Case Name :      New York Life Insurance Company: Adjusting the Investment Portfolio to Market Conditions

Authors :           Mary Michel, Janet L. Rovenpor

Source :             North American Case Research Association (NACRA)

Case ID :            NA0213

Discipline :        Finance

Case Length :    38 pages

Solution sample availability : YES

Plagiarism : NO (100% Original work)

In January 2007, Gary Wendlandt was concerned about the US economy. As Chief Investment Officer of the New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC), he was responsible for managing a $147 billion investment portfolio. The US housing market was weakening at a time when financial institutions had significant assets tied up in mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations. Credit risk spreads were narrowing despite a general easing of underwriting standards. Wendlandt outlined his concerns in a memo to Ted Mathas, NYLIC’s Chief Operating Officer. The question before Wendlandt and his investment management team was how to implement a “quality tilt” strategy. This would require placing more of NYLIC’s new cash flows into safer fixed income products. NYLIC had a responsibility to its policyholders. It was management’s duty to protect the longevity and financial strength of the firm, so that it could continue to pay policyholder claims, distribute payments from annuities, and issue dividends. Wendlandt faced a classic risk/return tradeoff – i.e., lower current interest income to avoid the higher potential risk of capital losses. How should he adjust NYLIC’s investment portfolio?