Navigate the complex world of investment factors and gain a competitive edge. Uncover powerful strategies to optimize portfolio performance and manage risk effectively.

Welcome to "An Introduction to Factors," a comprehensive course designed to demystify the essential building blocks of investment returns. Understand factors as characteristics or sources that explain investment, security, or active manager returns. This course will illuminate why investors should transcend traditional asset class thinking and adopt a factor-based lens for enhanced portfolio construction and risk management.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Join us as we explore factors, from foundational definitions like beta, market exposure, sector, and market capitalization, to dynamic concepts such as value, momentum, and low volatility. We’ll also delve into emergent factors, examining their transient yet impactful roles in market dynamics, as exemplified by the "COVID factor." We will discuss how to apply factor analysis across various investment vehicles, from public equities and bonds to alternative investments and private markets, acknowledging data challenges and methodological nuances. This course equips you with the knowledge to critically assess factor performance, interrelationships, and their implications for portfolio decision-making in a professional context.

Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association
CAIA Association is a global network of forward-thinking investment professionals, redefining the future of capital allocation in a world where traditional and alternative investments are converging at an unprecedented pace. United by a commitment to improving investment outcomes, we lead with authority, educate to inspire, and connect people who turn insight into action. CAIA Association creates dynamic and captivating learning experiences designed to engage investment professionals at every level. Its programs – the CAIA Charter and the CAIA.nxt™ platform – offer critical levels of access to a comprehensive curriculum that equips the investment community with the skills and knowledge needed to build modern portfolios. CAIA Association is a global member-driven community of more than 14,000 professionals, united by a shared commitment to improving investment outcomes and building a more aligned, principled capital market system.

CEO & Chief Investment Officer of Newfound Research
Corey Hoffstein is the CEO and CIO of Newfound Research and portfolio manager of the Return Stacked® ETF Suite. Corey is an active researcher and his work has been published in the Journal of Indexing and the Journal of Alternative Investments. He is also the host of the popular quantitative investing podcast Flirting with Models. Corey holds a Master of Science in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, cum laude, from Cornell University.