How Do Performance Metrics Correlate? Might Fund Managers Cherry-Pick?

Portfolio managers report their risk-adjusted efficiency utilizing Sharpe, Treynor, data, and Sortino ratios, amongst different common metrics.

In fact, with numerous measures to decide on amongst, would possibly fund managers be tempted to cherry-pick people who mirror most favorably on their efficiency? Maybe, however the potential for strategic choice solely turns into an actual downside if the efficiency metrics have weak or destructive correlations.

If all of them have excessive constructive correlations, then there actually is not any choice sport to play. If an excellent, or dangerous, Sharpe ratio means comparable Treynor, data, and Sortino ratios, then it hardly makes a distinction which one (or two) is reported.

So, how do these main efficiency metrics correlate, and have their correlations modified over time?

To reply these questions, we pulled all lively mutual fund supervisor returns for large-cap fairness funds going again to the Nineteen Fifties. We then calculated every fund’s Sharpe, Treynor, Sortino, and data ratio on a one-year rolling foundation. With this information, we explored how the rank ordinal correlation between the metrics appears to be like over every decade and over the complete time interval.

First, over the complete time interval, Sharpe and Treynor ratios have excessive constructive correlations as do the data and Sortino ratios. However each Sharpe and Treynor ratios are weakly correlated with the data and Sortino ratios. So, if a fund supervisor showcases their Sortino ratio and doesn’t spotlight their Sharpe or Treynor ratio, it might sign that they’re strategically deciding on which measures to current.

Efficiency Metric Correlations: All Durations, 1950 to 2023

Subsequent, we examined the rank ordinal correlation of the 4 measures over every decade. The identical sample holds pretty regular from 1950 to 2020. We didn’t see any inordinate divergence within the correlations over the roughly 70 years below overview.

Efficiency Metric Correlations: Nineteen Fifties

Efficiency Metric Correlations: Sixties

Efficiency Metric Correlations: Nineteen Seventies

Efficiency Metric Correlations: Eighties

Efficiency Metric Correlations: Nineteen Nineties

Efficiency Metric Correlations: 2000s

Efficiency Metric Correlations: 2010s

Lastly, we explored the correlations throughout recessions to see in the event that they fell aside on the most crucial moments. Of the seven recessions for the reason that Nineteen Fifties, once more we discovered that the correlations stayed fairly just like what they had been throughout non-recession durations.

In all, the outcomes present that since Treynor and Sharpe ratios are extremely correlated, whether or not a fund supervisor experiences one and never the opposite is just not particularly materials. The identical holds with the data and Sortino ratios.

However for the reason that Treynor and Sharpe ratios are weakly correlated with the latter two metrics, managers may have the chance for strategic reporting. So, if a fund supervisor experiences their Sortino or data ratio however goes silent on their Sharpe and Treynor ratios, it might mirror a strategic play and warrant additional investigation.

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All posts are the opinion of the writer. As such, they shouldn’t be construed as funding recommendation, nor do the opinions expressed essentially mirror the views of CFA Institute or the writer’s employer.

Picture credit score: ©Getty Photographs / Uwe Krejci

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