The quality and value factors may help investors target specific risk and return objectives
In recent years, factor-based investments have become increasingly popular for equity investors. Often missing from the discussion, however, is the concept of fixed income factor strategies. At Invesco Fixed Income, our view is that bond investors can potentially benefit from a factor-based approach. We’ve launched a new suite of exchange-traded funds focused on two factors — quality and value — that we believe may help investors reach their objectives.
What are fixed income factors?
At its core, factor investing is an investment strategy in which securities are chosen based on specific characteristics and attributes.
- The quality factor is typically implemented by holding low-volatility bonds. These are typically shorter-maturity bonds with relatively low default risk, as measured by their credit ratings.
- The value factor is derived from holding bonds priced at a discount to similar securities. Since a bond’s price is a function of its default risk, it makes sense to look for bonds that are priced at a discount relative to their implied default rates.
Factors differ from traditional fixed income classifications like maturity, credit rating and industry. Instead of focusing on a bond’s outward characteristics, fixed income factors are distinguished by their potential to generate excess returns and other investment outcomes across multiple market cycles.
Because fixed income investors have unique goals, we believe it’s important that investors have a choice between single-factor and multi-factor portfolios. For example, the value factor offers investors income and capital appreciation potential, while the quality factor may provide capital preservation. Combined, these factors may help provide a combination of all three objectives. And because many factors have unrelated return patterns or correlations, a multi-factor approach offers the benefits of diversification, which can mitigate risk and help to provide higher risk-adjusted returns over time.
Rationale for fixed income factors
In our view, there are three reasons why fixed income factors may generate excess returns:
- Factors may generate excess returns as compensation for investors assuming more risk.
- Factor investing may help to address the behavioral biases that can lead to sub-optimal decision-making and can create long-term drags on performance.
- Excess returns may result from inefficient use of capital. For example, many institutional investors are prohibited from owning so-called “fallen angels” — bonds that have fallen out of favor or have seen their credit ratings cut. Excess selling around the time of a bond’s downgrade can lower valuations, which may create excess return potential.
Differences between equity and fixed income factors
In our view, fixed income factor strategies should be constructed differently than their equity counterparts. This is because fixed income investing is largely viewed as a means to potentially help conserve capital. In addition, fixed income securities are difficult to sell short and have higher transaction costs and less liquidity than equities. Because only slightly more than half of the fixed income securities desired for factor inclusion are available for trading, investors need to have confidence that there is enough bond liquidity for factor portfolios to be constructed. That requires a different kind of strategy.
Invesco’s approach to fixed income factor investing
We believe that fixed income factors must first have a strong rationale that is deeply rooted in economic theory. While back-testing may produce compelling results over selected time periods, that isn’t enough to justify a factor-based strategy; factors must also be robust across multiple market regimes. To accomplish this, we believe it’s paramount that factors offer a tradeoff between risk and return. In our view, the most consistent, enduring factors are those that have the potential to offer excess returns in exchange for risk.
Invesco Fixed Income takes a precise approach to factor investing. Because the goal of fixed income investing can involve capital preservation, income generation, capital appreciation or some combination of all three, we believe it’s important to provide investment strategies that are appropriate for each investor’s financial objectives.
We expect fixed income factor investing to take on increased importance in the coming years. But factor strategies are dynamic and require continuous research. As market environments change and investor needs evolve, so, too, must factor strategies. By adapting to structural market changes and the increasingly sophisticated expectations of investors, we believe fixed income factors will serve as critical components of outcome-oriented investment strategies.
Learn more about factor investing with Invesco Fixed Income.
Jay Raol
Director of Quantitative Research
Jay Raol is the Director of Quantitative Research for Invesco Fixed Income (IFI). His team leads the research that underpins IFI’s quantitative factor-based strategies across fixed income asset classes. In addition, he also leads the development of the quantitative tools that support the macro research process and factor-based portfolio construction process across the IFI platform.
Mr. Raol has been in the industry since 2010. His experience has spanned across functions including quantitative macroeconomic analysis, portfolio construction and risk management.
Prior to joining IFI in 2013, Mr. Raol worked within Invesco’s risk management group for three years, where he ran the risk analytics function for several large equity funds.
Mr. Raol earned a BA degree and a PhD in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University in Houston, Texas.
Important information
Blog header image: Invesco
Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of loss.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Factor investing is an investment strategy in which securities are chosen based on certain characteristics and attributes.
Fixed income investments are subject to credit risk of the issuer and the effects of changing interest rates.
An issuer may be unable to meet interest and/or principal payments, thereby causing its instruments to decrease in value and lowering the issuer’s credit rating.
A value style of investing is subject to the risk that the valuations never improve or that the returns will trail other styles of investing or the overall markets.
Short selling is the sale of a security that is not owned or borrowed by a seller with the belief security prices will decline. Short selling may require investors to meet margin requirements and potential losses may be accelerated.
There are risks involved with investing in ETFs, including possible loss of money. Shares are not actively managed and are subject to risks similar to those of stocks, including those regarding short selling and margin maintenance requirements. Ordinary brokerage commissions apply. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Underlying Index.
This does not constitute a recommendation of any investment strategy or product for a particular investor. Investors should consult a financial advisor/financial consultant before making any investment decisions. Invesco does not provide tax advice. The tax information contained herein is general and is not exhaustive by nature. Federal and state tax laws are complex and constantly changing. Investors should always consult their own legal or tax professional for information concerning their individual situation. The opinions expressed are those of the authors, are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. These opinions may differ from those of other Invesco investment professionals.
All data provided by Invesco unless otherwise noted.
Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.’s retail products and collective trust funds. Invesco Advisers, Inc. and other affiliated investment advisers mentioned provide investment advisory services and do not sell securities. Invesco Unit Investment Trusts are distributed by the sponsor, Invesco Capital Markets, Inc., and broker-dealers including Invesco Distributors, Inc. Each entity is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd. PowerShares® is a registered trademark of Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC, investment adviser. Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (PowerShares) and Invesco Distributors, Inc., ETF distributor, are indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of Invesco Ltd.
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How factors may help bond investors reach their goals by Invesco
