Tag Archives: Investments

Do hedge funds hedge?

By Kaizen Wealth Managment | Published: June 4, 2010
…the experience of the Great Recession Source: Vanguard | 06/03/2010   The recent Great Recession provides a unique opportunity to examine the experience of hedge fund investors. Many investors believe that hedge fund managers have the flexibility to avoid the disastrous consequences of extreme market events. However, during the turmoil of the past few years, most hedge [...]
Posted in Home | Also tagged , , | Comments closed

Foreign Intrigue

By Kaizen Wealth Managment | Published: February 17, 2010
U.S. Stocks with Heavy Foreign Exposure: Company Listed followed by its % of Sales Outside North America Colgate-Palmolive          81 Avon Products                77 Coca-Cola                          74 Autodesk                           72 Aflac                                    72 Merck & Co.                      70 Waters                                70 Caterpillar                        66 Nike                                     66 3M                                        64 Pfizer                                   58 Proctor & Gamble          57 You may be surprised by how big your foreign exposure is, or how small your domestic exposure is, when looking at your portfolio of [...]
Posted in Home | Also tagged , | Comments closed

Opportunities in International Investing

By Kaizen Wealth Managment | Published: December 21, 2009
More and more, we are finding it easier to justify our higher allocations to international equities.  Roughly 55% of the investable equity universe, by market cap, is outside of the U.S.  Also, world GDP has outpaced the U.S. GDP every year this decade; moreover, emerging markets have seen average GDP growth since 2000 of 5.9% [...]
Posted in Home | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

The Power of an Investment Policy Statement

By Kaizen Wealth Managment | Published: December 1, 2009
Before we can give appropriate investment advice, we work with our clients to construct a comprehensive Investment Policy Statement (IPS).  Creating an Investment Policy Statement (FPA Press), by Norm Boone and Linda Lubitz Boone, spells out the purpose and benefits of using an Investment Policy Statement: Identifies specific client objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Explains the [...]
Posted in Home | Also tagged | Comments closed

Forecasting: Interest Rates and Market Changes

By Kaizen Wealth Managment | Published: September 29, 2009
The function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. - John Kenneth Galbraith   I’ve been in the forecasting business for 50 years, and I’m no better than I ever was, and nobody else is either. - Alan Greenspan   And the cost of reacting to forecasts, stock market promoters and other financial media commentators - leading to poor investor [...]
Posted in Home | Also tagged , , | Comments closed

Two-Thirds Don’t Have a Financial Plan

By Kaizen Wealth Managment | Published: September 25, 2009
Despite increasing pressure to slash debt and rebuild retirement funds, nearly two-thirds of consumers do not have a written financial plan, according to the 2009 National Consumer Survey on Personal Finance. The survey, released today by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, found that 64% of respondents do not have a written financial plan in [...]
Posted in Home | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments closed