How We Manage Money
A wise investment decision is based on an informed analysis of the inner workings of a business as well as on the bottom line of its financial statements. At Ram Trust Services, we seek the inside view of a company before we invest; we look at the company's management, its products, its services and, ultimately, its ability to live up to its potential. In fact, our ability to see and understand business from the perspective of investor and businessperson is vital to the performance of all our investments.
A Relative Value Approach
Unlike many investment managers, Ram Trust Services is never content to rely solely on outside sources of information in assessing our investments. We do much of our own research using proprietary models developed by our research analysts. We examine each investment based on its fundamental valuation as well as its prospects relative to its peers. We use all available knowledge and expertise to examine specific events within the company and the markets that may influence its performance. As investment advisors who invest in tandem with our clients, we make sure we get a closer, more accurate reading of every investment we make.
As the name implies, our Core Investments form the foundation of our clients' portfolios. They include common stocks that may have above average yield, lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios and above average financial strength stocks. All of these stocks also have met the careful scrutiny of our Investment Committee. We evaluate Core Investments stock by stock to find investments that are often "out of favor" in the marketplace but which we believe offer exceptional potential appreciation. Our Core Investments may include publicly traded trusts and partnerships to compliment existing portfolios.
When a reliable, stable income is part of a client's investment profile, we recommend fixed income securities - government, corporate and tax exempt bonds. We consider the client's tax situation, projected movements in interest rates and the maturity and duration of the bond portfolio in question. We invest only in high quality bonds that have received acceptable ratings from independent bond rating agencies.
Specialty Investments, Exceptional Opportunities
The greatest rewards often go to those who know where to find investment opportunities that may go unheralded or be overlooked. Because a fundamental part of our role is not only to preserve, but also to enhance the wealth of our clients, Ram Trust Services seeks out growth opportunities both within and outside of the conventional investment markets.
Our Specialty Investments offer excellent potential for growth. At the request of a client, this portion of a client's portfolio may include carefully selected investments in several arenas where our expertise allows us to affect positive returns. An area of special expertise is in private placement opportunities. These are investments in businesses where our experience and knowledge of the market have rewarded investors with an above average return on capital.
Our Specialty Investments also include real estate and emerging growth stocks, two areas of expertise among Ram Trust Services' principals. In real estate, we advocate hands-on investment in local markets where we understand all the factors at work and know we can exert a positive influence on property values. With private equity placements, we base decisions on in-depth research, and, in many cases, we back up that research with personal knowledge of the company and confidence in management's ability to live up to its market potential.
We also offer several private international investment funds that offer diversification opportunities for our qualified investors.
