Pioneering Portfolio Management - An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment, Fully Revised and Updated

In order to make sound investment choices, investors must know the projected return on investment in relation to the risk of not being paid. Benchmarks are excellent evaluators, but the failure to choose the right investing performance benchmark often leads to bad decisions or inaction, which inevitably results in lost profits.

The first book of its kind, Portfolio Performance Measurement and Benchmarking is a complete guide to benchmarks and performace evaluation using benchmarks. In one inclusive volume, readers get foundational coverage on benchmark construction, as well as expert insight into specific benchmarks for asset classes and investment styles.

Starting with the basics—such as return calculations and methods of dealing with cash flows—this thorough book covers a wide variety of performance measurement methodologies and evaluation techniques before moving into more technical material that deconstructs both the creation of indexes and the components of a desirable benchmark.

Portfolio Performance Measurement and Benchmarking provides detailed coverage of benchmarks for:

• U.S. equities
• Global and international equities
• Fixed income
• Real estate

The team of renowned authors offers illuminating opinions on the philosophy and development of equity indexes, while highlighting numerous mechanical problems inherent in building benchmarks and the implications of each one.

Before you make your next investment, be certain your return will be worth the risk with Portfolio Performance Measurement and Benchmarking.

In Unconventional Success, investment legend David F. Swensen offers incontrovertible evidence that the for-profit mutual-fund industry consistently fails the average investor. From excessive management fees to the frequent "churning" of portfolios, the relentless pursuit of profits by mutual-fund management companies harms individual clients. Perhaps most destructive of all are the hidden schemes that limit investor choice and reduce returns, including "pay-to-play" product-placement fees, stale-price trading scams, soft-dollar kickbacks, and 12b-1 distribution charges.

Even if investors manage to emerge unscathed from an encounter with the profit-seeking mutual-fund industry, individuals face the likelihood of self-inflicted pain. The common practice of selling losers and buying winners (and doing both too often) damages portfolio returns and increases tax liabilities, delivering a one-two punch to investor aspirations.

In short: Nearly insurmountable hurdles confront ordinary investors.

Swensen's solution? A contrarian investment alternative that promotes well-diversified, equity-oriented, "market-mimicking" portfolios that reward investors who exhibit the courage to stay the course. Swensen suggests implementing his nonconformist proposal with investor-friendly, not-for-profit investment companies such as Vanguard and TIAA-CREF. By avoiding actively managed funds and employing client-oriented mutual-fund managers, investors create the preconditions for investment success.

A superior new replacement to traditional discounted cash flow valuation models

Executives and corporate finance practitioners now have a more reliable discount rate to value companies and make important business and investment decisions. In today's market, it’s free cash flow, cost of capital and return on invested capital that really matters, and now there's a superior tool to help analyze these metrics—Security Valuation and Risk Analysis.

In this pioneering book, valuation authority Kenneth Hackel presents his next-generation methodology for placing a confident value on an enterprise and identifying discrepancies in value—a system that will provide even the most well-informed investor with an important competitive advantage.

At the core of Security Valuation and Risk Analysis is Hackel's successful credit model for determining an accurate fair value and reliable discount rate for a company. Using free cash flow as the basis for evaluating return on invested capital is the most effective method for determining value. Hackel takes you step by step through years of compelling evidence that shows how his method has earned outsized returns and helped turn around companies that were heading toward failure.

Whether used for corporate portfolio strategy, acquisitions, or performance management, the tools presented in Security Valuation and Risk Analysis are unmatched in their accuracy and reliability. Reading through this informative book, you'll discover how to:

• Take advantage of early warning signs related to cash flow and credit metrics
• Estimate the cost of equity capital from which free cash flows are discounted
• Identify where management can free up resources by using a better definition of free cash flow

Security Valuation and Risk Analysis provides a complete education on cash flow and credit, from how traditional analysts value a company and spot market mispricing (and why many of those traditional methods are obsolete) to working with the most recent financial innovations, including derivatives, special purpose entities, pensions, and more.

The Simple Truth About Quantitative Trading

Rishi K Narang

Praise for

Inside the Black Box

"In Inside the Black Box: The Simple Truth About Quantitative Trading, Rishi Narang demystifies quantitative trading. His explanation and classification of alpha will enlighten even a seasoned veteran."
?Blair Hull, Founder, Hull Trading & Matlock Trading

"Rishi provides a comprehensive overview of quantitative investing that should prove useful both to those allocating money to quant strategies and those interested in becoming quants themselves. Rishi's experience as a well-respected quant fund of funds manager and his solid relationships with many practitioners provide ample useful material for his work."
?Peter Muller, Head of Process Driven Trading, Morgan Stanley

"A very readable book bringing much needed insight into a subject matter that is not often covered. Provides a framework and guidance that should be valuable to both existing investors and those looking to invest in this area for the first time. Many quants should also benefit from reading this book."
?Steve Evans, Managing Director of Quantitative Trading, Tudor Investment Corporation

"Without complex formulae, Narang, himself a leading practitioner, provides an insightful taxonomy of systematic trading strategies in liquid instruments and a framework for considering quantitative strategies within a portfolio. This guide enables an investor to cut through the hype and pretense of secrecy surrounding quantitative strategies."
?Ross Garon, Managing Director, Quantitative Strategies, S.A.C. Capital Advisors, L.P.

"Inside the Black Box is a comprehensive, yet easy read. Rishi Narang provides a simple framework for understanding quantitative money management and proves that it is not a black box but rather a glass box for those inside."
?Jean-Pierre Aguilar, former founder and CEO, Capital Fund Management

"This book is great for anyone who wants to understand quant trading, without digging in to the equations. It explains the subject in intuitive, economic terms."
?Steven Drobny, founder, Drobny Global Asset Management, and author, Inside the House of Money

"Rishi Narang does an excellent job demystifying how quants work, in an accessible and fun read. This book should occupy a key spot on anyone's bookshelf who is interested in understanding how this ever increasing part of the investment universe actually operates."

?Matthew S. Rothman, PhD, Global Head of Quantitative Equity Strategies Barclays Capital

Start building a rock-solid portfolio with as little as $500!

Do you think cash vehicle is another phrase for "expensive car"? Would you know a hybrid investment if you saw one? Does T-bill mean anything to you? The world of investing is a complex (and sometimes scary) place. Fortunately, you have a knowledgeable tour guide that speaks a language you understand!

Investing DeMYSTiFieD, Second Edition, untangles an otherwise perplexing topic, making it easier than ever to invest like a veteran! Outlining step-by-step techniques for making the most of your money while keeping it out of harm’s way, this self-teaching guide explains how to identify and take advantage of rich opportunities--from mutual funds to taxfree bonds to real estate. Market-proven tips and techniques, handy checklists, and chapter-ending quizzes help you build a solid foundation on the subject at your own speed.

This fast and easy guide helps you:

• Determine your investment personality to increase your success
• Protect your money from the next market downturn
• Boost returns while managing risk with the right allocation strategies
• Understand balance sheets, income statements, and other documents
• Generate greater returns from your 401(k), IRA, or other retirement account