Products August 3, 2010

Nataxis Joins Westpeak in Fund Launch

Natixis Global Associates (NGA) has unveiled a mutual fund in conjunction with Westpeak Global Advisors. 
Reported by

A news release said the fund will be managed by Khalid Ghayur, Stephen Platt, and Stephen Komon of Westpeak. The Westpeak ActiveBeta Equity Fund (WABAX) will seek to outperform the S&P 500 Index by employing a quantitative value and momentum strategy that uses Westpeak’s portfolio construction process.   

The fund uses a disciplined quantitative portfolio construction technique in which all stocks in the S&P 500 Index are ranked independently according to value and momentum signals on a monthly basis, the announcement said. 

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Value signals include price-to-book, price-to-sales, and price-to-cash flow (or earnings). The momentum indicator is a stock’s trailing 12-month return. Positions are taken in high value, high momentum, and high value and momentum stocks.   

Typically, the fund will invest in about 65% of the names in the S&P 500 Index (approximately 325 stocks), taking small positions in each relative to the index. The portfolio’s weighting of a single security is generally no more than 1% higher than the index and no less than 1.2% lower than the index, the announcement said.  

Deals & People August 3, 2010

CBIZ Acquires Benexx Consultants

CBIZ, Inc. has acquired South Winds, Inc., a Baltimore, Maryland-based retirement plan consulting firm, effective August 1, 2010.   
Reported by

A news release said South Winds, which does business as Benexx, provides 401(k) and other qualified retirement plan services to over 400 companies nationally. 

According to the announcement, Benexx has developed a turnkey approach that simplifies the administration and reduces the cost of maintaining a 401(k) plan for small and mid-sized companies.  Founded in 2002, Benexx has nine associates and approximately $1.9 million in revenue during the past twelve months. 

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The Cleveland-based CBIZ provides professional business services that the company says help clients better manage their finances and employees.  CBIZ provides its clients with financial services including accounting and tax, internal audit, merger and acquisition advisory, and valuation services.  Employee services include group benefits, property and casualty insurance, payroll, HR consulting, and wealth management. 

CBIZ operates more than 150 offices in 36 states.

More information is at http://www.cbiz.com/.

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