There was a time when investors preferring to invest in equity, had to focus merely on stocks as the portfolio performance depended largely on the market performance of the stocks. In the last decade and half, the options have grown manifold and investors have to choose between stocks and mutual funds (MFs).
Within the MF category, the choice of schemes too has grown substantially with over 1,000 schemes being available from over two dozen mutual fund companies. It goes without stating that the task of building a portfolio of mutual fund schemes is not an easy one.
While the choice is plenty, investors need not chase all stories or themes for their investments. In many cases, the difference between the investment principles of various schemes is very limited and hence investors can limit their options to a few schemes.
For instance, if an investor has decided to invest in a diversified scheme, it would not make sense for him to choose 6-8 diversified schemes though most feel comfortable when they have a bigger basket of instruments.
In reality, a smart mutual fund basket will focus on themes, investment strategy, the fund's ability to counter a downtrend, and most importantly, should have schemes which have a track record of good performance. Every downtrend makes this point increasingly relevant, and for longterm investors, this factor is even a necessity.
How does one go about the task of building an MF portfolio?
Start with a diversified fund as it requires minimum management and holds good for a longer period of time because of the investment being made across sectors. This could be as high as 70 percent of the portfolio if the risk appetite of the investor is low.
Over a period of time, the risk-taking ability generally comes down in line with the age of the investor. The risk capabilities also tend to come down when the corpus gets bigger and accounts for a large chunk of the investor's portfolio. Such investors will have to look at inclusion of debt in their portfolio.
In fact, allocation to debt has to increase over a period of time though it is not a bad idea to maintain debt allocation at all times. Not only will this help in better risk management but also allows investors to take the opportunities arising out of a market downtrend.
Take the case of an investor who had a good percentage of funds in debt funds in October 2008. He would have been one of the few who had the ability to take advantage of the steep market correction if his requirement of funds was not short-term.
Since volatility is an integral part of the equity market, investors, irrespective of their age, will benefit by allocating a portion in debt.
The biggest doubt many mutual fund investors have is whether they should opt for a balanced fund or strike a balance in the portfolio through allocation to debt and equity? The answer is yes and no.
A balanced fund invests up to 35 percent in debt and hence is a medium risk portfolio. This would be ideal for an investor who has earning years of more than 15 to 20.
On the contrary, a retired professional, who wishes to allocate a small portion towards equity, might end up with a higher risk portfolio even if he prefers a balanced fund. Hence, balanced fund should be considered a slightly lower risk option for equity investors, and hence should be viewed as a medium risk option for others. On the other hand, investors looking at striking a balance between various funds should stick to vanilla debt products for their debt allocation.
More importantly, an allocation towards a balanced fund is a good stepping stone for first-time investors who haven't had exposure to equity earlier.
Irrespective of the choice of schemes, one needs to build a portfolio of mutual fund schemes according to their risk-taking abilities and investment tenure as mutual funds, like other investment options, have volatility attached to them.
Source:economictimes.com
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Do the due before investing in company FDs
As much as 55% of Indian savings find their way to bank fixed deposits. Over the past one year, fixed deposit interest rates from nationalised banks have gone down from 8-9% to around 6-6.5% now for a period of 1-3 years.
“With fixed deposit rates from banks coming down, investors seeking higher returns from fixed income products are investing in company fixed deposits,” says Aseem Dhru, MD & CEO of HDFC Securities, which has recently started distributing company fixed deposits. Company fixed deposits work for investors seeking assured returns higher than that offered by bank fixed deposits.
Here are some key points you need to keep in mind while investing in company fixed deposits.
Security
Company fixed deposits are unsecured. In case of bank fixed deposits, the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India guarantees repayment of Rs 1 lakh in case of default. There is no such guarantee offered in company deposits and the safety of your deposit depends on the financial position of the company.
This means, as a depositor, you have no lien on any asset of the company, in case it goes into financial difficulties and is wound up. Your turn to get your money back would come only when secured lenders have been paid. So do not invest in unknown companies.
Risk v/s return
Today, investors could expect around 5-8% from income funds, depending upon whether it’s an ultra liquid fund or a long-dated income fund. Schemes like the post office NSC and PPF give you a 8% return, but are locked in for six years and 15 years, respectively.
A corporate like Tata Motors or Mahindra & Mahindra would offer you an interest rate of 8-8.5% while smaller companies like Avon Corporation or Ind Swift offer you an interest of 11-12% for a year. It’s a simple investment philosophy. “You trade return for risk”.
Definitely, the risk involved while investing in smaller companies is higher. Unless you need income regularly, you should prefer cumulative schemes to regular income options since the interest earned automatically gets reinvested at the same coupon rate, resulting in better yields.
Check parentage & financials
You can check with distributors or with friends about the credentials of the promoters and their past track record. Opt for companies that pay dividends and are profit making. Avoid loss-making companies or those who do not pay dividends. If a company has made a one-off exceptional loss in a particular year, but has a good parentage and past track record, you could consider it. Also, it is important to check the servicing standards of the company. How quick are they are in dispatching interest warrants and principal amount is something you should know. However, if the company is relatively new, or has been making losses continuously and its promoters are relatively unknown, then it would be better to avoid it.
Ratings are important
For NBFCs, RBI has made it mandatory to have an ‘A’ rating to be eligible to accept public deposits. Investors should go only for AAA or AA-rated schemes. Go for shorter tenures such as 1-3 years. This way, you can keep a watch on the company’s rating and servicing, and also have your money back in case of an emergency. Watch out for any adverse news on the company you have invested in and take necessary action if need be.
