Combining Yield with Relative Strength

May 2, 2014

Barron’s points out that investors who focus solely on yield may be more susceptible to value traps:

Owning an investment for its dividend doesn’t relieve you of the other, hidden exposures of the asset. Value, growth, quality, junk, etc.: You’ve made a choice whether you realize it or not.

Pankaj Patel, quantitative strategist at ISI Group, highlighted one risk for clients this week:”Dividend yield as a factor is susceptible to value traps. To use dividend yield as a factor for stock selection it needs to be combined with other factors.”

We have found that combining yield with relative strength has been effective at leading us to those stocks that not only have high dividend yields, but are also technically strong. Click here to read more about why we use rankings based on total return (price + yield) to identify holdings for the First Trust DWA Relative Strength Dividend UITs.

Past performance is not indicative of future results. Potential for profits is accompanied by possibility of loss. See http://www.ftportfolios.com for more information.

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Dorsey Wright Managed Accounts

May 2, 2014

Picture1 Dorsey Wright Managed Accounts

Our Systematic Relative Strength portfolios are available as managed accounts at a large and growing number of firms.

  • Wells Fargo Advisors (Global Macro available on the Masters/DMA Platforms)
  • Morgan Stanley (IMS Platform)
  • TD Ameritrade Institutional
  • UBS Financial Services (Aggressive and Core are available on the MAC Platform)
  • RBC Wealth Management (MAP Platform)
  • Raymond James (Outside Manager Platform)
  • Stifel Nicolaus
  • Kovack Securities
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Charles Schwab Institutional
  • Sterne Agee
  • Scott & Stringfellow
  • Envestnet UMA
  • Placemark
  • Scottrade Institutional
  • Janney Montgomery Scott
  • Robert W. Baird
  • Wedbush Morgan
  • Prospera
  • Oppenheimer (Star Platform)
  • SunTrust
  • Lockwood

Different Portfolios for Different Objectives: Descriptions of our seven managed accounts strategies are shown below. All managed accounts use relative strength as the primary investment selection factor.

Aggressive: This Mid and Large Cap U.S. equity strategy seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation. It invests in securities that demonstrate powerful relative strength characteristics and requires that the securities maintain strong relative strength in order to remain in the portfolio.

Core: This Mid and Large Cap U.S. equity strategy seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation. This portfolio invests in securities that demonstrate powerful relative strength characteristics and requires that the securities maintain strong relative strength in order to remain in the portfolio. This strategy tends to have lower turnover and higher tax efficiency than our Aggressive strategy.

Growth: This Mid and Large Cap U.S. equity strategy seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation with some degree of risk mitigation. This portfolio invests in securities that demonstrate powerful relative strength characteristics and requires that the securities maintain strong relative strength in order to remain in the portfolio. This portfolio also has an equity exposure overlay that, when activated, allows the account to hold up to 50% cash if necessary.

International: This All-Cap International equity strategy seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation through a portfolio of international companies in both developed and emerging markets. This portfolio invests in those securities with powerful relative strength characteristics and requires that the securities maintain strong relative strength in order to remain in the portfolio. Exposure to international markets is achieved through American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

Global Macro: This global tactical asset allocation strategy seeks to achieve meaningful risk diversification and investment returns. The strategy invests across multiple asset classes: Domestic Equities (long & inverse), International Equities (long & inverse), Fixed Income, Real Estate, Currencies, and Commodities. Exposure to each of these areas is achieved through exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Balanced: This strategy includes equities from our Core strategy (see above) and high-quality U.S. fixed income in approximately a 60% equity / 40% fixed income mix. This strategy seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation and income with moderate volatility.

Tactical Fixed Income: This strategy seeks to provide current income and strong risk-adjusted fixed income returns. The strategy invests across multiple sectors of the fixed income market: U.S. government bonds, investment grade corporate bonds, high yield bonds, Treasury inflation protected securities (TIPS), convertible bonds, and international bonds. Exposure to each of these areas is achieved through exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Picture2 Dorsey Wright Managed Accounts

To receive fact sheets for any of the strategies above, please e-mail Andy Hyer at [email protected] or call 626-535-0630. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. An investor should carefully review our brochure and consult with their financial advisor before making any investments.

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Sector Performance

May 2, 2014

The chart below shows performance of US sectors over the trailing 12, 6, and 1 month(s). Performance updated through 5/1/2014.

s c 05.02.14 Sector Performance

Numbers shown are price returns only and are not inclusive of transaction costs. Source: iShares

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