Investment in quality shares.
The ERSTE EQUITY RESEARCH fund aims to identify the most successful companies and combine them in a concentrated portfolio. With this fund you can rely on the know-how and experience of the equity specialists in the Erste Group. The fund invests in so-called quality stocks. These are shares in companies that have sound finances, profitable and stable business models and positive growth prospects. The aim of the stock selection process is to generate above-average capital growth of the equity investments over the long term.
Please note that investing in securities entails risks as well as the opportunities described above.
Quality shares as an investment strategy

Opportunity for value appreciation
Your money is invested in promising sectors.

Quality shares
You invest in a concentrated portfolio consisting of quality shares.
Broad diversification
Risk diversification through broad diversification across several countries and sectors.
Price fluctuations
The price of the fund can fluctuate significantly due to various influencing factors.
Exchange rate changes
Due to the investment in foreign currencies, the fund value may be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates.
Capital loss possible
Capital loss is a possible consequence of investing in the stock market.
Invest in quality shares.
Invest your money in companies with sound finances, profitable and stable business models and positive growth prospects.
Investing in future-oriented themes.
This fund focuses on future-oriented sectors and high-growth companies.
*When you click on "Buy funds" or "Open s Funds Plan", you will be redirected to George, Austria's most modern banking service..
Why invest in shares?
In the long term, shares are one of the most profitable asset classes on the capital market. However, high returns naturally also come with higher risk. While successful companies report rising share prices, the opposite is true for losers.
Therefore, in addition to the decision to invest in shares, the way in which you invest is also decisive for the success of your investment.
Which companies are invested in?
Here you will find a description of 7 selected companies in which ERSTE EQUITY RESEARCH is currently invested.
The companies listed have been selected as examples and do not constitute an investment recommendation. There is no guarantee that the securities will be permanently included in the portfolio.
Alphabet
Alphabet is certainly better known to many investors as Google. In October 2015, the search engine provider separated its web activities from its other businesses and combined all business units under one holding company umbrella. This will allow the individual parts of the company, such as the web business (still under the name Google) or the development of self-driving cars and solutions in the field of artificial intelligence, to operate more independently as individual subsidiaries.
In November 2018, Christine Antlanger-Winter became the new head of Google Austria. The manager wants to strengthen partnerships with business, media and society and place a stronger focus on the areas of machine learning and the cloud in particular. Alphabet generated revenue of 39.3 billion US dollars (34.3 billion euros) in the 2018 financial year and employed almost 99,000 people worldwide.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com is known as an online retailer that generates the majority of its revenue from e-commerce sales. Of its total turnover, which amounted to around 232.9 billion US dollars (203.1 billion euros) in the 2018 financial year, slightly more than half actually comes from the traditional e-commerce business. However, the US company, which employs around 647,500 people worldwide, also has other important divisions, such as cloud computing, video streaming, e-book readers and tablets, book publishing, Alexa voice technology and associated devices, as well as advertising. The biggest growth drivers are currently the cloud services grouped under the name “Amazon Web Services” and online advertising. In February 2019, Amazon.com opened its first distribution center in Austria in Großebersdorf, Lower Austria. It supplies the greater Vienna area, among others, from there.
Apple
There is no doubt that Apple has created one of the biggest bestsellers ever with the iPhone. Around 1.5 billion iPhones have been sold worldwide since the smartphone was launched in 2007. The number of current iPhone users worldwide is estimated at around 900 million - and rising. According to the Mobile Communications Report, Apple has a market share of just over 20 percent in Austria. The Cupertino, California-based company generates the majority of its revenue with the iPhone: of the 265.6 billion US dollars (228.9 billion euros) that went through the books in the 2018 financial year, almost 62.8% came from iPhone sales. Apple also develops and sells computers, consumer electronics, operating systems and application software. To reduce its dependence on the iPhone, Apple has launched numerous new products in recent years, such as the Apple Watch and services such as the Apple Music music service and the Apple Pay payment service. The company employees around 132,000 people worldwide.
