SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 4, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Double digit extended U.S. and international equity returns powered solid third quarter for all institutional plan types with 98 percent of asset owners registering positive performances, according to the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service ® (Wilshire TUCS ® ), a cooperative effort between Wilshire Analytics, the investment technology unit of Wilshire Associates Incorporated (Wilshire ® ), and custodial organizations. With more than 1,800 plans and in excess of $3.43 trillion in assets, Wilshire TUCS is not only one of the world's largest, but is also considered the most widely accepted benchmark for the performance and allocation of institutional assets in North America.
The third quarter performance spread for median plan type returns was small, from 4.08 percent for Corporate Plans to 4.97 percent for Public Funds with assets greater than $5 billion. The exception was the conservative Taft Hartley Health and Welfare Funds with a lagging 2.70 percent. Even so, 98 percent of all plans had positive returns for the quarter with the median quarterly return of 4.42 percent.
"Performance differences can be attributed to exposure to the U.S. equity extended market given the 10.48 percent return of the Wilshire 4500 Completion Index SM versus the 6.03 percent return of the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index SM ," stated Robert J. Waid, managing director, Wilshire Associates. "International equity also contributed to the plan performance difference with the MSCI AC World exU.S. checking in with 10.09 percent. The top performing universe, Public Funds with assets greater than $5 billion, also had the largest exposure to international equities with a median exposure of 20.0 percent. Unlike the first two quarters in 2013, most plans type medians beat the 3.8 percent return of the classic 60/40 (U.S. Equity / U.S. Bond) default asset allocation portfolio for the third quarter," he added.
A chart of Wilshire TUCS Plan Returns versus 60/40 for the third quarter 2013 is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/cache/31/file/23031.pdf
About Wilshire Associates
Wilshire Associates, a leading global, independent investment consulting and services firm, provides consulting services, analytics solutions and customized investment products to plan sponsors, investment managers and financial intermediaries. Its business units include, Wilshire Analytics, Wilshire Consulting, Wilshire Funds Management and Wilshire Private Markets.
The firm was founded in 1972, providing revolutionary technology and acting as an early innovator in the application of investment analytics and research to investment managers in the institutional marketplace. Wilshire also is credited with helping to develop the field of quantitative investment analysis that uses mathematical tools to analyze market risks. All other business units evolved from Wilshire's strong analytics foundation. Wilshire developed the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index SM and became an early innovator in creating the industry's integrated asset/liability analysis/simulation models as well as the industry's practical models in risk budgeting through beta and active risk analysis. Wilshire has grown to a firm of more than 300 employees serving the investment needs of institutional clients around the world.
Based in Santa Monica, California, Wilshire provides services to clients in more than 20 countries representing more than 500 organizations with assets totaling approximately US $7 trillion.* With ten offices on four continents, Wilshire Associates and its affiliates are dedicated to providing clients with the highest quality counsel, products and services. Wilshire ® and Trust Universe Comparison Service ® , TUCS ® are registered service marks of Wilshire Associates Incorporated. Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index SM and Wilshire 4500 Completion Index SM are service marks of Wilshire Associates Incorporated. Please visit http://www.wilshire.com/ .
*Assets are as of December 31, 2011, based on published data in the December 24, 2012 issue of Pensions and Investments.
Kim Shepherd +1-773-252-9986
