WSA Advantage
In the simplest terms, Wall Street Associates is characterized as a growth manager that employs an active, bottom-up investment philosophy. Our investment strategies are generally suitable for investors with long-term time horizons and moderate-to-above-moderate risk and return objectives. The majority of our clients are institutional investors seeking to enhance the total return of a diversified portfolio through an allocation to accelerating growth securities. Our product offerings are managed to meet a matched investment objective, to maximize long-term capital appreciation.
Features specific to our investment style are:
- Experience and Commitment to Our Growth Equity Philosophy
Our growth equity philosophy, applied identically in each of our investment products, has been the cornerstone of the firm since its inception in 1987. We believe that the path to investment performance success is found through adherence to our investment philosophy, while continually seeking new ways to enhance its application. Our vast experience in growth investing and our long-standing commitment to our investment principles have produced a high degree of style consistency and excellent long-term investment results. - Commitment to U.S. Micro, Small, and Mid Cap Growth Market
Since inception, Wall Street Associates has focused exclusively on investment in lesser-capitalization U.S. companies. This dedication directly reflects our belief in the tremendous potential for investments leveraged to the greatest stages of growth in a company and/or industry's lifecycle. By resisting expansion into other styles and/or market segments, our commitment has facilitated the successful development of portfolio management processes geared specifically to our investment specialty. - Early Discovery
A key aspect of our investment approach is early discovery. Research on companies in the initial phases of growth provides an unparalleled view into their ultimate potential for growth. Utilizing research methods specifically fashioned for the smaller-end of the market capitalization spectrum, we seek to identify pioneer-stage companies poised for success. The subsequent, ongoing research of existing holdings continually enriches our understanding of each company and its competitive position. - Process & Product Synergy Via Teamwork
Our investment process, along with the interrelationship of our products, continually yields a synergy that strengthens our research and portfolio management efforts. By deliberately specializing in certain sectors and industries, our investment team members are able to leverage highly developed, industry-specific knowledge into selecting companies best suited for each of our investment strategies. With discovered growth themes employed across each of our product offerings, thriving holdings are then able to migrate from our Micro Cap Growth strategy to our Small-Micro and Small-Mid Cap Growth offerings and eventually into our Mid Cap Growth strategy (see exhibit below). Supporting the overall dynamic of this synergy, investment professionals are compensated based on how the investment team performs as a whole, firmly in alignment with the interests of our clients.