Digital Assets Report

Newsletter

Like this article?

Sign up to our free newsletter

Hedge funds lower fees as Fed raises rates

Related Topics

Hedge fund liquidations increased in the fourth quarter even as the industry surpassed the USD3 trillion milestone, bringing the number of closed funds for 2016 to the highest level since 2008.

Hedge fund liquidations increased to 275 in Q4, rising from 252 in the prior quarter, though falling from the 305 funds liquidated in Q4 2015, according to the latest HFR Market Microstructure Report, released today by HFR.
 
For the full year 2016, liquidations totalled 1,057, surpassing the 1,023 liquidations from 2009, though falling well short of the record of 1,471 liquidations from 2008.
 
As previously reported by HFR, total hedge fund industry capital increased to a record of USD3.02 trillion to end 2016, surpassing the previous record of USD2.97 trillion from the prior quarter. The total number of hedge funds, including fund of hedge funds, declined to 9,803.
 
New launches totalled 153 in Q4, down from 170 in the prior quarter and 183 in Q4 2015. The number of launches in the fourth quarter represents the lowest quarterly total since Q1 2009 and marks the fifth consecutive quarter of net contraction in the overall number of funds. New launches totalled 729 in 2016, a steep decline from the 968 launches in 2015.
 
Average management and incentive fees declined narrowly in Q4 2016 over the prior quarter. The average hedge fund management fee fell to 1.48 per cent in 4Q, a decline of 1 basis point (bps), while the average incentive fee fell 10 bps to 17.4 per cent. The average management fee for funds launched in 2016 fell to 1.33 per cent, declining from 1.6 per cent for 2015 launches. The average incentive fee for funds launched in 2016 declined to 17.71 per cent, down 4 bps from 2015 fund launches.
 
HFRI performance dispersion increased for both 4Q and 2016. The top decile of HFRI performance gained an average of +13.73 per cent in 4Q, while the bottom decile declined -10.1 per cent, falling from averages of +14.77 and -7.1 per cent, respectively, in 3Q16. For the full year 2016,  the top HFRI decile averaged a +32.7 per cent return, an increase from +20.3 per cent in 2015, while the bottom decile fell an average of -15.5 per cent, increasing from -25.1 per cent in 2015. Dispersion between the top and bottom HFRI deciles slightly increased to 48.2 per cent in 2016, up from the 45.1 per cent dispersion in 2015. The HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index gained 5.5 per cent in 2016.
 
“Hedge fund liquidations in 2016 surpassed the post-Financial Crisis peak despite total industry capital surpassing the USD3 trillion milestone, underscoring the shifting investor risk tolerance and steadily increasing concentration of investor capital in mid-to-large hedge fund firms,” says Kenneth J Heinz (pictured), president of HFR. “The hedge fund industry fee structure continues the process of evolving to meet increased investor demands, as well as persistently low, albeit increasing, level of interest rates. Continuation of the process of macroeconomic normalisation is likely to drive strong performance across a wide range of strategies in 2017.”   

Like this article? Sign up to our free newsletter

Most Popular

Further Reading

Featured