Daruma
Wooden Daruma turned on a lathe

Notes to Performance

Daruma Asset Management, Inc. is an independent investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940.  Located in New York City, it was founded in 1995 by Mariko O. Gordon, CFA, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. Daruma provides investment management services to public and corporate pension funds, endowments, foundations, and other nonprofit organizations and individuals.  

The investment strategy of Daruma’s small-cap composite emphasizes long-term growth by buying companies at a value price with accelerating earnings. Daruma manages a concentrated portfolio of typically no less than 25 and no more than 35 stocks, and primarily invests in companies with a market capitalization of up to $2 billion at purchase. The benchmark that best reflects the composite’s investment style is the Russell 2000 Index (the “Index”). The Index represents the bottom two-thirds of the largest 3000 publicly traded companies domiciled in the United States. It is rebalanced annually in June. The Index performance is provided directly to Daruma by the Russell Investment Group each month and reflects the reinvestment of dividends, but does not reflect fees, brokerage commissions or other investment expenses.

The gross performance results of Daruma’s small-cap composite are presented after all trading commissions but before management and custodial fees. Net-of fees composite results are calculated by subtracting the management fees paid in addition to trading expenses, but do not include custodial fees paid by clients. A client’s return will be reduced by all expenses incurred in managing the account. The fee schedule for separately managed accounts is 1.00% per annum of the assets under management, payable quarterly. Fees are negotiable on amounts over $40 million. 

Past performance does not guarantee future results, and there is the possibility of loss of value. Changes in markets, interest and exchange rates, economic and/ or political conditions, as well as other factors, may influence future performance. Investment results are time-weighted performance calculations representing monthly total return. In other words, the performance period is monthly. Returns are calculated using geometric linking of monthly returns. The dispersion of annual returns is measured by the standard deviation across asset-weighted portfolio returns represented within the composite for the full year. Additional information regarding Daruma’s policies for calculating and reporting returns is available upon request. 

Composites are valued monthly taking into account cash flows, and portfolio returns are asset weighted by using beginning of the month values. All realized and unrealized gains and losses as well as all dividends and interest from investments and cash balances are included. Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis.

Portfolios are included in the composite beginning with the first full quarter of performance to the present, or to the last full quarter prior to the end of the client’s relationship with Daruma. Composite valuations and returns are calculated and stated in U.S. dollars.

There is no minimum account size for this composite. All of the firm’s discretionary, fee-paying clients using its small-cap strategy are included in the composite, except for any new accounts that have not yet entered the composite. Daruma’s small-cap composite was created in July 1995. A complete list and description of Daruma’s composites is available upon request.

 

Daruma Asset Management, Inc. has prepared and presented this report in compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®).

Small-Cap Equity Composite
Since Inception July 28, 1995 through December 31, 2009

Period
Total
Gross
Return
(%)
Total
Net
Return
(%)
Russell
2000
Return
(%)
Number
of Portfolios
Dispersion
(%)
Total
Composite
Assets
($ millions)
Percentage
of Firm’s
Assets
Total
Firm
Assets
($ millions)
1995
12.23
12.04
6.31
1
-
2
100
2
1996
24.22
23.09
16.49
1
-
2
7
29
1997
42.49
41.85
22.36
3
1.41
21
37
57
1998
16.50
15.81
-2.55
7
0.74
111
51
220
1999
4.24
3.64
21.26
21
0.77
290
75
387
2000
19.22
18.52
-3.02
49
1.40
679
95
715
2001
16.58
15.81
2.49
50
0.54
799
97
820
2002
-21.83
-22.41
-20.48
53
0.64
659
98
673
2003
36.74
35.84
47.25
63
1.38
902
100
902
2004
23.47
22.65
18.33
54
0.67
933
100
933
2005
10.93
10.16
4.55
54
0.46
990
100
994
2006
13.55
12.81
18.37
58
0.32
1085
100
1090
2007
13.06
12.35
-1.57
54
0.41
1185
100
1185
2008
-36.63
-37.06
-33.79
53
0.70
737
87
848
2009
43.93
43.03
27.17
50
0.78
1205
90
1340

Disclosures / Notes to Performance

© 2008-2010 Daruma Asset Management, Inc.