Is Fisher Investments Any Good for Investors

Fisher Investments is a well-established investment management firm with a long history of serving individual and institutional clients. They've been around since 1979, with a team of experienced investment professionals.

Their investment approach focuses on a disciplined, evidence-based strategy that aims to deliver consistent returns over the long term. This approach has helped them navigate various market conditions, including the 2008 financial crisis.

One notable aspect of Fisher Investments is their low-cost fee structure, which is a significant advantage for investors. Their fees range from 0.65% to 1.5% of assets under management, depending on the investment program.

Their investment philosophy emphasizes a buy-and-hold approach, which can be beneficial for investors who want to avoid frequent trading and associated costs.

Fees Under Fisher Investments can be a bit of a puzzle to understand. Fisher Investments typically bills its private clients based on a percentage of assets under management, with WealthBuilder accounts and accounts below $500,000 billed at an annual rate of 1.50%.

For Equity and Blended Accounts, the fee structure is tiered based on the amount of assets under management. Here's a breakdown of the fees:

For Income-Only Accounts above $5 million, the fee structure is also tiered, but with lower fees. However, these fees can add up quickly, especially if you're investing in funds with high on-going charges.

Fisher Investments Ireland's fees are not transparently disclosed on their website, making it difficult to know what you'll pay. However, some sources suggest that their fees can range from 1.7% to over 3% per year, depending on the type of account and the funds you invest in.

Fisher Investments takes a top-down approach to investment, focusing first on asset allocation, which they believe is the primary driver of portfolio performance. They customize asset allocations based on clients' personal factors, such as time horizons, risk tolerances, and cash flow needs.

The firm employs a flexible investment strategy, responding to market conditions and making changes to client portfolios as necessary. They use a framework called The Four Market Conditions to determine appropriate investment strategies.

Fisher Investments' Investment Policy Committee makes investment decisions, regularly reviewing economic, political, and sentiment drivers to forecast global market conditions. This helps them position client portfolios based on the market segments they believe will perform best.

The firm constructs client portfolios by selecting a benchmark, which serves as the framework for constructing the portfolio, managing risk, and monitoring performance. They then analyze the benchmark's components and assign expected risk and return.

Fisher Investments selects specific securities for client portfolios, using a combination of dissimilar securities to balance risk versus reward. They vow to always remember that they could be wrong, sticking to their three fundamental principles.

Fisher Investments offers a range of services, including portfolio management, annuity conversion, financial planning, and retirement planning. Their portfolio management services are tailored to maximize returns within risk parameters.

Their portfolio management services are divided into three categories: Equity accounts, Fixed-income accounts, and Blended accounts. Equity accounts mainly use common stock and cash equivalents, while Fixed-income accounts focus on various fixed-income instruments and cash. Blended accounts, on the other hand, use a combination of stocks, fixed-income instruments, and cash.

Here's a breakdown of their portfolio management services:

They also offer institutional services, including institutional investing and 401(k) solutions for businesses.

Fisher Investments offers a range of services designed to help individuals and businesses achieve their financial goals.

Their services for private clients include portfolio management, annuity conversion, financial planning, and retirement planning. These services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.

Portfolio management is a key part of their services, and it's divided into three main categories: equity accounts, fixed-income accounts, and blended accounts. Equity accounts mainly use common stock and cash equivalents, while fixed-income accounts focus on various fixed-income instruments and cash.

Blended accounts, on the other hand, use a combination of stocks, fixed-income instruments, and cash to create a balanced portfolio. This approach can help reduce risk and increase potential returns.

Their institutional services include institutional investing and 401(k) solutions for businesses.

Fisher Investments caters to a diverse range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and even governments.

The firm primarily works with clients who have at least $500,000 in investable assets, although it may consider smaller account sizes on a case-by-case basis.

WealthBuilder accounts, which are approved individually, require a lower minimum of $200,000.

These smaller accounts will be subject to a higher fee rate of 1.50%.

Fisher Investments is a privately-owned investment firm founded in 1979 by Ken Fisher, with headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona. They have over 20 branch offices worldwide.

Their investment approach is based on a global macroeconomic perspective, which involves analyzing the big picture to make informed investment decisions. They have a team of experienced investment professionals who work together to develop and implement their investment strategies.

Fisher Investments has a significant presence in the investment industry, with over $150 billion in assets under management.

Fisher Investments Ireland's performance is a mixed bag, with some funds outperforming their competitors, while others lag behind.

Their Emerging Markets Equity Fund has underperformed Vanguard's EUR Irish domicilled UCITS fund, with an investor having over 20% more in the Vanguard Fund than Fisher Investment Ireland after 6 years.

Fisher's Global Small Cap fund, on the other hand, out-performed both BlackRock iShares and Vanguard EUR UCITS funds since its inception in 2019, with a €100,000 investment being up c14% in Fisher compared to either BlackRock or Vanguard.

Fisher's Global Developed Equity fund is only 2 years old, but it already lags behind Vanguard by nearly 3.5% over that period.

The fees charged by Fisher Investments Ireland are also a concern, with their KID documents disclosing fund fees alone of often 1.5-2% compared to Vanguard's 0.2%.

Transparency and accountability are crucial aspects of any investment company. Unfortunately, Fisher Investments Ireland falls short in this regard.

They claim to prioritize transparency, mentioning simple fees and independence on their website. However, a closer look reveals a lack of concrete information on their fees, funds, and services.

A year ago, I emailed them asking for details on their fees and services, but received no response. This lack of communication suggests a lack of transparency.

Their website fails to provide specifics on their service, funds, or fees. Fisher Investments Ireland has not done well on transparency.

Fisher Investments has been recognized by a number of industry publications in recent years. The firm holds the top spot on SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisor firms in the U.S.

Fisher Investments made CNN Underscored's list of the Best Financial Advisors in 2024. This is a notable achievement, especially considering the reputation of the publication.

The firm also made Kiplinger's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards Wealth Managers list. This shows that Fisher Investments is well-regarded by readers and experts alike.

Fisher Investments' inclusion on these lists is a testament to their expertise and commitment to providing high-quality financial services.

As an independent financial planning firm, we take pride in our due diligence and research process. We're not beholden to any one investment firm or solution, which means we can explore a wide range of options to find the best fit for our clients.

We keep a constant review of regulated offerings and solutions to ensure our clients never miss out on something better. Our goal is to prioritize client outcomes, and it gives our clients confidence in our services.

We're always on the lookout for top-notch solutions, and one such service we reviewed recently is Fisher Investments Ireland. They offer a Small Cap Equity strategy, which we take a close look at as part of our research process.

Fisher Investments has been around since 1979, helping global investors achieve their long-term financial objectives.

The firm uses a client-first approach, providing tailored portfolio management services designed to meet each investor's individual objectives. This means you'll receive attentive service from a dedicated investment counselor who takes the time to review your personal financial goals.

Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment advisor, which means they don't sell commission-based financial products or earn commissions on trades. This fiduciary standard allows the firm to put your best interests first.

The firm has a team of over 5,000 dedicated employees operating out of 17 countries, giving them a global reach and focus. This allows them to review various market indicators and position your portfolio in line with your long-term goals.

Fisher Investments is committed to providing employees with lifelong careers, hiring and promoting based on potential and a "will-do" attitude.