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LT Gain (DMS)

LT Gain (DMS) is a tactical asset allocation strategy reviewed on a monthly cadence. Its hypothetical backtest runs through 2026-07-23. BestFolio supplies the public rule or approach and backtest context; current signals, allocations, and paid interactive data remain restricted to Pro access. The recorded 2021 publication or construction boundary separates pre-publication simulation from later market observations under fixed rules; all returns remain hypothetical. Users review each scheduled signal and place any resulting trades in their own brokerage. BestFolio does not execute trades or provide personalized investment advice.

Cadence
Monthly
Backtest data through
2026-07-23
History boundary
The recorded 2021 publication or construction boundary separates pre-publication simulation from later market observations under fixed rules; all returns remain hypothetical.
Rule / approach
1. Compute DMS score for IWB and BIL 2. If IWB >= BIL → RISK-ON: IWB (or SSO/UPRO if Smart Leverage active, up to 12 months) 3. If IWB < BIL → RISK-OFF: TLT if fast score positive, else VGSH (sticky)
BestFolio supplies
the public rule or approach and backtest context; current signals, allocations, and paid interactive data remain restricted to Pro access
Customer action
Review each scheduled signal and place any required trades in your own brokerage; BestFolio does not execute orders.
Costs and exclusions
net of a modeled one-way transaction cost (10 bps, scaled up to 3x under stress); taxes, fund-expense drift, or market impact are not modeled
Freshness
The latest available backtest ends 2026-07-23. A run timestamp is not exposed here, so no stronger freshness claim is made.
Next expected action
First trading day of August; scheduled 2026-08-03 at 09:30 ET. Review the published signal before placing any trade.

LT Gain (DMS) at a glance

LT Gain (DMS) is a tactical asset allocation (TAA) strategy by Randy Harris across US Equity, Long-Term Treasuries, Short-Term Treasuries, rebalanced monthly. Backtested 1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23 (40.3 years): 15.0% CAGR, 0.93 Sharpe, -33.1% max drawdown, 19.6% volatility.

Type
Tactical (TAA)
Author
Randy Harris
Rebalancing
Monthly
Risk
Moderate
Period
1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23
CAGR
15.0%
Sharpe
0.93
Max Drawdown
-33.1%
Volatility
19.6%

LT Gain (DMS) Tactical Asset Allocation Strategy

LT Gain is a US equity momentum strategy from Randy Harris's DMS. It rotates between US equities (IWB) and treasuries only. The LT Gain+ variant uses SSO (2x) and LT Gain++ uses UPRO (3x) for Smart Leverage after >15% drawdowns.

LT Gain (DMS): frequently asked questions

What is LT Gain (DMS)?
Single-asset momentum strategy comparing US large cap vs T-bills by composite 1/3/6-month score. Smart Leverage activates 2x/3x after 15% drawdowns. Risk-off uses Treasury Duration Limiter for bond selection. Monthly rebalancing.
Who created the LT Gain (DMS) strategy?
LT Gain (DMS) was developed by Randy Harris.
What is the historical return and maximum drawdown of LT Gain (DMS)?
Backtested from 1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23, LT Gain (DMS) returned 15.0% CAGR with a -33.1% maximum drawdown and a Sharpe ratio of 0.93. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
How often is LT Gain (DMS) rebalanced?
LT Gain (DMS) is rebalanced monthly. BestFolio publishes the updated allocation signal each period.
Is LT Gain (DMS) a tactical asset allocation strategy?
Yes. LT Gain (DMS) is a tactical asset allocation (TAA) strategy: it adjusts its holdings based on market signals each period rather than holding a fixed allocation.

Backtest Performance (1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23)

MetricLT Gain (DMS)
CAGR15.0%
Max Drawdown-33.1%
Sharpe0.93
Sortino1.33
Volatility19.6%
Calmar0.45
Total Return28172.8%
Backtest Period40.3 years

Strategy Details

Type
Tactical (TAA)
Rebalancing
monthly
Risk Level
moderate
Variants
2
Author
Randy Harris

Asset Classes

  • US Equity
  • Long-Term Treasuries
  • Short-Term Treasuries

Further reading

New to this approach? Read what tactical asset allocation is and how it works.

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