Stable Value Funds deliver safety and stability by preserving principal and accumulated earnings. They are similar to money market funds but offer considerably higher returns. Their returns make them comparable to intermediate bonds minus the volatility. They are the largest conservative investment in defined contribution retirement plans with over $561 billion in assets.
This section includes many commonly asked questions and their answers on Stable Value.
A quick overview explaining what are Stable Value Funds, how they compare to money market funds and intermediate bonds, and the role they play as part of a balanced investment portfolio.
This study is the first to rigorously examine the performance of stable value funds throughout their inception in 1973 and the latest market correction in 2008. The report produces a comprehensive index of stable value returns. It subjects stable value funds to mean-variance analysis, Sharpe and Sortino ratio analysis, stochastic dominance analysis, and optimal multi-period portfolio composition analysis. The study finds that stable value funds dominate two (and nearly three) major asset classes based on a historical analysis, and that they occupy a prominent position in optimal portfolios across a broad range of risk aversion levels. The study examines the factors that contributed to stable value's performance and whether it can continue to maintain it into the future.
Washington, DC
November 17-19, 2010
by Larry Light, The Wall Street Journal
by Kathleen Koster, Employee Benefit News