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10 May 2019 - Performance Report: Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund

By: Australian Fund Monitors
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Report Date10 May 2019
ManagerBennelong Long Short Equity Management, a Bennelong boutique
Fund NameBennelong Long Short Equity Fund
StrategyEquity Market Neutral
Latest Return DateApril 2019
Latest Return0.54%
Latest 6 Months-5.57%
Latest 12 Months-5.72%
Latest 24 Months (pa)2.08%
Annualised Since Inception14.93%
Inception Date01 January 2003
FUM (millions)AU$383.9
Fund OverviewBennelong Long Short Equity Management applies a qualitative stock selection process to construct a diversified portfolio of paired securities based on relative value. The Bennelong Long Short Equity Management strategy invests primarily in the S&P/ASX 100 and is dollar neutral at cost.

In a typical environment the Fund will hold around 70 stocks comprising 35 pairs. Each pair contains one long and one short position each of which will have been thoroughly researched and are selected from the same market sector. Whilst in an ideal environment each stock's position will make a positive return, it is the relative performance of the pair that is important.

As a result the Fund can make positive returns when each stock moves in the same direction provided the long position outperforms the short one in relative terms. However, if neither side of the trade is profitable, strict controls are required to ensure losses are limited.

The Fund uses no derivatives and has no currency exposure. The Fund has no hard stop loss limits, instead relying on the small average position size per stock (1.5%) and per pair (3%) to limit exposure. Where practical pairs are always held within the same sector to limit cross sector risk, and positions can be held for months or years.

The Bennelong Market Neutral Fund, with same strategy and liquidity is available for retail investors as a Listed Investment Company (LIC) on the ASX.
Manager CommentsThe Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund rose +0.54% in April, taking annualised performance since inception in Feb 2002 to +14.93% versus the ASX200's +8.16%. In addition to the Fund's proven ability to outperform the market over the long-term, one of its key strengths is its capacity to significantly outperform in negative markets; down-capture ratio since inception of -163.51% indicates that, on average, the Fund has risen during the months the market has fallen.

Bennelong noted Fund volatility continued to settle down in April. At the sector level Consumer Discretionary was the strongest contributor and Healthcare was the greatest detractor, with both similar in magnitude. More than half of the Fund's pairs were positive, with both positive and negative pair returns generally muted. Top pairs included long Magellan / short Perpetual and long Caltex / short Viva Energy. The worst performing pairs included long Ramsay Health Care / short Healius and long Challenger / short IOOF/ANZ.
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