Microsoft
Microsoft regularly appears at the top of the rankings of the world's most valuable brands. No wonder: the company's products are well known around the globe. The US company has a market share of more than 80 percent for computer operating systems - a lucrative business. Despite competition from smartphones and tablets, well over 200 million computers are still sold worldwide every year. Microsoft's office software package “Office” is almost as well-known. The Group also has products for the entertainment and service industries, such as the Xbox games console and the Outlook.com email service.
The current growth driver is the cloud business with IT services on the internet. Microsoft generated revenue of 110.4 billion US dollars (96.3 billion euros) in 2018 and employs around 135,000 people worldwide. The company has had its own branch office in Vienna since 1991, developing the Austrian market together with more than 5,500 domestic partner companies.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading global streaming service that is available in over 190 countries and has more than 300 million paying members. The company offers a wide range of TV series, films and games in various genres and languages. Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph as a DVD rental service by post. In 2007, the company entered the streaming business and began producing its own content in 2011. The company is headquartered in Los Gatos, California, and is led by co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos. In 2024, Netflix generated revenue of 39 billion US dollars and employed around 14,000 people.
Uber
Uber is a leading global technology company founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company offers a platform for various services, including ride hailing, food delivery and freight transportation. In 2023, Uber achieved a turnover of around 37.3 billion US dollars. The company employed around 30,400 people worldwide in around 70 countries that year.
The platform recorded 161 million monthly active users in the third quarter of 2024. Gross bookings, which reflect the total value of transactions processed via the platform, amounted to USD 41 billion in this quarter.
VISA
Visa Inc. is a global leader in digital payments headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company facilitates electronic transactions in over 200 countries and territories and offers products such as credit, debit and prepaid cards. In the 2024 financial year, Visa generated revenue of USD 35.9 billion and processed 233.8 billion transactions with a payment volume of USD 13.2 trillion. The company employs around 31,600 people in more than 80 countries. The company is led by CEO Ryan Mclerney.
Visa operates one of the world's most advanced telecommunications and computer networks, capable of processing over 65,000 transactions per second. This network connects all Visa members, acceptance points and numerous ATMs worldwide.
Chances and risks
Disclaimer
This document is an advertisement. Please refer to the prospectus of the UCITS or to the Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG of the alternative investment fund and the Key Information Document before making any final investment decisions. Unless indicated otherwise, source: Erste Asset Management GmbH. Our languages of communication are German and English.
The prospectus for UCITS (including any amendments) is published in accordance with the provisions of the InvFG 2011 in the currently amended version. Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG is prepared for the alternative investment funds (AIF) administered by Erste Asset Management GmbH pursuant to the provisions of the AIFMG in connection with the InvFG 2011. The fund prospectus, Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG, and the Key Information Document can be viewed in their latest versions at the website www.erste-am.com within the section mandatory publications or obtained in their latest versions free of charge from the domicile of the management company and the domicile of the custodian bank. The exact date of the most recent publication of the fund prospectus, the languages in which the Key Information Document is available, and any additional locations where the documents can be obtained can be viewed on the website www.erste-am.com. A summary of investor rights is available in German and English on the website www.erste-am.com/investor-rights as well as at the domicile of the management company.
The management company can decide to revoke the arrangements it has made for the distribution of unit certificates abroad, taking into account the regulatory requirements.
Detailed information on the risks potentially associated with the investment can be found in the fund prospectus or Information for investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG of the respective fund. If the fund currency is a currency other than the investor's home currency, changes in the corresponding exchange rate may have a positive or negative impact on the value of his investment and the amount of the costs incurred in the fund - converted into his home currency.
Our analyses and conclusions are general in nature and do not take into account the individual needs of our investors in terms of earnings, taxation, and risk appetite. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of the future performance of a fund.
Further information
Market outlook 2025
What opportunities and challenges we can expect for next year
What characterizes a quality share?
What characterizes a quality share and how can quality be defined for shares?
The four seasons
When should I buy equities, Bitcoin, or gold?
Contact
Do you have questions or would like to get more information?
Your advisor at Erste Bank or Sparkasse is happy to help you.