Fidelity Investments Expands Institutional SMA Product Line, Adds 8 Custom and Model Strategies for Wealth Management Firms

Odaily Planet Daily News: Asset management firm Fidelity Investments announced the expansion of its institutionally managed Separately Managed Account (SMA) product line, adding 6 custom strategies and 2 model strategies for Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and brokerage clients, aiming to enhance personalized investment services for high-net-worth clients.

The newly added strategies include the Fidelity Institutional Tax-Managed Enhanced Equity strategy and the Fidelity Institutional Tax-Managed Fundamental Equity strategy. Both strategies cover large-cap core, growth, and value investment styles, combining Fidelity's long-term active management capabilities with customized SMA service models.

Among them, the Enhanced Equity strategy employs a benchmark-tracking framework, seeking excess return opportunities through diversified alpha factors; the Fundamental Equity strategy is based on a systematic portfolio construction process combined with high-conviction individual stock selection.

Fidelity stated that the above strategies are now available to RIA firms through its customized SMA platform. This platform integrates with the Fidelity Wealthscape brokerage platform, helping wealth management firms handle client account opening, strategy customization, execution, and portfolio monitoring.

Amanda Robinson, Head of Wealth Advisor Management Solutions Distribution at Fidelity, noted that as investor demand for personalized investment experiences continues to grow, particularly with the expanding base of ultra-high-net-worth clients, wealth advisors require more flexible and customized asset management tools. By combining active management, direct indexing, and factor strategies, Fidelity provides advisors with deeper portfolio customization and tax management capabilities.

Since launching its institutional customized SMA product line in 2022, Fidelity has expanded the number of standardized SMA strategies to 50, while also supporting advisors in combining multiple indices or strategies to form custom allocation solutions based on client needs.

Additionally, Fidelity launched two equity model SMA strategies, including the Fidelity Institutional Blue Chip Growth Focused Model SMA and the Fidelity Institutional Small Growth Focused Model SMA. These are available to RIA and brokerage clients and can be integrated into a Unified Managed Account (UMA) structure to achieve more comprehensive and tax-optimized investment management.

Currently, Fidelity offers 8 active equity model SMA strategies covering U.S. equities, sectors, and international stock markets. Additionally, 5 factor model strategies and 2 index model strategies are available through the Fidelity Managed Account Xchange (FMAX) and third-party platforms.

Fidelity stated that its SMA strategies are developed by the Quantitative Research and Investments team within Fidelity Asset Management. This team comprises over 250 quantitative analysts, data scientists, and technologists, leveraging long-accumulated proprietary data, systematic investment methods, and artificial intelligence technology to identify investment opportunities.