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Insights Into Action

Women On Investment Success

Women are redefining the role they want investments to play in their lives, in the short- and long-term. They see investing as a means to achieve their personal objectives and reflect their values – a philosophy that impacts where and how they invest.

Insights Into Action

Consider these insights and suggested actions in determining how to meet this need and attract, retain and grow women investors.

Attract Women Investors

Insights

Women have evolved the definition of performance success, moving past mere numbers to consider how investment results impact their lifestyle and advance them towards their goals.

Only 16% of women define strong investment performance as beating the market.

Action

ESTABLISH PERFORMANCE GOALS – 78% said they would be more interested in talking to advisors if they focused more on improving their quality of life, versus just beating the market. Have an open and honest conversation about how each investor defines success.

Retain Women Investors

Insights

The majority (71%) are looking for opportunities to optimize their money today, providing the liquidity and agility to meet current goals. In fact, when discussing performance, 44% of women rank the agility to meet unexpected needs as a top indicator of success.

Action

EVOLVE THE TRADITIONAL FRAMEWORK – In the past advisors may have been able to assume that the majority of individual investors were pursuing wealth accumulation to support their retirement or other longer term financial goals. But, women are making it clear that they want their more immediate goals considered when designing their portfolios.

HOST EVENTS FOR WOMEN – 80% of women expressed an interest in more non-judgmental safe spaces for open and honest conversations and 77% are looking for specific financial forums on issues unique to women investors. Consider hosting an informal, women-only Wealth-Life Balance event and ensure attendees have the opportunity to ask questions.

woman writing in notebook woman writing in notebook
71% are looking for opportunities to optimize their money today

Grow Your Female Client Base

Insights

74% of women believe investing can be used to meet their short-term goals. That number increases to almost 80% among women with more than $100,000 in investable assets. A strong majority of women (79%) are also optimistic about investing’s potential to create a steady source of income before retirement.

Action

UNDERSTAND SHORT-TERM PRIORITIES – 30% of women are looking for an advisor who shares their personal values. In order to connect with these investors, an advisor should ask questions about her about her lifestyle and values and share their own.

OFFER COUNSEL – While it is important to address an investor’s short-term goals, it is also important to stress the importance of long-term planning for future goals. Provide education on the benefits of starting an investment plan early, how a longer-time frame can help smooth out periods of market volatility and how compounding can boost returns.

two women with coffee walking together  two women with coffee walking together
74% of women believe investing can be used to meet their short-term goals

Women, Investing & the Pursuit of Wealth-Life Balance

View our full research findings.

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Disclosures

Methodology:
Expert Salon
In March and April 2018, we conducted expert salons in Newport Beach and New York City to capture ideas from thought leaders in women’s perspectives on investing, lifestyle and goals across media, finance and communications.

Financial Decision Maker Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of PIMCO from May 3-May 16, 2018, among 1,500 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, including 748 women. All respondents had over $10,000 in investable household assets and at least some financial decision-making responsibility within the household. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. In March 2018, we also hosted 2 salon sessions to explore issues around women and investing with thought leaders, influencers and experts.
Past performance is not a guarantee or a reliable indicator of future results.  All investments contain risk and may lose value.  This report is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product, nor construed as a solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments in any jurisdiction.

The survey results contain the opinions of the respondents and not necessarily those of PIMCO. The data contained within the report may not be related to any PIMCO product or strategy and should not be relied upon for any investment decision.

Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. ©2019, PIMCO.