Jim Simons' Medallion Fund vs. S&P 500 Returns

What We’re Showing

This graphic shows the growth of $100 invested in Jim Simons’ Medallion Fund compared to the S&P 500.

Figures show the total percentage return between 1988 and 2018 (using net returns after fees for the Medallion Fund) and are based on data from Gregory Zuckerman’s The Man Who Solved the Markets.

Key Takeaways

• Legendary investor Jim Simons ran one of the most successful hedge funds in history, achieving a staggering 66% in average annual gross returns (before fees are subtracted) and 39.2% average annual net returns (after fees are subtracted).
• The value of $100 invested in his Medallion Fund in 1988 would be worth $2.1 million in 2018 after fees—which were a 5% fixed fee and a 44% performance fee after 2002.
• Simons, who passed away on May 10th at the age of 86, was known as the “quant king” due to his role in pioneering a quantitative analysis approach to investing.
• Prior to launching the Medallion Fund in 1988, Simons was the chairman of Stony Brook University’s math department, one of the top in the nation.