top of page
Writer's pictureDon Schreiber, Jr.

WBI Power Factor SMAs Post Solid Returns in Q1

The financial markets showed robust performance in the first quarter of 2024, building on the impressive gains of 2023. In Q1 of 2024, the S&P 500 Index delivered a total return of 10.56%, closely followed by the Russell 1000 Index with a return of 10.30%. The Russell 2000 Index, which tracks smaller-cap stocks, also performed well, posting a return of 5.18% for the quarter. WBI’s Power Factor portfolios posted incredibly solid returns across the board with the All Cap Rising Dividend and Growth & Momentum strategies topping the S&P 500 Index with net of fee returns of 15.24% and 13.20% respectively.


annualized return bar chart
WBI Annualized Net of Fee Returns

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly. Data is composite performance, net of WBI's maximum investment management fee. Returns are annualized for periods of more than 1 year. See additional disclosures at the end of this material.

 

As WBI celebrates 40 years of business, it also marks the best performance in its history. Over the past five years, we have made significant enhancements to our product suite, aiming to capture more of the market’s upside while adhering to our core principle of minimizing risk to capital, ultimately enabling our clients to invest more successfully.


calendar year returns bar chart
WBI Calendar Year Net of Fee Returns

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly. Data is composite performance, net of WBI's maximum investment management fee. Returns are annualized for periods of more than 1 year. See additional disclosures at the end of this material.


Despite the global economic upheaval in 2008, Federal Reserve interventions such as zero interest rates and quantitative easing have heightened the appeal of equities, particularly in the technology and growth sectors. This trend was dominated by a few mega-cap stocks, known as the Magnificent 7, which challenged traditional diversification strategies and overshadowed the broader market.

Morningstar Ratings picture
WBI Power Factor Morningstar Ratings

Morningstar Rating based on risk-adjusted returns out of 355 funds in the Tactical Allocation category as of 3/31/2024.


In response, WBI returned to our quantitative lab to further refine our security selection processes through the Power Factor methodology. Our aim was to enhance upside capture through a fully invested yet actively managed rebalancing strategy. WBI’s Power Factor portfolios employ advanced quantitative fundamental factor modeling software to identify the top 30 stocks across various categories—rising dividends, growth and quality, growth and momentum, and high dividend yield—adjusting quarterly based on the latest data. Power Factor modeling has positioned WBI at the leading edge of quantitative investment management.

 

The Power Factor series of WBI strategies can be found on WBI’s award-winning* advisor assisted robo platform as well as Envestnet, SMArtX, Fidelity, and others. If you would like to learn more, visit our website or book a meeting with our team.







*WBI's Cy Platform was a 3x winner for Best Robo Advisory Platform (2021, 2022, 2023) and a 2024 winner for Wealth Management Innovation for Machine Learning Based Optimization of portfolios and Digital Onboarding.


Consideration for these annual awards from FinTech Breakthrough Awards is not a guarantee of future performance. WBI Investments LLC and CyborgTech LLC submitted applications for review, but did not directly or indirectly compensate Fintech Breakthrough for any rankings and/or awards. For more information on the award categories and judging process, visit www.fintechbreakthrough.com.



Disclosure


Past performance is not indicative of future results. This is not an offer to buy or sell any security. No security or strategy, including those referred to directly or indirectly, is suitable for all accounts or profitable all the time. This information is compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. You should not assume that any discussion or information provided here serves as a substitute for personalized investment advice from WBI or any other investment professional. If you have questions regarding the applicability of specific issues discussed to your individual situation, please consult with WBI or your chosen professional advisor. Additional information about WBI’s advisory operations, services, conflicts of interest and fees are in the Form ADV, which is available upon request or on the SEC’s website at http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. WBI is a registered investment adviser. Registration of an Investment Adviser does not imply any level of skill or training.


The process by which securities are selected and assets are allocated within WBI Power Factor SMA strategies will typically occur no more frequently than quarterly, which may cause accounts invested at different times during a quarter to reflect implementation of the strategies on a different basis than other accounts managed to the same or a similar strategy. The Power Factor SMA strategies implement a Smart Beta approach, which uses alternative index construction rules that weight securities based on measures such as volatility or dividends, rather than market capitalization. Client accounts may invest in and hold securities which are declining in value for an extended period of time, typically without taking a temporary defensive position, as part of the normal operation of the investment strategy.


Gross of Fee Performance excludes the effects of WBI’s investment management fee, third-party solicitor/advisor fees, custodial charges, and custodian platform charges, but is net of applicable account transaction charges and the separate fees assessed directly by each unaffiliated mutual fund holding (including ETFs) that was included in each Portfolio. Net of Fee Performance is net of WBI’s maximum investment management fees. This model fee approach consists of netting down 100 bps from gross returns on a monthly basis. The actual, annual investment management fee rate charged shall vary (typically between 75 bps and 100 bps, but no more than 100 bps) depending upon the market value of assets under management and the specific type of investment management services to be rendered.


Indices are unmanaged and may not be invested in directly. Indices used to benchmark performance do not reflect the deduction of transaction and custodial charges or investment management fees, which would reduce performance results. Because the strategy involves active management of a potentially wide range of assets, no widely recognized benchmark is likely to represent performance of any managed account. WBI managed accounts may own assets and follow investment strategies which cause them to differ materially from the composition and performance of the benchmarks shown.


© 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers;(2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information.

 

The Morningstar RatingTM for funds, or “star rating”, is calculated for separate accounts with at least a three-year history. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product’s monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics.


Other strategies may have different results.


You are not permitted to publish, transmit, or otherwise reproduce this information, in whole or in part, in any format to any third party without the express written consent of WBI Investments, LLC.

 

© 2024 WBI Investments, LLC


220 views

Comments


Unless otherwise indicated all performance is sourced from Bloomberg.

Disclosure

The views presented are those of the authors and webinar or podcast hosts/participants, and should not be construed as investment advice. The authors, podcast participants, webinar hosts, or clients of WBI Investments, LLC (WBI) may own stock discussed in these insights. WBl is an investment adviser in New Jersey. WBl is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration of an investment adviser does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission. WBl only transacts business in states in which it is properly registered or is excluded or exempted from registration. A copy of WBI's current written disclosure brochure filed with the SEC which discusses among other things, WBI's business practices, services and fees, is available through the SEC's website at: www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. This site contains links to third-party websites. WBl does not endorse, approve, certify, or control these websites and does not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information located there. Your access to and use of such websites is governed by the terms of use and privacy policies of those sites, and shall be at your own risk. WBI disclaims responsibility for the privacy policies and customer information practices of third-party internet websites.

bottom of page