FactSet (NYSE:FDS) (Nasdaq:FDS), a leading provider of financial data and analytical software for investment professionals, today announced the integration of BlackRock Inc.'s (NYSE:BLK) iShares Fixed Income Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) on the FactSet platform.
"We are excited to partner with BlackRock to incorporate their iShares Fixed Income ETFs into our platform," explains Robert Robie, head of U.S. Fixed Income Specialty Sales, FactSet. "Our mutual and prospective clients will gain value in being able to analyze the ETFs at the fund levels, as well as drilling down into the underlying positions. This provides a unique way of performing detailed exposure and risk analysis."
The iShares Fixed Income ETFs are available within FactSet's Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis, a holdings-based tool that lets portfolio managers study the performance, composition, and characteristics of a fixed income portfolio on an absolute basis or relative to a benchmark. With the addition of iShares Fixed Income ETFs, FactSet users who hold those ETFs in their portfolios now gain the unique ability to expand and "look through" the ETF position into the underlying holdings. The first phase of the rollout will include the iShare ETFs related to rates, credit, investment grade and high yield credit. Soon to follow will be the municipal and inflation linked ETFs.
"Having the BlackRock iShares Fixed Income ETFs available on FactSet helps us better manage portfolio risk," explains Chris Gunster, Managing Director, Fixed Income Portfolio Manager, US Trust. "We now have the ability to more easily look through to the individual credits to help us manage portfolio exposures."