FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Kim Shepherd
+1-773-252-9986
kshepherd.ext@wilshire.com
WILSHIRE TRUST UNIVERSE COMPARISON SERVICE®
DATA NOW AVAILABLE MONTHLY
Returns Slightly Negative in October;
Foundations and Endowments Up More than 16 Percent YTD
SANTA MONICA, Calif, December 21, 2009 - In a move to keep institutional investors informed in a dynamic investment market atmosphere, data from Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service® (Wilshire TUCS®), a cooperative effort between Wilshire Analytics, the investment technology unit of Wilshire Associates, and custodial organizations, are now available monthly to clients of the service, according to the global investment consulting and services firm.
"In today's fast-moving investment climate, a quarter now is a long time to wait for a benchmark against which to assess a fund's performance," noted Hilarie C. Green, CFA, managing director and head of Wilshire Analytics' Performance Reporting division. "This new universe offering is in response to the many plan sponsor requests for monthly Wilshire TUCS reports. Additionally, it enables those plan sponsors with fiscal years that do not coincide with a calendar year to have fiscal year reporting capabilities using Wilshire TUCS."
The most widely accepted benchmark for the performance of institutional assets, Wilshire TUCS includes approximately 1,100 plans representing $2.25 trillion in assets. The same stringent Wilshire TUCS standards apply to the monthly universes as are used to generate the quarterly universes. Among the institutional investor categories available include: all master trusts; corporate funds; public funds; foundations and endowments; and Taft-Hartley plans (both defined benefit and health and welfare). Universes also are available for all master trusts with asset greater than $1 billion and public funds with more than $1 billion in assets. Performance, asset allocation, risk vs. return and segment returns are available for those same institutional investors.
The following individual asset class universes also are now available monthly: U.S. equity;
non-U.S. equity; U.S. fixed income; non-U.S. fixed income; cash; convertibles; real estate; hedge funds and private equity.
During October, all categories experienced overall negative median returns with public funds having the worse performance at -1.19 percent and Taft-Hartley health and welfare funds showing the best performance at -0.02 percent. A median return of -0.93 percent was notched by both all master trusts with assets greater than $1 billion and public funds with more than $1 billion. All master trust and foundations and endowments had a median monthly return of -0.95 percent while corporate funds' median return was -1.04 percent. Showing a -1.09 percent median return was Taft-Hartley defined benefit plans.
Year-to-date, foundations and endowments had the best median return at 16.55 percent, followed by: public funds with assets greater than $1 billion at 14.74 percent; corporate funds at 14.51 percent; all master trusts with assets greater than $1 billion at 14.21 percent; public funds at 14.06 percent; all master trusts at 13.44 percent, Taft Hartley health and welfare at 9.54 percent; and Taft Hartley defined benefit at 9.34 percent.
About Wilshire Associates
Wilshire Associates, a leading global, independent investment consulting and services firm, provides consulting services, analytics solutions and customized investment products to plan sponsors, investment managers and financial intermediaries. Its business units include Wilshire Analytics, Wilshire Consulting, Wilshire Funds Management and Wilshire Private Markets.
The firm was founded in 1972, revolutionizing the industry by pioneering the application of investment analytics and research to investment management for the institutional marketplace. Wilshire also is credited with helping to develop the field of quantitative investment analysis that uses mathematical tools to analyze market risks. All other business units evolved from Wilshire's strong analytics foundation. Wilshire developed the index now known as the Wilshire 5000 Composite IndexSM, the first asset/liability models for pension funds, the first U.S. equity style metrics work and many other "firsts" as the firm grew to approximately 350 employees serving the investment needs of institutional and high net worth clients around the world.
Based in Santa Monica, CA, Wilshire provides services to clients in more than 20 countries representing in excess of 600 organizations with assets totaling more than U.S. $12.5 trillion. With ten offices on four continents, Wilshire Associates and its affiliates are dedicated to providing clients with the highest quality counsel, products and services. Trust Universe Comparison Service® and TUCS® are registered service marks of Wilshire Associates Incorporated, Santa Monica, California. Please visit www.wilshire.com for more information.
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