The Spanish press has described a “revolution” at Banco Santander this Wednesday. In any case, what the entity has announced constitutes a full-scale restructuring, with the merger of the Investment Platforms & Corporate Investments unit and the global Wealth Management & Insurance business.
Leading this new sector is one of Santander’s strongmen, Javier García Carranza, who is now responsible for Asset Management, Private Banking, and Insurance.
According to an internal memo accessed by the Spanish press, García Carranza replaces Víctor Matarranz, who previously led Wealth Management. From now on, Matarranz will work directly with the group’s CEO, Héctor Grisi, to “support him in executing the strategy,” according to the internal memo.
According to public figures, the Wealth Management & Insurance unit manages assets worth €482 billion ($523 billion). In the first quarter, the unit’s net profit rose by 27% year-on-year, representing around 13% of Santander group’s profits.
With this change, the group’s global areas are reduced to five (Retail & Commercial, Digital Consumer Bank, Payments, Corporate & Investment Banking, and Wealth Management & Insurance) at the expense of the division into geographical markets. The changes were announced at the end of 2023 and aim to simplify the entity’s offerings.
The outcome of a portfolio is the result of many different aspects, such as commissions, time horizon, asset classes held, among others, and how they align to increase the value of an investment. One of the main determinants of the performance is the strategy that composes the holdings, which is molded by each portfolio manager’s risk appetite, that depending on the capital, goals, and approach, will range from conservative to aggressive, highlights an analysis by the fund manager FlexFunds.
Tracking a portfolio’s performance is a critical and reassuring component of the investment process, enabling investors and asset managers to gauge the efficacy of their strategies.
Typically, conservative portfolio approaches use a 60/40 strategy, which consists of assigning 60% of the value of the total allocations in equities and the remaining 40% in fixed income; the 60/40 model aims to harness the long-term growth potential of stocks while seeking stability via debt instruments. As reported by the 1st Annual Report of the Asset Securitization Sector, gathering the input of 80+ asset management companies from more than 15 countries, more than half of the professionals interviewed believe that the 60/40 model will remain relevant. To implement this strategy, investors must buy many different securities (distributed in stocks and bonds) to have a diversified holding base. Nowadays, there is a comprehensive inventory of available securities that are integrated by different asset classes within a single instrument. An example of such securities can be a structured note.
What is a structured note? It is a hybrid financial product that combines features of different vehicles in the form of a debt obligation, and its performance is tied to the returns of these underlying.
Using flexible products that repackage different assets in a single security offers a significant advantage by accomplishing the desired weighting distribution without the need for multiple subscriptions, which ends up decreasing the total account value due to fees and commissions. For instance, FlexFunds’ FlexPortfolio allows structuring actively managed notes with no limitations on rebalancing or allocation. Since the securities that compose this product are not fixed or embedded, its composition can be adjusted by the manager depending on the prevailing market conditions and clients’ (investors) best interests, all these while being able to supervise the portfolio performance given that the notes have a NAV that is frequently distributed.
Despite the objective and weighting that each underlying (whether equity or debt) may have in a portfolio, there are a variety of ways in which a note can be designed, meaning that any financial goal can be pursued; it is up to the investor to decide what focus aligns the most with its desired outcome. The most common arrangements are the following:
Offer upside and growth potential.
Offer downside protection (hedging).
Offer an illiquid asset in the form of a marketable vehicle.
Offer periodic payments/disbursements in the form of coupons.
Structured investment targets and how they can make a portfolio more conservative/aggressive:
The preceding graph visually demonstrates how the constitution of a structured security can influence the overall risk-return relationship of an investment allocation, given the nature of its underlying. Equity-like instruments tend to augment portfolio volatility while potentially offering superior returns. Conversely, instruments exhibiting bond-like characteristics can introduce an element of price stability to the allocation.
Every investment process has an expected return for a certain level of risk; considering that we are assessing some of the structured notes’ pros and cons and the impact these may have on a portfolio’s outcome, let’s delve into some of the potential structured notes’ risks.
Limited Liquidity
They may have limited liquidity, making it challenging for investors to sell their notes before the maturity date due to a lack of a secondary market. There may or may not be buyers for the note, and investors may be forced to sell the securities at a discount on what they are worth.
Market Risk
While some offer protection against losses, this safety net has its limits. When the underlying experiences high volatility due to market fluctuations, investors can still experience losses. Linking the note to more speculative positions increase the market risk significantly.
Default
Structured notes can possess a heightened credit exposure compared to alternative options. If the issuer of the note files for bankruptcy, the entire investment could be rendered worthless, regardless of the returns produced by the underlying asset.
