Complex investments known as reverse convertibles face growing scrutiny from regulators for their hidden risks, lack of transparency and, in some instances, because of the manner in which they are represented to investors by certain brokers.
As reported in a June 24 story by Bloomberg, brokers for JPMorgan Chase & Co., Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, and Barclays Plc have been charging fees on some structured notes that equal or exceed the securities’ highest possible yield.
“It seems inconceivable that the commission could be more than the potential return to clients,” said Durraj Tase in the Bloomberg article. Tase, who is an adviser with First Liberties Financial in New York, added: “If you are paying more fees than your potential return, as an adviser, I would not be able to suggest that note.”
On June 15, RBS gave brokers a 2.75% commission to sell a three-month reverse-convertible note with a 2.56% potential yield, according to the Bloomberg story. In May, JPMorgan charged 5.25% in fees and commissions on a three-month Citigroup-linked note that paid 5% interest, and Barclays offered brokers a 2% commission on a security paying 2% interest.
In February 2010, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued an alert to investors on the risks associated with reverse convertibles. Among things, FINRA warned that reverse convertibles expose investors not only to risks traditionally associated with bonds and other fixed income products – such as the risk of issuer default and inflation risk – but also to the additional risks of the unrelated assets, which are often stocks.
In the case of JPMorgan’s reverse convertibles, investors are exposed to losses if Citigroup declines by more than 20%.
If you have suffered losses in Reverse Convertibles, please contact our securities fraud team. We can evaluate your situation to determine if you have a claim.