Soros Fund Management

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Soros Fund Management is a privately held American investment management firm. It is currently structured as a family office, but formerly was a hedge fund. The firm was founded in 1970 by George Soros<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and, in 2010, was reported to be one of the most profitable firms in the hedge fund industry,<ref name="HFMWeekGriffiths">Template:Cite news</ref> averaging a 20% annual rate of return over four decades.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

It is headquartered at 250 West 55th Street in New York City.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of 2023, Soros Fund Management, LLC had US$25 billion in AUM.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Overview

Soros Fund Management is the primary adviser for the Quantum Group of Funds; a family of funds in international investments.<ref name="Kaufman2003">Template:Cite book</ref> The company invests in public equity and fixed income markets worldwide, as well as foreign exchange, currency, and commodity markets, and private equity and venture capital funds.<ref name="InvestingBusinessWeek">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The company is reported to have significant investments in transportation, energy, retail, financial, and other industries.<ref name="Hoovers" />

Robert Soros stepped down as deputy chairman and president in June 2017. David Milich assumed most of his duties.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2017, Dawn Fitzpatrick replaced Ted Burdick as chief investment officer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the 2016 election cycle, Soros Fund Management donated over $10 million to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign through super PACs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

The company was founded by George Soros and his former business partner Jim Rogers in 1970.<ref name="Slater2009">Template:Cite book</ref> Before starting the business Soros and Rogers worked together at the investment bank Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1992 to 2007

In the week leading up to September 16, 1992, or "Black Wednesday," Quantum Funds earned $1.8 billion by shorting British pounds and buying German marks.<ref name="SorosSuccessors2008">Template:Cite news</ref> This transaction earned Soros the title of "the Man Who Broke the Bank of England". On the other hand, British government policy in the period before the ejection of the pound sterling from the Exchange Rate Mechanism of the European Monetary System had been widely criticised for providing speculators with a one-way bet.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2000, the Quantum Fund lost its position as the largest hedge fund in the world when its assets under management changed from $10 billion to $4 billion in about a year.<ref name="On Wall Street" /> The fund's losses resulted from investments in technology stocks.<ref name="On Wall Street" /> That year, CEO Duncan Hennes and the managers of the Quantum Fund, Stanley Druckenmiller, and Quota Fund, Nicholas Roditi, resigned.<ref name="On Wall Street">Template:Cite news</ref> The restructuring of Soros Fund Management was announced in a shareholder letter that outlined its plan to merge the Quantum Fund with the Quantum Emerging Growth Fund to form the Quantum Endowment Fund.<ref name="On Wall Street" /><ref name="Peltz2001">Template:Cite book</ref> The intention was to transform the Quantum Fund into a "lower-risk, less-speculative fund" administered by an outside adviser.<ref name="On Wall Street" /><ref name="IBD">Soros' Quantum Fund Replaces Top Strategist - After Big Tech Losses, Fund Will Take A Lower-Risk Approach, "Investor's Business Daily", May 1, 2000.</ref>

2008 to 2011

The firm acquired a stake in Lehman Brothers just prior to its failure in 2008.<ref name="Hoovers">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2009, Soros Fund Management partnered with six other hedge funds to acquire IndyMac Bank for $13.9 billion, thereby gaining control of an estimated $160 billion in bank loans, investments, and deposits.<ref name="Walker2011">Template:Cite book</ref>

In 2010, the company was reported to have created $32 billion in profits since 1973, making it one of the top profit-making hedge funds in the industry.<ref name="HFMWeekGriffiths" />

In 2011, the firm was reported to have $27.9 billion in assets under management and was ranked sixth on Institutional Investor's Hedge Fund 100 list.<ref name="2011HedgeFund100">Template:Cite news</ref> That same year, the company partnered with Silver Lake Partners and created fund called Silver Lake Kraftwerk whose focus was investing in natural resource and energy companies.<ref name="New York Times: Silver Lake Starts Clean Energy Fund">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In July 2011, the fund announced plans to return just under $1 billion to investors by the end of 2011 to avoid reporting requirements under the Dodd-Frank reform act and to focus on family investments.<ref name="TheStreet">Template:Cite news</ref> That month, the company's chief investment officer Keith Anderson, co-founder of BlackRock left the firm.<ref name="WSJZuckerman">Template:Cite news</ref>

2012 to 2024

In September 2016, Soros Fund Management advised a private investment fund tied to Quantum Strategic Partners, which injected the bulk of $305 million into SolarCity, a producer of solar panels.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The flow of cash allowed Elon Musk, chairman of Tesla Motors and SolarCity, to purchase SolarCity and merge it with Tesla.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In June 2018, the firm was reported to own 15% of Justify, the horse that won the 2018 Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, through the international breeding and racing operation of SF Bloodstock and SF Racing Group.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

According to The Wall Street Journal, Soros Fund Management gained 8.9% in 2017 and 0.9% in 2018.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref> In the first quarter of 2019, the fund had gained 1.9%.<ref name="auto" />

In May 2019, it was announced that Soros Fund Management had built up a 3% stake in Swiss asset manager GAM.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In June 2019, Soros Fund Management led an investment in Vice Media for $250 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In August 2019, Soros Fund Management increased its stake In Manolete Partners Plc To 11.67%.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of August, 2019, Soros Fund Management's most significant holdings were Liberty Broadband, Vici Properties, and Caesars Entertainment.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In January 2020, George Soros announced at the World Economic Forum that he would commit $1 billion to the launch of an international university, The Open Society University Network, for research and education on climate change and dealing with authoritarian governments.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In April 2020, Amply Power, a company that provides charging solutions for fleets, received its series A funding of $13.2 million from Soros Fund Management, Siemens, Congruent Ventures, PeopleFund, and Obvious Ventures.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In November 2020, Soros Fund Management disclosed that it holds 1% Class A shares in Palantir Technologies and announced that it has begun selling its shares as allowed because it disagrees with Palantir's business practices. In a statement to the CNBC, the company said, "SFM made this investment at a time when the negative social consequences of big data were less understood. SFM would not make an investment in Palantir today."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In February 2024, Soros Fund Management emerged as the largest creditor in Audacy's prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, holding over $400 million of its highest-ranking debt. This debt is planned to be converted into equity in the restructured company, making Soros a significant shareholder. Audacy views this development as a positive sign, interpreting it as a "vote of confidence" in the company's future.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In November 2024, Soros Fund Management closed its Hong Kong Office.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Template:Official website
• George Soros, "The Capitalist Threat" (The Atlantic, February 1997)