Research

The Hedge Fund 100

Ranking Overview Methodology

The quants ruled the world once again in Institutional Investor’s 17th-annual Hedge Fund 100 ranking of global hedge fund firms by assets. Of the top five firms, four are quantitatively managed, with one of them — Greenwich, Connecticut-based AQR Capital Management — growing its assets by a stunning $20 billion, or 29 percent. Renaissance Technologies grew its assets by 35.7 percent, to $57 billion, bumping it up to No. 3 in the rankings this year, while Two Sigma’s assets increased by 33.4 percent, to $52 billion.

Last year’s strong performance gains undoubtedly played a role in bumping up the total capital managed by the top 100 hedge fund firms. This group controlled $1.73 trillion in hedge fund assets at the start of 2018, a nearly 5 percent gain over the previous year’s total.

For the 2018 Hedge Fund 100, we provide each manager’s total hedge fund assets under management as of January 1, 2018, unless otherwise indicated. Where possible, we also show assets at the individual fund level, with net returns for two years and since inception, and 2017 fund capital as reported last year. The ranking last year was based on capital as of January 1, 2017, unless otherwise noted.

Asset totals reflect internally run, single-manager hedge funds and separate accounts, including long-only funds that charge hedge-fund-style fees; they exclude funds of hedge funds, overlay accounts, funds managed by third parties, mutual funds and traditional long-only money, dynamic money market funds, assets in collateralized debt and bond obligations, private equity and venture capital. We gathered data through questionnaires completed by hedge fund managers, supplemented by extensive staff research. To request a questionnaire for next year’s Hedge Fund 100 ranking, please e-mail your contact details to hedgefundrankings@iimagazine.com.

The below firms’ assets under management are as of 12/31/17:

  • BlackRock
  • Goldman Sachs Asset Mgmt
  • Paulson & Co.
  • Pershing Square Capital Mgmt
  • Trian Fund Mgmt

The below firms’ assets under management are as of 1/2/18:

  • BlueMountain Capital Mgmt
  • Brevan Howard Capital Mgmt
  • CarVal Investors
  • Caxton Associates
  • Egerton Capital
  • Eminence Capital
  • Maverick Capital
  • Moore Capital Mgmt
  • Systematica Investments
  • Third Point

Maverick Capital AUM includes private funds and funds of funds. Hillhouse Capital Group’s AUM is estimated.

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