Practical Applications of A Performance Update—Hedge Funds versus Hedged Mutual Funds: An Examination of Equity Long—Short Funds

Practical Applications

In A Performance Update—Hedge Funds versus Hedged Mutual Funds: An Examination of Equity Long–Short Funds. from the Fall 2020 issue of The Journal of Alternative Investments, authors David F. McCarthy (of D. F. McCarthy LLC in Stockbridge, MA) and Brian M. Wong (an independent consultant in Mamaroneck, NY) extend the research McCarthy began in 2014. At that time, McCarthy studied equity long–short mutual funds and compared them to hedge funds that use long–short strategies. He found that long–short mutual funds offered performance and equity exposures similar to those of hedge funds—but since the available data came from a short time period (January 2008—June 2013), the findings were preliminary.

In the current study, McCarthy and Wong update the 2014 study with data through December 2019. They find that long–short funds still offer lower volatility and equity exposures similar to those of hedge funds. However, long–short funds perform slightly worse than hedge funds and much worse than the S&P 500 Index. They also generate negative alpha—and no individual long–short fund generated positive alpha during the study period. This is important information for financial advisors to share with clients who are interested in equity long–short funds.