To reach younger investors and solve a common investment problem in one technological shot, investment management firm Brinker Capital Inc. has come up with a free tablet application that calculates relative returns versus absolute returns.
Although it sounds like an exotic cocktail, Brinker's Absolute Return Mixer app provides financial advisers with a simple way to calculate the optimal mix of relative-return and absolute-return strategies for each client's portfolio.
“It's not exactly Angry Birds, but it's fun,” said Brinker president John Coyne, referring to the wildly popular smartphone game.
Once downloaded, the app leads advisers through a series of eight questions regarding the client's investing time horizon, risk tolerance and investing future, generating a range of recommended absolute- and relative-return allocations. It's available in Apple's App Store and in the Android Market.
When asked whether he expects advisers to suggest that their clients also download it, Mr. Coyne said that he isn't sure.
“I'd love nothing better than to have the Smith Barney advisers of the world say [to their clients], "Hey, take a look at this. I want to talk to you about it in Friday's meeting,'” Mr. Coyne said.
Coming up with the app in the first place had a lot to do with creating ways to better communicate with younger investors, including Generation X and Y prospects, he said.
“We want Brinker to be a multigenerational firm, so we have actively embraced social media and technology in order to adapt to the future and provide additional ways of communicating,” Mr. Coyne said.
The app is the second mobile-device program of a planned series. A mobile-browser optimized version of Brinker's website was launched in 2010.
djanowski@investmentnews.com
