Chris Davis
| Chris Davis | |
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Investment manager, portfolio manager |
| Title | Chairman and Portfolio Manager |
| Employer | Davis Advisors |
| Known for | Chairman of Davis Advisors, value investing, Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF (DUSA) |
Chris Davis is an American investment manager and value investor who serves as chairman of Davis Advisors, an independent, employee-owned investment management firm. He is also the portfolio manager of the Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF (ticker: DUSA), an exchange-traded fund that surpassed $1 billion in assets under management in February 2026. Davis is a prominent figure in the value investing community, carrying forward a multigenerational family tradition in investment management. His firm, Davis Advisors, maintains a long-standing focus on value investing principles, emphasizing the careful selection of durable businesses trading at attractive valuations. Davis has appeared regularly on financial media outlets including Bloomberg Television, where he discusses market conditions, the case for active management, and the performance of value-oriented investment strategies relative to broader market benchmarks.[1][2]
Career
Davis Advisors
Chris Davis serves as chairman and portfolio manager of Davis Advisors, which the firm describes as an independent, employee-owned investment management company.[2] The firm has a long-standing focus on value investing, a discipline rooted in the fundamental analysis of companies and the acquisition of securities at prices below their estimated intrinsic value. Davis Advisors operates in the tradition of a multigenerational investment management family, and under Davis's leadership, the firm has continued to apply a research-intensive, long-term-oriented approach to equity selection.
As chairman, Davis oversees the firm's investment philosophy and strategy. Davis Advisors manages assets across multiple investment vehicles, including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, with a consistent emphasis on identifying companies with durable competitive advantages, strong management teams, and favorable long-term growth prospects available at reasonable prices.[2]
Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF (DUSA)
One of the most prominent products managed by Chris Davis is the Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF, which trades on public exchanges under the ticker symbol DUSA. Davis serves as the portfolio manager of this fund, which applies the firm's value-oriented investment methodology in an ETF structure.[1]
In February 2026, the Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF reached a significant milestone when it surpassed $1 billion in assets under management. The announcement was made by Davis Advisors on February 20, 2026, via Business Wire. The achievement marked a notable point in the fund's growth trajectory, reflecting investor demand for actively managed, value-focused ETF strategies.[2]
The milestone was reached during a period in which active management and value investing strategies were outperforming certain market benchmarks. In a February 2026 appearance on Bloomberg ETF IQ, Davis discussed the dynamics behind the outperformance of active and value-oriented strategies. His commentary addressed the broader investment landscape and the positioning of DUSA relative to passive and growth-oriented alternatives.[1]
Investment Philosophy
Davis's investment philosophy is rooted in the value investing tradition. As articulated through his public appearances and the stated principles of Davis Advisors, the approach emphasizes fundamental research, long-term holding periods, and a focus on businesses that possess durable competitive advantages. The firm describes itself as having a "long-standing focus on value," which underpins the selection criteria for securities included in the portfolios Davis manages.[2]
In his February 2026 Bloomberg interview, Davis discussed the performance of active and value strategies in the current market environment, noting periods in which such strategies have outperformed broader indices. His public commentary reflects a consistent advocacy for disciplined, research-driven investing as an alternative to passive index-tracking approaches.[1]
The firm's employee-owned structure is also a notable aspect of its organizational philosophy. Davis Advisors has emphasized its independence and employee ownership as factors that align the interests of the firm's investment professionals with those of its clients. This structure is intended to promote long-term thinking and reduce conflicts of interest that can arise in larger, publicly traded asset management companies.[2]
Media Appearances
Chris Davis has maintained a regular presence in financial media, providing commentary on markets, investment strategy, and the case for value investing. He has appeared on Bloomberg Television, including the program Bloomberg ETF IQ, where he has discussed topics ranging from fund performance to broader macroeconomic trends and their implications for equity investors.[1]
His February 23, 2026, appearance on Bloomberg focused on the outperformance of active and value-oriented investment strategies. During the segment, Davis discussed the performance of DUSA and the factors contributing to renewed investor interest in value investing and actively managed ETFs. Such appearances serve both as commentary on market conditions and as public explanations of the investment rationale underlying Davis Advisors' approach.[1]
Recognition
The surpassing of $1 billion in assets under management by the Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF in February 2026 represented a significant professional milestone for Chris Davis and Davis Advisors. The achievement was reported through a Business Wire press release and subsequently covered in financial media, reflecting the fund's growing profile among investors seeking actively managed, value-oriented strategies.[2]
Davis's invitation to appear on Bloomberg Television's ETF IQ program in February 2026 further underscored his standing within the investment management community. The segment focused on the outperformance of active and value strategies, positioning Davis as a spokesperson for the value investing discipline during a period of heightened interest in alternatives to passive index investing.[1]
The firm's independent and employee-owned structure has also drawn attention as a distinguishing characteristic in an industry increasingly dominated by large, publicly held asset management conglomerates. Davis Advisors' model, with its emphasis on alignment of interests between investment professionals and clients, has been cited as a factor in the firm's ability to maintain a consistent investment philosophy over multiple market cycles.[2]
Legacy
Chris Davis represents the continuation of a multigenerational tradition in value investing and investment management through the Davis family's involvement in the financial industry. Davis Advisors, under his chairmanship, has maintained its identity as an independent, employee-owned firm committed to fundamental, research-driven value investing — an approach that stands in contrast to the trend toward passive index investing that has characterized much of the asset management industry in recent decades.[2]
The growth of the Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF to over $1 billion in assets under management by early 2026 suggests a sustained and potentially growing appetite among investors for actively managed value strategies, particularly in periods when such approaches demonstrate competitive performance relative to passive alternatives. Davis's role in managing this fund and advocating for value investing through public media appearances has contributed to ongoing discussions within the investment community about the merits of active versus passive management and the enduring relevance of value investing as a discipline.[1][2]
As chairman of an employee-owned firm, Davis has also contributed to a model of investment management that prioritizes long-term alignment between portfolio managers and investors. This organizational structure, while not unique, distinguishes Davis Advisors from many of its larger competitors and reflects the firm's broader philosophical commitment to patient, long-horizon investing.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Watch Active, Value Outperforming: Chris Davis".Bloomberg.2026-02-23.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2026-02-23/active-value-outperforming-chris-davis-video.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 "Davis Select U.S. Equity ETF (DUSA) Surpasses $1 Billion in Assets".Business Wire.2026-02-20.https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260220219209/en/Davis-Select-U.S.-Equity-ETF-DUSA-Surpasses-%241-Billion-in-Assets.Retrieved 2026-02-24.