Why Hedge Fund Managers Must Adapt or Die | Kyle Mowery on The Future of Small Cap Value
Jan 14, 2025
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Kyle Mowery, Portfolio Manager and Founder of Grizzly Rock Capital, dives into the challenges facing hedge fund managers in today’s volatile market. He discusses how small/mid-cap value investors must adapt their strategies to keep pace with changing investor demands. Mowery emphasizes the importance of clear communication and setting realistic expectations. He also shares insights on the advantages of collaborating within a pod versus launching solo and outlines what he would do differently if starting Grizzly Rock today, highlighting the need for adaptability.
Kyle Mowry emphasizes the necessity for hedge fund managers to adapt their strategies to align with evolving market dynamics and investor expectations.
The discussion underscores the importance of transparent communication between fund managers and investors to foster trust and understanding regarding investment strategies and risk management.
Deep dives
Fund Strategy Considerations
The discussion highlights the complexities of fund strategy in the current investment management landscape, particularly the challenges faced by Grizzly Rock Capital's long/short fund approach. Kyle Mowry notes that allocators are increasingly favoring strategies that either minimize net exposure or provide significant returns aligned with market indices, creating a bifurcated industry. He suggests that the fund's current net exposure of approximately 40% may not align with what allocators are seeking, leading to difficulties in attracting investment. The importance of understanding one's skill set and aligning it with the preferences of allocators is emphasized as crucial for success.
The Challenge of Small Cap Investing
Kyle elaborates on the challenges of maintaining factor neutrality in small cap investing, arguing that the volatility within small and mid-cap stocks complicates this strategy. He indicates that many allocators might have varying definitions of what constitutes low net, and that effective risk management becomes more complicated in smaller caps. The conversation highlights the trend of managing risk through deeper analysis of style factors, yet acknowledges that striving for complete factor neutrality could hinder potential returns. This necessitates a shift in focus for those managing smaller assets, guiding them toward identifying risks without overly constraining their investment choices.
Investor Expectations and Communication
The dialogue underscores the importance of aligning expectations between fund managers and investors, particularly concerning investment strategies and potential drawdowns. Kyle notes that maintaining consistency with the fund's stated goals is pivotal, as deviating from established mandates can erode trust with investors. To foster enduring relationships, it's essential for fund managers to communicate openly about their strategies, expected returns, and how deviations might arise due to market conditions. This alignment helps ensure that both managers and investors share a clear understanding of the risks and rewards associated with their investment decisions.
Navigating Market Dynamics and Strategy Evolution
As market dynamics evolve, Kyle emphasizes the necessity for fundamental investors to adapt their strategies without succumbing to style drift. He explains that understanding catalysts and the broader market landscape is essential for sustaining a competitive edge, especially in an environment where traditional value investing may face challenges. The significance of a strong intellectual framework to assess performance over appropriate timeframes is highlighted, advocating for honest evaluations of both success and failure. Overall, Kyle argues that maintaining focus on the unique attributes of investments while remaining adaptable is critical for long-term success in shifting market conditions.
If you weren’t in large and often expensive technology stocks you likely struggled as a hedge fund manager in 2024. For small/mid-cap value investors like Kyle Mowery, Portfolio Manager and Founder of Grizzly Rock Capital, who’ve sold their investors a mandate that makes it nearly impossible to go buy the NVIDIAs of the world you can only fall back on communication and the clear expectations you’ve set with your investors. The problems plaguing small cap value managers are not new though, and if you are still practicing what Mowery calls “the old ways,” 2024 was likely not the first tough year you’ve had to explain. Here, Mowery explains how he’s adjusted his strategy over 13 years of existence to adapt to changing market structure, why he thinks of you have skills joining a pod is better than starting your own fund, and things he would do differently if he was setting up Grizzly Rock in 2025.