Internal Strategies

A Competitive Core

The "core" strategies managed internally by Atlantic Trust's Proprietary Investment Team have broad appeal for our clientele. As a result, you may use these strategies as fundamental "building blocks" in your portfolio. Rarely do these core strategies alone completely solve a client's needs, so we typically leverage externally-managed strategies, as well.

Atlantic Trust's internally-managed "core" strategies with which we have many years of experience are as follows:

• Cash Management
• Fixed Income – Taxable
• Fixed Income – Tax-Exempt
• U.S. Equity - Disciplined Equity
• U.S. Equity – Mid-Cap Growth
• Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)

Equities: Fundamental Research-Based Growth
With respect to equities, we are a fundamental research-based growth manager, and we do not believe in market timing or sector rotating. Our focus is on high-quality companies with histories of growth, strong management teams, leading industry positions and the proven ability to produce above-average growth in earnings, cash flow and return on shareholder equity. In short, we seek shareholder-motivated management teams pursuing clear, profit-oriented business strategies.

Fixed Income: Quality/Intermediate Term
The bond portfolios we manage are highly customized for each client and emphasize quality and intermediate maturities. We believe that intermediate-term bonds generally provide most of the return of longer-dated bonds with only a fraction of the market value risk. We find that the incremental yield offered by non-government bonds (i.e., corporate bonds) is generally not worth the risk. Therefore, we tend to limit risk in bond portfolios and concentrate it instead in other asset classes where the risk-reward proposition is more favorable.