Insights

Liability-Hedging Handbook: A Guide to Best Practices for US Pension Plans

For many pension plans, investment strategy is often structured with a liability-hedging portfolio and a growth portfolio, with the weight and composition of each determined by a strategic asset allocation or a de-risking glidepath. Within this overall structure, the construction and calibration of the liability-hedging portfolio is integral to effective pension asset management. This report […]

April 2018

Is it Time to Sell Energy MLPs?

We don’t think so. Investors with allocations to energy MLPs (master limited partnerships) may want to maintain existing allocations, despite their recent poor performance and the proposed regulatory changes impacting interstate pipelines.

March 2018

Are Inflationary Pressures in the United States Building?

Yes. Inflationary pressures in the United States appear to be building, as positively trending wages, expansionary fiscal policies, and protectionist trade barriers feed into a humming economy.

March 2018

Should US Equity Investors Fret About Rising Yields?

Not in the near term. The current environment of rising, but low, interest rates accompanied by strong earnings growth expectations is supportive for equities.

March 2018

Should Investors Be Concerned that the Number of Listed US Stocks Has Dropped by Half Since 1996?

No. The US public equity market remains the largest and most liquid in the world and continues to offer a robust opportunity set for investors.

February 2018

Distressed Debt: A New Way to Categorize Managers

As the economic cycle progresses, the next recession draws inexorably closer, bringing with it the next downturn in the credit cycle. Recognizing this, institutional investors are increasingly considering allocations to distressed debt managers. While lumping all distressed managers into one group is tempting, different managers have meaningfully different approaches that are not captured by considerations […]

February 2018

With the Recent Surge in Volatility, Should Investors Modify Their Asset Allocation or Exit Systematic Strategies

No, most investors should sit tight. The persistence of strong corporate and macroeconomic fundamentals in the face of the recent sell-off and spike in volatility strongly suggests that the duration of the market rout should be limited.

February 2018

Is the Environment for Active Management Improving?

We are asked this question on a regular basis, but believe it is fundamentally the wrong question for investors to ask if they are seeking to outperform the market over the long term.

February 2018