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Volatility Is a Feature, Not a Bug - ETF Database

Reported by Etfdb
May 21, 2026· 2 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • LTGG Composite delivered 39.1% annualized returns over one year and 16.9% over five years (net), outperforming the MSCI ACWI Index at 32.3% and 12.7% respectively through September 30, 2024.
  • • The concentrated portfolio strategy generated a 10-year annualized return of 15.0% versus the MSCI ACWI Index's 9.9%, demonstrating persistent alpha generation despite higher volatility exposure.
  • • Volatility functions as an inherent characteristic of outlier stock selection rather than a portfolio defect; the strategy accepts price swings as the structural cost of pursuing differentiated return drivers.
  • • Historical performance shows stark drawdowns (2022: -48.8% for LTGG versus -20.3% for benchmark), reflecting the concentrated mandate's sensitivity to market dislocations and sector rotations.
  • • Institutional investors must recognize that elevated volatility in concentrated strategies correlates with higher potential returns but requires conviction-based holding periods and realistic drawdown expectations.
Summary
The LTGG Composite strategy frames market volatility not as a portfolio failure but as an inherent feature of concentrated, outlier-focused stock selection. According to performance data through September 30, 2024, the strategy has delivered materially superior returns across multiple time horizons while accepting elevated price swings as the structural trade-off for alpha generation.

Over the trailing one-year period, LTGG Composite returned 39.1% (net) compared to the MSCI ACWI Index's 32.3%—an outperformance of 680 basis points. More significantly, the five-year annualized return reached 16.9% versus the benchmark's 12.7%, and the ten-year annualized return extended to 15.0% versus 9.9%, demonstrating persistence of excess returns. These figures are calculated net of the highest annual management fee applicable to the composite.

However, this outperformance carries substantial volatility. The 2022 calendar year exemplifies this dynamic: LTGG Composite declined 48.8% while the MSCI ACWI Index fell 20.3%—a 285 basis point underperformance during a significant market drawdown. Conversely, recovery periods show outsized gains; 2023 delivered 19.9% for LTGG versus 21.4% for the benchmark, while 2024 produced 39.1% versus 32.3%. The 2020 period saw extraordinary performance of 102.9% for LTGG against 11.0% for the index, illustrating the binary nature of concentrated strategies during dislocative markets.

The strategic thesis acknowledges that volatility acts as a "headwind to long-term capital growth" yet remains inseparable from the concentrated mandate. Institutional investors employing such strategies must maintain time horizons sufficient to absorb drawdowns and conviction-based discipline to avoid capitulation during market dislocations. Past performance does not guarantee future returns, and all investment strategies carry potential for capital loss.

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Sources

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Etfdb Volatility Is a Feature, Not a Bug - ETF Database