Mark Biller is co-founder of SMI Advisory Services and serves as Senior Portfolio Manager of SMI Private Client and the SMI Funds. As Senior Portfolio Manager, Mark has ultimate decision-making authority regarding all portfolio decisions and trading practices. In addition to his duties at the Advisor, Mark has been the Executive Editor of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter for over 20 years. Mark’s financial writings have been featured in a variety of national print and electronic media, and he also appears as a financial commentator for various national and local radio programs. Mark has a B.S. in Finance from Oral Roberts University.
* Although SMI Private Client covers all Charles Schwab commissions, SEC Fees will still apply, as will short-term redemption fees, if applicable. Health Savings Accounts may not receive free trades, since they are opened by third party administrators.
Stock Upgrading is a momentum strategy based on the observable phenomenon that recent performance tends to persist. In this strategy we diversify your portfolio across US Large-Cap Funds / ETFs, US Small-Cap Funds / ETFs, and a portion may also be invested in International Funds / ETFs and/or commodities, depending on the recent momentum of these groups. Within each category, we buy the funds demonstrating the strongest current momentum, replacing lagging funds with those showing greater momentum each month. The situational risk category will include exposure to commodities funds when momentum indicates it is appropriate.
DAA is a strategy designed to help you share in some of a bull market’s gains, while minimizing (or even preventing) losses during bear markets. The strategy rotates among six exchange-traded funds representing six asset classes, at any one time holding the three with the strongest recent momentum. DAA is a defensive, low-volatility strategy that has generated impressive back-tested results, showing the power of “winning by not losing.”
This strategy invests in a small number (normally 5, but up to 10) of stock funds and ETFs focused on specific sectors, like technology or financial services, demonstrating strong recent momentum. It’s a high-risk/high volatility strategy. While its peaks have been higher and its valleys lower than SMI’s other strategies, Sector Rotation has generated impressive long-term returns. The strategy is intended to comprise only a modest portion of your stock allocation.
Using index funds, we spread your allocation across the global stock market. Just-the-Basics is designed to match the performance of the market in a tax-efficient manner, so it is well-suited for use in taxable accounts.
We include bonds to provide safety and stability. This strategy combines a bond index fund base with rotating bond funds that vary in duration, credit rating, and type. Bond Upgrading evaluates its holdings each month and replaces lagging bond funds with those showing greater momentum.