Morningstar is now giving hedge funds some of the same scrutiny it has long given to 1940 Act mutual funds. The Chicago-based company is now assigning star ratings to a chunk of the 7,700 hedge funds in its database and is now publishing the Morningstar 1000 Hedge Fund Index (MHFI 1000SM) and 17 indexes based on the Morningstar Hedge Fund Categories.

Roughly 1,800 hedge funds will receive ratings, according to Morningstar executives. Only funds with at least 38 months of performance data and that invest in the markets directly (in other words those that are not funds of funds), qualify for a rating.

As with mutual funds, the hedge fund ratings use a one-to-five star scale. The rating compares managers within 17 categories that it assigns to hedge funds based on a "series of quantitative and qualitative measures."

One area where the new hedge fund ratings differ from those of mutual funds is how Morningstar calculates risk-adjusted returns. The hedge ratings do not assuming a normal, bell-curve distribution of returns. Also, Morningstar claims its ratings use a statistical measure to address the concern that hedge fund managers can smooth their returns by choosing how to value illiquid securities.

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Company Press Release

Morningstar Launches Star Ratings and Indexes for Hedge Funds

CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2008—Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today launched the Morningstar Rating for hedge funds as well as the Morningstar® 1000 Hedge Fund Index (MHFI 1000SM) and 17 indexes based on the Morningstar Hedge Fund Categories.

Similar to the Morningstar RatingTM for mutual funds, the new rating system for hedge funds uses a scale of one-to-five stars so that similar numbers of hedge funds receive one and five stars. Rather than use the self-described categories provided by hedge fund managers, Morningstar first categorizes the hedge funds into one of 17 Morningstar Categories, such as “convertible arbitrage” or “emerging market equity,” according to a series of quantitative and qualitative measures. Next, Morningstar ranks and rates the hedge funds against their peers in the Morningstar Categories based on risk-adjusted return.

The risk-adjusted return calculation and rating address two issues that are specific to hedge funds. First, unlike many other risk-adjusted performance measures such as the Sharpe ratio, the Morningstar hedge fund rating does not assume that funds have returns that follow the normal bell curve distribution. Second, the rating addresses the fact that some hedge funds invest in illiquid securities that are infrequently priced. Infrequent pricing gives hedge fund managers “flexibility” in how they value such positions when calculating returns that they report to hedge fund databases. The result is a “smoother” or less volatile reported return series. To correct for this, Morningstar applies a statistical procedure to the return series and then calculates the risk-adjusted return measure. This risk-adjusted return measure accounts for all variations in a fund’s monthly performance, with more emphasis on downward variations.

Morningstar’s database has approximately 7,700 direct hedge funds and funds of hedge funds. To qualify for a rating, direct hedge funds must have at least 38 months of consecutive performance data. Funds of hedge funds, of which there are 3,300 in Morningstar’s database, are not eligible to receive ratings. Morningstar expects that approximately 1,800 of the 4,400 direct hedge funds in its database will receive ratings.

Morningstar also launched the Morningstar 1000 Hedge Fund Index, a global, broadly representative benchmark for hedge fund performance. The index is composed of the top 90% of eligible assets in Morningstar’s hedge fund database. For the purposes of the index, Morningstar counts funds with shared portfolios as a single hedge fund; funds of hedge funds are excluded from consideration. The index is updated daily for the previous month-end, rebalanced monthly, and reconstituted semi-annually. In addition, Morningstar has launched 17 category indexes based on Morningstar’s strategy-specific classification system for hedge funds.

“We believe the Morningstar Rating for hedge funds is the best starting point for judging a fund’s past performance. We want to make researching hedge funds a more transparent process, and our new ratings and indexes will allow qualified investors, advisors, and institutions to better evaluate and compare hedge funds to their peers,” said John Rekenthaler, vice president of research.

As previously announced, SGAM Alternative Investments (SGAM AI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Société Générale Asset Management, has selected Morningstar to provide its institutional clients with hedge fund data, portfolio evaluation, analysis tools, indexes, research, and ratings. Through its New York-based affiliate, SG Asset Management, Inc., SGAM AI will provide customized hedge fund portfolio advisory services to institutional investors.

Hedge fund star ratings and indexes are now available to Morningstar Licensed Data clients; in Morningstar Direct, its Web-based institutional research platform; and in Morningstar Advisor Workstation Office Edition, its Web-based investment planning system for independent financial advisors. Ratings are also available to accredited investors who are Premium members of Morningstar.com, Morningstar’s Web site for individual investors. Hedge fund indexes will also be available in EnCorr, Morningstar’s asset allocation software.

For more information about the Morningstar Rating for hedge funds, category classifications, and the Morningstar Hedge Fund Indexes, please visit http://global.morningstar.com/hedgefundratings.

This press release is not intended to be an offer or solicitation for the sale of hedge funds. The information is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. When considering hedge funds, investors should consider various risks, including the fact that some products engage in leveraging and other speculative investment practices that may increase the risk of investment loss, can be illiquid, are not required to provide periodic pricing or valuation information to investors, may involve complex tax structures and delays in distributing important tax information, are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds, often charge high fees, and in many cases the underlying investments are not transparent and are known only to the investment manager. The high degree of leverage that is often obtainable in trading can lead to large losses as well as gains. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

About Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of Internet, software, and print-based products and services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar provides data on more than 260,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles. The company has operations in 18 countries and minority ownership positions in companies based in three other countries.

 

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