Bear Market Draws Attention to Actively Managed Funds

Active and passive funds have both found success in retirement saving plans, but recent volatility is providing further analysis for a decades-long debate.



Can an active fund manager beat the markets in the long run, even while charging relatively higher fees? It’s a question experts have been debating for years, but with many 401(k) plans down as much as 21% in the third quarter, the answer once again feels pressing.

Recent research weighs in that active managers can beat the markets, but with a caveat: Much depends on which managers are running the funds in your plan.

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“Managing risk in this environment for potentially less-sophisticated investors— investors who are defaulted into certain strategies—is one of the most important responsibilities that plan sponsors have,” says Steve Deschenes, a senior vice president of research and development for the Capital Group, one of the country’s largest mutual fund providers as owner of American Funds.

Deschenes published research this November looking to find which active fund managers thrive in bear markets. The result showed that history matters, as managers who had done well in previous downturns did better in the next decline 12 out of 13 times.

“The resilience of those managers was pretty astounding,” Deschenes says. “There is an opportunity for plan sponsors—and an opportunity for folks who are selecting managers—who are a bit more risk-aware, risk-centric and manage to the downside more effectively.”

The common traits among these managers were the use of cash, the degree to which they relied on dividends for returns and, finally, the objective of the fund, Deschenes says. Whether focused on an area such as income security or capital preservation, adjusting for such goals is not something passive funds can do, he says.

“Passive can only have one objective, which is to replicate the market … it is mechanically linked to 100% up-capture and 100% down-capture,” Deschenes says. “Within active management, you have the opportunity at least to choose a manager who is more focused on capital preservation [or another defined objective].”

A Time to Shine

The ability to perform well consistently over the long term is what retirement plan advisers and sponsors should focus on, as opposed to shorter-term snapshots, says Michael Doshier, a senior retirement strategist at T. Rowe Price.

“Comparing the actively managed mutual fund to the passive investment is a simple side barometer that people can use, and it’s misdirected,” Doshier says. “In the pursuit of trying to find useful metrics, some people go to just cost or a short period of time.…We’re saying, ‘Look at how the funds perform over a longer period,’ which is more useful, especially in the retirement context.”

T. Rowe Price recently looked at the performance of actively managed funds as compared to passive peers over a 20-year period. The firm used rolling monthly 10-year periods and took fees into account.

The results showed that size mattered most, with the five largest active mutual fund managers at the time outperforming passive peers 62% of the time. While the rankings shifted over time depending on who had the most assets under management, the most recent five were Capital Group, Fidelity Investments, Vanguard, Dimensional Fund Advisors and J.P. Morgan, the researchers said.

Meanwhile, T. Rowe Price’s actively managed funds outperformed passive peers 73% of the time. The investment firm looked at 124 of its own active funds, representing 71% of its total mutual fund AUM.

The story changed when comparing all 10,700 active funds in the research to the 3,109 passive peers. In that case, T. Rowe found that passive funds outperformed active 53% of the time. That broader view, Doshier says, is partly why the role of the retirement plan adviser is so crucial in steering plan sponsors.

“You’ve got to look at the providers,” Doshier says. “That’s why [retirement plan advisers] exist: to guide plan sponsors in areas of financial wellness and what goes into their investment lineup in their 401(k) … That’s why most of our assets are sold via the adviser community.”

People also tend to notice the successes of active management, he says, during times of volatility.

“Even in the bull run, where everything is going up, active can still outperform passive,” Doshier says. “But we do find that choppy waters, in general, are where good active managers shine.”

Passive Works, Too

S&P Dow Jones Indices have been contrasting active and passive investing for the past 20 years, and their findings—though based on different measures than T. Rowe Price and Capital Group’s Deschenes—show passive outperforms active. In the most recent report through June 30, the S&P 500 outperformed actively managed large-cap U.S. equity funds for 17 of the past 20 years, according to the S&P Indices Versus Active scorecard, or SPIVA.

“There are periods when the environment is potentially beneficial to active managers,” Anu Ganti, senior director of index investment strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said in an email. “However, what our unbiased data shows is that most active managers have historically underperformed their benchmarks most of the time. As you extend the time horizon, historically, underperformance tends to worsen.”

S&P’s research shows that larger actively managed funds outperform smaller ones, but still not as much as the S&P 500. The larger actively managed funds performed a bit better, with 7.8% annualized returns as compared to 7.4%, according to the firm. The overall S&P 500, however, returned 9.1%.

A T. Rowe Price spokesperson noted that their data focused on the most “like comparisons” to actively managed funds that would go into retirement plans, not the closest corresponding indexes.

No matter the strategy plan advisers favor, the long-term commitment of retirement savers to their portfolios was reiterated by further data released last week by the Investment Company Institute. The ICI said that through the first three quarters of 2022, investors stuck with their defined contribution plans despite market volatility.

“Most DC plan participants kept their asset allocations steady as stock values generally fell during the first nine months of the year,” the institute said in a press release. “In the first three quarters of 2022, 7.4% of DC plan participants changed the asset allocation of their account balances, slightly lower than 8.3% in the first three quarters of 2021 and 9.5% in the first three quarters of 2020.”

Even fewer DC plan participants changed the asset allocation of their contributions, ICI said, on the basis of its research into more than 40 million participant accounts. In the first three quarters of 2022, 3.8% of participants changed how their contributions were allocated.

“ICI’s research is showing that 401(k) investors save for the long term and prioritize keeping their retirement nest eggs intact,” Sarah Holden, senior director of retirement and investor research, said in a press release.

