Core Insights - The report investigates the performance of active equity funds, specifically whether they can outperform the broader A-share market, represented by a market capitalization-weighted portfolio of most A-share stocks [11][12] - The analysis reveals that while most active fund portfolios can outperform the market, the excess returns are not statistically significant, with annualized excess returns ranging from 0.216% to 3.05% across various fund sizes [1][2] Fund Performance Analysis - Active funds show a preference for large-cap stocks and high-valuation stocks, with significant positive exposure to high-valuation stocks impacting performance negatively when considering size and value factors [2][3] - Under a three-factor model, all fund portfolios exhibit positive excess returns, ranging from 1.54% to 6.37%, with small and mid-cap funds showing significant excess returns [2][3] - The growth factor demonstrates a high annualized return of 9.91%, with excess returns reaching 10.5% to 12.5%, indicating a strong correlation between short-term earnings growth and future stock returns [3][4] Factor Contributions - The report highlights that aside from the market factor, the value factor has a significant negative contribution, while the growth factor contributes positively to performance [3][4] - In a five-factor model, the market factor contributes between 6.03% and 6.48%, while the value factor contributes negatively between -3.16% and -2.83%, and the growth factor contributes positively between 1.98% and 2.49% [3][4] Fund Composition and Trends - The report notes a structural shift in the composition of active equity funds, with a significant increase in the number of mixed equity funds since 2015, reflecting a change in regulatory requirements [20][21] - The number of active equity funds has grown from 207 at the end of 2008 to 5508 by the end of 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 22.8% [15][21] - The report also discusses the impact of market conditions on fund performance, noting that the active equity fund's net asset value reached a peak in 2007 and has only recently surpassed that level [22][21]

Quantitative Factors and Construction Methods Factor Name: BP (Book-to-Price Ratio) - **Construction Idea**: Measures the valuation of a stock by comparing its book value to its market value [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: $ BP = \frac{\text{Current Book Value}}{\text{Current Market Value}} $ [13] Factor Name: BP Three-Year Percentile - **Construction Idea**: Evaluates the relative valuation of a stock over the past three years [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: BP Three-Year Percentile = Percentile rank of the current BP within the last three years [13] Factor Name: Quarterly EP (Earnings-to-Price Ratio) - **Construction Idea**: Measures the profitability of a stock relative to its market price [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: $ \text{Quarterly EP} = \frac{\text{Quarterly Net Profit}}{\text{Net Assets}} $ [13] Factor Name: Quarterly EP One-Year Percentile - **Construction Idea**: Tracks the relative profitability of a stock over the past year [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: Quarterly EP One-Year Percentile = Percentile rank of the current Quarterly EP within the last year [13] Factor Name: Quarterly SP (Sales-to-Price Ratio) - **Construction Idea**: Measures the revenue generation capability of a stock relative to its market price [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: $ \text{Quarterly SP} = \frac{\text{Quarterly Revenue}}{\text{Net Assets}} $ [13] Factor Name: Quarterly SP One-Year Percentile - **Construction Idea**: Tracks the relative revenue generation capability of a stock over the past year [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: Quarterly SP One-Year Percentile = Percentile rank of the current Quarterly SP within the last year [13] Factor Name: Small Market Cap - **Construction Idea**: Captures the size effect by focusing on smaller companies [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: $ \text{Small Market Cap} = \log(\text{Market Capitalization}) $ [13] Factor Name: 1-Month Reversal - **Construction Idea**: Captures the short-term reversal effect in stock prices [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: $ \text{1-Month Reversal} = \text{Cumulative Return over the Last 20 Trading Days} $ [13] Factor Name: Fama-French Three-Factor 1-Month Residual Volatility - **Construction Idea**: Measures the idiosyncratic risk of a stock based on the Fama-French three-factor model [13] - **Construction Process**: - Formula: $ \text{Residual Volatility} = \text{Standard Deviation of Residuals from Fama-French Three-Factor Regression over the Last 20 Trading Days} $ [13] --- Factor Backtesting Results IC Performance - **BP**: Weekly IC = -4.17%, Monthly IC = 0.88%, Yearly IC = 1.86%, Historical IC = 2.19% [9] - **BP Three-Year Percentile**: Weekly IC = -1.08%, Monthly IC = -0.99%, Yearly IC = 2.58%, Historical IC = 1.58% [9] - **Quarterly EP**: Weekly IC = 2.10%, Monthly IC = -0.48%, Yearly IC = -0.46%, Historical IC = 1.18% [9] - **Quarterly EP One-Year Percentile**: Weekly IC = 4.23%, Monthly IC = 3.81%, Yearly IC = 0.98%, Historical IC = 1.73% [9] - **Quarterly SP**: Weekly IC = 0.79%, Monthly IC = 0.93%, Yearly IC = 0.53%, Historical IC = 0.74% [9] - **Quarterly SP One-Year Percentile**: Weekly IC = 4.80%, Monthly IC = 2.82%, Yearly IC = 2.87%, Historical IC = 1.83% [9] - **Small Market Cap**: Weekly IC = 10.49%, Monthly IC = 8.17%, Yearly IC = 