Liquidity
Most companies accept fixed deposits for a period ranging from 1-5 years. Compared to mutual funds or bank fixed deposits, company fixed deposits are rather illiquid. In most cases, premature withdrawal is not allowed before completion of three months. If you wish to withdraw between the third and the sixth month, you get zero interest income.
If you wish to withdraw between the sixth and the 12th month, you get 3% less than the guaranteed return. Also, for those staying in non-metros, in case the company’s banker does not have an account in their respective city, they would have to get a demand draft (DD) issued at a location where the company head office is located.
Similarly, when the company pays back the principal amount, the cheque may take time to clear. FDs are not listed and non-transferable. Interest income from fixed deposits is taxable. So if you are in the highest tax bracket, weigh your options accordingly. If there is a probability, you may need the money before a year, it is beset not to park it in company fixed deposits.
Do not put all eggs in one basket
“Depending on an investor’s risk profile, s/he could consider putting 5-15% of his or her investments in company fixed deposits,” says Anup Bhaiya, MD of Money Honey Financial Services. So if you have Rs 10 lakh to invest, it would then be worthwhile putting around Rs 1 lakh in company deposits for the extra Rs 3,000 per annum.
However, if you have a mere Rs 10,000 to invest, it may not make sense to invest it in company fixed deposits for the extra Rs 300, especially when your next door bank offers you more convenience and flexibility of investments. While opting for company deposits, diversify your risk by spreading your deposit over a large number of companies engaged in different industries. “Overall, investors could have as much as 10% of the total FD investments in one particular company,” says Harish Sabharwal, chief operating officer of Bajaj Capital.
Source:economictimes.com
“With fixed deposit rates from banks coming down, investors seeking higher returns from fixed income products are investing in company fixed deposits,” says Aseem Dhru, MD & CEO of HDFC Securities, which has recently started distributing company fixed deposits. Company fixed deposits work for investors seeking assured returns higher than that offered by bank fixed deposits.
Here are some key points you need to keep in mind while investing in company fixed deposits.
Security
Company fixed deposits are unsecured. In case of bank fixed deposits, the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India guarantees repayment of Rs 1 lakh in case of default. There is no such guarantee offered in company deposits and the safety of your deposit depends on the financial position of the company.
This means, as a depositor, you have no lien on any asset of the company, in case it goes into financial difficulties and is wound up. Your turn to get your money back would come only when secured lenders have been paid. So do not invest in unknown companies.
Risk v/s return
Today, investors could expect around 5-8% from income funds, depending upon whether it’s an ultra liquid fund or a long-dated income fund. Schemes like the post office NSC and PPF give you a 8% return, but are locked in for six years and 15 years, respectively.
A corporate like Tata Motors or Mahindra & Mahindra would offer you an interest rate of 8-8.5% while smaller companies like Avon Corporation or Ind Swift offer you an interest of 11-12% for a year. It’s a simple investment philosophy. “You trade return for risk”.
Definitely, the risk involved while investing in smaller companies is higher. Unless you need income regularly, you should prefer cumulative schemes to regular income options since the interest earned automatically gets reinvested at the same coupon rate, resulting in better yields.
Check parentage & financials
You can check with distributors or with friends about the credentials of the promoters and their past track record. Opt for companies that pay dividends and are profit making. Avoid loss-making companies or those who do not pay dividends. If a company has made a one-off exceptional loss in a particular year, but has a good parentage and past track record, you could consider it. Also, it is important to check the servicing standards of the company. How quick are they are in dispatching interest warrants and principal amount is something you should know. However, if the company is relatively new, or has been making losses continuously and its promoters are relatively unknown, then it would be better to avoid it.
Ratings are important
For NBFCs, RBI has made it mandatory to have an ‘A’ rating to be eligible to accept public deposits. Investors should go only for AAA or AA-rated schemes. Go for shorter tenures such as 1-3 years. This way, you can keep a watch on the company’s rating and servicing, and also have your money back in case of an emergency. Watch out for any adverse news on the company you have invested in and take necessary action if need be.
Liquidity
Most companies accept fixed deposits for a period ranging from 1-5 years. Compared to mutual funds or bank fixed deposits, company fixed deposits are rather illiquid. In most cases, premature withdrawal is not allowed before completion of three months. If you wish to withdraw between the third and the sixth month, you get zero interest income.
If you wish to withdraw between the sixth and the 12th month, you get 3% less than the guaranteed return. Also, for those staying in non-metros, in case the company’s banker does not have an account in their respective city, they would have to get a demand draft (DD) issued at a location where the company head office is located.
Similarly, when the company pays back the principal amount, the cheque may take time to clear. FDs are not listed and non-transferable. Interest income from fixed deposits is taxable. So if you are in the highest tax bracket, weigh your options accordingly. If there is a probability, you may need the money before a year, it is beset not to park it in company fixed deposits.
Do not put all eggs in one basket
“Depending on an investor’s risk profile, s/he could consider putting 5-15% of his or her investments in company fixed deposits,” says Anup Bhaiya, MD of Money Honey Financial Services. So if you have Rs 10 lakh to invest, it would then be worthwhile putting around Rs 1 lakh in company deposits for the extra Rs 3,000 per annum.
However, if you have a mere Rs 10,000 to invest, it may not make sense to invest it in company fixed deposits for the extra Rs 300, especially when your next door bank offers you more convenience and flexibility of investments. While opting for company deposits, diversify your risk by spreading your deposit over a large number of companies engaged in different industries. “Overall, investors could have as much as 10% of the total FD investments in one particular company,” says Harish Sabharwal, chief operating officer of Bajaj Capital.
Source:economictimes.com
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