Abstract
Jones and Swaleheen (2014, this journal) examine the performance of an equity portfolio in a student managed investment fund and document the outperformance of the portfolio relative to the S&P 500 index on an absolute basis. We show that the apparent outperformance of the portfolio is due to using the index without its dividend component. Once we use the S&P 500 total return as the benchmark, the outperformance of the equity portfolio disappears. We explain why the S&P 500 total return should be used in this case, and propose and justify two alternative proxies for the S&P 500 total return.
Recommended Citation
(2026)
"Portfolio Performance Evaluation Benchmark: A Note,"
Journal of Economics and Finance Education: Vol. 14:
Iss.
1, Article 1.
Available at:
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/jefe/vol14/iss1/1