The U.S. Latino population is a lucrative demographic group.

In fact, if it was its own country, the U.S. Latino cohort would have the fifth-largest economy in the world, according to the 2022 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report from the Latino Donor Collaborative.

"It's an incredibly powerful demographic for both institutions and investors to be a part of," Josean Fernandez, director of national accounts at Ariel Investments, told Yahoo Finance Live (video above).

In less than a decade, U.S. Latino GDP has grown by $1 trillion, reaching $2.8 trillion in 2020. Its growth rate has surpassed that of the broader U.S. economy, while the average income for the Latino community over the past decade has increased an average of 4.1% per year compared to 2.1% for non-Latinos.

Latinos leading in most industries

The Hispanic/Latino population has been a driving force for many industries.

Latino-owned businesses generated 2.9 million jobs in 2019. As of 2020, the finance, insurance, and real estate industry made up the largest share of Latino economic activity, according to LDC, generating $459.7 billion.

"At the end of the day, we know very keenly at this junction that investing in diverse managers, investing in diverse perspectives can lead to outperformance," Fernandez said. "And there's certainly value there. And institutions certainly have a role to play here."

There's also a financial argument to be made. A study by the Boston Consulting Group found that companies with a diverse workforce are likely to generate 19% more revenue than before.

"They can invest in emerging managers, whether it be on the public side, whether it be on the private side," Fernandez said. "On the private side, you've seen venture capital firms really start to grow within the emerging managers section, as well as private equity and private credit. There's a tremendous amount of opportunity."

'A powerful economic engine for our country'

The LDC report found that 2020, in particular, was an "exceptional" year for the U.S. Latino population.