Controlling Portfolio Risk

The asset allocation decision, choosing the mix between stocks, bonds and cash, is the most important decision in controlling portfolio risk .

At Stonebrooke Asset Management, we typically manage one of three balanced portfolio mandates. Each investment portfolio has a minimum allocation to stocks and bonds. There is also a maximum permitted allocation. The range between minimum and maximum exposures allows us to actively manage portfolio risk through the business cycle.

The management of portfolio risk is a shared process. While our management style has a highly disciplined structure which strives to mitigate portfolio risk, volatility cannot be eliminated. Investors must understand the volatility inherent in the asset mix ultimately chosen. A conservative portfolio will bring less volatility than a more aggressive one simply because there is a lower allocation to the stock market.

To successfully manage an investment portfolio mandate, a disciplined approach to control portfolio risk is essential. Imposing minimum and maximum constraints on the cash, bonds, and stocks allocated for each balanced portfolio is critical for managing risk. Whether through active management or in the event of extreme market volatility, investment portfolios are always rebalanced. We will simply not allow any portfolio mandate to be under or over invested with respect to their risk tolerances.

We structure client portfolios to do three things: 

produce consistent investment returns over the long term, 

preserve capital in down markets, and 

smooth out the ups and downs in volatile times.

The Table below illustrates our three primary balanced portfolio mandates: Conservative, Balanced and Growth.

With access to both public market and alternative market investment opportunities, we offer a range of investment options tailored to the investor?s risk tolerance. With over 30 years of investment industry experience, George Kurcin leads the Investment team as Chief Portfolio Manager. 

This article is provided for information purposes only. Although the content is believed to be reliable when posted, Stonebrooke Asset Management cannot guarantee this information is current, accurate or complete and does not assume any liability. The information is not intended to provide any insurance, financial, legal, accounting or taxation advice and should not under any circumstances be relied upon without consultation about your specific situation. The information is subject to modification and updating from time to time without notice.