Insights

Moral Hazard In Hedge Fund Fees

Larry Swedroe on how a systematic approach can help mitigate the problem. The typical hedge fund fee structure includes a management fee, calculated as a fixed percentage of a fund’s net asset value, plus an incentive fee, calculated as a percentage of its trading profits. Some hedge funds use both hurdle rates and a high-water-mark…

Financial Calm and Confidence

Manisha Thakor on the importance of building relationships in financial planning. The best financial relationships occur when your wealth advisor is interested not just in investing your money, but in investing in your life. Manisha Thakor on helping clients achieve financial clarity, calm and confidence through the process of true wealth management. By clicking on…

Why Busyness Isn’t Good Business

Tim Maurer asks 12 thought leaders for techniques to stop the cycle of “busyness.” It’s old news that we’re busy and that we wear our busyness as a badge of honor. But a new study found that Americans, in particular, are actually buying it. Specifically, the study concluded that Americans who always say they’re “busy” are actually seen…

When Vice Outperforms Virtue

Larry Swedroe checks the research on socially responsible vs. “vice” investing. Socially responsible investing (SRI) has been referred to as “double-bottom-line” investing. The implication is that investors are seeking not only profitable investments, but investments that meet their personal standards. For instance, some investors don’t want their money to support companies that sell tobacco products,…

Investors Respond to Feedback

Feedback on investment decisions helps improve investor performance: Larry Swedroe unpacks the research. It’s been well documented that, on average, retail investors are “dumb” money. For example, on average, the stocks they buy go on to underperform, and the stocks they sell go on to outperform. Sadly, investors even manage to underperform the very mutual…

Turns Out the “Smart Money” Isn’t

Turns out the “smart money” often isn’t. Larry Swedroe on who, exactly, exploits market anomalies. Institutional investors are generally considered “smart money” that exploits the behavioral biases of “dumb” retail money. However, there have been some holes poked in that idea recently. For instance, Roger Edelen, Ozgur Ince and Gregory Kadlec, authors of the study…

Lessons from 2016

Larry Swedroe covers nine important lessons that the markets taught investors in 2016. Every year, the market provides us with some important lessons on prudent investment strategy. Many times, the market will offer investors remedial courses, covering lessons that it has already delivered in previous years. That’s why one of my favorite sayings is that…

Another Angle On Factor Diversification

Last week, we examined the data (from my new book, “Your Complete Guide to Factor-Based Investing,” which I co-authored with Andrew Berkin) on the odds that the premiums associated with some common investment factors would produce a negative return over various horizons. We then examined how constructing a diversified factor portfolio might impact those odds…