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Journal of Finance Vol. 76 No. 4 2021

Asset Managers: Institutional Performance and Factor Exposures

Joseph Gerakos; Juhani T. Linnainmaa1; Adair Morse

1 Dartmouth College

Abstract

Using data on $18 trillion of assets under management, we show that actively managed institutional accounts outperformed strategy benchmarks by 75 (31) bps on a gross (net) basis during the period 2000 to 2012. Estimates from a Sharpe model imply that asset managers' outperformance came from factor exposures. If institutions had instead implemented mean‐variance efficient portfolios using index and institutional mutual funds available during the sample period, they would not have earned higher Sharpe ratios. Our results are consistent with the average asset manager having skill, managers competing for institutional capital, and institutions engaging in costly search to identify skilled managers.

DOI
10.1111/jofi.13026
Volume
76
Issue
4
Pages
2035-2075
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib crossref openalex

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