Factors that Affect the Performance of Distressed Securities Hedge Funds

We present a four factor model to replicate distressed securities hedge fund returns. The model considers the returns of short put options, a short straddle on bonds, the spread between high yield and Treasury bonds, and stocks with small market capitalization. On the basis of this model, we conduct a multivariate analysis of how fund characteristics affect risk-adjusted performance. A high-water mark and performance-based compensation are positively related to risk-adjusted performance, which is in line with much of the hedge fund literature. In contrast to other work, however, we find that lock-up is negatively related to performance and that fund age is unrelated to performance. Our work provides a better understanding of the nature and critical factors for the success of distressed securities hedge funds.