A year ago I posted the article that follows, highlighting two very obscure and illiquid securities that should do well if and when interest rates go up.

One is a PIB1 from Nationwide, and the other is a preference share from the UK arm of the South African bank Investec.

In the 12 months since then, the price of the first has risen 10%, while the second is up 34%.

Superficially, this doesn’t make sense. Interest rates have not risen, and so the floating rate element of the coupon has not adjusted upwards. All that’s happened is that the higher price has pushed the already tiny yields down for new money, meaning the securities are now paying just 3% or so on purchase.

I believe what’s happening is that investors are now valuing the built-in floating rate protection more highly, given that an interest rate rise in the UK no longer seems about as likely as Charles becoming King.

Unemployment stands on the threshold of the Bank of England’s 7% target for rate rises, and the UK economy is starting to pick itself up. It’s not pretty to look at and it’s as unbalanced as a Friday night drunk on a Saturday morning, but it’s definitely still alive.

Gilt yields have also responded. In Spring 2013 the ten-year gilt was yielding below 2%; this month it briefly crossed over the 3% mark.

I don’t think Bank of England governor Mark Carney has any intention of raising rates yet, but they must rise eventually if the economy keeps mending. Once that happens, the only way these instruments are likely to go is up.

I’ve therefore republished the piece for interested souls ahead of any such hike.

Please note:

• I’ve not updated the numbers or anything else in the article. Currently CEBB costs 85.25p to buy and INVR 525p. You’ll have to do your own sums.

• Clearly some of my speculation about price moves was off the market, given that they’ve already moved higher. As I say, I think this reflects the optionality of the floating rate element no longer being discounted by the market.

• The spreads are absolutely horrendous – in the region of 10%. These are tiny issues. If they spike in price and you overpay, you could be looking at red in your portfolio for years to come.

• The brilliant Fixed Income Investor website wrote about INVR in October, when the price was 60p lower.

• I own a small amount of both.

I think these are interesting issues that aren’t big enough for hedge funds and the like to get involved with. They can be used to add interesting diversification to a portfolio at some cost, if you’ve got a suitably long-term mindset and are prepared to take on the credit risk.

However I repeat they are illiquid, expensive, and are best suited to sophisticated investors who know what they’re doing. You have been warned.

— Original article from 24 January 2013 begins —

Note: This is not a recommendation to buy any of the securities I mention (including CEBB and INVR). I am just a private investor, sharing my thoughts for your entertainment. Please see my disclaimer and do you own research.

The Bank of England currently has interest rates set to low. In fact, at 0.5% they’re at rock bottom.

Rates are so low that if the UK economy were a patient hooked up to a life support machine, you’d be banging the side of it to see whether the flat line was due to a valve getting stuck somewhere or a bed being freed for the next one.

Here’s a graph from MoneyWeek’s Merryn Somerset-Webb:

Yes, it’s a 300-year graph. Rates have not been so low since at least 1700!

The graph goes back to before the Industrial Revolution – back to an era when having a few sheep and a goat made you quite the catch around the hovels. It includes periods when Britain had the largest Empire the world has ever seen, and years when Blighty was in the dumpster, begging the IMF for a bailout.

Throughout all that, bank rates never fell below 2%, to my knowledge. Yet here we are today, and you can almost here the ‘beeeeeeep’ of the flatlining base rate:

Of course, the unprecedented 0.5% base rate that prevails at the time of typing is scant reward with inflation at over 2.5%.

On the contrary, the low bank rate is meant to pull down interest rates ‘along the curve’ to encourage banks and others to lend and invest in order to earn a real return, as well as to stop crucial institutions from going bust.

The resultant steep ‘yield curve’ has supported an economy that’s lurched in and out of recession in the face of a global deleveraging. Those who bemoan the bank for inflating away the cash savings of pensioners should at least consider the alternative.

Hunting for value in a low-yield world

As I suspected might happen back in December 2009, the resultant steep yield curve has also caused assets like equities to soar.

This isn’t exactly an accident – as I said, central banks want to encourage people to move into riskier assets. However I’m sure even Mervyn King and his team have been surprised by just how strong the rally has been.

