Alternative Investments: a Primer for Investment Professionals
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS: A PRIMER FOR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS Donald R. Chambers, CAIA Keith H. Black, CFA, CAIA Nelson J. Lacey, CFA ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS: A PRIMER FOR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS Donald R. Chambers, CAIA Keith H. Black, CFA, CAIA Nelson J. Lacey, CFA Statement of Purpose CFA Institute Research Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established to promote the development and dissemination of relevant research for investment practitioners worldwide. Neither CFA Institute Research Foundation, CFA Institute, nor the publication’s editorial staff is responsible for facts and opinions presented in this publication. This publication reflects the views of the author(s) and does not represent the official views of CFA Institute Research Foundation. CFA®, Chartered Financial Analyst®, and GIPS® are just a few of the trademarks owned by CFA Institute. To view a list of CFA Institute trademarks and the Guide for the Use of CFA Institute Marks, please visit our website at www.cfainstitute.org. © 2018 CAIA Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Cover Image Photo Credit: Juice Images/Getty Images ISBN 978-1-944960-37-7 Editorial Staff Mary-Kate Hines Tracy Dinning Assistant Editor Senior Publishing Technology Specialist Contents 1. Introduction to Alternative Investing .................................................. 1 1.1. Purpose and Scope of the Book ............................................ 1 1.2. An Overview of Alternative Assets ....................................... 1 1.3. The History of Alternative Investing ..................................... 4 1.4. Distinguishing Characteristics and Methods of Alternative Investing.............................................................. 5 1.5. Two Pillars of Portfolio Oversight ......................................... 6 1.6. Informational Market Efficiency and “Efficient Inefficiency” .... 8 1.7. An Overview of the Purposes of Investing in Alternative Investments......................................................... 10 1.8. Organization of the Book ..................................................... 11 2. The Ecology of Alternative Investments ............................................. 12 2.1. Key Contributors ................................................................... 12 2.2. Key Elements ........................................................................ 13 2.3. Key Regulations .................................................................... 15 2.4. Other Key Terms ................................................................... 17 3. Introduction to Hedge Funds ............................................................. 20 3.1. Overview of Hedge Funds .................................................... 20 3.2. Hedge Fund Structures ........................................................ 21 3.3. Hedge Fund Liquidity ........................................................... 22 3.4. Terms of Hedge Fund Investments ....................................... 24 3.5. The Option-Like Nature and Moral Hazard of Incentive Fees........................................................................ 25 3.6. Hedge Fund Governance ..................................................... 27 3.7. Conclusion ............................................................................ 27 4. Hedge Fund Strategies ....................................................................... 28 4.1. Classifying Hedge Fund Strategies ....................................... 28 4.2. Macro and Managed Futures Funds ..................................... 29 4.3. Event-Driven Hedge Funds .................................................. 31 4.4. Relative-Value Funds ............................................................ 33 4.5. Equity Hedge Funds ............................................................. 36 4.6. Conclusion ............................................................................ 37 5. Accessing Multiple Hedge Fund Strategies ........................................ 39 5.1. Diversifying across Managers and Strategies........................ 39 5.2. Due Diligence on Numerous Single Hedge Funds ............... 40 5.3. Direct Investment Program .................................................. 41 5.4. Netting of Incentive Fees ...................................................... 42 5.5. Funds of Funds ..................................................................... 42 5.6. Multistrategy Funds .............................................................. 44 5.7. Hedge Fund Indexes ............................................................. 45 5.8. Conclusion ............................................................................ 47 6. Introduction to Real Assets ................................................................. 48 6.1. The Key Attributes of Real Assets .......................................... 48 6.2. Accessing Real Assets ........................................................... 50 6.3. Valuation of Real Assets and Smoothed Returns.................. 52 6.4. Raw Land .............................................................................. 52 6.5. Farmland .............................................................................. 53 6.6. Timber .................................................................................. 54 6.7. Infrastructure ........................................................................ 55 6.8. Intellectual Property ............................................................. 56 6.9. Conclusion ............................................................................ 57 7. Real Assets: Commodities ................................................................... 59 7.1. Overview of Commodity Investing ....................................... 59 7.2. Potential Benefits of Commodities ....................................... 62 7.3. Economic Reasoning regarding Expected Commodity Returns................................................................................... 63 7.4. Empirical Evidence regarding Commodity Returns .............. 65 7.5. Access to Commodities with Futures Contracts ................... 66 7.6. Commodity Returns and Sources of Returns ........................ 68 8. Private Real Estate and Illiquidity ........................................................ 70 8.1. Types of Private Real Estate ................................................... 70 8.2. The Challenges of Illiquidity ................................................. 71 8.3. Real Estate Valuation Approaches ........................................ 72 8.4. Relying on Appraisals and Market Values ............................. 72 8.5. Economic Reasoning and the Illiquidity of Private Investments........................................................................... 74 8.6. Internal Rate of Return as a Measure of Performance .......... 75 8.7. Aspects That Discourage Allocations to Private Real Estate ... 77 8.8. Pooled Access to Direct Real Estate ...................................... 78 8.9. Conclusion ............................................................................ 79 9. Private Equity ...................................................................................... 80 9.1. Types of Private Equity .......................................................... 80 9.2. Equity Types of Private Equity: Venture Capital and Leveraged Buyouts................................................................ 81 9.3. Debt Securities as Private Equity .......................................... 82 9.4. Access to Private Equity ........................................................ 82 9.5. Private Equity Fund Fees ...................................................... 86 9.6. Challenges of Internal Rate of Return ................................... 87 9.7. The J-Curve ........................................................................... 88 9.8. Key Sources of Returns from Private Equity .......................... 90 9.9. Conclusion ............................................................................ 91 10. Financial Derivatives ......................................................................... 92 10.1. Motivations for Using Derivatives ....................................... 92 10.2. Options, Futures, Forwards, and Swaps .............................. 94 10.3. Structured Products ........................................................... 95 10.4. Volatility Products ............................................................... 96 10.5. The Greeks .......................................................................... 100 10.6. Aggregation of Risks to the Portfolio Level ........................ 101 10.7. Conclusion .......................................................................... 102 11. Structured Products: Collateralized Debt Obligations ...................... 103 11.1. Overview ...........................................................................