We investigate the role of extreme positive payoffs in the distribution of monthly fund returns in investors' mutual fund preferences. We document a positive and significant relationship between the maximum style-adjusted monthly return (MAX) and future fund flows. The relationship is robust to...

We apply methods designed to measure mutual fund skill to a cross-section of traded funds that should not exhibit managerial portfolio selection skill: index funds. Surprisingly, these tests imply index fund skill exists, is persistent, and is in similar proportion as in active funds. We use the...

This study introduces an innovative approach to measuring the “style-shifting activity” (SSA) of mutual funds using daily returns. Applying our new measure to a comprehensive sample of 2631 active US equity mutual funds, we show (i) that SSA predicts future performance, especially for...

This paper aimed to investigate the impact of levels of selectivity on the performance of equity funds using a methodology applied for the first time ever in the Brazilian market. As an indicator of the activity level of a fund, we proposed the coefficient of determination (R2) of the regression...

Swedish investment companies structured as closed-end funds (CEFs) are large relative to CEFs in the U.S. and elsewhere. Their costs are low and they trade at high and mean-revering discounts. I show that CEF returns are usually in excess of what can be explained by conventional risk factors. I...

Numerous studies investigate the relationships between fund manager characteristics and fund performance. However, most evaluate fund performance by using traditional factor alphas, such as the Fama–French–Carhart four- and six-factor alphas. In the present study, we analyze data from...

Using data from Morningstar, we analyze the performance from 2008 to 2022 of the main equity categories of actively-managed Canadian-domiciled mutual funds.The results differ by category but averaged across the four main fund categories, fund gross returns roughly equal their gross benchmark...

This paper contrasts the return of Vanguard and Fidelity active stock mutual funds with the style-mimicking portfolio of Vanguard’s index funds. Vanguard’s equally-weighted portfolio of domestic active funds out-returns the portfolio of Vanguard index funds with the same style, as does...

We look at the trend of alpha generation among 18 large-cap equity mutual funds in India betweenSeptember 2010 and August 2021. Between September 2013 and December 2017, these schemes, on average, outperformed a NIFTY 50 index tracker fund (average annualised 3-year alpha of 3.22%), but since...

This paper examines the short term persistence in performance of equity mutual funds around the world between 1990 and 2013. Using a large survivorship bias-free sample for 35 countries, we document strong evidence of persistence in daily mutual fund returns over quarterly measurement periods....