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

Australian pension funds face greater governance and investment regulations

Australian pension funds will face a greater scrutiny of their corporate governance and risk management policies that will impact investment decisions in sweeping government changes released yesterday.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Derivatives supervision helps in fight for right to food

The International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) released principles for regulation and supervision of commodity derivatives markets last week. Effective supervision of these markets is necessary to avoid even the prospect that derivatives contribute to speculative price bubbles in commodities, which can increase the number of people driven into hunger.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

ICGN sets sights on emerging markets expansion

The International Corporate Governance Network’s (ICGN) first board appointee from the Middle East, Dr Nasser Saidi, says he wants to push for a new focus on emerging markets within the investor-led organisation that represents more than $18 trillion of assets.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Investors need to look beyond current crisis and plan for future inflation risk

Investors should be looking past a “safe haven mentality” and be structuring their portfolios to deal with the possibility of a looming risk of inflation in the longer term, says Ed Britton, Towers Watson’s global head of fixed income manager research.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Union leader calls for investors to drive new green future

Institutional investors need to move beyond “bombastic support” of ESG issues, says the head of the world’s peak trade union organisation.

Sea change at Timor-Leste’s SWF manager

The manager of Timor-Leste’s $8.3 billion sovereign wealth fund, the Banking and Payments Authority (BPA), was inaugurated as the island nation’s central bank on Monday.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Previous