Alternative investments have increasingly become accessible to investors. Therefore, knowing about them is essential for industry professionals and investors. It is good to note that each alternative investment is unique and varies in structure and accessibility. However, they are all illiquid and have a low correlation with the standard asset classes. As a result, they are up to standard tools for portfolio diversification.
Primarily, the benefits of investing in alternative investment include;
- High rewards and lower risk
- Greater portfolio diversification
- Effective hedge against inflation
- Counterweight to conventional rewards
Four solutions for alternative investment firms include;
- Private equity
- Hedge funds
- Collectible
- Commodities
Private equity
Private equity refers to capital investment made into companies not yet listed on the public exchange. Venture capital is the most popular private equity and focuses on private startups and early-stage investment.
Additionally, growth capital and buyouts are subsets of private equity. Growth capital is crucial for mature institutions when restructuring or expanding. On the other hand, buyouts are an alternative investment when an institution is purchased outright.
The relationship between the institution receiving the capital and the investment firm is the most outstanding part of private equity. Arguably, the private equity firms provide more than just capital to the firms they invest in, including mentorship and industry expertise.
A reliable private equity platform helps clients meet objectives, maximize returns, and balance risks more manageably. Such platforms offer your company diversification through private equity in a comprehensive portfolio.
Hedge Funds
It is an alternative investment that uses pooled funds that employ various strategies to attract high returns for the investor. Managers can specialize in different skills to carry out the strategy, including;
- Market neutral
- Volatility arbitrage
- Long-short equity
- Quantitative strategies
In most instances, hedge funds are only accessible to accredited firms. This is because they need less Securities and Exchange Commission regulations compared to other funds. Thus, the fact that they face less regulation is the unique aspect of hedge funds.
Collectibles
Commodities are also categorized under alternative investment. Investors collect valuable items and maintain them, such as; vintage cars, rare wines, and baseball cards. Investors who invest in collectibles anticipate that such assets will dramatically appreciate, and they will fetch better resale value in the future.
However, investing in collectibles is relatively risky, especially for an inexperienced investor. This is due to
- Lack of dividends until the sale
- High cost of acquisition
- Potential destruction if not cared for appropriately or in case of fires
- Prevalence of counterfeits
- Reselling the collected valuables may also be challenging due lack of buyers
There is also a probability of getting zero or no returns if not accurately predicted. Therefore, to get higher returns from collectibles, you must have experience.
Commodities
They are among the popular alternative investments that have thrived in the scene for extended periods. Commodities may include physical assets, mainly natural resources, including precious metals, oil, natural gas, and agricultural products. Investors can either invest in firms dealing with physical products or own commodities.
Debatably, commodities are not sensitive to equity markets and are therefore regarded as a hedge against inflation—further, their demand and supply rise and fall, affecting their value. Investors can invest in commodities in a high supply period and resale in a high-demand period, collecting significant returns. More importantly, they are relatively low risk than other investments.
Conclusion
Having a diversified portfolio will naturally reduce the threat of loss. The transaction rate is lower than conventional assets. Further, alternative investments generate higher returns. If you invest in hard assets such as precious metals, you gain an inflation hedge and hurt the buying power of paper money. Investors and industry professionals can significantly accelerate their careers by mastering alternative investments and their importance.
