Ackman's Pershing Square fund up 62.8% for the year

[BOSTON] Billionaire hedge fund manager William Ackman, who cautiously hedged his portfolio before the historic market selloff in March, has extended his gains to 62.8 per cent for the year so far.

Last month, Mr Ackman's publicly traded Pershing Square Holdings portfolio gained 13.4 per cent, lifting the US$11.4 billion portfolio to a net gain of 62.8 per cent in the first 11 months of 2020, according to a performance review.

Mr Ackman recently told investors that the firm is having its best year and that he is "bullish" for 2021. But he warned of possible volatility ahead as the coronavirus continues to take its toll.

To guard against swings, Mr Ackman said he put on a new hedge - roughly one third the size of the one he put on earlier this year - as corporate credit spreads are very tight. He earned US$2.6 billion in profits from the first hedge and ploughed that money back into the market, buying more of the stocks he already owns at cheaper prices.

This summer Mr Ackman raised the biggest blank-cheque fund helping swell his firm's total assets under management - including all hedge funds and Pershing Square Tontine Holdings - to US$17 billion.

The average hedge fund gained 1.2 per cent through the end of October, according to Hedge Fund Research. November data is still being compiled.

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REUTERS