Diversification is simple to understand. In the context of managing your portfolio, it is (simply) about investing in diverse securities so as to lower the risk of the portfolio. Ever since Nobel Prize winner Harry Markowitz wrote his seminal paper "Portfolio Selection" in 1952, finance professionals (and increasingly lay people) have understood that the true risk of an asset is its contribution to the risk of a portfolio.
In a recent survey run by my firm, Insight Financial Strategists, 41% of investors reported that they believe having their net worth in a single mutual fund is sufficient diversification. After all, even the most concentrated mutual fund typically has several dozen stocks. However, many mutual funds diversify within a single asset class in a single country, such as, large-company stocks in the U.S.
Others will concentrate their portfolio on a few securities, sometimes with very unfortunate results. For instance, between September 1, 2015, until November 17, 2015, the Sequoia fund (symbol SEQUX) lost 26.3% of its value largely due to its high concentration in a single stock, Valeant (VRX). Looking at the price evolution of VRX below, and knowing that SEQUX had more than 30% invested in VRX, it is not surprising that the mutual fund tumbled.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
In practice, diversification is hard to implement. There are many levels of diversification. Some of them are:
- by individual securities;
- by asset manager;
- by asset class; and
- by geography.
Ideally, an investor will want to diversify so that the various investments are not correlated with one another, have low correlation or even have negative correlation. For instance, according to data from portfolio analytics firm Kwanti, Goldman Sachs (GS) and JP Morgan (JPM) have an 89% correlation based on monthly returns. In other words, buying GS and JPM in the same portfolio only provides a low diversification value.
In another example, JPM and Walmart (WMT) have a negative correlation of -0.14%, based on monthly returns, according to data from Kwanti. I don't know that I would necessarily want to buy either JPM or WMT. However, this pair provides good diversification from one another.
Most of us end up investing in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, not in individual securities. The same principle applies there. Having a single large cap mutual fund that tracks Standard & Poor's 500-stock index may not be sufficient diversification.
Sure, the S&P 500 ETF provides more than one security and is, therefore, diversified. But in general, most of the securities within a single asset class will be highly correlated with one another (such as with JPM and GS). With that, you would be protecting yourself against the risk inherent in any given company in the portfolio, but not against risks inherent to the asset class or other factors.
Ideally, you would want to be diversified across asset classes, across regions of the world and across asset managers. The following jelly bean chart from Schwab demonstrates the benefits of a wide diversification program: the ranking of the assets by performance changes seemingly randomly from year to year. A fully diversified portfolio is intended to avoid the peaks and valleys of individuals asset classes while providing a more middle-of-the-road return experience.
Is your portfolio diversified? A detailed analysis from a fee-only Certified Financial Planner can give you the full scoop on your portfolio and provide suggestions to mitigate the risks that you are exposed to. Like any other sound advice, apply it now, not later.
Chris Chen CFP® CDFA is the founder of Insight Financial Strategists LLC, a fee-only investment advisory firm in Waltham, MA. He specializes in retirement planning and divorce financial planning for professionals and business owners.
-
Stock Market Today: Dow Rises 854 Points From Its Intraday LowIf there's one thing markets hate, it's uncertainty. But uncertainty is all they're getting these days.
-
Are You a Retirement Millionaire Too Scared To Spend?If you are too scared to spend money in retirement, you may be saddled with regret. Here are three ways to safely enjoy your sizable retirement nest egg.
-
Seven Questions to Ask When Evaluating Personal Loan OptionsTaking out a personal loan too hastily could lock you into unfavorable terms with an untrustworthy lender. Ask these questions before signing anything.
-
The Three Biggest Fears Keeping Retirees Up at NightHere are the steps you can take to put those fears to rest and retire with confidence so you can relax and enjoy the life you've planned.
-
What Can a Donor-Advised Fund Do for You? (A Lot)DAFs and private foundations go about helping charities (and those who donate) in different ways. Each comes with its own benefits and restrictions to navigate.
-
Estate Planning When You Have International AssetsEstate planning gets tricky when you have assets and/or beneficiaries outside the U.S. To avoid costly inheritance mistakes, it pays to understand the basics.
-
Three Essential Estate Planning Steps to Protect Your Nest EggAfter dedicating years to building your wealth and securing your future, make sure your assets are protected and your loved ones are provided for in the future.
-
Is Chasing the American Dream Ruining Your Financial Life?Too many people focus on visible affluence as a marker of success. Here's how to avoid succumbing to the pressure and driving yourself into debt.
-
Retiring With a Pension? Four Things to KnowThe road to a secure retirement is slightly more intricate for people with pensions. Here are four key issues to consider to make the most out of yours.
-
How to Teach Your Kids About the Tax Facts of LifeTaxes are unavoidable, so it's important to teach children what to expect. Also, does your child need to file a tax return for 2024? Find out here.
