DiNapoli: State pension fund generates lowest rate of return in seven years during fiscal year 2016

ALBANY, N.Y. — The $178 billion New York State pension fund produced a 0.19 percent rate of return on investments during the fiscal year that ended March 31 of this year, its lowest rate of return since 2009.

“Despite weak equity markets, the fund’s diversified portfolio and our investment team delivered a positive return,” New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli noted in a news release issued Monday.

Fund’s performance
During state fiscal year 2016, domestic and non-U.S. equities lost 0.54 percent and 8.54 percent, respectively, which was “consistent” with the declines in U.S. and global equity markets, DiNapoli’s office said.

The fund’s broader approach to fixed-income markets over the last year “was a positive,” returning 2.26 percent in the TIPS portfolio and 1.81 percent in core fixed income. TIPS is short for Treasury inflation protected securities.

The fund’s diversification strategy “performed well,” with private equity, opportunistic alternatives and real-estate delivering returns of 9.12, 4.00 and 13.14 percent, respectively.

Absolute return strategies were “challenged” during the year and a portfolio restructuring, focused on fee reductions and “strategic” market exposure, is underway, DiNapoli’s office said.

About the fund
New York’s fund is the third-largest public-pension fund in the country and remains “one of the nation’s best-managed and best-funded pension plans,” according to the release.

The New York State and Local Retirement System serves more than 1 million active state- and local-government employees, retirees, and their beneficiaries.

Over the last 20 years, 79 percent of benefits have been funded from investment returns. Employer and employee contributions cover the remainder of the benefits cost.

Investment results over a multi-year period — along with numerous other actuarial assumptions, including wage growth, inflation, age of retirement and mortality — determine employer-contribution rates, DiNapoli’s office said.

The fund’s long-term expected rate of return is 7 percent, it added.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com