Caxton Going Down?

brucekovnercaxtonassociates.gifWe’re hearing rumors that Caxton Associates is blowing up. Caxton is one of the largest hedge funds in the world with around $16 billion under multi-strategy management so this would be huge and, as they say, unlikely. Some are saying it’s because of the move SEPR has made of over the past few weeks (Caxton’s largest equity position had been SEPR), others that it’s the very fashionable credit situation. Right now, all just hearsay. Maybe funds this large don’t blow up. Maybe Caxton was already a red giant, and will contract into a white dwarf under a sea of redemption requests after some significant losses. Only then will it be ready for a supernova. Heard anything? You know where to find us.
Update: Caxton denies any such rumors. According a friend o’ DealBreaker, there was a “larger than normal liquidation in order to reduce risk,” the main fund is down 3-4% mtd and Caxton “made money today.” Make of that what you will.

Comments (28)

  1. Posted by Zbignew | July 31, 2007 at 3:32 PM

    “Unlikely”?
    All sorts of shit is unlikely, and yet still happens. LTCM “wasn’t supposed to happen.” Apparently million-to-one-shots happen every single moment of every day.

  2. Posted by ass | July 31, 2007 at 3:34 PM

    thank you, zbignew

  3. Posted by em | July 31, 2007 at 3:44 PM

    i doubt it, but shit happens

  4. Posted by joe | July 31, 2007 at 3:52 PM

    Looking at the 13-F, it just doesn’t seem possible that a 280M position in SEPR could cause a 17B fund any problems. Even if the entire position was wiped out, they’d only lose 1.7%.
    I’m still confused about Sowood. How does someone file owning 6.5B in equities and options lose 1.5B on 3B in capital?
    Short story, 13-Fs are misleading

  5. Posted by joe marmar | July 31, 2007 at 4:00 PM

    hmm, maybe they employed leverage?

  6. Posted by PBateman | July 31, 2007 at 4:00 PM

    joe – 13Fs are really meaningless for multistrats and fixed income players.
    1) Most fixed income positions don’t show up in the filing
    2) International positions aren’t filed
    3) You can’t tell how much leverage they’re running
    So with Sowood, you don’t see their 7x levered bank book, which ultimately caused their downfall

  7. Posted by joe marmar | July 31, 2007 at 4:00 PM

    hmm, maybe they employed leverage?

  8. Posted by Anonymous | July 31, 2007 at 4:01 PM

    Joe, just one word explains it…leverage. Get used to that word if you want to work on Wall Street.

  9. Posted by Ajax | July 31, 2007 at 4:04 PM

    the first joe doesn’t know preferred stock from livestock

  10. Posted by BSD is a dick | July 31, 2007 at 4:08 PM

    Ajax, i agree, but the first Joe knows a LOT about what life is like for a guy whose face is perpetually covered in mushroom bruises.

  11. Posted by Mep | July 31, 2007 at 4:14 PM

    Zbignew: Apparently million-to-one-shots happen every single moment of every day.
    It depends on who is making the odds.

  12. Posted by jt | July 31, 2007 at 4:14 PM

    no value add comment:
    HAHAHAHA such highbrow humor and sophisticated insults

  13. Posted by Anonymous | July 31, 2007 at 4:18 PM

    looks like faber debunked you just like he debunked the txu people

  14. Posted by em | July 31, 2007 at 4:31 PM

    somebody from caxton reads dealbreaker, and should really take it upon themselves to confirm or deny said reports

  15. Posted by the other BSD | July 31, 2007 at 4:45 PM

    who is BSD?

  16. Posted by Anonymous | July 31, 2007 at 5:05 PM

    hey, jt: suck a dick

  17. Posted by Toby Young | July 31, 2007 at 5:33 PM

    Caxton denied this rumor directly to Ms. Levin shortly after the story was posted. As noted to DealBreaker, Caxton continues to trade normally and profitably for the year.
    Toby Young
    Director of Investor Relations
    Caxton Associates

  18. Posted by AJ | July 31, 2007 at 5:59 PM

    I like Toby responding. Very solid.

  19. Posted by Anonymous | July 31, 2007 at 7:55 PM

    Toby – is it true your fund was up 12% going into last week and finished the month down 7%?

  20. Posted by PBateman | July 31, 2007 at 7:56 PM

    Toby – is it true your fund was up 12% going into last week and finished the month down 7%?

  21. Posted by Chuck Prince | July 31, 2007 at 9:09 PM

    God, I love Seinfeld

  22. Posted by Ajax | July 31, 2007 at 9:34 PM

    yo chuck, get yo head outta yo ass and do something about the fucking stock price

  23. Posted by jt | July 31, 2007 at 11:48 PM

    hey anonymous @5:05 – way to prove my point, this shit is fucking hilarious!

  24. Posted by Former Eye-Patch Wearing Joker | August 1, 2007 at 3:47 AM

    Will two two please get a room, jt you must be the catcher, right?

  25. Posted by henry teoh | August 1, 2007 at 4:21 AM

    What is SEPR?

  26. Posted by I love to help henry! | August 1, 2007 at 12:59 PM

    SEPR = Sepracor, makers of Lunesta.

  27. Posted by Ajax | August 1, 2007 at 3:12 PM

    Wall St’s in great hands with guys who don’t know what leverage is or what SEPR is.

  28. Posted by Goldpalm | August 3, 2007 at 11:27 PM

    Caxton’s holdings presently are:
    -Equities 6 Billion
    -Fixed Income 12 Billion
    -Currencies 1 Billion
    -Commodities 0.5 Billion
    Now, if Caxton’s size is 11 Billion, take
    out a pocket calculator and you’ll get
    the leverage.
    Value at risk (VaR) presently is 0.5.
    Last month it was 0.6 and in Average
    it is between 0.4 to 0.8
    Caxton has over 2000 Equity positions,
    both US and international (ADR).

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