The agency problems that pervade delegated investment management are exacerbated when investing for the long term, where the payoff is distant and often highly uncertain. These conditions compound the difficulty of aligning and monitoring the agents (managers) responsible for making investment decisions, particularly across multi-layered investment organizations. Problems arise from differences in investment horizons; the...

We examine the implications of the imputation system for stock prices and returns, cost of capital, project evaluation, capital structure, payout policy and investor portfolios. We also discuss potential impacts if the imputation system was dismantled or adjusted, perhaps in conjunction with a reduction in the corporate tax rate. A key theme is that the...

A performance evaluation approach is developed to support long-term investment programs, where asset selection is based on the internal rate of return estimated with reference to long-term cash flows.

We interview Australian fund executives about how their organisations responded to MySuper, a regulatory framework for default retirement savings funds that providers were required to have in place by the beginning of 2014. In addition to providing an account of the influences on product design and how MySuper was perceived by the industry, we discuss...

Three key advantages held by long-term investors include: the capacity to adopt positions where payoff timing is uncertain; the ability to exploit opportunities generated by the actions of short-term investors; and latitude to invest in unlisted and/or illiquid assets. These advantages provide access to a broader investment opportunity set than available to short-term investors. Strategies...