As regular readers will know I’ve been very fully invested in this bull market since it kicked off back in March 2009 (and, less lucratively, before then!)

But with indices now approaching new highs in the US and UK markets getting back to their pre-crisis levels, even I’m a little giddy.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m definitely not calling the top of the stock market. Even if I thought I could do such a thing consistently, I wouldn’t do it today.

Shares don’t look cheap anymore, but in the UK and Europe they still seem fair value. I suspect prices will be much higher 5-10 years from now. I remain much more optimistic about shares than most people.

However when the Sunday papers start extolling the joys of shares on the back of them costing more to buy again – I know, go figure – then it’s only sensible to look for greater diversification.

But where? I’ve been allowing my cash reserves to build with new money, but that’s barely breaking even after inflation. UK government bonds are peerlessly safe, but the price you pay for a secure return of capital is very little actual return on your money.

The 10-year gilt is still yielding barely 2%, despite falling in price recently. I remain wary that these price falls could be just the start of a trend.

I’ve had some nice gains with risky fixed interest preference shares such as the Lloyds LLPC issue, but running yields of around 7.5% seem to me to be up with events. Besides, I continue to hold that one and I’m supposed to be diversifying.

Hunting about in the forgotten corners of the market though, I’ve found two other obscure securities that offer something a bit different – and that look cheap to me.

Two illiquid and obscure floating rate securities

These two fixed interest securities – one from Nationwide and the other from South African investment bank Investec – pay a floating coupon, instead of the fixed coupon you get from normal bond.

The coupons are linked to interest rates. As rates go up, the coupon increases, and vice versa.

Both securities are perpetuals. This means they cannot be redeemed by their issuers, and so should pay out for as long as you hold them, provided their backers are able to pay – that is, assuming they don’t go bust or otherwise have problems.

On that note, let’s begin the risk notices.

Important warning: These are illiquid and subordinated securities. If the Nationwide or Investec was to get into serious trouble, they might stop paying interest. Worse, if the bank was to go bust or require new capital, you could lose some or all of your money. You have no deposit protection from the FSA.

The Nationwide is the UK’s largest building society and it’s been a rescuer during the crisis, but its fortunes depend on what I think is still an over-priced UK housing market.

Investec is more diversified, but much of that is diversification is in South Africa. That is a bit like diversifying a hot burn you’re getting from holding a frying pan by sticking your free hand into the fire.

On a brighter note, both have continued to pay throughout the crisis – and Investec has even continued to pay ordinary shareholders a dividend. So I’ve put some money into these issues, knowing that I could lose it all.

You have been warned!

The joys of a floating coupon

It’s vital to research any bond or building society PIBS (which is what the Nationwide issue is) before you consider investing.

What follows is just some sketch notes, not an exhaustive write-up. Please do your own research using bond-focused sites like Fixed Income Investor and Fixed Income Investments, as well as material from the banks’ themselves, before making your own mind up. Do not take my amateurish word for anything.

Here are the most pertinent details.

Nationwide Floating Rate PIBS

Ticker: CEBB
Coupon: 6 month LIBOR2 + 2.4%
Duration: Undated
Bid/Offer: 70/77p3
Current yield on offer price (rounded): 4%

Investec Preference Shares

Ticker: INVR
Coupon: Bank of England base rate + 1%
Duration: Undated
Bid/Offer: 345/375p
Current yield on offer price (rounded): 4%

As you can see, there is a huge bid/offer spread on these securities, which means you should only buy them if you mean to hold them – you’ll be paying as much as 10% for the privilege of acquiring them.

I’ve had no luck dealing inside the spread. I’m not at all surprised in the case of the Nationwide’s CEBB, as the issue is only £10 million in size! (It was inherited when the Nationwide took over the Cheshire Building Society in 2008).

Working out floating rate yields

The next thing to notice about both CEBB and INVR is that their current running yields are around 4%.

I’ve discussed how to calculate bond yields before. Here the process takes one more step, because you need to work out the numerator – the coupon – first, as it fluctuates with base rates.

For example, for INVR:

Interest payable = (Coupon/price) = (BoE rate+1%/375)

= (0.5%+1.0%/375)

= 4%

Is 4% attractive? It’s a much higher rate than cash, of course, but these are infinitely riskier securities.

