Insights From

Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management

Healthcare Costs Are Changing How Lenders Approve Credit

Rising healthcare costs are distorting credit scores, making some borrowers appear more creditworthy than they are. Research from the Mayo Center for Asset Management shows that unreported medical debt leads to higher loan defaults and affects access to credit. Are lenders aware of the risks? What does this mean for borrowers and policymakers?

Fake It Till You Fail: Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos Story

A new business case on infamous tech company Theranos examines the risks for entrepreneurs, board members and investors in the fog of the innovation economy.

Are the Glory Days of Hedge Funds Behind Us?

The Mayo Center's Rodney Sullivan and Matthew Wey argue that hedge funds' ability to generate alpha has changed since 2008. Once delivering outperformance of 3.7% annually on average, these investment vehicles now struggle to beat a comparable traditional portfolio, leading investors to question whether their relatively high fees remain justified.

AI is Boosting Productivity. Why That Matters for Your Portfolio.

Companies' heavy investment in artificial intelligence is driving up overall tech spending. This trend could potentially ignite a boom in worker productivity as firms harness AI's potential. Rodney Sullivan, executive director for the Mayo Center of Asset Management, discusses the significance of this development and its implications for investors.

Skip the Startup: Why More Entrepreneurs are Choosing Acquisition

A growing number of MBA graduates are pursuing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), a strategy that lets them fast-track their way to the top by buying and running small businesses. Les Alexander, professor at UVA Darden, explains why ETA is booming.

Investing Responsibly: ESG and the Well-Intentioned Investor

No matter how one refers to it — “ESG” (environmental, social and governance), “responsible” or “sustainable” investing — the world is paying increased attention to investment decisions that include nonfinancial factors. Research examines if investment managers invest their clients’ capital as responsibly as they pledge to.

Does Regulation Chase Away Publicly Traded Companies?

Since 2000, the U.S. has experienced a decline in the number of publicly traded companies, a trend that comes with significant economic risks and implications. Proponents of deregulation cite increased disclosure and regulatory burdens placed on public companies as the cause. Is that indeed the case? Award-winning research examines the issue.

Disaster Strikes: Where Do Institutional Investors Go?

Conventional wisdom is that active-fund managers are paid to be contrarians; they take risks and go against trends. But new research shows that sometimes they’re the herd: In the bear market of February and March 2020, institutional investors amplified price crashes and volatility by fire-selling, and they focused on cash rather than ESG metrics.

3 Questions: Exchange Traded Funds and Market Efficiency

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) have grown in popularity as a tool for targeting specific groups of investments. How do they affect the market? Darden Professor Rich Evans and Maureen O’Hara of Cornell’s S.C. Johnson College of Business discuss industry ETFs and their influence on market efficiency.

3 Questions: Financial Globalization and how Covid-19 May Shape Global Capital Markets

What can we expect across global financial markets following the COVID-19 crisis? UVA Darden Professor Marc Lipson and guest Cornell S.C. Johnson Professor Andrew Karolyi discuss international and domestic listings, financial versus real business cycles, and both short-term and long-term implications of de-risking.