Investment Products and Services Launches

PNC Adopts RiskFirst’s PFaroe

PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions has adopted RiskFirst’s PFaroe to help structure better solutions, improve reporting efficiency and deepen engagement with its defined benefit (DB) pension plan clients. This will help support its Asset Liability Management offering.

PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions will use PFaroe to work with clients in a more interactive way, assisting in evolving solutions over time. PFaroe’s forecasting models will also be leveraged by PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions to evaluate the impact of implementing new investment strategies, as well as with the coordination and structuring of funded status-based and interest rate-based ‘glide paths.’

Kimberlene Matthews, director of Asset Liability Management, PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions, says: “The efficiency gains brought by PFaroe allow us to focus on helping clients develop successful investment strategies and providing excellent client service. More time in front of clients, and more in-depth, proactive conversations using an interactive tool like PFaroe, should help to further speed our pace of growth.”

Matthew Seymour, CEO of RiskFirst, adds: “We are extremely pleased to be helping PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions develop and improve their offering through the use of PFaroe. Not only do clients find PFaroe useful in winning new business, it is also drives efficiency, automates reporting and executes asset allocation exercises efficiently—all of which will help PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions as they continue to scale-up. By removing the burden of report preparation and number-crunching, PNC can focus on providing value-added analysis to existing clients and securing new ones.”

EPIC Incorporates StoryLine to Platform

Stadion Money Management, provider of participant level, customized retirement solutions, announced that EPIC Advisors added StoryLine, Stadion’s 401(k) managed account solution, to its retirement platform.

StoryLine, built with SPDR ETFs, is a retirement planning solution built specifically for 401(k) participants in adviser-sold plans. StoryLine offers plan level customization with the option of participant level customization, which Stadion sees as a distinct improvement over “one size fits all” target-date strategies.

Through StoryLine’s participant-centric web interface, employees will be encouraged to define their individual investment paths based on personal risk profiles, expectations, and goals. StoryLine will also allow— at the employee’s discretion—the inclusion of outside assets to facilitate more comprehensive retirement planning. The end goal of this is to have each participant on a retirement path personalized to their own circumstances and needs.

“StoryLine has made significant inroads in the delivery of participant-friendly, customized retirement planning, a much-needed solution given the potential retirement savings gap facing many Americans,” says Manny Marques, president of EPIC. 

StoryLine helps financial advisers deepen their relationships with sponsors and participants by engaging them at the plan level with tailored solutions. In turn, sponsors are able to offer their employees access to individual personalized planning that goes beyond typical age- and risk-based investment strategies.

Sterling Capital Adds R6 Share Class to Select Mutual Funds

Sterling Capital Management LLC announced that its Capital Funds have added the R6 share class for seven of its mutual funds, which offers eligible clients a share class without shareholder servicing fees or sales charges. In addition to the R6 share class, all 25 Sterling Capital mutual funds are available in A, C and Institutional share classes.

As of February 1, 2018, the R6 share class is available for the following mutual funds:

• Sterling Capital Behavioral Large Cap Value Equity Fund (STRAX)
• Sterling Capital Behavioral Small Cap Value Equity Fund (STRBX)
• Sterling Capital Behavioral International Equity Fund (STRCX)
• Sterling Capital Equity Income Fund (STREX)
• Sterling Capital Special Opportunities Fund (STRSX)
• Sterling Capital Mid Value Fund (STRMX)
• Sterling Capital Total Return Bond Fund (STRDX)

“We are very excited about launching our R6 share class,” says John W. McAuley, CIMA, head of Sales and Client Service. “We look forward to bringing this new investment option to market within the defined contribution space.”

This new share class is available to eligible employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k) plans, 457(b) plans, 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit (DB) plans, and nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans.

PAAMCO Launches Alternative Beta Tool

Pacific Alternative Asset Management Company, LLC (PAAMCO) launched PAAMCO Alternative Beta, the latest tool in the firm’s suite of institutional liquid alpha solutions.

PAAMCO Alternative Beta offers a portfolio of alternative risk premia diversified across strategies, asset classes and implementations.  It aims to have little directionality to traditional markets at a lower cost than traditional hedge fund investments.

Lisa Fridman, CFA, CQF and Philippe Jorion, PhD are co-heads of PAAMCO Alt Beta. Fridman will also continue in her role as Global Head of Research for PAAMCO; Jorion will remain head of Risk Management for PAAMCO.   

“Passive management has transformed the asset management industry with index funds.  The next wave of innovation was ‘smart beta’ funds.  Now, ‘alt beta’ funds are primed to be the next step,” says Jorion. “We believe alt beta products can be harnessed to add value to investor portfolios through proper component selection and structuring.” 

“We believe PAAMCO is in a strong position to provide a diversified alternative beta solution,” says Fridman.  “We see investors looking for diversifying sources of returns to traditional asset class allocations while focusing on costs. I am thrilled that we are able to add PAAMCO Alt Beta to the suite of tools.”