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Please read this important information before proceeding further. It contains legal and regulatory notices relevant to the information contained on this website.

The information contained in the Website is NOT FOR RETAIL CLIENTS – The information contained in the Website is solely intended for professional investors, defined as investors which (1) qualify as professional clients within the meaning of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), (2) have requested to be treated as professional clients within the meaning of the MiFID or (3) are authorised to receive such information under any other applicable laws. The value of the investments may fluctuate. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency.

Robeco Institutional Asset Management UK Limited (“RIAM UK”) markets the Funds of Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“ROBECO”) to institutional clients and professional investors only. Private investors seeking information about the Robeco Funds should consult with an Independent Financial Adviser. ROBECO will not be liable for any damages or losses suffered by private investors accessing the website.

RIAM UK is an authorised distributor for ROBECO Funds in the UK and has marketing approval for the funds listed on the website, all of which are UCITS Funds. ROBECO is authorised by the AFM and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Decline

Quant Investing

Low volatility investing

Conservative equities is our active approach to low volatility investing. It is based on the anomaly that low-risk stocks tend to deliver a higher risk-adjusted return than high-risk stocks, contrary to classical finance theories. An approach that leads to a portfolio that offers stable equity returns and tend to generate high dividends.

Guide to Conservative Investing


2006

start of proven track record

2.3%

risk-adjusted outperformance (December 2024*)

9bn

EUR assets (december 2024)

*Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The value of the investments may fluctuate. The risk-adjusted outperformance is defined as Jensen’s alpha against the MSCI World Index (net return), based on monthly investment returns in EUR, gross of fees, for Robeco QI Institutional Global Developed Conservative Equities as a representative of the strategy. In reality, management fees and transaction and other costs are charged. These have a negative effect on the returns shown. The value of your investments may fluctuate. Results obtained in the past are no guarantee for the future.

Stable equity returns tend to come with high income

We think it is unwise to select stocks purely based on risk considerations, ignoring the price you pay for them. This is why we also consider valuation and momentum factors to enhance returns. This approach leads to a portfolio that offers stable equity returns and tends to generate high dividends.

  • Dividends are a significant and stable source of equity returns

  • Dividend yield is one of the most defensive measures of value

  • High dividends help enhance long-term returns and limit drawdowns


Related funds

QI Global Conservative Equities F GBP

Select other related funds

performance ytd (28/02)
4.14%
Performance 3y (28/02)
9.83%
since inception (28/02)
8.75%
total size of fund (28/02)
402mln
morningstar (28/02)
View the fund
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The value of the investments may fluctuate. Annualized (for periods longer than one year). Performances are net of fees and based on transaction prices.

Defensive Equities

Winning by losing less

More about this strategy

Winning by losing less in down markets

Better capital preservation can be achieved due to a significant reduction of losses during down markets. In a very bullish environment, the strategy could lag the overall market, while still delivering solid absolute returns. Once the market recovers, low volatility stocks have to make up less lost ground.

low-vol.JPG

Source: Robeco Performance Measurement and MSCI as of 31 December 2024.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The value of the investments may fluctuate. Left-hand graph: The average 12m rolling return series. Right-hand graph: Annualized returns. All figures in EUR based on the net asset value of the representative account of the Robeco QI Institutional Global Developed Conservative Equities strategy since inception (October 2006), gross of fees. The account and reference index are unhedged for currency risk as of June 30, 2012. In reality, costs (such as management fees, transaction- and other costs) are charged. These have a negative effect on the returns shown.

How to apply the Conservative strategy in a portfolio

Risk reduction

A pension fund with a low funding level after the financial crisis replaced conventional equities with Conservative equities to reduce risk while not giving up equity returns.

Income generator

A bank decided to include Conservative equities in its defensive income model portfolio, as the strategy combines high dividend yield with lower downside risk.

Diversification

A family office added the Conservative equity strategy to its portfolio of higher risk equity funds, in order to stabilize the overall performance.

Sustainability integration

An environmentally aware pension fund wanted to limit the ecological footprint, increase the ESG profile and reduce risk and therefore invested in the connservative sustainable equity strategy.

Proven track record

For over ten years, we have been offering a distinctive approach to low-volatility investing, based on award-winning research.

  • First multi-factor models developed in 1994

  • First Conservative equity strategy launched in 2006

  • A wide range of strategies: global developed, European, emerging, all countries, US and sustainable


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Robeco aims to enable its clients to achieve their financial and sustainability goals by providing superior investment returns and solutions.

Important information This disclaimer applies to any documents and the verbal or written comments of any person in presentations or webinars on this website and taken together is referred to herein as the “Information”. The services to which the Information relate are NOT FOR RETAIL CLIENTS - The information contained in the Website is solely intended for professional investors, defined as investors which (1) qualify as professional clients within the meaning of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), (2) have requested to be treated as professional clients within the meaning of the MiFID or (3) are authorized to receive such information under any other applicable laws and must not be relied or acted upon by any other persons. This Information does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any financial product, and may not be relied upon in connection with the purchase or sale of any financial product. You are cautioned against using this Information as the basis for making a decision to purchase any financial product. To the extent that you rely on the Information in connection with any investment decision, you do so at your own risk. The Information does not purport to be complete on any topic addressed. The Information may contain data or analysis prepared by third parties and no representation or warranty about the accuracy of such data or analysis is provided.
In all cases where historical performance is presented, please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and should not be relied upon as the basis for making an investment decision. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“Robeco”) expressly prohibits any redistribution of the Information without the prior written consent of Robeco. The Information is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use is contrary to law, rule or regulation. Certain information contained in the Information includes calculations or figures that have been prepared internally and have not been audited or verified by a third party. Use of different methods for preparing, calculating or presenting information may lead to different results. Robeco Institutional Asset Management UK Limited (“RIAM UK”) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. RIAM UK, 30 Fenchurch Street, Part Level 8, London EC3M 3BD (FCA Reference No:1007814). The company is registered in England and Wales under Ref No. 15362605.

In all cases where historical performance is presented, please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and should not be relied upon as the basis for making an investment decision. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“Robeco”) expressly prohibits any redistribution of the Information without the prior written consent of Robeco. The Information is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use is contrary to law, rule or regulation. Certain information contained in the Information includes calculations or figures that have been prepared internally and have not been audited or verified by a third party. Use of different methods for preparing, calculating or presenting information may lead to different results. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. is authorised as a manager of UCITS and AIFs by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and subject to limited regulation in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.