The Coronation Multi-Strategy Arbitrage Fund took the prestigious Fund of the Year award at the eighth annual HedgeNews Africa Awards, presented at a gala dinner at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town in Cape Town last night (February 16).
The Coronation Multi-Strategy Arbitrage Fund also won the award for the best South African multi-strategy fund, returning 30.42% with a Sharpe ratio of 6.25.
In the South African equities category, the Ashburton Dynamic Equity Hedge Fund took the trophy, returning 15.12% on a Sharpe ratio of 1.07 in a tough year for equity long/short funds globally and during which the JSE All Share Index added just 2.6% on a total return basis.
Amongst South African market-neutral and quantitative funds, the Abax Bao NCIS Market Neutral RIF was a clear leader, with a stellar gain of 20.97% on a Sharpe ratio of 3.45.
The winner amongst South African fixed income hedge funds was Nautilus AcuityOne RHF, with a 12-month return of 19.67% on a Sharpe of 2.23.
In specialist strategies there were two winners from different strategy areas – the Chrysalis Credit Arbitrage Fund (return 11.54%, Sharpe 10.09) and the Westbrooke Capital Management Special Opportunities Fund (return 11.01%, Sharpe 0.7).
Amongst pan Africa portfolios, the Sustainable Capital Africa Alpha Fund was a clear leader, gaining 49.52% on a Sharpe ratio of 1.7.
The Fund of Hedge Funds – Multi-Strategy award went to Investment Solutions Caveo Stable QI HFoF (return 8.51%, Sharpe 0.89) while the Fund of Hedge Funds – Fixed Income trophy was awarded to Edge RCIS Picador Fixed Income QI Hedge Fund (return 12.23%, Sharpe 2.89).
The New Fund of the Year award, which looks at funds launched within the past 12-23 months, went to the Peregrine Capital Flexible Yield H4 QI Hedge Fund (return 20.41%, Sharpe 1.17).
The Long-Term Awards, judged over three and ×ve years, also brought an impressive array of contenders, with the threeyear single-manager trophy going to Corion Prosperitas NCIS RIF Hedge Fund (annualised return 19.49%, annualised Sharpe 2.24) and the five-year single-manager trophy going to Peregrine Capital High Growth H4 QI Hedge Fund (annualised return 25.59%, annualised Sharpe 2.57).
Amongst fund of funds, the winner of the three-year award was Edge RCIS Matador II QI Hedge Fund (annualised return 9.3%, annualised Sharpe 0.75), while Old Mutual Multi-Managers Long Short Equity FoHF was the victor over five years (annualised return 13.83%, Sharpe1.49).
In total, 60 nominations were given across 14 categories, with multiple nominations for 2016 performance across strategy areas going to Acanthin, Corion Capital, Coronation Fund Managers, Fairtree Capital, Edge Capital, Old Mutual, Novare, Peregrine Capital, Polar Star Management and X-Chequer Fund Management.
The awards recognise the best risk-adjusted returns of alternative strategies and hedge funds in South Africa and the broader Africa region each calendar year, based on an established methodology and independently verified data submitted to the HedgeNews Africa database, the region’s leading independent publisher focused on the hedge fund and alternative asset management industries.
“The winners of this 2016 HedgeNews Africa Awards have again demonstrated that alternative strategies have an important role to play in investor portfolios, with skilled fund managers delivering strong risk-adjusted returns in a year where fund managers were repeatedly challenged by unpredictable global outcomes that affected the markets and unsettled investors,” said Gwyneth Roberts, editor of HedgeNews Africa. “The South African hedge fund market in particular is at an exciting juncture as regulated retail and qualified funds become available to a broader range of investors
looking for capital growth and protection.”
Attended by the industry’s leading fund managers and investors, the annual awards are hosted in partnership with leading service providers to the industry, namely Investec Prime Broking, RMB Prime Broking, Absa Capital, Deutsche Bank, Peregrine Securities and SANNE.
Final nominations – January 2017
The final nominations for the 2016 HedgeNews Africa Awards reflect an impressive array of funds that expertly navigated 2016’s unpredictable trading conditions.
Despite the market volatility, which was exacerbated by heightened political risks globally and domestically, many funds performed admirably, delivering strong returns for the 12-month period.
For the calendar year, the HedgeNews Africa South African Single Manager Composite added a median 5.27%, while the JSE All Share Index returned 2.63% on a total return basis. The HedgeNews Africa Single Manager Composite, which includes pan-Africa mandates, gained 3.25% for the year.
By category, South African ×xed income funds were the strongest during the year, while multi-strategy mandates also did well. Equity strategies were under pressure, however, with market-neutral and quantitative mandates in positive territory while long/short funds as a group were negative.
Within each category, however, there are standout performers, who have delivered exemplary returns.
Now in their eighth year, the HedgeNews Africa Awards are based on calendar-year returns of funds that submit their data to our database each month.
The Awards will be presented at a gala dinner in Cape Town on February 16.
Awards Methodology
To qualify for a nomination, funds must average a minimum of $10 million, or R80 million, in assets under management throughout the calendar year. Exceptions are made in the new fund category, which allows for lower AUMs and considers funds with a track record of 12-23 months (with the award based on calendar-year returns) and the long-term awards, for
which higher minimums apply.
