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Business Wire
a day ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Academy Asset Management Named to PSN Top Guns List of Best Performing Strategies for Q1 2025
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Academy Asset Management ('AAM') announced today it has been named to the celebrated PSN Top Guns List of best performing separate accounts, managed accounts, and managed ETF strategies for Q1 2025. The highly anticipated list, published by Zephyr, remains one of the most important references for investors and asset managers. 'We are proud to deliver meaningful impact to the veteran community without compromising returns for our investors.' "Q1 2025 presented a fascinating market narrative marked by significant rotation and global shifts. Success demanded adaptability, deep market understanding, and strategic positioning," says PSN Product Manager Nick Williams. "PSN Top Guns managers demonstrated exceptional skill in navigating these complex dynamics, where value sectors outperformed growth, international markets showed strength, and policy shifts created both challenges and opportunities. Their expertise in reading and responding to these evolving market conditions continues to showcase the enduring value of active management in separately managed accounts." AAM's recognition underscores the strength of one of its flagship offerings: Veteran Lending through the mortgage and asset-backed markets. This strategy delivered strong performance while providing clients with the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by supporting the veteran community through residential mortgages for active-duty service members and veterans, as well as small business loans to veteran-owned enterprises. 'Our mortgage and asset-backed strategy stood out not only for its strong performance, but also for how it navigated market volatility through a disciplined investment process,' said Seth Rosenthal, Chief Investment Officer at AAM. 'We are proud to deliver meaningful impact to the veteran community without compromising returns for our investors.' Through a combination PSN's proprietary performance screens, the PSN Top Guns awards products in six proprietary categories in over 75 universes based on continued performance over time. Academy Asset Management's Veteran Impact ETF (NYSE Arca: VETZ) strategy earned a PSN Top Guns Q1 and 1-Year award, ranking in the top ten returns of the US Fixed Income Universe. For Q1 2025, the strategy ranked #1, and for the 1-Year period ending 3/31/2025, it ranked #5 within the universe. VETZ is the first publicly traded ETF to primarily invest in loans to U.S. service members, military veterans, their survivors, and veteran-owned businesses. It is an actively managed strategy that primarily invests in MBS guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises, such as Ginnie Mae. The strategy also invests in pools of small business loans backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). To learn more about AAM's veteran impact strategy, you can visit The complete list of PSN Top Guns and an overview of the methodology can be located at About Academy Asset Management (AAM) Academy Asset Management is the nation's first post-9/11 veteran-owned and operated institutional asset manager, specializing in fixed-income funds and separately managed accounts. Our leadership and team members bring rigorous military training combined with deep expertise in global capital markets. Mission-driven and guided by a strong ethical foundation, we operate with a high degree of accountability and a relentless focus on our clients' success. Academy Asset Management has offices in New York, Chicago, and San Diego. To learn more, visit About PSN For more than four decades, PSN has been a top resource for investment professionals. Asset managers rely on Zephyr's PSN to effectively reach institutional and retail investors. Over 2,800 firms, 285 universes, and more than 21,000 products comprise the PSN SMA database showing asset breakdowns, compliance, key personnel, ownership diversity, ESG, business objectives and strategy, style, fees, GIC sectors, fixed income ranges and full holdings. Unique to PSN is its robust historical database of over 40 Years of Data Including Net and Gross-of-Fee Returns. PSN Mid-Year Outlook provides insight and trends about the SMA industry. You can view it online here. Visit PSN online to learn more. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus or summary prospectus with this and other information about the Fund, please call (866) 631-0504 or visit our website at Read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing. Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Agency Small Business Loan & MBS Risk. There is uncertainty as to the current status of many obligations of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and other agencies that are placed under conservatorship of the U.S. Government. Fixed income Securities Risk. Typically, the value of fixed income securities changes inversely with prevailing interest rates. Non-Agency MBS Risk. Non-agency MBS are subject to heightened risks as compared to agency MBS, including that non-agency MBS are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those MBS that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Non-Agency MBS Risk. Non-agency MBS are subject to heightened risks as compared to agency MBS, including that non-agency MBS are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those MBS that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Prepayment Risk and Extension Risk. Many issuers have a right to prepay their fixed income securities. Repurchase Agreement Risk. