Equity Investing
We seek to buy growing, profitable, and well-capitalized businesses at reasonable prices. The habit of relating quality to value is central to the WCA equity investing process.
Asset Allocation
A comprehensive suite of asset allocation portfolios focused on matching investment objectives with risk tolerance. Both passive and active strategies are offered.
Fixed Income
This portfolio seeks to generate a stream of income from a portfolio of 30 investment-grade corporate bonds. The portfolio is constructed as a “ladder” with maturities spanning 10 years.
Recent Commentary
Quality First
There is lots of discussion about the return of speculation. Cryptocurrencies, message board short-squeezes, soaring penny stocks, “blank check” companies, and record issuance of risky debt dominate today’s headlines. It is hard to imagine that, just under a year ago, financial markets were in freefall. Greed replaced fear in the span of a few short months, despite an ongoing pandemic. This week we return our focus to “quality” as a key factor in portfolio construction. Risk-On! Notice the chart below. It is a ratio of the most volatile stocks in the S&P 500 divided by the least volatile. When investors…
Trimming Equity Exposure
While risk-taking remains in fashion and more stimulus is on the way, we are trimming back some equity exposure. We now forecast some tempering in the outlook ahead (Chart A, below) after a long stretch of improving conditions. As a result, we reduced stock exposure to 67% from 80% and increased bond exposure to 33% from 20%. CONQUEST tactical asset portfolios remain overweight stocks versus bonds, only less so. Chart A WCA Fundamental Conditions Barometer High Hopes Since the governments and central banks around the world went “all-in” to save the economy from the pandemic last spring, wealth has exploded….
MuniWatch — February, 2021
Muni yields were virtually unchanged in January, continuing their outperformance of U.S. Treasuries, which sold off by up to 20 basis points (bps) on the long end of the curve, as Muni-to-Treasury ratios fell to all-time lows. Low supply combined with continued inflows into muni mutual funds have caused a renewed imbalance in the market. As a result, credit spreads have continued to narrow, leading to an underpricing of credit risk. We continue to focus on high grade credits as underlying economic risks still exist and rates remain at historic lows, leading to limited upside potential.