497 1 ahit-497_041818.htm

 

AFL-CIO HOUSING INVESTMENT TRUST

 

 

Portfolio Performance Commentary:

 March 2018

 

For the month of March 2018, the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) had a gross return of 0.51% and a net return of 0.47%. Its benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (Barclays Aggregate), reported a return of 0.64% for the month.

 

March gross relative performance: -0.13%

 

Performance for periods ended March 31, 2018

(Returns for periods exceeding one year are annualized)

 

        YTD   1 Year   3 Year   5 Year   10 Year  
  HIT Total Gross Rate of Return     -1.18%   1.43%   1.52%   2.15%   4.06%  
  HIT Total Net Rate of Return     -1.29%   1.02%   1.10%   1.72%   3.62%  
  Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Index     -1.46%   1.20%   1.20%   1.82%   3.63%  
The performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment results and principal value will fluctuate so that units in the HIT, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The HIT’s current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month-end is available from the HIT’s website at www.aflcio-hit.com. Gross performance figures do not reflect the deduction of HIT expenses. Net performance figures reflect the deduction of HIT expenses and are the performance figures investors experience in the HIT. Information about HIT expenses can be found on page 1 of the HIT’s current prospectus.

 

Positive contributions to the HIT’s performance relative to the Barclays Aggregate included:

 

●The portfolio’s ongoing yield advantage over the Barclays Aggregate.

 

●Performance by corporate bonds, the worst performing major sector in the Barclays Aggregate, posting an excess return of -91 basis points (bps). The HIT does not invest in corporate bonds, whereas the sector comprised 25.3% of the index as of March 31, 2018.

 

●The portfolio’s overweight to the highest credit quality sector of the investment grade universe, whose excess returns were the highest among the four credit ratings buckets (AAA, AA, A, and BBB) of the Barclays Aggregate. Those returns were -7, -36, -84, and -99 bps, respectively. Over 96% of the HIT portfolio was AAA-rated or carried a government or government-sponsored enterprise guarantee, compared to less than 72% for the Barclays Aggregate at the end of March.

 

Negative impacts to the HIT’s performance included:

 

●Performance by Fannie Mae DUS securities in the HIT’s portfolio. The longer duration DUS benchmark 10/9.5 structure spreads to Treasuries widened by approximately by 4 bps. The HIT had 24.0% of its portfolio invested in single-asset fixed-rate DUS securities of various structures as March 31, 2018, while there were no such securities in the Barclays Aggregate.

 

●Performance by FHA/Ginnie Mae loan certificates as spreads to Treasuries widened. Ginnie Mae permanent loan certificate spreads widened by approximately 14 bps and construction/permanent loan certificates widened by 17 bps.

 

●Performance by agency fixed-rate single family mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), the second best performing major sector in the index, with an excess return of -14 bps. The HIT was

 

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AFL-CIO HOUSING INVESTMENT TRUST March 2018 Performance Commentary

 

 underweight to this sector with a 17.7% allocation versus 28.1% in the Barclays Aggregate at the end of March.

 

●The portfolio’s slightly short relative duration as Treasury rates fell across most of the curve. Two-year rates rose by 2 bps, while 5-, 7-, 10- and 30-year rates fell by 8, 11, 12, and 15 bps, respectively.

 

●The portfolio’s overweight to spread-based assets as swap spreads widened across maturities. Two-, 5- 7- and 10-year spreads widened by 3, 4, 4, and 4 basis points, respectively. At the end of March, 96.1% of the HIT’s portfolio was invested in spread based assets (3.9% in cash/cash equivalents and Treasuries) compared to 62.8% spread assets in the Barclays Aggregate (37.2% in Treasuries).

 

March 2018 Bond Sector Performance

 

Sector Absolute
Return		 Excess Return
(bps)		 Modified Adjusted
Duration
U.S. Treasuries 0.94% 0 6.13
Agencies 0.44% -15 4.31
Single family agency MBS (RMBS) 0.64% -14 5.05
Corporates 0.25% -91 7.50
Commercial MBS (CMBS) 0.39% -35 5.38
Asset-backed securities (ABS) 0.18% -3 2.10

Source: Bloomberg L.P.

