Firm Description
SFE Investment Counsel (SFE) is an independent investment advisory firm located in
downtown Los Angeles. We have been providing investment advice and portfolio
management services to individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, retirement
plans, businesses, and institutional investors since 1977. SFE is a California corporation
and operates as an SEC Registered Investment Advisor (RIA).
Principal Owner
Jon M. Kmett, president of SFE, is the only principal owner with more than 42 percent.
Advisory Services
SFE specializes in offering investment supervisory services with a personal touch. We
provide investment advice to clients, and make investments for clients, based upon the
individual needs of the client. These needs include the nature of other client assets and
their personal and family obligations. We design and execute strategies to meet client
financial objectives and actively manage the investment portfolio within those guidelines.
We emphasize continuous and regular account supervision with some incidental planning
and consultations.
A successful financial strategy often requires a team of trusted advisors including
accountants, attorneys, administrators, and consultants, working in concert on behalf of
the client. Client priorities and relationships determine which of these leads the effort.
SFE has extensive experience in this collaborative model. We often take the lead role –
managing all of the client’s assets and coordinating with other trusted professionals. In
the institutional market, SFE is comfortable in a supporting role – managing a portfolio in
accordance with a specific mandate.
SFE’s investment philosophy is founded upon our belief that asset allocation is the single
most important determinant of portfolio performance. Accordingly, we adjust equities,
fixed income, and cash positions in response to market and economic conditions to fulfill
client objectives. Generally, we are not market timers and prefer to invest for the long
term. Through our disciplined investment approach,
. We strive to preserve capital and achieve long-term appreciation by employing an
opportunistic, total return approach to managing client accounts.
For equity investments, we seek companies of quality and value – the best in their fields.
SFE focuses on companies that have established a competitive advantage in their
industries, and/or have strong global franchises and generate significant revenue from
their international operations. To aid in our selections, we subscribe to many sources of
independent research and perform our own fundamental and technical security analysis.
Many of our equity selections are chosen for their dividend yield to enhance total return.
Fixed income allocations are primarily comprised of United States (US) government and
agency securities, corporate bonds, exchange traded funds (ETFs), and tax-exempt
municipal bonds (as appropriate), with maturities ranging from 2-10 years. These
allocations typically reduce portfolio volatility and risk. Maturities are adjusted as needed
to capture the sweet spot on the yield curve. Selected securities will be readily marketable
and diversified by issuer.
SFE’s core strength is the management of concentrated portfolios of US equities,
frequently with a fixed income allocation. Portfolios are customized to meet specific client
objectives. We typically construct a portfolio of 20-25 equity positions from our “Merit
Monitor”. The Merit Monitor is a list of stocks that have been approved for purchase by
the SFE Investment Committee. This committee, comprised of SFE investment-adviser
owners, meets regularly to review, and update the list. As part of its asset allocation target,
a portfolio may consist of individual stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, bank deposit
programs and other public and private securities or investments.
SFE provides four types of advisory services more fully described below: separately
managed accounts; dual-contract relationships; model portfolio services; and third-party
separate account manager programs.
Separately Managed Account (SMA)
SMAs are managed on an individualized basis according to the client’s investment
objectives, financial condition and risk tolerance. A client’s investment strategy is tailored
to their specific needs and may include some or all of the security
types mentioned above.
Each portfolio will be initially designed to meet particular investment goals, which we
determine to be suitable to the client’s circumstances. Once the appropriate portfolio has
been created, our portfolio management team strives to review the portfolio twice each
quarter, and if necessary, rebalances the portfolio based upon the client’s individual
needs, stated goals and objectives.
Dual-Contract Relationship
SFE may also be retained by other RIAs to provide investment advisory services under a
dual-contract relationship. These services primarily consist of portfolio management for
assets of the clients of these RIAs and are not considered investment supervisory
services. SFE will have exclusive authority to direct and manage the investment and
reinvestment of all client assets on a fully discretionary basis, based upon client
information and investment objectives as provided by the RIAs. Such discretionary
authority shall include, without limitation, the right to purchase, sell, exchange and engage
in other transactions with respect to all client assets under management. We will not have
authority to select a custodian or negotiate commissions. These clients do not have
access to the same level of personal service as clients who invest directly with SFE.
Further description of the programs, fees and services available will be provided to clients
upon receipt and review of the RIA’s disclosure brochures, investment management
agreements, and account opening documents. Clients will sign an advisory agreement
with the RIA and a discretionary portfolio management agreement with SFE.
Model Portfolio Service
SFE designs and manages model portfolios that are available to other advisor firms and
investment professionals through select technology platforms. These model portfolios
present specific investment strategies for turn-key use by subscribers on behalf of their
clients. SFE is engaged and compensated through contractual agreements with the
platform providers. Fees are calculated at a negotiated rate and remitted quarterly to SFE
by the providers based upon their determination of the aggregate market value of assets
utilizing the strategies through their platforms. These clients do not have access to the
same level of personal service as clients who invest directly with SFE.
Third Party Separate Account Manager Program
Our firm participates as a separate account manager in various programs (“SAM
Program”) offered by certain third-party retail and institutional advisers. Under such
programs, the third-party adviser enters into an account agreement with the SAM
Program client. As part of the account agreement, the SAM Program client authorizes
SFE to provide investment portfolio management services to the client on a discretionary
basis.
Under the terms of a SAM Program, the third-party adviser representative determines the
suitability of SFE’s investment strategies for the client. The adviser also provides
custodial, brokerage, reporting, performance review and related services to SAM
Program clients.
Once we accept a SAM Program client, the third-party adviser will forward a copy of the
program client’s account agreement to us. This agreement includes suitability information
and client account information. The adviser provides us with electronic access to view the
program client’s account holdings, values and transactions. We will manage such
accounts according to the SFE investment strategies that have been approved by the
adviser under the terms of the SAM Program.
The third-party adviser pays SFE for the portfolio management services we provide to
SAM Program clients. Our fees are calculated by the adviser and paid to us monthly in
arrears. Fees are calculated as a percentage of the total assets managed by SFE under
the program and vary depending upon the amount of assets. Our minimum client account
size for third party separate account programs is $100,000.
A SAM Program client may terminate our designation as separate account manager at
any time by written notice to the third-party adviser. SFE may terminate our relationship
with the client upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the adviser.
Client Assets
SFE manages $410,231,061 on a discretionary basis and $31,617,748 on a non-
discretionary basis. Total assets under management are $441,848,809 as of September
30, 2023.