"Major industry funds defend short-selling bonanza
BySally Rose
November 11, 2015
Investment chiefs from five of Australia's largest industry superannuation funds have defended the practice of loaning out stocks to short sellers, who typically drive down share prices, and denied they are shirking the responsibility to exercise their shareholder voting rights.
The increasingly popular practice is in the spotlight this annual general meeting season amid worries that high levels of shorting in troubled retailers Woolworths, Myer, Metcash and Dick Smith means company boards are not facing as much scrutiny from long term shareholders as their lacklustre performance warrants.
So that's what a wanker looks like.
Executives from Australian
Super, Uni
Super, Cbus, REST Industry
Super and Sun
super defended securities lending on Wednesday arguing borrowed stock can be recalled ahead of any shareholder votes, meaning the practice doesn't hinder their ability to exert influence and improve corporate governance. They argued the fees earned from securities lending help plump up member returns and improve the efficiency of the broader market.
AustralianSuper head of investment operations Peter Curtis said lending securities helps maximise the retirement savings of members in the $92 billion fund.
"Shareholders aren't disadvantaged because lent securities can be called back within 24 hours in advance of impending AGMs in order that we may exercise our rights as owners," he said.
"It is very rare that all stock in a given company is ever lent by a beneficial owner".
Clime Investment Management boss John Abernethy was scathing of the increase in securities lending by super funds.
"Why a super fund charged with delivering long term returns would lend its stock out to short sellers to get the price knocked down is beyond comprehension," he said.
But Mr Curtis said a price dip can be advantageous.
"Apart from adding value to the portfolio, securities lending is an important source of liquidity in the market and adds to price discovery. We view the process as investors expressing differing views on a given stock."
'Construction industry also profits'
Cbus executive manager investment strategy Kristian Fok confirmed that the $27 billion construction industry fund also profits from lending to short sellers.
"Some borrowers will use it to short the stock and if this depresses prices below fundamental value, as long-term investors we would expect that this would present buying opportunities," he said.
"Cbus has a policy of recalling from loan all stock for contentious issues, which we actively consider through our internal proxy voting committee," Mr Fok said.
UniSuper chief investment officer John Pearce said the $49.2 billion fund for university employees lends stock to short sellers and has a policy of always recalling it in time for voting.
"We always reserve the right to stop stock lending if we believe it is going to exacerbate market volatility," Mr Pearce said.
"Securities lending is not a big revenue raiser but if we can make members a bit of money and add to the liquidity in the market then that's a good thing."
REST Industry Super chief executive Damian Hill said the benefits gleaned from lending stock are small, in the vicinity of less than 0.01 per cent to 0.09 per cent of total annual returns.
"It is a very small contributor to returns but we have a responsibility to members to consider all opportunities to add value."
Sunsuper acting chief investment officer Stuart Wilson said that fund also loans out stock to short sellers but recalls it all ahead of shareholder votes."
https://www.smh.com.au/money/super-and-retirement/major-industry-funds-defend-shortselling-bonanza-20151111-gkw7s3.html
0,01 - 0,09%
None of what he claims makes sense to me unless he is lending someone else's investment into his own pocket and shorting through a friendly shorter. As with the trades from one hand to the other and back and finally he uses the buying opportunity he mentions for himself. I have often seen these graphs on BRN where SP and institutional accumulation diverge like a scissors. They accumulate and the SP drops.
And am I right in assuming that guys like him are doing that with your pension than, for example, with the Talga shares you have so painstakingly collected? He lends your pension to his buddy who earns money by shorting. Then this investor accumulates for himself and then puts your shares back into your super. And he argues that it is only a matter of very little fees, actually disappearing little, but that brings volatility and creates buying opportunities for himself. And the small investor in his pension ends up looking stupid.
Don't worry that your shares didn't perform so well this year. But it will definitely be better next year when I have accumulated mine with help of your investment.
It would not surprise me in the least if shorter and fond belonged to one and the same institution via a complicated, nontransparent system. They then phone internally in 'their' company, so to speak -
I have this and that here and I expect that result for me. Whoever came up with that is a genius!
Can that be more or less realistic or am I missing something?
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I like this newspaper so far. Can you confirm that or are there better or more neutral ones? Politics interests me less. The good food part is interesting!