HOUSTON, April 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascendant Advisors LLC announced its launch of the Patriot Fund today. The Patriot Fund offers individual investors a large-cap equity fund that limits investment in terror-related securities.
Founded in 1970, Ascendant is one of the oldest independent registered investment advisers in Texas, providing clients with active portfolio management and decades of proprietary investment research. Ascendant is also the investment adviser to the Ascendant Funds, which now includes the Patriot Fund, developed in response to an identified market need.
"Many individual investors are unaware that 33 companies in the S&P 500, representing more than $1.4 trillion of market capitalization, as well as hundreds of other publicly traded companies around the world do business with nations on the U.S. State Department's 'State Sponsors of Terror' list," says Paul Wigdor, Managing Director of Ascendant Funds. "Money invested in these nations can easily find its way into the pockets of terrorist organizations. American investors would be horrified to discover their investment portfolios could help fund global terrorism. Ascendant believes they deserve an alternative."
Using resources available primarily to large institutions, the Patriot Fund utilizes propriety models to screen out companies conducting business with these nations. Beyond issues of patriotism and morality, Ascendant sees tangible financial benefits to terror-free investing. Regimes on the "State Sponsors of Terror" list are prone to instability and drastic policy changes by fiat, potentially creating a high-risk and unpredictable investment climate. Investments in these rogue states may be vulnerable to sudden and significant loss of value as a result of sanctions, asset freezes or other actions by the international community.
Terror-free investing has already proven its viability in the public sector. Many public sector funds have adopted a "terror-free" policy -- compelling the divesture of companies operating in these nations. 38 state legislatures have passed or are considering legislation prohibiting investment in terror-infected securities. The Patriot Fund allows individual investors to pursue a similar divestment in their own portfolios.
Using quantitative models built on decades of investment research, the Patriot Fund removes and replaces tainted stocks with terror-free equivalents, allowing investors to continue to enjoy the potential for competitive returns with their core large cap holdings.
"We believe Americans can have the same potential for competitive returns while they're not investing in companies doing business in nations that support terrorism," says Mark Langerman, Managing Director of the Patriot Fund. "There is a whole world of opportunity out there and pursuing favorable returns should not mean investors risk becoming indirect supporters of terrorism, violent oppression, genocide or nuclear proliferation."
About Ascendant Advisors LLC: Founded in 1970, Ascendant is one of the oldest independent registered investment advisers in Texas, providing active portfolio management to individuals and institutions. The firm offers clients decades of proprietary investment research, a disciplined and proven quantitative process, a conflict-free and client-aligned structure and a low and transparent overall cost structure.
Ascendant is also the investment adviser to the Ascendant Funds, emphasizing a performance-oriented approach that features active portfolio management with a quantitative approach to investment research, a bottom-up process to security selection utilizing broad array of technical and fundamental data and a top-down approach to portfolio construction and asset allocation. Ascendant'sfour-member Investment Committee averages more than 25 years of experience each.
Additional information about the Patriot Fund and Ascendant Advisors LLC can be found by visiting the websites www.ascendantadvisors.com and www.patriotfund.com or through the contact information provided at the top of this release.
Contact: Paul Wigdor
Phone: 281-661-4493
Email: pwigdor@ascendantadvisors.com
SOURCE Ascendant Advisors LLC