3.61%, Historical IC = 2.05% [9] - **1-Month Reversal**: Weekly IC = 7.22%, Monthly IC = 1.22%, Yearly IC = 3.40%, Historical IC = 2.22% [9] - **Fama-French Three-Factor 1-Month Residual Volatility**: Weekly IC = 3.60%, Monthly IC = 1.11%, Yearly IC = 3.49%, Historical IC = 2.48% [9] Excess Return Performance (Long-Only Portfolio) - **BP**: Weekly Excess Return = -0.83%, Monthly Excess Return = -1.04%, Yearly Excess Return = 3.02%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 28.90% [11] - **BP Three-Year Percentile**: Weekly Excess Return = -0.58%, Monthly Excess Return = -1.51%, Yearly Excess Return = 0.97%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = -3.21% [11] - **Quarterly EP**: Weekly Excess Return = 0.57%, Monthly Excess Return = 1.10%, Yearly Excess Return = 1.44%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 30.83% [11] - **Quarterly EP One-Year Percentile**: Weekly Excess Return = -0.01%, Monthly Excess Return = 0.51%, Yearly Excess Return = 3.23%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 34.69% [11] - **Quarterly SP**: Weekly Excess Return = -0.01%, Monthly Excess Return = 0.49%, Yearly Excess Return = 0.70%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = -2.69% [11] - **Quarterly SP One-Year Percentile**: Weekly Excess Return = 0.09%, Monthly Excess Return = 1.25%, Yearly Excess Return = 7.91%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 2.23% [11] - **Small Market Cap**: Weekly Excess Return = 0.96%, Monthly Excess Return = 2.76%, Yearly Excess Return = 18.31%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 62.57% [11] - **1-Month Reversal**: Weekly Excess Return = 0.83%, Monthly Excess Return = 0.76%, Yearly Excess Return = 3.54%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 1.57% [11] - **Fama-French Three-Factor 1-Month Residual Volatility**: Weekly Excess Return = 0.28%, Monthly Excess Return = 0.75%, Yearly Excess Return = 8.69%, Historical Cumulative Excess Return = 18.67% [11]

Group 1 - The A-share market showed mixed performance with the Shanghai Composite Index relative to the growth index declining by 0.45%, closing at 2675.86 points and a trading volume of 171.84 billion [1] - The Shanghai Composite Index relative to the growth index has decreased by 5.59% over the past month, increased by 0.79% over the past three months, and has declined by 1.15% year-to-date [1] - The Shanghai Composite Index style index series is based on the Shanghai Composite Index, calculating style scores based on growth and value factors, selecting the top 150 listed companies for the growth and value indices [1] Group 2 - The top ten holdings of the Shanghai Composite Index relative to the growth index include Kweichow Moutai (12.65%), Zijin Mining (3.77%), and others, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange accounting for 100% of the holdings [2] - The industry composition of the holdings in the Shanghai Composite Index relative to the growth index includes Information Technology (19.80%), Industrials (19.31%), Consumer Staples (18.67%), and others [2] Group 3 - The index sample is adjusted every six months, with adjustments occurring on the next trading day after the second Friday of June and December, with a sample adjustment ratio generally not exceeding 20% [3] - In special circumstances, the index may undergo temporary adjustments, and companies that are delisted will be removed from the index sample [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of investment factors in selecting stocks and constructing investment strategies, highlighting that understanding these factors can lead to better investment decisions and potential returns [2][20]. Investment Factors Overview - The article introduces eight commonly used investment factors, each with distinct principles, applicable market conditions, and associated risks, which can help investors optimize their investment strategies [4][16]. Factor Summaries 1. Market Capitalization Factor - Focuses on the impact of stock size on returns, with large-cap stocks generally being more stable but less elastic, while small-cap stocks offer higher growth potential but come with increased risk [5][6]. 2. Value Factor - Concentrates on the discrepancy between a company's intrinsic value and market price, aiming to identify undervalued stocks for potential gains when market sentiment improves [8]. 3. Growth Factor - Evaluates a company's earnings growth and future potential, typically performing well in favorable economic conditions but facing higher risks during downturns [9]. 4. Low Volatility Factor - Selects stocks with stable prices and low volatility, providing better risk-adjusted returns, especially during market downturns [11]. 5. Dividend Factor - Targets stocks with stable dividends and high yield, offering defensive characteristics in volatile markets but may lag in strong bull markets [12]. 6. Quality Factor - Based on financial and operational metrics to identify high-quality companies, which may face valuation risks during periods of high market risk appetite [13]. 7. Momentum Factor - Utilizes the trend-following theory, capitalizing on stocks that have shown strong past performance, though it may struggle in volatile markets [14]. 8. Reversal Factor - Exploits price reversal opportunities, performing well in choppy or bearish markets but underperforming in strong trends [15]. Factor Usage Considerations - Investors should choose factors that align with their risk tolerance and investment goals, combining multiple factors to enhance returns while being mindful of market conditions [17][18][19].