Oxbow Advisors, LLC is a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the State of
Texas and has been a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission since June 2011. Registration does not imply any certain skill or training. Prior to
2011 the Firm was named Herndon Plant Oakley Advisors. This was an ownership change only
and does not reflect a change in investment personnel, investment policy or strategy at the firm.
Oxbow’s principal owner and founder is James Theodore “Ted” Oakley. Chance Finucane has a
9% ownership in the Firm. All personnel of the Firm are expected to have education and
business backgrounds that enable them to perform their respective responsibilities effectively. In
assigning responsibilities, we consider academic background (including studies in college and
graduate schools, as well as degrees earned), industry training, licenses and certifications. Work
experience in a related field, such as investments, commodities, insurance, banking or
accounting, is also considered. No formal, specific standards have been set, but appropriate
education and experience are required. See the Form ADV, Part 2B Brochure Supplement for
additional information.
As of December 31, 2023, the Firm had $1,948,085,898 in client assets under management, all
managed on a discretionary basis.
Types of Advisory Services and Investments
Oxbow Advisors is an investment advisory firm providing investment advice and discretionary
supervisory portfolio management services to securities portfolios on a continuing basis,
including the strategic allocation of managed assets among cash, stocks, and bonds with the
selection of specific securities designed to provide proper diversification and help meet the
client's stated investment objectives.
In effecting such services, we advise directly and/or invest clients' funds through other
investment advisors and/or third-party money managers. Discretionary clients can impose
reasonable restrictions on the Firm’s authority to invest the client’s assets in certain types of
investments.
Oxbow utilizes the following as well as the foreign equivalents of the following investment
products:
• Equity securities (exchange-listed, over the counter, foreign issuers)
• Warrants
• Corporate debt securities
• Commercial paper
• Certificates of deposits
• Municipal securities
• Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds
• United States government and government-agency securities
• Option contracts on securities
Oxbow clients include those with whom Oxbow has a direct contractual relationship through
Oxbow Advisors, LLC Discretionary Investment Advisory Agreement, those who have enrolled
in asset-based wrap fee programs sponsored by an unaffiliated dual-registrant broker-
dealer/investment adviser, and clients where Oxbow acts as a sub-adviser.
Oxbow offers the following advisory services:
• Financial planning services
• Portfolio management services for individuals and/or small businesses
• Portfolio management for businesses or institutional clients (other than registered
investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles)
• Pension consulting services
• Selection of other advisers
• Corporate Retirement Planning
• Individual Consultation
• Publication of Periodicals
• Educational seminars/workshops
• Sub-Advisory Services
Separate Accounts
Oxbow advisory services to separately managed accounts are customized based on each separate
account client’s expectation, tolerance for risk, tax situation, volatility, and the need for liquidity.
During initial and on-going discussions with each client, Oxbow develops the personal
investment profile that includes specific client information and a general profile of the client’s
risk tolerance, recommended investment strategy, income requirements, distribution
requirements and any account restrictions.
As mentioned previously, clients can direct specific investments that may not be in the Oxbow
strategy and therefore are not followed by Oxbow’s team of portfolio managers and investment
committee.
Retirement Accounts
When we make rollover recommendations to manage your retirement account (including IRA,
HSA and ESA), we are fiduciaries under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act (“ERISA”) and the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”), which are laws governing retirement
accounts. As such, we operate under a special standard of care to provide prudent advice
requiring us to act in your best interest and not put our interests ahead of yours, charge no more
than a “reasonable fee”, as defined under ERISA, and not make any false or misleading
statements about conflicts, fees and investments. We are required to give you basic information
about our conflicts of interests, such as in the way we make money. When we make rollover
recommendations this allows us to earn an additional fee that is in our interest. To address these
conflicts,
we follow policies and procedures designed to reasonably ensure that we give advice
that is in your best interest. (See Item 10 for other conflicts of interests)
Wrap Fee Programs
Oxbow Advisors acts as a portfolio manager for several wrap fee programs in which the client
pays one fee to the wrap program sponsor for all services associated with the management and
execution of transactions in their account. Oxbow does not sponsor any wrap fee program.
