A stochastic life-cycle model is used in this report to examine the implications for Australian retirees of full access to dividend imputation credits. We find that the availability of imputation credits can justify a significant bias towards Australian equities in retirement portfolios, largely at the...

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...

We combine survey data from retirement plan members with information from interviews with plan executives to get both perspectives on who accepts the default plan and default investment option and why. We use a natural experiment in default construction where a new regulatory framework required...

We address how investment management organizations might be built to successfully pursue long-term investing. A variety of recommendations and suggestions are put forward that address four building blocks: organizational; incentives; investment approach; and discretion over trading. A key message is the need to manage 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...

We use portfolio holdings data to examine the performance of 143 global equity funds over the period 2002 to 2012. We find that the average global equity manager outperforms their benchmark by 1.2% to 1.4% per annum before fees. Attribution analysis reveals that the prime...

We model the tax drag from active funds management by simulating portfolios based on reported monthly holdings of 207 active Australian equity funds between July 2000 and December 2010, and then compare both pre-tax- and after-tax fund returns versus those for passive indices modeled under...

The management of capacity is considered from the perspective of institutional asset owners. How capacity differs across asset classes is outlined. Investment strategies that offer greater capacity are identified. A discussion of capacity management for multi-asset portfolios highlights how asset owners should manage investments according...

This report examines the evaluation of capacity in an investment management context, outlining the key issues and various methods of analysis. We address the following question: “how large can a fund get before it is unable to create additional value for its investors?” In doing...

We propose a method for global equity fund performance evaluation that extends existing research by addressing both equity and currency factor exposures. Returns in excess of the risk-free rate are decomposed into contributions arising from the market, exposure to six equity and three currency ‘style...