We study whether mutual funds systematically manage the downside risk of their portfolios in ways that improve their performance. We find that actively managed mutual funds on average possess positive downside-risk-timing ability. Managers adjust funds’ downside risk exposure in response to macroeconomic information; however, downside-risk-timing skills remain strong even after controlling for macro variables. Funds more skilled in timing downside risk outperform those that are not by 14.3 bp per month (or 1.73% annualized) unconditionally and by 39.9 bp per month (or 4.89% annualized) during recessions; they also attract larger flows. Received September 11, 2016; editorial decision Januaruy 08, 2018 by Editor Wayne Ferson.