FIXED INCOME INVESTMENTS

WHY FIXED INCOME CORPORATE BONDS BELONG IN EVERY PORTFOLIO

The charging of interest on time deposits as well as on federal bonds and other types of bonds with excellent credit ratings has been significantly reduced in recent years. However, bonds belong in every portfolio. Where conservative investors are concerned, bonds should for various reasons even make up the main part of their securities.

ATTRACTIVE RETURNS

With time deposits and federal securities, the inflation rate can scarcely be compensated for in the current market environment and real growth in assets is practically impossible. Conversely, with a professional selection, The Secure Group has achieved proven annualized returns of 6 percent with corporate bonds over the past five years (KPMG & BDO audited Performance Results). This is possible as a result of high coupon payments linked to price gains in bonds purchased below their nominal value.

A HIGH DEGREE OF PROFIT STABILITY

Thanks to regular interest payments and clearly defined repayment schedules, it is easy to predict the expected yield from corporate bonds in a portfolio. This is why investors and managers know when they can count on particular payments. The bottom line is that it is even possible to align the portfolio with the specified amounts where regular payments are concerned.

COMPARATIVELY LOW INVESTMENT RISKS

Thanks to broad diversification (as a rule 10 to 60 bonds from different companies), a high degree of planning security, sound analysis and the use of professional security tools, the bond portfolios we manage have comparatively low risks for investors. The fluctuations in value are much lower than those for share portfolios.

PERMANENT AVAILABILITY WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF TRANSPARENCY

In contrast to banks’ savings bonds and time deposits, the money invested in the purchase of corporate bonds is not tied up for a specific period of time. Instead, the bonds can be sold via the stock exchange at the market price at any time. By means of an online access our customers additionally have the option to find out about the current performance and sales value of their portfolio positions at any time.

STABLE RETURNS: SUCCESS FACTORS IN RELATION TO CORPORATE BOND INVESTMENTS

In the current low-interest environment, it is now practically impossible to fulfill the expectations of demanding fixed-interest investors with the traditional type of advice provided by banks and with their products, most of which are in-house. As an independent Swiss asset manager and specialist in the area of fixed-interest investment types, The Secure Group Company was able to generate proven annualized returns of 6 percent over the past five years by purchasing corporate bonds listed on the stock exchange (KPMG & BDO audited Performance Results). In this respect, 7 specific factors (security pillars) are very decisive for sustained success and our customers’ resultant satisfaction.

Beneficial purchase in accordance with the value principle

As a rule, we focus on undervalued bonds. As candidates for purchases, only bonds with a particularly good risk-reward ratio come into question. This means that each of the bonds should offer a higher yield than the securities from similar issuers with a comparable risk or that they must have a lower risk if the return is the same. When an adjustment is made to the market average, price gains are automatic. We also systematically use valuation shifts, which can be seen more and more in the corporate bond market, switching from one issuer to another in the same industry. This works particularly well during stressed market periods with increased price fluctuations.

Additional income by full use of the interest curve effect

The returns on Fixed Income securities are typically reduced when the residual term decreases. As a rule, this effect is stronger with respect to corporate bonds than with regard to government bonds. For example, if a corporate bond with a six-year residual term yields a return of six per cent, investors are often satisfied with half this amount two years before maturity if the other conditions remain unchanged. The result of this is a price increase from 100 to almost 106 per cent. Because we do not retain most of our bonds until the repayment date, we can use this interest curve effect in order to generate additional yields.

High interest coupons

The bonds’ high interest coupons provide additional security. They ensure that during the term a part of the invested capital flows back to the creditor.

A high degree of seniority

When constructing our portfolios we pay attention to a high degree of seniority. This means that we are mostly high up in the ranking of debtors and, in case of insolvency, we are awarded a high recovery rate. For a portfolio of 30 different bonds (and more) as well as an average repayment rate of 50 per cent for senior bonds (in the case of a default), the potential default risk of one single bond in relation to the whole portfolio is less than 1.7 per cent.

Broad distribution

We distribute an investment across the largest possible number of bonds so that the risk of individual portfolios failing is kept low.

Continuous monitoring

During the bond’s ownership period, all relevant factors are monitored continuously. In addition to developing important balance sheet and yield key performance indicators such as the debt level, the operating profit and the cash flow, this includes changes typical within the branch such as how to deal with direct competitors.

Professional analysis

When selecting attractive corporate bonds and putting together efficient portfolios we use professional databases and modern analytical tools. In this respect, the focus of our selection process is well-founded financial data analysis of potential issuers and possible guarantors whom we as a rule meet before structuring a large bond portfolio so that we can obtain a better impression of how each company in question is managed. However, the decisive factors where bond selection is concerned are also the previous market and country assessments. The technical analysis is used in particular to determine the exact timing of purchases and sales.

Integrity

The core principle that guides our firm. We pledge to provide you with an investment experience based on honesty, transparency and high ethical standards. Integrity is of such importance that without it, the remaining core values are meaningless.

Independence

We have established a culture that promotes freedom to provide the best possible investment solution for our clients. Though fiercely independent, we pride ourselves on being interdependent when it comes to sharing strategies that benefit everyone.

Innovation

In the rapidly changing investment world, we strive to create new processes and services based on leading edge technologies. Our goal is to continue to implement new methods and processes rather than relying on strategies that worked in the past thus initiating positive change for you.