Global Equity Fund Performance, Portfolio Concentration, and the Fundamental Law of Active Management

Posted: 13 Feb 2011

See all articles by Joop Huij

Joop Huij

Erasmus University - Rotterdam School of Management; Robeco; Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

Jeroen Derwall

Maastricht University - European Centre for Corporate Engagement; Maastricht University - Department of Finance; Utrecht University - School of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: February, 11 2011

Abstract

This paper investigates the relation between portfolio concentration and the performance of global equity funds. Concentrated funds with higher levels of tracking error display better performance than their more broadly diversified counterparts. We show that the observed relation between portfolio concentration and performance is mostly driven by the breadth of the underlying fund strategies; not just by fund managers’ willingness to take big bets. Our results indicate that when investors strive to select the best performing funds, they should not only consider fund managers’ tracking error levels. It is of greater importance that they take into account the extent to which fund managers carefully allocate their risk budget across multiple investment strategies and have concentrated holdings in multiple market segments simultaneously.

Keywords: global fund performance, portfolio concentration, active management

JEL Classification: G11, G12, G14

Suggested Citation

Huij, Joop and Derwall, Jeroen and Derwall, Jeroen, Global Equity Fund Performance, Portfolio Concentration, and the Fundamental Law of Active Management (February, 11 2011). Journal of Banking and Finance, Vol. 35, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1759868

Joop Huij (Contact Author)

Erasmus University - Rotterdam School of Management ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
Rotterdam, 3000 DR
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.rsm.nl/jhuij

Robeco

Rotterdam, 3014DA
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.robeco.com/

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

P.O. Box 1738
Rotterdam, 3000 DR
Netherlands

Jeroen Derwall

Maastricht University - European Centre for Corporate Engagement ( email )

FEBA
Tongersestraat 53
Maastricht, Limburg 6200MD
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.corporate-engagement.com/

Maastricht University - Department of Finance ( email )

Maastricht, 6200 MD
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.fdewb.unimaas.nl/finance/?page=member&id=175

Utrecht University - School of Economics ( email )

Kriekenpitplein 21-22
Adam Smith Building
Utrecht, +31 30 253 7373 3584 EC
Netherlands

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