Although achieving complete mitigation of all potential structured notes risks, or any other risks associated with individual positions or financial instruments, may be challenging, mitigating at least one may provide an edge in the market.
Empower your distribution and reach with innovative yet proven solutions. FlexFunds, a recognized fintech leader in the securitization industry, offers a program of global notes that can help you expand your client base while issuing a flexible investment strategy. Explore which of FlexFunds’ tailored solutions better adapt to your specific needs. Contact us today to schedule a meeting at info@flexfunds.com
Inauguration of Insigneo's Houston office | LinkedIn account of María Elena Orantes, Consul General of Mexico.
Insigneo was opened its flagship office in Houston, Texas. This occasion marks a significant milestone for Insigneo as it materializes its presence in Texas, the firm said in a press release.
The inaugural event served as both the opening of Insigneo‘s new office and the 2024 Q2 Quarterly Call. This dual-purpose gathering brought together clients, leadership team, and peers, providing an opportunity to explore the new office environment and gain valuable insights directly from Insigneo’s CIO, Ahmed Riesgo.
The event, which commenced on April 10th, has the speeches from Raul Henriquez, Chairman and CEO of Insigneo Financial Group, and Maria Elena Orantes Lopez, Consul General of Mexico.
This expansion underscores Insigneo‘s dedication to extending its services to the Mexican clientele and broadening its geographic footprint across Texas. Following the acquisition by PNC, Insigneo has strategically expanded its presence, with additional locations in San Antonio, El Paso, Laredo, and San Diego.
“This moment marks a significant milestone in our journey as an investment firm, expanding our reach and commitment to serving our clients with excellence and dedication.” said Maria G. Hernandez, Insigneo Market HeadTexas/US SW. “As we embark on this new chapter, we are grateful for the opportunity to further strengthen our presence in this vibrant city and contribute to its thriving financial landscape. With the support of our talented team and the trust of our clients, we look forward to achieving even greater success together.”
This expansion underscores Insigneo’s commitment to international wealth management, driven by state-of-the-art technology and continuous innovation, the statement concludes.
International advisor Ricardo Sucre is the latest recruit by Bolton Global Capital to exit Morgan Stanley.
With a career spanning more than three decades, managing ultra-high net worth individuals from Latin America, Sucre has developed and maintained relationships with international clients, resulting in a $200 million AUM business portfolio, Bolton said in a press release.
Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2014, Sucre held senior positions at Mercantil Commercebank in the areas of private banking, treasury sales management, and investment services. Notably, as a Senior Financial Consultant, he managed portfolios for ultra-high net worth clients executing trades across emerging markets, domestic corporate debt, and US government securities, the firm added.
At Bolton, Sucre will be joining forces with Ernesto Amengual, Leonardo Tedeschi and Jorge Aguerrevere. He will be based out of Bolton’s Miami office at the Four Seasons Tower on Brickell Avenue.
“As a consummate professional, Ricardo will undoubtedly continue along the same the path of success with the support of Bolton’s robust international wealth management capabilities. We are delighted that he is joining our firm.” said Bolton’s CEO Ray Grenier.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Major in Finance from Universidad Santa Maria in Venezuela.
The US ISM services index shows that business activity and new orders are performing well, but companies are increasingly focused on trimming their workforce. The employment component of the index has dropped into contraction territory, indicating a potential risk of job losses in the coming months.
However, with inflation pressures looking less worrying, the Federal Reserve should have the flexibility to respond, said James Knightley, Chief International Economist, ING Bank in a new report for ING Bank.
The ISM services index for February came in at 52.6, below the consensus forecast of 53.0. However, business activity and new orders improved to 57.2 and 56.1, respectively, indicating expansion in these areas. Employment, on the other hand, dropped to 48.0, the second sub-50 print in the past three months, and the six-month moving average is also below the 50 line.
The relationship between the ISM services employment index and the monthly change in nonfarm payrolls has historically been strong, but in 2023 and into 2024, they have had an inverse relationship. With job loss announcements seemingly picking up and the quit rate falling, it does appear that the jobs market is cooling.
Prices paid fell back in the report, which is a positive sign given the recent strength in core inflation readings. The ISM indices and GDP growth, indicating that the economy may not be as robust as GDP alone suggests. Nonetheless, there is little sign of employers taking an axe to jobs, and the Federal Reserve should have the flexibility to respond to any potential job losses.
The full report can be found on the ING Group site.
