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To Invest or Not To Invest?
I'm not a Shakespeare buff, but even I know that
Hamlet is about a prince who can't make up his mind
and that things do not end well for him. Prince Hamlet
would not have liked our current market. January's
volatility was enough to make even bold investors feel
very timid. Hamlet would have hidden behind a
tapestry the whole month.
Continued in column on right
| Upcoming Webinar Events |
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We are excited to announce that we will be
hosting two webinars in the coming weeks. These
events are designed to allow our clients - and friends
they wish to refer - to learn more about the money
managers and strategies we feel will do well in the
current market and the next economic cycle. Our 2008
Webinar series will begin with two growth strategies:
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| Navellier Fundamental 'A' Portfolio |
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On Thursday March 6, meet Louis G. Navellier,
Chairman and Founder of Navellier & Associates, Inc.
His Fundamental 'A' portfolio uses his disciplined,
quantitative analysis to select stocks that he believes
have the potential to significantly outperform the
overall market.
WrapManager CEO Gabriel Burczyk will discuss what
we can expect from the market in 2008 with Louis and
where his quantitative approach is currently finding
opportunities. Mr. Navellier has been covered by a
wide range of international media. In addition to
appearing on CNBC, Bloomberg, The Nightly
Business Report, and Wall Street Week, he has been
featured in Barron's, Forbes, Fortune, Investor's
Business Daily, Money, Smart Money, and The Wall
Street Journal. Don't miss this opportunity to hear
what he has to say.
When: Thursday March 6, 2008 at 7 pm Eastern Time
(4 pm Pacific)
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| Fred Alger Management Small Cap / Mid Cap Growth Portfolio |
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Spend some time with Zachary Karabell,
Executive Vice President and Chief Economist for Fred
Alger Management. Zachary and Gabriel Burczyk, CEO
of WrapManager, will discuss 'The iPhone economy
and the Sub-prime Economy' and how Fred Alger
Small Cap & Mid Cap Growth Composite, a managed
account strategy for investors seeking Small Cap and
Mid Cap market exposure, might be a strategic
investment in times like these.
Mr. Karabell analyzes economic, political and social
trends to identify new investment opportunities. He is
the author of several books, including A Visionary
Nation: Four Centuries of American Dreams. In 2003,
the World Economic Forum designated Zachary
a "Global Leader for Tomorrow." He is a regular
commentator on national news programs, such as
CNBC, CNN and Fox News. We hope you will join us
and invite a friend.
Watch for an invitation coming soon.
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| Tax Form Mailings |
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If you have not received your form 1099 yet, you
should be receiving it shortly. Unlike previous years
when 1099s were due out by January 31, the IRS has
extended the deadline this year. This change is due to
the need to classify dividends properly for their
qualification for 15% tax treatment. Most corporate
dividends qualify, but dividends of some securities,
such as most REITS do not.
If you receive distributions from an IRA, retirement
account, or Educational Savings Account, you should
already have received your form 1099-Q or 1099-R. All
other 1099 forms should be mailed by February 29,
2008. You can always check online by clicking on the
Tax Documents / 1099s link under the Accounts and
Services Tab.
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| Good News for TurboTax Users |
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If you use TurboTax software to do your taxes, you
can now download your 1099 data directly into your tax
software.
When you are entering income data in the TurboTax
interview and you come to the section on investment
income, the interview will ask if you want to import
data from your financial institution. Select 'First
Clearing, LLC' from the dropdown menu. You will be
prompted for your User ID and Password. It is safe to
enter them in this screen, this data is necessary to
access your account online securely. Follow the
instructions on the screen and data from your 1099
forms will be downloaded into the proper fields in
TurboTax.
Please note that while this import will save you time
and effort by importing the data, it is important to check
the import against the 1099 form that was sent to you
to be sure all data was transferred accurately. You will
also need to complete the forms by adding data that is
not on the 1099, such as cost basis data on securities
you've sold, but did not buy through us.
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| Roosevelt Investment Group - All Cap Core Portfolio |
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In times of market volatility, as we have seen
recently, managers who have the flexibility to move
part of their portfolio into cash or even short positions
can be attractive for some investors. Roosevelt All Cap
Core strategy has been a consistent top quartile
manager who can take defensive positions when
management deems appropriate.
This strategy looks across all capitalizations and
styles and focuses on themes that its managers
believe will outperform the market as a whole.
Roosevelt searches for companies which they view as
long-term beneficiaries of these themes. Themes are
always being evaluated and currently include such
trends as Agricultural Expansion, the Global
Infrastructure Boom and Alternative Energy.
While it is appropriate to measure this strategy
against the Russell 3000 as a benchmark, it seeks
alpha in part by reducing market exposure when
management feels appropriate. Managers can hold
up to 30% of the portfolio in cash and 5% in zero
coupon treasury instruments. For example, in August
of 2006 they were 23% in cash. Roosevelt also
empowers the managers of this strategy to put up to
10% in exchange traded funds that short sectors of
the market.
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The attached report and information have
been
prepared or produced by WrapManager, Inc. from
sources and data believed to be reliable. Information
provided in this report is for educational and
illustrative purposes only and should not be
construed as individualized investment advice, as an
offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any
security in any states where such an offer or
solicitation would be prohibited by regulations.
WrapManager, Inc. is not a tax advisory firm. We
recommend you contact your tax attorney or CPA
prior to utilizing any of the tax-related strategies
mentioned or discussed. Returns and experiences
will
vary for each client. Each client's risk tolerance and
investment objectives are unique to them. Past
performance may not be indicative of future results.
No assumption that future performance of any
specific investment or product made reference to
directly by WrapManager, Inc., on its Web site and in
marketing materials, will be profitable or equal the
corresponding indicated performance level(s). If
performance numbers are generated gross of fees, a
client's return will be reduced by investment advisory
fees and any other expenses. Opinions expressed are
those of WrapManager, Inc. and are subject to
change without notice and are not necessarily those
of Prospera Financial Services, Inc. its directors,
parent company or its affiliates. Securities offered
through Prospera Financial Services and cleared
through First Clearing, LLC. Prospera Financial
Services - Member FINRA/SIPC.
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MESSAGE FROM THE CEO |
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As I am writing this, the S&P 500 seems to have
successfully tested the bottom it established in late
January by falling approximately 19% from its 52 week
high. Will there be further downside tests? Probably.
Is this correction over? Possibly, but it is too soon to
know for sure.
And there's the rub - by the time you know a correction
is over, the market has usually regained a good bit of
the ground it had lost. By the time you are sure there is
an opportunity, the opportunity has diminished
significantly. One reason we do not try to time the
market is that it is almost impossible to be
consistently correct. We feel that time in the market -
choosing the right managers for you and sticking with
them over the long term - will bring a better result for
our clients than timing the market.
More from the CEO
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