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

Efficient indices outperform cap-weighted

A new series of efficient indices, launched by FTSE and the EDHEC-Risk Institute, which aims to capture equity market returns with an improved risk/reward efficiency, outperform their market-cap weighted counterparts over five years in every region except Asia Pacific ex-Japan. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Mercer survey compares use of active management

In analysis completed for the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, Mercer has conducted a survey of active management, assessing the use and performance of active management at the total fund and asset class levels for 14 pension funds with combined assets of $950 billion, including eight funds from Europe and three from North America. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored

Norway’s largest fund rejects passive management

A complete evaluation of active management including reports by Mercer and an international group of professors, has resulted in the Norges Bank Investment Management, manager of the $375 billion Government Pension Fund-Global, staunchly favouring active management, with the bank’s Governor and executive director of the NBIM describing “a passive, uninformed approach to operational decisions is

Hermes ready for institutions worldwide

Following the purchase of European equities manager Sourcecap International, Hermes Pensions Management, the fund manager for the £32 billion ($51.8 billion) BT Pension Scheme, is preparing to market its diverse array of boutique managers to institutions worldwide.   mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

CPPIB restructures investment department

The C$123 billion ($118 billion) Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has undergone an executive restructure including the creation of two new positions reporting to the chief executive: executive vice president, investments; and chief investment strategist. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Spotlight on Copenhagen

Convener of the P8 Summits- a group of 12 of the world’s largest pension funds tasked with influencing policy makers on climate change – and deputy director of the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, Aled Jones, examines the Copenhagen Accord and what it means for investors. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Previous