Bridgewater Associates Review - SmartAsset | SmartAsset.com (2024)

This review was produced by SmartAsset based on publicly available information. The named firm and its financial professionals have not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this review and are not responsible for its accuracy. Review content is produced by SmartAsset independently of any business relationships that might exist between SmartAsset and the named firm and its financial professionals, and firms and financial professionals having business relationships with SmartAsset receive no special treatment or consideration in SmartAsset’s reviews. This page contains links to SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool, which may or may not match you with the firm mentioned in this review or its financial professionals.

Bridgewater Associates, LP is an investment management firm with more than $15billion in assets under management (AUM). It currently manages a total of 66pooled investment vehicles, 36 of which arehedge funds. The firm currently employs357 advisors.

It's important to understand that hedge funds are often complex, loosely regulated investments and therefore only accessible to accredited investors. If you're looking fortrustedand comprehensivesupport in managing your own finances, consider speaking to aprofessional financial advisor.

Bridgewater Associates Background

Bridgewater started its investment operations in 1975 and initially provided consulting services in global markets. Currently, the firm's primary focus is institutional portfolio management. The firm also publishes a flagship research publication called The Bridgewater Daily Observations.

The firm has two direct owners: Bridgewater Associates Intermediate Holdings, LP (which is a general partner and limited partner of Bridgewater) and TrustCo LLC (a limited partner of Bridgewater). Intermediate Holdings is the only member of TrustCo; as a result, it is effectively the sole direct owner of the Bridgewater firm. The firm's headquarters are located in Westport, Connecticut.

The firm provides investment management services primarily to institutional clients, including but not limited to corporate and public pension funds, foreign governments and central banks, university endowments, charitable foundations, family offices, funds of funds and similar third party entities, as well asUnion/Taft Hartley plans. It provides servicesthrough both managed accounts and commingled fund vehicles. The firm does not have any individual clients. It generally requires clients to have a minimum of $7.5 billion of investable assets.

Bridgewater Associates Investment Philosophy

Bridgewater has several strategies: Pure Alpha, Pure Alpha Major Markets, All Weather and Optimal Portfolio.

The firm has been managing its Pure Alpha strategy since 1991. This strategy is designed to generate the highest return-to-risk ratio possible through active management. The firm seeks to achieve this goal by trading a highly diversified set liquid global markets. This strategy is designed to work with a range of volatility and based on parameters of the clients' choosing. The strategy is based on 45 years of combined research into the fundamental drivers of global markets. Furthermore, the firm implements it through a systematic process. It believes that the strategy takes advantage of spreading risk across many diversifying trading strategies.

Alpha Major Markets is a global active investment strategy that the firm has been managing since 2010. It is designed to generate high return-to-risk ratio through active management while being unrelated to markets and other managers. Alpha Major Markets is an extension of the firm'sPure Alpha strategy.

All Weather is Bridgewater's optimal beta portfolio and it has been managing this since 1996. It offers what the firm believes is the highest ratioof return-to-risk for a strategic asset allocation.

Finally, the Optimal Portfolio combines Bridgewater's best understanding of both beta and alphastrategiesinto a total returnportfolio. It is designed to produce a higher return-to-risk ratio and to maximize wealth overtime. (Generally, an alpha structure measures how a specific investment performs relative to its market. A beta structure reflects how much exposure an investment has to general market risk.)

Of course, all current and potential clients should be aware that no investment strategy can guarantee againstriskof loss.

Largest Hedge Funds Managed byBridgewater Associates

Bridgewater Pure Alpha Trading Company II, Ltd.

  • AUM:$40,529,127,681
  • Minimum:$10 million
  • Beneficial Owners:222

All Weather Portfolio Trading, LLC

  • AUM:$36,831,567,971
  • Minimum:$10 million
  • Beneficial Owners:94

Bridgewater All Weather Plus Fund, Ltd.

  • AUM:$10,423,851,228
  • Minimum:$10 million
  • Beneficial Owners:1

Bridgewater International Inflation-Linked Bond Fund Trading Company, Ltd.

  • AUM:$7,973,545,833
  • Minimum:$100,000
  • Beneficial Owners:9

All Weather@12% Trading, Ltd.

