Clemson University Foundation scores 8.5% net return fiscal year

Clemson University Foundation's $1 billion endowment returned a net 8.5% for the fiscal year ended June 30.

The endowment's return exceeded its policy benchmark return of 7.8% for the period, according to an endowment annual report emailed by Maddie Morrow, manager of investment operations for the Clemson, S.C.-based foundation.

For the three and five years ended June 30, the endowment returned an annualized net 11.4% and 8.7%, respectively, above the respective benchmarks of 10.5% and 7.7%.

The endowment had returned a net -4.4% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022.

For the most recent fiscal year, the endowment landed in the top five among the 45 college and university endowments whose returns have been tracked by Pensions & Investments as of Dec. 4. The median return of the universe was 4.6%.

The report did not provide further information regarding the primary drivers of outperformance, but it is likely the endowment's actual allocation of 33% to domestic equities was particularly beneficial. For the year ended June 30, the Russell 3000 index returned 19%.

The rest of the actual allocation as of June 30 was 16% private equity, 15% hedge funds, 10% international equities, 8% fixed income, 6% cash, 4% each commodities and natural resources, 3% private real assets and 1% public real estate.