Research Publications Archive

US Mid- to Large-Cap Equity Manager Performance

For the sixth straight year, the majority of active mid- to large-cap managers underperformed in 2019, with 62.0% lagging the benchmark (gross of fees). This chart book is our annual summary of the absolute and relative performance of managers that report to our database.

Annual Review of Endowments: Fiscal Year 2019

This report summarizes returns, investment policy, asset allocation, and related trends for 319 endowed institutions. Included are exhibits on asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, and uncalled capital commitments. The analysis is broken down by size of assets under management and by institution type. The report also contains sections on investment…

Structuring Healthcare System Investments for Success

Healthcare systems can benefit greatly by maximizing equity orientation and illiquidity while prudently managing risk. But a typical healthcare system may have investment assets in multiple accounts, due to mergers & acquisitions, capital projects, and fundraising, as well as operational and pension benefit growth. Investments can be curated—identified, categorized, and clustered—for optimal efficiency and cost savings. Similarly, defined benefit pension plans can be restructured to better manage pension risk and administration. This paper discusses strategies to simplify and streamline investment structures to make complexity more manageable for investment and financial executives.

Are You Expecting Another “Tech Wreck” Like 20 Years Ago?

No, we doubt the equity market’s heightened tech concentration will trigger an imminent correction. Rather, tech stocks’ outsized weighting reflects their superior growth and free cash flow this cycle. Amid a lackluster macroeconomic backdrop, historically low discount rates have boosted the appeal of the most profitable and liquid segment of the global equity universe, namely…

College and University Investment Pool Returns: Fiscal Year 2019

This study is based on a survey that Cambridge Associates (CA) administers annually to our college and university clients. The report that follows summarizes returns, asset allocation, and other investment-related data for 164 institutions for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019. Included in this year’s report are commentary and exhibits spread across six separate sections.