  • AUM:$7,971,064,390
  • Minimum:$10 million
  • Beneficial Owners:31

Fees atBridgewater Associates

Fees at Bridgewater associates are negotiable. Individual arrangements are based on client-specific factors. Fees at the firm vary by strategy and may involve management fees (which are a percentage of assets under management),performance fees(which are a percentage of profits) or some combination of the two.

With regard to new client relationships, the firm's standard minimum fee is expected to be $500,000 for its All Weather strategy, $6 million for its Pure Alpha and Pure Alpha Major Markets strategies and $2.7 million for Optimal Portfolio. Bridgewater funds often invest in other Bridgewater funds, but there is no layering of fees.

Besides external investors, investments in Bridgewater funds may be made by certain employees and officers of the firm.These particular individualsgenerally will not be charged management fees or profit participation fees. However, they will be subject to the same rights and obligations as those of the other investors.

Beyond this, other additional fees and expenses may apply - including but not limited to registration fees, maintenance fees, certain taxes and regulatory expenses - so it is imperative that potential and existing clients read the offering documents carefully and reach out about specific fees charged to their fund.

What to Watch Out For

Again, it's important to understand that hedge funds are often complex, loosely regulated investments and therefore accessible only toaccredited investors. Such investors differ from retail investors orindividual investors, who might be taking a more DIY approachorenlisting the services of a financial advisor.

Within the past 10 years,Bridgewater Associateshas not undergone any disciplinary or legal action deemed material to a client’s evaluation of its business integrity. That said, as an SEC-registered investment manager, the firm is legally obligated to uphold itsfiduciary dutyand work in clients’ best interests at all times. You can view its latestForm ADVon the official website of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).

Becoming a Client ofBridgewater Associates

If you are an accredited investor and wish to become a client of Bridgewater Associates, you canvisit the firm's websiteor call(203) 226-3030.

Investing Tips

  • Whether you are an accredited or sophisticated investor or not, it never hurts to consult a professional to make sure you're doing everything you can tomanage your finances so that they can work for you. Finding a financial advisor doesn't have to be hard.SmartAsset's free toolmatches you with financial advisors in just five minutes. If you're ready to connect with local advisors,get started now.
  • It's never too early - or too late, for that matter - to start investing. In addition to connecting you withexpert advisors, SmartAsset also has various tools to help you get a snapshot of the numbers right now. Take a look atour free investment calculatorfor a sense of how much a particular investment might be worth as well as its growth over time.

How Long $1mm Lasts in Retirement

SmartAsset's interactive map highlights places where $1 million will last the longest in retirement. Zoom between states and the national map to see the top spots in each region. Also, scroll over any city to learn about the cost of living in retirement for that location.

Least

Most

Rank City Housing Expenses Food Expenses Healthcare Expenses Utilities Expenses Transportation Expenses

Methodology We analyzed data on average expenditures for seniors, cost of living and investment returns to determine how many years of retirement a $1 million nest egg would cover in cities across America.

First, we looked at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the average annual expenditures of seniors. We then applied cost of living data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to adjust those national average spending levels based on the costs of each expense category (housing, food, healthcare, utilities, transportation and other) in each city. Using this data, SmartAsset calculated the average cost of living for retirees in the largest U.S. cities.

We assumed the $1 million would grow at a real return (interest minus inflation) of 2%. Then, we divided $1 million by the sum of each of those annual numbers to determine how long $1 million would cover retirement expenses in each of the cities in our study. Cities where $1 million lasted the longest ranked the highest in the study.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Council for Community and Economic Research

Bridgewater Associates Review - SmartAsset | SmartAsset.com (2024)

FAQs

Do people like working at Bridgewater? ›

Bridgewater Associates has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 560 reviews left anonymously by employees. 83% of employees would recommend working at Bridgewater Associates to a friend and 78% have a positive outlook for the business.

How much money do you need to invest with Bridgewater Associates? ›

Bridgewater, founded in 1975 by Ray Dalio, the billionaire investor, generally requires that clients have at least $7.5 billion of investable assets in order to put money into the hedge fund. Many investors pay at least $500,000 — and sometimes as much as $4 million — a year in fees to Bridgewater.

