Equity Research

Portfolio Construction

Equity Trading

Post-trade

Process Improvement

Boston Security Analysts Society - CFA Continuing Education
Selected Topics in High Frequency Investing - July 16, 2008


Equity Portfolio Construction, Optimization & Management

The portfolio design & construction phase follows research in the investment management process. The research phase has produced buy and sell lists of stocks. The equity portfolio should be structured with regards to client mandates of: risk, style, quality, safety, tax, social responsibility, industry / sector concentration, turnover, etc. We need to decide the proper mix and weightings to use in the construction of the optimal portfolio.

The portfolio construction phase continues to take on more characteristics of portfolio manufacturing. The manufacturing process follows model portfolios, refines security selections and weights using optimization tools and techniques. The portfolio manufacturing process derives the individual portfolio objectives and constraints from client databases containing tax, holding, accounting, compliance, and other rules.

Crowther Investment can help you identify and implement the important systematic steps and technology in the portfolio construction phase, including:

  • Strategic asset allocation
  • Portfolio optimization
  • Risk constraints
  • Multi-factor equity risk models
  • Model error (alpha, risk estimation) techniques: Beyesian, robust portfolio optimization, Black-Litterman, etc
  • Future return and risk estimates
  • Alpha, beta, Sharpe ratio, tracking error analysis
  • Information ratio, information coefficient & transfer coefficient evaluation
  • Style constraints
  • Benchmark constraints
  • Behavioral finance quantification and automation
  • Tilt / overlay / enhancement features
  • Long / short strategies, 130/30, market neutral, etc
  • Super efficient beta management; creative alpha generation
  • Multi-moment portfolio construction & optimization
  • Portable alpha, absolute return strategies
  • Trading / turnover constraints
  • ETF and hedge fund constructs
  • Competitive, peer, category, legal, prospectus constraints
  • Compliance constraints
  • Performance attribution and measurement
  • Portfolio rebalancing & tactical asset allocation
  • Liability Driven Investing (LDI) 
  • Tax aware optimization, tax efficient structured equity
  • Capital loss harvesting; tax lot optimization 
  • Portfolio manufacturing, replication, cloning & customization
  • Hedge fund, separately managed accounts (SMA), unified managed accounts (UMA)
  • Customized investment solutions
  • Systematic sell discipline

The portfolio must be constructed with the next phase in mind, trading. In order to minimize slippage and retain alpha, smooth and efficient transition between phases in the technology-based investment process is critical.

- Boston Security Analysts Society - CFA Continuing Education

Investment Process
  Equity Research

  Portfolio Construction

  Equity Trading

  Post-trade

  Process Improvement

Hugh Lagan Crowther
(781) 640-3354
hugh@crowther-investment.com

Global Quantitative Investment:
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