Our process in assigning fundamental research ratings represents a robust research process that includes traditional financial statement analysis, proprietary credit algorithms, a risk-based credit matrix, environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, and quantitative and qualitative data to generate internal credit opinions. Our analysts then assign independent, internal ratings to indicate creditworthiness.

While income and risk management are always our highest priorities, we believe Breckinridge's research can help identify opportunities in the market that could benefit risk-adjusted returns.

      Nick Elfner, Co-Head, Research

We conduct proprietary research that begins at the issuer level and leverage it in constructing investment grade bond and dividend equity portfolios. Our research team uses proprietary credit algorithms, a risk-based credit matrix, environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, and quantitative and qualitative data to generate internal ratings and opinions on a broad universe of investment grade corporate and municipal issuers of securities. It’s a depth of analysis and breadth of coverage that we believe is unique in the investment grade fixed income sector.

When constructing our equity strategies, our analysts’ credit ratings are used as an important input in determining companies’ financial robustness complementing other relevant measures of profitability and dividend reliability.

Reflecting our emphasis on research, our research staff contributes perspectives from a diverse range of backgrounds, including investment management, credit rating agencies, academia, government and law. Together, their expertise provides a comprehensive, well-informed view of the markets that helps us navigate up and down market cycles.

Day in and day out, we continue to challenge ourselves to intensify the rigor of our analysis. We’re not satisfied with the status quo, and aim to identify risks and opportunities before they are broadly recognized. It’s a relentless pursuit that has expanded our research process to integrate pension/other post-employment benefits (OPEB) as well as ESG frameworks into our analysis, and that we believe will undoubtedly continue to push our research forward.