Displaying items by tag: pensions

(Washington)

It has not gotten much major media attention yet, but there is a big battle brewing between asset managers and the Trump administration. The reason why is a new rule proposal by the DOL which seeks to require private pension plan administrators to prove that they are not sacrificing client returns by putting money into ESG-oriented investments. The proposal was not some by-product or unintended consequence of a larger regulation, it was the point. In the words of Eugene Scalia, head of the DOL, “Private employer-sponsored retirement plans are not vehicles for furthering social goals or policy objectives that are not in the financial interest of the plan”.

FINSUM: In our opinion, this rule by the DOL is very out-of-step with current market trends. We totally understand the need for the DOL to protect retail investors, but Millennials and Gen Xers love ESG and will be the ones inheriting wealth soon. This seems heavy-handed.

(Chicago)

In 2010, Meredith Whitney, famed market analyst, made a bold call that still haunts her and the muni market to this day—that there would 50 to 100 sizable defaults in the next year. The call, which came on 60 Minutes in 2010, led to a major backlash by the muni market. Besides Detroit and Puerto Rico, which were widely forecasted, her predictions never came true, or at least were certainly far too early. To this day, many of the problems that haunt the muni market, like shrinking populations in indebted areas, are still definitively long-term issues that are not going to immediately take down the market. Even the pension deficit is not as bad as many perceive, with a 71% funded ratio on average (economists say the optimal number is 80%).

FINSUM: The muni market gets a lot of bad press, mostly because of the handful of dire situations, but on the whole it has been quite steady.

(New York)

Pensions have been on a long and miserable path since the Financial Crisis. They have been chronically underfunded and suffered from poor returns, but after a weak decade, there is finally some good news. That news is that interest rates are up, which means that US corporate pension plans are now 92.8% funded versus 87.6% funded at the beginning of the year. The shift is almost entirely because of changes in yields. Higher yields make it easier for pension funds to meet their future cash needs.

FINSUM: Higher interest rates will be better for all retirees, and it is good that pensions are finally catching a break. One wonders if we are approaching a sweet spot in rates where mortgages remain affordable, but yields are high enough to satisfy pensions and retirees.

(New York)

For the first time since WWII, Americans are retiring in worse financial condition than the generations that preceded them. Those aged 55 to 70 are preparing to retire with the biggest financial burdens and lowest benefits since Truman was in office. Many have high debt, including paying off children’s tuitions and for aging parents. Their 401(k)s are in poor shape, with a median income of just $8,000 per year for a household of two. According to the study, which was conducted by the Wall Street Journal, more than 40% of American households headed to retirement lack the resources to maintain their current lifestyles. That is about 15m households.

FINSUM: We are having a hard time reconciling this with all the reports of how wealthy the Baby Boomer generation is, yet this comes from quite a reputable source. It must ultimately come down to wealth inequality within that generation.

(New York)

If ever there was a “5 stock” piece that investors might want to read, this is probably it. Barron’s has published an article naming five stocks which will do well as rates rise. Interestingly, these choices are not based on macroeconomics (e.g. REITS do poorly as rates rise), but based on the actual underlying financial obligations of the companies, with pension obligations being the key factor. The five names that come out when one looks at the situation that way are companies which investors will be very familiar with: GM, Ford, Xerox, American Airlines, and General Electric. The piece summarizes the benefits this way, saying “In general, as the health of pension plans improve, so should balance sheets, cash flows, and earnings due to lower pension contributions and costs”.

FINSUM: These look like very good calls because they are not obvious, but the benefits will be in time. Very interesting to see GE on there given its struggles lately.