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Equities White Paper

The Upside of Less Downside

How Defense Wins in Equities

04 October 2016
2 min read

What You Need to Know

Soaring stock prices thrill investors, but it's the disciplined, less glamorous efforts to not lose money that build lasting wealth. It's possible to get downside protection and still beat the market over time. Here's how.

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90%/70%
upside/downside capture provides downside protection
and still beats the market over the long term
12.5%
annualized return of 90%/70% upside downside portfolio
(1974-2016)
9.9%
annualized return MSCI World
(1974-2016)
Authors

Turning Less Into More

It’s a deeply ingrained investing maxim that risk and return go hand in hand: to get more return, you must accept more risk. So, for some investors, it may seem counterintuitive that the opposite is also true: you can take less risk and still beat the market over time. It’s a different way of defining investment success that leans on downside defenses in the pursuit of long-term goals.

Following the extended postcrisis bull runs in bonds and equities, the future returns of many traditional investing strategies are unlikely to pack the same punch. Investors are realizing that they’ll need to take more risk to meet their long-term goals, including adding equity exposure.

That’s a troubling proposition for a large and growing group of investors. Whether an individual saving for retirement, a pension plan facing funding gaps, or an insurance company dealing with stiffer capital requirements and asset/liability-matching challenges, investors are much more risk-sensitive today. They can’t tolerate wild market swings, let alone the prospect of losing money. They need their investments to go the distance.

That’s where strategies that expressly target downside-risk protection come in. These solutions get their performance power from the simple mathematics of lower risk drag and compounding. Stocks that lose less in market downturns have less ground to regain when the market recovers, so they’re better positioned to compound off those higher returns in subsequent rallies (Display).

Get Downside Protection and Still Beat the Market
Growth of US$100
Get Downside Protection and Still Beat the Market

Through June 30, 2016
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Returns shown are for illustrative purposes and not representative of any AB fund. It is not possible to invest in an index.
*Performance calculated by multiplying all positive monthly returns (0% or greater) of the MSCI World Index by 90% and all negative returns (less than 0%) by 70%; shown in logarithmic scale
†Annualized standard deviation
Source: MSCI and AB

Over time, this gentler return pattern can end up ahead of the market.

The Advantages

Because these smoother-ride equity strategies focus on buffering market shocks, they offer several advantages:

  • They help investors to stay the course in equities, preventing the tendency to buy high when markets boom and sell too quickly when they slump—and miss out on future recoveries.
  • They help shield against the corrosive effects of risk drag, which is particularly important for investors who need to start spending their money.
  • They provide flexibility in budgeting portfolio risk and allowing for increased allocations to return-seeking strategies.

Given these characteristics, we view smoother-ride strategies as attractive choices for a core equity allocation. An active, multifaceted approach that combines built-in downside defenses with the traits of high fundamental quality and attractive valuation is an effective way to tap this potential. And investors can use these strategies in various ways to drive better long-term outcomes.

Past performance, historical and current analyses, and expectations do not guarantee future results. There can be no assurance that any investment objectives will be achieved. The information contained here reflects the views of AllianceBernstein L.P. or its affiliates and sources it believes are reliable as of the date of this publication. AllianceBernstein L.P. makes no representations or warranties concerning the accuracy of any data. There is no guarantee that any projection, forecast or opinion in this material will be realized. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The views expressed here may change at any time after the date of this publication. This document is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. AllianceBernstein L.P. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. It does not take an investor’s personal investment objectives or financial situation into account; investors should discuss their individual circumstances with appropriate professionals before making any decisions. This information should not be construed as sales or marketing material or an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument, product or service sponsored by AB or its affiliates.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice, or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams.

MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations, and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, reviewed or produced by MSCI.

About the Authors

This is a marketing communication. This information is provided by AllianceBernstein (Luxembourg) S.à r.l. Société à responsabilité limitée, R.C.S. Luxembourg B 34 305, 2-4, rue Eugène Ruppert, L-2453 Luxembourg. Authorised in Luxembourg and regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an invitation to purchase any security or other investment. The views and opinions expressed are based on our internal forecasts and should not be relied upon as an indication of future market performance. The value of investments in any of the Funds can go down as well as up and investors may not get back the full amount invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results. 

This information is directed at Professional Clients only and is not intended for public use.

© AllianceBernstein L.P.