MarketGrader Capital has appointed John Prestbo, a guiding force behind the Dow Jones Indexes, as a senior adviser to assist in the growth and development of the Barron’s 400 Index.
Prestbo (pictured) will bring his expertise to MarketGrader’s plans to establish greater prominence to the Barron’s 400 Index, which was jointly developed by Barron’s and MarketGrader.
Since its inception in 2007, the Barron’s 400 Index has generally outperformed other major US stock indexes. Earlier this year, ALPS Advisors filed with the SEC seeking permission to create a passively managed ETF based on the index.
“We are delighted to have John Prestbo’s expertise and wisdom at hand as we bring investor attention to the Barron’s 400 Index, which provides a key reflection of how many of the best public companies in America are doing,” says Carlos Diez, MarketGrader Capital chief executive.
Prestbo will also write a frequent column, the “Barron’s 400 Diary,” about the performance, composition and characteristics of the index, or B400, including insights the index provides for the stock market in general.
Prestbo is a long-time veteran of Dow Jones & Co, and joined the company’s Wall Street Journal in 1964 as a reporter. He recently retired as editor and executive director of Dow Jones Indexes, which is now part of S&P Dow Jones Indices. He has appeared regularly on CNBC and Fox Business shows.
"I worked on the development of the Barron’s 400 Index when I was with DJ Indexes, and from the beginning I was impressed with the rigour that MarketGrader brought to selecting its components,” says Prestbo. “Now I’m pleased to lend a hand in heightening awareness of the index and demonstrating how useful it can be to investors of all sizes."
