Kansas Public Employees returns gross 26.3% for latest fiscal year

Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, Topeka, returned a gross 26.3% for the fiscal year ended June 30.

The $24.9 billion pension fund's return exceeded its 25% policy benchmark return for the period, according to a performance report emailed by KPERS spokeswoman Kristen Basso.

For the three, five and 10 years ended June 30, the pension fund returned an annualized gross 11.3%, 11% and 9.2%, respectively, above the respective benchmarks of 10.9%, 10.6% and 8.8%.

KPERS returned 2.1% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

For the most recent fiscal year, the best-performing asset class was alternative investments, which had a gross return of 53.2% (above its benchmark of 46.2%), followed by domestic equities at a gross 44% (below its 44.2% benchmark); international equities, a gross 35.2% (35.7%); yield-driven strategies, 20.4% (20.8%); real estate, 9.6% (8.8%); real return, 6.5% (6.5%); and fixed income, 1.3% (-0.3%).

As of June 30, the actual allocation was 27% domestic equities; 26.1% international equities; 10.2% real return; 9.4% each alternatives, fixed income and real estate; 5.5% yield-driven strategies; and 3% cash.