We think your investment portfolio should be built to achieve the returns you need to attain your goals. Because of this, we do not practice “get rich quick” strategies like stock picking or market timing. Rather, we design your portfolio using a consistent investment approach based on financial science and grounded in real-world results.
How We Build Asset Class Investing Portfolios
There are four key concepts that play a vital role in the construction and management of our portfolios.
Let Markets Work for You
Instead of trying to beat the market, let the long-term growth potential of markets around the world work for you. Over time, stocks have significantly outperformed inflation—as well as bonds. Yet most active money managers have consistently failed to perform. That is why we use only strategic asset class investments, which let markets work for you by focusing on delivering market returns.
Put Science on Your Side
Financial science gives us the knowledge and tools to address the “investment problem.” We design portfolios with focused exposure to key factors of returns, such as company size, relative price (value), profitability, and momentum. This factor exposure largely determines a portfolio’s risk and return, and we work with you to determine how much exposure to these factors is right for you.
Manage Risks
Risk can’t be eliminated, but it can be managed—even potentially reduced—through a prudent approach. That is why we diversify globally and invest in thousands of securities to reduce company-specific risk. It is also why we combine asset classes that respond differently to various market conditions and why we invest in high-quality, short-term bonds to provide income and help smooth out dramatic ups and downs.
Invest for the Long Term
A long-term perspective is one of the most important ingredients of portfolio success. But the powerful emotions we experience when markets move up and down can get in our way. That is why we incorporate the latest behavioral research to help you make better decisions and stay on track. We also rebalance your portfolio periodically to keep it aligned with your goals.
A Philosophy Based on Nine Decades of Research
Investment philosophies based on the work of leading academics, including Nobel Laureate Dr. Harry Markowitz and behavioral finance pioneer Dr. Meir Statman. Our philosophy is based on the idea that rather than try to beat the market, we will let the long-term growth potential of the markets around the world work for you.
Over time, stocks have significantly outperformed inflation—as well as bonds. Yet most active money managers (i.e., stock pickers) have failed to outperform. That is why we use strategic, diversified asset class investments, which let the markets work on behalf of your goals.
Let’s take the following example:
History shows that $1 invested in the stock market in 1927 would have returned $5,105 by the end of 2016. That’s without you doing anything but letting the power of free markets work for you.
We utilize portfolios such as the DFA Global Portfolio Series to put the broad-based power of global markets to help achieve your goals. With as many as 10,000 securities from 45 countries, the Global Portfolio Series offers broad global diversification.
By utilizing such diversified portfolios, we help minimize your risk on the downside of the market while capturing gains on the market’s upside. In addition to our DFA series, advised by noted institutional manager Dimensional Fund Advisors, we also offer the SA Fund Series, which is sub-advised by DFA and offers an innovative bundled-fee approach.
Our Investment and Portfolio Models and 9 Asset Classes
Defensive Model (25% Stocks/75% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to provide capital preservation by investing in a portfolio of primarily bonds. It is designed for those who have a substantially lower tolerance for portfolio fluctuations. The investment time horizon is typically three years or more.
Conservative Model (40% Stocks/60% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to provide capital preservation and limited growth by investing in a portfolio of primarily bonds with some stocks. It is designed for those who have a lower tolerance for portfolio fluctuations. The investment time horizon is typically three to five years or more.
Balanced Model (50% Stocks/50% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to provide a balance between capital preservation and growth. It is designed for those who have an average tolerance for portfolio fluctuations. The investment time horizon is typically five to 10 years or more.
Moderate Model (65% Stocks/35% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to provide some long-term growth by investing in both bonds and a greater allocation to stocks. It is designed for those who have a moderate tolerance for portfolio fluctuations. The investment time horizon is typically 10 to 15 years or more.
Moderate Growth Model (75% Stocks/25% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to provide moderate long-term growth. It is designed for those seeking growth and willing to assume a higher level of risk. These investors should have a long-term investment horizon and be able to withstand regular fluctuations in portfolio value. The investment time horizon is typically 10 to 20 years or greater.
Capital Appreciation Model (85% Stocks/15% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to provide long-term growth. It is designed for those interested in maximizing growth potential and willing to assume a higher level of risk to potentially achieve greater returns. These investors should have a long-term investment horizon and be able to withstand significant fluctuations in portfolio value. The investment time horizon is typically 15 to 20 years or more.
Equity Model (98% Stocks/2% Bonds)
The objective of this portfolio is to maximize long-term growth potential. It is designed for those willing to assume a higher level of risk to potentially achieve greater returns. These investors should have a long-term investment horizon and be able to withstand sizable fluctuations in portfolio value. The investment time horizon is typically 20 years or more.