Carlsbad, CA Fleet Street Office

10 Star Asset Management is a small, supported investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals (including high-net-worth clients), trusts, estates, IRAs and a limited number of pension/profit-sharing plans. The firm reports managing approximately $33.4 million in client assets and delivers continuous portfolio supervision under a percentage-of-assets advisory arrangement billed quarterly.

The firm’s investment process relies heavily on licensed S&P MarketScope research and S&P’s STARS recommendations combined with a Fair Value quantitative ranking to select primarily common stocks, with index ETFs used for diversification. For income-oriented accounts 10 Star writes covered calls and, when appropriate for more aggressive mandates, may employ uncovered put options to enhance income; accounts are custodyed through Fidelity and managed on a discretionary basis.

Distinctive aspects include the licensed, primary use of S&P proprietary model portfolios as an integral research input and the firm’s explicit use of uncovered put strategies for enhanced income, a higher-risk tactic less common among similarly sized advisers. The adviser operates with a small two-advisor team led by its principal who serves as chief investment officer, maintains a written Code of Ethics addressing personal trading and proxy voting, and does not charge performance-based fees.