Research Magazine March 2013

Sidebar: We Have Met the Enemy

Individual investors have many enemies: high frequency trading algorithms, dark pools, rogue hedge fund managers, fat-finger traders and Fed interventions, just to name a few.

Wanted: Smart Strategies for Wealthy’s Steeper Tax Landscape

By Jane Wollman Rusoff

Not since Jimmy Carter’s presidency have the very well-off been subject to such high tax liability. The increases are permanent.

Busting the Risk Myth of Women and Investing

By Michael Finke

The perception of the “fairer sex” as less willing to tolerate investment risk fits well with common stereotypes. But there’s more to this story.

Leading With Flair

By Jane Wollman Rusoff

Don’t even think of typecasting or pigeonholing Angela Graham-West. The university professor-turned-financial advisor fits no mold whatsoever.

Finance and the English Language

By Gil Weinreich, AdvisorOne

Financial language, to paraphrase Orwell, “is designed to make lies sound truthful…and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”

Milevsky’s VA Shocker: Turn on Your Living Benefit, Now

By Moshe A. Milevsky

Advisors ask me whether clients should “hurry up”—in light of the declining richness of GLB riders—and add money to VAs they already own, before it is too late. My answer will not be what you expected.

How to Improve the FA Business Plan

By Bill Good

If your plan--in paper or just in your head--“needs some improvement,” or worse, stick with me. I’ll show you how to improve your planning process.

Who’s Kidding Whom on Bubbles?

By Kenneth Silber, Research

Two types of bubble metaphor— as inflating unsustainably, and as thick or opaque—have an underlying similarity in that they involve perceptions being distorted.

More Car Trouble

By Alexei Bayer

The Big Three automakers have had an impressive recovery, but optimism about the U.S. auto industry may be overdone. The problem lies with the structure of the global auto industry.

Digging Potatoes

By Bill Miller

Right before I graduated from college, I had a meeting with one of the school’s career counselors, Mr. Snooks.

Wirehouses Boost Wealth Results

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

Bank of America reported a 63% drop in net income for the fourth quarter of 2012.

LPL Shares Results, Plans

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

LPL Financial said its fourth-quarter earnings declined to $36.9 million, or $0.34 a share, from $39.5 million, or $0.35 a share, a year earlier.

RJ Adds Sales, Shifts Grid

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

Raymond James Financial reported net revenues of $1.1 billion for the period ending Dec. 31, 2012.

Equities Funds in Favor in Early ‘13

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

Morningstar says that investors added $86.5 billion to long-term open-end mutual funds in January, with 72 of 93 open-end categories recording inflows.

Vanguard Shares Latest Fund Changes

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

Vanguard is tweaking the asset mix of 20 funds, including several target-date retirement funds, “to further diversify these broad, balanced portfolios” and to incorporate the new Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund, now in registration with the SEC.

To the Next 20 Years: The Future of ETFs

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

ETFs now cover narrow markets in a wide swath of asset classes from stocks and bonds to commodities and currencies. It’s been two decades since ETFs appeared, but what is their future?

ETF Assets Surge 27% in 2012

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

The combined assets of U.S. listed exchange-traded fund (ETFs) jumped ended 2012 at $1.337 trillion, according to the Investment Company Institute (ICI).

Credit Suisse Seeks Gold Payoff

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

Credit Suisse unveiled a new strategy ETN for generating income on gold.

Fund Offers Small-Cap Twist

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

Global X Funds launched the Global X Junior MLP ETF (MLPJ) in January.

How Low Can the VIX Go?

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

Stock market volatility in 2013 has continued its downward trend toward levels experienced just before the onset of the 2008 financial crisis.

ALPS and Goldman Team Up

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

A new lineup of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that manage risk and use momentum strategies has been introduced by ALPS Advisors.

Optimal Opportunities

By Ed McCarthy, CFP

While Actavis (ACT) narrowed its 2013 guidance expectations in the wake of an unexpected Concerta approval, the company is still poised to post close to 30% EPS growth and potentially double-digit annual EPS growth through 2016.

REITs: Building Attractive Growth

By Ed McCarthy, CFP

We see a lot to like here, and while we say that about several of the agency REITs, Capstead Mortgage (CMO) has moved a bit higher on our near-term favorites list.