Mike Sanders Joins the Adjusted for Risk Podcast to Discuss Opportunities in Fixed Income


Head of Fixed Income Mike Sanders joined Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk podcast to discuss opportunities in fixed income, the current economic environment, why the labor market holds the key to the Fed’s next moves, and the benefits of active management. 

 

 

 

Consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of Madison Funds carefully before investing. Each fund's prospectus contains this and other information about the fund. Call 800.877.6089 or visit madisonfunds.com to obtain a prospectus and read it carefully before investing.

“Madison” and/or “Madison Investments” is the unifying tradename of Madison Investment Holdings, Inc., Madison Asset Management, LLC (“MAM”), and Madison Investment Advisors, LLC (“MIA”). MAM and MIA are registered as investment advisers with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Madison Funds are distributed by MFD Distributor, LLC. MFD Distributor, LLC is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member firm of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The home office for each firm listed above is 550 Science Drive, Madison, WI 53711. Madison’s toll-free number is 800-767-0300.

Any performance data shown represents past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Non-deposit investment products are not federally insured, involve investment risk, may lose value and are not obligations of, or guaranteed by, any financial institution. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate.

This website is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security and is not investment advice.

Upon request, Madison may furnish to the client or institution a list of all security recommendations made within the past year.

The AUM includes all accounts to which Madison provides discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services, including accounts of a third party adviser where Madison provides non-discretionary model portfolio services. Calculated as of 6/30/2025.

Participate and Protect is Madison’s expectation that investors in the strategy will participate near fully in market appreciation during bull markets and experience something less than full participation during bear markets compared with investors in portfolios holding more speculative and volatile securities. Therefore, the investment philosophy is intended to represent a conservative investment strategy. There is no assurance that Madison’s expectations regarding this investment strategy will be realized.

In addition to the ongoing market risk applicable to portfolio securities, bonds are subject to interest rate risk, credit risk and inflation risk. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall; generally, the longer a bond’s maturity, the more sensitive it is to this risk. Credit risk is the possibility that the issuer of a security will be unable to make interest payments and repay the principal on its debt. Bonds may also be subject to call risk, which allows the issuer to retain the right to redeem the debt, fully or partially, before the scheduled maturity date. Proceeds from sales prior to maturity may be more or less than originally invested due to changes in market conditions or changes in the credit quality of the issuer.

Equity risk is the risk that securities held by the fund will fluctuate in value due to general market or economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the fund participate, and the particular circumstances and performance of particular companies whose securities the fund holds. In addition, while broad market measures of common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.

Madison Fixed Income Mutual Fund and Exchange Traded Fund risk: An investment in a Madison fixed income fund is subject to risk and there can be no assurance that the fund will achieve its investment objective. The risks associated with an investment in the fund can increase during times of significant market volatility. The principal risks of investing in the fund include: interest rate risk, call risk, risk of default, liquidity risk, legislative risk, capital gains tax-related risk, alternative minimim tax risk, and risks of general obligations versus limited purpose bonds. Long- term bonds are more exposed to interest-rate risk than short-term bonds. Unlike bonds, bond funds have ongoing fees and expenses. More detailed information regarding these risks can be found in the fund’s prospectus.

Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market.

Indices are unmanaged. An investor cannot invest directly in an index. They are shown for illustrative purposes only, and do not represent the performance of any specific investment. Index returns do not include any expenses, fees or sales charges, which would lower performance.

PCE: The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index is a measure of the prices that people living in the United States, or those buying on their behalf, pay for goods and services.

A basis point (BPS) is one hundredth of a percent.

Bond Spread is the difference between yields on differing debt instruments of varying maturities, credit ratings, and risk, calculated by deducting the yield of one instrument from another.

Duration is a measure of the sensitivity of the price of a bond or other debt instrument to a change in interest rates. Duration measures how long it takes, in years, for an investor to be repaid the bond’s price by the bond’s total cash flows.

The federal funds rate is the target interest rate range set by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) for banks to lend or borrow excess reserves overnight. It influences monetary and financial conditions, short-term interest rates, and the stock market.

High yield bonds are considered lower-quality instruments known as “junk bonds”. Such bonds entail greater risks than those found in higher-rated securities.

Volatility is the degree of variation of returns for a given security or market index.

Yield Curve is a line that plots yields (interest rates) of bonds having equal credit quality but differing maturity dates. The slope of the yield curve gives an idea of future interest rate changes and economic activity. There are three main types of yield curve shapes: normal (upward-sloping curve), inverted (downward-sloping curve), and flat. A flat yield curve is one in which short-term bonds have yields similar to longer bonds.

Commentary on the “PSN Top Gun” refers to performance-based awards given by Zephyr, a subsidiary of Informa plc to Madison Investment Advisors for certain Separately Managed Account strategies. Recipients are selected from investment managers that contribute performance information for the PSN database. As of June 30, 3025, Madison’s Intermediate Corporate Bond strategy is a four-star Top Gun and Madison’s Intermediate Government-Corporate strategy is a five-star Top gun. Zephyr counts 43 firms and 148 strategies in its intermediate fixed income population. Madison Intermediate Corporate Bond and Madison Intermediate Government-Corporate Strategies did not receive an award for the 1-year, 3-year, or 10-year periods, as the strategies did not meet the criteria for inclusion.

PSN Top Guns uses the following rating categories:

• 1-QTR CATEGORY: The peer groups were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and uses only gross of fee returns. PSN Top Guns investment managers must claim that they are GIPs compliant. These top performers are strictly based on current quarter returns.

• 1-YEAR CATEGORY: The peer groups were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and uses only gross of fee returns. PSN Top Guns investment managers must claim that they are GIPs compliant. These top performers are strictly based on returns for the one-year period.

• 3-YEAR CATEGORY: The peer groups were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and uses only gross of fee returns. PSN Top Guns investment managers must claim that they are GIPs compliant. These top performers are strictly based on returns for the three-year period.

• 4-STAR CATEGORY: The peer groups were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and uses only gross of fee returns. PSN Top Guns investment managers must claim that they are GIPs compliant. Products must have an r-squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for the recent five-year period. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods. The top ten returns for the latest three-year period then become the TOP GUNS.

• 5-STAR CATEGORY: The peer groups were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and uses only gross of fee returns. PSN Top Guns investment managers must claim that they are GIPs compliant. Products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for the recent five-year period. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods. Products are then selected which have a standard deviation for the five-year period equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten returns for the latest three-year period then become the TOP GUNS.

• 6-STAR CATEGORY: The peer groups were created using the information collected through the PSN investment manager questionnaire and uses only gross of fee returns. PSN Top Guns investment managers must claim that they are GIPs compliant. Products must have an R-Squared of 0.80 or greater relative to the style benchmark for the recent five-year period. Moreover, products must have returns greater than the style benchmark for the three latest three-year rolling periods. Products are then selected which have a standard deviation for the five-year period equal or less than the median standard deviation for the peer group. The top ten information ratios for the latest five-year period then become the TOP GUNS.