Bridgewater Associates Is the World’s Largest Hedge Fund Firm for Sixth Straight Year, With Assets Up More Than 16 Percent

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwired – May 24, 2016) – The results of Institutional Investor’s Alpha’s 15^th annual Hedge Fund 100 ranking of global hedge fund firms by assets show that although the total assets managed by the 100 largest firms increased over the previous year, they rose by a paltry 1.5 percent, to $1.66 trillion at the beginning of 2016. This compares with the 7.6 percent increase reported last year and a 6 percent rise at the start of 2014.

Still, some firms managed to grow their assets substantially in 2015. This was particularly true of quantitative firms that employ computer-driven strategies. Altogether eight of the 12 largest hedge fund firms now rely mostly or totally on computers to make their investment decisions.

“Computer-based strategies shone in what was otherwise a very challenging year for hedge funds,” says Institutional Investor’s Alpha Editor Michael Peltz. “If the quants can keep up their performance gains, they should continue to attract more than their fair share of new asset flows.”

Raymond Dalio’s Westport, Connecticut-based Bridgewater Associates lands at No. 1 for the sixth straight year, with $104.2 billion under management, up more than 16 percent from $89.6 billion the previous year. Last year Bridgewater’s Pure Alpha II fund rose 4.7 percent, while Pure Alpha Major Markets jumped 10.6 percent. The firm’s much smaller All Weather fund lost 7 percent.

New York-based J.P. Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM), which owns Highbridge Capital Management, is once again the second-largest firm on the ranking, also for the sixth consecutive year, with $50 billion. However, this is down from $59.3 billion the previous year.

Greenwich, Connecticut-based AQR Capital Management ranks third, switching places with New York-based Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, which now lands in fourth place. New York-based Millennium Management rounds out the top five. Non-U.S. firms also had a big year, with 23 of the top 100 firms on this year’s ranking based outside the United States.

To view the Hedge Fund 100 ranking and methodology, visit the 2016 Hedge Fund 100 ranking. To view full ranking results, including additional fund data, assets under management and returns, plus detailed profiles of each firm on the ranking, subscribe.

Bridgewater Associates – The 2016 Hedge Fund 100: Top Ten

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