Dimensional Fund Advisors - Case Analysis

Description
The PPT explains on case analysis of Dimensional Fund Advisors.

1

Agenda

• Problem Statement • Evaluating DFA’s current strategy

• DFA’s Trading Approach
• Reasons for success till date • The way forward for DFA

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Continue with the current investment style
OR Should it aim to rise up the ladder with respect to AUM

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Salient Features of DFA’s Strategy
• A strongly professional belief that capital markets are efficient
– Semi-strong Market Efficiency

• A passive buy-and-hold investment approach • The use of academic research to define and assess the fund’s strategies
– investments in small cap companies – investment into value companies

• A specialization in the purchase of large blocks of small stocks at discount prices

Value investing
• 2 major criterias:
– Size Effect: Small Cap versus Large Cap

– B/M ratio: Companies having high book value to market value ratio qualify as value investment and DFA focused on such companies.

• Backed by research done by Fama & French

Tax Managed Fund Family
• Emphasis on capturing after tax returns • Aim: To reduce investment taxes paid by clients • Hold dividend paying stocks but keeping portfolio dividend yield low. • Requirements of a successful tax saving fund:
– Low trading costs – Sophisticated solution for tax optimization problem

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Did DFA possess deft trading techniques?
• Countered threat of illiquid stocks • Purchased stocks at discounts through bulk quantities • Sold stocks in small quantities • Set rules for its traders

• Advantages:
– – – – Lower transaction costs Minimization of price falls Improved operational effeciency Improved investor returns

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• Main reasons:
– Strong academic research
– Well laid out selection process – Focus on niche markets – Deft trading techniques

The way forward for DFA

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Alternatives
• Broaden horizon and expand into other investment styles
– Value investing – Growth investing – GARP (growth at reasonable price) investing

• Continue with current style
– Continue with value stocks – Expand global portfolios – Take advantages of current trading approach

The alternatives • Different requirements for different investors
– Opposite to current ideology – Loss in operational efficiency

Size
Large Cap Mip Cap

%of Overall Market
70 20

Average Market value($ mn) $1,21,657 $5,373

No of Companies Total Market Cap
207 630 $2,51,82,999 $33,84,990

Small Cap
Micro Cap Total

5
5 100

$1,217
$385 $1,28,632

563
3620 5020

$6,85,171
$13,93,700 $3,06,46,860

• Exhibit 1 – DFA AUM - $35719 million • 1.5% of total market capitalization • Exhibit 2 - percentage growth of through RIA’s more than for institutional investors (in last 6 years)

Continued

• Global portfolio’s advantages
– Lower fees and expenses – Reduced risk through diversification across security/sector/country

– Enhanced long term value

Risks DFA faces
• Underperformance of small companies in times of economic downturn (exhibit 6)
– Source of risk and disadvantage in current times

• Lead to decline in investor trust
• To overcome – DFA could look to invest in GARP stocks

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• Focus on small company stocks
– High potential

• Focus on value stocks over growth stocks
– with a small percentage in GARP stocks

• Target more high net worth individuals

• Continue with its current trading policies
– Reduce costs and increase returns

• Expand internationally
– Reduced country risk



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