Portfolio Consulting

Sharpe-Weighting: An Alternative Portfolio Construction Technique

Weighting portfolio assets based on their Sharpe ratios may be a good alternative to mean-variance optimization to help optimize risk efficiency.

Portfolio Rebalancing in Uncertain Times

Periodic rebalancing is necessary to maintain an investor’s target risk profile, but it’s important to understand the costs and benefits.

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Equity Diversification for the Next Selloff

With their yields near all-time lows, Treasuries may no longer provide reliable diversification for equities in the next crisis. What else might work?

Choosing an Optimal Target Date Solution

Balancing performance, fees, investment processes, and equity allocation parameters is key to evaluating target date fund managers.

Portfolio Defense: Value, Growth, or Neither?

Analysis of 20-year returns suggests that sector diversification may be a more effective defensive strategy than favoring growth or value equity styles.

Valuations and Fundamentals: A Historical Perspective

While P/E ratios are still close to their historic highs, equities remain attractive when adjusting for interest rates and a different fundamental backdrop.

Opportune Time to Revisit REITs

REITs can provide a diversified source of income, an inflation hedge and growth potential – but they are often missing from investor portfolios.

The Art – and Science – of Building Better Model Portfolios

As financial professionals are growing more sophisticated in their use of models, they are raising the bar for portfolio providers.

  • December 6, 2021
The Curious Case for Carbon

Carbon allowances, as a tradeable commodity, may offer investors potential opportunities for diversification, hedging, and enhanced returns.

Have You Seen the Writing on the Wall of Worry: Outlook 2022

Growth catalysts, favorability of US equities, inflation’s path, and fixed income hurdles and highlights are explored by our investment experts.

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From the Consultant’s Desk: Reframing the Growth vs. Value Debate

Our consultants explain why defensive and cyclical sectors may be a better way to diversify an equity portfolio than the traditional growth/value framework.

  • November 29, 2021
Tactical Asset Allocation for Offense and Defense

Tactical asset allocation strategies can add value and improve returns, but they can also be difficult to execute and evaluate. Here’s what to look for.

Portfolio Construction with ESG: Buy, Renovate or Build?

Learn about three ways to create an investment portfolio with an ESG (environmental, social, governance) focus.

The Shift from Growth & Value to Business Cycle Investing

Evaluating equity exposures in the context of their response to the business cycle can lead to better portfolio construction.

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Models Are Moving Mainstream

What’s behind the growing popularity of model portfolios and innovative strategies now available are explored.

  • October 22, 2021
How Should You Rebalance a Simple Portfolio?

Our research suggests that using asset thresholds rather than a calendar-based schedule provides better outcomes.

Using Factor Analysis to Build Better Portfolios

Identifying a portfolio’s risk factors – the underlying investment exposures that drive returns – is a critical step in the asset allocation process.

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From the Consultant’s Desk: 4 Trends Dominating Advisor Portfolios

Portfolio consultants discuss record high equity allocations, economic cycle dynamics, and the growing popularity of alternatives and model portfolios.

7 Back-to-School Market Lessons For Investors

Big risks, macroeconomic factors, and fall happenings investors should consider through the end of 2021 are examined.

Institutional Investment Trends Midyear 2021

In a strong equity market, institutions are rebalancing into fixed income and looking for opportunities to outsource certain investment management functions.

Natixis Investment Managers Solutions Investment Committee Overview

Learn about the committee that provides capital market views and asset allocation guidance for consulting clients and tactical model portfolios.

  • August 10, 2021
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CE Credit: Deep Dive into Model Portfolio Construction

Overviews the range of model portfolio construction methodologies with a focus on their strengths and weaknesses.

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From the Consultant’s Desk: What’s happening under the surface?

Consultants discuss how the growing divergence in the equity market has affected portfolio allocations – and highlight sectors advisors may have missed.

Cryptocurrency Series: Halving Cycles – Understanding Bitcoin Price Fluctuations

Introduction to Bitcoin, including the mining process, the impact of “halving cycles” on pricing trends, and price performance since 2010.

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Vaughan Nelson Select: Why, How, What

Equity Analyst Adam Rich talks about how Vaughan Nelson Select takes a concentrated, active approach to equity opportunities.

  • May 14, 2021
A Client-Centric View of Managed Models

Ways clients benefit from managed models, and how best to communicate to clients why you made the shift, are outlined by Gregory V. Kanarian, CFA®.

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From the Consultant’s Desk: 10 Trends in 2020

From the growth vs. value divide to the profusion of unicorns and the struggle to find yield, financial professionals had their hands full in 2020.

5 Investment Trends in US Advisor Portfolios – Spring 2021

Recent trends show increasing growth style bias, higher emerging market allocations and focus on quality fixed income holdings in moderate portfolios.

Five Institutional Investment Trends to Watch

Recent trends include cash deployment, sustainable investment screening, and muni debt issuance by colleges and universities.

Carry Trade on Student Loans?

The CARES Act provision deferring payments on federal student loans – and lowering rates to 0% – may offer an opportunity for clients with student debt.

Investment Idea for Student Debt

Deferred payments and 0% interest on federal student debt from the CARES Act may spell opportunity for investors with monthly loan payments.

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From the Consultant’s Desk: The Year of the Barbell Portfolio

In a difficult year, financial advisors favored US growth stocks and high quality bonds in their model portfolios – but missed out on some top performing asset classes.

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Institutional Investment Trends During the Covid Market

Six institutional asset allocation and investment trends derived from data analyzed by Natixis Investment Managers Solutions consultants.

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Asset Allocation Trends During the COVID Market

Key trends derived from in-depth analysis of model portfolios by Natixis Investment Managers Solutions consultants.