We apply a return-based classification approach on a sample of absolute return funds registered for sale in Europe. The classification process results in eight groups with specific risk and return profiles. Each group can be characterized by two dimensions of an underlying investment style:...

In this study, we analyze the monthly fund migrations in a return-based classification scheme for European mutual funds. Accounting for the time-varying commonalities in returns, we derive a classification scheme consisting of four layers with two, six, 15, and 20 groups respectively. In the...

Results from frontier analysis show that German investment management companies are far from being cost e fficient. The average investment management company may be able to reduce its costs by 48% to 75% when compared with the best-practice company in the sample. The level of e fficiency even...

Standard measures of economies of scale and scope show that size does matter for German investment management companies. The average investment management company faces an increase in costs of 0.71% for a 1% increase in assets under management. Small to mid-sized companies in our example exhibit...

Standard measures of economies of scale and scope show that size does matter for German investment management companies. The average investment management company faces an increase in costs of 0.71% for a 1% increase in assets under management. Small to mid-sized companies in our example exhibit...