At first glance, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) may seem like ideal investments. Benefits including low cost, flexibility and tax advantages make them viable choices for many investors and have helped assets in ETFs grow substantially in the past 10 years. While some ETFs could be suitable...

In previous versions of our Value vs. Glamour study we have explored the historical performance of stocks based on their fundamental characteristics and quantified a value premium. Results have shown that over the long term, unpopular “value” stocks, those that are associated with companies...

InvestorLit is a subscription service providing reviews of institutional investment literature. The reviews cover a wide range of investment topics and are published online. Bruce Grantier, founder of InvestorLit, is a member of the Brandes Institute Advisory Board. Members of the InvestorLit...

In a lively roundtable debate, members of the Brandes Institute Advisory Board (BIAB) and guest speaker Brad Case discussed the pros and cons of private equity and whether the investment class is a viable alternative.While some Board members shared their successes, Case cited challenges in the...

The current research of The Brandes Institute shows that international large-cap value stocks recently have experienced a series of rolling five-year periods in which they have either lagged or performed broadly in line with their glamour counterparts. This is their longest stretch of weak...

In “Old Maid,” the kids' card game, the loser was left holding the lone “Old Maid” card. Today, investors holding floating rate bonds (FRBs) or FRB funds may end up in a similar situation – unable to “discard” potentially illiquid bonds as they lose value.Last year, an article from...

Market dislocations and record-low interest rates have spawned interest in unconstrained bond funds amid investors' ongoing quest to boost income and protect capital. Despite its popularity, this non-traditional approach remains mired in complexity. Ironically, it also carries risks that may...

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” — Benjamin FranklinThe Brandes Institute has added a third example to Ben Franklin's famous quote about life's certainties: short-term underperformance among active managers.Over the years, Institute research has...

Passive investing, particularly in emerging markets, has become an increasingly popular means of quick, “diversified” exposure to a particular segment of the markets. Flows into passive emerging market products have been so strong that assets in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to...