 

Change in Treasury Yields

 

Maturity 2/28/18 03/31/18 Change
1 Month 1.492% 1.611% 0.119%
3 Month 1.652% 1.700% 0.048%
6 Month 1.847% 1.914% 0.067%
1 Year 2.056% 2.082% 0.026%
2 Year 2.250% 2.266% 0.016%
3 Year 2.407% 2.383% -0.023%
5 Year 2.640% 2.562% -0.078%
7 Year 2.795% 2.684% -0.110%
10 Year 2.861% 2.739% -0.122%
30 Year 3.124% 2.974% -0.150%
Source: Bloomberg L.P.

 

Investors should consider the HIT’s investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses carefully before investing. This and other information is contained in the HIT’s prospectus. To obtain a prospectus, call the HIT at 202-331-8055 or visit www.aflcio-hit.com. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing. The Barclays Aggregate is an unmanaged index and is not available for direct investment, although certain funds attempt to replicate this index. Returns for the Barclays Aggregate would be lower if they reflected the actual trading costs or expenses associated with management of an actual portfolio.

 

This document contains forecasts, estimates, opinions, and/or other information that is subjective. It should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any kind. The calculations of the HIT yield herein represent widely accepted portfolio characteristics information based on coupon rate, current price and, for yield to worst, certain prepayment assumptions, and are not current yield or other performance data as defined by the SEC in Rule 482.

 

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AFL-CIO HOUSING INVESTMENT TRUST March 2018 Performance Commentary

 

Portfolio Data as of March 31, 2018

  

Net Assets $6,138,626,257
Portfolio Effective Duration 5.448 years
Portfolio Average Coupon 3.29%
Portfolio Current Yield1 3.30%
Portfolio Yield to Worst 3.31%
Convexity 0.064
Maturity 9.373 years
Average Price 99.98
Number of Holdings 996

 

Portfolio Percentage in Each of the Following Categories: 2

 

Agency Single-Family MBS 23.07%
CMBS – Agency Multifamily* 67.16%
U.S. Treasury Notes/Bonds  2.89%
State Housing Permanent Bonds  4.98%
State Housing Construction Bonds 0.82%
Direct Construction Loan 0.09%
Cash & Short-Term Securities  0.98%

* Includes multifamily MBS (58.46%), multifamily Construction MBS (6.83%),and AAA Private-Label CMBS (1.87%).

  

Portfolio Duration Distribution, by Percentage in Each Category: 2

 

Cash 0.98%
0-0.99 years 15.16%
1-2.99 years 7.84%
3-3.99 years 13.19%
4-5.99 years 21.93%
6-7.99 years 20.61%
8-9.99 years 15.57%
10-14.99 years 3.22%
15-19.99 years 1.51%
Over 20 years 0.00%

 

 

1 The calculations of the HIT yield herein represent widely accepted portfolio characteristics information based on coupon rate, current price and, for yield to worst, certain prepayment assumptions, and are not current yield or other performance data as defined by the SEC in Rule 482.

2 Percentages weighted by unfunded construction-related security purchase commitments.

 

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AFL-CIO HOUSING INVESTMENT TRUST March 2018 Performance Commentary

 

Portfolio Data (continued)

  

Maturity Distribution (based on average life):

 

 0 – 1 year 3.60%
 1 – 2.99 years 7.13%
 3 – 4.99 years 16.31%
 5 – 6.99 years 29.26%
 7 – 9.99 years 29.51%
10 – 19.99 years 11.77%
Greater than 20 years 2.43%

  

Quality Distribution:3

 

U.S. Government or Agency 92.54%
AAA 2.64%
AA 3.76%
A 0.00%
Not Rated 0.09%
Cash 0.98%

 

 

 

 

AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust

 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037

 Phone (202) 331-8055 Fax (202) 331-8190

www.aflcio-hit.com

 

(GRAPHIC) 

 

 

3 Percentages weighted by unfunded construction-related security purchase commitments.

 

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