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans made by the Fund that are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. TBA Transactions Risk. The Fund may enter into TBA transactions for MBS. New Fund Risk. As a new fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow or maintain an economically viable size. Investment grade is a rating of fixed-income bonds, bills, and notes by credit rating agencies like Standard and Poor's (S&P), Fitch, and Moody's, which signifies a low risk of default. The rating determines the creditworthiness of companies based on their financial strengths and structure, past data, and growth potential. Companies with good levels of debt, debt repayment, good earning potential, and growth will have good credit ratings. Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) are investment products similar to bonds. Each MBS consists of a bundle of home loans and other real estate debt bought from the banks that issued them. Investors in mortgage-backed securities receive periodic payments similar to bond coupon payments. Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index This index (the 'Agg') represents securities that are SEC registered, taxable and U.S. dollar denominated. It covers the U.S. investment grade, fixed-rate bond market, with components for government and corporate securities, mortgage pass-through securities and asset-backed securities. These major sectors are subdivided into more specific indices that are calculated and reported on a regular basis. Bloomberg US Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) Index This index measures the performance of investment grade, fixed-rate, mortgage-backed, pass-through securities of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs): Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (Freddie Mac), Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not related to Academy.
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Colorado mother helps construction workers address mental health, drug abuse and suicides
Workers in the construction industry often face unique challenges that can impact their own mental health, leading to concerns like drug abuse or even suicide. CBS A local task force and working group is now hoping to make change within the construction industry, while a local mother is turning her son's death into advocating for mental health awareness on job sites. "Throughout my life, I've lost people to suicide and to substance use disorder," Heather Gutierrez said. In March 2022, Gutierrez lost her 17-year-old son, Ty, to an intentional fentanyl overdose. He'd been struggling with his mental health for several years. "It got progressively worse. He was in and out of inpatient and outpatient treatment, and there was not a good resource to support him," Gutierrez explained. "You feel helpless, and it shows how much of a need there is, not just in construction, but mental health and recovery support across the board." Gutierrez is the co-chair of the Mental Health Working Group at Associated General Contractors alongside co-chair Nick Williams. The working group started as a task force in 2021 in response to alarming numbers and trends within the construction industry. Through research, they found that construction leads all private industries in suicide and overdose deaths. Williams also said the number of drug overdoses in the U.S. reduced by about 35%, according to recently published data, but construction did not see the same kind of reduction. "Unfortunately, we still do have an abnormal number of deaths by opioid overdose in our industry," Williams said. Williams added there is culture of alcohol abuse in construction among other factors that could impact one's mental health in construction. "It's things like isolation, hard work, tough work. It's tough on the body, access to the types of drugs that people get when they are hurt at work," said Williams, who is also the CEO of the American Subcontractors Association of Colorado. "We also have the presence of wondering where my next paycheck is going to come from and the seasonality of the work." The group's goal is encouraging conversations in construction about mental health, substance use disorder and suicide. They also encourage employers to create a safe space to have those conversations and provide help when needed. "There was a large stigma, even five years ago," Williams said. "But we've started to see that stigma reduce just by normalizing the conversation." "Having leaders that have been through suicide, has been through substance use, or even have been, you know, in active addiction themselves, speak out," Gutierrez said. The working group also trains people on symptoms to look out for and provides information on resources to employers and employees. They hope to provide