The problems volatility drag creates combined with the research that says low volatility investing has some merit should make investors consider
adding low volatility strategies for at least a part of their portfolio.
One of the main drivers of this exposure stems from the bond - like characteristics of sectors usually favored
by low volatility strategies, such as utilities and consumer staples.
It is well established that
low volatility strategies deliver higher risk - adjusted returns than the broad - based, market - cap - weighted benchmark over a long - term investment horizon.
That critique misses the mark because the objective
of low volatility strategies is not to capture all of the upside in a bull market, but rather to perform less...
Renewed interest
in low volatility strategies has led to higher demand for low volatility stocks, and high demand for low volatility stocks could conceivably eradicate the return premium once and for all.
The interest rate - sensitivity of the Low Volatility factor has increased in recent years Mainly due to the sectoral biases from the long portfolio Sector - neutrality reduces the interest rate - sensitivity, albeit at the cost of performance
INTRODUCTION Low Volatility strategies have become popular
To the roster of smart beta strategies, at the request of some of the readers of the first article, we add a dividend - weighted strategy and a fundamentals -
weighted low volatility strategy; both of these strategies command many billions in AUM.6 (Click here for a full description of the simulation methodology used for factors and smart betas.)
DRS
vs. Low Volatility Strategies Button Text Strategy Comparison Series One of the new strategies attracting attention and assets these days is «low volatility» investing.
Low volatility strategies tend to go down less than the market, thereby offering downside protection while providing a degree of upside participation in an up market.
One of the objectives
of low volatility strategies is to provide higher risk - adjusted returns than their respective benchmarks over the long run, primarily by reducing drawdowns during market downturns.
With innovative solutions like the new TD Risk Managed Equity Funds, TD Retirement Portfolios, and TD Low Volatility Funds, investors have the potential for both, from a leader
in low volatility strategies, TD Asset Management.
A new index fund from the exchange traded fund offering of PowerShares Global Funds combining a dividend and
low volatility strategy has launched on Xetra and Börse Frankfurt.
The Schroder Fixed Income Fund is an actively managed,
low volatility strategy that invests in a range of domestic and international fixed income assets with the objective of outperforming the Bloomberg AusBond Composite 0 + Yr Index1, whilst delivering stable absolute returns over time.
It comes as no surprise that
low volatility strategies have outperformed in this environment.
The success of
the low volatility strategy prompts the question of whether the low volatility effect exists in other asset classes or sectors.
We asked him about
his low volatility strategy and here's what he had to say.
As with other
low volatility strategies, we would counsel against extrapolating the past alpha of any low volatility strategy, including our own.
Low beta or
low volatility strategies have lower absolute risk than the market, but typically come at the cost of higher relative risk and low vol strategies tend to have higher tracking error, which represents the risk that the strategy deviates from the market for extended periods of time.
If the goal is to outperform the benchmark, then simply choosing between a quality, value, momentum, or
low volatility strategy may present the biggest risk.
This is
a low volatility strategy.
Since the fund's inception the performance of a «
low volatility strategy» has noticeably outperformed the S&P 500.
These funds claim to offer the returns of stock index funds, with the protection of
a low volatility strategy.
The conclusions from the research are: a)
Low volatility strategies produce better risk - adjusted returns over the long run b) In up - trending markets, the low volatility strategies will not perform as well compared to the market c) The effectiveness of the low volatility applies on a global scale
An international stock fund that combines the high active share and
low volatility strategies of multiple managers.
Both high dividend and
low volatility strategies have generally provided historical downside protection in volatile markets.
While it seems counterintuitive,
lower volatility strategies have actually outperformed the market over the long term.