A couple of days ago, I reviewed SigFig and declared it “The best way to track your investments.” In the review, I opened up my retirement accounts for the world to see. One thing that I didn’t address was the top recommendation SigFig made. Specifically SigFig attempted to scare the poop right out of my bum with a “DBA performs poorly AND charges you $74.89 more in fees to boot!” (Hey if I’m going to have a family-friendly website, I might as well write like 5 year old, right?)
No one wants to be in poorly performing investment and pay large fees to do it. Why did I choose DBA in the first place? I believe in Hedging Rising Food Prices and the PowerShares DB Agriculture Fund (NYSE:DBA) was the most obvious way to do it. DBA’s goal is to track commodity prices. So if wheat and soybeans get more expensive the stock should go up.
So if SigFig doesn’t like DBA, what does it suggest? It suggests Market Vectors Agribusiness (NYSE:MOO). Part of me wants to buy in on the ticker symbol alone. I looked into MOO a little more and here are the top holdings according to Morningstar: Monsanto Company, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Inc., Deere & Co, Syngenta AG, Wilmar International Ltd, Archer-Daniels Midland Company, Mosaic Co, BRF – Brasil Foods SA ADR, Agrium Inc, Yara International ASA.
You know what I don’t see in MOO’s holdings? I don’t see corn, wheat, soybeans or any of that. I see companies like Monsanto and John Deere. The difference between what I own and the recommendation is pretty large. In SigFig’s defense, they are pretty clear that the recommendations are just suggestions.
Ask the Readers: If one is going to try to hedge against rising food prices, should he/she diversify within the category investing money in the commodities itself as well as the companies that help bring that food to your table? Let me know in the comments?