04/03/2011
More hedge funds launched than closed in 2010
New hedge fund launches continued at a steady pace through the end of 2010, as new fund offerings outpaced fund liquidations for the first time since 2007, according to data released by HFR Hedge Fund Research. New hedge fund launches totaled 935 in 2010, topping each of the prior two years and completing the best year for launches since 2007, when nearly 1,200 new hedge funds launched. The fourth quarter saw 220 new funds launched, completing a strong calendar year despite being the second lowest quarterly launch total in the last six quarters. Hedge fund liquidations totaled 743 in 2010, the fewest since 2007 and nearly half of the record calendar year liquidation total of 1,471 set in 2008. The fourth quarter saw only 158 funds liquidate, the lowest total since 4Q07 and only approximately 20 percent of the record total of 778 funds which liquidated two years earlier in the volatile 4Q08. Performance dispersion between the best the worst performing hedge funds also narrowed considerably in 2010 from the staggering levels of 2008 and 2009, with only 58 percentage points of performance separating the average of the top and bottom deciles of hedge fund industry returns for the year. Finally, average hedge fund incentive fees continued to decline, falling to 18.95 percent industry wide, the lowest level since HFR began tracking aggregate industry fee structure; average management fees were unchanged at 1.58 percent.