Pixabay CC0 Public DomainAuthor: Alessandro D'Andrea from Pixabay
U.S. equities maintained their upward trajectory in February as the S&P 500 breached 5,000 for the first time. Building upon January’s momentum, the S&P 500 delivered its best two-month performance to start a year since 2019.
Playing a pivotal role in this sustained performance were several of the mega-cap tech companies often referred to as the “Magnificent 7”, notably Nvidia (NVDA), Amazon (AMZN), and Meta (META). Their earnings were bolstered by tailwinds in artificial intelligence, accelerated growth trajectories, and strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing shareholder value.
While the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise rates further, the timing and pace of potential rate cuts remain uncertain. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller stated that he would require “at least another couple of months” of data to determine if inflation has sufficiently moderated to justify interest rate reductions. The Fed will persist in monitoring incoming data and progress towards achieving their 2% inflation target. Despite investor eagerness for imminent interest rate cuts, initiating them prematurely could potentially lead to a resurgence of inflation.
The Russell 2000 outperformed the S&P 500 in February, but remains below its all-time high set in November 2021. We anticipate a favorable environment for smaller companies in 2024 as post-peak rates and necessary consolidation in certain industries like media, energy and banking should lead to a more robust year. M&A activity began the year strong, setting the stage for catalysts to emerge within our portfolio of companies.
Merger arbitrage performance in February was bolstered by deals that made significant progress towards completion. Immunogen, a biotechnology company developing targeted therapies to treat cancer, was acquired by Abbvie in February for $31.26 cash per share, or about $9 billion. Shares of Immunogen traded at a 6% discount to deal terms days before the deal closed, reflecting the uncertainty over whether the US FTC would launch a phase 2 antitrust investigation, but the FTC approved the deal and it subsequently closed on February 13.
Deal activity was vibrant in February, giving investors many new opportunities to deploy capital including: Masonite’s $4 billion deal to be acquired by Owens Corning, Catalent’s $16 billion deal to be acquired by Novo Holdings, Cymabay Therapeutics’ $4 billion deal to be acquired by Gilead, and Everbridge’s $2 billion deal to be acquired by Thoma Bravo. Deal activity in 2024 has improved compared to 2023, and attractive spreads on deals have created additional opportunities to generate absolute returns.
February was a relatively good month for the convertibles market. With a few notable exceptions, many companies reported earnings and issued guidance that was better than anticipated moving underlying equities higher. Additionally, there has been a bid for convertibles that will need to be refinanced in the coming year. In some cases, this has been from the issuer themselves, but we have also seen a number trade higher in anticipation of a refinancing round. Issuance has picked up substantially with many companies coming back to our market to refinance these upcoming maturities. This new paper has largely been attractive, offering higher coupons and a greater level of equity sensitivity.
Opinion article by Michael Gabelli, managing director at Gabelli & Partners
Amerant Investments announced that it has entered into a strategic relationship with iCapital.
This collaboration will provide Amerant Investment’s financial advisors, along with their clients, access to private market opportunities and analytics. The partnership will also entail oversight of the entire investment and education experience through a unified technology platform and operating system, according the press release.
“At Amerant Investments, we recognize that private markets investments have the potential to generate higher returns and provide diversification benefits to investors as they seek to access relatively untapped opportunities,” said Sergio Guerrero, COO at Amerant Investments. “We are excited to leverage iCapital’s curated options, innovative technology, and robust educational materials to help set our financial advisors up for success.”
“Unicorn Strategic Partners, a key distribution partner to asset managers and a strategic ally to iCapital in the LATAM region, will play a crucial role in supporting Amerant’s distribution efforts. Additionally, they will educate Amerant’s network of advisors on the available asset classes and funds via iCapital Marketplace, a platform featuring the industry’s broadest selection of alternative investment funds, due diligence and education resources, fund subscription processing, and third-party reporting services”, the firm said.
The menu will focus on semi-liquid and closed-end funds available on iCapital Marketplace. iCapital’s market-leading technology platform and solutions have effectively and efficiently diminished the historical barriers that wealth managers and their clients have faced when investing in private markets by automating the subscription, administration, operational, and reporting processes for the life of the investment.
In addition, the partnership with iCapital provides Amerant with a full suite of research, due diligence, and educational materials to empower their financial advisors and investors. It will include access to iCapital’s comprehensive educational offerings, including the AltsEdgeTM Certificate Program, an educational initiative jointly created by iCapital and the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, designed to help wealth managers better understand alternative investments and how they can leverage them to improve client outcomes. The AltsEdgeTM program consists of ten research-based, CE-accredited modules covering the private markets, various types of strategies and product structures, and portfolio construction.
