Does Portfolio Rebalancing Work? Yes, Even in Bear Markets (2024)

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    Does Portfolio Rebalancing Work? Yes, Even in Bear Markets (3)

    Does Portfolio Rebalancing Work? Yes, Even in Bear Markets (4)

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Does Portfolio Rebalancing Work? Yes, Even in Bear Markets

Investing for GrowthInvesting for RetirementClient Conversations

Consider adopting a portfolio rebalancing strategy, even during down markets.

A bear market can sometimes throw your finely tuned asset-allocation mix out of whack. As stocks lag, your bond portfolio may start to outperform. Next thing you know, your “ideal” 70%/30% asset mix might be drifting toward a 60%/40% or evena 50%/50% split, and your actual mix no longer matches your risk profile.

You should consider adopting a portfolio rebalancing strategy—even during down markets when it’s tempting to let your “winners” keep growing while your “losers” are taking their lumps. That’s because rebalancing helps you buy low and sell high—an investing adage that’s easy to say and hard to do.

The chart below illustrates hypothetical outcomes for buying and holding vs. having two alternative rebalancing strategies.

Bottom line: Rebalancing can be a helpful investment discipline, whether you do it annually or use a rules-based system to rebalance only when stocks decline by a certain amount.

Doing the Math: Buy and Hold vs. Having a Deliberate Rebalancing Strategy

Buy and Hold (No Rebalancing)Rebalance AnnuallyPortfolio Rebalanced to 70%/30%
Only After 20% Drop*
DateStocks
%
Bonds
%
Investement
Value
Stocks
%
Bonds
%
Investement
Value
Stocks
%
Bonds
%
Investement
Value
1/1/19997030$100,0007030$100,0007030$100,000
12/31/19997426$114,4837426$114,4837426$114,483
12/29/20007030$110,2286634$111,1807030$110,228
12/31/20016535$103,8786535$104,7456832$103,647
12/31/20025743$92,5746238$91,7636832$90,717
12/31/20036238$109,36774
26$111,3197327$109,632
12/31/20046436$118,5647129$121,2477426$119,593
12/30/20056436$123,3177129$126,3007426$124,687
12/29/20066733$137,7307228$141,9057624$140,694
12/31/20076634$145,9767030$150,3287624$148,918
12/31/20085446$112,7955842$113,7596238$110,015
12/31/20095842$131,9907426$136,8577723$136,185
12/31/20106040$147,1877228$153,9737822$154,038
12/30/20115941$153,6516931$159,8727723$159,197
12/31/20126139$170,7967228$179,8037921$180,445
12/31/20136832$203,4637624$219,4768416$226,023
12/31/20147030$226,3347129$244,4338515$254,133
12/31/20157030$228,8967030$247,2048515$257,326
12/30/20167228$249,8747228$269,8648614$284,468
12/29/20177525$291,5257327$313,9728812$339,245
12/31/20187426$281,9546931$304,3478713$326,195
12/31/20197822$354,1017426$379,3858911$419,456
12/31/20207921$410,6037228$436,7917723$465,113
12/31/20218317$502,6497525$522,5388218$566,895
12/30/20228218$415,9026931$435,8988119$469,494
12/29/20238515$510,0557426$523,3398317$574,261

*This hypothetical investor rebalanced the portfolio after 20% equity drops on 3/12/01, 7/10/02, 7/9/08, 2/27/09, 3/12/20, and 6/13/22.

Talk to your financial professional about the benefits of a portfolio rebalancing strategy.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.Indices are unmanaged and not available for direct investment. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. • Fixed income security risks include credit, liquidity, call, duration, and interest-rate risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices generally fall. The chart above is for illustrative purposes only. Market performance data is based on daily changes in the S&P 500 Index and the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index. The S&P 500 Index is a market capitalization-weighted price index composed of 500 widely held common stocks. Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index is composed of securities that cover the US investment grade fixed rate bond market, with index components for government and corporate securities, mortgage pass-through securities, and asset-backed securities. Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited.

CCWP084 3421830

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Does Portfolio Rebalancing Work? Yes, Even in Bear Markets (2024)
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