What about compared to other perpetual bonds, such as the fixed interest Lloyds preference share I mentioned earlier, or other PIBS? These are paying about 6-8%, so we’re getting much less for our money here in terms of current yield.

A final and important comparison is with the UK government’s perpetual obligation – the undated Consols.

These are currently paying 4%, just like CEBB and INVR, and they’re effectively risk-free when it comes to getting paid.

Why on earth would anyone buy CEBB or INVR, when you get no premium in terms of interest for the risks you’re taking?

What would you pay for 4% plus a promise?

The answer is that the coupon payable will rise if rates rise. And if you stayed awake during my introduction, you might well think that’s more a matter of ‘when’.

Let’s consider INVR again. Let’s assume the Bank of England hikes rates back to 2%, which was hitherto the lowest they’d ever been. Not too ambitious.

In this case, if we were buying at 375p INVR would pay:

(Coupon/price)

= (2%+1%/375)

= 8%

A rise in rates of just 1.5% has doubled the income payable on 375p. Quite a lift! As you can see, this coupon gearing is a valuable thing to have when interest rates are rising. (Obviously it stinks when rates are falling).

In reality, if base rates rose to 2%, then people would probably pay more to own INVR preference shares, which would bring down the running yield. If you already owned the shares, you’d therefore see a capital gain.

How much would they pay? Who knows, but currently we know they seem to want to match the rate from Consols.

Back before the Bank of England slashed rates to 0.5%, Consols were paying roughly 4.5%.

If we assume that Consols would be paying 4.5% again with base rates back at 2% (perhaps a big assumption) then we might assume that the price of INVR should also rise to give a 4.5% payable rate on its higher 3% coupon.

We have to solve:

3%/price of INVR = 4.5%

3%/4.5% = price of INVR

= 667p

That would represent a capital rise of 43% on today’s price of 375p AND a holder would be getting paid more interest into the bargain.

Alternatively, you might choose to estimate your future prices with reference to the BoE base rate.

Currently INVR is paying 4%, which is 3.5% over the base rate.

We can derive a formula like this:

Price = 1000 * (BoE rate + 1% / BoE rate +3.5%)

That would imply a price of 545p with base rates at 2%.

What about CEBB? Similar maths, except the volatility is not so extreme. This is because CEBB is paying you 2.4% fixed, instead of the 1% of INVR, so the coupon gearing is reduced.

In fact, in normal times you might not expect the price of CEBB to move much at all. The price of fixed coupon bonds must fluctuate to change the payable yield as interest rates and expectations change. That isn’t required here because the coupon itself fluctuates.

In my opinion it’s the extremely low BoE rate that has pulled the price of CEBB so far down as to give me the chance to buy – I hope – cheap.

A bet on higher interest rates

As I see it the price of these securities is determined by two factors:

• Long-term interest rates (where Consols might be a proxy)

• An ‘option’ on bank rates rising in the future

Given that the rate that CEBB and INVR pay is currently around what you get on Consols, the market doesn’t seem to me to be valuing the option very highly.

That said it does have some value. These bonds are both far, far riskier than UK government bonds like Consols. They should be paying a higher yield to reflect that risk. It’s the ‘option value’ that is bringing the rate payable down to 4%.

There is probably a formula out there in the quant world for valuing such securities, but I don’t have it.

However using my simplified and more conservative second price formula above (modified for CEBB), and assuming that the option value doesn’t change as rates rise (it probably will change, but I am not confident as to which direction, as it’s down to market psychology) then one can generate a table of potential prices at different rates like this:

BoE rate	0.5%	2%	3%	5%	8%
CEBB price (p)	75	82	85	88	91
INVR price (p)	375	545	615	706	783
CEBB gain	n/a	9%	13%	18%	22%
INVR gain	n/a	45%	64%	88%	109%

Note: Author’s guesstimates

Remember: These are not guaranteed returns or anything like it! They are just my best guess at how capital values might move if rates start to rise.