equitable resources to anyone who might need them. "There's a template for what can be productive," Williams said. "You've seen things like harm reduction, access to Narcan, access to naloxone, ready access to good, high quality mental health care." In 2024, the task force also held a first-of-its-kind training in the construction industry in Colorado, to train workers how to administer naloxone, which is a medicine that reverses an opioid overdose. Those in the training heard from a survivor of an opioid overdose, and a recovery counselor. Another training like it will happen in August. Their hope is to reduce suicide rates and drug overdoses by making a cultural change in the construction industry and prioritizing mental health in the workplace. "I think if construction can really embrace some of those templates, we can see that reduction in our workforce as well," Williams said. "There's no shortage of great people doing great work, and that's encouraging." "What we do is inherently dangerous. So, if you are mentally not prepared, not only are you not safe for yourself, but you're also not safe for your wingman next to you," Gutierrez said. For Gutierrez the work is personal too, in honor of her son. "It's not a helpless movement. We just must get the words out there," said Gutierrez. "I'm not going to let anybody forget my son, and his death will not be in vain."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stansberry Asset Management Named to PSN Top Guns List of Best Performing Strategies for Q1 2025
Quarterly PSN Top Guns List published by Zephyr identifies best-in-class separate accounts, managed accounts, and managed ETF strategies WESTLAKE, Texas, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stansberry Asset Management ('SAM') has been named to the celebrated PSN Top Guns List of best performing separate accounts, managed accounts, and managed ETF strategies for Q1 2025. The highly anticipated list, published by Zephyr, remains one of the most important references for investors and asset managers. "Q1 2025 presented a fascinating market narrative marked by significant rotation and global shifts. Success demanded adaptability, deep market understanding, and strategic positioning," says PSN Product Manager Nick Williams. "PSN Top Guns managers demonstrated exceptional skill in navigating these complex dynamics, where value sectors outperformed growth, international markets showed strength, and policy shifts created both challenges and opportunities. Their expertise in reading and responding to these evolving market conditions continues to showcase the enduring value of active management in separately managed accounts." SAM's recognition highlights the strength of two flagship strategies—Gold and Income—which posted standout performance and offered clients differentiated results in a highly dynamic market. 'Our Gold and Income strategies stood out in Q1 not only for their positive performance but also for how they navigated volatility with purpose,' said Austin Root, Chief Investment Officer at SAM. 'Gold offered a meaningful hedge amid rising macroeconomic uncertainty, while our Income strategy delivered yield without sacrificing downside protection. This recognition from Zephyr underscores the value of our active, research-driven approach.' Through PSN's proprietary performance screens, the PSN Top Guns awards products in six proprietary categories across more than 75 universes, based on consistent performance over time. SAM's Gold strategy earned a PSN Top Guns Q1 and 1-Year award, meaning it ranked in the top ten returns of the US Equity Universe, comprised of 2,658 other strategies. For Q1 2025, the strategy ranked #1, and for the 1-Year period ending 3/31/2025, it ranked #2 within the universe. The Gold strategy is designed for investors seeking to increase their exposure to precious metals—primarily gold—as a hedge against inflation, currency risk, and market turmoil. It employs a four-pronged approach to generate income and grow capital while maintaining gold's core role as a long-term store of value. In today's environment of rising volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty, gold remains an essential allocation in diversified portfolios. SAM's Income strategy earned a PSN Top Guns Q1 award, ranking #2 in the US Balanced Universe among 300 other strategies. The Income strategy is built to deliver reliable yield while participating in upside markets and offering protection during drawdowns. Actively managed and forward-looking, it searches for yield across traditional and non-traditional sources, favoring companies with strong shareholder-return policies including dividends, buybacks, and special distributions. Its flexible structure allows it to adapt to evolving market conditions while remaining anchored in risk-conscious income generation. The complete list of PSN Top Guns and an overview of the methodology can be located at To Learn more about SAM's Gold and Income Strategies you can visit: Gold Strategy: Income Strategy: About Stansberry Asset Management (SAM) Stansberry Asset Management is a registered investment advisory firm headquartered in Westlake, Texas, with offices in New York, NY, Clifton Park, NY and San Mateo, CA with clients across the country. SAM marries