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Portfolio Management Services in India: Definition, Types, Elements and Objectives

Portfolio Management Services, also known as PMS, refers to an investment service in which skilled portfolio managers and stock market professionals manage investors’ portfolios based on the investor's individual risk appetite. Let's delve deeper into PMS in this article.

Key Highlights:

  • PMS provides personalised investment solutions managed by professionals based on an investor’s goals, risk profile, and investment horizon.
  •  PMS is mainly classified into Discretionary, Non-Discretionary, Advisory, Equity, Debt, Hybrid, and Multi-Asset PMS.
  • Portfolio management focuses on asset allocation, diversification, security selection, monitoring, rebalancing, and performance evaluation.

What is a Portfolio Management Service?

A Portfolio Management Service is a personalised investment service where investment portfolios are prepared in accordance with different investment options. The portfolio manager is responsible for managing these portfolios. This service helps investors maximise returns based on their time horizon, risk profile, and investment objectives.

Wealthy people prefer Portfolio Management Services because portfolios are prepared as per their investment horizons, risk tolerance, liquidity, and tax considerations. The entities providing portfolio management services should also be registered with SEBI. Hence, there is less chance of fraud in providing these services.

Minimum Investment for PMS

As per the SEBI (Portfolio Managers) Regulations, 2020, the minimum investment amount for Portfolio Management Services is ₹50 lakh. This limit applies to both new and existing clients and can be invested in the form of cash, listed securities, or a combination of both.

Types of Portfolio Management Services in India

In India, PMS are classified into three main types based on the investment control method and further divided into categories based on asset types.

PMS Based on Investment Control

In the Investment control method, PMS are classified into Advisory, Discretionary, and Non-Discretionary Portfolio Management.

TypeMeaningDecision is made by
Discretionary PMSThe portfolio manager has full authority to manage the portfolio and execute investment decisions.Portfolio Manager
Non-Discretionary PMSThe portfolio manager provides investment recommendations, but the investor approves them before execution.Investor (approval); Portfolio Manager (execution)
Advisory PMSThe portfolio manager only provides investment advice. The investor makes all decisions and executes the transactions.Investor

PMS Based on Asset Class

PMS in the asset class are divided into four main types: Equity, Debt, Hybrid, and Multi-Asset PMS. Below is a detailed explanation of each PMS.

TypeMeaningPrimary Investments
Equity PMSInvests mainly in equity shares for long-term capital appreciation.Large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, value, growth, or thematic stocks
Debt PMSFocuses on fixed-income securities to generate relatively stable returns.Bonds, government securities, debentures, and other debt instruments
Hybrid PMSCombines equity and debt investments to balance risk and return.Equity and debt securities
Multi-Asset PMSInvests across multiple asset classes to enhance diversification.Equity, debt, gold, REITs, InvITs, and other asset classes

Objectives of Portfolio Management

A PMS portfolio can be tailored to fit the client's needs; depending on their desires, it can be focused on capital appreciation, stable income, liquidity, or tax optimisation. 

  • Capital appreciation: Many investors opt for PMS to earn higher returns from a professionally managed portfolio. The focus remains on risk-adjusted returns from investments.
  • Regular income: Many people opt for PMS to get a steady income. The main objective of the portfolio manager is to protect capital and provide consistent benefits from investments.
  • Liquidity: Many investors opt for PMS to convert their investments into cash as soon as possible. They may need money to start a business. In such cases, the portfolio manager builds customised portfolios to cater to clients’ liquidity needs.
  • Tax Planning: PMS focuses on tax planning to increase the after-tax return of investments. It helps to construct a portfolio after looking into the tax efficiency of investments. 

Key Elements of Portfolio Management

The following are the key elements of portfolio management that contribute to an effective investment strategy. 

ElementDescription
Investment ObjectivesDefines the investor's financial goals, such as wealth creation, regular income, or capital preservation.
Risk ToleranceAssesses how much investment risk an investor is willing and able to take.
Asset AllocationDistributes investments across asset classes like equity, debt, gold, and cash to balance risk and return.
DiversificationSpreads investments across different securities, sectors, and asset classes to reduce risk.
Security SelectionIdentifies suitable investment options based on research, valuation, and market outlook.
Portfolio MonitoringRegularly tracks portfolio performance and market movements to ensure investments remain aligned with objectives.
RebalancingAdjusts the portfolio periodically to maintain the desired asset allocation and risk level.
Performance EvaluationMeasures portfolio returns against benchmarks and investment goals to assess effectiveness.

Conclusion

Portfolio management services provide an efficient and flexible approach to investments for high net-worth individuals, offering investment solutions that allow them to pursue their own investment strategies. These services can be considered a reliable source of generating income for HNWIs who can customise their preferences and monitor their desired outcomes in real-time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PMS?
Who should choose PMS?
Is PMS better than mutual funds?
Can PMS help save tax?