Institutional investors might think they know their portfolios, but IW Financial says their portfolios could contain investments they don't know they have, particularly in firearms makers.
To dig deeper into the content of portfolios, IW Financial, Portland, Maine, is offering pension funds and other asset owners, as well as money management firms, a free screening of their investment portfolios to identify any exposure worldwide they might have in companies involved in the manufacture of firearms or ammunition intended for sale in civilian markets.
IW Financial initiated the offer in response to the national debate on firearms possession and violence, said Dan Porter, vice president-strategic initiatives.
“We have been watching this debate unfold and have this research, and we felt it would be something (institutional investors) would be interested in understanding,” Mr. Porter said. “And we see it as a way to introduce ourselves” to institutional investors.
“Investors know the companies in their portfolio,” Mr. Porter said. “But for their involvement in firearms manufacturing, (investors) would have to dive deep into (some) companies to discover it,” especially “where firearms are only a small part of what companies do.” That makes “it more difficult to ferret out.”
IW Financial performs firearms and ammunition manufactures screening only on public companies. Any institutional investor interested in the complimentary screening, which is available through April 30, may contact Sarah Gabler, account executive, at [email protected].
