Greg Wait featured in Your ESG investment may be a ‘light touch’ fund and not as green as you think

Marketwatch. January 4, 2021 Environmental, social and governance investing resonates with people who want their investments to align with their values, and the boom in this investing style has fund companies launching more ESG investment vehicles. But these funds may not be as green as investors think they are. ESG investing considers both financial return…

Greg Wait featured in Benefits Magazine

Marketwatch. November 13, 2020 Even as the Trump administration actively discourages environmental, social and governance investing in employer-sponsored retirement plans — a rule the Biden administration may overturn — it’s not like investors had a lot of ESG choices to begin with. When Morningstar looked at lineups for defined-contribution plans like 401(k)s or 403(b)s , the research firm…

Riverwater Opposes Proposed DOL Rule

Re: Financial Factors in Selecting Plan Investments Proposed Regulation (RIN 1210-AB95) Dear Director Canary: Riverwater Partners LLC is an independent, employee-owned, registered investment advisory firm based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving families, nonprofits, and institutions. We invest in superior businesses with exceptional management teams, attractive valuations, and a focus on social responsibility and sustainability. As fiduciaries…

Is ESG Investing a Fad?

Some investing styles, such as value investing, have proven themselves useful over the course of many decades. By contrast, investing fads are short-lived. They look promising in a particular market context but fade away as the world changes. Examples of such fads include day trading, house flipping, and, in our view, Bitcoin and liquid alternative…

The ABC’s of ESG Investing

Coined in 2005 in a landmark study entitled “Who Cares Wins,” which made the case that embedding environmental, social, and governance factors in capital markets makes good business sense and leads to better outcomes for society, ‘ESG’ is getting a lot of attention. Individuals, particularly young ones, are liking what they hear.  Companies are paying…