Liability-Hedging Strategies for US Plan Sponsors in the Low Interest Rate Era

While many plan sponsors have adapted to dramatic interest rate swings by strategically hedging their liability interest rate risk, some balk when interest rates are low. But failing to hedge long-duration liabilities with long-duration assets can expose sponsors to significant downside risk.

November 2019

Pension Schemes in Pursuit of Income, Growth, and Diversification

A universal approach to portfolio construction can help schemes achieve required return targets whilst adding additional upside from alpha generation; reduce risk through true diversification; and generate sufficient income to comfortably meet both planned and unplanned cashflow needs.

November 2019

Alternative Risk Premia: A Diversifying Option for Investors (Euro Edition)

Elevated equity market valuations and potentially rising bond yields suggest the return environment for traditional risk assets could be difficult. Faced with this challenge, institutional investors are seeking alternative sources of return. Alternative risk premia (ARP) strategies—which harvest well-established risk premia and market anomalies across asset classes—may fit the bill. ARP strategies have exhibited low […]

September 2019

Should Corporate Plan Sponsors Continue to Hedge Liability Interest Rate Risk?

Yes, maintaining a well-hedged pension plan is prudent risk management.

September 2019

Revving UK Pension Schemes’ Funding Engines

A number of UK defined benefit pension schemes have experienced significant funding level gains in recent years, driven by sponsor contributions, liability management exercises, and strong equity market returns. However, due to increased volatility in global equity markets, relatively high valuations in many market segments, and the late stages of the economic and credit cycles, optimising the scheme’s growth engine is more challenging than ever. This paper provides a framework for how to achieve that goal.

August 2019

Four Key Strategies for Managing Pension Risk

While overseeing pension plans is increasingly complex and there’s no silver bullet solution, employing these four strategies can do much to reduce risk. CFOs at companies that offer defined benefits might be forgiven for feeling frustrated that, in addition to oversight responsibility for company financial performance, shareholder relations, accounting, tax, and myriad other functions, they […]

July 2019

Revving Pension Plans’ Funding Engines

Many corporate defined benefit plans experienced significant funded status gains in recent years. Recent capital markets volatility, however, has set many plans a few steps back, re-focusing plan sponsors on both protecting long-term funded status gains and closing the asset-liability deficit. Given increased volatility in global equity markets, relatively high valuations in many market segments, and the late stages of the economic and credit cycles, optimizing the plan’s growth engine is more critical, and challenging, than ever.

April 2019

Mission Critical: Maximizing the Impact of Healthcare System Investments

While robust cash flows have strengthened healthcare system balance sheets in recent years, mounting industry pressures will likely threaten those flows in the future. We explore strategies to manage complexity, maximize the benefits of the Endowment Model, and prudently manage risk.

November 2018