Opinion
Unease with say on pay
Because “say-on-pay” voting has not reined in executive compensation as much as some corporate governance reformers had hoped, the question becomes: Should more teeth be put into the...
February 06, 2012
The logic of target-date attribution using a consensus glidepath
Analysts have been using performance attribution to understand equity portfolio returns for a long time and, with a few changes to the traditional technique, this type of analysis may be adapted to...
January 30, 2012 | 09:34 am
The dawning of the Age of Austerity
As we start a new year, many are asking what the unprecedented events of 2011 mean for investors in the months ahead. PIMCO COO Douglas Hodge offers some thoughts.
January 23, 2012
Distressing attack
Pension funds, which generally have been increasing their allocations to private equity investments, should be distressed at the attacks on the asset class as the presidential campaign heats up.
January 23, 2012
Oversight risk
In 401(k) and other defined contribution plans, participants bear all the investment risk. They shouldn't have to shoulder the regulatory risk as well to protect their assets and their interests, but ...
January 09, 2012
Social Security payroll tax cut MIA in stimulus debate
Pension funds often are a source of revenue for governments desperate to close budget gaps or advance economic development — even when retirement plans are underfunded. Now the federal...
December 26, 2011
Toughening beneficial ownership disclosure
Excerpt from remarks by Mary L. Schapiro, chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission, at the Dec. 15 Transatlantic Corporate Governance Dialogue in Washington.
December 26, 2011
A U.K. anti-bribery law's impact on U.S. investors
It's well known that the United Kingdom's Ant-Bribery Act imposes severe penalties on British subjects engaging in bribery.
December 26, 2011
Comparing target date funds using returns-based style analysis
Returns-based style analysis provides clarity in establishing performance benchmarks of target date funds.
December 15, 2011 | 12:01 am
Strengthening PBGC
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. faces a confluence of severe challenges, including a new inspector general report critical of its oversight of the United Airlines pension plan termination, one of...
December 12, 2011
Challenge to SEC rule-making
In the case of Business Roundtable and U.S. Chamber of Commerce vs. SEC, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington struck down the Securities and Exchange Commission's proxy access rule, adopted in 2010.
December 12, 2011
Investment strategy: Focus, input and implementation
How does your governance committee go about setting strategy for your investment portfolio? How are asset allocation decisions made? How often is strategy considered — is it continually part...
December 07, 2011 | 12:01 am
Seeking right measure of uncertainty
Excerpt from an unedited transcript of the Securities and Exchange Commission's round table on Measurement Uncertainty in Financial Reporting, Nov. 8:
November 28, 2011
Pension funds as whistle-blowers
Every pension fund executive should become familiar with the whistle-blower rules mandated in a provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The rules have only...
November 28, 2011
Time for coordination
A proposal to unify the five boards of trustees of the $120 billion New York City Retirement Systems should serve as a catalyst for consolidation of many pension systems in other cities and states.