informed, active, sophisticated investment management with holistic financial and wealth planning, all with a focus on helping clients build and preserve their legacy. SAM's approach is rooted in rigorous analysis, strategic insight, and a commitment to client-centric service. For more information, please visit About PSNFor more than four decades, PSN has been a top resource for investment professionals. Asset managers rely on Zephyr's PSN to effectively reach institutional and retail investors. Over 2,800 firms, 285 universes, and more than 21,000 products comprise the PSN SMA database showing asset breakdowns, compliance, key personnel, ownership diversity, ESG, business objectives and strategy, style, fees, GIC sectors, fixed income ranges and full holdings. Unique to PSN is its robust historical database of over 40 Years of Data Including Net and Gross-of-Fee Returns. PSN Outlook for 2025 provides insight and trends about the SMA industry. You can view it online here. Visit PSN online to learn more. Contact: Claire Sniderinfo@
Bloomberg
17-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
The Labour Budget Train Wreck Is Fast Approaching
Labour's vision for Britain 'is a work in progress.' That isn't the view of some hostile Tory commentator but of Claire Reynolds, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's political director, no less, and wife of Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. This searing critique of No. 10's communications was swiftly followed by a newspaper article by Starmer's recent economic guru, Nick Williams, who argued taxes must rise immediately. The vision can't be afforded even if it's any good.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Starmer's former economic adviser warns Reeves will have to raise taxes
A former economic adviser to Sir Keir Starmer has warned the prime minister and his chancellor Rachel Reeves have no choice but to raise taxes. In an astonishing criticism, Nick Williams, who left Number 10 last month, said Labour 's current public spending plans were 'not credible' and would have to be reconsidered. 'The bottom line is that taxes will have to go up,' he added. Mr Williams's departure from Downing Street raised eyebrows in Westminster and came as part of a clear out that also included Tom Webb, the prime minister's health adviser. He had been with the party since their time in Opposition, when he was Labour's head of economic policy, before becoming Sir Keir's adviser on planning, infrastructure and housing. In an article for The Times he warns that Ms Reeves's next budget will be 'the last opportunity to make a meaningful change that the public has time to feel before the next election'. He said: 'While the government builds momentum behind growth, the path of public spending is just not credible. 'Not to mend creaking local government. Not to tackle rampant crime. Not to meet the modern demands for defence. And certainly not to fill the fiscal hole from sharply cutting immigration. 'The bottom line is that taxes will have to go up. There are ways this can be done which are fair and respect manifesto promises. 'The next opportunity to do so is the autumn budget. This is also realistically the last opportunity to make a meaningful change that the public has time to feel before the next election.' Reeves created nearly £10bn of 'headroom' with her first set of cuts in office, but that was wiped out within months amid low growth and higher borrowing costs. In response, she gave herself another £9.9 billion of headroom at the last budget, but has faced mounting warnings for weeks that it will not be enough and that she will have to come back either with more cuts, which would be difficult in the current climate as Labour MPs increasing worry over her plans to slash benefits, or tax rises. The situation has been made harder by Donald Trump's across the board 10 per cent tariffs on British goods entering the UK, even after Sir Keir agreed a deal with the US President to cut the levies on cars and steel last week. Labour's manifesto pledged the party would not raise income tax, VAT or national insurance for individuals. On Thursday, Sir Keir welcomed the latest growth figures, which showed the UK economy grew by 0.7 per cent in the last quarter, and claimed they showed the government was 'making the right decisions' on the economy. Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to Albania, the PM said: 'I think they show the strength and resilience of the British economy and the potential. 'I don't think they should be seen in isolation, because we have also had four interest rate cuts in a row, and what that shows is that in an uncertain world, particularly globally, this Government is making the right decisions on growth. 'I would be the first to accept there is more work to do so we will roll up our sleeves and get on with that, but this is very good news for the British economy, very good for working people across the country.' But Unite general secretary Sharon Graham warned 'it is far from clear that we are heading in the right direction. "If we are ever going to get sustained growth, the government will need to focus more on creating and protecting good quality jobs and on getting more money into the pockets of workers,' she said.
