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Do Funds-of-Funds Deserve Their Fees-on-Fees?

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  • Andrew Ang
  • Matthew Rhodes-Kropf
  • Rui Zhao

Abstract

Since the after-fee returns of funds-of-funds are, on average, lower than hedge fund returns, it is easy to conclude that funds-of-funds do not add value compared to hedge funds. However, funds-of-funds should not be evaluated relative to hedge fund returns in publicly reported databases. Instead, the correct fund-of-funds benchmark is the set of direct hedge fund investments an investor could achieve on her own without recourse to funds-of-funds. We use asset allocation concepts to estimate characteristics of the fund-of-funds benchmark distribution. Since the benchmark characteristics are reasonable, we conclude that funds-of-funds, on average, deserve their fees-on-fees.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Ang & Matthew Rhodes-Kropf & Rui Zhao, 2008. "Do Funds-of-Funds Deserve Their Fees-on-Fees?," NBER Working Papers 13944, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:13944
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    1. Vikas Agarwal, 2004. "Risks and Portfolio Decisions Involving Hedge Funds," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 17(1), pages 63-98.
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    Cited by:

    1. Han, Min-Yeon & Jun, Sang-Gyung & Oh, Ji Yeol Jimmy & Kang, Hyoung-Goo, 2023. "Who should choose the money managers? Institutional sponsors' equity manager performance," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Nicolae Gârleanu & Lasse Heje Pedersen, 2018. "Efficiently Inefficient Markets for Assets and Asset Management," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 73(4), pages 1663-1712, August.
    3. Aleksandar Andonov & Roman Kräussl & Joshua Rauh, 2018. "The Subsidy to Infrastructure as an Asset Class," NBER Working Papers 25045, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Ang, Andrew & Gorovyy, Sergiy & van Inwegen, Gregory B., 2011. "Hedge fund leverage," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 102-126, October.
    5. Adam L. Aiken & Christopher P. Clifford & Jesse Ellis, 2015. "The Value of Funds of Hedge Funds: Evidence from Their Holdings," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(10), pages 2415-2429, October.
    6. Agarwal, Vikas & Kale, Jayant R., 2007. "On the relative performance of multi-strategy and funds of hedge funds," CFR Working Papers 07-11, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    7. Cui, Wei & Yao, Juan, 2020. "Funds of hedge funds: Are they really the high society for little guys?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 346-361.
    8. Joenväärä, Juha & Kauppila, Mikko & Kahra, Hannu, 2021. "Hedge fund portfolio selection with fund characteristics," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    9. Yang CAO & Joseph P. OGDEN & Cristian I. TIU, 2011. "Who Benefits From Funds Of Hedge Funds? A Critique Of Alternative Organizational Structures In The Hedge Fund Industry (I)," Business Excellence and Management, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 1(1), pages 19-36, December.
    10. Zhe Chen & F Douglas Foster & David R Gallagher & Adrian D Lee, 2013. "Does portfolio emulation outperform its target funds?," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 38(2), pages 401-427, August.
    11. Harris, Robert S. & Jenkinson, Tim & Kaplan, Steven N. & Stucke, Ruediger, 2018. "Financial intermediation in private equity: How well do funds of funds perform?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(2), pages 287-305.
    12. Agarwal, Vikas & Nada, Vikram & Ray, Sugata, 2013. "Institutional investment and intermediation in the hedge fund industry," CFR Working Papers 13-03, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    13. Zhe Chen & F. Douglas Foster & David R. Gallagher & Adrian D. Lee & Steven Cahan, 2015. "A model of emulation funds," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 55(3), pages 717-748, September.
    14. Daniel Edelman & William Fung & David Hsieh & Narayan Naik, 2012. "Funds of hedge funds: performance, risk and capital formation 2005 to 2010," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 26(1), pages 87-108, March.
    15. Agarwal, Vikas & Lu, Yan & Ray, Sugata, 2014. "Under one roof: A study of simultaneously managed hedge funds and funds of hedge funds," CFR Working Papers 14-13, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    16. Agarwal, Vikas & Aragon, George O. & Shi, Zhen, 2015. "Funding liquidity risk of funds of hedge funds: Evidence from their holdings," CFR Working Papers 15-12, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    17. Vikas Agarwal & Yan Lu & Sugata Ray, 2016. "Under One Roof: A Study of Simultaneously Managed Hedge Funds and Funds of Hedge Funds," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(3), pages 722-740, March.
    18. Nadège Ribau-Peltre & Pascal Damel & An Lethi, 2018. "A methodology to avoid over-diversification of funds of equity funds An implementation case study for equity funds of funds in bull markets," Post-Print hal-03027770, HAL.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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