What is the minimum investment for Bridgewater All Weather fund? ›

"For new Client relationships, Bridgewater's standard minimum fee is expected to be $500,000 for its All Weather strategy, $6,000,000 for its Pure Alpha and Pure Alpha Major Markets strategies, and $2,700,000 for Optimal Portfolio," its ADV states. The investment minimum if $7.5 million, the ADV adds.

Why is Bridgewater Associates so successful? ›

It's founder, Ray Dalio regularly writes about it, blogs about it and talks about it. Bridgewater's success can be largely attributed to two key factors: Their investment strategy: 'Reducing and synthesizing complex systems into interdependent stocks and flows underpinned by cause and effect relationships'.

What is the highest salary at Bridgewater? ›

The highest paying role reported at Bridgewater Associates is Financial Analyst at the Common Range Average level with a yearly total compensation of $254,969. This includes base salary as well as any potential stock compensation and bonuses.

Is working at Bridgewater hard? ›

Long hours but a very rewarding job. Hardest part about the job is that Bridgewater is known for their strong culture. Although very challenging, it is the best thing that I have ever experienced. Excellent pay and benefits.

Can the average person invest in a hedge fund? ›

To invest in hedge funds as an individual, you must be an institutional investor, like a pension fund, or an accredited investor. Accredited investors have a net worth of at least $1 million, not including the value of their primary residence, or annual individual incomes over $200,000 ($300,000 if you're married).

What is the average annual return for Bridgewater? ›

Bridgewater Associates, LP's average return in the last 12 months was -6.04%.

How much should I pay back an investor? ›

Our advice is to stick to the general rule of 20 to 25% of businesses income. If your investor is more interested in cashing in on equity growth, you can offer 15% of the business or more, depending on how much money the investor provides.

Is it OK to invest your emergency fund? ›

Most financial professionals recommend that you avoid investing your emergency fund in stocks because they are fairly volatile. So, if you need to sell your stocks to use the money for an emergency expense, you may be forced to sell at a loss.

How much money do you need to be considered a hedge fund? ›

3 In exchange, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires a majority of hedge fund investors to be accredited, which means possessing a net worth of more than $1 million and a sophisticated understanding of personal finance, investing, and trading.

What is the best hedge fund? ›

Bridgewater Associates is one of the top hedge funds in the world, with more than $235 billion in assets under management. Its founder, Ray Dalio, started the firm back in 1975 and has become one of the best-selling authors in the financial space.

What is Bridgewater turnover rate? ›

Incredibly high turnover (over 50% per 18 months now), which definitely erodes team cohesion and morale.

What is the biggest hedge fund in the world? ›

Bridgewater Associates

What are Bridgewater top 5 holdings? ›

Actual Assets Under Management (AUM) is this value plus cash (which is not disclosed). Bridgewater Associates, LP's top holdings are iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (US:IVV) , Procter & Gamble Co (US:PG) , iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (US:IEMG) , Johnson & Johnson (US:JNJ) , and PepsiCo, Inc. (US:PEP) .

Who is the highest paid employees? ›

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) This post comes with a lucrative salary and high authority, with an overall employment rate supposed to show an average rise of 8% between 2020 and 2030.

Who is the highest paid center? ›

CINCINNATI — Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is returning for a 13th NFL season, and the team rewarded his commitment by making him the NFL's highest-paid center in 2023. Kelce reportedly inked a one-year/$14.25 million deal on Tuesday morning.

What is the highest paying employer? ›

Best Companies Offering Highest Annual Salaries
RankCompany**Annual Pay
1Baker Donelson$319,779
2Salesforce.com$249,607
3Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe$245,206
4Bingham McCutchen$233,800
87 more rows

How many rounds of interviews for Bridgewater? ›

I got 3 rounds of interviews.

How many hours do you work at Bridgewater Associates? ›

Normally expect a 50 hr work week though realistically more like 60 hours and certain periods of higher hours throughout the year depending on the job.

What is the culture at Bridgewater? ›

Bridgewater's competitive edge is our pioneering workplace culture that relies on truthful and transparent communication to ensure the best ideas win out. We believe meaningful work and meaningful relationships emerge when you assemble high-performing teams and push them to engage in rigorous and thoughtful inquiry.

