We offer a variety of both traditional and alternative investment strategies to our clients. The defining characteristics of all of our strategies are:
- Geographic (country and region), economic sector, and investment style (size, distress, momentum, and market exposure) decisions are determined top-down using a combination of structural valuation, macro and sentiment models along with an assessment of the overall global capital market risk environment
- Broad investment universes allowing our methodologies maximum breadth and ultimate flexibility of investment choice. Security Selection is determined bottom-up focusing on long-term prospective fundamentals (income, growth, valuation, corporate behavior) supplemented by a shorter-term assessment of investor sentiment
- Portfolio construction activities seek to balance return enhancement opportunities with associated intermediate-term risks within the context of the stipulated goals of the client and corresponding constraints
- Tactical adjustments in portfolio risk exposures are undertaken when overall capital market risk aversion is deemed extreme and likely to revert to normal levels. In general, when investors are too irrationally exuberant our approach would become more cautious, and when markets succumb to extreme fear and detach from fundamentals our approach would seek to get more aggressive
Traditional Strategies
Traditional investment strategies typically follow well-known indices such as the S&P 500 (for stocks) and the Barclays Aggregate (for bonds) Traditional strategies rely on buying a basket of securities with the goal of outperforming the returns of typical indices such as the one’s mentioned above. Most mutual funds tend to follow traditional approaches. If you are looking for equity exposure in your portfolio, the GF traditional strategies might suit you.
For those investors already possessing well diversified equity and fixed income portfolios, we offer two equity-only strategies – a portfolio consisting of US domiciled stocks (GF US ALL CAP), and for those investors looking for non-US exposure, a portfolio of international stocks (GF INTL ALL CAP). Both of these strategies are implemented using individual stocks and full transparency is provided in a separate account. For detailed product specifications on our two traditional equity strategies please click here.
For those investors more interested in a one-stop / turnkey approach, we offer a global asset allocation strategy invested across broad asset classes, such as domestic and international stocks, bonds, real estate and commodities (GF GLOBAL AA). This strategy typically carries significantly less short-term volatility than our equity-only strategies. If you are looking for a total portfolio solution, this might be a suitable strategy for you.
The strategy is implemented using Exchange Traded Products (ETP’s) and investors are provided full transparency in a separate account format. For detailed product specifications on our global asset allocation product please click here.
Alternative Strategies
Global Focus Capital also offers a couple of alternative strategies. Alternative strategies are typically distinguished from traditional strategies in terms of their greater flexibility of portfolio construction (the use of leverage and shorting techniques), as well as the use of more esoteric investments with frequently diminished levels of liquidity. These strategies are only recommended for sophisticated investors. While these alternative strategies are often less volatile than traditional strategies, because of their greater complexity these strategies tend to magnify the decision making quality of the portfolio manager as well as implementation choices. Hedge funds and private equity are examples of alternative investment strategies.
Within alternative strategies, our focus is on liquid approaches using publicly traded stocks, bonds and Exchange Traded Products. We offer two strategies – a global equity long/short approach (GF GLOBAL L/S) and a global macro strategy (GF GLOBAL MACRO). Both approaches offer significantly below equity market volatility and return patterns less correlated to the major asset classes such as equities and bonds.
The global long/short strategy (GF GLOBAL L/S) searches for opportunities within a wide universe of global stocks. The strategy is appropriate for sophisticated investors looking for exposure to our best global stock ideas within a risk-managed portfolio. Stocks with attractive characteristics according to our research will be held long, and stocks deemed to have a reasonable probability of losing value will be held short. The portfolio strategy involves the use of leverage, and may also at times exhibit high levels of cash exposure. For detailed product specifications please click here.
The global macro strategy (GF GLOBAL MACRO) makes long and short investments across the major asset classes of domestic and international stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities and currencies. The strategy resembles the exposures of our GF GLOBAL AA strategy on the long side of the portfolio, but allows for a more flexible implementation, including the ability to short positions on assets with negative outlooks. The portfolio strategy involves the use of leverage and may also at times exhibit high levels of cash exposure. For detailed product specifications please click here.