Publication:

Performance persistence in the spanish defined contribution pension plans

The aim of this paper is to analyse if performance persistence exists in Spanish individual and occupational pension plans from 2008 to 2014. The examination was done from a mid and long-term point of view. A sample of mixed fixed and variable income pension plans was studied. Data was taken from General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds, INVERCO and Bank of Spain webpages. Chi-squared and Cross-Product-Ratio (CPR) were used to test the performance persistence and it was carried out using raw and riskadjusted returns, with the aim of getting higher robustness in the results. The results show evidences that allow us to conclude the existence of persistence in occupational pension plans, but it is less likely to occur in individual ones. The main reason which explains the different results is the influence of the control commission. In the first scenario, commission control does defend participants and beneficiaries’ interests, so the management firm has to manage pension plans in order to achieve the best returns in each of the period. The higher fees applied to individual pension plans could also explain the worse performance