Oxbow does not have the primary responsibility for maintaining on-going relations with the
clients within the wrap program. Oxbow receives a portion of the total wrap fee paid to the wrap
program sponsor for its portfolio management services. Oxbow does not solicit these clients but
will provide client statements if requested. Although strategies vary and clients can impose
guidelines that result in the way we manage their accounts, there is fundamentally no difference
between how we manage wrap and non-wrap clients’ accounts.
Sub-Advisory Services
The Firm from time to time utilizes unaffiliated money managers or investment advisors as part
of the client’s overall investment strategy. Through this arrangement, the client authorizes the
Firm to hire, retain and/or terminate subadvisors authorizing them to invest those assets
according to the stated investment strategy. In consideration for such, the third-party money
manager/advisor will receive a portion of the management fee that Oxbow receives from the
client’s portfolio.
As part of this service, the Firm will perform third-party money manager/advisor due diligence,
which includes research, recommendations, monitoring, and quarterly consolidated performance
reporting.
Financial Planning
The Firm provides financial planning services to its existing clients and prospects at no
additional charge. The financial planning services provided can include retirement planning and
analysis, investment management and education planning, and other specialty services. Under a
full-management (discretionary) agreement, the Firm is granted authority to place orders to
execute transactions on the client’s behalf with FINRA member firm brokers, in accordance with
the client’s asset allocation guidelines.
The services are based on information that is provided to us by the client or prospective client.
This information includes, but is not limited to, the client’s financial objectives, risk tolerance,
financial resources, family situation and future financial goals. Documents requested by Oxbow
to develop the plan could include tax returns, financial statements, bank statements, list of
investments, insurance policies, etc. It is important that the information provided to Oxbow is
accurate and complete. Oxbow is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of the information
provided by the client or prospective client.
Sub-Adviser to a Registered Investment Adviser
Oxbow Advisors is an investment sub-adviser to Private Advisor Group, LLC (“PAG”). The
sub-advisory services provided by Oxbow include using one or more of Oxbow’s investment
strategies. PAG provides Oxbow with the desired portfolio strategy for a Client’s Assets prior to
Oxbow management. Oxbow’s investment services shall be limited to the management of
Strategies with respect to Client’s Assets and will not include any financial planning on behalf of
the client.
Private Advisor Group, LLC is not affiliated with Oxbow Advisors, LLC and the management of
the accounts and trading activity is solely at the discretion of Oxbow and subject to the
investment sub-adviser agreement between Oxbow and PAG.
Corporate Retirement Planning
The Firm provides one or more of the following services for corporate retirement plans:
(1) create an Investment Policy Statement to document the plan goals, investment selection
process, ongoing monitoring, and employee communication; (2) select investment options based
on appropriate due diligence, not revenue sharing with a third party; (3) design a plan consistent
with the plan’s objective of implementing appropriate investment strategies (asset allocation); (4)
offer guidance on company stock as a plan option; (5) act as the prudent advisor to the plan
committee; (6) assist the plan sponsor with avoiding conflicts of interest; and (7) review plan
expenses.
The Firm also provides advisory and consulting services to businesses for corporate retirement
plans. The Firm acts as a third-party independent advisor over existing relationships with current
plan providers or may recommend the replacement of existing providers. The Firm does not act
as the plan sponsor or administrator but can identify firms that offer such services.
Individual Consultation
The Firm will consult with individuals or institutional clients on a single-project or ongoing basis
to advise them regarding general economic and investment matters or specific investment
programs. Fees for such services are on an hourly basis, currently at a rate of no more than $500
per hour. Fees for these services may also be charged at a fixed rate of no more than $5,000
annually.