NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The median return of the BNY Mellon U.S. Master Trust Universe was +4.7% for the fourth quarter of 2013, resulting in year-to-date performance for the typical fund of +14.4%, ahead of the +12.6% returned in 2012. The average plan posted gains in three of four quarters last year. 

With a market value of more than $2.4 trillion and an average plan size of $3.9 billion, the BNY Mellon U.S. Master Trust Universe is a fund-level tracking service that can be used to make peer comparisons of both performance and asset allocation results. The Universe consists of 612 corporate, foundation, endowment, public, Taft-Hartley, and health care plans.

"For 2013, public funds outpaced other plan types with a return of +15.8%, getting a boost from their relative over-weighting of U.S. equity holdings," said John Gruber, head of product strategy for BNY Mellon's Global Risk Solutions group. "Public funds also have been the top performer over the last five years, though corporate plans posted the biggest gain in 2012. Foundations posted the highest fourth quarter return for 2013."

Highlights

• 99% of plans in the Universe achieved positive returns in the fourth quarter. 
• 28% of plans matched or outperformed the custom policy return for Q4.
• Foundations recorded the highest median return for Q4 at +5.10%, followed by public funds at +5.08%.
• U.S. equities posted a quarterly median return of +9.81%, versus the Russell 3000 Index return of +10.10%. Non-U.S. equities posted a median return of +5.49%, behind the Russell Developed ex US Large Cap Index result of +5.88%. U.S. fixed income had a median return of +0.29%, versus the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index return of -0.14%. Non-U.S. fixed income posted a median return of +0.32%, versus the Citigroup Non-U.S. World Government Bond Index return of -1.24%. Real estate posted a median return of +2.42%, versus the NCREIF Property Index result of +2.53%.

The average asset allocation in the BNY Mellon U.S. Master Trust Universe for the fourth quarter was: U.S. equity 28%, U.S. fixed income 24%, non-U.S. equity 18%, non-U.S. fixed income 1%, real estate 3%, cash 1%, and alternatives/other 25%.

BNY Mellon's Asset Servicing business supports institutional investors in today's fast-evolving markets, safeguarding assets and enhancing the management and administration of client investments through services that process, monitor and measure data from around the world. We leverage our global footprint and local expertise to deliver insight and solutions across every stage of the investment lifecycle.

BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 35 countries and more than 100 markets. As of Dec. 31, 2013, BNY Mellon had $27.6 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.6 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Learn more at www.bnymellon.com, or follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon.

*All returns are posted gross of fee results.

SOURCE BNY Mellon