Investment Advice
How We Evaluate Investment Strategies
To review investments, we utilize the RPAG Scorecard System MethodologyTM
The Scorecard System Methodology incorporates both quantitiative and qualitative factors to evaluate fund managers and their investment strategies. The primary purpose attempts to utilize a prudent practice to understand appropriateness in a plan's investment portfolio vs. an investment manager's good luck or manipulation.
Eighty percent of the fund’s score is quantitative (made up of eight unique factors), incorporating modern portfolio theory statistics, quadratic optimization analysis, and peer group rankings (among a few of the quantitative factors). The other twenty percent of the score is qualitative, taking into account things such as manager tenure, the fund’s expense ratio relative to the average fund expense ratio in that asset class category, and the fund’s strength of statistics (statistical significance). Other criteria that may be considered in the qualitative score includes the viability of the firm managing the assets, management or personnel issues at the firm, and/or whether there has been a change in direction of the fund’s stated investment strategy.
Combined, these factors are a way of measuring the relative performance, characteristics, behavior and overall appropriateness of a fund for inclusion into a plan as an investment option. General fund guidelines are shown in the “Scorecard Point System” table below. The Scorecard Point System is meant to be used in conjunction with our sample Investment Policy Statement, in order to help identify what strategies need to be discussed as a “watch-list” or removal candidate; what strategies continue to meet some minimum standards and continue to be appropriate; and/or identify new top-ranked strategies for inclusion into a plan.
Scorecard System Disclosures
Investment objectives and strategies vary among fund, and may not be similar for funds included in the same asset class.
All definitions are typical category representations. The specific share classes or accounts identified above may not be available or chosen by the plan. Share class and account availability is unique to the client's specific circumstances. There may be multiple share classes or accounts available to the client from which to choose. All recommendations are subject to vendor/provider approval before implementation into the plan. The performance data quoted may not reflect the deduction of additional fees, if applicable. If reflected, additional fees would reduce the performance quoted.
Performance data is subject to change without prior notice.
Performance of indexes reflects the unmanaged result for the market segment the selected stocks represent. Indexes are unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
The information used in the analysis has been taken from sources deemed to be reliable, including, third-party providers such as Markov Processes International, Morningstar, firms who manage the investments, and/or the retirement plan providers who offer the funds.
Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure completeness and accuracy; however, the final accuracy of the numbers and information is the responsibility of the
investment manager(s) of each fund and/or the retirement plan providers offering these funds. Discrepancies between the figures reported in this analysis, and those reported by the actual investment managers and/or retirement plan providers, may be caused by a variety of factors, including: Inaccurate reporting by the manager/provider; Changes in reporting by the manager/provider from the time this report was prepared to a subsequent retro-active audit and corrected reporting; Differences in fees and share-classes impacting net investment return; and, Scriveners error by your advisor in preparing this report.
The enclosed Investment Due Diligence report, including the Scorecard System, is intended for plan sponsor and/or institutional use only. The materials are not intended for participant use.
The purpose of this report is to assist fiduciaries in selecting and monitoring investment options. A fund’s score is meant to be used by the plan sponsor and/or fiduciaries as a tool for selecting the most appropriate fund.
Fund scores will change as the performance of the funds change and as certain factors measured in the qualitative category change (e.g., manager tenure). Fund scores are not expected to change dramatically from each measured period, however, there is no guarantee this will be the case. Scores will change depending on the changes in the underlying pre-specified Scorecard™ factors.
Neither past performance nor statistics calculated using past performance are guarantees of a fund’s future performance. Likewise, a fund’s score using the Scorecard System™ does not guarantee the future performance or style consistency of a fund.
This report was prepared with the belief that this information is relevant to the plan sponsor as the plan sponsor makes investment selections.
Fund selection is at the discretion of the investment fiduciaries, which are either the plan sponsor or the committee appointed to perform that function.
Cash Alternatives (e.g., money market fund) and some specialty funds are not scored by the Scorecard System.
The enclosed Investment Due Diligence report and Scorecard™ is not an offer to sell mutual funds. An offer to sell may be made only after the client has received and read the appropriate prospectus.
For the most current month-end performance, please contact your advisor.
The Strategy Review notes section is for informational purposes only. The views expressed here are those of your advisor and do not constitute an offer to sell an investment.
An offer to sell may be made only after the client has received and read the appropriate prospectus.
Carefully consider the investment objectives, risk factors and charges and expenses of the investment company before investing. This and other information can
be found in the fund’s prospectus, which may be obtained by contacting your Investment Advisor/Consultant or Vendor/Provider. Read the prospectus carefully
before investing.
For a copy of the most recent prospectus, please contact your Investment Advisor/Consultant or Vendor/Provider. 401k-2014-178 ACR#134928 02/15