What Is Woodley Farra Manion’s Approach to Financial Planning?
To effectively manage a client’s portfolio, we need a clear vision of their objectives. Our Retirement Readiness Review helps clients assess their current financial landscape, identify long-term goals, and determine how Woodley Farra Manion can best assist them in attaining those goals. Crafting and managing this plan with our clients is included in our investment management fee.
Will your retirement preparations go the distance?
How Does a Fiduciary Provide Financial Planning?
As in portfolio management, our role as a fiduciary carries over to financial planning—and we continue to put the needs of our client first. Your portfolio assets will be held by third-party custodians, as we are not a broker-dealer, and you will never write a check to us except for fees. Our revenue is fee-based, not commission-based. Also, because we are accountable to our clients and to ourselves, all our performance results and calculations are verified by an independent third party to maintain accuracy and transparency.
Woodley Farra Manion’s Portfolios
Our research-based portfolio management team has provided nearly three decades of competitive returns while protecting against much of the downside risk inherent in a stock portfolio. We look for companies that represent as many industries as attractive valuations can be found in a focused and diversified portfolio constructed without the over-diversification many managers pursue. Our approach is built upon four principles:
Individual Securities
Our client portfolios are invested exclusively in 25–30 individual securities, which are safely held with a third-party custodian.
Value Oriented
The goal of our screening process is to find undervalued companies. We run potential companies through specific, proprietary filters to find statistically inexpensive stocks.
Large Capitalization
Firm portfolios contain large, well established companies. We only invest in stocks with a market value of $1 billion or greater, and we do not invest in futures, options, or other derivatives.
Strong Dividend Policy
Dividend yields are an objective characteristic of undervalued companies. These are a significant contributor to the total return of a portfolio and can provide both a good inflation hedge and stability in declining markets.
How Does Woodley Farra Manion Plan for My Future?
Woodley Farra Manion serves clients looking to preserve their wealth and have it grow at a reasonably good rate. We are not a good fit for those investors trying to get rich quick. Our portfolio emphasizes companies with strong free cash flows from which they can pay, increase dividends, and buy back stock. The portion of a company’s free cash flow used in this manner is strongly correlated with stocks that go up in value over the long-term. We also require that our companies possess rock solid balance sheets and have a strong leadership team that has or is expected to show growth of sales, earnings, cash flow and dividends.
Is Woodley Farra Manion a Fiduciary Financial Planner?
As a Registered Investment Advisory firm, Woodley Farra Manion is also a fiduciary. This means that all financial professionals at our firm have pledged always to act in the best interest of our clients. It is important that our clients feel secure, knowing we manage their assets with their benefit at the forefront of our minds. Our clients’ success is our success. We don’t sell products, nor do we recommend investments that provide commissions or other incentives back to the firm. Working with a fiduciary can provide a greater sense of confidence and clarity that our goals are closely aligned with those of our clients.
Is There a Minimum to Invest with Woodley Farra Manion?
At Woodley Farra Manion, we understand that financial situations can vary greatly, so we have waived a minimum investment amount. We believe in building lasting relationships and providing personalized solutions that align with your unique goals and needs.
What Is Included in the Free Retirement Readiness Review?
Our firm uses a basic questionnaire, which provides key information we enter into our financial planning software, that normally takes about 30 minutes to complete and is provided before the introductory meeting. The follow-up analysis and discussion of the results takes approximately 30 minutes, as well—so the entire process takes about an hour.
Our Team of Financial Coaches
Our portfolio management team includes seven CFA charterholders (CFAs). You’ll always have direct access to our coaches when you need it. We won’t bug you too much, but we will send a personalized investment report every quarter, too.
