Study accounts for TIPS, alternatives

PERS logoThe effects of adding TIPS and alternatives to the existing asset mix are being explored in an asset liability analysis conducted for the $53 billion Oregon Public Employees Retirement System by Strategic Investment Solutions.

A presentation from SIS, which looked at five new asset allocation scenarios adding a 5 per cent alternatives allocation, and between a 0.1 per cent and 11.4 per cent allocation to TIPS, showed all except the most conservative mix achieved the actuarial return without accounting for alpha.

Further, reducing the total equities allocation by nearly 10 per cent, achieved through halving public equities and slightly increasing private equities, together with a 5 per cent and 4 per cent allocation to alternatives and TIPS, would yield the same expected return.

A risk/reward analysis was used to point toward an appropriate level of risk/return with the consultant finding generally the Sharpe ratio, or risk/return efficiency was higher for lower return mixes.

With liquidity analysis, and scenario analysis in inflation, deflation, recession and low-return environments, the conclusion was that the ultimate net cost does not suggest taking less risk.

A July presentation to the investment committee will include defining the ALM analyses, refining a potential asset allocation policy (including new asset classes such as the opportunity portfolio, alternatives and TIPS) and adopting a new asset allocation policy.

Sponsored Content

Asset allocation

Asset class target Mix4-1 Mix4-2 Mix4-3 Mix4-4 Mix4-5 current mix
Public equity 46% 19.8% 21.9% 24.2% 31.4% 39.2% 42.9%
Private equity 16% 18.8% 20.7% 22.9% 24.0% 25.0% 19.8%
Fixed income 27% 36.9% 36.9% 31.5% 28.5% 20.7% 25.7%
Real estate 11% 8.2% 10.1% 12.1% 11.0% 10.0% 9.4%
TIPS 0% 11.4% 5.5% 4.3% 0.1% 0.1% 0%
Alts Port 0% 5.0% 4.8% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 2.2%
Equity 73% 51.7% 57.6% 64.2% 71.4% 79.2% 74.3%
Expected return 8.61% 7.75% 8.08% 8.42% 8.76% 9.09% 8.61%
Std deviation 12.8% 10% 10.9% 11.9% 12.9% 14% 12.8%
Sharpe ratio 0.44 0.47 0.47 0.46 0.45 0.44 0.44

source: Strategic Investment Solutions

Leave a Comment

Sort content by

CIC sails through global rough seas

Stronger governance, management infrastructure and risk management have steered the China Investment Corporation through the global financial crisis and emerge with a large buffer of cash, the annual report says.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Towers Watson’s alternative fee model for private equity

Towers Watson has revealed an alternative fee model for private equity which includes halving the base fee and a two-tiered performance-based fee linked to staff retention, earnings growth as well as returns. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Florida romps in for its retirees

The $109 billion Florida Retirement System has returned its best fiscal year return for 25 years, as the fund prepares to combine its foreign and domestic equities investments.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Keynesians and Austrians slug it out in debate

There are two very different schools of thought on how to exit from the economic crisis.  Rob Prugue, senior managing director from Lazard Asset Management Asia Pacific, discusses what investors need to understand from these two diverging economic views. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Towers Watson names top 8 challenges for decade

Improving risk management practices and allocation of capital according to risk drivers rank among the most important challenges for institutional investors to overcome in the next 10 years, according to Towers Watson.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Hewitt Ennis Knupp nuptials redefine consulting

The acquisition of Ennis Knupp by Hewitt Associates, which will see the retirement of its founder Richard Ennis, is a defining moment in the investment consulting world, as clients demand the closer alignment of liability and asset management and greater attention to alternative asset research. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Previous