Credit Suisse’s Investment Statement provides a comprehensive overview of your portfolio’s performance, holdings, and transactions over a specific period. Understanding this statement is crucial for making informed investment decisions and monitoring your progress toward your financial goals.
Key Components:
- Account Summary: This section presents a concise snapshot of your account, including:
- Beginning Balance: The value of your portfolio at the start of the reporting period.
- Ending Balance: The value of your portfolio at the end of the reporting period.
- Net Contributions/Withdrawals: The total amount of money added to or taken out of the account during the period.
- Investment Performance: The gain or loss in your portfolio’s value due to investment activities, excluding contributions and withdrawals. This is often expressed as a percentage return.
- Asset Allocation: This crucial section details how your investments are distributed across different asset classes, such as:
- Equities (Stocks): Represent ownership in publicly traded companies.
- Fixed Income (Bonds): Represent loans made to governments or corporations.
- Real Estate: Investments in properties.
- Alternative Investments: A broad category encompassing assets like hedge funds, private equity, and commodities.
- Cash: Liquid assets held for liquidity or future investment.
The statement typically shows the percentage of your portfolio allocated to each asset class, allowing you to assess whether your investment strategy aligns with your risk tolerance and financial objectives.
- Holdings Detail: This section provides a detailed list of all the individual investments held in your portfolio. For each holding, you’ll usually find:
- Security Name: The name of the stock, bond, fund, or other investment.
- Quantity: The number of shares or units held.
- Market Value: The current value of the holding.
- Cost Basis: The original purchase price of the holding, adjusted for certain corporate actions. This is important for calculating capital gains taxes when you sell the investment.
- Percentage of Portfolio: The portion of your total portfolio that the holding represents.
- Transaction History: This section lists all the transactions that occurred in your account during the reporting period, including:
- Purchases: Buying securities.
- Sales: Selling securities.
- Dividends: Income received from stock holdings.
- Interest: Income received from bond holdings.
- Fees: Charges incurred for account management and other services.
- Performance Summary: This section provides a more in-depth analysis of your portfolio’s performance, often comparing it to relevant benchmarks (e.g., the S&P 500 index). It may include:
- Time-Weighted Rate of Return: A measure of investment performance that eliminates the impact of cash flows.
- Benchmark Comparison: Showing how your portfolio’s performance compares to a relevant market index.
Interpreting the Statement:
Carefully review each section of the Investment Statement to understand your portfolio’s composition, performance, and transaction activity. Pay attention to your asset allocation and ensure it still aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance. Analyze the performance summary to assess whether your investments are meeting your expectations. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your Credit Suisse financial advisor for clarification and guidance.