Credit risk and future returns

One big reason I know the smooth escalation in returns implied by my table will probably prove inaccurate is because I know that at the end of 2008, when the base rate was 2%, CEBB was around 100p, compared to the 82p predicted by my sums.

So what might we put that difference down to?

Some of it will be due to the different expectations for interest rates. Back then, a 2% rate seemed extremely low and unlikely to last – it was the historical low for the past 300 years. Now a 2% base rate seems almost outlandishly high.

Secondly, the market perceives much more credit risk around the likes of Nationwide and Investec than in 2008, let alone a few years before the crisis. I suspect that will persist for years.

The market is right to be warier than it was. Once upon a time, PIBS were touted as effectively risk-free for pensioners, widows and orphans, but in recent years all that has gone out of the window and some holders have been left bitterly disappointed. It will be a long time – if ever – before they recover their former status. There’s no guarantee that something terrible won’t happen beforehand.

However whereas credit risk is a very real danger with these two issues, I think interest rate risk from here is pretty modest.

Even if the Bank of England were to cut to 0%, the fixed elements of the coupons would provide some return. As a result I think the downside risk from further interest rate cuts is limited.

Float, float on

Do I think rates will shoot up to 2%, let alone 5%, anytime soon?

I don’t expect to see even 2% for a couple of years, but I do expect to see higher rates one day. The price of these securities probably won’t do much until then, but I can think of worse outcomes than getting paid 4% a year while I wait.

I haven’t gone crazy here due to the very real credit risk and the hideous spreads, but I have bought small tranches of both CEBB and INVR for my ISA.

Note: I am not a financial adviser nor am I a world authority on bonds. This is not personal financial advice. Please do your own research and make your own mind up about these illiquid, risky securities. I am not liable for anything – on your head be it! See my disclaimer.

1. Permanent Interest Bearing Share [↩]
2. In normal times LIBOR is roughly the Bank of England base rate plus a small mark-up of about 0.15% [↩]
3. Note: This PIBS trades clean, which means you also have to pay for the interest accrued when you buy it. [↩]

Let’s face it, we all want the ideal asset allocation. That perfect combination of asset classes that will make our dreams come true. A portfolio of funds that will repay our faith many times over, that understands our moods, will never test our sanity and will grow with us on the beautiful journey of life…

Well, GET OVER IT!

(Ahem. Sorry).

Get over it.

The perfect asset allocation doesn’t exist. Asset allocation is as much art as science. It doesn’t come with an answer correct to five decimal places – or indeed any decimal places – because the results will depend on unpredictable events yet to come.

Even Nobel Prize-winning Harry Markowitz didn’t bother computing his own efficient frontier, saying:

“I should have computed the historical co-variances of the asset classes and drawn an efficient frontier.”

But, he said, “I visualized my grief if the stock market went way up and I wasn’t in it — or if it went way down and I was completely in it.

So I split my contributions 50/50 between stocks and bonds.”

Still, like cats, dogs and soul mates, some asset allocations are more likely to fit with our temperaments and life stages than others.

Do you crave stability? A steady, reliable Eddy without too much drama? Or do you want fireworks? A volatile, tempestuous type that will show you the stars and drag you through hell?

It takes all sorts, so let’s glide through the the typical asset allocations you might meet, and see if we can find one in your postcode.

Mr Average

Diversified, balanced, neither overly cautious, nor balls-out aggressive, Mr Average is a perfectly respectable choice. Ideal for someone in their 30s or 40s who doesn’t want too much complication in their life but still wants the chance to grow.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
UK equities	10
Developed world ex UK	30
Emerging markets	10
Global property	10
Government bonds (Gilts) – short dated	20
Index-linked government bonds	20

This is a middle of the road portfolio that will do the job for the majority of investors. It diversifies across the main asset classes, and tilts 60:40 in favour of equities over bonds so you can expect reasonable growth but still have plenty of fixed income assets ready to break your fall when markets plunge.

The cautious or older investor can add 10-20% more bonds, while the more youthful or adventurous can spank up the equity or consider The Risk Taker portfolio, below.

The Virgin

Never done it before? Nervous? Not sure if you’ll like it? Then get into the groove with this simple and gentle soul.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Global equities	50
Government bonds (Gilts) – short dated	50

VWRL is a good global equity Exchange Traded Fund (ETF).

First-timers who don’t know what to expect are best off with a cautious portfolio that nevertheless has a bit of everything. It’s not too demanding, and will help you find out more about yourself when the markets cut up rough.

Young Buck

Aggressive and volatile, this is a portfolio for someone with time on their side and not a lot to lose.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Global equities	70
Emerging markets	10
Government bonds (Gilts) – intermediate	20

The heavy equity allocation promises fast growth but also big losses in a down turn. A 20-something has plenty of years to make up for any losses and is likely to do well if they buy lots of equities cheaply in the early years, which then bounce back later.

A lazy young buck could even just buy an All-World tracker or the 100% LifeStrategy fund and forget about bonds entirely if they are feeling super-aggressive. But be warned that you only really find out just how emotionally vulnerable you are in the dark downturns, not in the happy good times.

The Silver Fox

Steady, wise, it doesn’t have much bounce but is still quite spry for its age.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
UK equities	20
Developed world ex UK	10
Emerging markets	5
UK property	5
Government bonds (Gilts) – short dated	30
Index-linked government bonds	30

A moderately cautious choice for someone nearing retirement or in early retirement. Equities still offer some growth but the large bond allocation offsets risk. Note that the equities and index-linked bonds (linkers) protect an older investor against one of their biggest threats – inflation.

Made Man

An embarrassment of riches means this one no longer has to play the game.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Index-Linked bonds	100

If you’ve more than enough assets to live on for the rest of your life then why take any more risk? You can afford to put your money in the safest wealth-preserving asset you can find, kick back and enjoy.

A linker ladder is better for retirement income than a linker fund, but harder work.

The Safe Choice

When you’re no longer working, you want someone who can meet all your needs but still pull the occasional surprise.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Annuity	Variable
UK-biased equities	The rest

Let’s say you retire with just about enough assets to provide for the basics – but it’s a close run thing. In this case an annuity can be used to nail down your minimum income floor.

Ideally an escalating annuity will inflation proof your guaranteed retirement income, but a fixed annuity can still work. The rest of your pot is invested in diversified equities with a strong UK bias to provide the potential for growth without much currency risk.

The idea is to use the growth from shares to compensate for the dwindling value of the fixed annuity in later life, as well as a source of emergency cash and bequests.

The Risk Taker

A deep and complex character – highly rewarding at times but can leave you wondering whether it’s all worth it.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Global equities	36
Global value	12
Global small cap	12
Emerging markets	8
Emerging market value	2
Emerging market small cap	2
Global property	8
Government bonds (Gilts) – short-dated	10
Index-Linked government bonds	10

Risk factors like value and small cap can juice your returns but at a price. The price is amped up volatility as you invest in riskier companies that are more vulnerable when the economy tanks.

This is a realm suitable only for investors who’ve researched the risk factor phenomenon and understand exactly what they’re getting into. Small value funds or fundamental indexing ETFs can replace the need for separate value and small cap vehicles, and, advanced practitioners may eventually consider momentum and quality funds.

A Little Bit Of What You Fancy

Has a finger in every pie but struggles to make a meaningful commitment to any of them.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
UK equities	5
Global equities	35
Emerging markets	10
Global property	5
Government bonds (Gilts) – short dated	10
Index-linked government bonds	10
Global corporate bonds – investment grade	5
Global government bonds	10
Commodities	5
Gold	5

This portfolio contains every asset class you can make a decent case for holding bar the risk factors. However the level of complexity is only appropriate for passionate investors with large portfolios. Even then, 5% in gold probably isn’t going to make much difference to your outcome.

Fashion Victim

Finds it difficult to sit still, easily led, fickle, prone to bursts of enthusiasm and abrupt shifts in loyalty and direction, wants to be popular and on the cutting-edge, status orientated, good for a laugh…

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Pick ‘n’ mix the asset classes above plus…	Whatevs
High tech	Whatevs
Wood	Whatevs
Global water	Whatevs
Low volatility	Whatevs
Hedge funds	Whatevs
Silver	Whatevs
Oil and gas	Whatevs
Frontier markets	Whatevs
Clean energy	Whatevs
China (or how about a MINT?)	Whatevs
Consumer staples (or any other random sector)	Whatevs
Global infrastructure	Whatevs
3D printing	Whatevs

Throw in a some random shares, Bitcoins, a bit of private equity, some vintage wine, art in a vault and so on in an ever decreasing semblance to any sort of plan.