Retirement Industry People Moves

DWS names head of alternative investing; WTW appoints head of data intelligence; Mercer acquires $5B RIA; and more.


DWS Names Paul Kelly Head of Alternatives Business in Growth Push

Asset Manager DWS Group appointed Paul M. Kelly global head of its roughly $133 million alternatives business. Kelly will oversee the division managing assets in real estate, infrastructure, liquid real assets and sustainable investments.

“Paul is an industry veteran with an extensive track record across private and public markets,” DWS CEO Stefan Hoops said in a press release. “We expect that, despite near-term market volatility, alternatives will continue its growth trajectory, fueled by the rise in retail demand and the attractive yield opportunities presented in areas such as real assets and private credit.”

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Kelly joins DWS from Blackstone, where he was a senior managing director and chief operating officer of Blackstone Credit and was a key partner in driving growth in direct lending, insurance and other private credit strategies. Prior to Blackstone, Kelly spent nearly 20 years at J.P. Morgan in a variety of leadership positions. He will join DWS in February 2023 and will be based in New York.

WTW Appoints Erica Johnson as Rewards Data Intelligence Leader for North America

Insurance company Willis Towers Watson appointed Erica Johnson rewards data intelligence leader for North America in the company’s work and rewards division. Johnson will be responsible for driving the growth strategy of RDI in the region and be a member of the RDI global leadership team.

“Erica’s industry knowledge, combined with her experience in sales, business development and commercial strategy development, makes her well positioned to lead our team in North America,” Sambhav Rakyan, global business head for data and compensation software, said in a press release.

Johnson was formerly at Mercer, where she was the North American career products sales and commercial strategy leader and served on the products leadership team.

PGIM Hires VP of DEI Strategy and Industry Engagement

PGIM, Inc., the $1.2 trillion global investment arm of Prudential Financial, has expanded its global office of diversity, equity and inclusion  with the appointment of Natalie Gill as vice president of DEI strategy and industry engagement.

Gill will be based in London and will report to Kathy Sayko, the firm’s chief DEI officer. In the new role, Gill will drive the continued evolution of PGIM’s DEI strategy, bringing best practices and innovation from across the asset management industry, financial services and DEI practitioners to inform and develop the approach.

 “We are thrilled to welcome her to the PGIM team and are excited about the many ways her experience, passion and deep knowledge can ensure we continue to offer our people a diverse and inclusive environment and to create a more equitable industry, where all people can thrive,” Sayko said in a press release.

Gill previously worked at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, where she was head of diversity and inclusion, EMEA, and responsible for designing the DEI strategy across the region for the firm. Prior to that, Gill was an inclusion and diversity lead in the human resources, culture and inclusion team at the Santander Group.

Deals

Mercer Advisors Acquires $5B AUM Regis Management

Mercer Advisors acquired Regis Management Company, a wealth management firm based in San Francisco with $5 billion in assets under management.

Regis is focused on ultra-high-net worth clients by offering customized services in investment management, tax efficiency and philanthropy. Through the acquisition, Regis will be able to leverage Mercer Advisors’ expansive array of in-house family office services, such as estate planning, trustee services and tax consulting and return preparation, the companies said. The Regis investment offering spans marketable securities, concentrated equity positions, alternative investments and private investments.

“Regis manages the multigenerational wealth of our clients. By definition, their wealth will exceed many lifetimes, including my own and those of my partners,” Bob Burlinson, Regis co-founder, CIO and managing partner, said in a press release. “Partnering with Mercer Advisors will allow us to attract, train and retain world-class talent to ensure best-in-class service beyond our lifetimes.”

Berkshire Global Advisors LP served as the exclusive financial adviser to Regis.

RetirementInvestments.com Buys Personal Finance Brand 

RetirementInvestments.com bought Personalincome.org, a personal finance brand for new investors that was founded by the current founder and CEO of RetirementInvestments.

RetirementInvestments.com’s business focuses on teaching and educating consumers about how to become financially savvy and make their own investment decisions. The acquisition of Personalincome.org will bring resources to the site geared to entrepreneurs, investors and finance enthusiasts.

“As the original founder of Personalincome.org, it has been a blessing in disguise to be able to acquire a business that I originally launched in 2016, and then sold in 2018,” Donny Gamble, founder and CEO of RetirementInvestments.com, said in a press release. “This acquisition will help us continue to grow into one of the leading websites of financial education for the average person.”

Personalincome.org will merge with RetirementInvestments.com to become one independent financial website and brand, the release said.

Perigon Wealth Acquires $330M Nauset Wealth Management

San Francisco-based Perigon Wealth Management acquired Nauset Wealth Management of Westport, Connecticut, to add its $330 million in assets under management.

Nauset is a four-person registered investment adviser with $330 million in AUM and a focus on financial planning and portfolio management. The firm was founded by Michael Lombardo, who will join Perigon as a partner and wealth adviser. David Bauer of Nauset, who was a founding partner in investment-company consultant Casey Quirk, will join him in the same position as partner and wealth adviser.

Perigon, which manages more than $4 billion in client assets, will enhance its presence in the Northeast and Southeast, Perigon CEO Art Ambarik said in a press release.

Perigon also said in the release that financial advisor Tom Tolleson, previously a wealth advisor at Catalyst Wealth Management in Atlanta, will join Perigon’s new Atlanta office—its first office in the city. 

Perigon has added teams and offices across four major markets since December 2021. In September, the firm announced a merger with PM Wealth Management and formed a strategic alliance with Prager Metis tax advisory firm. 

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