Enhanced active equity strategies, including 120–20 and 130–30
long–short portfolios, have become increasingly popular as managers and
investors search for new ways to expand the alpha opportunities available from
active management. But these strategies are not always well understood by the
financial community. How do such strategies increase investors’
flexibility both to underweight and to overweight securities? How do they
compare with market-neutral long–short strategies? Are they significantly
riskier than traditional, long-only strategies because they use short positions
and leverage? This article sheds light on some common myths regarding enhanced
active equity strategies.