System, method and computer program product for selecting and weighting a subset of a universe to create an accounting data based index and portfolio of financial objects

US8374939B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Research Affiliates, LLC · US

Inventors

• Robert Arnott · Newport Beach, US
• Paul C. Wood · Waltham, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 1, 2010
• Grant date: Feb 12, 2013
• Expiry date: Oct 13, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q40/12
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product creates an index based on accounting based data, as well as a portfolio of financial objects based on the index where the portfolio is weighted according to accounting based data. A passive investment system may be based on indices created from various metrics. The indexes may be built with metrics other than market capitalization weighting, price weighting or equal weighting. Non-financial metrics may also be used to build indexes to create passive investment systems. Additionally, a combination of financial non-market capitalization metrics may be used along with non-financial metrics to create passive investment systems. Once the index is built, it may be used as a basis to purchase securities for a portfolio. Specifically excluded are widely-used capitalization-weighted indexes and price-weighted indexes, in which the price of a security contributes in a substantial way to the calculation of the weight of that security in the index or the portfolio, and equal weighting weighted indexes. Valuation indifferent indexes avoid overexposure to overvalued securities and underexposure to undervalued securities, as compared with conventional…