“Wealth managers are increasingly looking to alternative investments as a way to help their clients improve their financial outcomes,” said Wes Sturdevant, Managing Director, iCapital Enterprise Solutions. “We are proud to establish this partnership with Amerant Investments, a respected registered investment advisor and broker-dealer with wealth management expertise in the Latin America and U.S. markets and welcome the opportunity to support their expansion into alternative investments.”
El Miami Fintech Club ha anunciado a Steve McLaughlin, fundador y CEO de FT Partners, para una charla exclusiva en su evento del 13 de febrero en Miami.
McLaughlin, ex banquero de Goldman Sachs especializado en FinTech y Servicios Financieros durante más de 20 años, será entrevistado por Alejandra Slatapolsky, cofundadora del Miami Fintech Club.
“Estamos encantados de organizar esta animada charla con uno de los líderes del sector”, declaró Max Shelford, cofundador del Miami Fintech Club.
El debate se basará sobre “el estado de la industria, las oportunidades de crecimiento, los movimientos estratégicos de los actores clave y sus predicciones para el futuro”, dice el comunicado al que accedió Funds Society.
El objetivo del evento es reunir a la creciente comunidad fintech de Miami para establecer contactos, debatir tendencias y obtener información de uno de los principales expertos en este campo, que fue recientemente clasificado en el puesto número uno en Institutional Investor’s “Most Influential Dealmakers in FinTech“.
“La discusión ofrecerá perspectivas poco comunes de esta industria en rápida evolución de los que saben”, agregó Shelford.
El Miami Fintech Club organiza eventos periódicos para reforzar la reputación de Miami como centro emergente de innovación financiera. El grupo fomenta la creación de redes, el intercambio de ideas y las asociaciones dentro del ecosistema fintech local, dice la información proporcionada por la organización.
El aforo es limitado, por lo que la organización recomienda a los interesado deberán inscribirse en el siguiente link.
What a difference one quarter, let alone one year, can make. Markets entered 2023 battered and bruised. A war in Ukraine and a war on inflation threatened to wreck the global economy. Cracks emerged as a succession of banks (Silicon Valley, Signature, First Republic, Credit Suisse) failed. In keeping with recent history, Congress took us to the precipice before agreeing to more spending. Tragically, another front has opened in the battle against the axis of Russia/Iran/China. Yet, notwithstanding signs of economic deceleration, inflation appears headed south while employment remains steady. Remarkably, the odds that the Federal Reserve pulls off a soft landing have grown; as Chair Powell noted in his most recent testimony: “so far, so good”.
Merger Arbitrage concluded the year on a strong note as Pfizer successfully completed its acquisition of Seagen (SGEN-NASDAQ) for $43 billion in cash. This followed a comprehensive second request process conducted by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Additionally, Bristol-Myers received U.S. antitrust approval in Phase 1 for its acquisition of the targeted oncology company, Mirati Therapeutics (MRTX-NASDAQ), contributing to a positive antitrust sentiment. Deal spreads, including those for Capri Holdings (CPRI-NYSE), Albertsons (ACI-NYSE), and Amedisys (AMED-NASDAQ) among others, firmed in response. Global M&A activity reached $2.9 trillion, marking a 17% decrease compared to 2022. However, the U.S. market remained robust with $1.4 trillion in announced deals, maintaining a level comparable to 2022.
Worldwide M&A totaled $2.9 trillion in 2023, a decrease of 17% compared to 2022 activity. However, fourth quarter deal making increased 23% sequentially compared to third quarter 2023, an encouraging sign that deal making may be recovering. The US remained a bright spot for deal activity with deal volume of $1.4 trillion, a decline of about 5% and accounting for 47% of worldwide M&A (compared to 42% in 2022.) Energy & Power was the most active sector with deal volume that totalled $502 billion and accounted for 17% of overall value. Industrials, Technology and Healthcare M&A each accounted for 13% of total M&A in 2023. Private Equity acquisitions totalled $566 billion and accounted for 20% of total deal activity. Despite PE deal volume declining 30% compared to 2022, it was still the sixth largest year on record for PE acquisitions.
Reflecting on a volatile year in the convertible market, we have some positive takeaways. Issuance returned to pre-pandemic levels at relatively attractive terms. We expect the pace of issuance to accelerate in 2024 as companies face a maturity wall that must be refinanced. We expect the allure of relatively lower interest rates in convertibles will bring many more companies to our market offering continued asymmetrical return opportunities. Additionally, convertibles that were issued at unattractive terms at market highs in 2021 have generally found bond floor and some offer a compelling yield to maturity. Companies that can have been repurchasing these bonds in an accretive transaction, or refinancing them by issuing converts with a more attractive profile. We expect this trend to continue in 2024 and continue to look for opportunities in this segment of the market.
