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Quality factor explained by profitability: Robert Novy-Marx

Among academic classifications, and the subsequent implementation of factor investing, “quality” is one of the newer areas of investigation. Robert Novy-Marx, the Lori and Alan S. Zekelman Professor of Finance at the University of Rochester, is leading the charge on the academic justification of quality as a factor, although he has a “jaded scepticism” about […]
Amanda WhiteJune 10, 2015
Uncategorised posts

Factors the same in credit and equities

Robeco will launch the world’s first multi-factor credit fund, after academic research by its quantitative research team reveals that size, low-risk, value and momentum factors have economically meaningful and statistically significant risk-adjusted returns in the corporate bond market. David Blitz, co-head of quantitative strategies at Robeco in Rotterdam, tells Amanda White why an active approach makes […]
Amanda WhiteMay 7, 2015
Uncategorised posts

How to use smart beta

While smart beta is a much-talked about concept, implementation is slow. Part of the reluctance of investors is the risk of sustained underperformance, but that can be overcome by matching portfolio liquidity requirements with factor cycle duration. Amanda White speaks to Michael Hunstad, head of quantitative equity research, global equity management, at Northern Trust. Sustained […]
Amanda WhiteJanuary 28, 2015
Investor Profile

Japan’s GPIF allocates to smart beta

The $1.3 trillion Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan will use factor investing, or smart beta, as a third way of implementing equity mandates, alongside active and passive, following a six-month research project conducted by MSCI that investigated how to best implement the growing interest in factor exposures.   The research project conducted by MSCI […]
Amanda WhiteJuly 11, 2014
Editorial

Smart beta: where is the value?

I’ve been contemplating the “smart beta” wave the industry seems to be riding at the moment. Cynically, part of that contemplation asks whether there is any innovation at play or whether it’s simply the industry playing with nomenclature once again. The answer is confusing, for while I’d like to be able to write it off […]
Amanda WhiteFebruary 15, 2013
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