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Investing Ideas
Whitepaper: The Case for CLOs
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Key Takeaways
- CLOs offer portfolios of floating-rate bank loans securitized across the rating spectrum. The availability of floating-rate bonds is limited in the U.S., and the choices for high quality floating-rate securities is even more limited, yet around 80% of CLOs carry a credit rating from A to AAA.
- Relative to the investment-grade corporate credit market, CLOs have offered a consistent yield premium across the rating spectrum, in some cases as much as two times the yield offered over U.S. Treasuries.
- In an environment where interest rates are low and the risk of higher Treasury yields has risen, allocations to AAA rated CLOs may help investors diversify a traditional fixed income portfolio, offering lower volatility, higher credit-quality and less sensitivity to any rise in interest rates.
Investing Ideas
A Potential Turning Point in the Battle Against COVID-19
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Delivering better-than-expected trial data, a vaccine candidate from Pfizer and BioNTech could mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic and boost confidence in an economic recovery, now underway.
Investing Ideas
Evaluating Stocks as Growth Continues to Grow
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Portfolio Manager Doug Rao discusses the phenomenon of concentrated market leadership and what that means for long-term investors.
Key Takeaways
- When market returns are driven by a handful of stocks, active investors face difficult decisions, especially when underweighting or not owning these stocks may significantly impact portfolio performance.
- The recent phenomenon of large-cap tech stocks driving a significant portion of stock market gains may be justified by the fact that these companies are strongly tied to themes related to digital disruption.
- Investors may benefit from focusing on competitively advantaged companies positioned to profit from these themes, which have only accelerated amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are likely to persist over the coming months and years.
Investing Ideas
Sustainable Design in Consumer Products
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An in-depth look at the role of sustainability in consumer products.
Key Takeaways:
- The apparel sector is well known for its detrimental effects on the environment. However, as consumers become more aware of their own environmental footprints, there has been a surge in demand for sustainable goods.
- A circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.
- Companies including Nike, Adidas and DS Smith have incorporated a circular approach to the design and production of their goods, creating durable and long-lasting products with a reduced environmental footprint.
Retirement
Marching to a Million: How to Keep Financial Goals on Track When Starting a New Job
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As employment in the U.S. begins to recover following the devastating job losses incurred during the first few months of the pandemic, some younger adults are now seeing their job searches bear fruit. In the second of a two-part series, Retirement Director Ben Rizzuto outlines three steps to help those who have recently started new careers stay on track to their long-term financial goals.
Retirement
Marching to a Million: How to Navigate the Post-COVID Job Market
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While the U.S. job market is slowly recovering from the soaring unemployment rates seen in April and May, it remains an exceptionally challenging environment – particularly for young adults who were preparing to enter the workforce just as COVID hit. In the first of a two-part blog post, Retirement Director Ben Rizzuto offers actionable strategies for young adults who may find their career prospects dimmed in today’s job market.
Client Experience
Three Ways to Retain Clients during a Crisis
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Tips for Strengthening Client Relationships
Client Experience
The Pain Index - A Better Measure of Risk
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Conversations with investors about risk is often muddled with industry jargon they often find unrelatable. Redefine the risk conversation to better align with the way investors think about risk-- the pain of losing money.