Athene and Annexus Announce Expanded Index Lineup

PR Newswire

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, June 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Athene USA ("Athene"), a leading provider of retirement savings products, and Annexus, the leading independent designer of fixed indexed annuities (FIAs), today announced enhancements to the index portfolio in the Athene^® BCA^® suite of FIAs, including BCA^® 2.0 and Athene^® Velocity. The expanded lineup includes the latest index from noted economist Prof. Robert Shiller and Barclays, and an exclusive new index from Citi.

"We believe the complex challenge of retirement planning requires innovative, value-driven retirement solutions like the addition of these two new dynamic indices," said Grant Kvalheim, CEO and President of Athene USA. "Through invaluable partnerships with thought leaders like Robert Shiller, and industry leaders like Citi, we are able to provide additional value for consumers and help Americans nearing or in retirement grow and protect their retirement savings."

"Annexus takes great pride in the rigorous due diligence and in-depth research and analysis that goes into our index selection process," said Co-Founder Don Dady. "BCA already includes the top-three performing indices in the FIA industry year-to-date, and we've added two more that provide greater diversification opportunities with low correlation. BCA now features the most comprehensive portfolio of indices available in the market today."

The next-generation Shiller Barclays CAPE^® Allocator 6 Index replaces and builds on the success of the Shiller Barclays CAPE^® US Sector Risk Controlled 10% USD Total Return Index – a top performer and the most-selected index in the BCA FIA suite. The index applies insights from award-winning Yale University economist and CAPE Ratio architect Prof. Robert Shiller to identify undervalued equity assets, help reduce risk in volatile markets, and increase the potential to deliver more stable long-term returns.

"Value investing is a time-honored principle with continuing relevance in today's market environment," said Shiller. "Our index seeks to identify and select undervalued market sectors of the U.S. economy with the strongest positive momentum every month. The index can also include a tactical bond allocation, which even in a low interest-rate market, is still a prudent and effective long-term strategy."

The globally diversified, rules-based Citi Grandmaster Index is exclusive to the BCA FIA suite and takes a new, forward-looking approach to asset allocation. It seeks to anticipate market fluctuations by forecasting over 1,000 future market return scenarios every month. A proprietary optimization process then identifies the asset-class weights expected to deliver the highest risk-adjusted returns. Additionally, it applies a dynamic daily risk control overlay that looks at volatility measured both by VIX and historical volatility to help stabilize returns through changing market environments.

"It's truly remarkable when you consider the evolution and success of the FIA products we've developed since Athene and Annexus entered into a strategic partnership 15 years ago," said Ron Shurts, Annexus co-founder. "These latest index enhancements reflect our organizations' shared commitment to helping financial professionals better serve their clients' needs."

Advisors, RIAs and insurance professionals seeking access to these products should contact their Annexus-affiliated Independent Distribution Company. If you are a consumer looking to grow and protect your retirement savings, ask your financial professional for more information.

About Athene USA
Athene USA is a subsidiary of Athene Holding Ltd, a leading financial services company, which specializes in helping its customers achieve financial security and serving as a solutions provider to institutions. Athene USA is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa and is the principal operating location for Athene's business in the United States. Athene USA serves hundreds of thousands of customers across all 50 states, and through its predecessor companies, has been serving American consumers for more than 100 years. Annuities are issued by Athene Annuity and Life Company. Further information about Athene can be found at athene.com.

About Barclays
Barclays is a transatlantic consumer and wholesale bank offering products and services across personal, corporate and investment banking, credit cards and wealth management, with a strong presence in the U.K. and the U.S. With over 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 40 countries and employs approximately 83,500 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide. For further information about Barclays, please visit www.barclays.com.

About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

About Annexus
Annexus designs solutions to help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings. For over a decade, Annexus has developed market-leading fixed indexed annuities and indexed universal life insurance products. Annexus has forged relationships with many of the industry's leading insurance carriers and the world's largest investment banks. Find out more about Annexus and its products at annexus.com.

The Shiller Barclays CAPE^® Allocator 6 Index and the Shiller Barclays Global Index (collectively, the "Indices") have been developed in part by RSBB-I, LLC, the research principal of which is Robert J. Shiller. RSBB-I, LLC is not an investment advisor, and does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the Indices, or any data or methodology either included therein or upon which they are based. Neither RSBB-I, LLC nor Robert J. Shiller and its consultant, IndexVestLAB, LLC and consultants thereto, shall have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein, and makes no warranties, express or implied, as to performance or results experienced by any party from the use of any information included therein or upon which it is based, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect thereto, and shall not be liable for any claims or losses of any nature in connection with the use of such information, including but not limited to, lost profits or punitive or consequential damages, even if RSBB-I, LLC is advised of the possibility of same.

Neither Barclays Bank PLC ("BB PLC") nor any of its affiliates (collectively "Barclays") is the issuer or producer of Athene Annuity and Life Company's ("Athene") fixed index annuities (the "Products") and Barclays has no responsibilities, obligations or duties to purchasers of the Products. The Indices, together with any Barclays indices that are components of the Indices, are trademarks owned by Barclays and, together with any component indices and index data, are licensed for use by Athene as the issuer or producer of the Products (the "Issuer").

Barclays' only relationship with the Issuer in respect of the Indices is the licensing of the Indices, which are administered, compiled and published by BB PLC in its role as the index sponsor (the "Index Sponsor") without regard to the Issuer or the Products or purchasers of the Products. Additionally, Athene as issuer or producer of the Products may for itself execute transaction(s) with Barclays in or relating to the Indices in connection with the Products. Consumers acquire the Products from Athene and neither acquire any interest in the Indices nor enter into any relationship of any kind whatsoever with Barclays upon purchasing the Products. The Products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Barclays and Barclays makes no representation regarding the advisability of the Products or use of the Indices or any data included therein. Barclays shall not be liable in any way to the Issuer, purchasers of the Products or to other third parties in respect of the use or accuracy of the Indices or any data included therein.

Citi and Citi and Arc design are trademarks and service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, are used and registered throughout the world, and are used under license for certain purposes by Athene Annuity and Life Company or its affiliates (the "Licensee"). Citigroup Global Markets Limited ("Citigroup") has licensed the Citi Grandmaster Index (the "Index") to the Licensee for its sole benefit. Neither the Licensee nor the Licensee's fixed indexed annuity product (the "Product") is sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Citigroup or any of its affiliates. Citigroup makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to persons purchasing the Product. Such persons should seek appropriate advice before making any purchase. The Index has been designed and is compiled, calculated, maintained and sponsored by Citigroup without regard to Licensee, the Product or any purchaser of the Product. Citigroup is under no obligation to continue sponsoring or calculating the Index.

CITIGROUP DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OR PERFORMANCE OF THE INDEX, THE INDEX METHODOLOGY, THE CALCULATION OF THE INDEX OR ANY DATA SUPPLIED BY CITIGROUP FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRODUCT AND DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Please see https://investmentstrategies.citi.com/cis/us for additional important information about The Citi Grandmaster Index.