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Butler University

2013

Chapter 04

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Business

Timing Matters -- Dollar Weighted Returns., Steven D. Dolvin Nov 2013

Timing Matters -- Dollar Weighted Returns., Steven D. Dolvin

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While a mutual fund manager may make good decisions that result in a positive return, if investors time cash flows incorrectly, they will end up with lower (even negative) returns. This illustrates the difference between time weighted and dollar weighted returns. Unfortunately, the average investor succumbs to human nature, buying high and selling low, instead of the opposite. See a good summary article here, WSJ.


Even Adults Like "Happy Meals", Steven D. Dolvin Aug 2013

Even Adults Like "Happy Meals", Steven D. Dolvin

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Higher risk companies, in order to sell bonds at lower interest rates, must often attach "sweetners" to the bond offering. Historically this has included warrants or conversion options. Recently, however, some companies have offered a combination of bonds and a loan of the company's shares, a so-called "Happy Meal." The bond buyers subsequently sell the shares short. If the company fails, the investors lose on the bonds, but make a profit on the short sale. This strategy is typically employed by hedge funds. See article here, Wall Street Journal.


Target Date Funds, Steven D. Dolvin May 2013

Target Date Funds, Steven D. Dolvin

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Target Date (or "lifecycle") Funds are investments on "auto pilot." Fund managers allocate assets across funds based on the set (target) retirement date and manage the allocation accordingly as time passes. These funds are best suited as "all or nothing" investments, meaning investors should put all their money in a target date fund or else manage their assets on their own. Unfortunately, many investors allocate funds to lifecycle investments as if it were its own investment category. This is particularly true in retirement plans where participants often exhibit the "1/n" phenomenon, allocating there money equally across the "n" investments in …


Are Hedge Funds Worth It?, Steven D. Dolvin Jan 2013

Are Hedge Funds Worth It?, Steven D. Dolvin

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Hedge funds typically charge high fees for their services -- generally a 2% yearly management fee plus 20% of profits. When this is factored in, most investors would be better off choosing a low cost ETF. See article here, The Economist.