APIR: ETL0829AU · Wholesale & Retail
← All Insights Education · 27 October 2023

5 Key Focus Points: Alternative Investments

When deciding whether or not to invest into alternative investments, there are five focus points that institutional and sophisticated allocators consistently return to.

1. Liquidity profile

Match the redemption profile of the fund to your actual liquidity needs. The illiquidity premium is real, but it is also unforgiving when redemption windows close at the wrong moment.

2. Manager track record through a cycle

Performance in a benign environment tells you almost nothing. Look for evidence of how the manager handled a real workout, a real default, and a real period of mark-to-market pressure.

3. Underlying asset quality

Don’t stop at the headline yield. Understand what is actually in the portfolio — by borrower type, by security, by geography.

4. Fee structure

Understand the all-in cost: management fee, performance fee, expense recovery, and the gap between gross and net portfolio yield.

5. Governance and regulatory posture

Responsible Entity quality, custodian arrangements, administrator quality and auditor reputation matter — especially when something goes wrong.


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