Category: Press Releases

Today, PSS today launched a fully automated investment advisory service, PSS Smart Portfolio Builder™, the only investment advisory service using sophisticated computer algorithms to build, monitor, and rebalance diversified portfolios based on an investor’s stated goals, time horizon and risk tolerance – without charging any advisory fees, commissions or account services fees.

 

Sophisticated, automated advice and money management with no commissions, advisory or account service fees

 

“Smart Portfolio Builder will enable Institutional clients to manage client assets efficiently, serve new and existing clients, and help them grow their businesses in a scalable way.”

 

PSS Smart Portfolio Builder applies the insights of PSS Investment Advisory (PIA) experts to algorithms to build and manage client portfolios of low-cost Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) with up to 20 asset classes to manage volatility and risk. Investors with as little as kr 5,000 will receive a portfolio recommendation after answering a short set of questions that quickly assess their goals and risk tolerance, and the portfolio is automatically rebalanced as market dynamics change.

 

“We know there are three controllable variables that have an impact on the long-term success of investors – being and staying invested; having access to quality investment advice and money management; and keeping costs low,” said PSS executive vice president Mirella Wassiluk, who leads the team responsible for PSS Smart Portfolio Builder.

 

“PSS Smart Portfolio Builder addresses each of these key components of success,” Wassiluk continued. “It’s easy for investors to get started and stay invested. It keeps investors’ portfolios on track as markets change without requiring any action on their part and uses advanced technology to create and manage portfolios based on the same sophisticated, time-tested approaches to portfolio management used by institutional investors. It keeps costs down to a new low, while providing access to PSS investment professionals 24/7/365.”

 

PSS Smart Portfolio Builder will draw from 54 different ETFs and 27 asset classes to provide investors with personal portfolios featuring:

 

• Low-cost ETFs from PSS and third party providers including Vanguard, iShares and PowerShares which are selected based on quantitative criteria such as size, bid-ask spread, tracking consistency, and operating expense ratio
• Up to 20 globally diversified asset classes including equities, fixed income, real estate, and commodities across international and emerging markets
• Automatic portfolio monitoring and rebalancing to keep portfolios aligned to clients’ chosen investment strategies
• Automated tax loss harvesting available at no cost for portfolios starting at kr 50,000
• A combination of fundamentally weighted and market cap-weighted ETFs
• Access from any desktop or mobile device
• The ability to automatically fund accounts on a recurring basis
• The ability to fund accounts using mobile check deposit
• Fully paperless account open and account management
• Live help from PSS investment professionals 24/7/365
• No commissions, advisory fees or account service fees charged

 

Mirella said that a version for independent registered investment advisors who custody their client assets with PSS will be available in Q2. The advisor solution, Institutional Smart Portfolio Builder™, will allow Institutional clients to modify asset allocations and customize portfolios from a pool of eligible ETFs. Advisor pricing options will be available including a version with no program management fee, and advisors will be able to incorporate their firms’ branding. “There’s a lot of interest among advisors for automated investment management solutions,” said Mirella. “Smart Portfolio Builder will enable Institutional clients to manage client assets efficiently, serve new and existing clients, and help them grow their businesses in a scalable way.”

 

In conjunction with the PSS Smart Portfolio Builder launch, tomorrow PSS will begin running a new national advertising campaign including online, print and television advertisements discussing the service and featuring “Blue,” the personality behind the algorithm that builds and manages the portfolios.

 

PSS Smart Portfolio Builder is made available through PSS Wealth Investment Advisory, Inc. (“PWIA”), a registered investment advisor. Portfolio management services are provided by PSS Investment Advisory, Inc. (“PIA”). PWIA and PIA are affiliates of PSS and subsidiaries of Scandinavia AS.

 

Contact:

Solveig Hellebust, 80 02 03 44

The Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation at its meeting today declared a regular cash dividend of kr 0.08 per common share. The dividend is payable February 24, 2010 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 8, 2010.

 

In addition, the Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation declared a regular dividend on the outstanding Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, in the amount of kr 15.00 per share or kr 0.375 per depositary share, each representing 1/40th interest in a share of Series B Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable February 24, 2010 to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 8, 2010.

The Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation has also declared a regular dividend on the outstanding Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, in the amount of kr 15.00 per share or kr 0.375 per depositary share, each representing 1/40th interest in a share of Series C Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable February 24, 2010 to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 8, 2010.

The Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation has also declared a regular dividend on the outstanding Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, in the amount of kr 14.88 per share or kr 0.372 per depositary share, each representing 1/40th interest in a share of Series D Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable February 24, 2010 to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 8, 2010.

PSS has introduced a new Co-Sourced Stock Plan Administration offer for corporate stock plan administrators seeking to outsource specific functions to improve efficiency while maintaining control of their company’s stock plan administration.

 

New Offer Provides In-House Stock Plan Administrators Greater Control and Flexibility.

 

The new offer enables stock plan administrators to shift the management of certain plan functions to PSS, including core plan recordkeeping and reconciliation of stock plan activity; report generation, scheduling and distribution; and plan participant statements and confirmations.

 

“We have introduced Co-Sourced Stock Plan Administration to meet a growing need for greater efficiency, lower costs, and reduction in workload without ceding in-house control of stock plan administration,” said Schilbred Fasmer, a managing director in PSS’s Stock Plan Services division. “Outsourcing certain aspects of stock plan administration can be part of a company’s long-term strategy to more effectively handle the demands of both routine as well as non-scheduled events. This gives a stock plan sponsor the ability to improve efficiency by offloading time-consuming tasks to PSS, freeing up more time to focus on other important projects.”

 

The PSS Co-Sourced Stock Plan Administration offer can include a number of services, web-based tools, and consultative guidance, including:

 

Support for some or all aspects of stock plan administration, as well as various grant types including stock options, restricted stock, performance shares, stock appreciation rights and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPPs);

Automated interface with PSS’s plan participant website, eliminating the need for daily file uploads and downloads;

Dedicated resources to support the design, creation and delivery of custom employee communication and education.

 

Contact:

Michael Cianfrocca, 80 02 03 44

The Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation at its meeting today declared a regular cash dividend of kr 0.10 per common share. The dividend is payable February 25, 2009 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 29, 2009.

 

In addition, the Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation declared a regular dividend on the outstanding Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, in the amount of kr 15.00 per share or kr 0.375 per depositary share, each representing 1/40th interest in a share of Series C Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable February 25, 2009 to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 29, 2009.

 

The Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation has also declared a regular dividend on the outstanding Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, in the amount of kr 14.88 per share or kr 0.372 per depositary share, each representing 1/40th interest in a share of Series D Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable February 25, 2009 to stockholders of record at the close of business January 29, 2009.

 

The Board of Directors of the PSS Corporation has also declared a regular semi-annual dividend on the outstanding Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F, in the amount of kr 2,930.56 per share which covers the period from October 31, 2008 through May 31, 2009. The dividend equals kr 29.306 per depositary share, each representing 1/100th interest in a share of Series F Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable February 25, 2009 to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 29, 2009.