It’s pretty  amazing how much some long- short equity funds have returned during the last 18 months.  Our hats off to Privet Fund, LP up 97.3% over the last 18 months with a CAR 3yr. return of 23.33.  There are many new names on the list and old standbys like Senvest Israel Partners, up 74.40% during the same time period.  What’s more outstanding is that this has been a difficult time for most long-short professional managers including ourselves.  Many names of well known fund managers are absent from this list.  Often times emerging managers can outperform their more established peers for long periods of time but this list is devoid of any of those talking heads you see on CNBC. You can download a pdf of the complete list here.  I’m humbled that HSAX PARTNERS,LP is also on Barclay Hedge’s  list of the Top 30 Long-Short Equity Fund Managers in the world over the last 18 months ending June 2012.

As always, performance is just one step in the analysis equation of a fund manager.  We recommend you understand their strategy, are comfortable with any lock ups and conduct your own thorough due diligence.  We’ve published a guide to that process on the Sax Angle at saxangle.com/hedge-funds/due-diligence/.  If we can assist in that process, please let us know by contacting jday@hsax.com.