Equity markets finished the week up by 1.5 percent, and now are up almost 7 percent for the year. This is the 4th best start to the year for the S&P 500. The U.S. Treasury 10-year bond yield continued its march higher by 6 basis points, finishing at 2.65 percent.
Smoke on the Water
As the Western states struggle with wildfires and the Southeastern states get pounded by hurricanes, the stock market quietly made new highs. The S&P rallied this week 1.4 percent, closing in on the psychologically important 2,500. Conversely, bonds felt the swing into equities with rates on the 10-year U.S. Treasury rising 13 basis points to 2.20 percent.
Ferguson Wellman Ranked on Portland Business Journal Money Management List
Ferguson Wellman Capital Management and its division, West Bearing Investments, are pleased to announce that the firm has been named by Portland Business Journal as top money managers in their 2017 Money Management Firms list.
Portland Business Journal ranked Ferguson Wellman fourth in Oregon and Southwest Washington on their list of 25 money managers. The listing was created by calculating the total number of assets under management for Oregon and Clark County, Washington clients as of May 31, 2017. Forty firms were originally surveyed.
“We are always glad to see our firm listed among our Oregon and SW Washington peers. It is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Ferguson Wellman, but even more importantly to the wonderful clients we serve,” said Jim Rudd, principal and chief executive officer.
Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment advisory firm, established in the Pacific Northwest. As of January 1, 2017, the firm manages over $4.5 billion for more than 760 clients that include individuals and families; Taft-Hartley and corporate retirement plans; and endowments and foundations with portfolios of $3 million or more. West Bearing Investments, a division of Ferguson Wellman, serves clients with assets starting at $750,000. (data as of January 1, 2017).
Disclosures: Portland Business Journal produced this list by soliciting firms in Oregon and Southwest Washington for information regarding their assets under management. Ferguson Wellman (the firm) is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking. The firm does not believe this advertisement is inappropriate and is not aware of any unfavorable rating towards the firm. The rating category is the Top 25 in the Financial Services Guide, forty firms were surveyed and 62.5 percentage of advisers polled received a ranking. The rating does not involve client experience and is not indicative of Ferguson Wellman’s future performance. Ferguson Wellman did not pay a fee to participate in this survey.
Changing of the Guard
The S&P 500 was up nearly 1 percent again this week as economic data continues to confirm a growing economy. An underwhelming jobs report on Friday took yields on 10-year U.S. Treasuries to a new low on the year of 2.15 percent.
All Quiet on the Western Front
In a week full of geopolitical news, the market showed a bit of malaise. The S&P 500 posted a small loss of 0.4 percent. Bonds were similarly docile with the 10-year U.S. Treasury ending the week off two basis points at 2.3 percent.
The World Is a Dangerous Place
Equity markets were relatively flat on the week as economic data was weighed against global events. Interest rates continued their slow trend downward with the 10-year U.S. Treasury finishing the week at a 2.32 percent yield.
Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Ranked 32 on Forbes Magazine’s Top 100 Wealth Managers List
PORTLAND, Ore. – May 1, 2015 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management was named by Forbes Magazine as a top wealth management firm. This is the third year that Ferguson Wellman was represented on the Forbes list. Specifically, Forbes named Ferguson Wellman 32nd on the “Top 100 Wealth Managers” list. The data for the rankings is provided by RIA Database and is based on the total discretionary assets under management by year-end 2014. Ferguson Wellman is the only firm to be named in Oregon and one of three firms listed that is located in the Pacific Northwest.
“We appreciate this recognition from Forbes,” said Jim Rudd, principal and chief executive officer. “We are fortunate to experience annual growth in assets and new clients, and we appreciate the work of everyone in our company who is focused on seeking investment excellence and earning lifelong relationships.”
Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment adviser that serves over 700 clients with assets starting at $3 million. The firm works with individuals and institutions in 36 states with a concentration of those clients in the West. Ferguson Wellman manages $4.3 billion comprising union and corporate retirement plans; endowments and foundations; and separately managed accounts for individuals and families. In 2013, West Bearing Investments was established, a division of Ferguson Wellman, that serves clients with assets starting at $750,000. All company information listed above reflects 3/31/15 data.
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Methodology From Forbes: Data for the Top Wealth Managers list is compiled by our partners at RIA Database. Candidate firms qualify based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria. This year we expanded the list to 100 firms, and ranked them by assets under management for year-end 2014, reported as of March 31, 2015. Members of the list must manage at least 50% of their assets on behalf of retail clients, can not run a broker-dealer (they can be affiliated with one), can not be a bank (trust companies are permitted), and must be performing wealth management services. Firms can not have had any regulatory, civil or criminal disclosures. The list looks beyond exclusively fee-only advisors because the RIA industry is evolving to incorporate more hybrid models as more representatives break away from broker-dealer models but carry along old business that includes some commission-based work.
“Forbes Top 100 Wealth Managers 2015” http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveschaefer/2015/05/01/top-wealth-managers-2015-investing-advice/
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