularly those with small market capitalizations. Investment decisions are rooted in rigorous fundamental analysis, which assesses critical factors like a company's market position for its offerings, the acumen of its management team, its technological prowess, and its capability to either self-finance expansion or attract external funding to build its portfolio. The fund's performance is gauged against two key benchmarks: the NASDAQ Biotech Index and the S&P 500 Index.

What is the expense ratio of HQL?

Tekla Life Sciences Investors (HQL) charges an expense ratio of 1.24%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations.

How big is HQL?

Tekla Life Sciences Investors (HQL) manages $539.1M in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation.

Is HQL actively managed or an index fund?

HQL is a passive index fund. It tracks a published benchmark by holding the constituents in their published weights. Index funds typically charge low expense ratios (HQL's is 1.24%) because there's no security selection cost.

When was HQL launched?

Tekla Life Sciences Investors (HQL) launched in May 1992 and is managed by the fund issuer.

How has HQL performed?

HQL's total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon.