Original, independent, thought leadership

Chart of the Week – January 29, 2024

The Bottom Line: Sustainable investors with a greater tolerance for risk with cash can take advantage of higher returns available in short-term and ultrashort funds.    Sustainable short-term, ultrashort and money market funds returns and volatility: 2023 Notes of Explanation: Average 12-month return and volatility applicable to sustainable short-term bond funds adjusted for one fund’s […]

Chart of the Week – January 22, 2024

The Bottom Line: Sustainable actively managed taxable bond funds gained an average of 7% in 2023, while returns by category ranged from 4.4% to 12.3%.   Sustainable actively managed taxable fixed income funds by category: 1-M and 12-M TR% 2023Notes of Explanation: Average total return performance results apply to taxable actively managed sustainable fixed income mutual […]

Chart of the Week – January 15, 2024

The Bottom Line: Blended portfolios of growth and value stocks across market capitalizations offer investors the benefits of diversification and higher returns with lower risks. Average performance of actively managed sustainable US equity mutual funds and ETFs: 2023 Notes of Explanation: Average returns for calendar year 2023 cover all actively managed sustainable funds within their […]

Chart of the Week – January 8, 2024

The Bottom Line: Notwithstanding a challenging year, sustainable fixed income mutual funds and ETFs ended the year with $46.7 billion, benefiting from positive cash inflows.      Sustainable mutual funds and ETFs Y-O-Y changes in net assets and number of funds Notes of Explanation: Sources: Morningstar Direct, Sustainable Research and Analysis LLC. Observations: Bolstered by the […]

Investing ideas-Small cap funds

The Bottom Line:  After rallying recently, sustainable small-cap mutual funds and ETFs may still have upside potential, but the number of investment options is limited.        Selected sustainable small cap funds: Performance results to November 30, 2023, net assets and expense ratios Notes of Explanation: Funds listed in descending order based on 3-year trailing […]

Chart of the Week – December 18, 2023

The Bottom Line:  Across 76 investment categories as defined by Morningstar, sustainable Technology funds delivered the top total return in November 2023—an average of 13.7%.        Top and bottom three investment fund categories by November 2023 average total return results Notes of Explanation: Top and bottom three investment fund categories arrayed based on November […]

Chart of the Week – December 11, 2023

The Bottom Line:  Lower turnover ratios are recorded by sustainable US equity funds relative to their conventional counterparts and should be factored into investment decisions.       Turnover ratios for US equity mutual funds and ETFs as of November 30, 2013 Notes of Explanation: Turnover ratios calculated for active and passively managed mutual funds and […]

Chart of the Week – December 4, 2023

The Bottom Line:  Top yielding funds posted 12-month trailing yields ranging between 7.5% and 13.3%, but corresponding total rates of return can be much lower. Highest yielding sustainable mutual funds and ETFs: Trailing 12-M yields and total returns to October 31, 2023 Notes of Explanation: Trailing 12-month yields (listed in descending order (but exclude KraneShares […]

Research

Research and analysis to keep sustainable investors up to-date on a broad range of topics that include trends and developments in sustainable investing and sustainable finance, regulatory updates, performance results and considerations, investing through index funds and actively managed portfolios, asset allocation updates, expenses, ESG ratings and data, company and product news, green, social and sustainable bonds, green bond funds as well as reporting and disclosure practices, to name just a few.

A continuously updated Funds Directory is also available to investors.  This is intended to become a comprehensive listing of sustainable mutual funds, ETFs and other investment products along with a description of their sustainable investing approaches as set out in fund prospectuses and related regulatory filings.

Getting started

Many questions have surfaced in recent years regarding sustainable and ESG investing.  Here, investors and financial intermediaries will find materials that describe the various approaches to sustainable investing and their implementation.  While sustainable investing approaches vary and they have thus far defied universally accepted definitions, many practitioners agree that they fall into the following broad categories:  Values-based investing, investing via exclusions, impact investing, thematic investments and ESG integration.  In conjunction with each of these approaches, investors may also adopt various issuer engagement procedures and proxy voting practices.  That said, sustainable investing approaches will continue to evolve.

In addition to periodic updates regarding sustainable investing and how this form of investing is evolving, investors and financial intermediaries interested in implementing a sustainable investing approach will also find source materials that cover basic investing themes as well as asset allocation tactics.

Inesting ideas

Thoughts and ideas targeting sustainable investing strategies executed through various registered and non-registered sustainable investment funds and products such as mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), closed-end funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). Coverage extends to investment management firms as well as fund groups. 

Independent source for sustainable investment management company research, analysis, opinions and sustainable fund disclosure assessments