Eric Carlson

MSIM’s investment strategies span the risk/return spectrum across geographies, investment styles and asset classes, including equity, fixed income, alternatives and private markets. When considering their clients’ unique investment profiles, the firm applies a holistic approach, with a goal of incorporating the different factors affecting investors’ investment decisions. The firm combines top-down country allocation with bottom-up stock selection and disciplined risk management.

Acts as Closed-End Investment Fund/Investment Trust

Van Kampen Asset Management (VK) offers a variety of investment strategies that cover a range of investment styles, from domestic to international, fixed-income to equity and core to alternative investments. The firm's separately managed account strategies include: Core Equity, Growth Equity, International Growth Equity, Value and Value Equity. VK's Core Equity strategy employs a blended investment style. The strategy seeks to achieve consistently superior returns relative to the S&P 500 Index with a similar risk profile. VK uses a multifactor approach that employs a systematic stock selection process along with fundamental stock analysis and a comprehensive risk management approach. The firm's Growth Equity strategy seeks to achieve consistently superior returns relative to the Russell 1000 Growth Index with a similar risk profile. The strategy uses a multifactor approach that employs a systematic stock selection process along with fundamental stock analysis and a comprehensive risk management approach. The VK International Growth Equity strategy invests in a diversified portfolio of the equity securities of issuers located in countries other than the US. VK focuses on identifying the best companies from around the world that demonstrate true market leadership and significant growth characteristics. the firm employs a bottom-up stock selection process to identify market-leading companies with strong management teams, a clear business focus, competitive advantages and strong balance sheets. The firm's Value strategy is an actively managed strategy that offers clients the potential for capital growth and income. VK constructs portfolios of the stocks of well-established companies that are undervalued relative to other companies in their respective industries, historical prices or the overall market. They seek attractive companies that may be temporarily out-of-favor in the marketplace, but that have sound business fundamentals and are trading at prices are lower than the firm thinks they should be. VK's Value strategy is based on a deep-value investment discipline. They evaluate companies in different sectors and industries should according to different valuation measures, as they tend to vary in terms of earnings growth and balance sheet data. VK's process focuses on evaluating individual stocks, considering each company's business model, competitors and revenue streams in relation to other companies within a distinct industry. The firm's Value Equity strategy seeks to achieve consistently superior returns relative to the Russell 1000 Value Index with a similar risk profile. The strategy employs a multifactor approach that is based on a systematic stock selection process along with fundamental stock analysis and comprehensive risk management. Though not limited by sector, VK tends to invest in the stocks of companies in the finance, consumer services, health technology, electronic technology and energy minerals sectors. They invest globally, across all market-caps, with a focus on large-cap stocks. VK maintains a low turnover rate.

Functions as a College/University

NBBD-IM offers clients investment solutions across asset classes, styles, capitalizations and geographies in both public and private markets, as well as multi-asset class solutions that bring them all together. For equity investments, the firm tends to focus on stocks with solid balance sheets, relatively low price-to-earnings ratios, low price-to-cash flow ratios, strong cash flows, above-average yields, sustainable earnings growth, reasonable valuation multiples relative to growth prospects, sound franchise values and significant insider ownership. They use both top-down and bottom-up analysis to select investments. In addition, the firm uses options and futures and occasionally invests in ADRs and private equity opportunities.