What is the 20 2 rule for hedge funds? ›

The 2 and 20 is a hedge fund compensation structure consisting of a management fee and a performance fee. 2% represents a management fee which is applied to the total assets under management. A 20% performance fee is charged on the profits that the hedge fund generates, beyond a specified minimum threshold.

What is the average age for hedge fund? ›

40+ years

Do you need a Series 7 to start a hedge fund? ›

The only universal license requirement for a hedge fund manager is an ordinary business license. Because hedge fund managers are not regulated as brokers, they do not usually need the Series 7 license unless they engage in trading on behalf of customers.

What is a good annual return for a hedge fund? ›

According to BarclayHedge, the average hedge fund generated net annualized returns of 7.2% with a Sharpe ratio of 0.86 and market correlation of 0.9 over the last five years through 2021.

Does Bridgewater Associates beat the market? ›

Bridgewater Associates Average Return and the Man Behind the Money. Bridgewater Associates average return over the last 28 years has been 11.5% per year. This number is important because it's nearly double the average yearly return of the S&P 500, which is about 7%.

Is 30 ROI a year good? ›

Is 30% Good ROI? An ROI of 30% can be good, but it can depend on how long your ROI has been at 30% in previous years. A 1-year ROI of 20% compared to 3-years of a 30% ROI can be considered a better investment.

What is the 70% rule investors? ›

The 70% rule can help flippers when they're scouring real estate listings for potential investment opportunities. Basically, the rule says real estate investors should pay no more than 70% of a property's after-repair value (ARV) minus the cost of the repairs necessary to renovate the home.

What is the 80% investment rule? ›

Pareto's principle, better known as the 80/20 rule, asserts that 80% of the results can be achieved with 20% of the effort. When applied to investing, many folks may come to the same conclusion that 80% of their returns are generated from only 20% of their asset allocations.

What is the 25% investment rule? ›

The 25x Rule is a way to estimate how much money you need to save for retirement. It works by estimating the annual retirement income you expect to provide from your own savings and multiplying that number by 25.

What is the 50 20 30 rule? ›

The rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must-have or must-do. The remaining half should be split up between 20% savings and debt repayment and 30% to everything else that you might want.

Is $30,000 a good emergency fund? ›

Most of us have seen the guideline: You should have three to six months of living expenses saved up in an emergency fund. For the average American household, that's $15,000 to $30,0001 stashed in an easily accessible account.

Is 100k a good emergency fund? ›

But some people may be taking the idea of an emergency fund to an extreme. In fact, a good 51% of Americans say $100,000 is the savings amount needed to be financially healthy, according to the 2022 Personal Capital Wealth and Wellness Index.

What is the 10 20 rule for hedge funds? ›

Managers have a management fee of 1% and then a 10% incentive fee below a 10% net return, and a 20% incentive fee for returns above 10%. Michael Oliver Weinberg, chief investment officer at Protégé, said: “We designed 1-10-20 to address the misalignment of interests between managers and investors.

What is the best state to start a hedge fund in? ›

U.S. hedge funds are established primarily in Delaware because Delaware offers the most advanced business friendly law in the United States. In fact, Delaware's business friendly environment is attractive to companies across the globe, not just hedge funds. Governing law matters.

Can I start a hedge fund with my own money? ›

Yes, you could start with much less capital, or go through a hedge fund incubator, or use a “friends and family” approach, or target only high-net-worth individuals. But if you start with, say, $5 million, you will not have enough to pay yourself anything, hire others, or even cover administrative costs.

What is the highest returning hedge fund ever? ›

Citadel is now the most successful hedge fund ever after it made $16 billion last year — the biggest annual windfall on record. The Miami-based fund, founded and run by Ken Griffin, topped the 2022 ranking of the world's best-performing hedge funds based on estimates from LCH Investments NV.

Which hedge fund has the best returns ever? ›

LCH estimates that hedge fund managers lost $208 billion last year. Ken Griffin's hedge fund Citadel made $16 billion in profit after fees in 2022, recording the largest annual gain ever by a hedge fund manager, according to estimates by a major industry investor.

Which hedge fund lost the most money? ›

Than $200 Billion Last Year. Tiger Global and Third Point were among the biggest losers.

