Low-Volatility Investing: Empirical Evidence of the Defensive Properties of Low Volatility Enhanced Portfolios

Abstract

Our study provides further insights into the evidence of excess returns of low volatility enhanced portfolios. Based on the framework presented by Campbell and Vuolteenaho (2003), we analyze through-the-cycle as well as stress periods to provide an insight into which portfolio construction technique is most beneficial in enhancing portfolio returns on a risk-adjusted basis. Analyzing a new data set from 2000 through 2015, we find that low volatility enhanced portfolios exhibit extraordinary excess returns during stressed market conditions. Empirically, we find that enhancing portfolios with low volatility building blocks produces on average an excess return between 5.6% and 17.2% for US equity and 1.8% and 16.7% for European equity portfolios during strong market corrections. We provide evidence that across different portfolio construction techniques, relative excess returns become more pronounced the more severe the market correction becomes. While equal weight techniques contribute very steadily to the overall excess return in down cycles, switching techniques show more relative outperformance towards the deeper end of market down cycles.