Convergence Launches the Fund Expense Practices Analyzer Service
Redding, CT (PRWEB) September 30, 2014 -- Convergence, a provider of database, custom research and advisory services to the alternative asset manager industry, announced the launch of its Fund Expense Practices Analyzer service. According to the company, the product is based on expense disclosures sourced from over 10,000 registered investment advisors that are normalized, categorized and grouped by manager type, primary investment strategy and size. The product provides empirical data that gives Advisors and Investors a view on common and uncommon expense disclosures and their use by advisors and peers. The expense disclosure database is updated with every new brochure and Customers will receive updates annually, or more frequently based on the service level purchased.
“The release of the Fund Expense Analyzer is quite timely in light of CALPERS announcement to reduce the Plan’s stake in Hedge and Fund of Fund Advisors,” said John Phinney, Convergence’s Co-Managing Partner. In a recent CALPERS press release, Ted Eliopoulos, interim Chief Investment Officer at CalPERS stated, “One of our fundamental investment principles is that cost matters,” noting that hedge funds are “an expensive investment vehicle, especially at our scale.”
According to Convergence’s George Evans, “Our data confirms CALPERS view on expenses and shows large differences between the types of expenses disclosed by Advisors of similar sizes and types. For example, while 92 percent of all advisors disclose Fund Accounting and Administration expenses, only 3 percent disclose Risk Management. At the Strategy level, Multi-Strategy advisors disclose 46 unique expense categories, the most of any of the 30 investment strategies tracked by Convergence, resulting in the greatest differential between the median and maximum expense category count within a strategy.”
“Investors using the tool should be able to engage their managers in a more complete conversation about the management fees they pay and the expenses they may expect to incur, relative to what other advisors may be charging,” notes Phinney.
About Convergence
Convergence provides analytical data, benchmarking, custom research and advisory services to the Alternative Asset Management industry. The firm’s data is unique because it is enriched by subject matter experts and provides best practices based on carefully selected peers. Convergence focuses on a manager's infrastructure including fund and management company accounting, investment operations, risk management, marketing materials, investor relations, tax, compliance, technology and service providers. Clients include asset managers, administrators, audit firms, financial technology firms, investment management consultants, prime brokers, custodians, investors, compliance firms, recruiting firms, colleges and universities and individual research. The Convergence approach creates value for clients by helping them research, understand infrastructure expenses, identify opportunities to increase market share, ensure practices are consistent with best in class peers, select service providers that best support strategic business goals, enhance investor due diligence efforts, perform difficult custom research and provide ongoing education. For more information on Convergence please visit http://www.convergencellc.com.
Brandie Elizaitis, Convergence, LLC, http://www.convergencellc.com, +1 516-817-6064, [email protected]
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