What stocks are bridgewater shorting? ›

The stock are all members of the Euro Stoxx 50 index. These short positions include French energy firm TotalEnergies, financial services firm Allianz, and pharmaceutical giant Bayer.

Is Bridgewater the largest hedge fund in the world? ›

Bridgewater Associates, the hedge fund previously run by legendary investor Ray Dalio, is the largest hedge fund in the world with more than $235 billion in assets under management. Needless to say, Bridgewater has had tremendous success since it was founded in 1975.

What is an alarming turnover rate? ›

Bad employee turnover: Bad turnover is when moderate- or high-performing employees are leaving for lateral positions. This means you have a bad work environment or are paying under market value. If your bad turnover rate is more than 15% per year, you should take a close look at your compensation and company culture.

Who is the wealthiest hedge fund manager? ›

The top earner was Ken Griffin, founder of multistrategy giant Citadel. He personally made $4.1 billion — the most any hedge fund manager has ever earned in the history of the Rich List.

Is Vanguard a hedge fund? ›

The first thing to note is that Vanguard is edgy about calling this a “hedge fund,” because of all the connotations that phrase has: high risk and so on. This is a regulated retail mutual fund, and the operating expenses are a very low, very Bogle-friendly 0.25% a year.

Why do the rich invest in hedge funds? ›

Hedge funds help protect investors from market volatility and downturns better than other investment benchmarks. towards fixed income assets to produce reliable returns and meet financial obligations.

Who are Bridgewater competitors? ›

Bridgewater Associates competitors include Two Sigma Investments, BlackRock, Citadel, Confluence Technologies and Goldman Sachs. Bridgewater Associates ranks 6th in CEO Score on Comparably vs its competitors.

Who are Bridgewater top competitors? ›

Bridgewater Associates's competitors

Waddell & Reed Financial is an asset and wealth management company. Fisher Investments is a money management company and investment advertiser. Citadel is an alternative investment firm that provides investment management services to public and private institutions.

What is the turnover rate at Bridgewater? ›

Incredibly high turnover (over 50% per 18 months now), which definitely erodes team cohesion and morale.

How much do Bridgewater College staff make? ›

A total 92 faculties (full-time instructional staffs) work at Bridgewater College, and the 2022 average salary for all faculty members is $64,000 based on a 9-month contract.

What company has the highest turnover rate? ›

A new Payscale report published on Thursday ranked Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company as having the highest turnover rate out of all of the Fortune 500 companies.

How much does a chief of staff make at Bridgewater Associates? ›

The estimated total pay for a Chief of Staff at Bridgewater Associates is $303,327 per year.

What is Bridgewater known for? ›

Bridgewater is renowned and known for its iron works factories, one of which is appropriately named Bridgewater Iron Works and is a registered historical site in Massachusetts.

How religious is Bridgewater College? ›

Bridgewater College is historically affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, a Christian denomination founded on the core values of equality, community, simplicity, service and peace. These values have deeply influenced Bridgewater College's mission and the community that is created here.

What is the gender ratio at Bridgewater College? ›

Students enrolled at Bridgewater College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.3%), followed by White Male (27.9%) and Black or African American Male (8.38%).

What are the top recruiting salaries? ›

Average HR + Recruiting salaries in US
Job TitleAverage SalarySalary Range
Technical Recruiter$94,287Min: $41K Max: $330K
HR Manager$103,698Min: $50K Max: $225K
Senior Recruiter$107,901Min: $41K Max: $225K
HR Director$148,002Min: $90K Max: $300K
7 more rows

How much does an investment engineer at Bridgewater Associates make? ›

The estimated total pay for a Investment Engineer at Bridgewater Associates is $177,308 per year.

How much money does Bridgewater Associates manager? ›

The estimated total pay for a Hedge Fund Manager at Bridgewater Associates is $251,038 per year.

What is minimum wage near Bridgewater MA? ›

Massachusetts wage & hour laws poster, Mass. Attorney General. Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum wage is $15.00 per hour and the service rate (applied to workers who provide services to customers and who make more than $20 a month in tips) is $6.75.

How long should you be in an associate role? ›

Associate-level usually designates a position that requires two or three years of experience. This level of work often follows an entry-level role in a typical career progression.

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