Jeffrey Kleintop discusses opportunities outside the US; Chloe Berry on deglobalization, decarbonization, and digitization in infrastructure; David Botset provides details of Schwab's ETFs and Beyond study; Kevin Gordon explains market breadth risk; Manju Boraiah makes the case for separately managed accounts.
The increasing popularity of ETFs and the shift away from traditional mutual funds is demonstrated by the all-time high divide between flows into ETFs and mutual funds, which reached a record rift of $1.5 trillion in 2022.
Separately managed accounts (SMAs) have been gaining traction as an investment vehicle due to their tax efficiency, customization options, and ability to transfer assets from legacy portfolios.
SMAs offer direct ownership of individual stocks and bonds, providing greater control, tax optimization, and tailoring to specific investor needs, values, and risk tolerance.
Deep dives
The growing divide between ETFs and mutual funds
The divide between flows into ETFs and mutual funds widened to an all-time high in 2022, reaching a record rift of $1.5 trillion. This is up from $950 billion in 2021, demonstrating the increasing popularity of ETFs and the shift away from traditional mutual funds.
The rise of separately managed accounts (SMAs)
Separately managed accounts (SMAs) have been gaining traction as an investment vehicle over the past decade, with their size tripling to around $2.5 trillion. SMAs offer tax efficiency, customization, and the ability to transfer assets from legacy portfolios. Direct indexing in SMAs, especially in equities, allows for greater tax efficiency and customization.
Advantages of SMAs over ETFs and mutual funds
SMAs are known for their tax efficiency and customization options, making them a popular choice among investors. SMAs offer direct ownership of individual stocks and bonds, allowing for greater control and tax optimization. Additionally, SMAs can be tailored to specific investor needs, values, and risk tolerance.
The future of SMAs and direct indexing
SMAs are expected to continue growing, driven by the demand for tax efficiency and customization. Direct indexing, which allows investors to track an index while maintaining customization and tax optimization, is gaining popularity. SMAs are also expected to play a role in retirement accounts like 401(k) plans in the future.
The impact of SMAs on the industry
The increase in SMAs is impacting the wealth management industry, with more advisors and firms offering customized solutions to clients. The growth of SMAs is driven by trends such as personalization and the transfer of assets from legacy portfolios. SMAs provide a tax-efficient and customizable investment option for investors.
Jeffrey Kleintop, Chief Global Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab & Co, discusses finding opportunities outside the US. Chloe Berry, Head of Infrastructure Income Strategy at Brookfield Asset Management, shares her thoughts on the “3 Ds” of infrastructure; deglobalization, decarbonization and digitization. David Botset, Head of Equity Product Management at Schwab Asset Management, provides the details of Schwab’s ETFs and Beyond study. Kevin Gordon, Senior Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab & Co, explains why the biggest risk for the market is its deteriorating breadth profile. Manju Boraiah, Head of Custom SMA Investments at Allspring Global Investments, makes the case for separately managed accounts as an investment vehicle. Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.