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BluMont
Man Alternative Yield Fund Announces Income Distribution
March 21st, 2007
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BluMont
Capital Inc. Announces Completion of Amalgamation March 2nd,
2007
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BluMont
Capital Inc. Announces Shareholder Approval of Amalgamation
February 28th, 2007
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BluMont
Quarterly Results February 23rd, 2007
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Alternative
Yield Fund Announces Distribution February 23rd, 2007
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Growing Popularity of PPNs Draws Regulators’
Attention
David Parkinson Globe and Mail April
2007
Principal protected notes (PPNs) are one of the fastest
growing investment securities in the Canadian retail market and are
also one of the most complex and misunderstood.
In light of
the complexity of the issues surrounding PPNs and the difficulty
that the average investor has in fully understanding them, the
federal Finance department plans to issue draft ‘principles-based’
regulations for PPN issuers “to ensure better disclosure for
investors”.
The Canadian Securities Administrators, or CSA,
which is the umbrella group for the country’s provincial securities
regulators, and the Investment Dealers Association (IDA) of Canada,
the industry's national self-regulatory organization, are both
studying the issues surrounding PPNs.
Last summer the CSA
issued a notice and investor alert concerning PPNs, warning about
the risks associated with the notes. Since then, "We've been
consulting with various industry stakeholders," said Erez
Blumberger, the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) manager of
corporate finance. He said the regulator has also been consulting
with the federal Finance department.
The IDA began
expressing concerns almost two years ago, in a report on the
regulation of hedge funds, which have become a popular underlying
asset for PPNs.
In spite of the concerns, PPNs have
continued to proliferate the retail market. According to
investment-industry research firm Investor Economics, assets held
under PPNs have increased to roughly $15-billion from about
$2-billion five years ago, and grew by 21 per cent in the first six
months of 2006.
The boom in PPN sales prompted the IDA to
take steps to educate dealers and advisors, so that they will be
better able to advise their clients on PPNs. The IDA has
commissioned a study on due-diligence for PPNs, due to be released
in May 2007 in the form of new guidelines for its members.
When investing in a PPN, economist Andrew Teasdale of Tamris
Consulting suggests that one should consider:
1. At which
point the return on the investment will cover the fees and initial
charges?
2. How the fees and expenses on the investment will
compare to lower cost equity and fixed interest
investments?
3. How the return required on the underlying
active investment will outperform a low cost lower risk investment?
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Hurdle rate:
The minimum amount a fund
needs to earn before performance fees are charged. |
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Issue 33 - May 3, 2007
We hope you
enjoyed reading BluMont eNews. You can expect our next issue in
June.
BluMont eNews is a monthly email publication.
We want to hear from you. Send us your comments or questions
and let us know what you want to see in BluMont eNews.
Email
feedback@blumontcapital.com
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| *As of March 31, 2007 |
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| Click to view full fund performance
and pricing
tables. |
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BluMont Capital (BluMont) and Integrated Asset
Management (IAM) wish to update clients on the recent amalgamation
between the two companies and outline how this will make BluMont a
leading provider of retail alternative investments.
Retail
investors are becoming increasingly aware that their investment
portfolios can be improved by carefully adding alternative
investment products to portfolios of traditional equities and fixed
income as leading institutions have recognized for many years.
BluMont and IAM are committing significant resources to bring
investment advisors a broad range of alternative investments to meet
their clients’ needs. BluMont, a pioneer in the Canadian retail
hedge fund industry, is strategically broadening the scope of its
business, from a concentration on hedge funds to include additional
alternative asset classes such as private equity and real estate.
BluMont is expanding its internal investment management and
product manufacturing capabilities. The amalgamation of BluMont with
IAM will significantly enhance BluMont’s ability to source, manage
and deliver high quality, institutional grade alternative
investments to its clients. BluMont will also continue to distribute
products in conjunction with leading global investment firms.
BluMont’s national sales force will remain an integral part of its
growth in the future.
BluMont is now fully integrated under
IAM’s umbrella. IAM is one of Canada’s largest and most diversified
alternative asset management companies with approximately $3 billion
in assets and committed capital under management. IAM manages
private equity, private debt, real estate and managed futures for
leading institutional investors across Canada. IAM’s 37 investment
professionals, including those at BluMont, manage assets for
institutional investors, high net worth individuals and retail
investors.
For the benefit of BluMont clients and investors,
below is a summary of the events that led to the amalgamation:
On February 28, 2007, BluMont announced that shareholders
overwhelmingly approved the amalgamation with IAM on the basis of
one IAM share for every 2.8 BluMont shares. This was the successful
conclusion of a two-step process which began in May of last year.
The first exchange offer took place in November on a 3 to 1
share exchange basis. Those shareholders who tendered have now been
“topped up” with the cash equivalent which was about $0.04 per
BluMont share. With a broader shareholder base, IAM announced in
March that it has received conditional approval to list the IAM
shares on the TSX. This should take place in May or June.
With an expanded investment management team, increasing
number of distribution partnerships with global investment firms and
strong financial backing, BluMont is positioned to provide a broader
and more comprehensive product line-up to a wider audience for years
to come. |
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BluMont Capital announces the launch of the second
series of the Bank of Nova Scotia Deutsche Bank X-Alpha Index Linked
Deposit Notes (the “Series 2 X-Alpha Notes”) - a global long/short
strategy using indices.
Features of the Series 2 X-Alpha
Notes include:
- 125% exposure to the upside performance of
the Index
- Strong historical performance with low
correlation1 to global markets
- Simple structure
with full transparency
- Tradeable in the secondary market
- Principal protection by The Bank of Nova Scotia - if held
to maturity
The Series 2 X-Alpha Notes, while structured
specifically for the Canadian marketplace, are modeled upon the
original Deutsche Bank X-Alpha indices that have a proven track
record of positive returns and low correlation1 to equity
markets.
In addition to a principal protection feature
provided by The Bank of Nova Scotia that guarantees the return of an
investor's initial investment at maturity, the Series 2 X-Alpha
Notes provide the potential for enhanced diversification and
positive returns in both rising and falling markets.
The
Series 2 X-Alpha Notes are 100% RSP eligible as Canadian content and
are available to investors until June 22, 2007 for a minimum
investment of C$5,000.
"The Series 2 X- Alpha Notes
represent a unique and exclusive opportunity for Canadian investors
to access a proven and highly successful global solution,” says
James Wanstall, Executive Vice President, National Sales of BluMont
Capital.
For more information on the Bank of Nova Scotia
Deutsche Bank X-Alpha Index Linked Deposit Notes Series 2 contact
BluMont Capital at 1-888-473-7376 or via email at service@blumontcapital.com
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1Historical return and
correlation are based on data from 10/22/1996 to 3/31/2007. Past
performance of the Index is not indicative of future performance of
the Index or the Series 2 X-Alpha Notes. Index Return is net 60bps
Borrow fee. Over this period, correlation was 0.08 to SC Universe
Bond Index; -0.11 to S&P/TSX 60 Index and –0.17 to MSCI World
Index. | |