Add decimal points to any allocation for the comforting delusion that there may be some kind of science at work. You’ve paid expensively for the advice – and will keep paying for it for many years to come.

Grandma wouldn’t approve of this one. He’s a wrong ‘un.

Nobel Prize-winning economist

AKA Harry Markowitz.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Global equities	50
Government bonds (Gilts) – short dated	50

If it’s good enough for Harry, the father of Modern Portfolio Theory, then… also notice how similar this is to The Virgin allocation.

Remember, the decision that will most affect your eventual returns is your division between bonds and equities.

The Man For All Seasons

AKA Harry Browne.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Equities	25
Government Bonds (Gilts) – long dated	25
Cash	25
Gold	25

The Permanent Portfolio offers fair long-term returns, low volatility, and excellent protection against most economic weathers: inflation (equities and gold save the day), deflation (the long bonds and cash soften the impact), recession, and extreme interest rates.

The Survivalist

Wild-eyed crank promises weekends in the woods.

Asset class	Allocation (%)
Farmland	16.666
Water	16.666
Gold	16.666
Guns	16.666
Ammo	16.666
Zombie repellent	16.666

When the flames of the Apocalypse finally consume Western decadence then you’ll give the FTSE 100 the beating of its life. Yee-haw!

Which one are you?

So, how did you do? If you scored mostly ‘A’s then – hang on, this isn’t that sort of article!

If you’re not sure which one of these beauties suits you, then take a look at how to construct your own asset allocation from scratch.

Remember these are model allocations that show you roughly where you want to be. Your asset classes should be chosen from the picks above1 but your personal allocation should be adapted to your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

Your allocations should also change as your circumstances change, and as you age. Our posts on asset allocation rules of thumb and developing a financial plan should help explain what I mean.

In the meantime, if you’re ready to roll then passive investors can cover off each asset class using index trackers from the low cost selection we’ve picked out.

Take it steady,

The Accumulator

1. Not so much the zombie repellent and fashion victim set. [↩]

Good reads from around the Web.

I don’t think it’s fair that Howard Marks, the CEO of Oaktree Capital, is an excellent writer as well as an excellent investor. Not to mention a billionaire for his trouble, with a net worth of $1.9 billion.

Then again, neither does he.

The latest of his must-read memos [PDF] is all about the role of luck in life, and in investing.

After listing a long chain of chance events that led to the establishment of his lucrative business, Marks comments:

You make your own luck? Success is never accidental? Bull!! I contributed to some of the positive developments described above, but many of them were pure luck.

Pull out a few of the steps on this progression, and where would I be today?

Most relevant for Monevator though is his subsequent discussion of luck, skill, and efficient markets.

Given he’s a billionaire on the back of active fund management, you might think Marks would highlight the role his genius played in making outsized returns for 30-odd years.

And while he doesn’t deny that, he stresses that starting decades ago in less efficient markets was the big key to his success.

Marks also believes markets become more efficient over time, which bodes poorly for us strivers trying to follow his trail to riches:

People often ask me about the inefficient markets of tomorrow. Think about it: that’s an oxymoron. It’s like asking, “What is there that hasn’t been discovered yet?”

The markets are greatly changed from 25, 35 or 45 years ago.

The bottom line today is that there’s little that people don’t know about, understand and embrace.

The insanity of human beings holds out some hope – Marks believes that efficiency is cyclical, because in the bad times people throw out their investing babies with the bathwater.

But all told, from Marks’ perspective it doesn’t seem likely we’ll be reading the musings of a billionaire who beat the market in 30 years time.

How to be lucky on Wall Street

Of course, none of this means we won’t be reading the musings of a man or woman who made billions from managing money.

Making a fortune in The City and on Wall Street is really about gathering assets, not growing them.

[continue reading…]