Nominations are based on an established quantitative methodology in an effort to judge the best risk-adjusted returns, with the award ultimately going to the fund with the highest return provided its Sharpe ratio is within 25% of the top Sharpe among the nominees in each category.
Exceptions are made in categories that combine different strategy areas, where other quantitative criteria may need to be applied.
Funds submitting monthly returns to our database are automatically considered for the Awards. New funds can submit data to data@hedgenewsafrica.com before the end of November.
Data used in deciding the awards will be independently examined by eComply Consultants.
Final nominations
Long/short equity
Acanthin House Hedge Fund
Ashburton Dynamic Equity Hedge Fund
Peregrine Capital Dynamic Alpha H4 QI Hedge Fund
X-Chequer IDS Flexible Long Short QI Hedge Fund
X-Chequer IDS Long Short Retail Hedge Fund
Winner: Ashburton Dynamic Equity Hedge Fund
Market neutral and quantitative
Abax Bao NCIS Market Neutral RIF
Peregrine Capital Pure Hedge H4 Q1 Hedge Fund
X-Chequer IDS Market Neutral QI Hedge Fund
Winner: Abax Bao NCIS Market Neutral RIF
Fixed income
Abax Fixed Interest Fund
KADD Validus IDS QI Hedge Fune
Matrix Fixed Income Fund
Nautilus AcuityOne RHF
Winner: Nautilus AcuityOne RHF
Multi-strategy
Blue Quadrant Capital Growth Percent RI Fund
Corion Gravitas NCIS RIF Hedge Fund
Coronation Multi-Strategy Arbitrage Fund
Peregrine Capital Flexible Yield H4 Q1 Hedge Fund
Winner: Coronation Multi-Strategy Arbitrage Fund
Specialist strategies
Chrysalis Credit Arbitrage Fund
Creditsmith Specialised Opportunities Fund
Westbrooke Capital Management Special Opportunities Fund
Winner: Chrysalis Credit Arbitrage Fund and Westbrooke Capital Management Special Opportunities Fund
Pan Africa
Coronation All Africa Fund
Old Mutual Pan African Fund
Sanlam Africa Equity Fund
Sustainable Capital Africa Alpha Fund
Winner: Sustainable Capital Africa Alpha Fund
Fund of Hedge Funds – Multi-strategy
27four Fortress Fund
Investment Solutions Caveo Stable QI HFoF
Momentum ZAR Diversi×ed Fund
Novare Mayibentsha Market Neutral Quali×ed FoHF
Winner: Investment Solutions Caveo Stable QI HFoF
Fund of Hedge Funds – Fixed income
Blue Ink SCI Yield Trading Quali×ed FoHF
Edge RCIS Picador Fixed Income QI Hedge Fund
TriAlpha IDS Enhanced Fixed Income QI FoHF
Winner: Edge RCIS Picador Fixed Income QI Hedge Fund
Three-year Performance – Single-Manager
Catalyst Alpha Prescient QI Hedge Fund
Corion Prosperitas NCIS RIF Hedge Fund
Fairtree Assegai Equity Long Short IDS QI Hedge Fund
Peregrine Capital High Growth H4 QI Hedge Fund
Polar Star IDS QI Hedge Fund
Winner: Corion Prosperitas NCIS RIF Hedge Fund
Three-year Performance – FoHFs
Alpha Prime Equity Quali×ed Investor FoHF
Blue Ink SCI Yield Trading Quali×ed FoHF
Edge RCIS Matador II QI Hedge Fund
Novare Mayibentsha Core Quali×ed FoHF
Rosebank Wealth Group Long/Short Hedged Equity Fund
Winner: Edge RCIS Matador II QI Hedge Fund
Five-year Performance – Single-Manager
Alt Re IDS Select Opportunity QI Hedge Fund
Catalyst Alpha Prescient QI Hedge Fund
Fairtree Wild Fig Multi Asset Class Fund
Peregrine Capital High Growth H4 QI Hedge Fund
Polar Star IDS QI Hedge Fund
Winner: Peregrine Capital High Growth H4 QI Hedge Fund
Five-year Performance – FoHFs
Alpha Prime Equity Quali×ed Investor FoHF
Edge RCIS Matador II QI Hedge Fund
Investment Solutions Caveo Focus QI HFoF
Old Mutual Multi-Managers Long Short Equity FoHF
Rosebank Wealth Group Long/Short Hedged Equity Fund
Winner: Old Mutual Multi-Managers Long Short Equity FoHF
New Fund of the Year
Acanthin House Hedge Fund
Corion Gravitas NCIS RIF Hedge Fund
Numus Prescient RI Hedge Fund
Peregrine Capital Flexible Yield H4 QI Hedge Fund
Winner: Peregrine Capital Flexible Yield H4 QI Hedge Fund
Fund of the Year
Abax Bao NCIS Market Neutral RIF
Acanthin House Hedge Fund
Coronation Multi-Strategy Arbitrage Fund
Nautilus AcuityOne RHF
X-Chequer IDS Flexible Long Short QI Hedge Fund
X-Chequer IDS Market Neutral QI Hedge Fund
Winner: Coronation Multi-Strategy Arbitrage Fund