Pragmatic Asset Allocation
Pragmatic Asset Allocation 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 2024-01 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 2024-01 publication or construction boundary separates pre-publication simulation from later market observations under fixed rules; all returns remain hypothetical.
- Rule / approach
- 1. Score 7 assets by avg(1m, 3m, 6m, 12m returns), select top 3 2. Equal-weight at 33.3% each 3. If any selected has negative momentum → replace with BIL
- 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.
Pragmatic Asset Allocation at a glance
Pragmatic Asset Allocation is a tactical asset allocation (TAA) strategy by Radovan Vojtko et al. (Quantpedia) across US Equity, International Equity, Emerging Markets, REITs, rebalanced monthly. Backtested 1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23 (40.3 years): 13.3% CAGR, 1.16 Sharpe, -22.5% max drawdown, 11.4% volatility.
- Type
- Tactical (TAA)
- Author
- Radovan Vojtko et al. (Quantpedia)
- Rebalancing
- Monthly
- Risk
- Moderate
- Period
- 1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23
- CAGR
- 13.3%
- Sharpe
- 1.16
- Max Drawdown
- -22.5%
- Volatility
- 11.4%
Pragmatic Asset Allocation — Tactical Asset Allocation Strategy
Pragmatic Asset Allocation by Radovan Vojtko of Quantpedia. Ranks 7 assets by composite momentum (avg 1/3/6/12-month returns), selects top 3 at equal weight, applies absolute momentum filter (negative momentum → BIL).
Pragmatic Asset Allocation: frequently asked questions
- What is Pragmatic Asset Allocation?
- Ranks 7 diversified ETFs by composite momentum (average of 1/3/6/12-month returns). Top 3 with positive momentum are held equal-weighted; negative-momentum slots rotate to cash. Straightforward multi-asset momentum. Monthly rebalancing.
- Who created the Pragmatic Asset Allocation strategy?
- Pragmatic Asset Allocation was developed by Radovan Vojtko et al. (Quantpedia). It is based on Vojtko, R. Pragmatic Asset Allocation. Quantpedia.
- What is the historical return and maximum drawdown of Pragmatic Asset Allocation?
- Backtested from 1986-02-28 to 2026-07-23, Pragmatic Asset Allocation returned 13.3% CAGR with a -22.5% maximum drawdown and a Sharpe ratio of 1.16. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
- How often is Pragmatic Asset Allocation rebalanced?
- Pragmatic Asset Allocation is rebalanced monthly. BestFolio publishes the updated allocation signal each period.
- Is Pragmatic Asset Allocation a tactical asset allocation strategy?
- Yes. Pragmatic Asset Allocation 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)
| Metric | Pragmatic Asset Allocation |
|---|---|
| CAGR | 13.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -22.5% |
| Sharpe | 1.16 |
| Sortino | 1.72 |
| Volatility | 11.4% |
| Calmar | 0.59 |
| Total Return | 15299.1% |
| Backtest Period | 40.3 years |
Strategy Details
- Type
- Tactical (TAA)
- Rebalancing
- monthly
- Risk Level
- moderate
- Variants
- 1
- Author
- Radovan Vojtko et al. (Quantpedia)
- Source
- Vojtko, R. Pragmatic Asset Allocation. Quantpedia
Asset Classes
- US Equity
- International Equity
- Emerging Markets
- REITs
- Gold
- Commodities
- Long Treasuries
- Cash
Categories
Further reading
New to this approach? Read what tactical asset allocation is and how it works.
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