Opinion article by Michael Gabelli, managing director at Gabelli & Partners
Photo courtesyMatt Toms, new Voya Investment Management's
Voya Financial announced that Christine Hurtsellers, CEO of Voya Investment Management (IM), has informed the company of her decision to retire later this year.
Matt Toms, CIO of Voya IM, will succeed Hurtsellers as CEO, effective immediately, and Hurtsellers will now serve as a strategic advisor to the company until her retirement.
Toms has also joined Voya Financial’s Executive Committee and will now report to Heather Lavallee, CEO, Voya Financial. Hurtsellers will also continue to report to Lavallee.
Voya also announced that Eric Stein, who most recently served as CIO, fixed income, at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, has joined Voya IM as head of investments and CIO, fixed income. Stein reports to Toms.
“I am grateful to Christine for her amazing leadership and stewardship of our Investment Management business,” said Lavallee.
Lavallee added that over her almost 20-year career with Voya IM, including seven years of service as CEO, “Christine achieved a number of strategic, financial and operational outcomes, including the successful integration of several acquisitions that have expanded our asset management capabilities and global reach.”
I am thankful for having had the benefit of Christine’s insights, drive and passion for our business, and I wish her and her family all the best as she begins her transition to retirement. Also, I am excited to have Matt leading Voya IM as it executes on its growth strategy and continues to build on its strong pipeline across institutional and retail markets in the U.S. and internationally. Matt has been global CIO since 2022, has 30 years of asset management expertise, and has great insights into the needs of our clients. His deep knowledge and experience with our firm, and his passion for our clients, will serve him well as he leads Voya IM into its next stage of growth,” stated Lavallee.
“We have made great progress in evolving Voya IM to become the global firm that we are today,” said Hurtsellers. “The growth and expansion that we have achieved is the result of the hard work of our colleagues, who have always prioritized the needs of our clients. After almost 20 years at Voya, and as I look ahead to retirement and the ability to attend to my family’s needs, I am grateful for and proud of all that the team has accomplished over the years. In the meantime, I look forward to working closely with Matt and Heather — and to engaging with our clients, intermediaries and employees — to ensure a smooth transition.”
As Voya IM’s global CIO, Toms led the firm’s more than 300 investment professionals who are managing approximately $310 billion in assets under management across fixed income, equities, multi-asset solutions and alternative strategies. Previously, Toms served as CIO, fixed income. Prior to joining Voya IM in 2009, Toms worked with Calamos Investments, where he established and grew its fixed income business. He also previously held roles with Northern Trust and Lincoln National.
“It’s an honor to be leading Voya IM, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead,” said Toms. “Over the past several years, we have successfully grown our capabilities and our reach to serve the expanding needs of our clients, and I’m looking forward to working with the many talented professionals across our firm to continue our growth trajectory. I also want to express my tremendous gratitude to Christine for her leadership and guidance. I am grateful to have her insights and perspective as we make a smooth transition.”
Stein, in his new role as head of investments as well as CIO, fixed income, will directly lead the public fixed income investment team as well as oversee the broader equities, income and growth, and multi-asset strategies and solutions investment teams. Chris Lyons, head of private fixed income and alternatives investments, will continue to report to Toms.
As CIO, fixed income at Morgan Stanley IM, Stein was responsible for overseeing 275 professionals and the management of investment strategies for Morgan Stanley’s approximately $200 billion fixed income platform, including agency mortgage-backed securities, emerging markets, floating-rate loans, high-yield, investment grade credit, multi-sector, municipals and securitized strategies.
Prior to Morgan Stanley IM, Stein held several portfolio management roles at Eaton Vance since 2009, including most recently serving as CIO for Eaton Vance’s entire fixed income group, which included investment teams across high-yield, bank loan, municipal investments, emerging market debt/global macro, securitized, investment grade corporate and multi-asset investment disciplines, the firm added.
“I am excited to have Eric on the Voya IM leadership team,” added Toms. “His more than 20 years of investment experience and demonstrated expertise in leading sizable teams throughout his career will no doubt bring great value to our investment teams and our clients. Equally important, Eric’s approach to money management aligns fully with the collaborative approach of our investment professionals at Voya IM. I am looking forward to having his leadership and insights as we execute on our growth plans.”
