Hedge funds seek double-digit returns in 2024 after year of outflows

A blistering rally in stocks and elevated bond yields are pressuring global hedge funds to boost returns as they fight to staunch investor outflows, industry insiders say.

Investors have pulled about a net $75 billion from hedge funds so far in 2023 and allocations to the $3.4 trillion industry have slowed, data from Nasdaq eVestment showed. The outflows come on the heels of some $112 billion that left hedge funds last year.

Hedge funds in 2023 averaged a 5.7 per cent return this year through November, according to hedge fund research firm PivotalPath. Strategies focused on equities and credit were the best performers, while macro and managed futures lagged.

In contrast, the S&P 500 is up about 24 per cent this year, as of December 20. Hedge funds are also competing with returns from bond markets, which have perked up thanks to a late-year rally: Bloomberg’s US Aggregate Bond Index has risen 4.88 per cent for the same period.

At the same time, elevated yields across asset classes have bolstered the allure of money markets and other short-term vehicles, where investors can collect around 5 per cent or more with a comparatively low level of risk.

“Some strategies that historically have been very conservative, yielding 5 per cent-6 per cent, are less attractive now because investors can get similar returns in cash,” said Fredrik Langenskiold, senior investment specialist, alternatives at UBP.

Strong performance in a wide range of asset classes puts pressure on hedge funds to boost returns next year. Rebecca Adel, at Societe Generale’s EMEA capital introduction team, said allocators would be seeking double-digit returns in 2024 and are interested in credit, global macro, commodity and equity long/short strategies.

One potential strategy involves funds adopting “barbell” portfolios with corporate and structured-credit hedge funds on one side and macroeconomic hedge funds providing alternative exposure on the other, said James Medeiros, president of Investcorp-Tages, which has “funds of funds” investing in hedge funds and also runs its own trading strategies.

Bond-trading hedge funds may benefit as higher rates increase costs for cash-hungry companies that have bonds and loans due for refinancing.

“You can get sort of equity-like returns on bond products, which is pretty attractive,” said Zhe Shen, managing director of diversifying strategies at TIFF Investment Management, advising endowments and foundations on hedge fund investing. Shen said they had also added macro strategies to portfolios.

The S&P US High Yield Corporate Bond Index is up 10.74 per cent year-to-date.

Others are looking at hedge funds that trade bonds in a range of different strategies: taking long and short positions, packaging up corporate loans into bonds, and trading the relative values between bonds.

“The global picture going forward will be economic weakness, a negative for corporate profits,” said Greenig. “Equity markets could end up in a tug of war between a lift from lower interest rates and a drag from fears about earnings.”