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12 Dec 2019 - Performance Report: Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund

By: Australian Fund Monitors
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Report Date12 December 2019
ManagerBennelong Long Short Equity Management, a Bennelong boutique
Fund NameBennelong Long Short Equity Fund
StrategyEquity Market Neutral
Latest Return DateNovember 2019
Latest Return2.84%
Latest 6 Months20.96%
Latest 12 Months14.87%
Latest 24 Months (pa)8.95%
Annualised Since Inception15.47%
Inception Date01 January 2003
FUM (millions)AU$387.6
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 +2.84% in November, taking annualised performance since inception in February 2002 to +15.47% p.a. with an annualised volatility of 12.39%. By contrast, the ASX200 Accumulation Index has returned +8.52% p.a. with a similar level of volatility over the same period. The Fund's Sortino ratio of 1.53 vs the index's 0.50 and down-capture ratio of -179.73% highlight the Fund's capacity to avoid the market's downside over the long-term.

In November, the number of positive and negative pairs was equal, however none of the negative pairs made a significant return. The dominant sector contribution was Industrials, with Healthcare a distant second. The Fund's top pair was ALS (ALQ) / Aurison (AZJ). ALS reported their September half results with the highest improved and above forecast margins in the Life Sciences division. The second best pair was Qantas (QAN) / Flight Centre (FLT), with Qantas disclosing bullish long-term financial targets in their investor day presentation. Third best was Macquarie (MQG) / Bendigo Bank (BEN) with Macquarie's September half result slightly ahead of estimates.
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