Crystal Research will typically offer Clients the three types of asset management engagements as summarized below. However, Crystal Research is committed to meeting its Clients individual needs and alternative engagements are possible.
Strategic Investment Audit (SIA) This engagement type would typically represent the first engagement between the Client and Crystal Research and would typically be repeated on an annual basis. The goal is to establish the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the Client's investment assets. The Client will receive information regarding the general risk-return characteristics of the portfolio(s), as well as more specific analyses that may include, but are not limited to, the analytical services listed below.
Asset Plan Engineering (APE) Once the profile of the Client's invested assets has been completed, the Client can elect to go on to the next engagement type, Asset Plan Engineering. During the APE, Crystal Research assists the Client by providing an array of investment alternatives to minimize the misfit between the Client's invested assets and the risk and return expectations, market value volatility tolerance, goals and objectives generated during the SIA. The production by Crystal Research of multiple exhibits illustrating the various trade-offs between various investment alternatives available to the Client, the potential impact of those asset investments/asset divestments, and the in-depth review of these exhibits with the Client, empowers the Client's decision-making.
Post Asset Plan Actions ("PAPA") Once the APE has been implemented, the Post Asset Plan Actions (PAPA) engagement would be the next logical step in the Client's relationship with the firm. The core of PAPA, taking place at regular intervals, includes both verbal and written communication consisting of a review of the performance of the revised portfolio of investments against the backdrop of events in the financial markets and other indicators. Asset class rebalancing is another core activity. When available, the Client will receive information regarding the performance of his/her portfolio(s) versus the chosen benchmark, the performance of the portfolio(s) versus an appropriate peer group, as well as the risk-adjusted returns of the managed assets held in the portfolio(s).