Fully 55% of affluent investors age 35 to 64 are 'in market' for a new investment product and/or plan a change with their account relationship(s) within the next month and these brands, plus six others, top the list of most highly considered firms for expanding an existing relationship or for opening a new account
RHINEBECK, N.Y., April 26, 2012 — Phoenix Marketing International (Phoenix), one of the fastest growing research companies in the U.S., announced today findings from its semi-annual study among affluent individual investors age 35 to 64 with $100K+ in investable assets, exclusive of 401(k) or similar employer-managed retirement plans.
Over one-half of respondents participating in the April 2012 Phoenix brand health and advertising performance study reported that they anticipate completing at least one of eight investment activities in the next month. These affluent investors, considered "in market" for a new retirement product and/or for making a change with their investment account relationship(s), expect to soon "Meet with my financial advisor," "Start thinking about my financial future," "Consider purchasing additional retirement products," "Find out more about retirement products & services," "Change my investment strategy," "Establish a new investment account," "Close an account, but not terminate the relationship," or "Change my financial advisor(s)."
In addition to offering a competitive view on brands investors associate most frequently with retirement products (e.g., annuities, life insurance, mutual funds, 401(k) or 403(b) plans, advisory services, disability income insurance, and long-term care insurance), brands where they currently have accounts and overall satisfaction with each account relationship, the importance of specific product offerings and the relative impact of these offerings on the decision to do business with a firm, the Phoenix study also provides new insights on how competing brands stack up on investors' short list of considered firms. "Among affluent investors who are in market for a new product or account relationships, top-tier consideration is given to Fidelity, USAA, and Vanguard," stated Cait Robbins, who is the analyst responsible for the Phoenix study. "Other highly considered brands include American Funds, Charles Schwab, Franklin Templeton, T.Rowe Price, TD Ameritrade, and TIAA-Cref," adds Robbins.
With over 50 companies tracked by Phoenix, one finding of interest is that top-tier consideration for acquiring a new product or for starting a new relationship is occupied primarily by household name investment houses. However, not far behind are brands such as Genworth Financial, John Hancock, MassMutual, MetLife, Nationwide, Northwestern Mutual, NY Life, Prudential, The Hartford, and The Principal with diversified insurance and investment offerings.
The Phoenix study polls about 2,000 affluent individual investors twice a year about their impression and consideration of numerous brands that provide diversified insurance and investment products. A partial list of tracked firms includes Aetna, AIG, AIM, Alliance Bernstein, Allianz, American Century, American Funds, Ameriprise, Aviva, AXA, Charles Schwab, Berkshire Life, Edward Jones, E*Trade, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, Genworth Financial, Goldman Sachs, Guardian, The Hartford, ING, Invesco, Jackson National, Janus, John Hancock, Lincoln Financial, MassMutual, Merrill Lynch, MetLife, Morgan Stanley, and Nationwide.
Other companies for which Phoenix has multi-year history on brand health and advertising performance include Northwestern Mutual, NY Life, Oppenheimer, Pacific Life, PIMCO, Pioneer, Prudential, Putnam, Raymond James, State Farm, Sun Life, TD Ameritrade, TIAA-Cref, The Principal, Transamerica, Travelers, T.Rowe Price, US Trust/Bank of America, USAA, Wells Fargo, and Vanguard.
Phoenix Contact:
Cait Robbins
Research Analyst, Syndicated Research
508-315-6180
Email
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