Quality Factor Investing
Active equity portfolios that offer both improved performance and managed volatility
Investors have long turned to Northern Trust for high-quality, risk-managed equity investments. Our core quality philosophy is based on thorough analysis, and lies at the heart of each equity strategy we offer. This foundation of quality helps us create and manage active equity portfolios that offer both improved performance and managed volatility.
What does quality really mean?
We use proprietary models designed to identify high quality companies, undertaking detailed assessments of each company compared to its peers, using fundamental factors that are empirically tested, supported by academic research and applied quantitatively. We believe that high quality companies should exhibit characteristics such as:
- Management efficiency
- Profitability
- Cash generation
Why is Quality Important for Investors?
uality can help meet your investment objectives, as a single factor or in combination with other factors. Northern Trust’s proprietary method identifies high quality companies and thoughtfully incorporates into a portfolio that best suits your needs.
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Bob Browne, CFA |
Bob Browne, CFA
Bob Browne is executive vice president and chief investment officer for Northern Trust. He is a member of Northern Trust's Management Group. He is also a co-portfolio manager of the Northern Global Tactical Asset Allocation Fund.
Bob chairs the firm’s Investment Policy Committee, which sets investment policy for all Northern Trust groups in all asset classes. He is responsible for investment performance, process and philosophy across multiple investment strategies including fixed income, active equity and passive investments. Bob joined Northern Trust in January 2009 and has 30 years of investment experience.
From 2004 to 2009, Bob worked for ING Investment Management and was the firm’s chief investment officer for fixed income and proprietary investments. In this capacity, he oversaw $120 billion in assets under management across retail and institutional clients, as well as the firm’s own insurance assets. From 2002 to 2004, Bob was founder and managing partner of Picador Capital, an alternative investment firm. From 1999 to 2001, he was co-head of Americas fixed income for Merrill Lynch Investments and he also worked in the firm’s London office from 1997 to 1999 as a senior portfolio manager. Bob spent the first eight years of his career, from 1989 until 1997, at JP Morgan Investment working as a global fixed income and currency portfolio manager in the firm’s Tokyo and London offices.
Bob holds a bachelor’s degree with a major in economics from the College of the Holy Cross. He also has a master’s in international business studies from the University of South Carolina. Bob is a CFA® charterholder.